Scientists use nanoparticles to remote control brains of mice

They were able to control their appetite, friendliness, and even maternal behaviors

Scientists at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in South Korea have developed a new way to control the minds of mice by manipulating nanoparticle-activated “switches” inside their brains with an external magnetic field.

The system, dubbed Nano-MIND (Magnetogenetic Interface for NeuroDynamics), works by controlling targeted regions of the brain by activating neural circuits.

While it’s not the first “mind control” experiment involving animals, previous approaches have conventionally relied on invasive surgery and bulky external systems that limit the movement of test subjects, as Science Alert points out.

“This is the world’s first technology to freely control specific brain regions using magnetic fields,” said Jinwoo Cheon, director of the IBS Center for Nanomedicine, and senior author of a new paper published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, in a statement about the research.

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