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A 1914 illustration by John Bauer from the Swedish fairy-tale collection <em>Bland Tomtar och Troll</em>, meaning "Among Gnomes and Trolls."
witchcraft

The Real-Life Origins of Taboo Fairy Romance

Long before "A Court of Thorns and Roses," 17th-century Swedish courts investigated supernatural love.
Andrew Coletti December 17, 2024
View of the Lucky Frog
List

13 Places to Get Some Good Luck

On a traditionally unlucky day, ward off evil at these fortune-filled locations.
Roxanne Hoorn December 13, 2024
Comet C/2023 A3, or Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, nearly 100 million miles from Earth, seen from the International Space Station on Sept. 22.
astronomy

Long Seen as Omens, Comets Do Tell Us Something About Ourselves

For thousands of years, comets have fascinated us, filled us with dread, and, in some ways, made us who we are.
Rebecca Boyle November 20, 2024
The Cù Sith, an otherworldly hound of Scottish folklore, and its Irish counterpart the Cù Sidhe are sometimes described as green, the color associated with magic—and misfortune.
animals

Death as a Dog: The Cù Sith of Scotland

The spectral, terrifying dog of Scottish folklore has inspired many a nightmare for centuries—and likely for millennia.
Emma Cieslik October 9, 2024
Tokyo, Japan

Shibarare Jizoson

A bizarre object of worship believed to grant wishes to those who tie it up with a rope.
Fujisawa, Japan

Ryuren no Kane

A romantic escape inspired by the legend of a child-eating five-headed dragon.
List

20 Statues to Rub for Good Luck

From toes to testicles, these well-loved monuments may bring fortune or grant wishes.
Roxanne Hoorn August 2, 2024
<em>Approaching Storm</em> by German landscape painter Julius Bergmann shows a cowherd bringing his animals to shelter.
science

Can Thunderstorms Spoil Milk?

The answer eluded scientists for centuries.
Andrew Coletti July 30, 2024
Venice, Italy

Uncini della Fortuna (Hooks of Fortune)

Despite their macabre past, these hooks are said to bring good luck to those who touch them.
Kamakura, Japan

Seimei Stone

Associated with Japanese folklore's most eminent sorcerer, this slab of rock is said to be both a blessing and a curse.
Tokyo, Japan

Kenashi Pond

Haunted by a giant white snake, this pond is said to bring the rain and pubic hair.
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory satellie captured a total solar eclipse on Feb. 11, 2018, an event that was not visible from Earth.
science

7 Great Eclipse Books to Inspire, Delight, and Prepare You for April 8

From wild page-turners of the eclipse-obsessed to a gentle children’s book for all ages.
Gemma Tarlach March 11, 2024
Math and dessert are a match made in heaven.
mathematics

Celebrate Pi Day With These Mathematical Tales

Plus pie recipes, of course.
April White March 8, 2024
Madrid, Spain

Royal Palace of Madrid Statues

After the queen of Spain had a dream where these statues fell and crushed her, they were removed from the palace and given new homes around Madrid.
Turin, Italy

Portone del Diavolo (Devil's Door)

This sinister Baroque entryway could lead you to a terrible fate.
<em>Leopardus guigna</em>, or kodkod, is the smallest wild cat in the Americas, and is often smaller than an average house cat.
animals

The Smallest Wild Cat in the Americas Is Also the Cutest Bad Omen

In rural Chile, the kodkod, or güiña, has a bad rep for stealing chickens—and as a portent of death and disaster.
Roxanne Hoorn November 1, 2023
This illustration from a Medieval manuscript shows bees returning to a skep hive.
bees

The Magic Spells That Herded Medieval Bees

For European beekeepers, “swarm charms” were once a tool of the trade.
Andrew Coletti October 20, 2023
You must not say the town's name aloud.
List

13 Unlucky Places to Avoid on Friday the 13th

From a “killing stone” to a town too cursed to speak its name, superstition surrounds these places.
Michelle Cassidy October 12, 2023