“It is only a question of molecules!”

Technology, perception, and control in the configuration of environments.

Abstract

In the current context of climate change and the proliferation of technologies that modify the environment, concerns have arisen about the biological and psychological effects of electromagnetic radiation and other environmental interventions. Although scientific evidence remains inconclusive, the notion of “electromagnetic pollution” reflects the fear of physiological, psychological, and genetic manipulation. This article examines the historical and conceptual evolution of environmental manipulation, from 19th-century literary fictions—such as Jules Verne’s Una fantasía del doctor Ox or Villiers de l'Isle-Adam's La máquina de gloria —which anticipated behavioral alterations induced by external factors, to contemporary architectural and urban interventions. Cases such as the use of ozone at Radio City Music Hall, Hans Hollein’s portable atmospheres, Martí Guixé’s inhaled food, or Philippe Rahm’s placebo painting demonstrate how space is being redefined as a chemical and sensorial environment capable of influencing behavior and well-being. This trajectory poses a constant tension between individual autonomy and external determination. The conclusion is that contemporary architecture, beyond its materiality, must be understood as a system of immersive stimuli that operate at the limits of perception, with ethical implications for its use in social control or emancipation.