When Minds Unite: 50 Cases of Mass Hysteria That Defy Explanation

In 2012, reports of the orang minyak, a terrifying creature from Malaysian folklore, surfaced in Kampung Laksamana in Malaysia. It was described as a supernatural being prowling at night seeking virgins, identifiable by the black, oily substance covering its body. The sightings led to the formation of armed neighborhood watches in response to the perceived threat. Similar panics occurred in Sungai Petani in 2009 and in Sri Lanka, prompting speculation in the 1960s that folklore surrounding the orang minyak might be a cover for serial rapes.

From 2016 to 2018, a recurrent epidemic of mass hysteria occurred in a school in Pyuthan district, western Nepal, involving episodes of crying and shouting initially triggered by a 9-year-old girl. Similar incidents have been happening annually since 2016, affecting 47 students in 2018 alone.

In colonial Massachusetts in 1692, a group of adolescent girls, including Abigail Williams and Betty Parris, exhibited mysterious fits described as beyond natural disease. These events led to the infamous Salem witch trials, a series of hearings resulting in the execution of 20 citizens accused of witchcraft. The episode serves as a cautionary tale in American history about the perils of isolationism, religious extremism, false accusations, and lapses in due process.

On October 13, 1917, in Fátima, Portugal, the Miracle of the Sun, or Miracle of Fátima, fulfilled a prophecy made by three shepherd children. Witnesses reported extraordinary solar activity, including the sun appearing to dance and emit multicolored light, lasting approximately ten minutes. After a canonical investigation, the local bishop declared the miracle "worthy of belief" in 1930, and the event has had a lasting impact on the devotional practices of many Catholics, despite skepticism and alternative explanations proposed by critics.

In 2009, a Fort Worth call center experienced a mass panic when a mysterious smell, initially thought to be a poisonous carbon monoxide leak, led to chest pains, headaches, and hospitalizations. However, investigators later discovered that the odor was simply perfume, and the panic resulted from contagious fear-people believing the scent was dangerous. The incident showcased how psychological factors can trigger physical symptoms and escalate situations, leading to a mass panic over a harmless fragrance.

The daycare ritual abuse hysteria of the 1980s-90s, epitomized by the infamous McMartin case, saw daycare workers accused of engaging children in satanic ritual abuse. False claims included allegations of live executions, rape, and torture, leading to numerous wrongful accusations and ruined lives. The hysteria likely stemmed from parental anxiety and guilt associated with entrusting children to daycare centers, turning daycare workers into scapegoats amid false testimonies coerced from children during interrogations.

Around the turn of the 20th century, German schools experienced trembling epidemics, with students in Gross-Tinz in 1892 suffering from severe tremors that led to school closures. In 1905-1906, students in Meissen with a writing-intensive curriculum developed hand tremors, spreading to Chemnitz in 1906, where electric shock therapy was administered to suggest that they were trembling due to awareness of these cases, eventually succeeding in influencing the students' perceptions.

In 1954, residents of several U.S. states, notably Washington, faced a puzzling phenomenon as car windshields inexplicably developed pits. Blamed on top-secret nuclear testing, rumors circulated about the H-bomb fallout causing the damage, with theories ranging from airborne marine creatures to acid-laced bugs eroding the glass. The reports eventually ceased by the end of the summer, leaving the mystery unresolved.

On October 5, 2001, the anthrax-induced death of the Sun newspaper's picture editor, Bob Stevens, sparked global panic, making the antibiotic Cipro a top-selling drug and triggering false alarms and evacuations worldwide. In the midst of anthrax threats, media reports led to a surge in newspaper sales, prompting criticism for overhyping the situation. Over the following months, five deaths and 17 infections occurred from anthrax exposure.

In Sweden, a mysterious illness known as "resignation syndrome" affected children of asylum-seekers, causing complete withdrawal and rendering them unable to open their eyes, speak, or walk. Medical experts were baffled for over two decades, with Dr. Elisabeth Hultcrantz explaining the condition as a response to the world's overwhelming terribleness. Resignation syndrome, first reported in the 1990s, saw over 400 cases from 2003 to 2005, though the National Board of Health noted a decrease to 169 cases in 2016.