superstition

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A Coveted Phone Number Sells for $325K

It has 5 consecutive 8s, which is seen as lucky in China

(Newser) - There's a reason the 2008 Olympics in Beijing started at 8:08 on the eighth day of the eighth month, notes ChannelNewsAsia . In China, the number eight is considered lucky because it sounds much like the word for "prosperity." All of which might help explain why somebody...

It Was His First Time Flying. His 'Good Luck' Coins Backfired

Lu Chao fined $17K for throwing coins in plane's engine before Lucky Air flight in China

(Newser) - Throwing coins into a fountain is often considered lucky; tossing them anywhere else could get dicey. Lu Chao of China found that out quickly after the first-time flier threw a handful of yuan coins into the engine of his Lucky Air plane in February of last year as he was...

Flight 666 Flies to HEL on Friday the 13th

For the last time, sadly

(Newser) - For the last time, Finnair Flight 666 flew to HEL on Friday the 13th. Twenty-one times over the past 11 years, Finnair flights numbered 666 have departed for Finland's Helsinki-Vantaa airport, whose airport code is HEL, on a Friday the 13th. The latest one departed at 1:18pm local...

Salem's 'Witches' Finally Getting Their Due

City will honor them at site of hangings more than 300 years ago

(Newser) - In the late 1600s, three mass executions took place on a rocky ledge on the outskirts of Salem, Mass. Yes, the result of the witch trials. The city-owned site is undeveloped and largely out of view, but a new memorial aims to respectfully commemorate those who lost their lives because...

In Medieval England, Villagers Chopped Up Their Dead
In Medieval England,
Villagers Chopped
Up Their Dead
in case you missed it
Apr 8, 2017 2:19 PM CDT

In Medieval England, Villagers Chopped Up Their Dead

Scientists think they feared a sort of zombie uprising

(Newser) - We humans can be a superstitious lot, and scientists are revealing yet another example of the extremes we'll go to in the fight to keep evil and danger at bay. In this case, experts report in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports that human bones excavated in 1963 and...

Menstruating Teen Sent to Outdoor Hut. She Didn't Survive

Nepal tradition of 'chaupadi' banishes menstruating females from their homes

(Newser) - A 15-year-old girl in Nepal who had been banished to a tiny, outdoor hut because she was having her period was found dead in the morning, and now police are investigating, reports the BBC . It was cold, and she'd lit a small fire, but "there wasn't any...

Friday the 13th, Full Moon Unite

First honey moon in almost 100 years spotted this morning

(Newser) - If the fact that it's Friday the 13th has you shaking in your boots, we hope you didn't look out your window early this morning. For the first time in nearly 100 years, what's known as a "honey moon" or "strawberry moon" coincided with the...

Police: Man Holds Breath, Causes 3-Car Crash

Daniel Calhon allegedly passed out in tunnel near Portland

(Newser) - A 19-year-old man caused a three-car crash when he fainted while holding his breath as he drove through a tunnel northwest of Portland, Oregon State police said. Daniel Calhon, of Snohomish, Washington, told investigators he fainted yesterday afternoon while holding his breath in the Highway 26 tunnel near the community...

It's Friday the 13th: Would You Take Flight 666 to HEL?

The Finnair flight is actually almost full

(Newser) - Would you board flight 666 to HEL on Friday the 13th? For superstitious travelers, that might be tempting fate. But Finnair passengers on AY666 to Helsinki—which has the 3-letter designation HEL—don't seem too bothered. Today's flight is almost full. "It has been quite a joke...

Canada Town Bans 'Unlucky' 4 From Addresses

Number sounds like 'death' in Cantonese, Mandarin

(Newser) - A Toronto suburb that has long catered to the superstitious by skipping 13 when giving out new addresses has decided to do away with the number four as well. Four is considered unlucky by speakers of Cantonese and Mandarin because it sounds like the word "death," and while...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Lucky Charms Really Work

 Lucky Charms 
 Really Work 
study says
Apr 29, 2010 11:07 AM CDT

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"—...

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...

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...

If Yanks Win, Thank Kate, Blame Macy's
 If Yanks Win, Thank 
 Kate, Blame Macy's 
world series
Nov 2, 2009 5:10 PM CST

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....

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...

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...

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