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Good morning! It's Sunday, Oct. 25, and welcome to our Sunday Edition. As Halloween approaches, we're exploring the eerie history of ghosts. After that, discover how Americans are spending on Halloween this year (News in Context),
a ranking of horror movie posters (Etc.), and much more in this spooky Sunday Edition issue.
📖 Our Sunday edition digs deep into the context and rabbit holes behind the news. We'll be back with our regular Daily Digest tomorrow through Saturday.
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Boo!
Humans have long wondered what comes after death, and across history, one answer has endured: ghosts, the spirits of the dead lingering among the living (see the video overview). While there is no scientific evidence that supernatural beings are real, proving or disproving their existence is generally considered impossible.
> Discover what percentage of Americans believe in spirits and the afterlife. (More)
> See if your city hosts one of the most haunted places in the United States. (More)
Mentions of spirits date back to ancient times, and ghost tales have been explored across cultures, continents, and periods, with rituals that still exist to connect with them and ward them off. The places most commonly reported as haunted are sites like burial grounds, asylums, hotels, castles, and buildings where tragedy struck.
> Ouija boards used to be a wholesome group activity, until the film "The Exorcist" changed public perception. (More)
> Experts believe that ghost stories help us process death, loss, and grief. (More, w/video)
The idea of the soul, immortal and separate from the body, is held across different religions. Some psychologists believe that religion evolved to soothe common anxieties related to death and the afterlife. Spiritualism, the belief that the dead can talk to the living, captured the US and Britain in the mid-1800s, drawing séance guests from Queen Victoria to Charles Darwin.
> See what may be the oldest drawing of a ghost from ancient Babylon. (More)
> Explore ghost stories from across the ancient world. (More)
> Spiritualism grew rapidly in popularity in the US after sisters Kate and Maggie Fox claimed spirits answered questions by rapping on walls in 1848. (More)
Discover more:
> Day of the Dead honors deceased loved ones with altars, food, and cemetery visits at the beginning of November. (More)
> Explore the 2,000-year-old Celtic origins of Halloween. (More)
> Mary Todd Lincoln hosted séances in the Red Room of the White House. (More)
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News in Context
1440 brings you the knowledge and context behind the week's stories:
Americans are expected to spend $13.5B on Halloween this year, with one study finding that 45% of US consumers are more permissive about indulging than they were a year ago. (More)
> The movie "Halloween" is one of the most profitable indie films of all time.
> See the states that spend the most money on Halloween candy.
Cybersecurity agencies worldwide urged admins to patch flaws in a programming language used by roughly 70% of websites globally. (More)
> How does the internet actually work?
> Protect yourself digitally with these tips.
Man convicted in Tupac Shakur's murder sentenced to 40 years to life in prison. (More)
> The teenage Shakur dreamed of becoming a Shakespearean actor.
> Explore a guide to the rapper's extensive discography.
Hackers remotely raised the temperatures of refrigerators and freezers at more than 500 French shops and supermarkets, causing fires and food spoilage. (More)
> See how hackers exploit malware preinstalled on cheap smart devices.
> Learn about the hidden device that's allowed hackers to control millions of cars.
Are Ghosts All in Our Head?
Ever felt like someone was watching you when nobody was there? Or spotted something moving in the shadows? Your brain could be playing tricks on you. In an episode of "1440 Explores," we uncover the science behind some ghost sightings, why sleep paralysis can feel supernatural, and how scientists investigate claims of paranormal activity. Listen here or click below:
Click here to listen on Spotify and Apple.
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Etcetera
See a list of the best horror movies of all time, ranked by leading critics.
... and a ranking of the best horror movie posters.
A 19th-century photographer, William Mumler, claimed to capture ghosts on camera, including a deceased Abraham Lincoln.
Explore a gallery of spooky physics, including a search for ghost particles and a jack-o'-lantern star.
Ants can be turned into zombies by a group of parasitic fungi.
AI griefbots generate text or even video avatars of the dead, potentially changing how we mourn.
🫶 Humankind: Couple with Halloween wedding anniversary adopts a tiny black kitten that was stuck in their car.
Associated with wandering souls and ghost fire, will-o'-the-wisps may be the result of microlightning between bubbles.
Animal phobias are likely the most common type of phobia.
Cremation is America's top choice for postmortem body treatment, but interest in "green" burial options is growing.
Explore an archive of classic radio horror programs from the 1930s, '40s, and '50s.
Under specific conditions, corpse crystals can grow on dead bodies.
Watch the 1940 thriller "Rebecca," the only Alfred Hitchcock film to win the Academy Award for best picture.
Historybook: Artist Pablo Picasso born (1881); Benjamin O. Davis Sr. becomes first Black general in US Army (1940); Katy Perry born (1984); Hall of Fame golfer Payne Stewart dies in plane crash (1999).
"Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun."
— Pablo Picasso
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