Halloween

Pumpkinhead and cat(?), date unknown

12 Creepy Kids in Halloween Masks

When their faces are obscured, these children transform into frightening little creatures

Defying its reputation as aloof, this tortoiseshell cat was labelled “the friendliest cat we met”

Judging a Cat (Wrongly) by the Color of its Coat

Black cats aren't evil, and torties aren't always aloof. But people often think coat color and behavior are linked

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The Spookiest Photos Submitted By Our Readers

Abandoned mansions, ghostly twins and murders of crows are just a few of the scariest entries from past photo contests

According to author Kevin Dutton, psychopaths have a distinct set of personality characteristics. Pictured is Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates in Psycho.

The Pros to Being a Psychopath

In a new book, Oxford research psychologist Kevin Dutton argues that psychopaths are poised to perform well under pressure

Incredible Halloween Costumes Inspired by Famous Works of Art

Culture-hounds take heart: Halloween doesn't have to be all Honey Boo Boos and internet memes

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Scientific Illustrations: Your Go-To Guides for Halloween Costumes

The details are what separate a good outfit from an amazing one. The images in the Biodiversity Heritage Library can help you make the leap

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The Witches of Halloween Past

Sexy or scary, the outfit has cast a spell on costume wearers going back many years

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Scientists Use Cadaver Hands to Study the Dangers of Pumpkin Carving

A rigorous experiment compared pumpkin-carving tools to determine the safest way to carve a pumpkin

Years before the infamous events of Salem, Easthampton, New York was riddled with allegations of witchcraft. Pictured is an old windmill next to a graveyard in the small town.

Before Salem, There Was the Not-So-Wicked Witch of the Hamptons

Why was Goody Garlick, accused of witchcraft in 1658, spared the fate that would befall the women of Massachusetts decades later

President Gerald Ford in April 1975 with Dick Cheney (left), who would become the youngest White House chief of staff in history, and Donald Rumsfeld, who would become defense secretary.

A Halloween Massacre at the White House

In the fall of 1975 President Gerald Ford survived two assassination attempts and a car accident. Then his life got really complicated

The unmistakeable surface of the classic Hershey bar

Copyright Confection: The Distinctive Topography of the Hershey Bar

After a legal tug-of-war, Hershey's secured a trademark for the structural design of their classic chocolate bar

At the gravesite of Mercy Lena Brown, right, sightseers leave offerings such as plastic vampire teeth and jewelry.

The Great New England Vampire Panic

Two hundred years after the Salem witch trials, farmers became convinced that their relatives were returning from the grave to feed on the living

At home and abroad, vampire scares usually began when a person died and others in the vicinity began dying, too, usually of the same sickness.

Meet the Real-Life Vampires of New England and Abroad

The legend of the blood suckers, and the violence heaped upon their corpses, came out of ignorance of contagious disease

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The Physics of Eating Candy

For certain sweet treats, researchers found, patient indulgers can enjoy a single piece of candy for up to nearly half an hour - so long as they resist the urge to bite or chew

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The Ax Murderer Who Got Away

In 1912, a family of six was murdered by ax in the little town of Villisca, Iowa. Might these killings be linked to nine other similar crimes?

Anyone dressing up as a mad scientist today?

Five Last-Minute Science-Themed Halloween Costume Ideas

No one else will be dressed like dark energy

What if we could make masks to look like these models in the Natural History Museum's Hall of Human Origins?

The List: Smithsonian-Inspired Halloween Costumes

For all you last-minute costume shoppers, here's this year's list of Smithsonian DIY ideas

Colonel Sanders, a great Halloween costume idea

Stuck for a Halloween Costume Idea? Think Food

Paula Deen, Colonel Sanders, the Swedish Chef—the food world is rife with costume potential

A vampire bat feeds on a pig

How Vampire Bats Find A Vein

They may not be Dracula in disguise, but vampire bats are still creepy nocturnal critters that need blood to survive

Fakes are an all too real part of the museum world. “There are always artists capable of making and selling things that seem old,” says anthropologist Jane MacLaren Walsh.

Why the Smithsonian Has a Fake Crystal Skull

The Natural History Museum's quartz cranium highlights the epic silliness of the new Indiana Jones movie

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