"The science behind the myths of vampires and zombies"
Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 03:00 PM
Pathology Building, room 101

Lecture rescheduled from Wednesday, Oct. 28 to Wednesday, Nov. 4

This lecture, originally scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28, was rescheduled because the university suspended operations due to weather. The event will now be from 3-4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4, in Room 101 of the Pathology Building, located at the northwest corner of East Drive and Lake Street. The talk is open to the public.

Colorado State University biochemistry doctoral students will talk on Wednesday, Oct. 28 about genetic disorders and environmental conditions from the Victorian era through modern times that have led to the popular myths behind vampires, witches and zombies.

Kristopher Hite and Nick Clark will speak to the Biochemistry Club from 3-4 p.m. in Room 101 of the Pathology building at the northwest corner of East Drive and Lake Street on the Fort Collins campus.

The talk is free and open to the public.

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Halloween's most notorious mythical figures

Chemical reactions caused by genetic disorders and external factors in the environment most likely led to the stories behind some of Halloween’s most notorious mythical figures, scientists have said. For example, witch trials in the 15th through 19th centuries most likely stemmed from hysteria caused by exposure to chemicals produced by a fungus, Hite said.

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Aberrant behavior caused by rye fungus brought accusations of witchcraft

People ingested the fungus from rye growing along the Rhine River Valley in Europe, which led to behavior blamed on witchcraft. Affected people acquired a condition called ergotism that manifested in one of two forms:

- gangrenous ergotism, which caused limbs to fall off, or

- convulsive ergotism, which led to hallucinations

“The hallucinations most likely came from a compound in the fungus similar to LSD, which led to strange behavior,” said Hite. “When a whole community is affected by it, there’s mass hysteria.”

Hite will also talk about a condition in the geographic area of Romania that may have led to light sensitivity and glowing teeth that helped perpetuate the vampire myth. Hite admits a fascination with the myths, but his real research, working with Colorado State Professor Jeffrey Hansen, focuses on the structure function and relationship of a protein that causes Rett syndrome.

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Haitian diet of pufferfish led to catatonic or zombielike state

Clark will talk about a compound in pufferfish that once created a catatonic or zombielike state among Haitian people. Clark works with Professor Karolin Luger, a Colorado State University Distinguished Professor in biochemistry who studies nucleosome structure, which is the basic unit for compacting DNA.

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Event Contact: Emily Narvaes Wilmsen can be reached at (970) 491-2336

Sponsored by the Biochemistry Club.