Nitrous oxide Nitrous oxide Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or nitrous, is a chemical compound, an oxide of nitrogen with the formula . At room temperature, it is a colourless non-flammable gas, with a slight metallic scent and taste. At elevated temperatures, nitrous oxide is a powerful oxidizer similar to molecular oxygen. It is soluble in water. Nitrous oxide has significant medical uses, especially in surgery and dentistry, for its anaesthetic and pain reducing effects. Its name "laughing gas", coined by Humphry Davy, is due to the euphoric effects upon inhaling it, a property that has led to its recreational
Laughing falcon Laughing falcon The laughing falcon ("Herpetotheres cachinnans"), also called the snake hawk (erroneously, since it is not a hawk), is a medium-sized bird of prey in the falcon family (Falconidae), the only member of the genus Herpetotheres. This Neotropical species is a specialist snake-eater. Its common and scientific names both refer to its distinctive voice. Its English name comes from its loud voice, as does the specific name "cachinnans", Latin for "laughing aloud" or "laughing immoderately". The generic name "Herpetotheres" refers to its preferred food; it is Latinized Ancient Greek, derived from "[h]erpeton" (ἑρπετόν, "reptile") + "therizein" (θερίζειν, "to mow