The ethics of selling human remains, how to improve your running, and more.

Vivian Le's reads

The enduring myth of tainted Halloween candy. For decades, parents have been warned about potential dangers lurking in their children's Halloween treats, including razor blades, cyanide, and most recently, marijuana. However, little evidence has been found to support these fears over the years. Writing for the New York Times, Daniel Victor and Aimee Ortiz detail the potential origins of this myth and why it has continued to endure despite a persistent lack of evidence.

The ethics of selling human remains. Jon Pichaya Ferry, a rising TikTok star under the handle of JonsBone, has helped spotlight a field many may find macabre: the human bone trade. And as interest in the field grows, so does criticism over its legality and ethics. Writing for the Washington Post, Caroline Anders explains the thorny history of the human bone trade and how arguments about its educational potential may just not be enough.

Alyssa Nystrom's reads

Are haunted houses even scary anymore? Since March 2020 the world has been living with a heightened sense of fear—and the looming threat of illness and death from Covid-19. Writing for Vox, Luke Winkie explains why the artificial terrors inside a haunted attraction might seem much less scary after experiencing the very real dangers of the pandemic.

Want to perform better during a run? Distract yourself. A new study suggests that runners who pay close attention to their bodies during a workout can become more physically and psychologically exhausted. Writing for the New York Times, Gretchen Reynolds explains why your run may feel easier if you distract yourself.