Weirdest Scientific Experiments That Will Keep You Awake at Night

Have you ever wondered how far scientists are willing to go in the name of research?

Some weird scientific experiments are so bizarre and unsettling that they will make you question the ethical boundaries of science.

Science has always been about pushing the limits of knowledge and exploring the unknown. However, some experiments have strayed into the realm of the bizarre, leaving us with a sense of unease and curiosity. But, what are some of the weirdest scientific experiments ever?

Ten Crazy and Weird Scientific Experiments Throughout History

These are some unusual and weird scientific experiments that have been tested on humans throughout history:

1. Milgram Shock

Milgram’s experiments involved American participants recruited for a Yale study ostensibly about memory and learning.

The “teachers” were instructed to administer increasing electric shocks to “learners” (who were actually actors) whenever they made mistakes on word-matching quizzes.

Shock levels ranged from 15 to 450 volts, and despite protests from the learners, about two-thirds of the teachers continued to deliver shocks up to the highest voltage, following instructions from the experimenter.

Venkman’s portrayal in the film conducting ESP and electro-shock experiments on college students echoes the controversial nature and ethical implications of Milgram’s experiments.

2. Unit 731

The Geneva Protocol of 1925 prohibited the use of biological warfare, but Japan refused to comply, believing in its effectiveness due to the ban.

In Japanese-controlled Manchuria, a secret unit known as Unit 731, officially named the Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Unit, conducted experiments from the mid-1930s onward. Military physicians and officers deliberately exposed human subjects to diseases like anthrax, bubonic plague, cholera, syphilis, typhus, and others.

This research aimed to understand the effects of these pathogens on the human body and develop methods for their use in bombs and wartime attacks during World War II.

Unit 731, a covert Japanese facility in Manchuria during World War II, conducted horrific experiments on human subjects including dissections and vivisections without anesthesia to study the effects of diseases. Victims included Chinese civilians, prisoners of war, Russians, Americans, and others. It’s estimated that around 100,000 people were subjected to these atrocities within the facility.

3. Acid for Elephants

In 1962, Warren Thomas conducted a controversial experiment at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Oklahoma City by injecting an elephant named Truko with 297 milligrams of LSD, an amount 3,000 times higher than a typical human dose.

The study aimed to observe if LSD could induce temporary madness in elephants known as ‘musth,’ causing aggressive behavior in males. Truko tragically died an hour after the injection, resulting in widespread criticism of the experiment.

4. Frankenstein’s Monster

Johann Conrad Dippel, born in 1673 at Castle Frankenstein, was a scientist known for his studies in anatomy and alchemy.

Additionally, rumors suggest he conducted macabre experiments. This included attempting to transfer souls between corpses using unconventional methods like funnels and hoses. His controversial scientific activities, such as grave robbing, led to his expulsion from his town. It’s speculated that Dippel’s reputation and rumored experiments may have inspired Mary Shelley’s novel.

5. World Destruction

Thomas Midgley Jr., a mechanical engineer and chemist, invented leaded gasoline and several other controversial products. To demonstrate its safety, he washed his hands in the gasoline mixture and breathed its fumes for 60 seconds, despite reports of employees falling ill from exposure.

Leaded gasoline was phased out in the United States in 1996 after prolonged industry pressure, with other countries following gradually. Algeria was the last nation to eliminate it, doing so in 2021. Lead additives are still used in aviation fuel. A 2022 study indicated that half of the current US population had been exposed to harmful levels of lead during early childhood. The global impact on public health remains challenging to fully assess.

6. 1993 Monster Study

In 1939, Mary Tudor and Wendell Johnson conducted an experiment at the University of Iowa to explore the theory that stuttering could be learned through negative reinforcement.

They studied 22 orphaned children over four months, falsely telling them they were receiving speech therapy while actually subjecting them to an experiment on stuttering. The children were divided into four groups: stutterers receiving negative or positive feedback, and non-stutterers criticized or praised for their speech.

The experiment showed that non-stutterers criticized for their speech began exhibiting behaviors associated with stuttering, despite not developing an actual stutter.

Stutterers, however, did not stop stuttering regardless of the feedback they received, challenging the theory of learned stuttering through negative reinforcement.

7. Standford Prison

Philip Zimbardo conducted a mock prison experiment at Stanford University to explore whether violence in prisons stems from the inherent nature of inmates or the influence of the prison environment.

Young men with no criminal backgrounds were recruited, half as guards and half as prisoners. Moreover, social conditions quickly deteriorated, leading to a prisoner revolt on the first night.

Guards resorted to harsh disciplinary tactics, causing emotional distress among the prisoners. Even Zimbardo, affected by the situation, became paranoid and called the police amid fears of an attack by the prisoners.

The experiment, intended to last two weeks, was halted after six days due to the drastic psychological changes observed in both guards and prisoners.

8. Mind Controlling Animals

In 1963, Jose Delgado created the “stimoceiver,” a computer chip controlled by a remote unit that could electrically stimulate specific areas of an animal’s brain.

Additionally, implanted in the skull, the chip could induce various effects including limb movements, emotional responses, and appetite changes. It famously halted a charging bull in its tracks, showcasing its potential to control behavior through brain stimulation.

9. Human Robot

Kevin Warwick, a British scientist and engineer at Coventry University, is renowned for his work in robotics. He led pioneering research in cyborg technology, becoming the first known “cyborg” by implanting electrodes and chips into his own body.

Additionally, this allowed him to directly connect with the university internet and remotely control a robotic arm.

10. Malaria Study

Beginning in 1944, over 400 prisoners at Stateville Penitentiary in Illinois participated in a two-year experiment to test anti-malarial drugs.

They were intentionally infected with malaria and then treated with experimental medications. The experiment was conducted openly without a hidden agenda, reflecting the wartime urgency and public support for finding effective treatments. Participants were aware of the experiment’s purpose and were praised for their patriotism, sometimes receiving reduced prison sentences in exchange for their participation.

What do you think of these weird scientific experiments?

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