Why Do People Think Werewolves are Real?

Hi guys.

I'm Catie Wayne. And this is "Animalist News." Halloween is almost here. And in light of this spooky holiday, we're going to talk about one of history's most spooky villains-- werewolves. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that lycanthropy is the nonoptional ability to shape shift from a human into a vicious bloodthirsty half-human, half-wolf hybrid.

References to werewolves date back as early as 7th century BC. And this shows that tales of werewolves have been around basically as long as human civilization has. But why do we fear the wolf so? Real wolves rarely attack humans without provocation. It's a bit of a mystery. Regardless, there have been many recorded cases of lycanthropy. In France between 1520 and 1630, there were more than 30,000 cases. These werewolves hunts occurred during the same time as the famous witch hunts. One belief at the time was that werewolves turned their skin inside out to appear human, so one of their super-duper scientific tests was to cut your flesh, and pull it back to see if you had any fur hiding underneath.

So logical. In their defense though, it was a different, simpler time. They were still figuring out how to stay alive during childbirth. I doubt they had time to study the intricacies of genetic disorders, like hypotrichosis, a condition where people can grow thick hair all over their face and body. Or worry ergot poisoning.

Ergot being a fungus which can thrive in wheat and barley, and when ingested can cause hallucinations. Forget about rabies, or any other kind of disease other than the sniffles. And guys, they were probably too caught up in collective hysteria to take a step back and go guys, hold on. Hold on a second. Maybe this dude isn't a shape-shifting bloodthirsty demon sent from hell to murder us all? Maybe? Maybe we got some collective hysteria. What animal are you the most afraid of their? Is there a story behind it? Please share with me in the comments below.

And if you want to learn more about actual wolves, check out my weird, gross, and beautiful on them. Communal pacts will howl together to maybe communicate something to a different pack. I love you all, and I'll see you next time. Bye. Mwah!