Do you ever hold your breath while driving through a tunnel? How about when driving past a graveyard? Well, there might be a good reason to do so—from warding off threats beyond the void to preventing bad luck.

Collin will tell you everything you need to know about where this trend of holding your breath possibly came from.

References

1. Toyota of Orlando. (n.d.). Common driving superstitions. Retrieved January 18, 2025, from https://www.toyotaoforlando.com/blogs/6087/common-driving-superstitions.

2. Drivin' & Vibin'. (2024, February 13). Driving superstition. Retrieved January 18, 2025, from https://drivinvibin.com/2024/02/13/driving-superstition/

3. Hudson Valley Country. (n.d.). Why do we hold our breath driving by cemeteries? Retrieved January 18, 2025, from https://hudsonvalleycountry.com/why-do-we-hold-our-breath-driving-by-cemeteries/

4. Reddit. (n.d.). When and where did the superstition of holding your breath while passing a cemetery originate? Retrieved January 18, 2025, from https://www.reddit.com/r/folklore/comments/1829r1g/when_and_where_did_the_superstition_of_holding/

5. Jewish Funeral Home. (n.d.). Everything to know about a Jewish cemetery. Retrieved January 18, 2025, from https://jewish-funeral-home.com/everything-to-know-about-a-jewish-cemetery/

6. HowStuffWorks. (n.d.). Which of these driving superstitions do you believe? Retrieved January 18, 2025, from https://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/accidents-hazardous-conditions/which-these-driving-superstitions-do-believe.htm

7. Winton, R. (2014, May 27). Oregon driver crashes while holding breath in tunnel, injures 4. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 18, 2025, from https://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-oregon-driver-breath-teen-tunnel-20140527-story.html

Listen as Jamie tells us the wonderful story of how Martin A. Couney's sideshow of premature babies became America's favorite pastime! Don't worry, this story actually has a happy ending—involving free healthcare!

Let's all venture down to Coney Island, take a ride on the Wonder Wheel, and shout out a big "bing bong" to all our listeners!

References:

1. Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Martin A. Couney. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_A._Couney

2. Blakemore, E. (2023, October 2). Baby incubators: From boardwalk sideshow to medical marvel. HISTORY. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://www.history.com/news/baby-incubators-boardwalk-sideshows-medical-marvels

3. Brangham, W. (2015, July 21). How a Coney Island sideshow advanced medicine for premature babies. PBS NewsHour. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/coney-island-sideshow-advanced-medicine-premature-babies

4. Open Culture. (2024, January). The incubator babies of Coney Island. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://www.openculture.com/2024/01/the-incubator-babies-of-coney-island.html

5. Barry, R. R. (2018, August 15). Coney Island’s incubator babies. JSTOR Daily. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://daily.jstor.org/coney-islands-incubator-babies/

Welcome to the /ˈno͞oˌänst/ (Nuanced) Podcast, where we dive into the “nuances” of life—those tiny details you often overlook or don’t know about.

Join lifelong friends, Collin and Jamie, as they share stories about niche topics, from the purpose of those tiny stickers on fruit at the grocery store to how Coney Island spearheaded preemie healthcare.

The show premieres on February 4th. Subscribe so you never miss an episode!

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