Uncanny Curses

All over the world, there are places and objects that are thought to be cursed. Many people avoid these locations and things, believing they will bring harm. Others think that curses are nothing than superstition and folklore. Are curses just the product of over-active imaginations? The byproduct of uncanny coincidences? Or is it possible that these curses are real--and there are dark forces at play that defy explanation?