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Superstitious? Here Comes Whole Year Ending in 13

Fear of the number may date back to Jesus Christ

(Newser) - Now that the Mayan apocalypse didn't happen, has anyone noticed another harbinger of bad news—an entire year ending in the number "13"? The Wall Street Journal finds little evidence of Americans fretting, and takes a lighthearted stroll through the history of the superstition. Some say that... More »

Should We Really Fear Friday the 13th?

Some studies say so

(Newser) - Good news for those with paraskevidekatriaphobia: It's the last Friday the 13th of the year, and if you learn to say that word—meaning fear of Friday the 13th—you'll get rid of your fear, according to a superstition relayed by NPR . But is there any truth behind... More »

S. Korea Busts Smuggled Pills—Made of Baby Flesh

Some believe substance to be cure-all

(Newser) - South Korean customs authorities have made a highly disturbing find: Thousands of capsules made of powdered baby flesh, believed by some to have healing powers. Smugglers have attempted to get nearly 17,500 such capsules into the country since August, officials say. Made in northeastern China, the pills contain diced... More »

Did Texas Baseball Players Kill Chickens to Win Game?

An alleged tale of superstitions gone wrong

(Newser) - The Western Hills High baseball team wasn’t doing so well—so, allegedly, two of its players sacrificed chickens on the field in an effort to improve the team’s performance. The bizarre ritual was referenced in Major League, although in that movie, the struggling player sacrificed a bucket of... More »

Lucky Charms Really Work

Study shows they can affect performance

(Newser) - Wearing your "lucky underwear" to every big meeting may mean you're a little weird—but not crazy. A new study shows that believing in good luck can actually have an impact on performance. Researchers told a group of putters that they were playing with a "lucky ball"—... More »

In Pennsylvania Lottery, 7s Are Really Wild

3,107 winning tickets force lottery to pay $7.2M above drawing revenue

(Newser) - Lucky sevens abounded in Pennsylvania Wednesday night as 3,107 tickets won a total of $7.77 million in the state lottery’s Big 4 drawing when the winning numbers came up 7-7-7-7. Quadruple-number hits are rare, as evidenced by the fact the lottery will lose about $7.2 million... More »

Japanese Fear Oarfish Sightings Are Quake Omen

Superstitious worry as deep-sea dweller begins surfacing

(Newser) - Dozens of sightings of a very rarely seen fish have raised Japanese fears that their country may be the next one rocked by a major quake. The appearance of oarfish—which can grow to up to 16 feet long and frequent depths of up to 3,300 feet—is considered... More »

If Yanks Win, Thank Kate, Blame Macy's

Omens abound in countdown to Game 5

(Newser) - With the Yankees sitting on a 3-1 lead heading into tonight's World Series Game 5, there's already plenty of credit and blame to go around. Should New York defeat the Phillies, give a cheer for actress and Alex Rodriguez galpal Kate Hudson, David Wells writes for the New York Post.... More »

In Picking Tennis Balls, Junk Science Meets OCD

(Newser) - The meticulous attention a pro tennis player gives to choosing balls ahead of a serve is a little bit of science with a healthy dose of superstition—or even stalling. Players say balls that have seen more play are fluffier and therefore have more drag, though the consensus is that... More »

India Cowers Ahead of Total Solar Eclipse

(Newser) - Wednesday’s total solar eclipse is eliciting fear and speculation across the Indian subcontinent, AFP reports. A New Delhi gynecologist says caesarian sections scheduled for the day of the eclipse have been canceled. “This is a belief deeply rooted in Indian society,” he said. “Couples are willing... More »

Saudi Family Charges Genie With Harassment

(Newser) - A Saudi Arabian family has taken a genie to court and charged it with harassment and theft, the BBC reports. Family members say they were forced to abandon their home near Medina after the spirit made strange noises, threatened them, and stole their cell phones. A local court is looking... More »

'Vampire' Unearthed in Venice

Gravediggers took steps to stop corpse feasting on other plague victims

(Newser) - Italian archeologists have discovered evidence of an ancient vampire-slaying ritual in a 16th-century plague pit near Venice, the AP reports. A female skeleton was unearthed with a brick wedged between her jaws, in what experts believe was an attempt by superstitious gravediggers to stop the corpse from eating through its... More »

World's Oddest New Year Rituals

Grapes, bonfires, effigies are some nations' traditions for a lucky 2009

(Newser) - While much of the world indulges in the traditional New Year's Eve fare of glittery balls and fireworks, other countries have more unusual ways of shepherding in the next year, reports Travel and Leisure. For example: 
  • Spain: Gobbling a grape for each clock stroke is considered a fruity down
... More »

Lack of Control Breeds Superstition

(Newser) - Superstitions and conspiracy theories all boil down to control issues, a new study says. When subjects in a University of Texas test were made to feel out of control, they saw more patterns that did not exist—whether images in a fuzzy picture or links between unconnected actions. Which is... More »

Brit Brides Cheer Chimney Sweep Boom

English cleaning out their fireplaces as heating costs rise

(Newser) - High energy costs in the UK are proving to be a boon for chimney sweeps, Reuters reports. A national group says they’re getting a bigger than usual rush of fall business as homeowners look to their fireplaces as an inexpensive way to keep warm. That means more chimney sweeps... More »

Pre-Olympics Eclipse May Give Chinese Jitters

A solar eclipse shortly before the Olympics won't bring doom, 'experts' say

(Newser) - Eager to shake its reputation for being superstitious, China will be downplaying a total solar eclipse—once seen as a portent of disaster—Aug. 1, a week before the Beijing Olympics, AFP reports. Feng shui and astrology experts are predicting that the eclipse, visible in China but not Beijing, will... More »

Olympic Omens Worry Superstitious Chinese

An unfortunate 2008 has some talking of a 'curse of the Olympic mascots'

(Newser) - Superstitious beliefs the Communists once tried to stamp out have been making a comeback in China, the Christian Science Monitor reports, especially in this troubled Olympic year. The Games are set to begin on August 8, as 8 sounds like fortune in Mandarin, making 8/8/8 an especially lucky date, but... More »

Canadians Bully Burmese Junta With... Panties?

Women mail skivvies to embassy to spook superstitious tyrants

(Newser) - When international pressure fails, try… underwear? Canadian women think they can change the Myanmar junta’s ways by mailing a steady stream of panties to the Myanmar embassy in Ottawa, Sify reports. The military dictators apparently harbor a superstitious fear that touching a woman’s undergarment will “rob them... More »

Why Close the Markets Today?

Observing Good Friday one reason; superstition about 1907 panic another

(Newser) - The Big Board is closed today—but the reason is open to some debate, Bloomberg reports. The last time the markets opened on Good Friday was 101 years ago, when they saw one of two huge crashes that made up the Panic of 1907. Fear of repeating that catastrophe may... More »

Ooh, Scary: 33% of US Believes in Ghosts

New poll finds Americans very superstitious

(Newser) - Americans spook easily, with nearly a third of people admitting to believing in ghosts and nearly a quarter claiming to have seen or felt one, an AP-Ipsos poll finds. Nearly every other person believes in ESP, and 20% believe in witchcraft and spells. Singles, Catholics, and those who never attend... More »

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