Secret History of the Future

The Body Electric

Ever since the Romans put electrogenic fish on their heads to cure migraines, we’ve wondered what electric shocks can do to our brains.

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We’ve used electricity to treat our brains for thousands of years, from placing electric fish on our heads to cure migraines to using electroconvulsive therapy to alleviate depression. But over time, our focus has shifted from restoring health to augmenting our abilities. Should we be wearing battery-powered caps to improve our concentration or implanting electricity-emitting devices to expand our thinking capacity? Guests include Bryan Johnson, CEO of Kernel.

Email: secrethistory@slate.com

Podcast production by Bart Warshaw and Kate Holland.