Elon Musk is a well-known entrepreneur and investor, reportedly ranking as the second wealthiest individual globally after Bernard Arnault & Family. At the same time, Musk has been involved in a range of controversies as well. To add to the list, it now appears as though doctors are demanding full transparency after getting scared by Musk’s brain chip tech Neuralink.
Over the years, Elon Musk’s views and opinions on various situations and topics have made him a polarizing figure. The public has criticized him for his strong opinions and some of his actions. Still, considering his public appearance, It is evident that Musk does not have any plans to change.
Doctors Want Answers After They Got Scared Of Elon Musk’s Neuralink Tech
According to QZ, Neuralink, Elon Musk’s side project, initiated long-term trials for brain-computer interface implants in human subjects last month, marking the third company to undertake such trials. Limited information is available about the trial’s first volunteer.
Musk has stated that the individual “seems to have made a full recovery, with no ill effects that we are aware of,” and added that the volunteer “is able to move a mouse around the screen by just thinking.” However, given Musk’s tendency to provide information without concrete proof, concerns have been raised in the field. Sameer Sheth, a neurosurgeon specializing in implanted neurotechnology at Baylor College of Medicine, expressed concerns, stating:
‘‘[Neuralink is] only sharing the bits that they want us to know about. There’s a lot of concern in the community about that.”
In addition to Neuralink’s ambitious objectives of restoring mobility or communication for paralyzed patients, Elon Musk highlighted the potential by stating, “Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer.”
The company has also created a surgical robot designed to play a crucial role in the brain chip implantation process. Although the robot has been demonstrated performing surgery on a dummy and securing an implant into a segment of agar, Neuralink has not confirmed whether it is currently being utilized on human or animal subjects.
Given the challenges Neuralink faced during its initial testing with animal subjects, notably the reported deaths of a dozen macaque monkeys between 2018 and 2020, there is a hope that the company has strengthened its safety procedures in the four years leading up to human testing. Elon Musk asserted on Twitter that no monkeys died due to a Neuralink implant, but the Securities and Exchange Commission alleges that he knowingly made a false statement in this regard.
As of now, Neuralink has not significantly advanced beyond existing capabilities in the field. Brain-Computer Interface implants have demonstrated the ability to move a cursor on a screen with human subjects since 2004, and even earlier with non-human primate subjects. Without more transparency from the company regarding its process and the specific functions it can control, it remains uncertain whether Neuralink will successfully achieve its stated goals.
Elon Musk Had His Own Fair Share Of CO2 Emission Controversies
According to an analysis from the Institute for Policy Studies and the Patriotic Millionaires, Elon Musk topped the list of private jet users among billionaires, leaving nearly 2,000 tonnes of carbon emissions in his wake.
The report, titled High Flyers 2023: How Ultra-Rich Private Jet Travel Costs the Rest of Us and Burns Up the Planet, reveals that Musk holds the title of the most active private jet user in the U.S. The report estimates that his travels consumed 837,934 liters of jet fuel and produced 2,112 tonnes of CO2 emissions in the previous year, which is 132 times that of the average American.
In response, the report recommends imposing a jet fuel tax on wealthy private jet owners, highlighting that private jets emit at least 10 times more pollutants per passenger than commercial planes. The report mentions that if the recommended transfer fee and jet fuel tax were implemented, Elon Musk would pay an additional $3.94 million in taxes.
