In the sweltering summer of 1944, residents of a small Illinois town awoke to a strange sweet smell—and paralyzed limbs. As more victims reported choking fumes and prowlers, fear swept through Mattoon. Was it mass hysteria, a chemical attack, or something stranger? This is the story of the Mad Gasser: a faceless phantom who stalked a town at night, left no trace, and vanished into legend—leaving only questions in his wake.

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Source Information:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/10/30/mad-gasser-mattoon-illinois-mystery/

https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/madgasser

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Gasser_of_Mattoon

https://atlasobscura.com/articles/column-mad-gasser-of-mattoon

https://www.damninteresting.com/the-mad-gasser-of-mattoon/

https://www.library.illinois.edu/hpnl/blog/the-mad-gasser-of-mattoon/

https://shortform.com/podcast/episode/stuff-you-should-know-2024-11-28-episode-summary-live-minneapolis-the-madd-gasser-of-mattoon

Thanks so much for listening, and I'll catch up with you again on Thursday.

Sarah xx

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In post-communist Romania, witchcraft didn’t vanish—it went viral. From riverbank hexes on corrupt politicians to livestreamed love spells for clients in Dubai, Romania’s witches have become spiritual entrepreneurs, political provocateurs, and global influencers. But beneath the incense and smartphone screens lies a deeper story: one rooted in ancient folk magic, persecution, power, and survival. This is the tale of the modern vrajitoare—the witches who now issue receipts and wield curses.

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BY US A COFFEE

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Source Information:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/06/romanian-witches-cast-antigovernment-spell

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/08/romanian-witches-government-clampdown

http://www.reuters.com/article/technology/romanias-witches-harness-the-powers-of-the-web-idUSKCN1S73GB

http://religiondispatches.org/romanias-witch-tax-magic-meets-bureaucracy/

http://theweek.com/articles/527029/no-witchcraft-tv

http://www.vice.com/en/article/what-happened-when-romanias-most-powerful-witch-moved-to-la/

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/nov/24/tv-tonight-inside-romanias-first-school-for-witches

Thanks so much for listening, and I'll catch up with you again on Thursday.

Sarah xx

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