Headphones That Get You High

Headphones that stimulate the release of dopamine in your brain and reportedly make you feel high as hell have been invested by Florida based tech company, Nervana.

The headphones pump music into your ears as normal, but at the same time,  an integrated device will deliver a low power electrical signal through your ear canal to stimulate the Vagus nerve- a nerve that runs from the brainstem to the abdomen and plays a role in the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain's reward and pleasure centers.



"I felt the electricity go into my arm, and everything was tingling there, but the best moment for me was afterwards when I finished and stood up," journalist Amanda Gutterman who writes for Futurism.

"I felt like I reached a personal high point. I couldn't stop smiling or laughing.  I was like, 'Oh wow'. For about 5 minutes, my happiness level was a 10 out of 10. Then it got foggier, but I was still unusually happy for about an hour."

According to Nervana, the headphones don't just deliver these electrical signals indiscriminately- the technology analyzes the audio signal coming out of your music player and then syncs up the signals to the beats.

Or, if you select ambient mode, the signals will sync up with the sounds in your environment which means you can go to a convert and sit up in the nosebleeds and get high to the music- legally.

Now, it must be said that the claims surrounding these headphones have not been peer reviewed and the company has not published any background research that went into its development. So as to whether or not these things truly deliver on what they promise, I can't be sure. But if the technology is legit, it sounds like a pretty good way to while away a Sunday afternoon.

The headphones will set you back about $299. If you're interested in using them while on the go you better be prepared to cart around a chunky generator- it would basically be like carrying one iPhone for your music, and another one for your electrical signals.

[ScienceAlert]