I knew you were going to say that

In news of the truly creepy ... The Associate Press reports that German scientists have found a way to read minds.

At a laboratory in Germany, volunteers slide into a donut-shaped MRI machine and perform simple tasks, such as deciding whether to add or subtract two numbers, or choosing which of two buttons to press.

They have no inkling that scientists in the next room are trying to read their minds -- using a brain scan to figure out their intention before it is turned into action.

As the article suggests, the technique isn't exactly "Minority Report" come to life -- yet. And the success rate at predicting which button a subject is going to push is only 71%. That's not exactly a clear view inside our souls.

But the story does suggest some spooky possibilities for the future. What happens as the technique is refined and made more reliable? To what extent will our thoughts and intentions be readable be people with the proper equipment?

At the very least, job interviews and police interrogations promise to become a lot more revealing than has traditionally been the case.

And make no mistake about it -- this technology will be developed. The only questions are: Who will use it? And to what use will it be put?

Oh yeah: And will tinfoil hats really prevent our minds from being read?