For thousands of years, people have been plagued by the haunting belief that envious or disdainful gazes could bring them harm, injury, bad luck or even death. In response, various cultures have...
These days if someone needs a little help getting in the mood, they are likely to use wine, chocolate, oysters, or maybe even certain pharmaceuticals. But what about our ancestors? Well, across...
While taking his regular morning swim in the Mediterranean, an Israeli lifeguard named David Shalom spotted something unusual on the sea bottom in shallow waters. After diving down to take a closer...
The ancient 'zar' ritual of Egypt is a captivating and enigmatic cultural practice that dates back centuries. Rooted in ancient beliefs and folk traditions, the zar ceremony is performed to exorcise...
Whether you call them carrot tops, strawberry blondes or gingers, redheads have attracted unwanted attention throughout history. The target of objectification and abuse, animosity towards fiery locks...
In 1971, on Mount Scopus in Israel, an extraordinary discovery was made: an 1,800-year-old lead coffin containing a young Roman girl adorned with precious jewelry to ward off the ‘evil eye’ and...
Imagine a group of rats whose tails have become so entangled that they've formed a grotesque, single entity - that's what's known as a "rat king." This monstrous creature has been talked about for...
The superstitious numbers 13 and 18 both have a long history reaching back millennia. The first is usually regarded as unlucky, the latter, lucky – but why? What are the actual origins of these...
Archaeologists digging in a Bavarian city have discovered around 70 ancient water wells. However, none of them was as laden with treasure as this latest well. For all ancient civilizations , water...
We’ve all heard of mythical creatures and cryptids like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster, but those aren’t the only strange creatures rumored to be wandering the earth. Throughout history, there have...
The Roman Empire was famous for many things, but did you know they were also famous for their curse tablets? These tablets, called defixiones by researchers, were a way for ancient Romans to express...
When it came to the sighting of comets and meteors, experienced as eerie apparitions in the sky, ancient cultures understood them as omens sent by the gods. Without the benefits of modern-day science...
A legendary volcanic rock in Japan associated with an ancient evil vixen-demon, has split in two. While geologists assure the occurrence is natural, others are convinced the chaotic fox spirit has...
The novel Dracula , written by Bram Stoker and published in 1897, became a cult classic of horror literature throughout the world. It brought vampire legends to a wider audience and captivated...
In this top story overview, we highlight our most read articles this week, including a look at a study dispelling the ‘meat made us human’ hypothesis, an almighty stink in London, and a controversial...
A particular genre of mythology has formed around mirrors, made up of traditions and superstitions within cultures throughout the world. Researchers have tried to get to the bottom of these legends,...
Throughout history people have been looking for answers and salvation, seeking the assistance of the gods, the spirits of nature, and looking to them for help. When looking for answers about what lay...
The ancient Mediterranean belief of the evil eye still has its adherents today. Those who have the “eye” are thought to give bad luck unintentionally to anything or anyone that they are envious of...
Popularly known as the Well of Hell, the Well of Barhout is a 98-foot (30-meter) wide and 367-foot (112-meter) deep sinkhole located in Yemen’s Al-Mahara province in the east of the country. The...
Ishi-no-Hoden is one of Japan's most mysterious and bewildering monuments, a gigantic stone structure in the shape of an old tube TV almost 6 meters (20 ft) high and 500 tons (560 US tons) in weight...
The cycle of life and death is an eternal and unchanging truth of human history. Yet, the attitudes around both are influenced and shaped by a number of factors. Today, dying of old age is seen as a...
A Cork farmer has employed the services of druids to end his decade of bad luck after a bull damaged an ancient standing stone on his land. The Irish farmer, Donal Bohane, owns a 30-acre (12.1 ha.)...
The Lost Dutchman Mine is said to be a rich goldmine located somewhere in the southwestern American state of Arizona. Generally speaking, this mine is claimed to be situated in the Superstition...
The traditional Irish practice of Kissing the Blarney Stone has been temporarily prohibited. This is in response to fear that the practice could increase the spread of the COVID 19 virus. The move is...