Researchers used AI and MRI scans to decode thoughts - and they were mostly accurate

Plus: New NASA video puts the immensity of supermassive black holes into perspective [Blueprint]( Sponsored by What if a machine could read your mind? Not just working out the word or number you're thinking of, but the general idea of what’s going on in your head. That would be an incredible advance, and some may think a terrifying one. Well, it's no longer science fiction according to a new study published in Nature Neuroscience this month. Researchers have succeeded in decoding a person's brain activity while they're listening to a story. However, it required a very large, expensive MRI scanner and machine learning to succeed, so it's not likely to be available as an app you could use on friends and family any time soon. We've more on how it works below. But first, here’s [your video of the day](. Good morning. I’m Tim, an Editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let us begin. Last Sunday, Blueprint subscribers learned about a new satellite’s mission to take the pulse of all the Earth’s water. Don't miss out — [subscribe to IE+]( today to recei ve exclusive interviews, features, and much more. VIDEO OF THE DAY [AEGIS, Tomahawk, and F35B]( [AEGIS, Tomahawk, and F35B: Japan's triple-threat naval strategy against China]( Japan is expanding its fleet of Aegis destroyers, acquiring Tomahawk missiles, and enhancing its submarine capabilities in the face of rising threats. MUST READ [decode thoughts]( [Researchers used AI and MRI scans to decode thoughts - and they were mostly accurate]( Researchers have decoded a person’s brain activity while they’re listening to a story or imagining telling a story into a stream of text, by combining artificial intelligence and MRI scans. This new technique could one day help people who are conscious but unable to speak, such as those affected by strokes. Unlike other language decoding systems, this technology does not require the person to have surgical implants. Alex Huth, an assistant professor of neuroscience and computer science at UT Austin who was involved in this study, explains: "For a noninvasive method, this is a real leap forward compared to what’s been done before. We’re getting the model to decode continuous language for extended periods of time with complicated ideas." To learn more about mind reading via machine learning, and the concerns for privacy it raises, click below. [Read More]( SCIENCE New NASA video puts the immensity of supermassive black holes into perspective The incredible mass and density of a supermassive black hole is hard to wrap out brains around, but a new NASA animation at least makes it easier to visualize. The mesmerizing animation compares known black holes to the heaviest object any of us have ever seen for ourselves: the sun. 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[LEARN MORE]( TRANSPORTATION The world's largest hydrogen-electric, propulsion-powered zero-emission aircraft Alaska Airlines has partnered with ZeroAvia to retrofit a Bombardier Q400 regional turboprop with a hydrogen-electric propulsion system. ZeroAvia's hydrogen-electric engine uses fuel cells to generate electricity from hydrogen and power electric propeller motors. Val Miftakhov, founder and CEO of ZeroAvia, said: "Demonstrating this size of aircraft in flight, powered entirely by novel propulsion, would have been unthinkable a few years ago." [Read More]( CULTURE Cut the cameras: Hollywood writers go on strike, fear AI taking over their jobs In the first such action in 15 years, over 10,000 writers working in the U.S. film industry, represented by the Writers Guild of America (WGA), have gone on a strike, citing an ‘existential crisis’ within the industry. As well as staffing issues, the WGA raised major concerns over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in scriptwriting. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS Training machines to read our minds: A good idea? [Could be useful]( [Should be banned]( [Restrict to medical use only]( [Does it work with pets?]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS Most of you backed Geoffrey Hinton's decision to quit his AI leadership role at Google, but nearly a third would have preferred he stay on to fix the problem. 55% Yes, good move 32% He should stick around to fix it 7% All AI development should stop 6% He overreacted QUOTE OF THE DAY Black holes are the ashes of dead stars, the dark remnants of a once-bright cosmic fire. They are the ultimate metaphor for the end of everything. Kip Thorne, theoretical physicist THINGS WE LOVE [Air Fryer Oven Cooker]( [Cuisineart Patio Heater]( [FOTILE Under Cabinet Range Hood]( [Woven Paths Electric Fireplace TV Stand]( AND ANOTHER THING - [This bionic eye cures diseases that cause blindness]( - [Mysterious Chinese military blimp]( spotted on satellite images of secluded desert base - Draper [tested its Moon navigation system](Draper%20tested%20its%20Moon%20navigation%20system%20aboard%20a%20suborbital%20Blue%20Origin%20rocket) aboard a suborbital Blue Origin rocket [premium] - [Self-folding origami machines]( powered by chemical reaction s (Phys.org) - Knocked down but not defeated: [Robots learn soccer]( (Tech Xplore) - A powerful radio telescope is now [aiding the search for the existence of alien life]( - Search is on for [‘super memorisers’ to help scientists unlock the secrets of memory]( (University of Cambridge) [Subscribe to IE+]( [About Us]( [Advertise]( [Contact Us]( © Copyright 2023 | The Blueprint is by Interesting Engineering, Inc. 205 Hudson St New York, NY, 10013, USA | All Rights Reserved You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter. 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