THE SCIENCE BEHIND HALLOWEEN Behind The Bend

With Halloween just a few days away, are you costume ready? If you are like us, then you are still weighing the pros and cons of doing something unique and creative versus staying on trend with this years popular choices. For those of you looking to take the scientific approach to choosing this years getup, as usual Google has your back.

"Google has made a handy microsite called Frightgeist to show you how truly unoriginal your Halloween costume will be this year. Warning: If you’re planning on going as Harley Quinn, you’re not alone. It’s a fun little interactive infographic that breaks down the most googled costumes by national and local trends. It’ll even tell you what is considered an “unusually popular” getup in your area." (Source: Liz Stinson / Wired.com)

The current top four searches in the United States as we write this are: 1. Harley Quinn, 2. Star Wars, 3. Superhero, 4. Pirate. Harley Quinn is definitely a surprise to us. If you look at her stats though, Harley's popularity has been steadily growing since about 2006. Whether you go with the current trend or decide on something more vintage or abstract, the information coming from Frightgeist is actually pretty interesting to read through. It also proves that we as American's can be pretty predictable.

"If Halloween costumes are in some way a window on a city’s collective psyche, then perhaps we can learn a thing or two from Google Trends beyond which to avoid this year. A brief survey: In Boston, the number one googled costume is Pirate (appropriate); in Lincoln, Neb., it’s a pumpkin (agriculture); in Austin, Texas it’s dinosaur (keeping things weird); in Juneau, Alaska it’s Chucky (not sure what this is saying). In New York City, a metropolis with a notoriously outsized ego, the number one costume search is for superhero. Figures." (Source: Liz Stinson / Wired.com)