Can psychedelics really induce mystical-type experiences if used in the right circumstances? Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe In this short clip from his talk on psychedelics and the mind, Michael Pollan gives an example of how psychedelic drug therapy can result in profound experiences. Watch the full talk: https://youtu.be/LcAj1oxMT9U Michael Pollan is a bestselling author of books on human nature and nutrition, famously the 'Omnvivore's Dilemma'. In mid-life, he turned his attention to one of the most intriguing stories of the 20th century; the scientific promise and cultural burial of psychedelic research and its renaissance today in the public conversation around mental health, palliative care, addictive behaviours and a loss of personal meaning and connection in modern societies. The Ri is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheRoyalInstitution and Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter