Scary Stories

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

To avoid traumatizing children, many camps are banning scary stories. But can a little fun with fear be a good thing?

Do not follow the woman in white.

We find scary stories pair well with brighter days.

Masked figures chase people throughout Mitaarfik.

Exploring Patricia Arquette's desert obsession, how Elvira became the queen of late night horror, and other behind-the-screen stories.

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

From haunting tales of the Bell Witch to child-eating swamp monsters, the season is full of frights.

The sun is out and the monsters are here.

From oomancy to human hematophagy, we got weird, wondrous, and wicked this year.

We reflect on what these shiny surfaces reveal, from the curse of Narcissus to an experiment you can try at home—if you dare.

Despite causing a moral panic, these salacious tales helped boost literacy in Victorian England.

Atlas Obscura readers wrote in about the classic tales that taught them one thing—unease.

Conquering a culinary anxiety isn't always pretty, but it can be pretty tasty.

This week, Atlas Obscura is collecting memories of long-lost YA and kids' books that remain burned in your brain.