Our weekly roundup of fascinations around the world and the web. Happy Halloween!


Vintage Halloween postcard from the New York Public Library Picture Collection, via Public Domain Review

The science of fear
“Scare specialist” Dr. Margee Kerr discusses the history and brain science behind self-scaring, and why some people enjoy it more than others. The far-ranging interview touches on strong childhood “lightbulb memories,” unethical social scientists, 17th-century Russian Ice Slides, and why a haunted house makes for an excellent date night. [via The Atlantic]

Al the days of the dead
Many cultures have festivals to celebrate and honor the dead, and Smithsonian rounds up six of them. From Korea’s Chuseok to Nepal’s Gai Jatra, many celebrations include a mixture of ancient traditions and colonial or religious influence, and some even involve costumed revelry. [via Smithsonian Magazine]

Slender Man graffiti (image via mdl70 / Wikimedia) 

The creepiest place on the internet
Brought into mainstream culture by the tragic Slender Man–influenced teen stabbings earlier this year, Creepypasta is gathering place for internet urban legends and short, terrifying stories. Here The Kernel offers a brief primer on the site and its brethren, as well as a rundown of seven essential internet urban legends the forums have birthed. [via The Kernel]

Denver International Airport’s dark side
It’s the largest airport in the country and the second largest in the world, but what’s with all the weird stories surrounding it? From a terrifying statue that killed its sculptor to its construction costs that wound up $3.1 billion over budget, the airport is rife with the unexplained. [via Nowhere Magazine]