The night was dark and the sea was raging. The captain of the steam ship Archtor checked his map. There should have been a lighthouse marking the rocky Flannan Islands, but there was no light to guide him. A lighthouse relief vessel, called Hesperus, was sent to investigate the dark lighthouse, and the crew immediately knew something was wrong. The three lighthouse keepers who were stationed there were nowhere to be found.

In this episode, we will explore the disappearance of the light keepers, the official investigation and conclusions, and why this story is still a mystery today.

Hello listeners,

This week, The MCP would like to showcase another history podcast. Fresh Hell Podcast, hosted by Annie and Johanna, is an amazing deep dive history podcast focusing on the macabre. Like the MCP they focus on research and human stories, taking time to explore the historical context behind every topic they cover. They often focus on lesser-known stories, tangents of larger topics that also deserve to be explored. They release a new episode every Friday, diving into stories of murder, mystery, and the macabre.

The episode of Fresh Hell that I chose to share with you all is called This is The Saddest Show. I chose this one because we've covered Freak Shows on the MCP, but didn't have time to really dive into the lives of some of the people who were displayed in this way. This episode talks about Chang and Eng Bunker, the conjoined twins, who were eventually able to take control of their display, and Julia Pastrana, known as 'the Bear Woman,' whom even after her death couldn't escape the exploitation that ruled her life. Annie and Johanna tell their stories in detail, remaining sensitive and non-exploitative when dealing with the complicated issues that wove throughout their lives.

So, please give this episode a listen, and if you like it, you can find part 2 on the Fresh Hell Podcast feed where ever podcasts are found.

Thank you, and I'll be back next time with another episode of the MCP.

Glowing plants and mushrooms are a staple of science fiction and fantasy environments, but did you know these fantastical elements are based on real organisms? This episode should be called glowing non-animal organisms but that doesn't really roll off the tongue. We discuss fungi, moss, algae and plants that glow, using bioluminescence and other unique mechanisms.