Happy Friday the 13th

By: Pulse Staff

Whether you believe in superstitions or not, another Friday the 13th is among us. Here at the Pulse, we think our readers would benefit from some information about this infamously dreaded day. Since this edition comes out on a Friday the 13th, here are 13 facts we think you should check out:

1. The association of bad luck on Friday the 13th may be biblical as the 13th guest at the Last Supper was accordingly the one who betrayed Jesus; Jesus is also speculated to have been crucified the next day, a Friday (Lifescience.com).
2. The phobia associated with Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia (Timeanddate.com).
3. Rapper Tupac Shakur died on Friday Sept. 13, 1996 (CNN.com).
4. Every Friday the 13th, motorcyclists in Ontario, Canada come together for the world’s largest motorcycle rally (NorthernOntario.travel).
5. According to NASA, on Friday, April 13, 2029, a large asteroid is predicted to fly close enough to Earth to be visible without a telescope in Africa, Europe and Asia (CNN.com).
6. Although all years will have a Friday the 13th, there cannot be more than three in each year (Timeanddate.com).
7. A month must begin on a Sunday in order to have a Friday the 13th (Timeanddate.com).
8. Hotels often skip the 13th floor while some airports leave out gate 13 (Lifescience.com).
9. Alfred Hitchock, widely known for directing psychological thrillers, was born on Friday the 13th (Lifescience.com).
10. Taylor Swift is among those superstitious about the number telling MTV, “I was born on the 13th. I turned 13 on Friday the 13th. My first album went gold in 13 weeks. My first #1 song had a 13-second intro” (CNN.com).
11. The Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel holds special zombie and vampire themed weddings on Friday the 13th (CNN.com).
12. To pagans, 13 is actually a lucky number as relates to the number of full moons in a year (Lifescience.com).
13. The horror movie Friday the 13th is credited with sensationalizing the day, producing 12 sequels, television series and books (Timeanddate.com).