It can knock out someone for 24 hours, and in rare cases henbane can lead to respiratory failure. It's a common treatment for motion sickness and can produce short-term memory loss. It's been around since ancient Greece and has been used in various cultures throughout history as a narcotic, painkiller, cure for insomnia, and anesthetic. But according to Karsten Fatur, an ethnobotanist at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, henbane ( Hyoscyamus niger) is a much better candidate. Much of that is consistent with accounts of berserker behavior. It can also induce vomiting, hyperthermia, sweating, reddening of the face, twitching and trembling, dilated pupils, increased muscle tone, delirium, and seizures. The 'shroom typically induces a drunken state with auditory illusions and shifts in color vision. The latter aspect is due to two compounds: ibotenic acid and muscimol, with muscarine (first discovered in 1869) most likely responsible for some of the more unpleasant side effects. muscaria was very popular as an intoxicant among Siberian tribes, possibly holding religious significance because of its psychoactive properties. While it's technically toxic to humans, the mushrooms are apparently safe to ingest after parboiling them twice. muscaria has a distinctly Alice in Wonderland appearance, with its bright red cap and white spots. One of the more hotly contested hypotheses is that the berserkers ingested a hallucinogenic mushroom ( Amanita muscaria), commonly known as fly agaric, just before battle to induce their trancelike state.ДЄ. Several hypotheses have been proposed for why the warriors would have behaved this way, including self-induced hysteria-aided by biting their shields and howling-epilepsy, ergot poisoning, or mental illness. Then the rage broke out, and once it abated, the berserker would experience both physical fatigue and emotional numbness for a few days. The onset of berserkergang purportedly began with bodily chills, shivering, and teeth chattering, followed by swelling and reddening of the face. Most accounts at least agree on the primary defining characteristic: a blind ferocious rage. Other claims say they could blunt the blades of their enemies with spells or just by giving them the evil eye. There are claims that berserkers were not affected by edged weapons or fire, but they could be killed with clubs. Specific attributes can vary widely among the accounts, often veering into magic or mysticism. The 13th-century Icelandic historian/poet Snorri Sturluson described Odin's berserkers as being 'mad as dogs or wolves' and 'strong as bears or wild oxen,' killing people with a single blow.

Ars is owned by WIRED's parent company, CondГ© Nast.ДЄccounts of the berserkers date back to a late ninth-century poem to honor King Harald Fairhair. This story originally appeared on Ars Technica, a trusted source for technology news, tech policy analysis, reviews, and more.

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