LSD & Telepathic Abilities

MKUltra's investigation into hallucinogens and their potential effects on psychic phenomena, extrasensory perception, and mind-to-mind communication.

Theoretical Basis

Hypothesis that psychedelics could access altered consciousness states conducive to psychic phenomena.

Theory that LSD could remove normal sensory filters, potentially allowing extrasensory perception.

Belief that expanded consciousness could access universal mind or collective unconscious.

Fears that Soviets might be ahead in parapsychology research drove US interest.

Testing whether LSD could improve mind-to-mind communication between subjects.

Attempts to access future events or information through altered states.

Early experiments in perceiving distant locations or objects while under influence.

Testing if altered states could influence physical objects or events mentally.

Joint experiments with SRI's parapsychology division testing LSD's effects on ESP card guessing and remote viewing accuracy.

Controlled experiments where one subject received LSD while another attempted to receive transmitted thoughts or images.

Tests combining LSD with isolation tanks to remove external sensory input and focus on internal perception.

Research into whether LSD could enhance hypnotic suggestibility and telepathic receptivity.

Difficulty designing controlled experiments for subjective psychic experiences and controlling for expectation effects.

Lack of reliable metrics for quantifying psychic abilities or distinguishing them from imagination.

Inability to consistently reproduce positive results across different researchers and settings.

Absence of scientific mechanism explaining how psychic phenomena could operate physically.