AO Loves Halloween

Sound and electricity play all kinds of tricks at Eastern State Penitentiary.

Nestled in Vermont’s Hope Cemetery, ‘The Dying Man’ tells the tragic tale of the area’s Italian gravestone carvers.

The serpent-like oarfish has long been considered an omen of natural disaster. Scientists are shaking up that old superstition.

A guide called the Amduat helped pharaohs navigate the complex afterlife.

Terrifying love spells and protective "spells to power" offered the chance for control in a fiercely hierarchical society.

From draining slain gladiators to modern-day "sangs," people have long looked to blood as a panacea.

Pennywise, Art the Clown, and other modern, face-painted menaces recall an era when their kind were strictly adults-only entertainers.

Our contributors share stories from spooky locations they’ve visited and which continue to haunt them.

Learn to make amaranth skulls, “buried” tamales, and other regional Día de Muertos recipes.

How a fearsome Penobscot Nation legend became a mascot of outdoor adventure seekers.

A baked good thought to ward off evil might have kicked off one of America's most notorious witch hunts.

Haunted places have a lot to tell us about ourselves.