A recent study shows that non-lethal and lethal brain weapons that can target or alter human consciousness are quickly moving from the realm of science fiction to reality.
First of all, Michael Crowley and Malcolm Dando of the University of Bradford are about to publish a book that they think will set the alarm for the world.
They argued that the human mind is an emerging domain of warfare, and that urgent global action is needed to prevent neurotechnology from being used in the military arena.
The book published by the Royal Society of Chemistryhighlights how advances in neuroscience pharmacology and artificial intelligence are merging to create a new threat.
In this regard, Crowley said: “We are entering an era in which the brain itself could become a butterfly, and the tools to manipulate the central nervous system – to calm or even coerce confusion – are becoming increasingly precise, accessible and attractive to states.”
The research further suggests that the ingenuity to create far more advanced and targeted weapons would once have been incredible.
However, the same neurological knowledge is used to manage disorders that can be weaponized to impair mental functioning or even, in the future, turn people into uninformed accomplices.
The book describes a variety of crucial steps that can be taken, including the creation of a working group and other proposals regarding training and definitions.
It has been observed that both men believe that the knowledge we learn about the brain is vital to humanity.
Nevertheless, the study is a wake-up call and concludes that brain weapons are no longer a future threat, but an existing capability that requires global policy interventions.
Furthermore, we must protect the integrity of science and manage the inherent risks of mind-altering warfare.
