The Skeptics Society & Skeptic magazine

Episode 167
Werewolves and Change

When did full moons become required in werewolf lore? Could the beast of Gevaudan have been a Hyena? Why does silver have such power in folklore? Can silver coins preserve milk? In episode 167 of MonsterTalk, Karen and Blake discuss further discoveries about werewolf lore.

Mentioned in this episode

• Wolf-related MonsterTalk (previous episodes) Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
• Jay Smith’s historical research on hyenas and French wolf attacks. (Behind a paywall, but you may be able to get free access at your local public or university libraries. Be sure and check with a librarian.)
• Scott Lilienfeld (et al) book on Psychology Myths mentioned regarding full moon

If you’re interested in the science fair project we mentioned, here are some links:

• Silver in Medicine:
  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2364932/
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_uses_of_silver
• The Oligodynamic Effect
• Historical Use of Silver in Medicine
• Zombie killing of bacteria by silver

Music

• Monstertalk Theme: Monster by Peach Stealing Monkeys

The views expressed on this program are not necessarily the views of the Skeptics Society or Skeptic magazine.