ProjectMK-Ultra was a covert CIA program launched during the Cold War to develop
mind-control techniques that could be used for espionage, interrogation, and
psychological warfare. Between 1953 and 1973, the program tested methods such
as LSD experimentation, hypnosis, sensory deprivation, and sleep
manipulation—often on unwitting participants. These unethical experiments
caused severe psychological harm and even deaths, leading to widespread outrage
when the program was exposed in the 1970s. Today, MK-Ultra serves as a chilling
reminder of how far governments can go under the guise of national security.
The program also fuels conspiracy theories and debates about ethics in
intelligence work.
