Psychosis from exposure to biological materials is a well-documented
trope in sci-fi. All it requires is one of three options:
that the material is capable of passing the blood-brain barrier, or
that secondary materials from breakdown of the material can pass the
blood-brain barrier, or
that the neurological response to exposure is high activity in different areas.
Obviously, the first two can cause a wide variety of effects, since
they can have an "explanation" of literal brain damage.

The source is usually troped according to western ideals: fungi are
usually lethal in these stories, growing in the brain itself. May lead
to zombies, trope is based on a fear of death and dying things (since
fungi and molds are seen growing on dead things). Flowers usually
lower inhibitions, leading to many awkward stories and relationships
(our symbology usually associates flowers with love, hence why we're
"supposed" to buy flowers for those we love).
Bacteriological and viral causes usually just play up our fear of
death, and then add on the drama and paranoia of quarantine - this is
rooted in fear of isolation.

On an interesting note, I once saw, way back when I was a kid, a short
story in the redwall style (bipedal talking animals in a TL1-2
society) where the explanation for their behavioral similarities was a
symbiotic fungus that grew in their brains, providing additional
neurons. Which is obviously really bad pulp science, but a distinct
possibility if you like that kind of stuff.

On 2/5/18, Kurt Feltenberger <xxxxxx@thepaw.org> wrote:
> On 2/6/2018 1:03 AM, Kurt Feltenberger (via tml list) wrote:
>> Some years back, I included a "ghost story" in a long running BSG
>> story that I've been writing and posting.  At the time, I didn't plan
>> to bring the ship, Pathfinder, back into the narrative. However,
>> things have changed and it's something that I'm toying with. However,
>> what I need to do now is come up with something to explain why the
>> most modern scientific research ship of the era succumbed to the
>> murders and mystery that eventually killed, drove insane, or turned
>> them into homicidal killers.
>>
>> Given that only glitches happened prior to making planet fall after
>> the 60th jump, I'm thinking that it's something biological from the
>> planet; bacteriological, viral, fungal, etc.  Or maybe something else.
>>
>> After thinking about this for a while, my current "explanation" is
>> something either fungal (spores) or aroma/pheromone based from
>> flowers/plants that they collected.  I've attached a link to the
>> relevant story (no need to download 1500+ pages and 48+ chapters) if
>> anyone would like to take a crack at it.
>>
>> https://www.dropbox.com/s/g5057clvpdyr1kk/Ghost_Story.pdf?dl=0
>>
>> The second bit of help is more physics related:  When a nuclear weapon
>> detonates (or thousands of them...), is there any
>> particle/wave/theoretical "thing" that would travel faster than light
>> and would alert someone with a sensor for that "thing"?
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>
> For completeness, here is a link to an image of Pathfinder.
>
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/3knulj49x3fntb0/Pathfinder.PNG?dl=0
>
> --
> Kurt Feltenberger
> xxxxxx@thepaw.org/xxxxxx@yahoo.com
> “Before today, I was scared to live, after today, I'm scared I'm not living
> enough." - Me
>
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