Friday the 13th – a few facts

Bad luck for all you superstitious types out there: today’s only the first Friday the 13th we’ll have this year.

The next Friday the 13th comes in March, followed by Nov. 13. Such a triple whammy comes around only every 11 years, said Thomas Fernsler, a math specialist at the University of Delaware who has studied the number 13 for more than 20 years.

 

I’m sure he doesn’t just study the number 13.  I mean…even a university wouldn’t…

 

Would they?

 

Lucky for me, I’m not superstitious.  To quote the philosopher Michael Scott: “I’m a little stitious.”  I just like Friday the 13th for its scientific nomenclature:

Fear of Friday the 13th – one of the most popular myths in science - is called paraskavedekatriaphobia as well as friggatriskaidekaphobia. Triskaidekaphobia is fear of the number 13.

 

Everybody got that?  “Friggin…phobia.”  Got it.

 

I shouldn’t make too much fun.  According to the story, Fidel Castro was born on a Friday the 13th.  That was pretty bad luck for Cuba.