Folklore & Superstition

Knocking on wood, crossing your fingers, fear of black cats ... are some superstitions common around the world, or are they specific to certain cultures?

By Debra Ronca

One piece of American folklore usually passed around as fact is that drowned women always float face-up. Is this true? It might depend on who you ask.

By Debra Ronca

Does your stomach flutter a bit when you cross paths with a black cat? Perhaps no other animal is so surrounded by myth and superstition than the common housecat.

By Debra Ronca

There are so many wives' tales about how to predict your baby's gender. Here's a closer look at one of the more popular: the ring test.

By Debra Ronca

Sailors are known for superstitions about good and bad luck while sailing, including one about the name of the ship itself.

By Debra Ronca

We often see people toss salt over their left shoulders while cooking, but where did this tradition come from?

By Debra Ronca

Opals are unusual and mysterious gems, which may be why there are stories about their supposed luck dating back to ancient times.

By Debra Ronca

Sailors are a superstitious lot, and that extends to words. Find out what not to say on your next voyage.

By Debra Ronca

Baseball players have many superstitions to help them win, and some of them aren't exactly what you'd call hygienic — like spitting on their bats.

By Debra Ronca

Every culture has its own unique superstitions, most of which probably seem a little odd to outsiders. In Korea, for example, there’s the fear of death by fan.

By Debra Ronca

You might be tempted to pluck your gray hairs, but you shouldn't -- and not for the reason that you might think.

By Debra Ronca

Leaving fresh fruit out overnight could definitely have some rotten consequences, but turning into a vampire isn't likely.

By Debra Ronca

There are numerous superstitions that we unthinkingly adhere to, such as walking under a ladder. But why is it supposed to be so unlucky?

By Debra Ronca

Make a wish as you blow out your birthday candles, and it might just come true. Learn 10 more wacky birthday superstitions at HowStuffWorks.

By Bambi Turner

What's your lucky number? Would it jinx you if you told us? It's a funny thing, but whether for cultural, regional or religious reasons, we humans tend to put a lot of hope — and a little fear — into numbers.

By Bambi Turner & Desiree Bowie

While that witches brew seemingly comprised of bizarre animal body parts sounds scary and gross, odds are you've actually put "eye of newt" on a hot dog at some point. Learn why witches used frightening terms for common herbs, flowers, and plants.

By Debra Ronca

Triskaidekaphobia, or, fear of the number 13, comes in many forms, but in restaurants, it means that a "table for 13" will result in a death of one of the diners. Learn about the origins of this superstition, and skeptics' amusing counterarguments.

By Debra Ronca

The mysteries surrounding the U.S. government's Area 51 have been revealed to be mostly mundane, but that hasn't prevented a bevy of believers from coming up with outlandish theories about the secret desert base.

By Patrick J. Kiger

While it might be strange today to show up at a baby shower with a giant wheel of cheese, this wasn't always the case. Find out how "groaning cheese" came to be a symbol of good luck when celebrating a newborn's arrival into the world.

By Debra Ronca

Superstitions come in all shapes and sizes. On the credibility scale, it's unlikely that stepping on a crack will break your mother's back or that your soul will escape when you sneeze, but some superstitions might actually have a basis in reality.

By Bambi Turner

Perhaps because it is such a rare occurrence, when a baby is born with a piece of the amniotic sac still attached to its head or face, it's seen as a sign of good luck in many cultures.

By Debra Ronca

Jeffrey Dahmer, Albert DeSalvo, Aileen Wuornos: all serial killers, and three of many with 13 letters in their names. Coincidence or is there a link between murder and the maligned number 13?

By Debra Ronca

Through a mix of the superstitions of the past and the sexism of today, some believe that being a bridesmaid three times leads to becoming "an old maid." How did this matrimonial myth develop, and why does it persist?

By Debra Ronca

If you're a smoker traveling through Europe, you might get dirty looks when trying to light a cigarette with a candle. What are the origins of this seafaring superstition, and how is it rooted in the off-season work sailors did to make ends meet?

By Debra Ronca

Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin and Amy Winehouse are just a small sample of the dozens of famous musicians who passed on to "the great gig in the sky" at the age of 27. Is 27 a "cursed age," or is it part of a larger trend for many who play music?

By Debra Ronca