Many sources claim that porphyria, a rare group of disorders, inspired the vampire myth. But this story is itself a myth, lacking in historical evidence. Besides that, the biochemistry doesn’t match up, as this latest edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN illustrates. View the full infographic on the C&EN site.
Why porphyria doesn’t match up with the vampirism myth – in C&EN
Ishaya Zephaniah 