In this fireside chat at Edge City Patagonia with Timour Kosters, author Norman Ohler traces how psychoactive substances shaped world history.

From Nazi Germany’s use of methamphetamine to the CIA’s LSD experiments and humanity’s deep evolutionary relationship with psychedelics.

A wide-ranging conversation on power, consciousness, and the future of society.

LINKS

Norman Ohler: https://x.com/normanohler

Timour Kosters: https://x.com/timourxyz

ABOUT EDGE CITY

Edge City convenes people working at the frontiers of tech, science, and society in popup villages across the globe.

Learn more: ⁠https://edgecity.live⁠

Follow us

✨ https://x.com/JoinEdgeCity/

✨ https://www.instagram.com/joinedgecity/

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Introduction

(02:18) From Novelist to Accidental Drug Research

(05:08) The Pervitin Discovery That Changed WWII

(07:50) Blitzkrieg Reconsidered Through Chemistry

(12:51) The Myth of the “Drug-Free” Nazi Regime

(17:15) Fear Suppression, Sleep Deprivation, and Soldiers

(22:37) How Meth Changed the Psychology of War

(26:06) Hitler as Patient Zero

(30:49) Oxycodone, Power, and Political Decisions

(38:01) Why History Ignored the Role of Drugs

(41:18) LSD, Alzheimer’s, and a Personal Turning Point

(49:12) CIA, MK-Ultra, and the Lost Future of Psychedelic Medicine

(57:47) The Global Cost of the War on Drugs

(01:01:59) Ibogaine, the Stoned Ape Theory, and Brain Evolution

(01:18:56) Psychedelic Freedom and the Future of Civilization

Edge City co-founder Timour Kosters presented at the Network State Conference 2025 to share what we’ve built so far and where we’re headed next.

Two years in, here’s what we’ve achieved as a society incubator:

✨ 7 popup villages worldwide

✨ 11,000+ participants

✨ $1M in grants given to frontier builders

✨ 50+ startups and projects supported

We're hosting our next monthlong popup village in Argentine Patagonia from Oct 18 to Nov 15, 2025.

Join us to prototype a brighter future — together with others working at the frontiers of tech, science, art, and society.

• Apply here: https://edgecity.simplefi.tech/portal/edge-patagonia/application

• More info: https://edgecity.live/patagonia

ABOUT EDGE CITY

Edge City convenes people working at the frontiers of tech, science, and society in popup villages across the globe.

Follow us on X: https://x.com/JoinEdgeCity

Learn more: https://edgecity.live

At Edge City Patagonia (Oct 18–Nov 15), residencies form the backbone of the village. Each brings together 5–50 people around a theme. In this roundtable conversation, we hear from residency hosts working on solarpunk futures, onchain tech, consciousness, meditation, biotech, regeneration, d/acc, AI, cypherpunk, and vibecoding.

Learn more: https://www.edgecity.live/patagonia

Apply to join: https://edgecity.simplefi.tech/portal/edge-patagonia/application

ABOUT EDGE CITY

Edge City convenes people working at the frontiers of tech, science, and society in popup villages across the globe.

Follow us on X: https://x.com/JoinEdgeCity

Learn more: https://edgecity.live

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Introduction

(02:50) Agartha House

(07:32) Argentina Onchain Residency

(13:22) Meditation Artifacts Residency

(15:59) Human Tech Residency

(22:56) Vibe Coding Residency

(26:55) Consciousness at the Edge

(30:46) Cross-Pollination Between Residencies

(31:30) Cypherpunk Utopia

(34:24) Regen Haus

(41:30) San Martín de los Andes

(42:13) Health & Bio Residency

(44:39) The Oz City

46:22) Wrapping Up