Johns Hopkins claims many medical firsts, including the first use of rubber gloves during surgery, the first radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, the first implant of an automatic defibrillator in a patient.

In September, Hopkins launched what the school believes to be another, more unusual first: the first US Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, funded by $17 million from a private foundation and 4 philanthropists, including author and technology investor Tim Ferriss.