The No-Cebo Effect

The placebo effect is potent. And so too is its evil twin, the no-cebo effect. It makes you feel worse because you think you're being harmed. When a doctor says this is going to hurt, it is more likely to hurt. People drop out of clinical trials when they experience side effects from fake drugs. Could the no-Cebo effect help explain some of the heart attacks reported to be caused by the curse of the pharaoh? It might. But there's another explanation for these eerie tales: The mummy's curse is everywhere and we can't escape it.