How much do you know about Friday the 13th?

The longest time that can pass without a Friday the 13th is 14 months. There was only one Friday The 13th in 2011.

It is thought the former American President D. Franklin Roosevelt refused to travel on 13th day of any month, and would never have 13 guests to dinner, while Napoleon Bonaparte also feared the number 13.

Some hospitals do not have a room 13, while skyscrapers often skip 13th floor, airports avoid having gate 13.

Research by Property Agent Zoopla.co.uk found house No 13 costs £3,929 less on average than any other property, while a quarter of British Streets are built without a No 13.

The root of Firday the 13th phobia is not clear, but there's a belief in Christianity that Friday is an unlucky day of Christ Crucifixion, while number 13 was believed to be inauspicious because there were 13 people at the last supper.

13 also have a sinister connotations in Norse Mythology. An estimate of £550m is lost in business in US because of Friday the 13th phobia, which is said to affect 17 - 21m Americans, and lead to abscence from work, train and plane cancellation. Millions more around the world are affected.

A study in 2003 suggested people who thought they were unlucky should not go out on Friday the 13th as belief in itself could lead to trouble. Other research have indicated increase in traffic accidents on Friday the 13th, but Dutch scientists found fewer accidents & reports of fire on Friday the 13th than any other Fridays.

So whatever you belief is, enjoy today Friday the 13th.

Lanu.