The 10 Scariest Movies of All Time — According to Science

The 10 Scariest Movies of All Time — According to Science

If you’ve ever wondered which horror movies are scientifically proven to get your heart racing, a study called The Science of Scare has the answer. Researchers measured viewers’ heart rates while watching dozens of popular horror films — and the results reveal which titles truly terrify audiences on a physical level.

Here are the Top 10 Scariest Movies According to Science, ranked by how much they spiked viewers’ heart rates.

1. Sinister (2012)

• Average Resting Heart Rate: 64 BPM
• Average Movie Heart Rate: 86 BPM
• Highest Spike: 131 BPM
• Scare Score: 96

📈 Why It’s So Scary: Sinister tops the list for good reason. This true-crime-inspired horror follows a writer who uncovers disturbing 8mm footage of brutal murders. Its mix of jump scares, creepy sound design, and slow-building dread keeps hearts pounding from start to finish.

2. Host (2020)

• Average Movie Heart Rate: 88 BPM
• Highest Spike: 130 BPM
• Scare Score: 95

💻 Why It’s So Scary: Filmed entirely on Zoom during lockdown, Host brings supernatural horror into your home — literally. The realistic setup and claustrophobic tension make this short film one of the most terrifying modern horrors.

3. Skinamarink (2022)

• Average Movie Heart Rate: 84 BPM
• Highest Spike: 113 BPM
• Scare Score: 91

👁️ Why It’s So Scary: Skinamarink proves you don’t need a big budget to unsettle audiences. Its grainy visuals, minimal dialogue, and eerie atmosphere tap into primal childhood fears — being trapped, alone, and powerless.

4. Insidious (2010)

• Average Movie Heart Rate: 85 BPM
• Highest Spike: 133 BPM
• Scare Score: 90

👻 Why It’s So Scary: Combining supernatural horror with emotional storytelling, Insidious takes viewers into “The Further” — a nightmarish alternate realm that blurs reality and the afterlife.

5. The Conjuring (2013)

• Average Movie Heart Rate: 84 BPM
• Highest Spike: 132 BPM
• Scare Score: 88

🪞 Why It’s So Scary: Based on the real-life cases of Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring delivers old-school haunted house terror with expert pacing and relentless tension.

6. Hereditary (2018)

• Average Movie Heart Rate: 82 BPM
• Highest Spike: 104 BPM
• Scare Score: 81

💀 Why It’s So Scary: Ari Aster’s psychological masterpiece doesn’t rely on cheap scares — instead, it builds an atmosphere of grief and inevitable doom that lingers long after the credits roll.

7. Smile 2 (2024)

• Average Movie Heart Rate: 83 BPM
• Highest Spike: 110 BPM
• Scare Score: 79

😨 Why It’s So Scary: The sequel to Smile amplifies everything that made the original creepy — cursed smiles, psychological torment, and relentless unease. It’s proof that horror franchises can still deliver fresh frights.

8. Smile (2022)

• Average Movie Heart Rate: 83 BPM
• Highest Spike: 114 BPM
• Scare Score: 78

🌀 Why It’s So Scary: A psychological horror that turns something as innocent as a smile into something deeply sinister. The film’s blend of trauma and supernatural curse keeps audiences on edge.

9. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

• Average Movie Heart Rate: 82 BPM
• Highest Spike: 96 BPM
• Scare Score: 76

🙏 Why It’s So Scary: Mixing courtroom drama with exorcism horror, this film is based on real events and questions the thin line between science and faith. It’s chilling because it feels real.

10. Talk To Me (2022)

• Average Movie Heart Rate: 79 BPM
• Highest Spike: 106 BPM
• Scare Score: 75

✋ Why It’s So Scary: This Australian horror sensation centers on teens who conjure spirits using a mysterious hand — until the line between the living and the dead disappears. It’s raw, shocking, and deeply emotional.