New Atlas

Medical Audio available

Intriguing results from first-ever placebo-controlled LSD microdose human study

Rich Haridy June 17, 2019

A fascinating new study from scientists at the University of Chicago is offering the very first placebo-controlled clinical research testing the mood-altering, physiological and behavioral effects of tiny LSD microdoses.

A new study chronicles the first placebo-controlled investigation into the effects of LSD microdoses on mood, ...

Health & Wellbeing Audio available

Oakland City Council decriminalizes all "natural psychedelics" in landmark resolution

Rich Haridy June 5, 2019

Following last month’s historic ballot initiative in Denver that decriminalized psilocybin magic mushrooms, Oakland City Council has passed a resolution decriminalizing the adult use of all entheogenic plants, including magic mushrooms, cactus and any natural materials used to produce ayahuasca.

An Oakland City Council resolution has effectively decriminalized all natural plant-based psychedelic compounds

Science Feature

Psychedelic Medicine 101: LSD and psilocybin vs alcoholism

Rich Haridy May 19, 2019

A new study is suggesting a great number of individuals are self-treating problematic alcohol consumption with strong doses of LSD or psilocybin. The research rekindles interest in a strong vein of study from the 1950s and 1960s into LSD and alcoholism.

Despite a large volume of positive research in the 1950s and 60s, it is only now ...

Health & Wellbeing

Denver voters pass historic initiative to effectively decriminalize magic mushrooms

Rich Haridy May 8, 2019

After a tense 24 hours of vote counting it seems a Denver city initiative to essentially decriminalize personal use and possession of psilocybin magic mushrooms has been passed. With a margin of less than 2,000 votes Denver becomes the first city in the United States pass such a measure.

A ballot measure to essentially decriminalize psilocybin magic mushrooms in Denver city has passed by less ...

Science Audio available

1,000-year-old drug pouch reveals evidence of complex ancient psychedelic consumption

Rich Haridy May 6, 2019

A thousand-year-old pouch in Bolivia has revealed traces of several psychoactive compounds, indicating not only some of the earliest archeological evidence of ayahuasca use but also other intoxicants. The find suggests significant plant knowledge and a broad ancient plant trading network.

Researchers found psychoactive compounds in an animal-skin pouch constructed of three fox snouts stitched together

Medical Audio available

World-first Centre for Psychedelics Research launched in UK

Rich Haridy April 28, 2019

The world's first formal facility dedicated to the study of psychedelics has been launched at Imperial College London. The Centre for Psychedelics Research is not the only major psychedelic research group in the world, but is the first to be officially integrated into a large academic institution.

The Centre for Psychedelics Research will pursue study into the clinical use of psychedelics to treat ...

Medical Audio available

New ketamine-like drug offers antidepressant benefits without psychedelic side effects

Rich Haridy April 17, 2019

A study led by scientists at Yale University has described the promising early-stage results of a new drug designed to mimic the rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine, but without that drug’s dissociative psychoactive qualities. The experimental drug is currently in early phases of human testing.

A new drug designed to mimic the rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine without the negative side ...

Science Audio available

Provocative new insight into how ketamine exerts its rapid anti-depressant effects

Rich Haridy March 28, 2019

Following the FDA’s approval of a ketamine-inspired nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression, new research is offering provocative insights into how the drug exerts such a rapid anti-depressant effect and points to new pathways for research into alternative drugs to treat depression.

New research presents a new and controversial hypothesis to explain how ketamine generates its rapid anti-depressant ...

Science Audio available

Mice tripping on psychedelics help explain neural origins of hallucinations

Rich Haridy March 26, 2019

A new study is helping clarify what is going on in our brains when we are hallucinating. To do this, researchers from the University of Oregon dosed mice with a powerful psychedelic drug and with unprecedented detail zoomed in on how the animal’s brains subsequently generated visual hallucinations.

The research offers insight into what happens to our brain when we visually hallucinate (Credit: Background: ...

Science Audio available

Short-acting psychedelic offers promising new treatment pathway for depression and anxiety

Rich Haridy March 18, 2019

A survey into the anti-depressant qualities of a short-acting psychedelic has reported positive improvements in well-being. The research suggests the brief duration of action seen in the drug 5-MeO-DMT makes it potentially more useful in clinical applications than longer acting psychedelics.

A new survey revealed 80 percent of DMT users reported improvements in well-being, depression and anxiety ...