Wendigo Biology Explained | The Science of the Wendigo

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  • Опубликовано: 20 сен 2024
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    Another entry in the mysterious archives uncovered at Angelwood University, authored and recorded by a scientist known only, at this time, as "Zeiger." His topic for today: the biological properties of the Wendigo.
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    ▷ Join Patreon for early premiers, exclusive videos, artwork, and FULL access to the ‘World of Cryptobiology’ on World Anvil!
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    This video was edited by ‪@CyanRameron‬, who does excellent work!
    Is the Wendigo a taboo subject?
    First, I am very willing to adjust this as new information is brought to my attention!
    However, in my research, I have found that belief in a certain 'shapeshifter' is often conflated to apply to the wendigo as well. Anyone reading this please correct me if I'm wrong, but Indigenous peoples don't appear to hold wendigo itself sacred, though certain people have requested that any depictions of this particular shapeshifter to stay out of any media adaptations or even discussions by non-native people due to an inherent lack of cultural experience and knowledge. On the other hand, books about Wendigo lore hav been written by indigenous authors like Basil Johnston for public reading, and I cited one of his books as a source.
    I tried to be true to the lore and also relate any additions back to the original legend of the embodiment of selfishness, as well as the spirit of the Wendigo in modern times.
    Some sources:
    - nativeappropri...
    - ia...
    - www.backstoryr...
    - www.legendsofa...
    Additional sources:
    - The Manitous by Basil Johnston: amzn.to/3CZKIEC
    - Stress Hormones Epinephrine and Corticosterone Selectively Modulate HSV-1: www.ncbi.nlm.n...
    - Orbitofrontal cortex and stress: onlinelibrary....
    - The neural correlates of justified and unjustified killing: academic.oup.c...
    - Brain mechanisms of pleasure and displeasure: www.sciencedir...
    - Neuro-acoustic signatures for speech imitation ability: www.ncbi.nlm.n...
    - Virology Lecture on Persistent Infection: • Virology Lectures 2021...
    - Wendigo mythology: www.backstoryr...
    - Role of orbitofrontal cortex connections in emotion: pubmed.ncbi.nl...
    - Cortisol-induced immune suppression: www.ncbi.nlm.n...
    - Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis: www.frontiersi...
    - Psychological stress, HSV-1 infection, glucocorticoid receptor-mediated mechanism: www.ncbi.nlm.n...
    - Viruses and beta cell death: www.genengnews...
    - Viruses and beta cell death 2:diabetesjourna...
    ----
    This description may contain affiliate links to Amazon, which provide me with a slight commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Комментарии • 2,7 тыс.

  • @ThoughtPotato
    @ThoughtPotato  Год назад +175

    Read the written version of this video and see all the artwork here: thecryptobiologist.substack.com/p/the-science-and-biology-of-the-wendigo

    • @al-imranadore1182
      @al-imranadore1182 Год назад +4

      You had the microphone too close to your mouth, keep it 12" away when recording.

    • @HiraethhFairy
      @HiraethhFairy Год назад

      ​@@al-imranadore1182909pp😅

    • @ladyserenegrace18
      @ladyserenegrace18 9 месяцев назад +2

      can you put your playlist in chronological order for the lore you're building? also please publish this as a book

    • @chrissoto7187
      @chrissoto7187 6 месяцев назад +2

      What would happen if you give an infected a shot of insulin?

    • @thunderstudent
      @thunderstudent 6 месяцев назад +1

      @@chrissoto7187 That’s actually a good question.

  • @adwitatherealadwita
    @adwitatherealadwita Год назад +13567

    I'm so glad that you're actually portraying the Wendigo as it was intended to be portrayed in the original indigenous stories, and not as a skinny werewolf wearing a deer skull.
    Edit: Apparently another version of the Wendigo's appearance in some Anishinaabe stories is of a monstrous giant that grows with each person it eats, and is sometimes covered with ice. In some stories you can see it's original human self encased in ice where it's heart should be. Another interpretation is of the human's corrupted spirit and warped body stitching together the skins of wildlife, other people, and even parts of their environment (usually ice) and incorporated said materials into their form. Interesting stuff.

    • @feifeili1658
      @feifeili1658 Год назад +1466

      But you have to admit that the deer skull version looks cooler

    • @samwill7259
      @samwill7259 Год назад +681

      @@feifeili1658 No we don't have to admit the cultural apropriation looks cooler. You want a skinny monster with a deer skull, make one up.

    • @redspiderlilys6
      @redspiderlilys6 Год назад +1684

      @@samwill7259 the man was just saying the appropriated version looks cooler, not that it should replace the real version or anything

    • @cheesecakeisgross4645
      @cheesecakeisgross4645 Год назад +1382

      @@samwill7259 stop whinging about cultural appropriation. Its cringe.

    • @samwill7259
      @samwill7259 Год назад

      @@cheesecakeisgross4645 Good arguement, very internet. Kiss my ass.

  • @ajclements4627
    @ajclements4627 Год назад +4682

    I hope this “biology explained” series continues for a long time, I love these!

    • @agatha968
      @agatha968 Год назад +42

      it's my favourite thing on RUclips right now

    • @ThatBrdPirate
      @ThatBrdPirate Год назад +12

      Just a theory Cody from Total drama island is a wendigo idk about the eating a human to turn into a wendigo

    • @anthonytonythegeek5561
      @anthonytonythegeek5561 Год назад +5

      @@ThatBrdPirateI think it’s just that he went insane

    • @brotherkhrayn3525
      @brotherkhrayn3525 Год назад +4

      Same

    • @mymyhi9921
      @mymyhi9921 Год назад +3

      Me too but hope they never stop

  • @edsonmendes926
    @edsonmendes926 Год назад +3780

    As a med student I have to say: although some concepts of human biology and microbiology are slightly twisted, most of your work here is scientific correct. It’s an impressive and honestly cool way to teach human body mechanics to people that otherwise wouldn’t get the information. Congrats

    • @KristieIushkova
      @KristieIushkova Год назад +106

      Agreed. I’m in nursing and this was way more physiologically correct then I stepped in expecting 🤯

    • @DontLookBehindYou1
      @DontLookBehindYou1 Год назад +16

      I love it... Super creative and very unique

    • @MoiraWillenov
      @MoiraWillenov Год назад +54

      I agree. I was drawn in by his scientific knowledge. He has a sexy brain. :D

    • @johnlynch-kv8mz
      @johnlynch-kv8mz Год назад +7

      That’s what I’m saying. . Thank you

    • @evawehner3812
      @evawehner3812 Год назад +12

      I’m a med student as well and it’s pretty scary how accurate many of his scientific explanations are!

  • @aerys9644
    @aerys9644 Год назад +774

    As an Ojibwekwe (Anishinaabe), you've done well. I was always taught that talking about Wendigo & other entities of that sort can cause the spirit of one to find you - for so long I was afraid until I talked to my aunty while learning about the boarding school era. She said that the Wendigo was never described as a deer/wolf/human hybrid but more so as a human who was forced to do the unthinkable and consume another human. Colonizers spread disease and forced Indigenous peoples out of their land, forced to lands that were not rich in resources - starvation & sickness were rampant, some people had to "lose their humanity" to survive. It was easier to think of them & the situation as a monster instead of someone who had faced that kind of turmoil & torture. That is how I interpret it.

    • @brandenapexo604
      @brandenapexo604 10 месяцев назад +23

      I agree with you that the legend was more than likely sparked by exaggerated allegory and superstition but I do believe, as I’m sure you do, that in some of these old lands there is old magic and when negative energy accumulate in said lands it can create something that was never supposed to be, I think the legend of these things an the skinwalkers are products of that.

    • @annageorge8406
      @annageorge8406 7 месяцев назад +7

      I would love to learn more about your culture. Since I have recently found out I have indigenous ancestors.

    • @CorinnaAtHome
      @CorinnaAtHome 6 месяцев назад +5

      Thank you for sharing this information. It absolutely makes sense. Most lore is rooted in truth of some kind.

    • @wavfilep
      @wavfilep 4 месяца назад

      ​@@annageorge8406learn about your own, whitey

    • @ayanow7420
      @ayanow7420 3 месяца назад +2

      ​@@annageorge8406 you remind me of that south park episode with the DNA tests

  • @MechEngDommo
    @MechEngDommo 10 месяцев назад +382

    As an Ojibwe member, one thing to keep in mind is that Wendigo are not mindless. They are absolutely all-consumed by hunger, but they still have vestiges of their memories and can understand human speech. They also don't inherently have a preference to human flesh, what they have is a need for flesh/protien in general, and they look for opportunities at all times to feed. A part of the reason they tend to be found in the wilderness is that many Wendigo may intentionally be trying to keep themselves away from civilization. The true horror of this transformation is that the person is largely self-aware during and after the process, but has little ability to control their impulses and survival instinct (they are unable to kill themselves). If one should encounter a Wendigo while hunting or fishing, the easiest way to escape is to give up your kill immediately. A Wendigo will hunt and pursue you, however it will usually take the immediate food source. If you give up a deer, you have little risk of being pursued because it may take a day or two for the wendigo to consume it. Throwing a fish however might only buy you a few minutes.
    Another thing. Wendigo are year-round predators, however during the summer months they generally have an abundance of prey items to feed upon and/or scavenge. Often times livestock killings are mistaken for bears or mountain lions, when it is Wendigo, or they may range along rural highways eating road kill. The reason why Wendigo are thought of as winter predators truly comes down to the fact that they are most likely to actively hunt people in the winter when the lack of prey makes people the prime target.
    Finally wendigo are difficult to kill and they do have a sense of self-preservation. They regenerate quickly and can heal anything short of an amputation inside of a few days if they have ample food nearby. They also can't really feel pain and sometimes are missing digits and lack tongues and lips/cheeks because they bite them off on accident or because they lacked prey and started to self cannibalize. If you do try to kill one, aim for the head or the heart, and make sure to put an extra few rounds into the skull to make sure, then burn the body. Anything less and it's possible that may not have quite gotten the job done. Also realize that if you are hunting a Wendigo, that it is intelligent, and that it has the sense of smell of a bloodhound and can see in the dark like a cat. It will know you're there long before you know it's around. If you see it, it's because it wants you to see it, or because it's eating and may be distracted.
    Wendigo that have lived a long time (they can live for a hundred years or more, we found one that was killed by a logging truck while scavenging roadkill that had a Tattoo of his wife and child on his chest from the 1920s from his time in the navy!) are fully feral. The humanity in them is gone and they are nothing but straight up predators. The newer ones still remember what it was like to be a person, and may try to avoid people, but the old ones are 8-10' of pure malice and low cunning. Few live that long, in fact I'd say most don't last more than a few years before they starve or get hunted down. But the old ones truly are malevolent, because that's the only way to last that long.

    • @Springborn41
      @Springborn41 9 месяцев назад +38

      Thank you for sharing this. I love learning about the supernatural and their backgrounds. Hearing this made me respect lore more than i did.

    • @slavicspider7762
      @slavicspider7762 8 месяцев назад +24

      That makes them so much scarier. Thank you for sharing

    • @thepancakeplanet8849
      @thepancakeplanet8849 7 месяцев назад +8

      Was the depiction from Supernatural accurate? That one sort of hibernated and woke up every few decades to hunt, gorge itself, and then it would go back to sleep.

    • @silvie626
      @silvie626 5 месяцев назад +7

      @@thepancakeplanet8849based on the information provided by an actual native person, I’d say it was semi accurate

    • @thepancakeplanet8849
      @thepancakeplanet8849 5 месяцев назад +4

      @@silvie626 Thx.

  • @TheBitingBat
    @TheBitingBat Год назад +2462

    Not gonna lie, this is one of the few that I was bit scared for. As an indigenous person, I grew up being told not to talk about the malignant spirits. But you were very respectful and true to the lore of these dark creatures

    • @ThoughtPotato
      @ThoughtPotato  Год назад +392

      that’s very good to hear; thank you for your comment.

    • @dubuyajay9964
      @dubuyajay9964 Год назад +19

      You ok? :(

    • @cursed-cat9126
      @cursed-cat9126 Год назад +122

      @@dubuyajay9964 I think what op is referring to is that if you speak their name into existence, then it draws and attracts it towards you

    • @dubuyajay9964
      @dubuyajay9964 Год назад +25

      @@cursed-cat9126 I still want to make sure they ok though.

    • @cursed-cat9126
      @cursed-cat9126 Год назад +10

      @@dubuyajay9964 ofc, me as well

  • @kade-qt1zu
    @kade-qt1zu Год назад +3683

    I think it would be very interesting if you explained another cryptid through a fictional virus, except rather than the victim of the virus being a human, it's a different species of animal. For example, the chupacabra could be the result of a mutation of the vampire virus that has adapted to infect dogs. Or maybe the more deer-like depiction of the wendigo could be a mutation of the wendigo virus affecting deer.

    • @Crowned_PvP
      @Crowned_PvP Год назад +153

      this sounds cool af

    • @tigereyeinc.718
      @tigereyeinc.718 Год назад +96

      I love that idea! Maybe a video that goes over all these other subsections!

    • @roboticjanitor3332
      @roboticjanitor3332 Год назад +28

      Ooh that's good!

    • @DraptorRonin
      @DraptorRonin Год назад +36

      I was thinking the same thing with the deer!

    • @wyvernnemecek595
      @wyvernnemecek595 Год назад +71

      The Deer-like Wendigo could be a wingless Jersey Devil.
      As for the chupacabra, there’s an irl disease that inspired much of the visuals we have for the chupacabra myth: mange. Apply it to a Coyote or a stray dog and, suddenly, you have a very ugly creature

  • @fuzzynuttz5092
    @fuzzynuttz5092 Год назад +2913

    I'm not gonna lie out of all of the cryptids, this one scares me the most not just because of the cannabilism, but the idea that anyone can be twisted and contorted into this monster

    • @ThoughtPotato
      @ThoughtPotato  Год назад +284

      Agreed

    • @kade-qt1zu
      @kade-qt1zu Год назад +33

      Doesn't that apply to most cryptids in this series.

    • @fuzzynuttz5092
      @fuzzynuttz5092 Год назад +98

      @@kade-qt1zu why yes it does but I gotta say that the Wendigo is probably one of if not the most scariest compared to the other Cryptids in terms of transformation

    • @insomniagobrrr5542
      @insomniagobrrr5542 Год назад +12

      @@kade-qt1zu I don't think zombies, vampires, and werewolves are cryptids

    • @LuanMower55
      @LuanMower55 Год назад +122

      @@majorxmelee long story to illustrste why it's scary, but imagine this:
      Your family goes camping in the mountains, and a snowstorm runs through the area, and you're all trapped inside a cabin as the snows outside slowly rise to encompass the walls, doors, and windows.
      A day passes, then another, and another. Food runs low, and you begin to ration it, but still the storm does not abate. Plenty of water and wood to burn, but little food.
      You run out of food, and you try to reason that the storm is gonna go away soon. By nightfall you boil your shoes and boots, chewing on the leather until your mouth aches. You can't stop thinking about food, but your body aches from exhaustion and starvation, and drinking water makes you want to puke as your stomach loses the ability to process food properly. You lose track of time, your blood pressure goes down, and then you begin to hallucinate. Someone dies, likely one of the younger or elderly members of the family, and their body just lays there for some time. You start thinking about it, just an intrusive thought about eating their meat to save yourself. You don't wanna die right? There's still fire and plenty of water, you could cook just bit to keep yourself and the others alive...
      You do then. A chunk from the thigh or forearm on the fire. The smell of the meat cooking is nauseating but enticing. You can barely wait, and begin to eat as soon as the meat sears. You eat greedily, but your family's not having it, you're being selfish, share with them! A fight breaks out, and you somehow manage to kill everyone there. You huddle in a corner with your meal. You don't reason anymore, you just want to survive.
      That is how a a modern wendigo story might go. If this doesn't convince you that cannibalism is scary, read the accounts from survivors of the siege of Leningrad.

  • @oliviaocasain9980
    @oliviaocasain9980 Год назад +228

    Okay I'm a neuroscientist and I've gotta say that your whole explanation is hella impressive.

  • @owasephiroth1835
    @owasephiroth1835 Год назад +559

    I’m part Cherokee and I loved this, would love to hear other indigenous creatures explained like this 😮😮😮

    • @FatalShotGG
      @FatalShotGG Год назад +5

      Metis here! Greetings my brother

    • @antwan3163
      @antwan3163 Год назад +10

      I find it very interesting when someon claims native/indigenous blood. They usually do not say simply "i am native" but "i am part native" or something similar. They had to lower the threshold required to qualify as a member of the nation by quite a bit. Isn't it like 1/16 or 1/8 (at least for the Cherokee, I think). Probably the only ethnic background any person would bother to mention at such a minute percentage. If someone is say, 1/8 Hispanic (which I suppose could itself constitute varying degrees of native dna), they would not bother to mention it. I am half so I of course claim ethnicity. Please feel free to correct me. I just remember hearing the "1/8" rule at some point in reference to native tribe membership because of the devastation disease and war caused to their population. In theory, no person of full native blood would be able to resist the diseases brought by the Europeans, without some sort of mutation or hybridization and acclimation. So, I sincerely wonder if there is anyone left alive that has more than perhaps 1/4 or 1/2. That would require only having children with fellow natives of mutated DNA, which would ultimately cause horrible disfigurement from inbreeding.

    • @KalashVodka175
      @KalashVodka175 Год назад +13

      @@antwan3163 I have like 1% nordic blood, I'm literally viking bro

    • @antwan3163
      @antwan3163 Год назад +5

      @imperialcommissar2090 lmao. Point made! I find it so interesting how the native communities had to incorporate people with much lower amounts of ethnic background because of the devastation the Europeans did to their populations. Technically speaking, most Hispanic people would have a varying percentage of native blood. Sure, not North American native like mentioned, but native nonetheless. Much of this is due to the widespread r*pe of the native women by the Europeans, and the diminished number of south American native men to compete with.

    • @MAN_LVR
      @MAN_LVR Год назад +6

      ​@@antwan3163actually, in many reservations/boundaries there are plenty of full-blooded indigenous people. (btw, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians need 1/16th to be part of the tribe) But, most full-blooded indigenous people are elders sadly. I wish the future of my tribe(s) will be able to continue and thrive.

  • @joenickerson4862
    @joenickerson4862 Год назад +1964

    As a type 1 diabetic this was extremely interesting. When I look at pictures of myself when my blood sugar was extremely high, I looked extremely pale and very gaunt. Perhaps the body's inability to process sugar in the blood would lead to the paler complexion as well?

    • @bustavonnutz
      @bustavonnutz Год назад +218

      >goes camping
      >gets lost
      >becomes Wendigo
      > faints from exertion walking over log
      Feelsbadman

    • @Shrek_Almighty
      @Shrek_Almighty Год назад +47

      You should watch the movie "Antler(S?)" since it shows accurate wenidgos turn into the more movie-like ones.

    • @ericstevens8744
      @ericstevens8744 Год назад +11

      Yes I’m no Dr but it makes sense

    • @konbkob4156
      @konbkob4156 Год назад +42

      @@bustavonnutz Actually would explain why they would need to mimic other people to get them closer, since they can't chase/sneak up on them

    • @PissBreakSupervisorOleHopkins
      @PissBreakSupervisorOleHopkins Год назад +28

      @@konbkob4156 isn't that what skin Walkers do not wendigo. At least thats the story's I grew up with.the story's came from the Navajo and the skin walker is supposed to be a shape Shifter or a witch I guess using different forms and voices to lure in people. At least what I've learned and been told. Al though I believe the reason that us natives told these story's were to scare are people and making them wary to real dangers in nature with story's of monsters. Wendigo story's were to stop cannibalism in the harsh times of winter. Skin Walker story's to be wary of animals that could have stuff wrong with them like defects and could be sick because an animal wont likely come up to you unless something is wrong with it. at least what I think about all the story's but I can lie still scares me a bit

  • @blessedandbiwithahintofmagic
    @blessedandbiwithahintofmagic Год назад +567

    I adore how this is delivered as a warning report, finding realistic mechanisms for a very supernatural, incredibly scary condition - the Wendigo seems even more horrific hearing this, especially the 100% fatality rate after activation - kind of like learning about prions. This is truly terrifying.

  • @jennyfeare1702
    @jennyfeare1702 Год назад +892

    Some strains of the vampiric and lycanthropic virus resulting in different types you should take note of as something to do in the future, Rougarou, Luison, Strigoi, Aswang, Mananaggal, Alp, and Nelapsi. Also some non-human species like Dragons, Nessie, Chupacabra, biblically and scientifically accurate Angels and Fallen Angels/Demons, and Mothman would be sick to see!

  • @dengiirfastwind7157
    @dengiirfastwind7157 Год назад +325

    I appreciate what you did with this video, specifically what you said in how the original stories have been warped. I'm a Cree person from Canada and I have my own cultural teachings on what this is, what we call the witiko. It's an evil spirit that infects the heart of a greedy person, a self interested, self serving and wicked person. Much like their greed in life when they are infected by the spirit their hunger and greed continues until it consumes them entirely. I was taught their appearance is that of a very tall, thin ice giant with a heart entirely made of ice and as they consume flesh their heart gets colder and colder and the only way to kill them is to entirely melt their heart (good luck). The subject around them is highly taboo and isn't widely discussed but it's important to get the correct information out there. I'll share the cultural oral story that was handed down to me as it's pertinent. A hunter leaves his tribe during a vicious ice storm to search for food as they are all starving, he get's lost for 3 days in the torrent that is the blizzard, he eventually comes across the carcass of a bison and nourish himself on it's meat. He finds the meat so tasty that he decides to stay longer to get his fill, and not knowing how long he's been there eventually he eats the entire carcass and in his greed has nothing to bring back to his tribe. By now the snowstorm has passed and he makes his way back to his tribe. In their desparation the tribe moved to try and find food as they thought the hunter died and as a result they perished, the hunter seeing the ruin of his family as a result of his severe greed falls into a deep sadness, that sadness festered and changed him into something else and consumed the flesh of his dead family, converting him into the witiko. The legend is a warning about greed, selfishness and to avoid it at all costs, to not just take care of yourself, but to take care of those close to you and your fellow man lest you lose your humanity all together. Thank you for hearing my words, kinanâskomitin and ekosi.

    • @al-imranadore1182
      @al-imranadore1182 Год назад +2

      Well the Wendigo described in this video has a constantly overheated body(including heart), opposite to your Witiko legend.

    • @najagameplays
      @najagameplays Год назад +1

      this is so interesting!! thank you for sharing 😄

    • @justrobin8155
      @justrobin8155 Год назад +9

      I'm late, but thank you for sharing! Real legends are much more interesting than the cheap scares we get in film. And whether you believe them to be true or not, every cultural legend exists to teach something

    • @MedicFromTF2_REAL
      @MedicFromTF2_REAL 11 месяцев назад

      That's so cool and interesting, i love listening to these stories

    • @rickwrites2612
      @rickwrites2612 9 месяцев назад

      It's so important to teach this in a place where winter survival is close to the bone. When a scout finds a bison carcass he will think twice before gorging all for himself.

  • @isabelaatenska
    @isabelaatenska Год назад +77

    As a person living in the north, I can very much confirm that your description of northern winters is 100% accurate.

  • @normalhuman78-53
    @normalhuman78-53 Год назад +606

    I think this one could make a lot of sense as a prion disease similar to mad cow disease or CWD, since it’s caused by consuming flesh infected with it and causes similar symptoms like an emaciated appearance

    • @ThoughtPotato
      @ThoughtPotato  Год назад +202

      I think you’re absolutely right-especially with something like chronic wasting disease. The only thing with a prion is that it doesn’t carry genetic information, and so wouldn’t have a way to alter their host. But the main thing is that with a prion, the only way to become a “Wendigo” would be to eat another “Wendigo.” But man, those prions are vicious things

    • @oiltoast3723
      @oiltoast3723 Год назад +64

      @@ThoughtPotato I think it's funny that wendigos eat like mad because they have diabetes.

    • @tfan2222
      @tfan2222 Год назад +1

      @@oiltoast3723 ? I don’t see how those correlate.

    • @esprero
      @esprero Год назад +4

      @@tfan2222 you don't??

    • @MadEyeScienceK
      @MadEyeScienceK Год назад +24

      @@tfan2222 "there's no insulin production left in the pancreas" is a spot-on description of the cause of type 1 diabetes.

  • @zogkuma
    @zogkuma Год назад +129

    What would be sick and twisted is if a secret facility has Wendigo victims stored away and fed often in order to see how far the transformation can really go under a controlled environment...

    • @cassandrabelyeu2419
      @cassandrabelyeu2419 Год назад

      Ground beef ought to do it.
      They could develop secret vaccines in such a scenario, then sneak them into routine vaccines to cause the extinction of anomalous viruses.

    • @orionar2461
      @orionar2461 Год назад +24

      They cant digest properly, so they would still die in a half a year max

    • @RaulMondigoJr.
      @RaulMondigoJr. Год назад +6

      Of course, the SCP foundation

    • @zcgamerandreacts2762
      @zcgamerandreacts2762 Год назад +3

      ​@@RaulMondigoJr.There's like a SCP similar to 035 but way different.
      It results in the victim bashing their head into a pulp so it could fit into the skull.

    • @al-imranadore1182
      @al-imranadore1182 Год назад +4

      like the facilities in area 51.

  • @Mr.En1gm4
    @Mr.En1gm4 Год назад +164

    As someone with extra numerary teeth (I had 4 removed, all fangs, and 1 still in there, couldn't be removed because it's close to my nose) that comes from a family with a history of diabetes & thyroid disorders, this makes a lot of sense, the hunger & paleness could easily be explained by hypoglycemia (one of my relatives went as far as eating moisturizer because of how hungry she was, also theyget dead pale super quickly) also the extranumerary teeth could be directly linked to the extreme bone growth, easing tumour-like growth of teeth (like a teeth only teratoma).

    • @hunterwisdom6960
      @hunterwisdom6960 6 месяцев назад +3

      Holy shit I haven't known anyone else with supernumerary teeth! I had 5 (we think) because the fifth one randomly appeared a few months later. I also have extra wisdom teeth, I just can't get a break I'm like a shark lmao

    • @SanguivorousRevenant
      @SanguivorousRevenant 6 месяцев назад

      Diabetic and have extra teeth, myself! Seven in fact! Thyroid issued and diabetes run in both sides of my family.

  • @QuillWorks
    @QuillWorks Год назад +74

    I’m a biology major who’s admittedly more right-brained than left-brained, but adore the subject and want to study it the rest of my life. One of the things that first got me into biology was speculative biology/evolution, as seen in the “Dragonology” series and Dougal Dixon’s iconic books. To this day I adore the topic, as it appeals to my fascination with biology while also scratching at that creative itch that I get so little opportunity to properly explore in my major. I’ve just found your channel and it’s a gold mine for this! I also love that you go really in depth into more sophisticated topics such as neurons, DNA and cell structure! Such a fun way to re-examine all the stuff I’m studying. I look forward to bingeing the whole series.

  • @lanabanana8402
    @lanabanana8402 Год назад +22

    I have been waiting for someone to portray and talk about the Wendigo like this since UNTIL DAWN came out. Glad it got to be you man, keep up the good work

  • @jayebailey9332
    @jayebailey9332 Год назад +128

    As someone of Algonquin native American heritage I thank you for actually going off our collective stories of the Wendigo instead of pop culture depictions.

  • @jennyfeare1702
    @jennyfeare1702 Год назад +189

    I've got some findings that may be of interest for you, in the vampiric strain responsible for Aswangs, they appear to be distant cousins to the Romanian Strigoi, as both vampire types possess elongated tongues with blood-sucking stingers at the tips (tho the Strigoi's aren't as drastically long as Aswangs). And it would appear the Mananaggal doesn't really split itself in two, but dawns on a loincloth made from the entrails of prey, likely some form of ritualistic hunting practice.

    • @Alexiety-
      @Alexiety- Год назад +2

      i've heard of manananggals but whats an aswang?

    • @thecorlorlesspig1993
      @thecorlorlesspig1993 Год назад +11

      @@Alexiety- it's like a more general term for vampiric creatures in the Philippines I think and yeah

    • @Radechanicalarsonist
      @Radechanicalarsonist Год назад +2

      YES YES YES PLEASE I'M FILIPINO PLSSSD

  • @laurentiuvladutmanea3622
    @laurentiuvladutmanea3622 Год назад +350

    This was brilliant. You went beyond the FVZA originals and similar works, and instead bring out completely new interpretations. Bravo!
    For the next one....I have several ideas:
    1. The Jiangshi, the Chinese vampire. Now, this is a weird one, but I really want it, plus it has its own unique characteristics.
    2. Chupacabra. You could make it a relative of the HVV that affects other organisms, or not make it a virus, but instead another species
    3. Yara-ma-yha-who, of Australian Aboriginal mythology. This is so weird that I just want to see how can you make it a thing.
    4. The Ghoul. Now, this is interesting, because while described as corpse eaters and man eaters, there are also a lot of myths dealing with these ones as intelligent entities.

    • @ThoughtPotato
      @ThoughtPotato  Год назад +55

      Thanks for that well-thought-out comment! Love the ideas.

    • @davidvangerner7241
      @davidvangerner7241 Год назад +5

      @@ThoughtPotato hey thought potato could you do a biology video on doctor jekyll and mr hyde and a biology video on frankenstein monster and a biology video on the creature of the black lagoon and a biology video on the mummy

    • @davidvangerner7241
      @davidvangerner7241 Год назад +1

      @@ThoughtPotato thought potato could you also do a biology video on the mole people (1956) and the island of doctor moreau

    • @davidvangerner7241
      @davidvangerner7241 Год назад +1

      @@ThoughtPotato could you make a video on the bigfoot also know as a sasquatch

    • @Samantha-sj3ml
      @Samantha-sj3ml Год назад +3

      Yara ..(#3)
      Is so strange and seriously creepy! The idea of a little creeper that can swallow you whole gives me goose bumps

  • @Kaare-The-Heathen
    @Kaare-The-Heathen Год назад +10

    I actually had a theory that the Wendigo did exist, but as starving, cannibalistic humans that had lost their minds.

  • @berserkerboy9777
    @berserkerboy9777 Год назад +26

    This is Easily my favorite series. I’m a Biology student right now, and I love horror. This is the perfect blending of the 2, so please keep this series growing!

  • @ianswinford5570
    @ianswinford5570 Год назад +112

    The Wendigo is one of my favorite monsters! I’m so happy you did a video on this terrifying entity.

  • @ladyweasellou3367
    @ladyweasellou3367 Год назад +76

    This is the first video I've seen of yours. I work in the emergency medical field and have degree in Biology and immunology, both my mother and father are retired Corpsmen work Mom having worked in Medical research and my father in combat with Marines. I grew up in and around and now work in these fields and I must say that, I absolutely loved the way you've made these videos, I'm impressed, these are is SsOoOoOoOo fun!!!!!! Thank you so much

    • @anonomooose
      @anonomooose Год назад

      If you haven’t, you should check out the rest of the series. There’s three other videos as of now

  • @lostinthestorywithjeremymi9385
    @lostinthestorywithjeremymi9385 Год назад +199

    The Windigo is one of the most terrifying supernatural beings not just within North America, but the world itself. It's true about the misunderstandings of the entity's appearance, as I used to think it was the more grotesque deer humanoid. And the lore does sort of vary, some believe like zombies they transform and infect others while some say it is a spirit that possesses someone to act with extreme violence and cruelty.
    (Like with your videos on werewolves and vampires, one does sometimes wonder if there is a 'biological' source/origin to such beings like with how the Underworld saga created its stories and immortals. Though I still feel the supernatural/paranormal belief is still viable.)

    • @alexbrinzan9061
      @alexbrinzan9061 Год назад +2

      Yeah, at the same time im in the boat of people that think the boney derr loking thing looks cooler, since it gives it a more unique feeling rather than something that just looks like a ghoul or zombie with a bit more brainpower and abilities, like in UNTIL DAWN, that game got the wendigo wright from athe culture perspective and when i first saw it i thought ,,huh weird" that looks more like a boss zombie than much else, you know.

    • @elpsykoongro5379
      @elpsykoongro5379 Год назад +2

      I think the deer heads came from Slavic mythology

    • @lostinthestorywithjeremymi9385
      @lostinthestorywithjeremymi9385 Год назад

      @Elpsykoongro In another video it said it was from a messed up incarnation from a movie that didn't even study the entity.

    • @lostinthestorywithjeremymi9385
      @lostinthestorywithjeremymi9385 Год назад

      @@alexbrinzan9061 (Sorry for not responding to your response earlier.) Admittedly the deer humanoid form looks cooler. It's just from a movie that Monstrum revealed was the cause of this different incarnation.

  • @carolynallisee2463
    @carolynallisee2463 10 месяцев назад +7

    There is another factor that may affect the Wendigo's dentition, which you haven't mentioned, and that is linked to the loss of insulin production. I am a type II diabetes patient, as was my mother, and both of us have suffered dental degradation as a result of the condition. High blood sugar levels can and do affect healing processes, cause issues in the eyes including oedema and damage to the capillaries of the retina, and it also affects the enamel and dentine of the teeth, weakening them and making them very susceptible to breakage. Mum's dentist even described it as ' crumbling teeth', which, from my experience, is a very good description. In the past couple of years, I have lost three teeth, whose crowns literally broke off in pieces until almost nothing was left. A couple of months ago, I had the remnants removed, and whilst the crowns were all but dead and gone, the roots were very much alive and resisted extraction to the point of having to be drilled out.
    Whilst jawbone damage might account for some dental malformation, I suspect that broken teeth may well also contribute to the jagged dentition, especially if, after breaking, the body simply covers any cavities with new enamel without attempting to reform the original tooth structure.
    Finally, yes, I am fully aware that this is an entirely fictional work, but the dental issues caused by diabetes are real enough. And the issues I have described could well play a part in the natural history of the Wendigo, were it a real life creature.

  • @thewrathfulbadger2614
    @thewrathfulbadger2614 Год назад +107

    It’d be really interesting to explain Succubi and similar demonic creatures in a format like this. Especially with the emphasis of how some forms of reference of them having goat-like hooves as a way to tie to the devil in some manner. Would be really interesting!

    • @housewilma4904
      @housewilma4904 Год назад +1

      maybe a virus based on sulphur to go with the demon theme?

    • @nil981
      @nil981 Год назад +7

      Demons and angels appear to more akin to higher dimensional entities or at least interdimensional ones.

    • @housewilma4904
      @housewilma4904 Год назад +3

      @@nil981 yeah but thats more crypto metaphysics then Cryptobiology.
      unless there is still a "flesh" component to there extradiemensional make up perhaps humans sent to other realms and changed?

    • @Kaadjoisanavaliwithtoomuchtime
      @Kaadjoisanavaliwithtoomuchtime Год назад +1

      ​@@housewilma4904 succubirus

  • @lethe1090
    @lethe1090 Год назад +174

    This is my favorite series on YT right now!! I love them so much!

    • @ThoughtPotato
      @ThoughtPotato  Год назад +43

      Out of all of RUclips?! That's high praise!

    • @bjorncorvin4568
      @bjorncorvin4568 Год назад +5

      @@ThoughtPotato Yes

    • @raeldrews1187
      @raeldrews1187 Год назад

      @@ThoughtPotato keep up this feeds my soul.
      Thank u very much.

  • @dank_smirk2ndchannel200
    @dank_smirk2ndchannel200 Год назад +201

    Considering that the Wendigo virus is triggered by the extreme psychological stress of cannibalism, is it possible that it could be activated by another type of psychological stress assuming that it was just a severe?
    I’m also curious as to how long a Wendigo could theoretically live for if it somehow had a constant source of insulin provided to it in some way.

    • @al-imranadore1182
      @al-imranadore1182 Год назад +12

      Could be triggered by the stress of mercy killing a loved one, for example a mother mercy killing her child.

    • @sleepyvessel1848
      @sleepyvessel1848 Год назад +3

      In a situation similar to Jeffrey Dahmer, how would the virus come into play? Would it be something contracted from birth, caught in childhood, or merely psychological? It isn’t a life or death situation, but a severe taboo.

    • @al-imranadore1182
      @al-imranadore1182 Год назад

      @@sleepyvessel1848 Jeffrey Dahmer did what he did under the influence of a large dose of opiates therefore it wasn't psychologically stressful for him to perform cannibalism.

    • @Drikkerbadevand
      @Drikkerbadevand 11 месяцев назад +7

      Every human has an almost constant and definitely 'endless' supply of insulin right (short of type I diabetes)? What every living creature needs is calories to maintain brain and organ health. It being so skinny it would mean it has little fat to store and burn for energy and also to help keep warm, it also has no fur to help with this. to be so fast strong and agile the muscles need to be kept somewhat warm too. it would die quickly of starvation

    • @al-imranadore1182
      @al-imranadore1182 11 месяцев назад

      @@Drikkerbadevand It may not start skinny, the end stage might be when it looks skinny, strength and speed is same as average humans, just longer bones and natural weapons, Sharp claws and teeth, powerful smelling, voice mimicry and lethal scream, no impenetrable skin and weak to fire BS.

  • @ThoughtPotato
    @ThoughtPotato  Год назад +1627

    Is the Wendigo a taboo subject?
    First, I am very willing to adjust this as new information is brought to my attention!
    However, in my research, I have found that belief in a certain 'shapeshifter' is often conflated to apply to the wendigo as well. Anyone reading this please correct me if I'm wrong, but Indigenous peoples don't appear to hold wendigo itself sacred, though certain people *have* requested that any depictions of the *SW* stay out of any media adaptations or even discussions by non-native people due to an inherent lack of cultural experience and knowledge. On the other hand, books about Wendigo lore have been written by indigenous authors like Basil Johnston for public reading, and I cited one of his books as a source.
    I tried to be true to the lore and also relate any additions back to the original legend of the embodiment of selfishness, as well as the spirit of the Wendigo in modern times.
    BUT if ANY indigenous people find this video offensive, let me know! My email can be found on my channel page.
    Some sources:
    nativeappropriations.com/2016/03/magic-in-north-america-part-1-ugh.html
    twitter.com/iamtomhoran/status/1283107588582838277?lang=en
    www.backstoryradio.org/blog/the-mythology-and-misrepresentation-of-the-windigo/
    www.legendsofamerica.com/navajo-skinwalkers/

    • @jawz9455
      @jawz9455 Год назад +193

      Your good. Also you think you can do ghosts next, I would love to see how you explain away spectres of love ones. Are the people seeing ghosts the disease or are they ghosts themselves?

    • @ThoughtPotato
      @ThoughtPotato  Год назад +191

      @@jawz9455 Interesting! That would be a fun one to explore.

    • @tudoraragornofgreyscot8482
      @tudoraragornofgreyscot8482 Год назад +172

      Cultures are meant to go through changes and adaptations, the original beliefs of skinwalkers and wendigos don’t disappear just because some people imagine them with deer skulls.

    • @thisgoddamusernamestoodamnlong
      @thisgoddamusernamestoodamnlong Год назад +85

      @@tudoraragornofgreyscot8482 where did the deer skullcome from? it looks cool, but to my knowledge it's a very recent development

    • @tudoraragornofgreyscot8482
      @tudoraragornofgreyscot8482 Год назад +99

      @@thisgoddamusernamestoodamnlong Hollywood to differentiate it from zombies which were popular at the time the wendigo was being adapted.

  • @knotsoangelic
    @knotsoangelic Год назад +39

    This was interesting. I was introduced to wendigos via the game “Until Dawn”, a very good game and seems like they portrayed wendigos fairly accurately, down to the lore too. Great job.

  • @rebelsnowflake15
    @rebelsnowflake15 Год назад +20

    It took me a while to work up to this video, as a native American myself. But I should've had more faith. Thank you for handling this subject delicately.

    • @abdulsabri6551
      @abdulsabri6551 6 месяцев назад +2

      He did handle the original folklore and modern interpretation aspect very well

  • @meggiemags8672
    @meggiemags8672 Год назад +77

    The uncontrollable happiness I feel when I see videos about my culture's mythology!!

  • @tylerhansen1892
    @tylerhansen1892 Год назад +36

    In my understanding this wendigo is the "western" variant. The one with deer antlers is the "eastern" variant. The legends i recall have 2 different yet similar things 1. The eastern variant doesn't grow a deer head but rather covers its face with a deer skull like a mask. This one is a winter wendigo, as in the winter people that get the bad luck run out of food and eat each other. The survivor ashamed of what they have done covers their face with their next kill after eating all the people, a deer. In winter the deer are the only creatures up and about with a skull big enough to cover their face. It's also the only easy thing to kill which is why it isn't a bear (sleeping) or moose (it would kill you long before you killed it) and 2. a summer wendigo with a skull mask is believed to be an evil shaman practicing witchcraft. Either ashamed as well or wanting to hide their identity they also have a skull mask.
    the 2nd to me seems most likely as even nowadays people wear animal masks to sacrifice cats, dogs, raccoons, and rarely people to demons.

    • @urmom_5443
      @urmom_5443 11 месяцев назад

      Wendigos are usually only formed from cannibalism but skin walkers were shamans

  • @thepotatomaster121
    @thepotatomaster121 Год назад +10

    This guy really knows how to make a myth or story sound realistic, good job and continue the content it is amazing.

  • @nf5113
    @nf5113 4 месяца назад +3

    The opening was friggin beautiful bud. Switching from a classic broadcast voice filtered down into the warm informational mix was beautiful. Never heard it done like that.

  • @bunlux
    @bunlux Год назад +6

    Another type 1 diabetic here to say that I appreciate the accuracy in covering the damage done within the pancreas and how insulin works in general!
    The deterioration of wendigos as you described it lines up pretty well with the effects of diabetic ketoacidosis. Not being able to break down the sugar you already have and thus craving high-sugar or otherwise high-energy sources of nutrition (though in my case this was counteracted by nausea), followed by a breaking down of body fat and later muscle as the body tries to find *something* to give some energy to work with... Yeah, for the purpose of the video, that's pretty spot-on.
    I just wanted to say thanks for doing the research and implementing it in a believable and still relatively grounded way. Just hearing someone talk about the biological processes behind it is a kinda bittersweet surprise, and I'm so glad that you didn't blow it out of proportion but instead tied it into the whole physiological explanation of these cryptids.
    Kudos my guy!

  • @l.j.1417
    @l.j.1417 Год назад +29

    The opening monologue for this video is SO good btw that I've literally restarted it twice now because the first time gave me chills. Fantastic job writing this. It's beautiful!
    Starting at 1:05

  • @andrewtoland2873
    @andrewtoland2873 Год назад +98

    This was super interesting, very creative, and very well made. I love seeing cryptids and creatures of horror explained in a biological way. If I didn’t know any better, I’d believe this to be real.

  • @jamesheasley2980
    @jamesheasley2980 Год назад +47

    I really love these. I have a few other suggestions, if you're okay with it.
    Giants: I've seen some theories, but what would your "findings" tell us about these super-sized hominids?
    Ghosts: How could a person somehow still reside here after death?
    Doppelganger: How can a person (or creature) somehow take the form of another?
    Lake Monsters: Nessie, Ogopogo, Bessie, Morgawr, Nyaminyami. Are these creatures surviving plesiosaurs, or something else entirely?

  • @eternum3037
    @eternum3037 Год назад +9

    As a European I've never really heard of the Wendigo outside of the internet and I knew almost nothing about it.
    And I think your video is the best introduction to this creature and the folklore besides it.

    • @al-imranadore1182
      @al-imranadore1182 Год назад +1

      Didn't talk about Wendigos sight, hearing, strength, tough skin, healing and regeneration, long lifespan etc he skipped a lot of cool stuff.

  • @CrypticForests
    @CrypticForests 11 месяцев назад +16

    Was immediately joyed to see that this is not a Deerman being misnamed but rather an accurate portrayal! Quality as always

  • @Fadeless_00
    @Fadeless_00 Год назад +113

    Another great video man! I actually had an idea for the next creature you could do. I that you should do the Sasquatch. There are supposed sightings of Sasquatch like creatures in multiple countries (Bigfoot in North America, Yeti in Nepal, Yeren in China, Yowie in Australia and a bunch more examples all over the world) and I think that it would make sense that a virus could explain these sightings. My idea is that it’s something similar to rabies that causes humans to become feral, but also affects the pituitary gland and causes it to produce a massive amount of growth hormones essentially causing super-acromegaly/gigantism. Another side effect could be extreme hypertrichosis. Maybe after the transformation the feral-ness subsides somewhat and the person infected, if still alive and sane after the extremely rapid growth is basically and ashamed and horrified and goes into hiding. They then die within a few months or years. Or something similar to that. Anyways, I’m not a scientist but I think there’s enough to make “Sasquatch-ism” a viable virus or prion disease.

    • @eggplant4367
      @eggplant4367 Год назад +2

      yes

    • @Onetruenugget
      @Onetruenugget Год назад +7

      I would rather have Sasquatches, bigfoots and yetis be their own species of apes and he can make a video on how their behavior, interactions with their environments and how they survive in the wild just like how he did with dragons

    • @Indigoharpy
      @Indigoharpy Год назад

      Dont forget skunk ape!

    • @nil981
      @nil981 Год назад +1

      If this was the case when the absence of corpses or skeletal remains of these creatures seems to prove their non-existence.

  • @deaganachomarunacathasaigh4344
    @deaganachomarunacathasaigh4344 Год назад +37

    This is definitely the greatest video yet. I love these biological explanation for the supernatural. A virus (reminds me of rabies with the dormancy) was definitely the best route to go. Keep up these amazing videos

  • @LemonScentedSharpie
    @LemonScentedSharpie Год назад +16

    I feel like the fact that arctic groups from Europe/Asia (like Sami and indigenous Siberian tribes) don't have similar myths to the W*ndigo would have been neat to mention in this video. Could've been tied into how it's a viral infection in North America. Otherwise this is a good video. You always put so much effort into these!

  • @turboarkade2444
    @turboarkade2444 Год назад +6

    Part when you explain dental realted issues made me smile, not because I found it stupid, but because it's so well and in depth explained, it sounds absolutely legit, and I'm a dentist so it made me impressed! Great material!

  • @owenrobison7071
    @owenrobison7071 Год назад +4

    As someone who grew up in the pacific northwest and near Canada I and my family grew up to know of two urban folklore, Bigfoot and the Wendigo and to respect them and fear them, thank you for respecting them as such.

  • @fridgegremlin5496
    @fridgegremlin5496 Год назад +39

    Here’s a subject you might find quite fascinating: the Rokurokubi of Japanese folklore. Such a bizarre yōkai, and one that would be incredibly fun in your presentation style!

  • @nextcaesargaming5469
    @nextcaesargaming5469 Год назад +52

    While I do think that the Zombism and Lycanthropy you presented would make for better B.O.W.'s, this is by far the most nasty virus you have shown yet in my opinion
    thanks you for the series, man! Please keep them coming!

    • @tudoraragornofgreyscot8482
      @tudoraragornofgreyscot8482 Год назад +3

      What are BOWs?

    • @nextcaesargaming5469
      @nextcaesargaming5469 Год назад +6

      @@tudoraragornofgreyscot8482 Bio Organic Weapon

    • @youtubestudiosucks978
      @youtubestudiosucks978 Год назад +5

      @@tudoraragornofgreyscot8482 it's from resident evil, quite stupid as bio and organic mean the same thing

    • @youtubestudiosucks978
      @youtubestudiosucks978 Год назад +1

      @@nextcaesargaming5469 bio and organic mean the same thing. Go back to school, you obvious need it

    • @nextcaesargaming5469
      @nextcaesargaming5469 Год назад +9

      @@youtubestudiosucks978 I will never understand why people on the internet get so wound-up and rude about such little harmless things.

  • @nett_the_tree
    @nett_the_tree Год назад +143

    [Edit: Ironically enough, me talking about misconceptions of Wendigos brought up my misconception(and most likely other people's misconceptions) of Skinwalkers. Thanks to people teaching me more about both Wendigos and Skinwalkers, I learned that Skinwalkers don't necessarily look like long, thin, and pale humanoid monsters like Wendigos are. For other to learn what I have learned recently l, Skinwalkers are actually just humans that have obtained dark magic from killing a loved one, and then harness the power of morphing into monsters _or_ even just regular animals using animal pelts. Sometimes Skinwalkers just look like themselves normally, though I don't know if they can morph into other people. But the process of becoming a Skinwalker is a choice. Usually someone with malicious intent willing to get their hands on dark magic, even if they have to murder a family member to gain it. Wendigos are just unfortunate victims of survival, they were forced to turn into Wendigos due to their harsh environment and brutal choice of either starving to death or eating another person.]
    Something curious I realize about folklore accurate Wendigos is that they are extremely simular to Skinwalkers based on their legends and myths. Both are just almost exactly the same in appearance, but the causes of transformations are almost identical in their stories. People transform into Wendigos after the psychological trauma of eating another human, and people transform into Skinwalkers after the psychological trauma of murdering their loved ones, such as family for instance. It's just very interesting how people create stories and pass them on to others. It is also entirely possible some tribes heard tales of crypids from other tribes and retold the same stories with different details and their own depictions. Yet again another example of the concept of the telephone game.

    • @dean0mean0
      @dean0mean0 Год назад +1

      not rlly tho, skinwalkers are people who practice bad medicine in order to take the form of a predatory animal, usually by wearing the skin of something like a wolf or coyote. they become skinwalkers by seeking out an elder who will tell them to preform a series of rituals to become one. yes usually this does involve taking the life of someone close to them so you got that right but they don't look or act like wendigos. wendigos are tall, pale, gaunt and emaciated, they are driven by hunger and desperation. skinwalkers look like either big animals or regular human beings.

    • @TheDockent-u3f
      @TheDockent-u3f Год назад +2

      Good Assessment

    • @alexsash9808
      @alexsash9808 Год назад +9

      Skinwalkers are intelligent and malevolent magic users afaik.

    • @Kingdomkey123678
      @Kingdomkey123678 Год назад +14

      That’s not Skinwalkers at all??
      Skinwalkers are individuals who intentionally/willingly learn dark magic and use it for selfish means. They seem like normal people most of the time but can use animal skins to transform into various creatures and monsters.
      The process of learning Skinwalker magic typically involves killing a loved one, but it’s a conscious choice you make because you value power over people.

    • @nett_the_tree
      @nett_the_tree Год назад +4

      @@Kingdomkey123678 Yeah I don't know what I was really thinking then. Because I see people use pictures of pale white humanoids with long limbs and pale eyes, and then call it a Skinwalker instead of a Wendigo. I'm not sure if other people misunderstand what Skinwalkers look like with the misconception of Wendigos having deer skulls for heads or something.

  • @VenusTheShinyStar
    @VenusTheShinyStar Год назад +23

    Wendigoon lurking in the comments

  • @zarangoma7822
    @zarangoma7822 Год назад +16

    I think it would be so cool if you did something like a mermaid or a fairy or something really mythical... it would be a bit harder to do because they aren't considered "scary" but it would be super fun to see how you explain it. Love your videos btw!

  • @emilbroseliger8506
    @emilbroseliger8506 Год назад +10

    I thank you a lot for making this video, as i run a lot of roleplaying campains, including Dungeons&Dragons, and this video along with the other creature-Biology videos has made the challenge of making the monsters seem real and realistic SO MUCH more easy!
    THANKYOU for sparing me hours of time worth in research and reading!
    Your curious fan: Emil.

  • @karmicguzzler
    @karmicguzzler Год назад +16

    Personally, I would have explained it as a prion (self-replicating protein, e.g. Mad Cow Disease). It would fit especially well because there is a prion disease called kuru that's actually spread by eating human flesh, endemic to a small tribe in South America that practiced ceremonial cannibalism. That would be a more direct way to link the consumption of human flesh with the disease. However, the research and thought that went into this video is astonishing, so I don't think I could have done any better!

    • @darkduck856
      @darkduck856 Год назад

      but a prion doesn’t really encourage aggressive, rabid behavior like a virus. Prions just make you sluggish as you decay

    • @jussiaeabariuan7354
      @jussiaeabariuan7354 11 месяцев назад

      I thought so too

  • @peachycarnehan2291
    @peachycarnehan2291 Год назад +11

    I do a lot of hunting/fishing along the Minnesota/Canadian border so anything Wendigo is very cool to me.. I keep my eye out for Wendigo activity but, luckily, havent spotted any. Perhaps they feed on the moose...Thanks for doing this, its a great presentation..

  • @mollygreen6718
    @mollygreen6718 Год назад +6

    I Watch this with my mom, who was an EMT, among other things. This is amazing, and she was laughing and highly amazed by you, and we’re most likely going to be buying your stickers. You deserve many awards, and much fame. Thank you for this, I highly enjoyed all of your videos, and will continue to support you!

    • @ThoughtPotato
      @ThoughtPotato  Год назад +1

      That really means a lot. Thanks to you and your mom for watching!

  • @thejanitoroftheneverending1174
    @thejanitoroftheneverending1174 Год назад +16

    I love this series and all the way it's developing overtime even the narrator is evolving as you slowly find out more about him. I'd be happy if you did an episode or too with a story from his perspective of an exhibition or even this exhibition where his grandad disappeared ext.

  • @rhys1264
    @rhys1264 Год назад +47

    I absolutely love your videos and it really awesome to see you making so many.
    A few suggestions, for future videos on creatures that 'used' to be human or go from one form to another.
    1. Deep Ones - Lovecraft lore, Shadow over Innsmouth - there's a description at the end on how the transformation starts...
    2. Aswang - Filipino folklore - a strange vampiric creature that detaches herself from her lower body. How would that work scientifically if it was a virus?
    3. Selkie - Irish folklore - a woman that can turn into a seal and then back again with a skin.
    I also saw a recommendation on the 'science' of spirits and that would be neat too :)

    • @qingyuli5460
      @qingyuli5460 Год назад +6

      Manananggal is the woman that detaches herself off from her lower body when hunting. Aswang is more of an umbrella term for vampiric creatures in Filipino mythology.

    • @rhys1264
      @rhys1264 Год назад +3

      @@qingyuli5460 Ah thank you so much for the correction -- I knew I got something confused >

    • @qingyuli5460
      @qingyuli5460 Год назад +1

      @@rhys1264 np! Even I as a Filipino gets confused by the two as well😂

    • @hierophantbeans8480
      @hierophantbeans8480 Год назад +3

      I'd love to see a selkie video as well as someone from the north of Scotland c: It's probably one of our more well-known folk tales.
      And to jump on the correction bandwagon (I'm sorry >.

    • @rhys1264
      @rhys1264 Год назад

      @@hierophantbeans8480 Totally okay! I love learning new things and that's how you learn. That's really cool that there are selkie men, I wouldn't mind finding one...

  • @LetsgetMacackling2680
    @LetsgetMacackling2680 Год назад +12

    Thank you for giving TRUE information about the wendigo, it's so hard just to find one that even has an accurate looking Wendigo in it

  • @Paleowgh
    @Paleowgh Год назад +6

    The Windigo is honestly my favorite cryptid. Not just because it's from (mostly) Canadian legend, but because it takes hold of the idea of very real human personifications.

  • @steel8231
    @steel8231 Год назад +4

    Wendigos are one of those legends that had multiple versions to begin with but they all got shoved together, mixed up, remixed and reinvented into the unrecognizable "cold zombie" of today.

  • @delvi5380
    @delvi5380 Год назад +4

    the wendigo have the most disturbed and terrify appereance for me, because vampyres are so human, lycans are like anthropormorfic wolves, but wendigos are like humans but in the most grotesque way possible, they give me like an uncanny valley vibe, and that what makes them terrifyn

  • @yeezy2649
    @yeezy2649 Год назад +4

    So glad this popped up, wendigo is my fav mythical creature. I actually had a wendigo cake for my 20th bday this year. :)

  • @andeeharry
    @andeeharry Год назад +6

    I am glad you posted this, I love these guys. Found them by accident and put them in my world. They are scary 120 level ravenous creature with an unstoppable appetite, is always hungry. A creature that can produce magic, change shape and size, adopt magic and characteristics of the last thing they ate, they are unstoppable, they are swift, fast, and have a very hypnotic stare.
    I know, I changed them slightly, but like, this video will help strengthen this beauty

    • @leetlebob8203
      @leetlebob8203 Год назад

      I think your confusing some skinwalker traits there but I like how excited you seem about wendigo

    • @andeeharry
      @andeeharry Год назад

      @@leetlebob8203 I am not familiar with Skinwalker, have to check that one out. I know we shouldn't be writing about those, as it isn't the thing to do. Yeah, sorry, sometimes, I do get a little over excited too much

  • @holycrap8367
    @holycrap8367 5 месяцев назад +1

    This kind of unknown creatures explanation in a scientific way is the best series to watch during 3am. Absolutely lovely

  • @MegaPollitoconpapas
    @MegaPollitoconpapas Год назад +5

    randomly clicked on this, didnt expect such scientific lingo. As a med student, nice work 🖤

  • @davidfletcher6703
    @davidfletcher6703 Год назад +4

    The creature that looks like a humanoid deer is called a Wachuge

  • @kylemcmahon9868
    @kylemcmahon9868 Год назад +4

    So interesting to see how humans find a way to enforce morality in times of sheer desperation. To tell stories to prevent cannibalism.

  • @alestiiidaeno_last3075
    @alestiiidaeno_last3075 Год назад +15

    I really love these "Biology of X" videos. Hoping you continue to investigate other cryptids, professor. 😉

  • @lyoinfires705
    @lyoinfires705 Год назад +10

    Ive always loved this monster after seeing the Until Dawn Version ! Its haunting, the perfect body horror driven by one of the most scary but also very likely to happen scenarios for people who are starving: cannibalism

  • @patriotenfield3276
    @patriotenfield3276 Год назад +14

    Love your explanation . No wonder Until dawn wendigoes were quite realistic.

  • @CJM-rg5rt
    @CJM-rg5rt Год назад +7

    My favorite author of all time is Algernon Blackwood. His Wendigo and Willows novellas are outrageously good.

  • @WendigoRin
    @WendigoRin Год назад +20

    I'm native american so I'd just like to say, there's MANY different interpretations of the wendigo.
    I appreciate a video that relates to my ancestry!

    • @RosseRue
      @RosseRue Год назад +3

      This is the first comment from a Native American on here that hasn't sparked a war yet XD I'm Scottish so I have no opinion on this legend really, but it's clear there are some VASTLY differing perspectives amongst the Native American tribes

    • @marsyasthesatyr
      @marsyasthesatyr Год назад +8

      @@RosseRue No tribe is homogeneous. The anishinaabe, (where the wendigo is from), have several different nations all having different interpretations and pronunciations of the wendigo. Potawatomi pronounce it, "Wen dee go" not "Wen di-go" for example. Hell, even as a Potawatomi, I feel almost nothing in common culturally with the plains Potawatomi. We're all different, with all our own variations on stories. All frankly, at least from native cultures I believe, are equal in their interpretations and pronunciations of any story, manitu, or character.

  • @sylviagodsmith6957
    @sylviagodsmith6957 5 месяцев назад +1

    I've always felt a need to have some deeper information about these legends ever since I've sit down to work on worldbuilding and fantasy. Your channel is no less than a blessing to me. Informative and very creative. Thank you very much and keep up the good work.😊

  • @FatalShotGG
    @FatalShotGG Год назад +2

    Thanks for making this. I remember being afraid of this as a kid; im a Metis native from Northern Canada 🇨🇦

  • @snopas_
    @snopas_ Год назад +22

    Was anxious for your next video. You're really putting me into biology fr 🔥 love your content cheers from Brazil 💯

    • @mr.andrew7820
      @mr.andrew7820 Год назад +2

      Imagina se esse brother do nada mete um"biologia do Saci"

    • @LuanMower55
      @LuanMower55 Год назад

      Hu3hu3hu3...

    • @LeMargot
      @LeMargot Год назад +2

      Proximo video: biologia do boitatá

  • @jenniferjaime2827
    @jenniferjaime2827 Год назад +8

    I love your biology videos and love your videos and this is my new favorite mythical RUclips channel.

  • @ParasiticInfection
    @ParasiticInfection Год назад +36

    Could you cover the Grafton Monster??? I've always been amazed by what people describe it as, and have been wondering if anyone would ever explain it! It's not as well known as a werewolf, vampire, or zombie but it's still cool nonetheless!

    • @uncroppedsoop
      @uncroppedsoop Год назад +5

      what is it?

    • @dubuyajay9964
      @dubuyajay9964 Год назад +2

      Rather Lee Enfield tbh. Thing screams escaped lab experiment.

  • @TheFluffyWendigo
    @TheFluffyWendigo 3 месяца назад +1

    I'm so sorry to those I've eaten over the decades, my firsthand experiences are so clouded I can scarcely remember them. I and my friend had been trapped in a blizzard in northern Minnesota. We both thought foolishly that our supplies would last long enough to be rescued. Six weeks had passed and after a week with no food my associate took his own life. I myself waited in agony for a further 3 days before succumbing to the hunger and fed upon his corpse. I merely attempted to feed only enough to keep myself alive. Unfortunately, I had begun to hear auditory hallucinations telling me to continue to fed. His flesh had begun to taste like that which I'd never experienced before. A bite, here and there, I eventually kept feeding until I had left nothing other than bones. After which I had felt ill, not one of which one would feel after eating another human being. One that brought about change, my fingernails had fallen off and pushed forward claws meant to strip flesh from bones. My eyesight had begun to increase despite my need for glasses. I could see and hear things from far what seemed normal for humans. My hearing was the worst, I had thought I was merely going insane from the lack of interaction and hearing things much like a Schizophrenic. My bones and muscular change were nothing short of torture. I felt my bones extend and my skeletal structure begin to shift. After a considerable amount of time, I felt the newfound sense of smell. A scent of salt, iron, and meat. I did not care at that point. I felt a hunger for something, and it needed to be filled. Deer, rabbit, squirrel nothing filled that itch in my fangs, a desire to bite, to feel, to know that my prey was suffering. Only humans filled that itch, and I've been seeking that for over 75 years...and I'm so hungry....

  • @lightningburn324
    @lightningburn324 Год назад +6

    Until Dawn’s Wendigo was portrayed like this

  • @mortenborge923
    @mortenborge923 Год назад +7

    Love this! If you had made a podcast, it would definitely have ended up on my list. Love the vibe, the voice and how you present it!

  • @JamesHamp93
    @JamesHamp93 Год назад +6

    Please do more of these biology videos of mythical beings! They're awesome!!

  • @MikaelaCher
    @MikaelaCher Год назад +3

    I love this series. It's so calming in a way to hear this at night, it really relaxes me!! And also the creativity is just beyond great

  • @dreamsofcrows2718
    @dreamsofcrows2718 4 месяца назад

    I am Yaqui, from the Mexico/Arizona area. Windegos have always been a great interest of mine, and the way you ground this with science almost marries my two views of the creature. Thank you

  • @ryonhatcher4561
    @ryonhatcher4561 Год назад +15

    It surprised me that you're still continuing this Series of the Biology of the Supernatural. I like how much work you put into this Video and I hope you keep it up. I wonder what the next creature is gonna be? Maybe the next one doesn't necessarily have to start with a Virus (even though it's intriguing and acts as the grey area between the Natural and Supernatural), but maybe even Evolution. Of course, there are a number of Spec Evo Projects that touch on the very matter, like VikasRao's Draconology and ArchAngel23's Red Dirt Mystic Merchants Bestiary, but it never hurts to make one of your own. Right?

  • @andrewreid3539
    @andrewreid3539 Год назад +11

    I love that you're willing to take a scientific approach two elements of mythology grinding them in science in a sense of analyzing them as if this creature was real how would have to be true about it exist in our reality as we understand it to be I find this incredibly fascinating and I'm a huge fan of your work keep it up I can't wait to know what mythical creature you analyze next like a banshee maybe or a leprechaun perhaps there are so many fascinating creatures in mythology if they did exist the science that would explain how they could be is a true delicacy to a hungry mind

    • @bird2793
      @bird2793 Год назад +2

      I especially like the idea of the banshee, because in some folklore they foretell a death in the home where they are heard. This clairvoyance would be cool to see from a biological point of view!

  • @somerandomschmuck2547
    @somerandomschmuck2547 Год назад +15

    So we've covered arguably the big three of horror monsters, but maybe revisiting some of the other old classic could be interesting. In the universe that's been established, we know zombies are closer to the Walking Dead rabid cannibal type that's more popular nowadays rather than the voodoo type the originated the term. However, the fact those legends do exist in universe kinda suggests the idea of controllable undead might have some basis, whether that be the fact that in that region someone figured how to direct/wrangle zombies to some degree or they had something else going on. What about exploring the idea of something like a mummy, which are just corpses people are trying to preserve, doesn't seem too much of a stretch to think someone might think to employee some of these weird virus's that allow some form of seeming life after death to try and take that a step further so instead of just keeping a body pristine you get some kind of undying corpse that could still think. Plenty of cultures had groups trying to figure out some form of immortality, what if one of discovered this family of virus's and decided to start messing around. Or perhaps instead one could go to what some consider to be the first example of science fiction in literature, and almost certainly one of the first example of science horror, what if Frankenstein was real? Don't know if that would just be a general video on how, well for want of a better term, necromancy would work in this universe, or some sort of documentary on one specific individual moving throughout the background of history, but seems like it could fit

    • @al-imranadore1182
      @al-imranadore1182 Год назад +1

      HVV might have been purposefully used by Assyrian kings to achieve immorality.

  • @emamach8910
    @emamach8910 9 месяцев назад +1

    I almost never comment on RUclips videos. But I feel the need to give you a HUGE thank you! I'm working on an “academic style” essay about the Wendigo legend and this video was extremely useful. Thank you so much, I’ll certainly mention the link to this video as one of the resources of my research.

  • @shoozymusic
    @shoozymusic Год назад +8

    Somebody get wendigoon over here

  • @callahanmccorriston7154
    @callahanmccorriston7154 Год назад +4

    Not even started the vid yet and I am so excited, I adore your other speculative biology vids!

  • @GiftedContractor
    @GiftedContractor Год назад +5

    Wait, so could this be combat by a combination of insulin and antianxiety medication?

  • @autismadventures7686
    @autismadventures7686 Год назад +3

    I really love these videos. And I got to say you did great on this topic. Being Osage native, we have our own one that is neither bad or good. Known as the deer woman or deer men. They are like tricksters and our own version with skinwalkers or wendigo.

  • @gelhouseart5219
    @gelhouseart5219 Год назад +3

    This is genuinely one of the most interesting videos I’ve ever watched. Such a cool series. Earned a sub ❤

  • @Dabkiller59
    @Dabkiller59 2 месяца назад +7

    the sponsership ruined my immersion lmao

    • @peterstoric6560
      @peterstoric6560 Месяц назад +1

      To be fair, he has to make money somehow

  • @Pengouinn
    @Pengouinn Год назад +12

    It would be cool if you could scientifically explain the cases of "evil possession"! I love these videos!

    • @shadowslayer9988
      @shadowslayer9988 Год назад +3

      Something taking control of somebodies consciousness.

    • @qingyuli5460
      @qingyuli5460 Год назад +3

      @@shadowslayer9988 infection, viral or fungal.

    • @al-imranadore1182
      @al-imranadore1182 Год назад

      Meningitis, Epilepsy and Rabies were considered evil possession.

  • @c-money9623
    @c-money9623 Год назад +5

    I would love to see a video about mutations. Here in Louisiana, there's something called "Rouxgearux" it's like a werewolf but it lives in swamp trees and has vampire weaknesses.