Frano Selak is often described as the "luckiest unlucky man in the world." The Croatian dodged death a total of seven times: in a bus crash, a train crash, a plane crash, two car crashes, yet another bus crash, and finally a UNUnited Nations. An intergovernmental organisation based in New York that aims to maintain international peace and security. truck crash.

Sensing that he often had good luck in bad circumstances, Selak entered the lottery in his 70s and promptly won a jackpot of £700,000.

You might turn to Selak for comfort on this spookiest of days. His endurance in the face of unusually bad luck is rather inspiring. It brings a little hope as we reach Friday 13th, a day which superstitious people associate with gloom and bad fortune.

There is even a name for this superstition: paraskevidekatriaphobia, which is a fear of the number 13. But whilst for us Friday 13th is the unluckiest day, in Greece and Spanish-speaking countries Tuesday 13th is the more spine-chilling date.¹

As a result, plane tickets tend to be cheaper when the 13th falls on a Friday, and some planes even lack a Row 13.²

Nobody knows exactly why Friday 13th has become such a scapegoatA person who is made to take the blame for the wrongdoings of others. The term originates from a ceremony during the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur, in which the sins of the people were symbolically placed upon a goat. The goat was then sent into the wilderness. for superstitious people, but the number 13 has been considered ill-fated for almost all of our recorded history. Judas Iscariot, the discipleFollower. In the Bible, dedicated followers of Jesus were known as disciples. who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest to arrive at the Last SupperIn the Bible, the final meal that Jesus shared with his followers before his crucifixion. .

Superstitions can often be quite useful for society. For example, in many Islamic societies, there is a belief that complimenting someone out of envy can give them the "evil eye". However, the person who has been complimented can avert it by saying "mashallah", meaning "God willed it".

But some of their effects are less helpful. For example, in east Asian societies, the number four is unlucky, because in Chinese it sounds like the word for "death". It has been shown that on the fourth of every month there is a peak in the number of Chinese Americans and Japanese Americans dying from heart conditions.³

Yes: Superstitions are a load of silly nonsense. We have advanced far enough that we should not need old wives' tales to tell us how to live our lives. 

No: Superstitions keep us connected to our roots and traditions. In addition, some studies have shown that believing in good and bad luck can actually make you more successful!

Or... Whether or not they can be justified, superstitions make the world a more fun place. Life would be very dull and flat if we were all just rational all the time.

UN - United Nations. An intergovernmental organisation based in New York that aims to maintain international peace and security.

Scapegoat - A person who is made to take the blame for the wrongdoings of others. The term originates from a ceremony during the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur, in which the sins of the people were symbolically placed upon a goat. The goat was then sent into the wilderness.

Disciple - Follower. In the Bible, dedicated followers of Jesus were known as disciples.

Last Supper - In the Bible, the final meal that Jesus shared with his followers before his crucifixion.