Dreamgineering

These last several months, my mental health has greatly improved by restricting my reading to select curated sources. One of those is Scientific American, and in particular, its Today in Science daily newsletter.

One article recently caught my attention because it discussed "engineering" dreams. The article is titled "The New Science of Controlling Lucid Dreams." 

I respectively suggest this alternate title: Dreamgineering ;).

It's so amazing that scientists are learning how to engineer sleepers' dreams to reduce nightmares, treat insomnia, and even just for fun.

In college some years ago, a friend living in a different state and I tried to induce lucid dreams, specifically so we could attempt to meet up the world of sleep. I'm sad to report that nothing ever came of those experiments, but our attempts have obviously stuck with me.

[Photo by Javardh on Unsplash]

Of course, I wonder how much such "dreamgineering" science might have been involved, historically and as an in-world basis for my current Patreon novel, Dreamrider in the Nightland. The novel is a near-future sci-fi-ish story, if you aren't aware. Though it's not hard science fiction, especially as revealed by the Dreamrider's patron in this last scene of chapter 10.