is this believable?

[Guest ggloom]

a movie where a chemical gas of some sort leaks into the air and wipes out a small town/or school. no one dies, they're all knocked unconscious from the chemical. after a few hours, they awake and suffer extreme memory loss(like they don't even know who they are)...

 

okay, do you find this cheezy? incredibly unbelievable? possible?

 

also, since these are SCIENCE forms, can anyone help me out with a name for the chemical? is there such thing? could this happen in real life?

 

I'd totally appreciate feedback, I'm currently writing the script. Thanks

[Dudde]

hm...I guess the gas could enter the body and target the memory cells (I'm no biology genius I don't know exactly) and maybe the nerves or something....you'll have to wait for blike or faf or edward or someone;)

[blike]

Its believable, but I doubt anyone knows the name of a compound that will do exactly as you described. Why don't you say it was some unknown agent, or give it a fake name that sounds malicious like amnethrex

[fafalone]

It would be hard to accomplish that without any other effects... like massive damage to ability to do anything.

[DocBill]

Well...there is one gas called "Fentanyl" which is a fast acting opiate, and works on the same neuro receptors. Scientists have identified four types of opiate receptors: mu1, mu2, kappa and delta receptors. All opioids exert their effects by activating one or more of these receptors, and analgesia involves activation of mu1 receptors in the brain and kappa receptors in the spinal cord. Mu2 receptors are are involved in respiratory depression and intestinal constipation. The contribution of delta receptors to analgesia in unclear, and may be more closely related to euphoria . The actions of opioids on receptors can vary depending on the location within the body. For example, a particular opioid may act as an antagonist at the kappa receptors in the brain, but as an agonist at the same type of receptors in the large intestines! Activation of Mu1, Mu2, and delta receptors close potassium channels, while kappa receptors are linked to calcium channels. Humans that have become tolerant to activation of one receptor type are not necessarily tolerant to the others. Sometimes analgesic medication is prescribed to activate only certain receptors. In your scenario, the problem is getting enough of it into a community, in a natural setting, to render people unconscious, without killing many of them. Several issues need to be addressed:

 

1. How big a population;

 

2. How to release the gas so that it does not disipate or concentrate;

 

3. What strength do you use? Some people will have a great deal of natural immunity (drug abusers), others, for example the elderly, weak, or children will often die from exsposure.

 

So. Does such a gas exist? Yes. Is it used to knock people out? Yes. Can it be used as you described? No. Is this just typical holywood? You bet.

 

Hope this helps

 

Bill

[Guest ggloom]

excellent guys, thanks for helping me out. Especially DocBill, although I must admit I needed to read your reply twice to fully understand it.

[Radical Edward]

Originally posted by DocBill

Is this just typical holywood? You bet.

 

heh, hollywood never let reality get in the way of an exciting movie