AO Loves Halloween

Researchers around the world are working on ways to regain control of our minds during sleep and battle the monsters that torment us.

For centuries, people have used fancy dress to impress.

From 1942's Cat People to cerebral jolts in Hereditary and Get Out, this cinematic scare tactic still shocks.

From a Norwegian grocery store to a town hall in Spain, hauntings can happen where we least expect them.

Lichens growing on gravestones appear immune to aging. What does their life cycle teach us about death?

The terrifying teyollohcuani is a shape-shifter of ancient indigenous lore, dark colonial history, and pop culture.

Why do modern witches embrace "The Wicker Man"?

A new festival looks to draw out and soothe the squonk in all of us.

Tales of strange, nocturnal people haunt the region—and so do theories about who they were, from a lost Welsh "tribe" to aliens.

The 17th-century event claimed at least 25 human lives. Whether any dogs were killed is unclear—but accusations against them had a familiar theme.

First described in Texas in the mid-90s, what are these disturbing figures—and what do they want?

A new cookbook offers recipes that are both wholesome and horrifying.

All-natural monster repellent for spooky season might lurk in your kitchen.

From unsolved candy crimes to treats eaten only at funerals, these stories are bittersweet.

The classic creepy story—a driver offers a lift to a stranger who is not of this world—has deep roots and a long reach.

The spectral, terrifying dog of Scottish folklore has inspired many a nightmare for centuries—and likely for millennia.

The a-maize-ing history of getting lost among the stalks.

Studying our ancestors' nocturnal lives reveals the value of reclaiming darkness.