Advertise on podcast: Midnight Facts for Insomniacs

It was the summer that wasn't. In 1816, a volcanic eruption on the other side of the world choked the skies with ash and drowned Europe in cold, ceaseless rain. Holed up on the shores of Lake Geneva, Lord Byron challenged his houseguests to each write a ghost story. Mary Shelley's became Frankenstein. This week, Shane and Duncan dig into how Hollywood took Shelley's articulate, vengeful creature and rebuilt it into something unrecognizable, and in the process created one of the most iconic monsters in film history. ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Alive? No Country For Old Men? Outbreak? Which would be in your top 5?  Tell us in Discord ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~

This week, Shane and Duncan go ghost hunting across two centuries and three continents. In Tennessee, the Bell Witch moves into a farmhouse, wrecks an engagement, and terrorizes a future president. In London, Scratching Fanny knocks against the walls of a C**k Lane lodging, accusing a widower of poisoning his wife. In Australia, Fisher's Ghost perches on a fence rail and points toward his own grave. Pour something strong, lock the doors, and join the boys for three of history's strangest hauntings. ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM

For centuries, courts have wrestled with one impossible question: does madness excuse murder? From Daniel M’Naghten and his delusions about the British government to John Hinckley Jr. and his attempt to win Jodie Foster’s heart by shooting Ronald Reagan, the history of the insanity defense is full of strange crimes, stranger logic, and some truly bizarre courtroom battles. ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM

This week, Shane and Duncan descend into the strange world of luxury bunkers, from the bizarre Atomitat to a Las Vegas mansion buried beneath the desert, an abandoned Atlas missile silo transformed into a luxury survival condo, and sprawling private compounds designed to keep the ultra-wealthy comfortable while the rest of civilization burns. Swimming pools, movie theaters, fake windows, hydroponic gardens, private security, and enough luxury amenities to make the apocalypse feel like a vacation. Because if the world is going to end, there's no reason it can’t end in style. ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Castles, cannons, concrete, and the persistent human desire not to get blown up. This week, Shane and Duncan trace the strange evolution of the bunker, from medieval fortifications and the arrival of artillery to the underground defenses of the World Wars and the nuclear paranoia of the Cold War. ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Body-art aficionados rejoice! MFFI finally takes on tattoos...  Long before tattoo machines, sterile needles, and flash books, humans were finding creative ways to decorate their skin. In this week's host swap episode, Duncan traces the history of tattooing from sooty sticks to rotary guns to a nightmare future of automated skin-printers. Follow along to find out how tattooing went from ancient ritual and social taboo to the red carpet, the runway, and the mall. ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Why does doubt have a B? Why is colonel pronounced “kernel?” And how can rough, through, though, and bough all ignore the same letters in completely different ways? This week, Shane and Duncan trace the remarkable history of English spelling through conquests, sound shifts, scholarly meddling, and centuries of happy accidents.  ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Join Shane and Duncan for an exploration of the strange history and surprising science of left-handedness, from sinister medieval myths and bizarre medical theories to the neurological quirks that make southpaws so fascinating. You'll learn why lefties are so rare, why they seem to dominate certain sports, and whether being left-handed really comes with hidden advantages…or hidden risks. ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Ghostly lights on the horizon. Thousands of fireflies pulsing in tandem. A lakeshore strewn with petrified figures. A storm that never seems to end. This week, Shane and Duncan take a closer look at some of nature’s strangest spectacles and the weird science hiding behind the myths. ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Alfred is back! Longtime friend of the show Alfred Banks returned to the livestream to help the guys tackle one important question: What were the biggest lies we were told as kids? From “If you make a funny face, it’ll stay that way” to “Hard work always pays off,” Alfred and the Insomniacs sorted through decades of parental propaganda to assemble a definitive list of childhood nonsense. Which would be in your top 5? Tell us in Discord ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~

History remembers the great inventors, leaders, and visionaries. This episode is about the other guys. Join Shane and Duncan for a celebration of daredevils, showmen, thrill-seekers, and the professional idiots who turned bad ideas into a spectator sport. ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Some celebrity deaths become legends. Others become conspiracy theories. A few become both. From an OG Superman found dead under mysterious circumstances to a legendary actress who vanished into the dark waters off Catalina Island, Shane and Duncan explore the evidence, the rumors, and the tabloid chaos that turns real events into cultural mythology. ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Power, ego, and one of the most legendary media grudges in Hollywood history. This week, Shane and Duncan dive into the explosive feud between Orson Welles and William Randolph Hearst, from the making of Citizen Kane to the full-court press to destroy it. Newspapers, blacklists, threats, and enough spite to power a small city. Hollywood has always loved a drama queen. ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Long-term grudges and carefully planned revenge. This week, Shane and Duncan unpack the iconic true story of the Forty-seven rōnin, a tale of honor, loyalty, and one of history’s most meticulously executed acts of vengeance. Swords are drawn, patience is tested, and justice takes its time. ~ Become an Insomniac! Join the Midnight Masses by supporting the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content. ~ Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected] ~ Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word. ~ Follow us on INSTAGRAM