Hexikosioihexakontahexaphobia. Say that ten times fast. Simply saying the word is a frightening task, but the fear regarding this famous number is also too much for some to handle. One of the ways in which humanity connects across the globe is through the superstitions regarding numbers. Four. Nine. Eight. Twenty-seven. All of these contain good lu…

Superstitious embarks on a new quest through a bi-weekly mini-stition which features the most common superstitions across the globe. In this first mini-stition we explore the origins of walking under a ladder and how this ancient superstition transcends time. Don’t fret, Superstitious gives you the tools to combat bad luck should you accidentally f…

One of the most important transitions in a person’s life is the transition from childhood to adulthood. For many, this means going to college. The transition from one point in life to another can be a frightening and daunting task. Being away from family and the normalcy of everyday life now changes, and the need to fit in, to find comfort, sometim…

Ruth, an Indiana Quaker, had much to tell her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Beware of people wearing purple. Don’t put gas in your car at night. Bubble baths can be dangerous to your health. This episode of Superstitious takes a more personal turn, exploring why family members tell us fantasies during the process of growing up. …

1300s Europe was a dark time. A time of fear. People needed to find a scapegoat; someone to place the blame for all of the troubles people were having. The Black Plauge? Blame a woman. Your crops aren’t growing? Blame an old beggar. Throughout the decades, the blame would continue and cross over from Europe to America, traveling down the eastern se…

The original “talking boards” were thought to be harmless and used as a means to communicate with those who had passed into the afterlife. However, it is in 1973 that this favorite family past time took on a more sinister toll. Today, this toy is burned in bonfires with the Harry Potter books. Is this famous game really sinister, or is it a placebo…

Just outside Miami University in the small town of Oxford, Ohio, something strange occurs in the night. In the dark. It’s said that in the 1940s a tragedy occurred at the intersection of Oxford-Milford and Earhart Road. Did this tragedy really occur? Many residents of the town say yes, and there’s a way to prove it. Others say this is mere supersti…

The theatre is a realm filled with superstitions. From the phrase “break a leg” to Shakespeare’s “Scottish Play”, the theatrical world has harbored belief in the supernatural for hundreds of years. While some of these beliefs may be considered unwarranted, others may be most frighteningly true. This episode of Superstitious is dedicated to Zeitgeis…

In the 1560s a man and his son were walking through the streets of the village when they spotted a dark animal crossing their path. Their response to this entity? Why, pick up rocks, and throw them at it. The mysterious object was hit, but managed to scurry behind the house of an old maid who had been considered by the townspeople as a witch. The f…