The 20th century was a golden era for ethically dubious brain studies. In 1950, Dr Jose Delgado had a vision to control aggressive behaviour using a device surgically implanted in the brain known as the Stimoceiver. How science fictiony is that?!

 

Delgado's journey toward creating a peaceful human race started with a bully macaque monkey who had been terrorising his cage mates. After successfully pacifying the angry monkey with the Stimoceiver, Delgado took the bull by the horns, quite literally. In 1963, a pivotal moment unfolded as Delgado tested the limits of the Stimoceiver in a dramatic experiment in the bull fighting arena. The public spectacle that followed thrust Delgado into the spotlight, drawing both admiration and ethical concerns. 

 

Delgado’s desire to create a "psycho-civilized society" caused some discomfort, with critics fearing the implications of the technology in the wrong hands. Whether controversial or revolutionary, Delgado's work remains a testament to the power of asking "What if..." 

PREVIOUS EPISODES MENTIONED:

• The Terrible History of The Lobotomy

• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

 

SOURCES:

• The Man Who Fought a Bull With Mind Control | Discover Magazine By Jack El-HaiMar 22, 2016
• Tribute to Jose Delgado, Legendary and Slightly Scary Pioneer of Mind Control - Scientific American Blog Network By John Horgan on September 25, 2017
• Jose Manuel Rodriguez Delgado | Neuropsychopharmacology
• José Manuel Rodríguez Delgado - Wikipedia
• ‘Matador’ With a Radio Stops Wired Bull by John A. Osmundsen - New York Times, May 17, 1965
• Neuroanatomy, Amygdala - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf
• Timothy C. Marzullo (2017) The Missing Manuscript of Dr. Jose Delgado’s Radio Controlled Bulls. J Undergrad Neurosci Educ. 2017 Spring; 15(2): R29–R35. 
• Paul A. Offit (2017) Pandora's Lab: Seven Stories of Science Gone Wrong. National Geographic

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