Much of the debate around neuroethics is a subset of a larger debate about human enhancement (essentially, efforts to make our bodies, not just healthy, but better than well--more fit, more durable, more aware, etc.).
(photos from Wired)
An article in Wired magazine describes people who have implanted a magnet under the skin of their ring fingers in order to develop what is described as a "sixth sense" ability to detect magnetic materials and electromagnetic radiation:
Todd Huffman, a graduate student at Arizona State University with a background in neuroscience, joined the project and brainstormed with Jarrell and Haworth about how, and where, to best implant a powerful magnet. He helped come up with the most effective design for an implant, and eventually became the first recipient. "The fingertip was chosen because of the high nerve density, and because the hands are constantly interacting with the environment, increasing the chances of sensing electromagnetism in the world," Huffman says.
. . . .
According to Huffman, the magnet works by moving very slightly, or with a noticeable oscillation, in response to EM fields. This stimulates the somatosensory receptors in the fingertip, the same nerves that are responsible for perceiving pressure, temperature and pain. Huffman and other recipients found they could locate electric stovetops and motors, and pick out live electrical cables. Appliance cords in the United States give off a 60-Hz field, a sensation with which Huffman has become intimately familiar. "It is a light, rapid buzz," he says.
By way of "don't try this at home," the article also describes lots of the dangers of doing such a thing. (Hat tip: Boing Boing).
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