Dr. Ecstasy
Today’s New York TImes Magazine has a big article about Dr. Alexander Shulgin, who invented more than 100 hallucinogens and was, in all likelihood, the first person to try Ecstasy (MDMA) in humans. Shulgin is a really good guy, he’s previously been a consultant for the DEA, and he’s got a wicked-cool lab in California that I’ve visited on multiple occasions. Even if you’re not interested by psychedelic drugs, you should read this article — because Ecstasy is increasingly being put into trials as a possible cure for PTSD and other psychological disorders.
Keep Reading
Most Popular

The big new idea for making self-driving cars that can go anywhere
The mainstream approach to driverless cars is slow and difficult. These startups think going all-in on AI will get there faster.

Inside Charm Industrial’s big bet on corn stalks for carbon removal
The startup used plant matter and bio-oil to sequester thousands of tons of carbon. The question now is how reliable, scalable, and economical this approach will prove.

The hype around DeepMind’s new AI model misses what’s actually cool about it
Some worry that the chatter about these tools is doing the whole field a disservice.

The dark secret behind those cute AI-generated animal images
Google Brain has revealed its own image-making AI, called Imagen. But don't expect to see anything that isn't wholesome.
Stay connected

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.