Teenagers have been accused of latching on to each others’ behaviors forever. But how do we separate fads, social contagions, and honest-to-goodness crises? This episode, we dig into two instances of apparent mass hysteria at American high schools. 

Hosted, Written, and Researched by Laurah Norton

Additional Research by Anna Luria 

Produced and Engineered by Maura Currie

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Works Cited 

N/A, AP, “Girls Faint From. . .” The Yazoo Herald, 1976. 

N/A, AP, “Fainting Rash Stops. . “ The Vicksburg Post, 1976. 

N/A, AP, “Southern School Girls. . .” Petaluma Argus-Courier, 1976.

N/A, AP, “Reasons Probed For. . .” The Daily Herald, 1976. 

N/A, AP, “Girl Students Hit. . .” The Marion Star, 1976.

N/A, AP, “Fainting Spells Making. . .” Neenah Menasha Northwestern, 1976.

David Harrison, “Absentees From Byrd. . .” The Roanoke Times, 2007. 

Stuart Jeffries, “The Outbreak of. . .” The Guardian, 2007.

N/A, WSLS, “CDC Probing Strange Illness, 2007.

David Harrison, “Absentees From Byrd. . .” The Roanoke Times, 2007. 

David Harrison, “School Calls In. . .” The Roanoke Times, 2007.

David Harrison, “School Officials: No. . .” The Roanoke Times, 2007.

David Harrison, “Test Find No. . .” The Roanoke Times, 2007.

David Harrison, “Twitching Arm Bothersome. . .” The Roanoke Times, 2007.

Lauren Hellowski, “William Byrd High. . “ The Roanoke Times, 2024.

David Harrison, “Stress Caused Twitching. . .” The Roanoke Times, 2007.

N/A, “Asbestos Removal Will. . .” The Roanoke Times, 2023. 

Amanda Codispoti, “Board Paying For. . .” The Roanoke Times, 2007. 

N/A, “CDC Probing Strange. . “ The Roanoke Times, 2007.

N/A, AP, “CDC Probing Twitching. . .” The AP, 2007. 

Marvin Anderson, “School Confronts Strange. . .” The Roanoke Times, 2007.

Asbestos Information 

Behind the closed doors of government offices and military compounds, are hidden stories and buried secrets from the darkest corners of history. Each week, Luke Lamana, a Marine Corp Reconnaissance Veteran, pulls back the curtain on what once was classified information exposing the secrets and lies behind the world’s most powerful institutions. From the hitmakers at Wondery and Ballen Studios, we bring you REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana. The stories are real, and the secrets are shocking.

Listen Now: Wondery.fm/REDACTED_OST

Strangers, this week we bring you a spooktacular crossover with Tenderfoot TV’s Rattled and Shook. Meredith and Laurah bring you two terrifying tales with a side of paranormal analysis. Plus, you’ll hear a bit about the bonus content and a hint at the special holiday episode we have planned for the rest of the month! 

Rattled and Shook:  Follow us for more @rattledandshook or send us a message from rattledandshook.com

Host: Meredith Stedman @meredithstedman

Intro voicework by Miles Agee

Original Music, Intro Theme & Ending Theme by Makeup and Vanity Set

Both storytellers in this episode are the people that experienced these stories! Special thanks to Robert (Maryland Wolfman) and Brandon (Manhunt)!

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Though the mountain region isn’t traditionally known for its immortal undead, there is a tale of one particular vampire—or specifically, a vampire’s grave—in a little town in Lafayette, Colorado. 

Hosted, Written, and Researched by Laurah Norton 

Produced by Maura Currie

Engineered by Brandon Schexnayder 

Subscribe to our Substack: https://substack.com/@onestrangething

Sources on our website: https://www.onestrangethingpodcast.com/

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2024 All Rights Reserved One Strange Thing Podcast, LLC

In celebration of spooky season, we’re sharing one of our most popular premium episodes with the main feed. If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe on Patreon or Apple podcasts!

One of the internet’s most viral paranormal stories regards sightings of so-called BEKs, or Black-Eyed Kids. These coal-eyed children seem harmless at first—that is, until they start begging to come in. Just for a moment. They promise they won’t hurt you. 

Hosted, Written, and Researched by Laurah Norton 

Produced and Engineered by Maura Currie 

Subscribe to our Substack: https://substack.com/@onestrangething

Sources on our website: https://www.onestrangethingpodcast.com/

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We have partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They’re great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email [email protected] or click the link below to get started. https://advertising.libsyn.com/OneStrangeThing

2024 All Rights Reserved One Strange Thing Podcast, LLC

Works Cited

ReignBot, “The Russian Sleep Experiment,” YouTube 

Monstrous, “Don’t Let Them In!. . .” PBS, 2021.

Brian Bethel, (archived), “Brian Bethel Reports. . . “  Abilene Reporter News, 2013. 

Brian Bethel’s archived listserv post, 1998. 

David Mikkelson, “Black-Eyed Kids,” Snopes, 2013.

N/A,  “Drone on Chase. . .” The Express & Star, 2015. 

Jason Offsut, “Black-Eyed Kids. . .” The Examiner, 2011. 

“Black-Eyed Children,” It’s Probably Aliens, 2019. 

Irish Post Staff, “Exploring Irish Mythology. . .” The Irish Post, 2021. 

Pennsylvania’s saddest, ugliest, and somehow most adorable cryptid, the squonk,  is here to teach you a valuable lesson. And to melt. There’s that, too. 

Hosted and Written by Laurah Norton

Research by Laurah Norton

Produced by Maura Currie 

Engineered by Brandon Schexnayder 

Download the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning for FREE at NetSuite.com/STRANGE

Subscribe to our Substack: https://substack.com/@onestrangething

Sources on our website: https://www.onestrangethingpodcast.com/

Join us on Patreon for early release and ad-free episodes, exclusive stories, and bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/OneStrangeThing

You can also subscribe to premium episodes on Apple Premium and Supercast!

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/OSTPod

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We have partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They’re great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email [email protected] or click the link below to get started. https://advertising.libsyn.com/OneStrangeThing

2024 All Rights Reserved One Strange Thing Podcast, LLC

Please take a moment to listen to this important announcement regarding ads that may appear during the election season.

Have you experienced The Mandela Effect? Fruit of the Loom, Darth Vader, The Berenstain Bears, Shazam—there are now dozens of examples of this phenomenon that some claim is easily explained by memory or psychology. Others, though, have different theories—weird ones. 

Hosted and Written by Laurah Norton

Research by Laurah Norton and Bryan Worters

Produced by Maura Currie 

Engineered by Brandon Schexnayder 

Download the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning for FREE at NetSuite.com/STRANGE

Subscribe to our Substack: https://substack.com/@onestrangething

Sources on our website: https://www.onestrangethingpodcast.com/

Join us on Patreon for early release and ad-free episodes, exclusive stories, and bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/OneStrangeThing

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We have partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They’re great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email [email protected] or click the link below to get started. https://advertising.libsyn.com/OneStrangeThing

2024 All Rights Reserved One Strange Thing Podcast, LLC

Wyoming’s favorite cryptid, the jackalope, is admittedly a hard sell as far as the supernatural goes—but as with most things, its origin story is quite the rabbit hole. 

Hosted and Written by Laurah Norton

Research by Laurah Norton and Anna Luria

Produced by Maura Currie 

Engineered by Brandon Schexnayder 

Download the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning for FREE at NetSuite.com/STRANGE

Subscribe to our Substack: https://substack.com/@onestrangething

Sources on our website: https://www.onestrangethingpodcast.com/

Join us on Patreon for early release and ad-free episodes, exclusive stories, and bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/OneStrangeThing

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We have partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They’re great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email [email protected] or click the link below to get started. https://advertising.libsyn.com/OneStrangeThing

2024 All Rights Reserved One Strange Thing Podcast, LLC

Laurah is recovering from Covid. Thanks for your patience! 

Back in 2000, one of the first viral “haunted” Ebay auctions listed an allegedly cursed painting titled The Hands Resist Him; it was alleged to spark all kinds of supernatural activity, which surprised exactly no one who’d gazed upon the spooky work. But was it actually plagued by any sort of ill-luck or tied to true ghostly activity?

Hosted and Written by Laurah Norton

Research by Laurah Norton and Bryan Worters 

Produced by Maura Currie 

Engineered by Brandon Schexnayder 

Sources on our website: https://www.onestrangethingpodcast.com/

Join us on Patreon for early release and ad-free episodes, exclusive stories, and bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/OneStrangeThing

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We have partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They’re great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email [email protected] or click the link below to get started. https://advertising.libsyn.com/OneStrangeThing

2024 All Rights Reserved One Strange Thing Podcast, LLC

In the late 19th century, in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, the hodag—a monster that sprung up in the tall tales of local logging camps— made its national  debut when one was supposedly captured alive and put on display at a county fair. We are very sorry we missed it. 

Hosted and Written by Laurah Norton

Research by Laurah Norton and Bryan Worters 

Produced by Maura Currie 

Engineered by Brandon Schexnayder 

Sources on our website: https://www.onestrangethingpodcast.com/

Join us on Patreon for early release and ad-free episodes, exclusive stories, and bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/OneStrangeThing

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We have partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They’re great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email [email protected] or click the link below to get started. https://advertising.libsyn.com/OneStrangeThing

2024 All Rights Reserved One Strange Thing Podcast, LLC