How Chimaera Mythology Became Reality | Monstrum

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The impossible, three-headed monster of Ancient Greek mythology, the Chimaera, may have started off as a fantasy, but today, the word “chimera” can be used to refer to anything that seems impossible. This includes the real-life, interspecies animals humans have successfully created. Watch to find out how myth directly influenced science, not only in language, but in how we approach the possibility of an interspecies future with Dr. Zarka and special guest Joe Hanson of Its Okay to be Smart. #chimera #chimaera #MonstrumPBS

Written and Hosted by: Dr. Emily Zarka
Director: David Schulte
Executive Producer: Amanda Fox
Producer: Stephanie Noone
Illustrator: Samuel Allen
Editor: Derek Borsheim
Produced by Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Alfred, Austin. “On the Killing of the Chimaera.” The National Review, Vol. 10, Issue 57, 1887, pp. 395-414.

Bazopoulou-Kyrkanidou, Euterpe. “Chimeric Creatures in Greek Myhtolgoy and Reflections in Science.” American Journal of Medical Genetics, 100:66, 2001, pp. 66-80.

Daniels, Cora Linn and C. M. Stevens. Encyclopedia of Superstitions, Folklore, And the Occult Sciences of the World: a Comprehensive Library of Human Belief And Practice In the Mysteries of Life…,J. H. Yewdale & sons co., 1903.

Exploring the Cultural History of Continental European Freak Shows and ‘Enfreakment,’Eds. Anna Kérchy and Andrea Zittlau, Cambridge Scholars Publisher, 2012.

Huber, Thomas, Geoffrey Faulkner, Philip Hugenholtz. “Bellerophon: a program to detect chimeric sequences in multiple sequence alignments.” Bioinformatics, Vol. 20, Issue 14, 2004, pp. 2317-2319.

Kaplan, Matt. “Beastly Blends—Chimera, Griffon, Cockatrice, Sphinx.” The Science of Monsters: The Origins of the Creatures We Love to Fear, Scribner, 2013, pp. 33-50.

Magnani, Thomas A. “The Patentability of Human-Animal Chimeras.” Berkeley Technolgy Law Journal, Vol. 14, Issue 1, Article 24, 1999, pp. 443-460.

Mayor, Adrienne. The First Fossil Hunters : Dinosaurs, Mammoths, and Myth in Greek and Roman Times, Princeton University Press, 2011.


Rackstrow's Museum. A descriptive catalogue (giving a full explanation) of Rackstrow's Museum: Consisting of a large and very valuable collection of most curious anatomical figures, and real preparations: also figures resembling life; with a great variety of natural and artificial curiosities. To be seen at No. 197, Fleet-Street, betwen Chancery-Lane, and Temple-Bar, London. [s.n.], M,DCC,LXXXVII, 1787.

Roes, Anne. “The Representation of the Chimaera.” The Journal of Hellenic Studies, Vol. 54, Part 1, 1934, pp. 21-35.

Schmitt, Marilyn Low. “Bellerophan and the Chimaera in Archaic Greek Art.” American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 70, No. 4, 1966, pp. 341-347.

The Dome: An Illustrated Magazine and Review of Literature, Music, Architecture, and the Graphic Arts…. Vol. 4, Unicorn Press, 1897-1900.

"The Two-Headed Girl." Good Health, vol. 5, no. 10, 1871, pp. 212-213.

Zimmerman, H. E. "Ye Olde Curiositie Shoppe." Amateur Photographer's Weekly, Vol. III, No. 73, 1913, pp. 496.

[pbsstoried]

If you could be a chimera, which animal would you want to be blended with?

[sparagnino]

"Mom" - says the little chimera to his mother, an ancient goat - "Why am I so different?"
"Son, you are not ready yet for the talk. But it was the funniest night of my life".

[Donar]

5:06 Human-Animal-Chimeras ... that gives me flashbacks to Fullmetal Alchemist.

[ZoggFromBetelgeuse]

I always wondered about that goat head - it seemed so random, more ridiculous than scary.
But as a flamethrower turret for lateral defence, it kinda makes sense.

[NeonJamlin]

omg out of all this... that extra finger caught my attention an did had to pause and stare for a good 2 minutes. xD it caught me so off guard.

[LuinTathren]

I your videos. My degree in college was in Psychology and Anthropology with a minor in Religious Studies. I focused on fairy tales, folk tales, and, of course, mythology. This channel ROCKS! And having Dr. Joe Hansen guest star is brilliant! I love Dr. Joe! Thank you so much for your hard work.

[PsycheopiX]

Should we craft chimeras? Well I got two words:


*C A T G I R L S*

[Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache]

*Greece:* How about a lion with a snake for a tail and a goat head that breathes fire? Or a lion, with a human face, and a scorpion tail? OR-?
*Egypt:* I'm thinking...Crocodile head...leopard body...and hippo legs.
*US:* ... *takes rabbit, glues antlers on it* NICE!

[NewMessage]

Two channels blended into one video?




Well played... well played.

[theoregonguy]

This channel is criminally underrated.

[ducksruleflorida]

3:43 You have six fingers on your right hand... Someone is looking for you

[calebc.]

Lion? Scary.
Snake? Venomous.
Goat? Geep.
Hotel? Trivago.

[karlmark]

I said before that I had no interest in knowing histories of monsters, I blame this show for making me interested in them. Good Job

[Pleasestoptalkingthanks]

You guys definitely should do a video on wraiths and the ways it's been used across centuries. That or the Valraven, a type of Danish shape shifter/spirit.

[o_o-]

If you could be combined with any
*FURRIES:* _[heavy breathing]_

[JosephFuller]

Who else cried during this episode when they mentioned human-animal chimeras due to memories of Nina from Fullmetal Alchemist?

[LividImp]

The Geep: [in a heavy stage whisper] meeee....

[noty]

Oh another video from this wonderful channel. Great video as usual guys!

[oblivion]

I can feel the grief of all people that watched Full Metal Alchemist before this video.

[youremakingprogress]

Dr. Zarka: "Here's Dr. Joe Hanson."
Me: "But what's Dr. Johansen's first name? ... Oh."
Also, I was a little surprised you didn't mention that the chimaera is sometimes depicted with a fourth head (a dragon) and/or wings in modern times. Doesn't change the fact that this is another great video.