The potential merging of mind and machine thrills, frightens, and intrigues us. For decades, experiments at the border between brains and electronics have led to sensationalistic media coverage, vivid science fiction portrayals, and dreams of cyborgs and bionic men. But recently, this area of science has seen remarkable advances—from robotic limbs controlled directly by brain activity, to brain implants that alter the mood of the depressed, to rats steered by remote control. Adam Keiper explores the peculiar history and present directions of this research, and considers the challenges of staying human in the age of neuroelectronics.
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Two leading commentators on space policy discussed President Bush's new vision for NASA at EPPC in February 2004. Sparks flew as Robert Zubrin, a leading advocate of manned space exploration, and Robert Park, a leading critic, debated face to face for the first time.
