Mass Hysteria – When Fear Goes Viral

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Shakin Shaner and Psycho Bob dive headfirst into one of history’s strangest and most unsettling phenomena: mass sociogenic illness—better known as mass hysteria. What happens when entire communities experience real symptoms… with no clear physical cause? From the bizarre Dancing Plague of 1518, where hundreds danced themselves to exhaustion, to the eerie Tanganyika Laughing Epidemic, where laughter spread uncontrollably across schools, this episode explores the fine line between mind and body—and how fear, stress, and belief can ripple through entire populations. Along the way, the duo examines infamous cases like the Salem Witch Trials, the mysterious Mad Gasser of Mattoon, and even the panic sparked by Orson Welles’ radio adaptation of The War of the Worlds. Blending humor, curiosity, and a touch of the absurd, this episode reveals a deeper truth: these events may sound unbelievable—but the fear and suffering behind them were very real. And perhaps most unsettling of all… we’re not as immune as we might think. Tune in, Nerd Herd, and explore how the power of belief can shape reality in ways both fascinating and frightening.