The Oracle's Ethylene
The Oracle of Delphi's story is nothing short of peculiar. Delphi was thought to be the center of the world- courtesy of a myth where Zeus had two eagles fly from opposite sides of the world and end up in Delphi at the same time- so the local Greek citizens were not surprised when they discovered the chasm that was later to become a feature of the site of Apollo's temple in Delphi. A local goatherd was looking for some sort of lost animal when he stumbled upon the chasm, and realized the effect of the gas coming out of it. He told other locals, and soon enough, the Oracle would inhale the gas before she would speak a prophecy.
The gas emitting from the chasm was thought to be the power of the gods in ancient Greece, because it put the Pythia into a trance-like state. Now, scientists have learned that the gas coming from that chasm was actually ethylene gas. In small amounts, ethylene can put the person inhaling it in a state much like the Oracle would be in when she told prophecies. There is no longer ethylene gas emitting from that chasm and scientists can't exactly figure out why. A lot of people believe the gas found another outlet, but if so, there has not been one found.
Strangely enough, the last prophecy that the Oracle of Delphi uttered was to a Roman emperor who was interested in reviving Greek culture. She basically told him that the time to bring back the Greek culture was over; Apollo was dead. Many believe that it was because the ethylene gas was no longer coming from the chasm so the Oracle couldn't speak anymore prophecies.
The gas emitting from the chasm was thought to be the power of the gods in ancient Greece, because it put the Pythia into a trance-like state. Now, scientists have learned that the gas coming from that chasm was actually ethylene gas. In small amounts, ethylene can put the person inhaling it in a state much like the Oracle would be in when she told prophecies. There is no longer ethylene gas emitting from that chasm and scientists can't exactly figure out why. A lot of people believe the gas found another outlet, but if so, there has not been one found.
Strangely enough, the last prophecy that the Oracle of Delphi uttered was to a Roman emperor who was interested in reviving Greek culture. She basically told him that the time to bring back the Greek culture was over; Apollo was dead. Many believe that it was because the ethylene gas was no longer coming from the chasm so the Oracle couldn't speak anymore prophecies.