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

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:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-wholesome-show/the-terrible-history-of-the-lobotomy">The Terrible History of The Lobotomy</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-wholesome-show/transcranial-electromagnetic-stimulation">Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation</a></li>
</ul>
 
SOURCES:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.discovermagazine.com/mind/the-man-who-fought-a-bull-with-mind-control">The Man Who Fought a Bull With Mind Control | Discover Magazine</a> By <a href="https://www.discovermagazine.com/author/jelhai">Jack El-Hai</a>Mar 22, 2016</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/tribute-to-jose-delgado-legendary-and-slightly-scary-pioneer-of-mind-control/">Tribute to Jose Delgado, Legendary and Slightly Scary Pioneer of Mind Control - Scientific American Blog Network</a> By <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/john-horgan7/">John Horgan</a> on September 25, 2017</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2012.160">Jose Manuel Rodriguez Delgado | Neuropsychopharmacology</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Manuel_Rodr%C3%ADguez_Delgado">José Manuel Rodríguez Delgado - Wikipedia</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/mcrais1/delgado">‘Matador’ With a Radio Stops Wired Bull</a> by John A. Osmundsen - New York Times, May 17, 1965</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537102/">Neuroanatomy, Amygdala - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Marzullo%20TC%5BAuthor%5D">Timothy C. Marzullo</a> (2017) The Missing Manuscript of Dr. Jose Delgado’s Radio Controlled Bulls. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5480854/">J Undergrad Neurosci Educ.</a> 2017 Spring; 15(2): R29–R35. </li>
<li>Paul A. Offit (2017) Pandora's Lab: Seven Stories of Science Gone Wrong. National Geographic</li>
</ul>

From tales of historical idiocracy and scientific genius to weird and wacky cultural phenomena, Dr Rod Lamberts and Dr Will Grant are here to take you on a wild conversational journey, deep diving into the crevices of science, history and culture that you never knew existed. 

From tales of historical idiocracy and scientific genius to weird and wacky cultural phenomena, Dr Rod Lamberts and Dr Will Grant are here to take you on a wild conversational journey, deep diving into the crevices of science, history and culture that you never knew existed.

Science stories for people who sit up the back of…

Advertisement