Hallowe’en is coming and I thought that I might write about the science behind some ghoulish happenings and beliefs. I do not mean to take any of the fun out of the day (who doesn’t love a little fright?) but give you some sciencey insight into a few things. I have chosen a few of the lesser known creepy things hopefully shining the light a bit on some dark corners.
Sweating Blood – Yes, this is actually a thing and does not prove a person is possessed with some other worldly entity…well not always. Bloody sweating is called hematochidrosis and is a rare disorder that happens alone or can occur with other bleeding disorders. It is mostly caused when the patient is under extreme stress. There are multiple blood vessels in a net-like configuration surrounding the sweat glands which will constrict under the pressure of great stress. After this stress has passed, the vessels will dilate to the point of rupture and passes into the sweat glands, then when the person sweats they would sweat bloody sweat.
Sleep Paralysis – Have you ever woken up frozen with fear and thought that there was someone in the room with you? This is something that has been mentioned for centuries and incubi, witches, and aliens have all been blamed but there is a more reasonable and scientific explanation for it, sleep paralysis. I have personally had this happen to me and it can scare the daylights out of you if you do not know what is going on. Sleep paralysis happens to as much as 8% of the general population but has also been linked to different psychiatric, familial, and sleep disorders. Sufferers describe waking paralyzed, unable to speak, and overcome by extreme fear. This phenomenon occurs in the REM phase of sleep (the dreaming phase) when we are temporarily paralyzed. REM dreams are usually the most emotional and as protection from acting these dreams out and injuring ourselves, our brains take away our ability to move. This can happen as we are falling asleep or when we wake up and can involve your dreams. Some experience hallucinations due to dreaming with their eyes open. So, the next time you wake up and think there are aliens in your room to take you up to the mothership, take a couple of breaths and relax, it may just be your brain playing tricks on your body.
Catatumbo Lightning – Lightning storms are the stuff of tales and legend but there is one place where there are can be almost 300 strikes per hour at its peak and is the planet’s single greatest generator of ozone. This occurs in and around Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela at the mount of the Catatumbo River. Catatumbo lightning is the best example of cloud-to-cloud lightning that forms a voltage arc more than 5 kilometres high during 140-160 nights a year for close to 10 hours per night. The reason behind this is the winds coming off of the Andes Mountains collide with gases, specifically methane, from the marshes in this area. These gases rise up in the clouds feeding the storm. This weather phenomenon has been spoken about for centuries and has been used as natural lighthouse for passing ships. As such an integral part of the local identity, it became a cause for concern when it disappeared for two months back in 2010. The only other time of record for this happening was in1906 when it ceased for 3 weeks. Researchers believe that this was caused by the unusual drought that gripped the area.
Necrotizing Spider Bites – Spiders are not my favourite thing in the world, I have to admit but I accept they have a place in this world and need to be (as long as they be no where near me). We have all been told that the black widow spider is the most dangerous spider in North America but there is another spider which causes is more wide spread and causes more damage than the normally quite shy black widow. The brown recluse spider is normally sized between 6 and 20 millimeters but have been known to grow larger. Although a fairly demure size, its bite packs a wallop. Their venom is necrotic which means that when you get bit by one, the tissue immediately around the bite dies. This causes the bite to become very sore and may require medical treatment. Although these small spiders are endemic to Canada, their bites are fairly rare but be warned, they do like to hide in things like shoes and gloves so it may be wise to shake these out before putting them on.
The Fun of Fear – This brings me to the topic of why we enjoy being scared. Why are Hallowe’en, haunted houses, and horror films so popular with a wide group of people? The way a human brain, and possibly many mammals’ brains as well, is wired, some of the chemicals that contribute to the fight or flight response (def: the instinctive physiological response to a threatening situation which readies one to either fight or run away…side note: my response is almost always flight while my husband’s is fight so when coming upon a bear, Sasquatch, or escaped lunatic, I am golden because I would be gone in a flash) are also involved in some of our positive emotional states such as happiness and excitement. When a person is scared they experience a rush of adrenalin and other stress hormones causing them to become hyper alert and quickening their breathing, heart rate, and blood flow. Once this person realizes they are not truly at risk, they can enjoy the rush from these hormones without having to run or fight for their lives. Researchers also believe that fear creates distraction which can be a positive experience and escape from the troubles of everyday life. So, get out and enjoy this spooky season! It may be just the thing to get your mind of the worries of the day!
Happy Hallowe’en!
–Janice Willson
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3827523/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6082011/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYVWb_QgQwU
Great articles
Thank you