1965: Recording of the dolphin Peter after being given LSD

Author: John C. Lilly

Date: March 2, 1966

Source: Lilly Papers, Stanford University Special Collections

This reel-to-reel audio recording captures the sounds of Peter the dolphin, a subject in John C. Lilly's research on animal communication and consciousness, after being administered the psychedelic drug LSD. Lilly himself is also audible on the tape. A physiologist and medical doctor, John C. Lilly is well known for his controversial work with dolphins and interspecies communication, as well as his research on the brain and consciousness involving sensory deprivation and the use of ketamine and LSD.

The recording was made on April 19, 1965 at Lilly's Communications Research Institute facility in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Lilly's experiments with dolphins and psychedelics at the CRI were part of his broader interest in exploring the nature of consciousness and the potential for communication between humans and other species. While his work was often criticized for its ethical implications and lack of scientific rigor, it remains a fascinating and deeply strange chapter in the history of psychedelic science and the study of human-animal relations.

Digital version reformatted by Stanford University Libraries in 2014. Original format: 1 1/4 inch analog audio tape reel, recorded at 3.75 ips, half track, stereo, with NAB standard equalization.

Subjects: Animal experimentation, John c. lilly, communications research institute