Pibloktoq Describes Sudden Arctic Episodes

Pibloktoq is the name historically given to sudden episodes of hysteria reported among people in the Arctic and first documented in 1892. During an episode, a person may shout unintelligibly, remove their clothes, and run naked in temperatures far below freezing. After several hours, they usually collapse from exhaustion, sleep deeply, and recover completely. Researchers have proposed several possible causes, but no single explanation has been confirmed.

Previous Fact Next Fact