@Ignorant Amos

by "real" i mean they were real things but assumed to be something we would now call supernatural.

ancient tribes around the world were visited by white demons from the sea (europeans), early settlers in modern britain really did see "little people" and evil spirits were assumed to be the cause of disease and as i mentioned, flatulence (easily exorcised). when germ theory was accepted, spirits were off the hook for human ailments but people continued to believe in them as something a bit less tangable

for science i meant "the scientific method" that has been developed in the last couple of hundred years.

I hope that will explain better

it's possible we can thank superstition for modern science. once curious individuals realised a mechanism can be found behind all phenomena they had to contend with the 'accepted' facts that certain things are caused by spirits or witches or god on his off days. one of the most notable results of science is that it's pushed superstition into the gaps. maybe religious or superstitious certainty has helped create the environment for science to flourish?