“Hold an electromagnet close to your skull and you can enhance or suppress the activity of neurons just beneath it, thanks to a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). In this video, our brave editor Roger Highfield was zapped by Vincent Walsh from the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL to show how it can turn off speech. The process was tricky to film as the magnetic fields also interfered with the camera, adding a psychedelic touch to the video. Walsh and his team are looking at how the technique can be used to treat migraine and stroke.”

Check out the video here at New Scientist TV.