A Fungus Behind the Salem Witch Trials?The bizarre events may have a scientific cause.

From the show

Hidden Sides of History

The Salem Witch Trials are a notorious chapter in history, but what if the accusers' strange behavior wasn't malice or hysteria? In 1976, a researcher proposed a startling scientific theory. The historical accounts of the 'bewitched' girls' symptoms—muscle spasms, hallucinations, and crawling sensations—closely match a condition called convulsive ergotism. This is caused by eating rye bread contaminated with a fungus that produces LSD-like toxins. A bad trip might have triggered a deadly witch hunt.