Efram Sera-Shriar
@dreframss.bsky.social
Historian of occultism and science, Victorianist, anthropologist, associate professor at the University of Copenhagen, and bass player. Lover of classic videogames. 🎮 Views own. (https://www.eframserashriar.com)
Still working through my chapter on Henry Slade's alleged exposure by E Ray Lankester in 1876. There are so many wonderful woodcuts from the trial, including this one from The Graphic in October of that year.
November 25, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Still working through my chapter on Henry Slade's alleged exposure by E Ray Lankester in 1876. There are so many wonderful woodcuts from the trial, including this one from The Graphic in October of that year.
I'm giving a talk tomorrow for @royalsocietypublishing.org. It's on the Japanese anthropologist Baba Tatsui who worked with E.B. Tylor on the first English-language translation of the Kojiki. Baba also wrote an amazing book on Japanese ethnographic impressions of the British in Japan in 1875.
November 17, 2025 at 2:35 PM
I'm giving a talk tomorrow for @royalsocietypublishing.org. It's on the Japanese anthropologist Baba Tatsui who worked with E.B. Tylor on the first English-language translation of the Kojiki. Baba also wrote an amazing book on Japanese ethnographic impressions of the British in Japan in 1875.
I'm spending the day writing about "The Slade Number" from the Medium and Daybreak from October 1876. The entire issue was devoted to a defence of Henry Slade who had recently been exposed by E Ray Lankester as a fake during a seance. At least that's the story according to Lankester.
November 12, 2025 at 9:14 AM
I'm spending the day writing about "The Slade Number" from the Medium and Daybreak from October 1876. The entire issue was devoted to a defence of Henry Slade who had recently been exposed by E Ray Lankester as a fake during a seance. At least that's the story according to Lankester.
Two years ago, @upittpress.bsky.social first shared with Bernie and me a mock-up of the cover for our collection, "Victorian Interdisciplinarity and the Sciences." I still love the design, which was originally suggested by @kingtekkers.bsky.social
Visit the website👇
upittpress.org/books/978082...
Visit the website👇
upittpress.org/books/978082...
November 4, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Two years ago, @upittpress.bsky.social first shared with Bernie and me a mock-up of the cover for our collection, "Victorian Interdisciplinarity and the Sciences." I still love the design, which was originally suggested by @kingtekkers.bsky.social
Visit the website👇
upittpress.org/books/978082...
Visit the website👇
upittpress.org/books/978082...
I did another interview, this time for "Tumble Science Podcast for Kids". Basically, kids ask questions to experts. My question from 6yo Lily was: Are ghosts real?
Listen here: www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/...
The producers also made this hilarious picture of me for the episode.
Listen here: www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/...
The producers also made this hilarious picture of me for the episode.
November 3, 2025 at 8:21 AM
I did another interview, this time for "Tumble Science Podcast for Kids". Basically, kids ask questions to experts. My question from 6yo Lily was: Are ghosts real?
Listen here: www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/...
The producers also made this hilarious picture of me for the episode.
Listen here: www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/...
The producers also made this hilarious picture of me for the episode.
The Blue Jays are going back to the World Series for the first time in 32 years. What a moment! Now the biggest challenge yet, defeating the Dodgers.
October 21, 2025 at 8:38 AM
The Blue Jays are going back to the World Series for the first time in 32 years. What a moment! Now the biggest challenge yet, defeating the Dodgers.
Next week, I'm doing an interview on horror games, moral panic and censorship. I've decided to talk about Atari's "Halloween" (1983). It was deemed too violent and realistic for young gamers, and might send impressionable minds down nefarious paths.
Try it here👇
www.retrogames.cz/play_1177-At...
Try it here👇
www.retrogames.cz/play_1177-At...
October 8, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Next week, I'm doing an interview on horror games, moral panic and censorship. I've decided to talk about Atari's "Halloween" (1983). It was deemed too violent and realistic for young gamers, and might send impressionable minds down nefarious paths.
Try it here👇
www.retrogames.cz/play_1177-At...
Try it here👇
www.retrogames.cz/play_1177-At...
I just got recognised by the Toronto Blue Jays as one of their top fans. 💕 I guess five decades of fandom finally paid off. Now with my fellow blue-feathered friends we wait in anticipation of game 3, where Toronto will hopefully sweep the dislikable Yankees.
October 7, 2025 at 1:29 PM
I just got recognised by the Toronto Blue Jays as one of their top fans. 💕 I guess five decades of fandom finally paid off. Now with my fellow blue-feathered friends we wait in anticipation of game 3, where Toronto will hopefully sweep the dislikable Yankees.
I'm preparing my seminar on the History Environmentalism and for the class I'm going to talk about everyone's favourite early 90s environmental champion, Captain Planet.
October 3, 2025 at 11:47 AM
I'm preparing my seminar on the History Environmentalism and for the class I'm going to talk about everyone's favourite early 90s environmental champion, Captain Planet.
There is no team in sports that I detest more than the NY Yankees. I don't just want my beloved Toronto Blue Jays to beat them in the ALDS, I want them to eviscerate the Yankees. Go Jays Go! ⚾
October 3, 2025 at 9:44 AM
There is no team in sports that I detest more than the NY Yankees. I don't just want my beloved Toronto Blue Jays to beat them in the ALDS, I want them to eviscerate the Yankees. Go Jays Go! ⚾
My beloved Toronto @bluejays.com won their first pennant in 10 years last night. Is this the year we finally make it back to the World Series? That's the dream! 🥳
September 29, 2025 at 6:35 AM
My beloved Toronto @bluejays.com won their first pennant in 10 years last night. Is this the year we finally make it back to the World Series? That's the dream! 🥳
It says a lot that after my lecture on the Scientific Revolution today, the historical figure most people wanted to chat about was John Dee and not Newton, Boyle or Bacon. I guess it was my discussion on his scrying mirror and healing crystal that grabbed their attention.
September 22, 2025 at 2:01 PM
It says a lot that after my lecture on the Scientific Revolution today, the historical figure most people wanted to chat about was John Dee and not Newton, Boyle or Bacon. I guess it was my discussion on his scrying mirror and healing crystal that grabbed their attention.
Today feels like a good day to reshare this wonderful woodcut from Punch, "Spiritualism Made Useful" (1877). It was made by George du Maurier, who was one of the periodical's more prolific artists.
September 22, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Today feels like a good day to reshare this wonderful woodcut from Punch, "Spiritualism Made Useful" (1877). It was made by George du Maurier, who was one of the periodical's more prolific artists.
True story, but over a slightly longer timeline... 😂
September 18, 2025 at 10:34 AM
True story, but over a slightly longer timeline... 😂
I spent much of today weaving a discussion about the cover of J.N Maskelyne's "Modern Spiritualism" (1876) into a chapter for my new book. If you are unfamiliar, the cover features an image of the medium Mrs. Guppy being carried by spirits across London's skyline - a feat many believed to be real.
September 17, 2025 at 1:11 PM
I spent much of today weaving a discussion about the cover of J.N Maskelyne's "Modern Spiritualism" (1876) into a chapter for my new book. If you are unfamiliar, the cover features an image of the medium Mrs. Guppy being carried by spirits across London's skyline - a feat many believed to be real.
This is a wonderful carte-de-visite of a spirit photograph featuring the fab Victorian psychic duo of Mrs Guppy and Charles Williams from around 1892. The pair, along with Frank Herne, regularly collaborated during seances, especially in the 1870s. Their main manifestations were spirit apports.
September 17, 2025 at 8:26 AM
This is a wonderful carte-de-visite of a spirit photograph featuring the fab Victorian psychic duo of Mrs Guppy and Charles Williams from around 1892. The pair, along with Frank Herne, regularly collaborated during seances, especially in the 1870s. Their main manifestations were spirit apports.
I fell back down a Francis Galton shaped rabbit hole yesterday, and revisited his research on fingerprints. In the past I had considered writing something about this topic. Perhaps I'm ready...
Here's an image of Galton's fingerprints, in case any of you want to implicate him in a crime. 😂
Here's an image of Galton's fingerprints, in case any of you want to implicate him in a crime. 😂
September 10, 2025 at 8:43 AM
I fell back down a Francis Galton shaped rabbit hole yesterday, and revisited his research on fingerprints. In the past I had considered writing something about this topic. Perhaps I'm ready...
Here's an image of Galton's fingerprints, in case any of you want to implicate him in a crime. 😂
Here's an image of Galton's fingerprints, in case any of you want to implicate him in a crime. 😂
In 1921 the famed early 20thC magician Wm Marriott responded to a challenge to create fake spirit photos using the same controls the psychic photography Wm Hope used in his sittings. What he produced was this hilarious portrait of Arthur Conan Doyle and a "spirit impression" of his beloved fairies.
September 8, 2025 at 6:43 AM
In 1921 the famed early 20thC magician Wm Marriott responded to a challenge to create fake spirit photos using the same controls the psychic photography Wm Hope used in his sittings. What he produced was this hilarious portrait of Arthur Conan Doyle and a "spirit impression" of his beloved fairies.
My MA course on American True Crime is going to be awesome. I cannot wait for the first session tomorrow. 💕
Here's a sneak peak!
Here's a sneak peak!
September 1, 2025 at 1:44 PM
My MA course on American True Crime is going to be awesome. I cannot wait for the first session tomorrow. 💕
Here's a sneak peak!
Here's a sneak peak!
A few years ago, I had planned to write a paper on the mediumship of the Victorian reverend, William Stainton Moses. He was a leading figure in the British spiritualist community. Unfortunately, it was for a collection that was cancelled due to Covid. I now have a second chance to write it. Hooray!
September 1, 2025 at 8:57 AM
A few years ago, I had planned to write a paper on the mediumship of the Victorian reverend, William Stainton Moses. He was a leading figure in the British spiritualist community. Unfortunately, it was for a collection that was cancelled due to Covid. I now have a second chance to write it. Hooray!
It is nearing the start of a new term, and that means another opportunity for some image analysis with George Roux's "Spirit" from 1885. A classic, but it works every time.
August 28, 2025 at 1:06 PM
It is nearing the start of a new term, and that means another opportunity for some image analysis with George Roux's "Spirit" from 1885. A classic, but it works every time.
I'm preparing a seminar on the original (acquitted) axe murderer, Lizzie Borden. What a story! It is part of my new MA course on True Crime.
August 20, 2025 at 10:23 AM
I'm preparing a seminar on the original (acquitted) axe murderer, Lizzie Borden. What a story! It is part of my new MA course on True Crime.
I'm spending the day prepping my MA course on American True Crime and doing some deep media digs into the following three books:
August 19, 2025 at 10:25 AM
I'm spending the day prepping my MA course on American True Crime and doing some deep media digs into the following three books: