The Smell of Hell
Summary
Radiolab explores the vital role of sulfur, an element often associated with decay, through three distinct stories. Dr. Avera Mitra investigates a 1994 ER mystery where a patient’s presence caused mass fainting, potentially linked to sulfur compounds. Historian Jeanette Conant details the Bari disaster, revealing how a mustard gas accident inadvertently launched modern chemotherapy research. Finally, the show examines how hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas, is actually produced by the brain to strengthen neural connections and may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Common Sense Media and A Ghost in Your Ear
Introduction: Radiolab and the theme of Sulfur
Mystery: A strange incident in the ER
The incident: Staff members collapsing
Investigation: Autopsy and hazardous protocols
Debate: Mass hysteria vs. toxic event
Discovery: Identifying DMSO2 in blood samples
Source: DMSO4 and degreaser usage
Theory: Patient as a chemical weapon source
Sensory: The garlic smell and human sensitivity
Evolution: Sulfur as a danger signal
History: James B. Conant and the Bari disaster
Bari: The air raid and 'Little Pearl Harbor'
Symptoms: Unusual injuries and delayed reactions
Identification: Mustard gas in the harbor
Context: Allied chemical warfare research
Investigation: Pinpointing the John Harvey ship
Revelation: US mustard gas bombs exploded
Medical insight: Mustard gas and white blood cells
Legacy: Dusty Rhodes and the birth of chemotherapy
Conclusion: Sulfur's role in modern medicine
Sponsors: AT&T, Bombas, and Smalls
Science: Hydrogen sulfide and swamp gas
Research: Rats and brain farts
Function: H2S in neural plasticity
Experiment: Mice, mazes, and memory
Application: Reversing Alzheimer's in mice
Diet: Foods that boost H2S production
Evolution: Ancestral use of hydrogen sulfide
Geology: Sulfur in volcanic ash and early Earth
Biology: Sulfur in proteins and hair
Astrobiology: Searching for sulfur in space
Credits and upcoming events
Sponsors: Poster House and Odoo
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