~Potatoes were once banned because they were linked to witchcraft~ People have historically behaved irrationally when they’re of the belief that witches are about. In addition to holding trials and inspiring plays by Arthur Miller, the denizens of the past once went so far as to ban the humble potato because they believed it was linked to witchcraft.  Everyone’s favorite tuber originated in the Americas and wasn’t introduced to Europe until the late 16th century, at which time potatoes were looked upon with fear and suspicion. Botanists identified the tubers as members of the poisonous nightshade family, leading to their association with devil worship and witchcraft. (While potatoes belong to the same family as deadly nightshades, they do not contain the same toxins.) They also aren’t mentioned in the Bible, which some religious thinkers of the time interpreted as a sign they weren’t meant to be eaten. All of that was enough for France’s Parliament to outlaw potatoes from 1748 until...