Hearing every color, feeling every earthquake: Life as a cyborg

By Jessica Severin de Martinez,

Khaleel Rahman, Meg Dalton, Megan Fitzgerald, Catie Talarski, Chion Wolf

Published September 13, 2023 at 10:49 PM EDT

A photo of Neil Harbisson, who has an antenna implanted into the back of his skull that translates color into sound.

1 of 5 — For almost 20 years, Neil Harbisson has had an antenna implanted into the back of his skull that translates color into sound.

For almost 20 years, Neil Harbisson has had an antenna implanted into the back of his skull that translates color into sound.

Kathy Anne Lim

2 of 5 — For almost 20 years, Neil Harbisson has had an antenna implanted into the back of his skull that translates color into sound.

For almost 20 years, Neil Harbisson has had an antenna implanted into the back of his skull that translates color into sound.

Hector Adalid

3 of 5 — Moon Ribas is a choreographer who, for seven years, had implants in her feet that vibrated every time there was an earthquake of 1.0 on the Richter scale.

Moon Ribas is a choreographer who, for seven years, had implants in her feet that vibrated every time there was an earthquake of 1.0 on the Richter scale.

Michael Sharkey

4 of 5 — Moon Ribas is a choreographer who, for seven years, had implants in her feet that vibrated every time there was an earthquake of 1.0 on the Richter scale.

Moon Ribas is a choreographer who, for seven years, had implants in her feet that vibrated every time there was an earthquake of 1.0 on the Richter scale.

Michael Sharkey

5 of 5 — Moon Ribas and Neil Harbisson are co-founders of the Transpecies Society and the Cyborg Foundation.

Moon Ribas and Neil Harbisson are co-founders of the Transpecies Society and the Cyborg Foundation.

Kathy Anne Lim

In the movies, cyborgs often don't have a soul or a conscience.

But in real life, some people become cyborgs in order to enhance the human experience and to be more connected with nature.

Like Neil Harbisson. He was born colorblind, but now, thanks to an antenna implanted into the base of his skull, he can hear colors!

And choreographer, Moon Ribas, had implants embedded in her feet that vibrated every time there was an earthquake of at least 1.0 on the Richter scale.

They are co-founders of the Transpecies Society and the Cyborg Foundation.

GUESTS:

Neil Harbisson: For almost 20 years, has had an antenna implanted into the back of his skull that translates color into sound
Moon Ribas: A choreographer who, for seven years, had implants in her feet that vibrated every time there was an earthquake of 1.0 on the Richter scale

Jessica Severin de Martinez, Khaleel Rahman, Meg Fitzgerald, Meg Dalton, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.

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