Throughout time, man has experimented with mind-altering substances, ranging from the mild to the extreme. Recent research suggests that the famed Oracle at Dephi, the source of psychic knowledge consulted by thousands across the ancient world, actually sat atop fault lines that released toxic gases, which in turn brought forth the prophetic visions. Some argue that the introduction of coffee to England was a catalyst for the move out of the Dark Ages and into the Enlightenment. And Francis Clark, who unraveled the human genetic code, said it was the small doses of LSD that he took while doing his research that allowed him to imagine the double helix that unlocked our DNA and the secret to life itself. And these are just some of the instances over the last 12,000 years of our collective history where the use of mind-altering substances has contributed in part to our advancement as a civilization. The Stoned Ages examines the strange ways in which mankind's experiences with substances of all kinds have affected our history.