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Science Smells like rotten eggs? You may be in suspended animation
Science Smells like rotten eggs? You may be in suspended animation | Smells like rotten eggs? You may be in suspended animation |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Thursday, 27 March 2008 | |
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Page 1 of 2 Related storiesEven more importantly, the researchers were able to reverse the suspended animation state and return the mice back to a normal state of consciousness. Suspended animation is the temporary slowing of biological functions such as heart rate, metabolic rate, and breathing, but without adversely affecting such necessary functions as blood pressure and oxygen levels. The foul smell of rotten eggs, and flatulence, is often associated with hydrogen sulfide (chemical compound symbol: H2S), a colorless and flammable gas that is toxic to humans in large amounts. Conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital, the result of the study shows up in the April 2008 issue of the journal Anesthesiology , a publication of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. The study, entitled “Inhaled Hydrogen Sulfide: A Rapidly Reversible Inhibitor of Cardiac and Metabolic Function in the Mouse, ” is important because little was previously understood by scientists about the cardiovascular and metabolic effects onto the body during the inhalation of hydrogen sulfide. Warren Zapol, an author in the study, states, “Hydrogen sulfide is the stinky gas that can kill workers who encounter it in sewers; but when administered to mice in small, controlled doses, within minutes it produces what appears to be totally reversible metabolic suppression.” Zapol, chief of Anesthesia and Critical Care at Massachusetts General Hospital, adds, “This is as close to instant suspended animation as you can get, and the preservation of cardiac contraction, blood pressure and organ perfusion is remarkable.” [EurekAlert: “Sewer-gas-induced suspended animation is rapid and reversible ”] How was the experiment conducted? What was its conclusion? Please read on. |
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