The Archive

In 331 BCE, twenty Roman women reportedly drank their own medicine—and died. Was it a poisoning conspiracy or an epidemic fueled by panic?

In 1919, a burst tank sent 2.3 million gallons of molasses through Boston’s North End. The warning signs had been visible for years.

A glue-pot fire devastated downtown Seattle. The rebuilding left former sidewalks and storefronts beneath today’s streets.

One runner rode in a car. Another reportedly took a nap. The winner was given poison. Welcome to the strangest Olympic marathon ever.

In 1951, a French town was struck by a mysterious bread poisoning. Hundreds fell ill, five died, and the cause remains disputed.

It began with a handful of strange fits. Within months, neighbors were accusing neighbors, a special court was accepting invisible spirits as evidence, and people were being executed for witchcraft.

They Started Dancing. Then They Couldn't Stop.

In 897, Pope Stephen VI ordered the corpse of his predecessor dug up, dressed in papal robes, and placed on trial.

St. Anthony's Fire: The Terrifying History of Poisoned Grain