EXPLAINER
Tales of fantastical beasts and supernatural beings are as old as human history. From werewolves and vampires to yetis and deep-sea monsters, mythical creatures have inspired countless folk tales and works of culture – not to mention some elaborate hoaxes. They have also driven many intrepid explorers into the wilderness, in the hope of gathering definitive proof of the existence of such beings. Several have been identified as real species, some have been confirmed as fiction, and still others remain the subject of passionate debate. Creatures not yet described by science are known as cryptids– denoting their ‘hidden’ status – and the study of these mysterious animals is cryptozoology. But what’s the real science behind mythical creatures?
Vampires
Vampires have been depicted many times in literature, film and television. But scientists have speculated that the legend originated in one of several very real medical conditions.
The most commonly cited is porphyria, a rare group of disorders that cause irregularities in the production of haem (or heme), a molecule
