We check the stories everyone repeats
BasicsExplain answers the questions behind everyday superstitions: where a belief came from, why people still hold on to it, and what the evidence actually says. We write for curious readers who want the real story, told simply.
The same stories, copied everywhere
Search for the origin of almost any superstition and you’ll find the same few stories repeated word for word, usually with no source attached. Brides wear veils to hide from evil spirits. Thirteen is unlucky because of the Last Supper. Some of these stories hold up. Many don’t, or can’t be traced at all.
We started BasicsExplain to do the checking. Every article goes back to the oldest records we can find, explains the psychology that keeps the belief alive, and tells you plainly when a popular explanation has nothing behind it.
How every article is made
Each explainer answers the same three questions, in the same order.
Where did it come from?
Folklore collections, digitized historical newspapers, university folklore archives and dictionaries of word origins.
Why do our brains buy it?
Published psychology research on habits of mind such as confirmation bias, magical thinking and the illusion of control.
What does the evidence say?
Studies that tested the belief, and records that confirm or contradict the popular story.
Not every claim is equally solid
So we tell you which kind you’re reading. Sources are linked inside each article and listed at the end. We don’t invent quotes, statistics, experts or personal experiences, and we never describe a study we didn’t actually read.
A primary record or academic source confirms it
Stated as fact, with the source linked
Most folklorists or historians agree
“Most folklorists trace it to…”
Widely repeated, with little or no evidence
“A popular (but unproven) theory says…”
The evidence contradicts it
“There’s no evidence that…”
We couldn’t find a reliable source
Left out, or clearly marked as unverified
Four corners of the superstition world
How we treat you, and the traditions
Respect, not ridicule
Many superstitions are tied to religion, culture or grief. We explain them; we don’t mock them. A custom can matter to a family even when its origin story is shaky. Articles about death and mourning are written with extra care.
Information, not advice
BasicsExplain is for general information and curiosity. It isn’t medical, psychological or financial advice. If a body-related sign, such as a twitching eye, keeps bothering you, check with a doctor.
How we use AI tools
We use AI tools to help with research and first drafts. Every article is then checked against the sources it cites, and anything we can’t verify is cut or labeled. A person reviews, edits and approves every article before it’s published.
Ads stay out of the writing
BasicsExplain is free to read and supported by display ads. Advertisers have no say in what we write or which topics we cover.
Who runs BasicsExplain
Kamlesh Bhardwaj
BasicsExplain is an independent site run by Kamlesh Bhardwaj, a website publisher who has spent years researching and writing explainer content online. He started the site to give readers a clear, sourced answer to the superstitions everyone repeats but few people check.
Spotted an error?
Found a mistake, or a source we should look at? Tell us and we’ll check it. When we change a fact in an article, we update the article and its last-updated date.