As we grow up, we often let go of myths like Tooth Fairy and the Loch Ness monster. But there is merit to understanding where these myths come from. Sure, the magical unicorns we know and love probably never existed, but the start of a myth has its own magic.

Unicorns are embedded into modern life. You can’t stroll into any Target or Walmart without seeing a forest of unicorn-themed merchandise. Unicorns and their ability to teleport or fly transports us.They give us hope and positivity. 

5000 years ago unicorns showed up on seals. 3,000 years ago, an adventurer named Ctesias recorded stories of them. Although these early descriptions varied greatly from the white, majestic, horse-like unicorn we know and love, they still give us insight on the origins of these myths. Unicorns seeped into worldly culture after Roman author Pliny described them in his book Natural History, causing an emergence of unicorn-themed beliefs.

In addition to Roman and European myths, unicorns also appear in Asian cultures. Author Adam Gidwitz comments on cross-culture similarities: "Most of these cultures came up with the unicorns independently. Why would they all be telling the story of a creature that was the same all over the globe? Maybe because unicorns speak to something inside of ourselves, something that believes in beauty and believes in the rareness of nature and believes in magic."

Whether unicorns existed or not, they still hold a special power to empower. “By identifying with creatures such as horses, dolphins and unicorns, young girls can express their own power and explore ideas of femininity and fantasy away from the male gaze,” according to journalist Hannah Rose Woods. 

Woods explores the positive influence of this magical beast. She suggests that a pretend sparkly magic horse” has the ability to counter “the rising tide of global hate and uncertainty.” When the world is too much to bear, we instinctively revert back to our childhood comforts. Right now the world is all out of whack, so the rise in popularity of unicorns and youthful cuteness makes total sense. “Unicorns hold a fascination for many as they not only represent goodness, happiness and peace but they also symbolize the hope for all the stardust covered dreams we long for in our lives.” says Emma Shannon. The historical evidence relating to unicorns doesn’t matter. What matters is that they’re a part of culture now. They’re the lifesavers we need to have hope in this messy world.