Today's episode concerns one of the most iconic superstitions: black cats, and their relationship to bad luck. Why is it that, even to this day, people associate these innocent cats with demons, witchcraft, and doom?
It's the world's unluckiest integer, and it has even spawned its own phobia. Throughout folklore and mythology, wherever the number 13 occurs, disaster follows.
In the 1980s, actors who had starred in the Poltergeist films started dying, leaving fans stunned. Was it just a coincidence? Or had the actors fallen victim to the very films that made them stars?
What better way to secure some luck than taking it from one of nature's craftiest tricksters - a surprisingly subversive symbol of wits and survival: the rabbit.
Whether it's the risky "live fast, die young" appeal or the very real threat of lung cancer, cigarettes have always been considered dangerous. And lighting three from the same match might just set you on a quick path to misfortune.
It might ruin your outfit, but far from ruining your day, getting pooped on by a bird is a gift from the sky. This lucky omen means things will start looking up (though you might still want to keep your head down).
This famous play by William Shakespeare has carried a witch's curse since it's earliest performances. If you say the name 'Macbeth' inside a theater when you're not performing the Scottish Play - blood will have blood, so they say.
Steering clear of an open ladder is second nature for many people. But for those that dare test this superstition, beware: It might bring more than just bad luck.
It's one ingredient that can cross the threshold of the mundane, offering supernatural protection against lingering spirits - And you can find it in any kitchen, every ocean, and even your bodies.
The roots of this festive holiday reach way back through history, with links to Nordic myths and the Roman Saturnalia. For colonists in 17th century America, celebrating Christmas was controversial and tried to cancel it.
10 - 9 - 8 - As the clock winds down on the final moments of the year, people around the world employ charms and traditions to shore up good fortune for the future. But it's not always their own luck that's on the line.
Unassuming wall decor, or powerful protection against evil? Horseshoes are said to offer luck and fortune to those who possess them - so long as you manage to hang them right.
If you look at U.S. Presidents who have died in office, a strange pattern emerges. Since 1840, those elected on twenty-year intervals meet untimely deaths, with few exceptions.
The airplane seatbelt "bing" is near-iconic. But few fliers are aware that pilots perform a secret ritual before pressing the seatbelt button - believing that if they forget, the plane will suffer mechanical problems.
The Tower of London is purported to have six ravens. But these are more than just spooky pets - Rumor has it that if any of these ravens is taken from the Tower, there will be dire consequences for the British Empire.
Taking stones from the Hawaiian islands may seem harmless, but you may want to think twice before pocketing a memento. Taking a rock from the slopes of Kilauea will earn you the ire of Pele, the volcano goddess, and a lifetime of bad luck.
Local to Iowa, this superstition adds an extra layer of tension to the loss of a loved one. Like a morbid version of tossing a bouquet at a wedding, the first person to leave a funeral - will be the first to die.
For a police officer on patrol, there's nothing better than an uneventful shift. But according to this superstition, if you ever say a specific phrase, your day is about to get a lot more - eventful.
You cannot avoid bad luck just by staying indoors. Especially if the number of steps in your home is a multiple of 3. In the Philippines, that is a very bad sign indeed.
For St. Patrick's Day, you will be exploring the very symbol of good luck itself. Where in history does this Irish tradition come from, and what does its presence say about the land it originated from?
Don't toast with a glass of water, or you'll wish bad luck upon the toast's honoree and yourself. Though this European superstition sounds like an excuse to get drunk, it's really an ancient tool to ward off disaster and death.
Bad luck is everywhere in the world of sports. But perhaps a famous curse centers around the Chicago Cubs, who didn't win the World Series for 71 years - all because they insulted a goat.
A shooting star can transport people to another world - a reality where anything is possible. And so, they make a wish. But usually, they don't think about the consequences of that wish coming true.
The real estate industry may sound like the last place to find superstitious practices, but some agents have come to rely on a special talisman to sell homes: a small plastic statue of St. Joseph.
In 1980, the New York Islanders hockey team stopped shaving during the playoffs, and they won the Stanley Cup. That moment marked the birth of a new superstition: the playoff beard.
Whatever wooden object is closest, you better knock on it for luck before you speak, or else you may just experience something bad - or jinx something good.
Giving away clothing is an act of charity, but if your old outfits end up in evil hands, they could be used to cast a spell of harm against you. They say clothes make the man - but they can unmake him, too.
If you want a bright and sunny Southern wedding, there's only one thing to do: One month before the nuptials, bury a bottle of bourbon. But take care to dig it up on your wedding day. If you don't, you might suffer a thunderstorm.
Today, people use it to wish for luck and to excuse a broken promise or white lie. But throughout history, crossing your fingers has been used over and over to invoke the Divine.
If you feel an inexplicable chill, you may be coming down with a cold - or someone just walked over the patch of earth where you're destined to be buried.
In many cultures, it's considered polite to bless someone after they sneeze. But this dates back to a much older belief, where if you sneeze without a blessing, your soul can fly right out of your body.
To bestow good luck, an American might say "break a leg." But in Italy, there's a different phrase: "In bocca al bupo." The problem is, if you say thanks in return, you might end up in the mouth of a wolf.
Why weddings have to be commemorated with tiny flakes of paper? And what are the consequences for getting too wrapped up in the idea of "the perfect wedding"?
Sailors are a superstitious lot, and refraining from whistling might sound like a typical warning from an old salt. But if you're not careful, an errant whistle can blow up a storm.
Meteorology is an advanced study, but not a precise one. So when the heavens themselves seem determined to destroy you, who wouldn't turn to some seemingly ridiculous rituals?
Toys are supposed to be harmless and fun - their arrival signaling playtime, not disaster. But in 1930s Syria, one toy was thought to cause a devastation so severe, it was banned from the country.
When you become successful, all eyes are on you. But there is one eye above all others that will always be watching, waiting to take away your success.
In a ritual that can be found around the world, invoking the rabbit on the first day of a new month brings good luck. And in this story, a teenage witch is about to discover just how much fortune she can find.
Your luck can change drastically depending on what day of the week you cut your nails. Fortunately, there's a playful rhyme to help you remember. And if you forget? A broken nail will be the least of your worries.
From a certain point of view, birthday celebrations can be seen as a little - ritualistic. Candles, special songs, birthday cake - Where did all these practices come from?
Since the early days of space travel, NASA astronauts have been taught to observe specific rituals before going to space. Because if they don't, they may wind up lost in space.
In the Philippines, Pagpag means "to shake off dust or dirt." The belief is that you should not go straight home after a funeral or a wake, lest an evil spirit attach themselves to you and follow you home.
It's a strange blemish that can take many forms, but always says the same thing: this woman has been touched by the Devil. When Sadie gets a mark of her own, she's thrust into a world of witchcraft and power.
