Episode #052921: Selects: How Nitrous Oxide Works

For about 175 years people have been huffing nitrous oxide for everything from vision quests to anesthetic to get plain old high. And after all that time we are only now beginning to understand how it works on our brains. Get the scoop in this classic episode.

AI Summary

# Nitrous Oxide: From Party Drug to Medical Marvel

Join Chuck and Josh as they explore the wild history and science behind nitrous oxide, the gas that's been making people laugh—and feel no pain—for over two centuries. The episode traces nitrous's journey from Humphrey Davy's wild self-experiments in 1799 through the tragic story of dentist Horace Wells, who discovered its anesthetic powers but faced ridicule and ruin, to its starring role at 1970s concerts and modern dental offices. Along the way, you'll learn how this compound actually works on your brain, why it became a concert staple, and why recreational use can be risky business despite seeming harmless.

Movies Discussed

Casablanca

1943 1h 42m

★ 8.1

"movies like not high Times. What was the one? Casablanca? — Josh mistakenly mentions Casablanca while trying to recall movies about drug use, though this appears to be a false reference." — Josh

Fast & Furious

2009 PG-13 1h 47m

★ 6.7

"anyone who has ever seen Fasts and Furious or is it Sammy Hagar Solo fan, I Can't Drive 55. — Josh references Fast & Furious in the context of nitrous oxide use in cars, noting the franchise's connection to the topic." — Josh

Laughing Gas

1914 NR 13m

★ 5.6

"And there were several movies early on called Laughing Gas. Not just one. — Josh mentions multiple films titled 'Laughing Gas' from the early cinema era about nitrous oxide use." — Josh

Pulp Fiction

1994 2h 34m

★ 8.5

"We're going to tell it out of order. Like Pulp Fiction. — Chuck compares their non-linear storytelling approach about nitrous oxide history to Pulp Fiction's narrative structure." — Chuck

Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical

2006 1h 48m

★ 6.6

"There were movies about huffing. There was charlie Chaplin was in one in 1914. Reefer Madness. — Josh references Reefer Madness as an example of early movies about drug use and altered states." — Josh

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

2006 1h 44m

★ 6.5

"Maybe even doing a little Tokyo drifting. — Josh mentions Tokyo Drift as a reference to the Fast & Furious franchise and high-speed driving depicted in those films." — Josh

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