WCNC asks 'Why is Friday the 13th so scary?'

It's Friday the 13th! This year, instead of celebrating the U.S. Navy's birthday with nautical superstitions, real-life tales of woe, or spooky theme park attractions, I'm returning to exploring the psychology and history of the day with WCNC asking Why is Friday the 13th so scary?

A lot of people consider it bad luck when a Friday falls on the 13th of the month, but did you know this superstition goes back way before the 1980 horror film about Jason Voorhees?

Do you have any Friday the 13th superstitions? Comment below and we'll share your responses on our newscasts!

Historians aren't sure of the origins of when it started, but we do know that Fridays and the number 13 have been unlucky throughout history.

The ancient Sumerians developed a number system based on 12. So, on the heels of a 'perfect' number, 13 was unusual.

And Fridays have been unlucky for some since biblical times. It's said to have been the day Eve ate the forbidden fruit, Cain murdered Abel and when Noah's ark set sail.

So, when the two collide, a lot of people think it's a recipe for disaster, which is just bad news since any month that starts on a Sunday will have a Friday the 13th.

I begin my reaction by recycling from January: "As I told my students yesterday, don't walk under any ladders, break any mirrors, or open an umbrella indoors!" The WCNC morning team managed to hit all of those, while having just a little too much fun doing so. Despite the preview image, they didn't mention black cats. Just as well, as I also told my students yesterday "Black cats aren't unlucky. I owned two of them for years and they weren't bad luck for me at all." In fact, they were the two favorite cats who ever were my companions.

I have more foreboding happenings to write about, as tomorrow is a solar eclipse. I haven't blogged about solar eclipses this decade, so stay tuned to see if I do.