65+ Terrifying Facts That Will Give You Nightmares

Brace yourself for some spine-chilling truths

By Deirdre Kaye
Updated: March 21, 2022
Originally Published: May 5, 2020

Hey there, thrill-seekers! If you’ve stumbled upon this collection, you’re probably someone who loves a good scare. Perhaps creepy things don’t faze you at all; maybe you can watch insects crawl over a corpse without batting an eye. You might even find the spooky season amusing. If this sounds like you, congrats: you’re a bit of a weirdo. Even compiling these unsettling facts gave us the shivers. We all have our fears!

Maybe true crime shows leave you clutching your partner’s hand during midnight bathroom trips. Or maybe the sight of Britney Spears with that enormous banana-yellow snake made you scream and cover your eyes. Whatever it is that gives you the creeps, we promise you’ll find something in this list that will make you squirm and set the tone for an eerie game night. That’s clearly your vibe or you wouldn’t have clicked on this article. Prepare for some chills!

Warning: The following facts are a mix of gross, haunting, and paranoia-inducing. Any lasting discomfort is on you. But, if you crave more spookiness, check out our other eerie posts on short scary stories, bizarre facts, and more.

Creepy Facts to Chill You to the Bone

Humans lose a staggering amount of skin—about 112 pounds over a lifetime, according to studies from the World Health Organization.
Solving homelessness in America might be easier than you think. There are over 17 million vacant homes, while around half a million people are homeless. That’s more than enough space for everyone!
Your phone is a bacterial hotspot, harboring ten times more germs than the average public restroom. Yikes!
Medical errors result in approximately 250,000 deaths each year, which is a shocking realization about our healthcare system.
Some horned lizards can squirt blood from their eyes as a defense mechanism, making them one of nature’s oddest protectors.
Locked-in syndrome might be the most terrifying condition imaginable. You’re aware of everything around you but can’t move or speak, only able to blink your eyes.
Oscar, a cat in a nursing home, was believed to sense when residents were nearing death, choosing to stay by their side until they passed.
“Rat kings” occur when multiple rats get their tails intertwined, a bizarre and unsettling phenomenon.
The ancient torture method known as scaphism involved covering a person in honey and sealing them in a hollow log. You can guess the gruesome outcome.
A man had a fir tree growing in his lungs, mistaken for a tumor during surgery.
The mysterious radio station UVB-76 has been broadcasting since 1982, producing only static and occasional voice transmissions from an unknown source.
It’s not uncommon for 20% of kids to report hearing voices, which could be imaginary friends or something more unsettling.
The venom of the Japanese giant hornet can “melt” human flesh, making it a true nightmare insect.
One-third of murders in the U.S. remain unsolved, a chilling statistic that speaks to the dark side of humanity.
A single kiss transfers over 80 million bacteria between partners—think about that next time you lean in for one!
Mike the Headless Chicken lived for 18 months after being decapitated, an extraordinary and bizarre tale.
Babies develop a fine body hair called lanugo in the womb, which is shed before birth.
The production of toilet paper requires the destruction of 27,000 trees every single day.
Rodents like mice and rats can transmit over 35 diseases to humans, including salmonellosis and hantavirus.
Crows are incredibly intelligent creatures capable of recognizing human faces—so be nice to them!
Tiny mites live on our eyelashes, which might make you rethink that mascara.
The Catacombs of Paris house the remains of nearly six million people—a haunting resting place.
The Pacu fish has human-like teeth, making it a creature straight out of a horror film.
Despite the chaos of the universe, it remains completely silent due to the absence of air to carry sound.
An astronaut’s footprint on the moon can last for a million years, untouched by time.
All the planets in our Solar System can fit in the space between the Earth and the Moon—mind-boggling, right?
An estimated 4.8 to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans each year, a staggering environmental crisis.
The U.S. dumps 1.2 trillion gallons of sewage and industrial waste into its waters annually, a serious ecological issue.
The Sedlec Ossuary in the Czech Republic is a chapel decorated with human bones, housing the remains of tens of thousands.
The “Poltergeist” movie series has a dark legacy, with a number of cast members experiencing tragic deaths, sparking rumors of a curse.
Dentures in the 1800s were made from real human teeth, a gruesome practice of the past.
The Pirates of the Caribbean ride initially used real skeletons before transitioning to more realistic replicas.
Poveglia, an Italian island, is rumored to be haunted due to its dark history of plague quarantines and a mental asylum.
In ancient England, hollowed-out human skulls were used as bowls and cups—truly macabre dining ware.
Homicide archivist Thomas Hargrove estimates that over 2,000 serial killers are currently active in the U.S.
The year 2019 was the second warmest on record, with the five warmest years since 2015—climate change is real.
Adapting to climate change could cost the U.S. $140 billion a year, which is a fraction of its military spending.
The golden poison dart frog can kill with just one touch, containing enough toxin to kill multiple people.
Ladybugs eat their own larvae to ensure the survival of the strongest, a harsh yet fascinating survival tactic.
Pigs can consume an entire human body; they’ll literally eat anything.
A human head can remain conscious for about 20 seconds post-decapitation, a haunting thought.
Bodies decompose four times faster in water than on land, a chilling fact of nature.
Enzymes in your digestive system begin to break down your body within three days of death.
After death, hearing is the last sense to go, meaning you might be able to hear everything around you as you pass.
Bodies swell after about four days due to gases and liquids released during decomposition.
The trailer for “The Exorcist” scared audiences so much that theaters eventually stopped showing it.
The Japanese hornet is one of the deadliest insects, with a sting that can lead to kidney failure.
Homicidal sleepwalking, or homicidal somnambulism, is real; in 2005, a man was acquitted of murder due to sleepwalking.
Rats’ teeth are strong enough to gnaw through lead and cinder block, making them formidable pests.
Chainsaws were originally invented for childbirth to assist in difficult deliveries.
Currently, there are about 25 to 50 active serial killers in the U.S.
In 1973, two men trapped in a submarine faced a dire situation, with only 12 minutes of oxygen left when rescued.
The extinction of the dinosaurs was just one of five great extinction events; scientists warn humans may cause the sixth.
Until the 20th century, human remains were used in medicine, with powdered organs believed to heal various ailments.
A novella written before the Titanic sank eerily predicted its fate, telling the story of an “unsinkable” ship meeting a tragic end.

In summary, the world is filled with unsettling truths that can certainly give you nightmares. From the mysteries of the universe to chilling historical practices, these facts remind us of the bizarre and often grim realities of life.

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