At the University of Chicago in the early 1920s, psychology grad student William Blatz built a remote-controlled trick chair that would collapse when he pressed a switch. (It was padded to avoid injury.) Then he had subjects sit in the chair while wearing electrodes to measure heart rate and other vital signs. Blatz's goal was to "study the physiology of fear under controlled, repeatable conditions." Jeff and Anthony take a seat and discuss Blatz and his life's work.

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Today’s story was sent in by Mark Nuhfer: https://boingboing.net/2017/12/27/scientist-builds-remote-contro.html

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