New research indicates that superstition may be able to influence the outcome of event. In a group of 28 participants, those who were told they were playing with a “lucky ball” sank more putts than those who weren’t told the ball was lucky. “Our results suggest that the activation of a superstition can indeed yield performance-improving effects,” says Lysann Damisch, co-author of the study.
Monthly Issue
April 2026
The Energy Transition
In this monthly issue, we examine how our understanding of energy — and how we source and use it — is evolving.
1 video
11 articles
