myths

The allegedly cursed ghost town of Bodie, California.

From ruined castles in Europe to a pebbled beach in Thailand, these supposedly hexed global destinations carry warnings for all who dare to visit them.

Aging might seem scary, but you probably don’t have all of the facts.

The idea that older people need less sleep is just one common misconception.

Get the facts straight about your favorite AI chatbots.

If you’ve ever caught yourself sympathizing with ChatGPT, you may have fallen for one of these common misconceptions about AI.

Peterhouse MS 255, the manuscript containing the passage about Wade.

The medieval hero known as Wade was thought to have encountered elves in his adventures. But they might have been wolves instead.

Put your knowledge of mythology to the test.

Fortunately, the tooth fairy doesn't actually pull teeth.

While the Tooth Fairy herself may be surprisingly modern, the bits of folklore that went into her creation are hundreds of years old.

They hurl thunderbolts, throw wild parties, and mess with the lives of mortals. Can you match each description to the correct god or goddess?

For the past century, the quest to break the Beale Ciphers has attracted the military, computer scientists, and conspiracy theorists. All have failed.

Did the great poet really build a tomb for a household pest?

The origin of the word ‘Easter’ is linked to the ancient pagan goddess Ostara. But is she actually ancient?

Hares—not bunnies—once played a prominent role in spring celebrations.

Hares were once linked to a Germanic Pagan goddess who never even existed.

Time to get the facts straight on this fact of life.

Should you be worried about animal attacks when you’re menstruating?

The “Tortoise and the Hare“ is a popular fable.

These narrative forms are similar, but not exactly the same.

Everybody gets to be Irish after they smooch this stone.

This St. Patrick’s Day, discover the origins of this old Irish idiom and how it all ties back to the Blarney Stone in Ireland.

There’s a lot people get wrong about the Central Intelligence Agency.

Yes, you can have a Facebook page and still join the CIA.

An illustration accompanying "The Haunted Cellar," published by Thomas Crofton Croker.

Here’s a crash course in these infamously impish creatures, from how to tell one from a leprechaun to which clurichaun stories are worth reading.

You must be a lucky one of you find a four-leaf clover.

While the shamrock mainly has religious ties, the four-leaf clover—often mistaken for the same plant—is often associated with luck. We explain why.

There are things we’re all a little (or lot) afraid of, but the numbers tell us we don’t need to be. Read on for more statistically soothing details about some of the most common, but not commonly occurring, concerns.

People have been observing faces and figures on the moon for hundreds (if not thousands) of years. There’s a perfectly scientific explanation as to why.

A child witnessing the will-o’-the-wisps.

Although there are a few distinctive beasts that are place-specific, many ghosts, fairies, and goblins pop up in similar forms across the various Celtic mythologies.

There comes a point in every child’s life when they ask where babies come from, and some parents—not wanting to explain the details of reproduction just yet—turn to the story of storks. We explore the origins of a myth that has been around for centuries.