🧠 Neurolink patient plays chess, Nuclear space engine, 'Car copter'

Plus: Mars declared unsafe for humans to live on                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 March 21, 2024 | [Read Online]( Just roughly a year after receiving approval for human trials, Elon Musk’s Neuralink has achieved another remarkable milestone. In a recent demonstration, a patient implanted with Neuralink’s brain-computer interface (BCI) technology was able to control a computer and play video games using only their thoughts. Elon Musk shared the news on X, describing the first human to receive Neurolink as ‘recovering well.’ For more on this story, head over to today's [Must Read.]( 👀 Receive our top 5 videos of the week when you sign up to IE Originals! Don’t miss out on highly informative shorts featuring all things engineering, tech, military (and more), delivered every Friday when you[Â]([subscribe now.]( 🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on [jobs.interestingengineering.com](: >[Â]([Cyber Security Engineer]( > [C++ and Rust Staff /Senior Software Engineer]( 🎙 New podcast [The satellites of NASA's GPM for rain-triggered hazards]( Reading Time: 4 mins Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? [Subscribe here.]( MUST READ 🧠 Watch: Musk shares Neuralink’s “telepathy” breakthrough in human trials Musk recently re-shared a livestream video showcasing telepathy in action. During the livestream, [Noland Arbaugh, the 29-year-old paralyzed patient]( involved in the trials, navigates an electronic chess game played on a large screen. He did this using only the power of his mind. The video starts with a [Neuralink engineer]( introducing himself and Arbaugh as one of the first human users of the brain-computer interface device. The engineer funnily introduces Arbaugh as his only telekinetic friend. Arbaugh, who became paraplegic after a diving accident, describes the technology as transformative. Neuralink’s mission is to provide groundbreaking solutions for those with unmet medical needs – a goal that now appears [closer than ever.]( 🚀 China tests nuclear-powered ‘shrinkable’ engine for Mars spaceship Chinese scientists have allegedly developed a new 1.5-megawatt (MW) [“shrinkable” fission reactor](. They claim the new reactor could enable China to build a nuclear-powered spaceship, potentially for a trip to Mars and back. The new lithium-cooled reactor is designed to expand from a container-sized volume into a structure as large as [a 20-story building]( to power a spaceship. What’s more, this could help China build a rival to SpaceX’s much-vaunted Starship. According to the researchers, a nuclear-powered spacecraft could complete a round trip from Earth to Mars in just three months. In contrast, spacecraft relying on fossil fuels, such as SpaceX’s Starship, could take at least [seven months to reach Mars.]( 🚁 Indian man builds ‘car copter,’ attached helicopter rotor blade to car roof A man from the state of Uttar Pradesh in India acted on a decision to customize his family car–the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R to look like a helicopter. He called it a [“car copter.”]( Acting on a dream of having a car resembling the concept of a helicopter, the man– Ishwar Deen– [welded a helicopter’s rotor blade]( onto the car’s roof, then attached the tail boom to the boot of the vehicle. Unfortunately, the police seized the ‘car copter’ during a traffic stop when the maker was taking his creation to a workshop to get it painted. Deen was fined Rs 2,000 (US$ 24.07) under the charge of [violating motor rules]([,](launching an investigation into the situation. IE+ Love what you're reading? Join our vibrant online community, explore fascinating scientific breakthroughs, get special discounts and stay in the know with our exclusive weekly premium newsletter. Upgrade to IE+ for quality reporting beyond the headlines – plus, enjoy an Ad-Free experience. Try IE+ today for just $1 in the first month. [Subscribe here]( HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY SCIENCE > Paleontologists have unearthed a giant ancient dolphin in Peru’s Amazon area. They claim it lived 16 million years ago and reached 10 and 11.5 feet (3 and 3.5 meters) long. ([More]() > Scientists have long considered Jupiter’s moon Europa as one of the leading candidates for discovering microbial alien life. Now, a team has estimated the thickness of Europa’s icy crust using state-of-the-art simulations. ([More]() > Astronomers have high hopes to get humans to Mars, but since the planet has been declared unsafe for us to live on, we'll have to settle for a quick visit. ([More]() ENERGY > A company in India is turning large swathes of barren land in the western state of Gujrat into the world’s largest clean energy plant. When ready in five years, the plant will be five times the size of Paris. ([More]() > The United Nations undertook a study to pinpoint the volume of electronic waste generated worldwide. According to their reports, it’s rising 5 times faster than reported. ([More]() > TerraPower, a company founded by Bill Gates, says it plans to start building the first of a new generation of nuclear power plants in the U.S. in June, joining a race with Russian and Chinese rivals. ([More]() INNOVATION > Researchers create a huge quantum vortex in superfluid helium, dubbed ‘Quantum Tornado’ to understand black holes. The custom cryogenic system can hold many liters of superfluid helium at temperatures below -271 °C. ([More]() > Scientists at Georgia Tech have finally engineered a robotic exoskeleton device that doesn’t require any training, calibration, or adjustments to work. ([More]() > Devin claims to be the world's first fully autonomous AI software engineer. Now, The Economic Times discusses whether the tool is devin(e) or devil for software engineers. ([More]() VIDEO > Here, IE looks at Apptronik's Apollo humanoid robots, which were recently trialed by Mercedes-Benz. They appear to be transforming manufacturing with their ability to automate physically challenging tasks alongside humans. ([More]() > South Korean scientists claim to have created a room-temperature superconductor. In this video, explore how this could revolutionize everything from computing to transport. ([More]() > In this video, see how a waitress' offhand suggestion became the identity of one of Elon Musk’s most influential tech companies in the 21st century. ([More]() IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS Hey there! Yesterday, we threw out a brain teaser on our socials: “Which letter will be hit? The answer is: B Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on [Instagram]( and [Facebook!]( FROM THE WEB > UK start-up to beam 4K video from [space station]( > Elon Musk teases more advanced version of world’s most powerful [rocket]( > Technician's simple error during maintenance of satellite ended up costing $135,000,000 in [damages]( > “Once-in-a-million-years” – scientists discover strange fossils of duckbill dinosaurs in [Morocco]( > Underwater rocks to be mapped for CO2 [storage]( > Collaborative effort explores moving power lines from overhead to [underground]( Need help with advertising? Reach 150,000 engineering and tech professionals. [Contact us](mailto:sales@interestingengineering.com?subject=Newsletter+Sponsorship) Additional Reads --------------------------------------------------------------- [⚙️ Mechanical:](Explore the wonders of mechanical engineering. [🔷 Vital Component:]( All the week’s top engineering stories. [🛩️ Aerospace:]( The latest on propulsion, satellites, aeronautics, and more. [🧑🏻‍🔧 Engineer Pros:]( The latest in engineering news, career updates, and insider knowledge. [🧠AI Logs:]( Insights into the intricacies and developments within the realm of artificial intelligence. [🎬 IE Originals:](Weekly round-up of our best science, tech & engineering videos. [🟩 Sustainability:]( Uncover green innovations and the latest trends shaping a sustainable future for the tech industry. [⚡Electrical:]( From AI to smart grids, our newsletter energizes you on emerging tech. --------------------------------------------------------------- Want to share your feedback? [contact@interestingengineering.com](mailto:contact@interestingengineering.com?subject=User%20feedback%20for%20the%20Blueprint) --------------------------------------------------------------- //link.mail.beehiiv.com/ss/c/u001.K6ndGU8d_KOkj4UfGsJPEcktYIaxSR7SdCQbODD_GYGnsx9za6C1sEpqYvc81lIl4tfEpOmm8xUuBEuIh5zJrlfb1rsr5ND63XCkm8kVGSM8t1uZRVycYZUIEwgtjnu7Nnj-cx5JwttVGvCCDyvISTcMFpp64URT7I1oXLjx4LRiDYZMSQ2bqoIViFiLdFHb3uH6vjnsx_h-G4BXiiyRf2UwIj1jCdOI2IWIWZRGqLz4gH6IX-5Vn05PcUUmKbAcFGHWf_t-XF406yDMZ0ZpNA/44u/SUsxsRqbRQOzKyTADgxj8w/h51/h001.ZAJzOh0vUfDnVadjrSXPVmjZh70gm-NPRRVKKGVV_Xs//link.mail.beehiiv.com/ss/c/u001.O7cX42TEUwaVzaXjvY3lIBaVSA5HCDbqRL0r1mrSAZjXlQfx3AeIAMCqNceFzEl_q_WARK627ZB44CnqOlm3oTZ0yZKe8JXrMhFD-jMzqqvjp4J32PN1uuhmS8YPt7FAcRddKkfA6zrJyQ_MwUm_CloRu-k8XawPSG_d9zI1wlkxI7jZZPLQaCMG5sjoYknxVThqvEgExIPjm4cwNShltJEFOXE3c2SImib25YXU5pFv6fg3kdrLzYOvzSVUuAFB/44u/SUsxsRqbRQOzKyTADgxj8w/h53/h001.WdIrDbr1JINq9Splfhzp2xG9VuE2QhCucUCQ9ti0ALc//link.mail.beehiiv.com/ss/c/u001.K6ndGU8d_KOkj4UfGsJPEdvuU75-8apOA2hjUkkTsVIqIpLDSpdekmWPm1UWIwYKGzyi2Jkwb3qnbnsotCj7tPiWFXmx36FnXwaVmPwCv_rgu0BSGpzFIxfXBw5D3QmM8qEi4sTFo0_RNTCvS-lBZXi26nOxN7l0HmacmOx2LgVvjOy1ScPU9SxQXshJ-UVCIn4ANsp5_gn-cL2-mqGpFXN7yOajirez33-iRgJGnt6Sd9cehNahAHrt9dtrcW0n/44u/SUsxsRqbRQOzKyTADgxj8w/h55/h001.ZXMD-J7rKc7uB0_ses5opjLazhT5MGnFqAyCR8L1qvM Update your email preferences or unsubscribe [here]( © 2024 The Blueprint 530 5th Ave New York, New York 10036, United States of America