Mass Hysteira in Peru

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070926_meteorite_hysteria.html

A few weeks ago, mass hysteria broke out in Peru as the result of a supposed Meteorite crash. The people living in the town nearest to the crater reported that 600 individuals fell sick. They attributed this wide spread sickness to fumes that were emitted from the crater. After visiting the crater, people reported feelings of “nausea, headaches and soar throats.” However meteorologists determined that there might not have even been a meteorite crash, and if there was one it would not emit fumes as the people described. The sickness people were experiencing was probably coming from other sources. For example arsenic is often found in the soil in Peru and it frequently contaminates the water. Most likely, people attributed their sickness to the mysterious crater because of mass hysteria. Also, the media came to this little Peruvian town and blew up the story of the meteorite crash. This probably amplified to the mass hysteria already present. Furthermore, whenever people hear about objects falling from the sky there is almost always an outbreak of mass hysteria.