Hi, I'm David Eagleman. I have a new podcast called Inner Cosmos on I Heart. I'm going to explore

the relationship between our brains and our experiences by tackling unusual questions. Like,

can we create new senses for humans? So join me weekly to uncover how your brain

steers your behavior, your perception, and your reality. Listen to Inner Cosmos with David Eagleman.

On the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to Stuff to Blow Your Mind, a production of I Heart Radio.

Hi, my name is Robert Lam and this is The Monster Fact, a short-form series from Stuff to Blow Your

Mind focusing on mythical creatures, ideas, and monsters in time.

This entry will offer few surprises to interstellar listeners of the Fourth Millennium.

They're likely all too familiar with the so-called Auto Ghouls of Groom Bridge Station.

But for historic listeners, say from the 21st century, we shall now unpack this monstrous horror.

In fair warning, there's some gross brain stuff in this one along with a little science.

We'll skip the details of planetary colonization and interstellar civilization for the moment

and just get to the grizzly bits. Conflict between megastations takes multiple forms.

From official sporting events like Hyper Accelerator Ball to Axe of Espionage and assassination.

As attacks on actual infrastructure are universally banned and considered heretical,

the so-called plague weapons represent the worst-case scenario in these conflicts,

bio-weapons designed to impact a station's population center.

Some plague weapons have more in common with traditional illnesses,

but others are designed to spread terror and fear.

This was seemingly the intent regarding what would come to be known as the Auto Ghoul plague.

An attempt, it seems, to create a viral zombie infection that inspires an intense hunger for human brains

...