We think we know the story of the witch. Images flicker in our minds – cackling women around cauldrons, the fiery pyres of Salem, perhaps a pointy hat or two for good measure. But like so much of what passes for common knowledge, the truth is far more unsettling, more persistent, and speaks volumes about the fault lines in our own supposedly enlightened world.
The academic consensus, when it bothers to look beyond the sensationalized narratives, points to a grim reality: witch hunts are not relics of a superstitious past; they are a recurring symptom of social and economic breakdown, a brutal tool wielded in times of upheaval and fear. The whispers of accusation that led to Iquo Edet Eyo’s horrific death in Nigeria in 2022, because of a motorcycle crash blamed on her alleged witchcraft, echo across centuries and continents. As Scientific American makes chillingly clear, the narrative could just as easily be set in 16th-century Germany, 21st-century India, or countless other places where the label of "witch" becomes a death sentence. Far from fading with modernization, these persecutions persist, and in some regions, may even be on the rise.
Why? Because the roots of the witch hunt are not solely planted in irrational fear. They intertwine with tangible societal stresses: continue reading article
This is Heliox: Where Evidence Meets Empathy
Independent, moderated, timely, deep, gentle, clinical, global, and community conversations about things that matter. Breathe Easy, we go deep and lightly surface the big ideas.
Disclosure: This podcast uses AI-generated synthetic voices for a material portion of the audio content, in line with Apple Podcasts guidelines.
We make rigorous science accessible, accurate, and unforgettable.
Produced by Michelle Bruecker and Scott Bleackley, it features reviews of emerging research and ideas from leading thinkers, curated under our creative direction with AI assistance for voice, imagery, and composition. Systemic voices and illustrative images of people are representative tools, not depictions of specific individuals.
We dive deep into peer-reviewed research, pre-prints, and major scientific works—then bring them to life through the stories of the researchers themselves. Complex ideas become clear. Obscure discoveries become conversation starters. And you walk away understanding not just what scientists discovered, but why it matters and how they got there.
Independent, moderated, timely, deep, gentle, clinical, global, and community conversations about things that matter. Breathe Easy, we go deep and lightly surface the big ideas.
Spoken word, short and sweet, with rhythm and a catchy beat.
http://tinyurl.com/stonefolksongs
