The Science of Spooky

A look at what’s really going on when we get the creeps.

Current science can’t prove their existence, but these seven mental and environmental factors might.

A ragged curtain, a creaking attic, a dark cellar – what explains the architecture of creepiness, and its enduring appeal?

There was a time when the Victorian facade was a prevalent status symbol in the United States.

You aren’t alone in your fear of makeup-clad entertainers; people have been frightened by clowns for centuries.

The captivating horror of category violation.

The time when the depiction of a human skull first symbolized death is ancient and debatable.

From altered voices to “infrasound,” these audio tricks spook and unsettle.

It’s not the darkness itself that’s frightening. It’s the fear of what the darkness masks.

From Sleepy Hollow to Game of Thrones, the fear of decapitation says much about our views on power, sexuality and the self.

We reflect on what these shiny surfaces reveal, from the curse of Narcissus to an experiment you can try at home—if you dare.

The science behind the appeal of haunted houses, freak shows, and physical thrills.