Neatorama

---

• Salem Witch Trials: The Fungus Theory
• The Doctor & Rose Look Adorable Here
• Beware The Dreaded Catahedron
• What's Old is New Again
• Custom Wrench Knife with Sheath
• Rate Your Poop With Movie Titles
• I Am A Cat
• Chests of Drawers Made from Vintage Suitcases
• Lowest Common Denominator
• Drawn to Facts No. 008: In ancient China people committed suicide by eating a pound of salt
• Canadian Flag Made from Natural Materials
• Stratos Jump in LEGO
• Push This Chair Over to Convert It into a Bed
• How Many Triangles are in This Image?
• Star Wars Iconography
• The Secret is Out
• Killer Dolphins Armed with Knives and Guns
• It's Dangerous to Go Alone, Take This!
• Shuttle Xing
• He Did It! Daredevil Free Falls 24.2 Miles Down to the Earth
• Saturday Night Live Skit: iPhone 5
• Kitten and Jar
• New York Comic Con 2012
• Gun Disguised as a Ladle
• 10 Films That Are Stranger Than Fiction
• This Is One Weird Ball
• Listening to Complainers Is Bad for Your Brain

Salem Witch Trials: The Fungus Theory Posted: 15 Oct 2012 05:00 AM PDT The following is an article from Uncle John's Heavy Duty Bathroom Reader. More than three centuries after the end of the Salem witch trials, they continue to defy explanation. In the mid 1970s, a college undergraduate developed a new theory. Does it hold water? Read on and decide for yourself. SEASON OF THE WITCH In the bleak winter of 1692, the people of Salem, Massachusetts, hunkered down in their cabins and waited for spring. It was a grim time: There was no fresh food or vegetables, just dried meat and roots to eat. Their mainstay was the coarse bread they baked from the rye grain harvested in the fall. Shortly before the New Year, the madness began. Elizabeth Parris, the 9-year-old daughter of the local preacher, and her cousin, 11-year-old Abigail Williams, suffered from violent fits and convulsions. They lapsed into incoherent rants, had hallucinations, complained of crawly sensations on their skin, and often retreated into dull-eyed trances. Their desperate families turned to the local doctor, who could find nothing physically wrong with them. At his wit's end, he decided there was only one reasonable explanation: witchcraft. BLAME GAME Word spread like wildfire through the village: an evil being was hexing the children. Soon, more "victims" appeared, most of them girls under the age of twenty. The terrified villagers started pointing the finger of blame, first at an old slave named Tituba, who belonged to Reverend Parris, then to old women like Sarah Good and Sarah Osborn. The arrests began on February 29; the trials soon followed. That June, 60-year-old Bridget Bishop was the first to be declared guilty of witchcraft and the first to hang. By September, 140 "witches" had been arrested and 19 had been executed. Many of the accused barely escaped the gallows by running into the woods and hiding. Then, sometime over the summer, the demonic fits stopped -and the frenzy of accusation and counter-accusation stopped with them. As passions cooled, the villagers tried to put their community back together again. UNANSWERED QUESTIONS What happened to make these otherwise dour Puritans turn on each other with such destructive frenzy? Over the centuries several theories have been put forth, from the Freudian -that the witch hunt was the result of hysterical tension resulting from centuries of sexual repression- to the exploitive- that it was fabricated as an excuse for a land grab (the farms and homes of all the victims and many of the accused were confiscated and redistributed to other members of the community). But researchers had never been able to find real evidence to support these theories. Then in the 1970s, a college student in California made a deduction that seemed to explain everything. Linnda Caporael, a psychology major at U.C. Santa Barbara, was told to choose a subject for a term paper in her American History course. Having just seen a production of Arthur Miller's play The Crucible (a fictional account of the Salem trials), she decided to write about the witch hunt. "As I began researching," she later recalled, "I had one of those 'a-ha!' experiences." The author of one of her sources said he remained at a loss to explain the hallucinations of the villagers of Salem. "It was the word 'hallucinations' that made everything click," said Caporael. Years before, she'd read of a case of ergot poisoning in France where the victim had suffered from hallucinations, and she thought there might be a connection. THE FUNGUS AMONG US (Image credit: Flickr user Jasja Dekker) Ergot is a fungus that infects rye, a grain more commonly used in past centuries to bake bread than it is today. One of the byproducts present in ergot-infected grain is ergotamine, which is related to LSD. Toxicologists have known for years that eating bread baked with ergot-contaminated rye can trigger convulsions, delusions, creepy-crawly sensations of the skin, vomiting, …and hallucinations. And historians were already aware that the illness caused by ergot poisoning (known as St. Anthony's Fire) was behind several incidents of mass insanity in medieval Europe. Caporael wondered if the same conditions might have been present in Salem. They were. Ergot needs warm, damp weather to grow, and those conditions were rife in the fields around Salem in 1691. Rye was the primary grain grown, so there was plenty of it to be infected. Caporael also discovered that most of the accusers lived on the west side of the village, where the fields were chronically marshy, making them a perfect breeding ground for the fungus. The crop harvested in the fall of 1691 would have been baked and eaten during the following winter, which was when the fits of madness began. However, the next summer was unusually dry, which could explain the sudden drop in the bewitchments. No ergot, no madness. SHE RESTS HER CASE Caporael continued to research her theory as she pursued her Ph.D., publishing her findings in 1976 in the journal Science, which brought her support from the scientific community and attention from the news media. Caporael had been careful to say that her theory only accounts for the initial cause of the Salem witch hunts. As the frenzy grew in scope and consequence, she's convinced that the actual sequence of events probably included not only real moments of mass hysteria but also some overacting on the part of the accusers (motivated as much by fear of being accused themselves as by any actual malice toward the accused). OTHER POSSIBILITIES Caporael's theory remains one of the most convincing explanations for what started the madness that tore apart the village of Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692 …but there are others. * Encephalitis Lethargica. Historian Laurie Win Carlson compared the symptoms of the accused in Salem (violent fits trance or coma-like states) with those experienced by victims of an outbreak of Encephalitis Lethargica, an acute inflammation of the brain, between 1915 and 1926. The trials were likely a "response to unexplained physical and neurological behaviors resulting from an epidemic of encephalitis," she says. * Jimson Weed. This toxic weed, sometimes called devil's trumpet or locoweed, grows wild in Massachusetts. Ingesting it can cause hallucinations, delirium, and bizarre behavior. ___________________ The article above was reprinted with permission from the Bathroom Institute's book Uncle John's Heavy Duty Bathroom Reader. Since 1988, the Bathroom Reader Institute has published a series of popular books containing irresistible bits of trivia and obscure yet fascinating facts. If you like Neatorama, you'll love the Bathroom Reader Institute's books - go ahead and check 'em out!

The Doctor & Rose Look Adorable Here Posted: 15 Oct 2012 04:00 AM PDT Etsy seller WonderlandContraband is quite skilled at making geeky mini sculptures, but this Doctor and Rose shadowbox still manage to stand out from the rest since they are just so darned adorable. Link

Beware The Dreaded Catahedron Posted: 15 Oct 2012 03:00 AM PDT A dangerous beast is on the loose and seeking vengeance against all of humanity! It's called the Catahedron, and it has been forced to wear an annoying and uncomfortable costume for the last time. The Catahedron was initially brought into existence by a costumer of felines named maicoh, who has detailed her experience on a website called Instructables, replicating the process so we'll all know what not to do... She has unleashed this geometric madness upon mankind, will this litter box we call a world ever be the same again? Link

What's Old is New Again Posted: 15 Oct 2012 02:00 AM PDT Ain't it the truth? I don't know who came up with this, but it contains the wisdom of the ages. -via Geeks Are Sexy

Custom Wrench Knife with Sheath Posted: 15 Oct 2012 01:00 AM PDT Flickr member Rusty Knuckles made this appealing knife from a hex wrench. It was offered as a prize at a recent biker rally in western North Carolina. Link -via Make | Official Website

Rate Your Poop With Movie Titles Posted: 15 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT Well, you have to admit, there's a certain amount of creativity that goes into this bathroom stall graffiti. The Fast and The Furious got me laughing. Via Accordion Guy

I Am A Cat Posted: 14 Oct 2012 11:00 PM PDT (YouTube link) Starring Pancake, who is a kitten. The song is "Nile's Blues" by Kevin McLeod. This video doesn't have a plot, but it might make you smile.  -via Boing Boing

Chests of Drawers Made from Vintage Suitcases Posted: 14 Oct 2012 10:00 PM PDT These chests by Hannah Plumb and James Russell could help any home look like a 1940s era hotel room. They're made with old suitcases modified to serve as drawers. Many still have luggage tags attached, which I think is a nice detail. Link | Artists' Website

Lowest Common Denominator Posted: 14 Oct 2012 09:00 PM PDT 1/8th of Neatoramanauts don't understand this Brevity comic by Guy Endore-Kaiser and Rodd Perry. Link - via AQFL

Drawn to Facts No. 008: In ancient China people committed suicide by eating a pound of salt Posted: 14 Oct 2012 08:01 PM PDT Illustration by: Tucker Cullinan Fact: In ancient China people committed suicide by eating a pound of salt. Check out all of our illustrated facts here.

Canadian Flag Made from Natural Materials Posted: 14 Oct 2012 08:00 PM PDT While hiking, redditor Cuervo2099 was inspired to make this flag out of natural, found materials. I hope it inspires some artist to do the same with flags for all the nations of the world. Link -via Nag on the Lake

Stratos Jump in LEGO Posted: 14 Oct 2012 07:00 PM PDT (YouTube link) Felix Baumgartner broke a world record with a 24-mile skydive earlier today. While we wait for the video, we can enjoy this speedy re-enactment rendered in LEGO. -via The Daily What Geek Okay, the actual POV video of the skydive is available now, too. Continue to see it. (YouTube link)

Push This Chair Over to Convert It into a Bed Posted: 14 Oct 2012 06:00 PM PDT Depending on its position, Yuan Yuan's chair is either a rocking chair, a recliner or an upright chair. She calls it The Cloud House because it "depicts man in his dream and creates a semi-open and comfortable space for relaxation." Link -via NotCot

How Many Triangles are in This Image? Posted: 14 Oct 2012 05:00 PM PDT See if you can figure it out before you check the answer in this lil' math pop quiz by Ethan Siegel of Starts With a Bang! science blog: Link - via Cliff Pickover's Reality Carnival

Star Wars Iconography Posted: 14 Oct 2012 04:00 PM PDT Now that Jedi is a religion and all, Chawakarn Khongprasert (deviantARTist xearslll) came up with the perfect religious icons. Take a look at larger formats over at deviantART: Link - via TieFighters

The Secret is Out Posted: 14 Oct 2012 03:00 PM PDT (YouTube link) New Brunswick potato farmer Heliodore Cyr had 27 children, and this accomplishment got him onto the TV show "I've Got a Secret." This is his third appearance, in 1959. His wife was too busy to do the show herself. However, a little more digging reveals that not all those children survived infancy. This video is also notable in that many of the comments at YouTube are from his descendants.  -via Metafilter

Killer Dolphins Armed with Knives and Guns Posted: 14 Oct 2012 02:00 PM PDT When you don't have frickin' laser beams to put on sharks, it doesn't mean that you can't join in on the fun. Ukrainian Navy has the next best thing: they've started training killer dolphins armed with knives or pistols attached to their heads! The Ukrainan navy has restarted special training for dolphins and other animals for military duties including attacking enemy combat swimmers and detecting mines, a military source in the Ukrainian naval port of Sevastopol told RIA Novosti on Thursday. "Ten dolphins are now being trained for special tasks in the Ukrainian state oceanarium, and the Ukrainian military are regularly training the animals for detecting things on the seabed," the source said. [...] The killer-dolphins will be trained to attack enemy combat swimmers using special knives or pistols fixed to their heads, the source said. "We are now planning training exercises for counter-combat swimmer tasks in order to defend ships in port and on raids," he said. Link - via Geekosystem

It's Dangerous to Go Alone, Take This! Posted: 14 Oct 2012 01:00 PM PDT As if little Link the Corgi's outfit wasn't cute enough on his own, just look at that adorable facial expression. I think he's ready to save Zelda with his absolute preciousness. Link Via Fashionably Geek

Shuttle Xing Posted: 14 Oct 2012 12:00 PM PDT Photo: Bill Ingalls/NASA Got traffic jam? Not like Los Angeles, I bet, where the latest traffic jam was caused by a shuttle crossing ;) From NASA: The space shuttle Endeavour is seen atop the Over Land Transporter (OLT) after exiting the Los Angeles International Airport on its way to its new home at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, Friday, Oct. 12, 2012. Endeavour, built as a replacement for space shuttle Challenger, completed 25 missions, spent 299 days in orbit, and orbited Earth 4,671 times while traveling 122,883,151 miles. Beginning Oct. 30, the shuttle will be on display in the CSC’s Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion, embarking on its new mission to commemorate past achievements in space and educate and inspire future generations of explorers. Via the Neatorama Facebook Page

He Did It! Daredevil Free Falls 24.2 Miles Down to the Earth Posted: 14 Oct 2012 11:47 AM PDT Today, Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner jumped out of a capsule 24.2 miles above New Mexico. He successfully broke the world record for surviving the highest free fall with a parachute: It took 10 minutes for him to reach the desert surface below. Only the last few thousand feet were negotiated by parachute. Helicopter recovery teams have gone to the Austrian's landing site to return him to the mission control centre set up at Roswell airport. Baumgartner's efforts have finally toppled records that have stood for more than 50 years. [...] The previous highest, farthest, and longest freefall was made by retired US Air Force Col Joe Kittinger, who leapt from a helium envelope in 1960. His altitude was 102,800ft (31.3km). Link

Saturday Night Live Skit: iPhone 5 Posted: 14 Oct 2012 11:00 AM PDT Got a complaint about the new iPhone 5? Perhaps you're upset about Apple Maps? Or the purple flare? Well, three fictional tech bloggers got their chance to air their complaints in this Saturday Night Live skit, hosted by Christina Applegate, until some unexpected guests showed up ... Hit play or go to Link [Flash player] - Thanks Kelsey! (It's probably blocked if you're outside of the USA - sorry in advance!)

Kitten and Jar Posted: 14 Oct 2012 10:00 AM PDT (YouTube link) A kitten gets himself into a spot -and then he gets himself out as well. -via The Daily What

New York Comic Con 2012 Posted: 14 Oct 2012 09:00 AM PDT Comic Con is making a splash in New York this weekend, and a couple of our favorite professional photographers already have wonderful photos for those of you who couldn't attend. Geeks Are Sexy contributor Michael Tapp took a ton of pictures of various cosplayers, such as Aquaman pictured here, that you can see in a gallery at Geeks Are Sexy, with more to come later. Link Senén Llanos set up a portable portrait studio in the convention center to get a different view of some of the cosplayers. See more at his site, with more photos coming later as well. Pictured here is Megnificent as the Riddler. Link

Gun Disguised as a Ladle Posted: 14 Oct 2012 08:00 AM PDT This rare gun from Japan, circa 1850, was built to resemble a ladle. The single-shot mechanism fired a .36 caliber round and came with a built-in ram rod that forms part of the disguise. Link | Photo: Gregg Martin Auctions

10 Films That Are Stranger Than Fiction Posted: 14 Oct 2012 07:00 AM PDT The new film Argo is based on a historical event that few Americans knew about until recently, and if it weren't true, the script would have been rejected as too unbelievable. But historical events have given us many wonderful movies that wouldn't have passed muster as fiction. For example, would you believe that Jamaica sent a bobsled team to the winter Olympics? As anyone who’s old enough to have watched the 1988 Winter Olympics can attest, a team from Jamaica really did contest the bobsled event, and although the film took a reasonable amount of poetic license, but still, the underlying story remains absolutely true. That might surprise younger movie fans, especially those who did not realize that the Titanic was a real ship until the 100th anniversary of the disaster. Link

This Is One Weird Ball Posted: 14 Oct 2012 06:00 AM PDT (Video Link) It's heavy and I can't get my teeth through it...it's almost like it's not a ball at all. Via I Can Has Cheezburger

Listening to Complainers Is Bad for Your Brain Posted: 14 Oct 2012 05:00 AM PDT Who wants to listen to complaints? Sometimes you have no choice, but when you spent time listening to people complaining, you tend to develop a negative attitude. Author Trevor Blake cites some research in his book Three Simple Steps: A Map to Success in Business and Life. Even worse, being exposed to too much complaining can actually make you dumb. Research shows that exposure to 30 minutes or more of negativity--including viewing such material on TV--actually peels away neurons in the brain's hippocampus. "That's the part of your brain you need for problem solving," he says. "Basically, it turns your brain to mush." But if you're running a company, don't you need to hear about anything that may have gone wrong? "There's a big difference between bringing your attention to something that's awry and a complaint," Blake says. "Typically, people who are complaining don't want a solution; they just want you to join in the indignity of the whole thing. You can almost hear brains clink when six people get together and start saying, 'Isn't it terrible?' This will damage your brain even if you're just passively listening. And if you try to change their behavior, you'll become the target of the complaint." Blake also has some advice on protecting yourself from complaints. As the mother of multiple teenagers, I vouch for selective hearing loss. Link -via mental_floss (Image credit: Flickr user Michael Lore)

You are subscribed to email updates from Neatorama To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610