For centuries, scientists thought they knew where the griffin legend came from. A new study takes a closer look at the data and folklore’s influence on science.
Tag: Folklore
Eclipse folk tales show different relationships between people and the sun
In preparation for this year’s eclipse on April 8, an Ohio State expert dug deep into folklore indexes to see what common motifs have been used to explain the phenomenon. A common one: the sun being consumed by a creature.
Pumpkin expert explains how the gourd became a Halloween staple and flavor of the fall season
How did autumn become the season of pumpkin-spiced everthing? Why do we make the annual pilgrimage to the pumpkin patch in search of the perfect candiate for this year’s jack-o’-lantern? Cindy Ott, the University of Delaware’s resident pumpkin expert, has…
Expect more mischief and pranks this Halloween
With large gatherings and lockdowns in many places due to COVID-19, Halloween might be filled with more mischief than normal due to high stress levels, according to Libby Tucker, folklorist at Binghamton University, State University of New York. This year…