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Imagine you're having like, a nice sandwich for lunch.
Everything seems fine at first, but then a few hours later, you're overwhelmed with convulsions, muscle spasms and frightening hallucinations.
Doesn't sound like the kind of party, I'd like to go to.
But, during the Middle Ages, this was a shockingly common occurrence brought on by rye flour that was contaminated with a fungi called ergot.
And that's because these particular fungi are packed with poisonous and psychoactive compounds.
But here's the kicker: ergot has also been used throughout the centuries for its medicinal qualities.
From inducing labor in the 16th century to modern therapies for Alzheimer's, these fungi have a long, complicated history.
To stop animals from munching on them, ergot fungi produce a nasty selection of nitrogen-based compounds called alkaloids.
