The Creepy Origins of Easter: Forgotten Pagan Rituals & Dark Traditions
Long before chocolate eggs and fluffy bunnies, Easter was something far stranger…
From forgotten fertility rites and bonfires to ward off witches, to eggs used for prophecy and ancient goddess worship — this deep dive explores the eerie origins of Easter you were never taught in school. Discover how springtime once meant spirit-trapping eggs, foxes delivering gifts, and masked mummers performing death and resurrection plays in the village square.
Could Easter have once belonged to a pagan goddess named Ēostre? Why do we really roll eggs down hills? And what secrets does its celebration hold?
This is the unsettling truth behind Easter’s ancient rituals — from Ostara to modern-day folklore.
🔮 Chapters Include:
00:39 Who was Ēostre? The Spring Goddess & the Equinox
02:09 Eggs as omens, offerings… and spirit traps
03:21 Easter bonfires to ward off witches
04:27 Pagan fertility whipping
06:06 The Easter Fox: Germany’s forgotten gift-bringer
06:54 Death and resurrection plays in English villages
08:16 Graveyard picnics with the dead
09:27 The strange symbolism behind rolling eggs
🌕 If you love folklore, dark history, and the strange stories behind traditions, this one’s for you.
[…]
We went up to Manchester to speak to the Mayor Andy Burnham. We chat Scunthorpe privatisation, how he seized control of Manchester’s bus network, and what the government need to do next.
Subscribe to our podcast now, or you’re a silly goose:
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[…]
In this episode, developmental biologist Michael Levin and cognitive scientist Anna Ciaunica examine how cellular intelligence challenges our traditional understanding of consciousness. They explore how memory, embodiment, and our interactions with others fundamentally shape the self.
A huge thank you to Dina Rudick, a four-time Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker / journalist, who expertly aided this production at the last minute. You can find more about her work at https://www.anthemmultimedia.com. Definitely check out her films.
As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe
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Links Mentioned:
Michael Levin’s website: https://drmichaellevin.org/
Anna Ciaunica’s website: https://annaciaunica.fr/
Curt’s previous talk with Michael: • Michael Levin: Consciousness, Biology…
Timestamps:
00:00 – Opening
01:42 – The Biggest Myths in Biology and Neuroscience
03:18 – Anna’s Take on How Self Emerges from “Bunches of Cells”
04:10 – Critique of Adult-Centric Perspectives
05:15 – Dropping Old Conceptual “Epicycles”
07:45 – Continuity from Single Cells to Human Minds
09:28 – On Memory, Metaphors, and Shifting Perspectives
10:46 – Bridging Disciplinary Silos & The Power of Interdisciplinarity
13:04 – Development, Evolution, and Goal-Directed Systems
17:05 – Expanding the Concept of “Goal-Seeking” in Biology
25:12 – Depression, Body States, and Self-Regulation
31:57 – Aging, Goals, and the Problem of “Having Nothing Left to Do”
41:10 – Pregnancy, Immune Systems, and “Sharing a Self”
51:08 – “Interconnectedness” as Fundamental to Selfhood
57:56 – The Story We Tell Ourselves vs. The Agency of Thoughts
1:07:00 – Rewriting “You”: Caterpillars, Butterflies, and Memory
1:16:15 – Final Thoughts: The Self as an Ongoing, Embodied Process
1:24:01 – Closing Remarks and Where to Find More
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#science #biology #research #scientist #consciousness
[…]
[…]
We had the incredible opportunity to visit CERN and see firsthand where some of the world’s most groundbreaking science is happening. In this video, we explore what CERN is focusing on today—from high-energy particle collisions to the mysteries of antimatter and dark matter. We also dive into the fascinating history and engineering behind the Large Hadron Collider.
Huge thanks to the CERN team for opening their doors and letting us witness this cutting-edge technology in person! @CERN
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