Can mind-reading prevent terrorist attacks?

A new brain-wave monitoring technique could help U.S. authorities unlock the secret plans of suspected terrorists

Researchers presented subjects with mock terrorism scenarios before measuring their brain waves.
(Image credit: Corbis)

Mind-reading may soon become a useful anti-terrorism tool. A team of researchers at Northwestern University have accurately predicted the plots of "mock terrorist plans" by reading the brain waves of volunteer would-be terrorist "suspects." Theoretically, the technique could help authorities uncover terrorist attacks before they take innocent lives, but just how viable is this Minority Report-like approach? (Watch a scene from Minority Report.) Here, a guide:

How was the study conducted?

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