superstition news stories on Newser

S. Korea Busts Smuggled Pills—Made of Baby Flesh

Matt Cantor — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:10:02 CDT

South Korean customs authorities have made a highly disturbing find: Thousands of capsules made of powdered baby flesh, believed by some to have healing powers. Smugglers have attempted to get nearly 17,500 such capsules into the country since August, officials say. Made in northeastern China, the pills contain diced...

Did Texas Baseball Players Kill Chickens to Win Game?

Evann Gastaldo — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:23:08 CDT

The Western Hills High baseball team wasn’t doing so well—so, allegedly, two of its players sacrificed chickens on the field in an effort to improve the team’s performance. The bizarre ritual was referenced in Major League , although in that movie, the struggling player sacrificed a bucket of fried chicken....

Lucky Charms Really Work

Kate Schwartz — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:07:48 CDT

Wearing your "lucky underwear" to every big meeting may mean you're a little weird—but not crazy. A new study shows that believing in good luck can actually have an impact on performance. Researchers told a group of putters that they were playing with a "lucky ball"—and the participants...

In Pennsylvania Lottery, 7s Are Really Wild

Harry Kimball — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 13:15:00 CDT

Lucky sevens abounded in Pennsylvania Wednesday night as 3,107 tickets won a total of $7.77 million in the state lottery’s Big 4 drawing when the winning numbers came up 7-7-7-7. Quadruple-number hits are rare, as evidenced by the fact the lottery will lose about $7.2 million on...

Japanese Fear Oarfish Sightings Are Quake Omen

Rob Quinn — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:49:49 CST

Dozens of sightings of a very rarely seen fish have raised Japanese fears that their country may be the next one rocked by a major quake. The appearance of oarfish—which can grow to up to 16 feet long and frequent depths of up to 3,300 feet—is considered...

If Yanks Win, Thank Kate, Blame Macy's

M. Morris — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:10:49 CST

With the Yankees sitting on a 3-1 lead heading into tonight's World Series Game 5, there's already plenty of credit and blame to go around. Should New York defeat the Phillies, give a cheer for actress and Alex Rodriguez galpal Kate Hudson, David Wells writes for the New York Post....

In Picking Tennis Balls, Junk Science Meets OCD

Harry Kimball — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:00:21 CDT

The meticulous attention a pro tennis player gives to choosing balls ahead of a serve is a little bit of science with a healthy dose of superstition—or even stalling. Players say balls that have seen more play are fluffier and therefore have more drag, though the consensus is that...

India Cowers Ahead of Total Solar Eclipse

Harry Kimball — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:30:02 CDT

Wednesday’s total solar eclipse is eliciting fear and speculation across the Indian subcontinent, AFP reports. A New Delhi gynecologist says caesarian sections scheduled for the day of the eclipse have been canceled. “This is a belief deeply rooted in Indian society,” he said. “Couples are willing to do anything to...

Saudi Family Charges Genie With Harassment

Neal Colgrass — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:50:00 CDT

A Saudi Arabian family has taken a genie to court and charged it with harassment and theft, the BBC reports. Family members say they were forced to abandon their home near Medina after the spirit made strange noises, threatened them, and stole their cell phones. A local court is looking...