Selects: What Is Collective Hysteria?

FromStuff You Should Know

Start listening View podcast show

Selects: What Is Collective Hysteria?

FromStuff You Should Know

ratings:

Length:

43 minutes

Released:

Dec 4, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Throughout the history of the world, there have been many cases of what is known as collective hysteria - groups of people, usually young women, who all exhibit the same physical symptoms of non-existent conditions. Is it psychosomatic? Is it group think? Find out in this classic episode.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Released:

Dec 4, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Skip carousel

Can People Really Get Hysterical Strength?: During times of emergency, people have been known to preform feats of great strength. Learn more about going from the dull stare of the dairy cow to the eye of the tiger in seconds flat. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Are Nazi War Criminals Still At Large?: After the close of World War II, Nazi war criminals fled Europe and attempted to hide under assumed identities. Some may still be at large. Learn more about Nazi war criminals in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
How Grassoline Works: Could switch grass become the car fuel of the future? Learn more about alternative fuel in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
Can I feel pregnant when my wife is?: Sympathy pregnancy is the condition where a man feels pregnant while his wife actually is. Learn more about the symptoms for sympathy pregnancy in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Does Gum Stay in your Stomach for Seven Years?: Does gum really stay in your stomach for Seven Years? Josh and Chuck take on the parental myth of gum swollowing. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Why Does Toothpaste Make Orange Juice Taste Bad?: Why does toothpaste make orange juice taste bad? Chuck recounts his first-hand experience, and how it works. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
How Altruism Works: Is there such a thing as a truly unselfish act? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast and learn more about the nature of altruism. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Are there real-life fight clubs?: The 1996 Chuck Palahniuk novel, "Fight Club," has been blamed -- and lauded -- by various groups for inspiring several real-life fight clubs. Take a look at our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about real-life fight clubs. by Stuff You Should Know
7 min listen
How Midnight Regulations Work: After the election in November, outgoing Presidents have an opportunity to pass last-minute (often unpopular and unpublicized) legislation as 'midnight regulations.' Learn more about midnight regulations in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
25 min listen
Are Dogs Really Man's Best Friend?: Check out the story of Hachiko, a loyal Akita who waited for over ten years for his master to return. Learn more about Hachiko and loyalty in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
How Abandoned Cities Work: Cities can become abandoned for a number of reasons, from economic meltdowns to nuclear catastrophes. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast and learn more about modern abandoned cities. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Death-Proof Cars Work: Could high-end digital auto systems such as blind-spot detection and collision prevention overcome the errors of human drivers? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about the death-proof cars of the future. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
What's the most expensive toilet in the world?: The most expensive toilet in the world is made of solid gold and can be found in Hong Kong. Learn more about the world's most expensive toilet in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
How The Eye of a Tornado Works: In recorded history, only two people have entered the eye of a tornado and returned to tell the tale. Learn more about the inside of tornadoes in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Antibacterial Soap Works: Could the routine use of antibacterial soap increase the presence of drug-resistant bacteria in your home? Learn more about the disadvantages of anti-bacterial soap in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Contagious Yawning Works: Yawning is contagious, but why? Check out the leading theories on contagious yawning and empathy in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Lame Ducks Work: In U.S. politics, a lame duck is a president who will not be re-elected because he or she has been passed over for election, or already served the maximum two terms. Learn more about the origin of lame duck presidents in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Can I Survive a Shark Attack by Gouging Out Its Eyes?: Although it can be intimidating, a shark is not invulnerable. Punching its nose, gouging its eyes, or grabbing its gills can stun the shark and give victims a chance to escape. Check out our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about shark attacks. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Trolley Problems Work: The trolley problem is an ethical dilemma that proposes a difficult decision about choosing whether a group of strangers lives or dies. Learn more about ethics and the nature of sacrifice in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Is there a worst way to die?: But there's no consensus among professionals about which method of death is the least desirable. A person's fears may factor into his own personal worst way to die. Check out our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about the worst way to die. by Stuff You Should Know
15 min listen
Are Dogs a Shark's Favorite Meal?: In 2005, The Sun reported that dogs were being used as live bait in the Indian Ocean. Is it possible that dogs are a delicacy to sharks? Take a look at our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about the diet of sharks. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Swearing at Work Works: Swear words are usually considered workplace taboos -- yet the debate continues over whether these words are inappropriate, or examples of free speech. Learn more about using swear words at work in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
How Manufacturing Water Works: The United Nations has found that 22% of the world's population does not have access to clean drinking water. Could we fix the water shortage by manufacturing water? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about manufacturing water. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Will we soon be extinct?: Is Earth due for a mass extinction? Population ecologists think so. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more mass extinctions. by Stuff You Should Know
11 min listen
How OCD Works: Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about the effects of and treatments for OCD. by Stuff You Should Know
14 min listen
How Carbon Capture Works: Carbon capture is the process of trapping carbon emissions and storing them away from the atmosphere to prevent global warming. Check out our carbon capture article at HowStuffWorks.com to learn more about the possibility of reducing carbon emissions. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Murphy's Law Works: Murphy's law originates in 1949, and states 'anything that can go wrong, will.' Check out this HowStuffWorks to learn more about how the Air Force discovered Murphy's law. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Is knife hunting the fairest way to hunt?: Fair chase is the idea that a balance should be struck between the hunter's ability to kill prey and the prey's ability escape. Take a look at our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about knife hunting, and whether or not it's the fairest way to hunt. by Stuff You Should Know
7 min listen
What's the ultimatum game?: The ultimatum game is an economics experiment that provides insight into the human psyche. Check out our HowStuffWorks podcast to learn about the rules to the ultimatum game. by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
Will robots get married?: Some researchers believe that weddings between a human and a robot could be possible by the year 2050. Take a look at our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about robot rights. by Stuff You Should Know
15 min listen

More Episodes from Stuff You Should Know

Skip carousel

Selects: The Legends of Lost Nazi Gold by Stuff You Should Know
47 min listen
Atomic Clocks, Ahoy! by Stuff You Should Know
52 min listen
Short Stuff: Getting Winded by Stuff You Should Know
12 min listen
The Village People Episode by Stuff You Should Know
54 min listen
Selects: How the Beagle Brigade Works by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
The Awful Crimes of Georgia Tann by Stuff You Should Know
47 min listen
Short Stuff: The Sad, Strange Tale of Margaret Schilling by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
The Power of the Wind by Stuff You Should Know
52 min listen
Selects: Special Effects: A Short History by Stuff You Should Know
55 min listen
Hitchhiking: Two thumbs out! by Stuff You Should Know
51 min listen
Short Stuff: The Amazing Tale of Juliane Koepcke by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
The Dubious Science of Arson Investigation by Stuff You Should Know
47 min listen
Selects: How Famines Work by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
Testosterone and Estrogen: Wondrous Hormones by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
Short Stuff: Straitjackets by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
The 1977 Women's Conference That Changed America by Stuff You Should Know
50 min listen
Selects: All the Gold In Fort Knox: Meh by Stuff You Should Know
52 min listen
The Everglades: Wowee by Stuff You Should Know
54 min listen
Short Stuff: Knock on Wood by Stuff You Should Know
11 min listen
Greedflation Is Real by Stuff You Should Know
56 min listen
Selects: Who is The Man of the Hole? by Stuff You Should Know
38 min listen
The Pulitzer Prize: A major award! by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
Short Stuff: Ramree Island Crocodile Massacre by Stuff You Should Know
11 min listen
Love Canal: Even Dirtier Than It Sounds by Stuff You Should Know
47 min listen
Selects: MOVE: Or When the Philly Police Dropped a Bomb on a Residential Neighborhood by Stuff You Should Know
52 min listen
Peanuts (the comic) Part II by Stuff You Should Know
45 min listen
Short Stuff: Mariko Aoki Phenomenon by Stuff You Should Know
12 min listen
Peanuts (the comic) Part I by Stuff You Should Know
45 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

Short Stuff: Jaywalking: Jaywalking is a crime. Sort of. But why? Learn all about this weird law today. by Stuff You Should Know
15 min listen
How Sarcasm Works by Stuff You Should Know
43 min listen
Ants! Part 1!: Ants are pretty much amazing. So we're gonna spend two episodes talking all about them. Please enjoy! by Stuff You Should Know
44 min listen
The Twisted History of Dentistry: If you think going to the dentist now is not fun, just wait until you hear about what they did in the Middle Ages. by Stuff You Should Know
53 min listen
The Three Christs of Ypsilanti Experiment: In the early 1960s, one of the most unethical experiments in psychology’s history was quietly conducted in a state hospital in Michigan. It sought to upend the delusions of the three patients involved, but ultimately disabused the experimenter of his own. by Stuff You Should Know
55 min listen
How Snowmen (And Snowwomen) Work: The details may vary but building snowmen is pretty much universal where there’s snow. Humans have probably been making them for tens of thousands of years. But it wasn’t until the last century or two that they have become the winter icon they are today. by Stuff You Should Know
43 min listen
Selects: How Hate Works by Stuff You Should Know
37 min listen
Rock Paper Scissors: Decider of Things by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
The Origins of Some Everyday Superstitions: Why exactly do we avoid walking under a ladder? Why is stepping on a crack in the sidewalk such a big deal? What kind of monster carries a rabbit’s foot in their pocket? The answers to these questions and more lie in wait ahead in this episode. Look out! by Stuff You Should Know
40 min listen
Short Stuff: Nose Breathing by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
Selects: Horoscopes: Written in the Stars?: A lot of people read their daily horoscopes, but does anyone really take stock in them? Turns out the answer is yes, even though there is no evidence of their accuracy. Learn all about horoscopes today in this classic episode. by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
How Reverse Osmosis Will Save the World: Can we save the future of the human race with some thin membranes riddled with ultra-tiny holes? Science says yes! Thanks to reverse osmosis filtration, we can turn saltwater to fresh and finally say, Water, water everywhere so let’s all have a drink! by Stuff You Should Know
43 min listen
Short Stuff: Handwashing vs Dishwashers: Josh and Chuck finally put to rest the age old debate over which is better – and learn a little about themselves along the way. by Stuff You Should Know
16 min listen
Short Stuff: Funny Bone: Hitting your funny bone doesn’t just hurt, it feels really weird too. That’s because you’re not hitting a bone at all, but instead the most vulnerable nerve in your body. by Stuff You Should Know
12 min listen
Operation Northwoods: The False Flag Op That Never Was by Stuff You Should Know
47 min listen
Cookies! Cookies! Cookies!: No, we didn’t find another international distress signal we forgot to mention in our Mayday! Short Stuff, we’re just that jazzed about our episode on cookies. Are they even better than cakes? It’s up to you to listen and decide! by Stuff You Should Know
50 min listen
Selects: How SETI Works: SETI stands for 'search for extraterrestrial intelligence,' and the term is used to describe both the SETI institute and the search for alien life in general. In this classic spaced-out episode, Josh and Chuck explore the origin, aims and challenges facing SETI. by Stuff You Should Know
36 min listen
How Classified Information Works by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
Selects: What's the Deal With Staring?: Gazing too long upon another person is almost universally viewed as anywhere from impolite to hostile, which is odd considering science isn't fully certain why we stare - and why we're so good at knowing when we're being stared at. Learn all about it in this classic episode. by Stuff You Should Know
36 min listen
How Light Pollution Works by Stuff You Should Know
48 min listen
The Apache Wars by Stuff You Should Know
50 min listen
How Mail Order Marriages Work: Everybody knows mail order marriages are at best a last resort for jerks looking to boss a foreign spouse around or, at worst, a front for human trafficking. Or are they? Yes and no. Mail order marriage comes with nuance and a surprisingly long history. by Stuff You Should Know
50 min listen
The Truth Behind Cage-Free and Free-Range by Stuff You Should Know
54 min listen
Selects: The Tylenol Murders, Part II by Stuff You Should Know
46 min listen
What's the deal with blue people?: The famous blue people of Kentucky are no longer blue. But why were they like that in the first place? by Stuff You Should Know
46 min listen
Selects: How Police Interrogation Works: Every year, police across the U.S. get thousands of criminals to confess to their crimes. The trouble is, the procedure that almost all departments use is grounded in bad science and can produce false confessions. Learn about ways of making you talk in this classic episode. by Stuff You Should Know
65 min listen
Ants! Part 2!: The exciting conclusion of Ants Part 2! by Stuff You Should Know
43 min listen
Short Stuff: Chameleons: In today's short stuff, we bust a few myths about cute little chameleons. by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
Selects: How Landslides Work: Landslides are a form of mass movement of the Earth, and with the amount of death and destruction they wreak on the people and towns they cover, their toll can be massive. Learn all about landslides with Josh and Chuck in this classic episode. by Stuff You Should Know
33 min listen
What's the deal with phantom pain? by Stuff You Should Know
46 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

Selects: What Is Collective Hysteria?

Selects: What Is Collective Hysteria?

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Stuff You Should Know

Related podcast episodes