Triskaidekaphobia is the fear or avoidance of the number 13. Nobody knows exactly where it began. Written evidence of 13 being unlucky is thin before the 1600s, and popular stories about Judas, a Norse feast and a “missing” Babylonian law came later; some are simply wrong. Its awkward spot right after tidy, useful 12 likely … Read more
The next Friday the 13th is November 13, 2026, the third and final one this year. After that, you get a break until August 13, 2027. Between 2026 and 2035 there are 17 Friday the 13ths in total. Every year has at least one and never more than three, and any month that starts on … Read more
Friday the 13th is considered unlucky because it combines two older Western superstitions: Friday as an ill-fated day, linked to the Crucifixion, and 13 as an unlucky number, linked to the 13 diners at the Last Supper. The two only appear together in writing in the 1800s, and the idea went mainstream after a 1907 … Read more
Opening an umbrella indoors is considered bad luck, but nobody knows exactly why the belief began. The popular ancient Egypt story has no ancient evidence behind it. The most likely reason it survived is practical: a big umbrella snapping open in a small room can poke eyes, knock things over, and soak the floor. You … Read more