Are vampires real? What is an out-of-body experience? Are crop circles proof that aliens exist? HowStuffWorks explores what is real and what is urban legend with this collection of Science Versus Myth articles.
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There's no doubt people are seeing lights. But are they really spirits of ghosts — or even aliens — or can these unusual lights be clarified with a simple explanation?
By Diana Brown
Are strange skeletons unearthed across the globe evidence that we're not alone, or are they simply more myths and legends that are bound to be debunked?
By Diana Brown
These booming sounds are part of a mysterious phenomenon that's occurred for years around the U.S. and elsewhere in the world.
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Some of us really hope the yeti is a giant snow ape, but new research finds it's just bears out there in the Himalayas.
Theories about the ghostly lights abound. Conclusions are harder to come by.
By Jamie Allen
The original King of Monsters has become cute. How does that happen?
By Robert Lamb
Humans are awesome and we have superpowers of our own. But could a greedy world of "supervillains" twist them against us?
By Diana Brown
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More than 1,000 people have gone missing from U.S. national parks. Are there reasonable explanations or is there something more sinister at work?
By Diana Brown
According to new research, many people believe wildly inaccurate myths about the brain and learning — even those who know a lot about neuroscience.
No crew, sails set, fire still blazing in the galley — some ships wash up on shores under mysterious circumstances. The Resolven was one of them.
Many people have sworn to have spotted Bigfoot. But does the elusive hominid exist?
By Diana Brown
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When a super-realistic android or video character gives us a creepy feeling, it enters the uncanny valley. Why do we get spooked, and what can we do to avoid it?
Covfefe isn't as mysterious as everyone makes it out to be. We're here to explain.
Can infrasound explain away ghosts, hauntings and other paranormal activity?
By Diana Brown
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It turns out you can't just scatter your loved one's ashes anywhere. So what can you do with them?
Dragon fire is an awe-inspiring thing, but exactly how would it happen? Real-world clues from nature point the way.
A mysterious warrior with a silver arm? A giant subterranean king who could kill with a single glance? A dog-headed, overprotective mother? Yes! And more...
By Robert Lamb
New studies found no link between back pain, arthritis and the temperature, air pressure or humidity.
By Alia Hoyt
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Some physics students did the calculations, and the results are not pretty.
By Alia Hoyt
So many people are getting cremated these days that we're starting to get pretty creative about what we do with all those ashes.
It's that creepy time of year again, and Dr. Anton Jessup is back for another series of Monster Science. In this episode, he meets up with some unexpected vampire vixens.
By Robert Lamb
Thousands of years ago, the Babylonians created the zodiac and dropped a constellation when it didn't quite fit into their schematic. Its name? Ophiuchus. Should it be part of our horoscope?
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If mental strain caused a bloody nose, academic testing sites would be awash in crimson. So why do we still see psychic nosebleeds from "Stranger Things" to "Scanners"?
Top atmospheric scientists say there's no evidence those lines in the sky are part of some sinister government plot. But will that dissuade conspiracy theorists?