Get a whiff of xenon to see what small alteration to electrical properties of the neurons amounts to.
My initial reaction was shock that a heavier-than-air radioactive gas might go into someone’s lungs on purpose. It triggers a lot of my “scary danger” heuristics for gases. Googling turned up a bunch of fascinating stuff. Thanks for the surprise! For anyone else interested, educational content includes:
My initial reaction was shock that a heavier-than-air radioactive gas might go into someone’s lungs on purpose. It triggers a lot of my “scary danger” heuristics for gases. Googling turned up a bunch of fascinating stuff. Thanks for the surprise! For anyone else interested, educational content includes:
Since its 1951 report of use in humans, xenon has been viewed as the closest candidate for an ideal anesthetic gas for its superior hemodynamic stability and swift recovery period
Neuroprotective and neurotoxic properties of the ‘inert’ gas, xenon
First baby given xenon gas to prevent brain injury
Sulfur hexafluoride has a similar speed of sound (and hence affect on voice sound) but isn’t mind altering
Neat!
Heh. Well, it’s not radioactive, the radon is. It is inert but it dissolves in membranes, changing electrical properties.