Can your brain make you see ghosts? The science behind the Bloody Mary legend

By Michelle Spear, Professor of Anatomy, University of Bristol

It’s Halloween night. Someone has dared you to turn off the lights and stand in front of the mirror. The rules are simple, stare into your reflection and say her name three times.

Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary.

According to the creepy urban legend, a terrifying figure will appear in the glass. Depending on which version of the story you follow, she might be a bloodied woman, a witch or a ghost seeking revenge. Sometimes, she simply appears behind you. In more sinister versions, she reaches out of…

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