Why scary movies may be good for your health. Watching a scary movie can burn as many calories as exercise. We're all familiar with the feelings that come with watching a fright flick — the sense of dread that engulfs us as a character enters a foreboding place, ominous music building, etc. According to a 2012 study commissioned by the video subscription service Lovefilm, these heart-pounding moments can do more than cause a good old-fashioned scare, however. Of the 10 movies tested, half caused participants to burn at least 133 calories, more than the amount used up by a 140-pound adult on a brisk 30-minute walk. Granted, this limited study was hardly robust enough to earn a write-up in a peer-reviewed journal. Yet the science behind the results is essentially valid, thanks to human hard-wiring that traces to when our primitive ancestors had good reason to fear the monsters lurking in the night. When exposed to a harrowing situation, our sympathetic nervous system triggers the "flight or fight" response, which sends adrenaline into the bloodstream, diverts blood and oxygen to muscles, and kicks heart activity into a higher gear. Add in the outwardly physical reactions often prompted by the scariest scenes, such as jumping back in your seat or instinctively reaching for a companion, and it's easy to see how sitting through The Shining (184 calories) or Jaws (161 calories) delivers results akin to sweating through a workout. There are other benefits to putting ourselves through this sort of simulated danger, including the release of endorphins and dopamine, which allows us to feel relaxed and fulfilled after "surviving" the events witnessed on screen. Of course, not everyone is a fan of the frightening imagery in The Exorcist (158 calories) or Alien (152 calories), and researchers caution that stress can outweigh the gains for people who are genuinely repulsed by these movies. If health is your goal and the sight of blood makes you queasy, you're better off rising from the couch and getting your legs moving instead of watching someone else flee the clutches of a zombie. Calories burned during the study's airing of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” 118 Competitive chess players can burn up to 6,000 calories per day during a tournament. If scary movies aren't your cup of tea and you want another creative way to burn calories, then competitive chess may be your ticket. According to Stanford University researcher Robert Sapolsky, a chess player can go through 6,000 calories a day over the course of a tournament, about three times the daily amount expended by the average person. The reasons are largely the same as those previously mentioned — the heightened tension of a high-stakes game forces bodies into a state of energy-consuming overdrive. However, the effects are magnified by the behavior of participants, who often skip meals and endure sleepless nights as they obsess over strategy. As a result, top players have taken to training like professional athletes to prepare for the grueling toll of tournaments. Norway's Magnus Carlsen, for example, partakes in an array of activities that include running, soccer, skiing, and yoga, a regimen that helped him reign supreme as the undisputed world chess champion from 2013 to 2023.

Word of the Day: Nom de plume noun 1. An assumed name used by a writer instead of their real name; a pen name. Example Sentences. 1."I'm thinking of using a nom de plume for my romance novels since I also write children's books." 2."The journalist's controversial articles were written under a nom de plume to protect their identity." 3. "She chose a different nom de plume for each new genre she experimented with." Word Origin. French, mid-19th century Translated directly from French, "nom de plume" means "pen name," which is the chosen name an author might publish under, instead of their real name. Sometimes an author might want to maintain anonymity — perhaps the writing is of a sensitive nature — and other times …

Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono was an American singer, songwriter, actor, and politician. In partnership with his second wife, Cher, he formed the singing duo Sonny & Cher. A member of the Republican Party, Bono served as the 16th mayor of Palm Springs, California, from 1988 to 1992, and served as the U.S. representative for California's 44th district from 1995 until his death in 1998. Born: February 16, 1935, Detroit, Michigan, United States Died: January 5, 1998, Stateline, Nevada, United States Cause of Death: Blunt trauma as a result of a skiing accident Net worth: $4 million

Michael Jackson American singer, songwriter, and dancer The biggest pop star of the '80s, and one of the most popular artists of all time, with a brilliant, soulful voice and breathtaking dance moves. Born: August 29, 1958, Gary, Indiana, United States Died: June 25, 2009, Los Angeles, California, United States Cause of Death: Cardiac arrest induced by acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication Net worth: $1 billion As of now, the net worth of Michael Jackson's estate continues to grow due to the continuing popularity of his music and the shrewd management of his assets. The current net worth of his estate is estimated to be over $1 billion.

Mark Twain American author and humorist Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States. Mark Twain was an American humorist, novelist, and travel writer. Today he is best remembered as the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885). Twain is widely considered one of the greatest American writers of all time. Born: November 30, 1835, Florida, Missouri, United States Died: April 21, 1910, Stormfield Cause of Death: Angina pectoris Stormfield was the mansion built in Redding, Connecticut for author Samuel Clemens, best known as Mark Twain, who lived there from 1908 until his death in 1910. Net Worth When he passed in 1910, Mark Twain’s estate was valued at around $500,000, translating to nearly $14 million in today’s currency.

Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash American country singer Part rockabilly rebel, part campfire storyteller, part outlaw in black, his hearty baritone has remained the essence of country music. Born: February 26, 1932, Kingsland, Arkansas, United States Died: September 12, 2003, Nashville, Tennessee Cause of Death: Complications from diabetes Net worth: $60 million June Carter Cash American singer Member of the Carter Family and wife of Johnny Cash, a celebrated, humorous performer, and talented writer. Born: June 23, 1929, Maces Spring, Virginia, United States Died: May 15, 2003, Nashville, Tennessee, United States Cause of Death: Complications from heart surgery net worth of $20 million at the time of her death.

John Denver American musician Country-rock singer/songwriter who softly praised the simple life to become one of the biggest stars of the '70s Born: December 31, 1943, Roswell, New Mexico, United States Died: October 12, 1997, Monterey Bay Cause of Death: Blunt force trauma as a result of a plane crash Net worth: $60 million

Nancy Kulp. Nancy Jane Kulp was an American character actor, writer and comedian best known as Miss Jane Hathaway on the CBS television series The Beverly Hillbillies. Born: August 28, 1921, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States Died: February 3, 1991, Palm Desert, California, United States Cause of Death: Cancer Net Worth $1.3 million

Ernest Hemingway American writer Although Ernest Hemingway was a prolific author who won both the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize in Literature for his work, he led a life full of tragedy and frequently struggled with his mental health. Born: July 21, 1899, Oak Park, Illinois, United States Died: July 2, 1961, Ketchum, Idaho, United States Cause of Death: Suicide by gunshot Net worth of $1.4 million at the time of his death in 1961.