Background:

Legends of the Norse berserkers have it that warriors would achieve a hyper-violent, altered state of consciousness that would make them extremely dangerous in battle. Traditionally, this is thought to have been brought on by the Amanita Muscaria or Fly Agaric mushroom (still used in shamanic practices in Siberia today). This author is arguing that the surviving descriptions of the berserkers (which are highly suspect because they were recorded by anti-pagan, Christian sources) and the availability of psychoactive plants in the region make it more likely that the psychoactive plant in question was actually Hensbane, a nightshade (i.e. atropine and scopolamine).

Fly Agaric(pic8.co)

Hensbane(pic8.co)

Interesting. We should dig into the work of Dr. Stamets the mycologist to see if there is a Norse connection. I have a friend at the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine who actually knows the guy and could tell me where to start.