Sign language

BBC Four

BBC 4

BBC Two

BBC Two is a TV channel that started broadcasting on the 20th April 1964.

BBC Two Scotland

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

BBC Two England

England

BBC Four HD

The Brain: A Secret History

Michael Mosley

Jonathan Renouf

Kate Townsend

Alicky Sussman

The Brain: A Secret History: Episode 1: Mind Control

Documentaries

Factual: Science & Nature

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

Mind Control

Episode 1

Episode 1: Mind Control

BBC Four - The Brain: A Secret History, Mind Control

Michael Mosley traces the sinister ways science has been used to try to control our minds.

Michael Mosley traces the sinister ways science has been used to try to control our minds, finding that its pursuit has led to some truly horrific experiments.

In a compelling and at times disturbing series, Dr Michael Mosley explores the brutal history of experimental psychology. 

To begin, Michael traces the sinister ways this science has been used to try to control our minds. He finds that the pursuit of mind control has led to some truly horrific experiments and left many casualties in its wake. Extraordinary archive material captures what happened - scientists systematically change the behaviour of children, law-abiding citizens give fatal electric shocks and a gay man has electrodes implanted in his head in an attempt to turn his sexuality.

Michael takes a hallucinogenic drug as part of a controlled experiment to try to understand how its mind-bending properties can change the brain.

This is a scientific journey which goes to the very heart of what we hold most dear - our free will, and our ability to control our own destiny.

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

BBC Four logo

Series in which Michael Mosley examines science's last great frontier - the human mind.

Michael Mosley embarks on three journeys to understand science's last great frontier - the human mind - as he traces the history of the attempts to understand and manipulate the brain.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Brain: A Secret History

Episode 1: Mind Control

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Series

BBC Four

About BBC Four