Science May Be Able To Explain The Unsettling Way Mirrors Sometimes Have A ‘Life Of Their Own’

Why are mirrors so creepy? The more you think about it, the more you realize just how much mirrors are associated with superstition, paranormal activity, and generally scary goings-on. From Alice jumping through the looking glass to Show White’s evil queen asking, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” to literally all of the spooky things mirrors do in The Shining, pop culture is obsessed with mirrors as mysterious and scary objects. Now an intriguing science experiment might reveal why.

Stories to chill the bone...

For thousands of years now, people across the world have been fascinated — and creeped out — by mirrors. After all, there are countless spooky stories, superstitions, and folk tales associated with them. As an example, you’ve probably heard the gory legend of Bloody Mary, a spirit who appears in a mirror when her name is called — and she usually has some pretty creepy things to say.

The starting point

Mirrors have a long, strange history full of magic and superstition. And experts say the starting point can be traced all the way back to ancient Greece. Elizabeth Tucker, a folklore expert at Binghamton University with a big interest in paranormal tales, told Atlas Obscura in October 2022, “Narcissus is about the earliest clear story connected to seeing a reflection.”

The Narcissus myth

Many are no doubt familiar with this particular myth, but if you’re not, don’t worry; we’ve got you! The ancient story goes that Narcissus spotted his reflection while glancing in a pool of water and instantly fell in love with himself. He refused to look away, rejected all other lovers, and spent the rest of his life there. And this is where the term “narcissism” comes from.

Bad luck?

The ancient Romans had their cautionary tales about reflections and mirrors as well. Folk from that era were convinced that the objects could capture wandering souls. On top of that, there was a strong belief that everyone’s life force “regenerated” over a seven-year spell, too. So if you wanted to know why smashing a mirror supposedly leads to seven years of bad luck, there’s your answer!