AO Loves Halloween

In a Swedish amusement park, two volunteers faced their greatest fears—for science.

Some experts estimate as many as 3,000 people were accused and executed for witchcraft in Scotland.

The wicked washerwoman, child murderer, and entrepreneur has parallels to Baba Yaga and other classic European folk figures.

A strange, scary farce that brought together Old World legends and racist scare tactics.

A collection of atmospheric images from our readers, to explore if you dare.

Could infrasound, electromagnetic blips, gas leaks, and mold explain why some places just give us the creeps?

Tensions between Salem and Danvers were there from the start—contributing to the ensuing witch hysteria.

The rise of paganism in the country is reigniting a macabre ritual from the Viking Age.

Stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere can find the demon star Algol, a murdered monster, and victims of vengeful gods.

The butterfly defends itself using milkweed, just one of several plants packed with heart-stopping toxins that may also be in your medicine cabinet.

To enter the realm of Osiris, the dead had to complete a long to-do list—and face a terrifying devourer of souls.

Meet these slippery, mischievous reflections of our anxieties about technology.

A national security historian explains what's really going on at the infamous Nevada site.