Who could imagine that a deadly disease outbreak gave birth to some of the scariest creatures in literature? But it’s true, and Elizabeth Outka, professor of English literature at the University of Richmond, walks us through how the walking dead, or zombies, grew from the flu pandemic of 1918-1919. About 50 million people died worldwide, including about 675,000 in the US, many of whom were young adults. Gravediggers could not keep up
with the demand. Bodies lay in heaps in graveyards. The fear of contagion and of death spread, making its way into literature, movies – and Halloween costumes today.
Also for your Halloween, we have stories on:
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Did mass graves in the influenza pandemic help give rise to the living dead?
Tithi Luadthong/Shutterstock.com
Elizabeth Outka, University of Richmond
The 1918-1919 flu claimed millions of lives worldwide. Could it also have given birth to the viral zombie?
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Halloween
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Jessica Wang, University of British Columbia
Fear of a disease that seemed to turn people into beasts might have inspired belief in supernatural beings that live on in today's creepy Halloween costumes.
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Frank T. McAndrew, Knox College
The human scream – a response we share with our primate relatives – is more nuanced than you might think.
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W. Scott Poole, College of Charleston
In the early 1970s, rumors about poisoned candy on Halloween led to mass paranoia. A historian explains why such fears emerge – and what, in reality, feeds them.
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Margee Kerr, University of Pittsburgh
Visiting a haunted house or watching a horror movie can be terrifying and enjoyable at the same time. A sociologist explains the psychological benefits of being safely scared.
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Bridget Marshall, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Powerful men often proclaim baseless accusations to be a 'witch hunt.' But American witch trials have always targeted a persecuted minority: women.
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Hayes Holderness, University of Richmond
Which candies count as candy in the eyes of the tax law? The answer often depends on one ingredient.
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Phillip Yuhas, The Ohio State University
With Halloween only days away, many people are putting the final touches on their costumes. Some include costume contact lenses. A doctor explains why that's scary.
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Kirby Farah, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
It may sound like a solemn affair, but the Day of the Dead – which blends indigenous and Catholic ritual – is a convivial celebration that allows Mexicans to reconnect with deceased loved ones.
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Regina Hansen, Boston University
Everything you need to know about the history of Halloween.
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