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The Box of Oddities

The Box of Oddities

By: Kat & Jethro Gilligan Toth
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The Webby Award-winning “Box of Oddities" is a podcast that delves into the strange and mysterious aspects of our world, exploring topics ranging from bizarre medical conditions to unsolved mysteries, and from paranormal phenomena to strange cultural practices from around the world. With a focus on oddities, curiosities, and the macabre, each episode is a journey into the unknown, where hosts Kat and Jethro Gilligan Toth share their love for unusual stories and inject their humor and commentary. From the strange history of medical practices to chilling true crime stories, to natural (and unnatural) events, "The Box of Oddities" satisfies your thirst for the weird and the unusual, offering an informative and entertaining look into the dark and mysterious corners of our world. JIMMY KIMMEL, ABC-TV says, "Should you be the type who has an interest in weird stuff, this is a fun thing to allow in your head!" “Truth is stranger than fiction, and the Box of Oddities is the strangest of all!” -SLUGGO, SIRIUS XM LITHIUM “Kat & Jethro wring humor from bizarre, macabre and perplexing places.” -BOSTON MAGAZINE© 2023 Eleven Eleven llc Social Sciences True Crime
Episodes
  • Lost Bodies & Fake Nutmeg

    Lost Bodies & Fake Nutmeg
    Jun 29 2026
    There was a time in America when shipping a dead body by railroad was as routine as sending a trunk of luggage... until somebody misplaced the coffin. In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro uncover the strange and surprisingly common history of America's "silent passengers"—human remains transported across the country by rail. Discover the newspaper stories of lost coffins, bodies sent to the wrong families, funeral trains delayed by storms, and the unsettling realities of moving the dead before modern embalming. It's a forgotten chapter of railroad history that's equal parts fascinating, unsettling, and absurd. Then Kat takes a detour into one of history's lighter mysteries: Why is Connecticut called the Nutmeg State? Did crafty merchants really sell fake wooden nutmegs? Along the way, you'll discover the surprising origins of state nicknames like the Tar Heel State, the Sooner State, the Badger State, and more—revealing how folklore, history, commerce, and a little creative marketing shaped the identities of the United States. If you love forgotten history, strange true stories, bizarre Americana, railroad oddities, unusual facts, and conversations that wander gloriously off the rails, you've found your people. Because sometimes the weirdest journey... begins after the passengers stop breathing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    35 mins
  • Inbox Of Oddities #91

    Inbox Of Oddities #91
    Jun 26 2026
    Welcome back to the Inbox of Oddities, where the strangest stories often come from the most fascinating people—our listeners. In this episode, Kat and JG dive into a collection of eerie coincidences, hilarious family traditions, bizarre ghostly encounters, and wonderfully odd personal experiences submitted by the Freak Family. You'll hear about an iPhone Live Caption glitch that turned Thomas Edison's infamous phonograph doll into nightmare fuel, a mysterious photograph taken inside Cleveland's legendary Death Car, a listener's encounter with the America's Cup emerging from dense fog, and a heartfelt recommendation to explore the groundbreaking legacy of psychologist Dr. Evelyn Hooker, whose research helped change modern history. Along the way, there's talk of Stephen King's infamous "boob gate," cryptozoology in Bangor, suspicious activity journals, blind cats with exercise wheels, unforgettable sandwich combinations, misheard song lyrics, family inside jokes, and the wonderfully strange way everyday life seems to intersect with the weird after listening to The Box of Oddities. Whether you're a longtime member of the Order of Freaks or discovering the show for the first time, this listener mailbag is packed with paranormal curiosities, true oddities, laugh-out-loud moments, and the wonderfully unexpected conversations that make the Freak Family unlike any other community in podcasting. If you've got a strange story, unexplained experience, bizarre family history, or curious observation, send it our way—you might just hear it on a future Inbox of Oddities. Keep flying that freak flag. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    24 mins
  • The Great Piano Migration & Ancient Romans In Brazil?

    The Great Piano Migration & Ancient Romans In Brazil?
    Jun 24 2026
    What do a piano frozen in the Yukon wilderness and a possible Roman shipwreck off the coast of Brazil have in common? In this episode of Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro uncover two historical mysteries that challenge what we think we know about the past. First, a strange dark object discovered beneath Arctic ice turns out to be something no one expected: a piano. That discovery leads to the remarkable story of the Klondike Gold Rush and the astonishing number of pianos hauled by hand across treacherous mountain passes into one of the most remote regions on Earth. Why would prospectors drag thousands of pounds of musical instruments through snow, ice, and wilderness in pursuit of gold? Then, the pair dive into one of archaeology's most controversial claims. In the waters of Brazil's Guanabara Bay, ancient Roman-style amphorae were discovered on the seafloor, sparking speculation that Roman sailors may have reached South America more than a thousand years before Columbus. Was it evidence of a lost chapter of world history—or an elaborate deception involving a businessman, reproduction pottery, and a very unusual aging process? Along the way: frontier optimism, buried artifacts, impossible journeys, accidental archaeology, questionable treasure hunters, and the surprisingly emotional reasons humans carry pieces of home into the unknown. If you love forgotten history, unexplained discoveries, archaeological mysteries, strange true stories, the Klondike Gold Rush, Roman artifacts, and the wonderfully bizarre corners of the human experience, this episode belongs in your queue. #BoxOfOddities #KlondikeGoldRush #Archaeology #RomanEmpire #AncientMysteries #GoldRushHistory #HistoryPodcast #WeirdHistory #Unexplained #LostCivilizations #StrangeHistory #OdditiesPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 mins
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