Human Behavior, features and articles | Educational Science

Oct 31, 2021

Were any 'witches' burned at Salem?

Between 1692 and 1693, accusations of witchcraft were made in and around the town of Salem in Massachusetts, leading to the arrests of about 150 people. These charges were taken seriously, and the ensuing trials resulted in the executions of 19 people. But how were these witches executed? Were any...

Dec 4, 2021

Are jackalopes real?

The jackalope, an animal with the body of a jackrabbit and the antlers of an antelope or deer, is a cultural icon of the American West. The image of the creature is sold on all sorts of knickknacks in the region, from postcards to shot glasses. At one point, tourists...

Dec 15, 2021

Vlad the Impaler: The real Dracula

Legends of vampires go back centuries, but few names have cast more terror into the human heart than Dracula. However the fictional character, created by author Bram Stoker, was in fact based on a real historical figure called Vlad the Impaler. Vlad the Impaler, also known as Vlad III, Prince...

Jan 18, 2022

Dragons: A brief history of the mythical, fire-breathing beasts

Dragons are among the most popular and enduring of the world's mythological creatures, believed to have been real for centuries. Dragon tales are known in many cultures, from the Americas to Europe, and from India to China. They have a long and rich history in many forms and continue to...

Jan 24, 2022

Evil eye: History of the ancient curse

The evil eye is a human look believed to cause harm to someone or something. The supernatural harm may come in the form of a minor misfortune, or more serious disease, injury — even death. Folklorist Alan Dundes, in his edited volume The Evil Eye: A Casebook (University of Wisconsin...

Jan 31, 2022

What is the grandfather paradox?

The grandfather paradox is a self-contradictory situation that arises in some time travel scenarios that is illustrated by the impossible scenario in which a person travels back in time only to kill their grandfather (who could no longer go on to produce one's parent, and hence where does that leave...

Feb 14, 2022

Mermaids & mermen: Facts & legends

In 2012, the television channel Animal Planet aired a show claiming to show evidence that mermaids are real. The program was filmed to appear to be a documentary, complete with interviews with scientists (paid actors) and phone-camera footage. With only the show's very brief disclaimer in the end credits noting...

Mar 8, 2022

Haunting 'mermaid' mummy in Japan is probably a gruesome monkey-fish mix

Researchers in Japan are investigating the origins of a nightmarish, 300-year-old mummified mermaid, which has been worshipped for centuries due to its supposed medicinal properties. The haunting remains are most likely a gruesome amalgam of a monkey's torso sewed onto a fish's tail, potentially embellished with hair and nails from...

Apr 9, 2022

Where did the unicorn myth come from?

The unicorn is one of the most famous mythical creatures, often depicted as a white horse with a spiraling horn erupting from its forehead. It's not hard to imagine a horse with a horn, and for much of the mythical creature's history, people thought it actually existed. But where did...

Jul 3, 2022

Why do people believe in conspiracy theories?

Conspiracy theories lurk all over the internet and cover a dizzying range of topics — from the idea that the moon landings were faked to the belief that Earth is flat. Often, believers will readily dismiss any and all evidence that contradicts such claims, and suggest that witnesses or experts...

Aug 17, 2022

Why Evidence for the Paranormal Doesn't Improve

It seems that every month or two some new piece of evidence surfaces that promises to shed light on an unexplained mystery: A miraculous healing story here, a Borneo river monster photo there. Yet like the proverbial carrot before the donkey, final evidence is always in sight but never obtained....

Sep 27, 2022

Trump Meets Orb: 5 Interesting Facts About Crystal Balls

On his recent trip to Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump and Saudi King Salman were captured in a photo putting their hands on a glowing orb. The comical picture has launched a thousand jokes and memes about crystal balls. It turns out that Trump and King Salman weren't trying to...

Oct 14, 2022

Why Sandy Hook Massacre Spawned Conspiracy Theories

One month after the Sandy Hook school shootings, the list of victims continues to grow. One man, Gene Rosen — who found six children and a bus driver in his driveway, brought them into his home, fed them and called parents to assure them that their children were safe —...

Oct 14, 2022

Why JFK Assassination Conspiracy Theories Are So Appealing

Fifty years ago, on Nov. 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy fell to an assassin's bullet in Dallas. To this day, nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that a conspiracy was responsible for the president's death. That widespread suspicion of the official story — that lone gunman Lee Harvey Oswald killed JFK...

Oct 14, 2022

Why Creationists Are More Likely to Buy into Conspiracy Theories

When something occurs that's hard to explain, many people say that everything happens for a reason and that the event was meant to be. The thought provides a purpose for what, in reality, was a random, accidental event. This type of thinking, called teleological thinking, is what gives rise to...