The Procedure and Brain Chip From 'Severance' Might Not Be Far From Reality

The Apple TV Plus series Severance just aired its explosive second season finale, and it blew my mind -- no pun intended. This season was filled with answers to some riddles, and more questions about what the cult-like company Lumon is doing. We were treated to gorgeous shots of wintry landscapes reminiscent of Ragnarok, a bleak and artificial goat farm and an animatronic wax sculpture that can't take a joke. Beneath the fantastical visuals and dry humor, at its core, Severance is about identity. It asks whether we are better or worse for removing certain parts of our own consciousness, and it explores that idea through a brain-splitting procedure and chip. And while a consciousness-dividing chip sounds like the type of science fiction that borders on fantasy, the science in the show is rooted in reality. I spoke with Dr. Vijay Agarwal, the medical consultant for the show, and the chief of the skull base and minimally invasive neurosurgery division at Montefiore Medical Center. He s ... Read full article.