3 ms·

They no longer put pure helium in those tanks for this reason.

• LinuxBender 5y ago
  Ah yes, it appears that has fallen in favor of nitrogen. [1] I never would have imagined nitrogen would do the same thing. Apparently there are a variety of inert gasses that have the same effect. [2] [1] - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29684846/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29684846/ [2] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inert_gas_asphyxiation#Suicide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inert_gas_asphyxiation#Suicide
  • deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  • wahern 5y ago
    The autonomic system responds not to lack of oxygen, but to a rise in carbon dioxide levels. (More specifically I think it has something to do with pH, which decreases as carbon dioxide increases.) So as long as you can expire carbon dioxide, you'll pass out without any sensation of asphyxiation or struggle. You still need to inhale to exhale, though, and the inhaled air needs to have a sufficiently low partial pressure of carbon dioxide.