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The Brain Goes To War

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in talk asserting that developments in neuroscience may be applied to the battlefield. Whilst claims of mind-controlled weapons and extra-sensory enhanced warfare might initially be dismissed as nonsense or science fiction, bear in Mind that the Royal Society released in 2012 a report entitled Neuroscience, Conflict and Security, which brought together international experts to discuss new developments. This was the first time the Ministry of Defence's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory had worked with academia in neuroscience. This lecture will investigate applications of areas such as neuropharmacology, functional neuroimaging and neural interface systems to the military. It will also assess the validity of claims that we might one day create a new breed of super soldier whilst employing findings from neuroscience to reduce enemy ability.

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