Halloween - History, Facts, Origins, Myths and Traditions

Learn the origins of Halloween and other fun facts about Halloween -- history, traditions, spooky myths and superstitions debunked.

Related Topics: Ghosts, Experiments for Kids

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Spooky blurry image of a skull against a black background.

13 disturbing Halloween horrors come to life

By Laura Geggel

Here is the science behind 13 Halloween horrors come to life.

Kids dressed up as zombies for Halloween.

The history of Halloween

By Benjamin Radford

Halloween has its roots in a pagan harvest festival, while different traditions were added throughout the years.

Five-year-old Reed Havlik has a rare brain condition called vanishing white matter disease. People with the condition are particularly vulnerable to stresses, including fright, that can worsen symptoms or even lead to death.

Boy's Rare Brain Condition Means He Could Be Literally Scared to Death

By Rachael Rettner

Halloween frights are usually harmless, but not for five-year-old Reed Havlik: The boy has a rare brain condition that could cause him to be literally scared to death.

Ludwig Van Beethoven death mask

The Gruesome Stories Behind Famous Dead People's Long-Lost Body Parts (Photos)

By Laura Geggel

Whatever happened to Albert Einstein's brain? Or Louis XIV's heart? These body parts, and countless other pieces of famous dead people, are not buried in places you'd expect.

Fake Blood

How Fake Blood Is Made to Look So Real

By Katharine Gammon

For Halloween, stage blood takes the spotlight and chemistry tricks can treat viewers.

zoo animal x-rays

In Photos: Eerie Zoo Animal Skeletons, in X-Rays

By Mindy Weisberger

Are X-rays of animals gorgeous or creepy? Maybe a little of both.

Halloween scene

Why Believing in Ghosts Can Make You a Better Person

By Tok Thompson, Sciences

Ghost stories are often about the departed seeking justice for an earthly wrong. Their sightings are a reminder that ethics and morality transcend our lives.

Why Is Laughter Sometimes Scary?

By Yasemin Saplakoglu

muahaha

chickens in costume

No, The CDC Didn't Say You Can't Put Chickens in Halloween Costumes

By Sara G. Miller

Happy Halloween, chickens!

Scared woman

Why Is it Fun to Be Frightened?

By Margee Kerr

Visiting an extreme haunted house can be delightfully terrifying.

licorice, black licorice

Yes, You Really Can 'Overdose' on Candy — or at Least One Type

By Sara G. Miller

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a message for candy-lovers: "As it turns out, you really can overdose on candy — or, more precisely, black licorice."

mythical monsters

13 Bizarre Mythical Monsters to Haunt Your Halloween

By Mindy Weisberger

Traditional Halloween creatures — vampires, werewolves and killer clowns — may give you the shivers, but these mythic monsters from around the world are truly terrifying nightmare fuel. 

An ADT blog reveals the most commonly searched phobias by state.

Clowns or Holes: What Is Your State Most Afraid Of?

By Jesse Emspak

Allegedly, work done on the 1890 Croke-Patterson Mansion in Denver would be undone by morning.

The Scariest Places on Earth

By Andrea Mustain, Elizabeth Peterson

Here are some of the creepiest, crawliest, most terrifying places on the planet.

The Anatomy of Fear (Infographic)

By Purch Creative Ops

A scare can trigger cascading reactions throughout your body.

Scary Science: How Your Body Responds to Fear

By Mindy Weisberger

What can science tell us about what happens in our brains and bodies when we're afraid?

The stories behind Halloween monsters ...

Halloween Monster Science (Infographic)

By Michael Reis

Here's a look at the wild history of your favorite Halloween monsters, from vampires and zombies to ghosts and gargoyles.

Getting in Character: The Psychology Behind Cosplay

By Mindy Weisberger

Cosplay ain't your typical Halloween costume.

Clown Sightings Not Always a Laughing Matter

By Mindy Weisberger

In a growing list of states, people have unsettling tales to tell of enigmatic and downright sinister clown sightings.

man dressed an vampire

Vampires, Zombies & Werewolves, Oh My! The Origins of Halloween Monsters

By Elizabeth Palermo

Love them or fear them, the spooky creatures that haunt your Halloween nightmares have complicated histories.