What does hell on earth look like? Science writer and explorer Erika Engelhaupt takes us on a unique journey to “awesomely awful” destinations to explore the history, culture, and science behind seven of the most otherworldly locations around the world.
Erika Engelhaupt is a science journalist and expert on all things macabre. Her work in National Geographic, Scientific American, and elsewhere has revealed the spooky science behind many taboo topics, including rotting corpses, bodily fluids, and other things that make her popular at dinner parties. She is the author of Gory Details: Adventures from the Dark Side of Science and her newest book, Go to Hell: A Traveler’s Guide to Earth’s Most Otherworldly Destinations.
We thought this previously released episode was the perfect one to share this week for Halloween! Erika shares insights into how cultures worldwide have visualized the afterlife, explores the natural phenomena behind these lesser-known “hellscapes,” and discusses her own experiences visiting places that challenge and redefine our sense of wonder.
What’s the eeriest or most otherworldly place you’ve visited? I'd love to hear about your experience, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.
Tune In To Learn:
A city filled with death, a centuries-old “skull cult,” and the inspiration behind Dante’s Inferno
A small cave in Ireland linked to ancient folklore and the origins of Halloween
The fiery pit that’s been burning for decades and the surprising theory behind it (plus, you can camp here!)
Where you can witness surreal blue flames rolling down a deadly sulfuric volcano
An island with some of the most gorgeous yet hellscape-y features, geothermal pools, and more
The most electric place on earth and the fascinating science behind it
Where to find razor-sharp “stone forests” and navigate the devil’s obstacle course
Which charming but hellish US town you can be mayor for the day
Will our pets eat us if we die? The five-second rule (fact or fiction?)
And so much more
Resources:
Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
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Visit Erika’s website
Grab Erika’s book, Go to Hell
Would your dog eat you if you died?
Want More?
What Happens When You Die? (Part One): A Journey to the Other Side with Peter Panagore
Top 10 World’s Weirdest Restaurants With La Carmina
Dark Tourism and the Complexities of Dark Destinations with Professor James Treadwell
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