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Friday the 13th: Do you suffer Friggatriskaidekaphobia?
The date has inspired novels and horror films, and is widely regarded as a day associated with bad luck.
Is the eerie music from Friday the 13th movie playing on a loop in your head?
Perhaps you are quivering in your shoes with fear that Jason Voorhees — the iconic masked killer from Friday the 13th — is waiting around the corner for you.
Friggatriskaidekaphobia
The date, which has inspired novels and horror movies, is believed to be one filled with bad luck, much like breaking a mirror, opening an umbrella inside, or walking under a ladder.
If you fear Friday the 13th, chances are you might have Friggatriskaidekaphobia.
The phobia can be broken up as follows.
Frigg: Norse goddess for whom Friday is named
Triskadekai: Latin for 13
Phobia: Fear
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Why the fear?
There is no specific reason as to why this day is considered unlucky. In Western culture, the number 13 is often associated with bad luck. On the other hand, the number 12 is historically connected to good omens and completeness.
Its successor, 13, has for long been known a sign of bad luck.
National Geographic
According to National Geographic Kids, the exact origins of when Friday the 13th became thought of as unlucky are unknown; however, it 'likely comes from the Christian religion.'
For example, in the Bible, Judas—a person who is said to have betrayed Jesus—was the 13th guest at the Last Supper. Also in the Bible, many unfortunate things happened on Fridays. So it made sense that people who read the Bible got nervous around Friday the 13th.
Apollo 13
One of the more factual events, which did not happen on Friday the 13th, was the Apollo 13 spacecraft, but it bore the number 13.
Apollo 13 is famously described as a 'successful failure'. It was the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (Nasa) third moon-landing mission, but the astronauts never made it to the lunar surface.
Blasting off from the Kennedy Space Center (formerly Cape Kennedy) on 11 April 1970, the mission experienced a dramatic series of events, an oxygen tank explosion almost 56 hours into the flight forced the crew to abandon all thoughts of reaching the moon.
Failed mission
The spacecraft was damaged, but the crew was able to seek cramped shelter in the lunar module for the trip back to Earth, before returning to the command module for an uncomfortable splashdown.
The Apollo 13 astronauts were commander James Lovell, lunar module pilot Fred Haise, and command module pilot John 'Jack' Swigert.
So, while you fear the day, remember, after every Friday the 13th comes a Saturday the 14th, which can only mean one thing: the weekend is nearly upon us.
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