Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Sewer-gas-induced suspended animation is rapid and reversible

Low doses of the toxic gas responsible for the unpleasant odor of rotten eggs can safely and reversibly depress both metabolism and aspects of cardiovascular function in mice, producing a suspended-animation-like state. In the April 2008 issue of the journal Anesthesiology, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) reseachers report that effects seen in earlier studies of hydrogen sulfide do not depend on a reduction in body temperature and include a substantial decrease in heart rate without a drop in blood pressure.

(Via KurzweilAI.net.)


I seem to remember this "discovery" cropping up a few years ago. Fortean researchers were quick to note the presence of sulfurous odors in the vicinity of UFOs and perceived aliens, offering the possibility that "abductions" were accomplished with the assistance of hydrogen sulfide "anesthesia." It strikes me as a messy way for members of a presumably advanced civilization to go about immobilizing witnesses, but it can't be immediately discounted. Perhaps a more likely explanation is that exposure to strong EM fields can trip hallucinatory triggers in the brain, as argued by Michael Persinger and Albert Budden.

An engaging question then arises: are the "aliens" (and their craft) the source of the EM radiation or a by-product?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Whee! Speculation time!

I can't remember where but I seem to recall someone saying that the grays excreted waste through their skin directly and someone had speculated on that feature as being the source of the smell.

Perhaps some percentage of hydrogen sulfide is added to their preferred breathing atmosphere as sort of a low-level life extension method, reducing metabolism and thereby reducing the need for lunch. I believe all living creatures on earth have approximately the same number of heartbeats and lifespan is dictated by heart rate. (some turtles can have heart rates as low as 1/10min under certain conditions)

Artificially slowing one's heart rate might be compatible with Paul Hill's idea of a spacefaring race still restricted to subluminal travel and requiring century long journeys on their mothership arcologies or for maximizing the fuel efficiency of a battalion of organic worker-bee AIs.

I think you may have written something about this at one point when discussing Strieber's depiction of the ship interiors but I've always been somewhat intrigued by what may be perceived as a trend in describing at least some of the interiors as sort of ancient and dirty. I haven't read The Walton Experience yet but I'm thinking of the film's depiction of the ship's slovenly interior and am curious to know how much artistic license was exercised in comparison to what Walton's precise descriptions were.

Strieber described the ships somewhat similarly in The Grays, being very old, ill-maintained and held together with duct tape. It would be interesting to survey the literature and see what percentage of reports describe gleaming hitek computerized chrome interiors and what percentage describe Cousin Eddie's millennial RV. There seem to be some themes in the literature that might be suggestive of some of the aliens having inherited a handful of gee-whiz technologies but not being enormously meticulous in their upkeep.

I loves me some ufo speculation!

Mac said...

I can't remember where but I seem to recall someone saying that the grays excreted waste through their skin directly and someone had speculated on that feature as being the source of the smell.

Hey, I like that. Although it bears mention that the smell of "brimstone" has accompanied many "paranormal" visitations throughout history. I suppose one could argue that smelly Grays were behind them, but I'd maintain that we're dealing with something bigger.