Press Play with Madeleine Brand
How much pain can the human brain handle?
How does the human brain respond to pain? Journalist Nicola Twilley offered to be a test subject for Irene Tracey, who calls her Oxford lab the “torture chamber.”
By Madeleine Brand • • 48m ListenHow does the human brain respond to pain? Journalist Nicola Twilley offered to be a test subject for Irene Tracey, who calls her Oxford lab the “torture chamber.” Researchers stuck needles in Twiley’s calf, burned the back of her hand with a laser, and applied a cream to her shin, which contained capsaicin, the chemical responsible for the burning sensation in chili peppers.
Human brain illustrated with millions of small nerves courtesy of ra2 studio.
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