2007
The story of Psynautics begins in Indiana
As a high school student in 2007, the founder of Psynautics is introduced to Alan Watts via Watts’ article Psychedelics and Religious Experience, which provides a detailed and independent account of the “dominant characteristics” of “psychedelic awareness,” validating personal experiences with cannabis. In the following weeks, an introduction to cognitive neuroscience via an article by Steven Pinker describes the field as “the new science of consciousness.”
2008
The High Writing Club: Cannabis study with an N > 1
On Wednesday nights during the Fall Semester at Indiana University, an off-campus club develops study procedures and inclusion criteria to document experiences during cannabis-induced altered states of consciousness. The need for an online database to house study findings becomes apparent.
2009
An online laboratory, database for “high writing”
A predecessor to Psynautics is developed, which allows for the categorization and organization of text entries and photos that document accounts of altered states. The project is abandoned due to the inherent limitation of expectancy effects and bias introduced by uploaded data (and the website name itself) that would corrupt claims of independent observation in new data entries.
2020
The right time to redevelop an online laboratory
Following a PhD in neuroscience in 2019, Dr. Murray’s lab shut down due to COVID-19. Psynautics became the new face of a virtual laboratory and database for mind and brain.