Halloween

Worried about your kid's Halloween candy being poisoned? Don't be.

Where Did the Fear of Poisoned Halloween Candy Come From?

The answer, as always, is to blame the media

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Real-Life Turkish Vampire Now Cured

A man just recovered from a condition his doctor called "clinical vampirism"—which was characterized by insatiable cravings for human blood

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Why Does Dracula Wear a Tuxedo? The Origins of Bram Stoker’s Timeless Vampire

The evolution of Dracula, from the mind of a sickly youth to an iconic portrayal on the silver screen

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The Haunted and the Haunting: Best Places to Visit on Halloween

This Halloween, indulge in the the electric, nerve-zapping thrill of fear, and consider visiting real destinations of creepy history and ghostly legends

We love candy, to eat and to look at. Big Suckers, from the portfolio Seven Still Lifes and a Silver Landscape. Wayne Thiebaud, 1971.

Candy From Halloween’s Past

From candy's lackluster beginnings to the Halloween boom, Smithsonian shares some tricks and treats

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The Halloween Tradition Best Left Dead: Kale as Matchmaker

Be happy this Scottish tradition is passé, your future marriage may have depended on it

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The Fox Sisters and the Rap on Spiritualism

Their seances with the departed launched a mass religious movement—and then one of them confessed that "it was common delusion"

Frilled Shark

The Scariest Monsters of the Deep Sea

We took the spook-tacular celebration to the depths of the ocean, where some of the craziest—and scariest—looking creatures lurk in the dark

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Scaredy Cats Unite—Not Everyone Loves Being Afraid

A big part of Halloween is getting scared, intentionally. Why in the world would anyone want that?

Pumpkinhead and cat(?), date unknown

12 Creepy Kids in Halloween Masks

When their faces are obscured, these children transform into frightening little creatures

Defying its reputation as aloof, this tortoiseshell cat was labelled “the friendliest cat we met”

Judging a Cat (Wrongly) by the Color of its Coat

Black cats aren't evil, and torties aren't always aloof. But people often think coat color and behavior are linked

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The Spookiest Photos Submitted By Our Readers

Abandoned mansions, ghostly twins and murders of crows are just a few of the scariest entries from past photo contests

According to author Kevin Dutton, psychopaths have a distinct set of personality characteristics. Pictured is Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates in Psycho.

The Pros to Being a Psychopath

In a new book, Oxford research psychologist Kevin Dutton argues that psychopaths are poised to perform well under pressure

Incredible Halloween Costumes Inspired by Famous Works of Art

Culture-hounds take heart: Halloween doesn't have to be all Honey Boo Boos and internet memes

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Scientific Illustrations: Your Go-To Guides for Halloween Costumes

The details are what separate a good outfit from an amazing one. The images in the Biodiversity Heritage Library can help you make the leap

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The Witches of Halloween Past

Sexy or scary, the outfit has cast a spell on costume wearers going back many years

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Scientists Use Cadaver Hands to Study the Dangers of Pumpkin Carving

A rigorous experiment compared pumpkin-carving tools to determine the safest way to carve a pumpkin

Years before the infamous events of Salem, Easthampton, New York was riddled with allegations of witchcraft. Pictured is an old windmill next to a graveyard in the small town.

Before Salem, There Was the Not-So-Wicked Witch of the Hamptons

Why was Goody Garlick, accused of witchcraft in 1658, spared the fate that would befall the women of Massachusetts decades later

President Gerald Ford in April 1975 with Dick Cheney (left), who would become the youngest White House chief of staff in history, and Donald Rumsfeld, who would become defense secretary.

A Halloween Massacre at the White House

In the fall of 1975 President Gerald Ford survived two assassination attempts and a car accident. Then his life got really complicated

The unmistakeable surface of the classic Hershey bar

Copyright Confection: The Distinctive Topography of the Hershey Bar

After a legal tug-of-war, Hershey's secured a trademark for the structural design of their classic chocolate bar

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