Your brain, with a chip

+ wormlike robots to the rescue US Edition - Today's top story: Several companies are testing brain implants – why is there so much attention swirling around Neuralink? Two professors unpack the ethical issues [View in browser]( US Edition | 14 February 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Mayorkas' impeachment tests Congressional oversight]( - [‘Woke’ has a long history in Black America]( - [Wildlife selfies by scientists harm animals]( Lead story When it comes to zany, that’ll-be-the-day visions of the future, putting a computer in someone’s brain used to be right up there with flying cars. Not so much anymore. Several groups are testing various types of “brain-computer interface” devices, and Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, is likely the most high-profile. Like most anything the billionaire does, Neuralink’s brain implant trial has raised some eyebrows. Devices that aim to help paralyzed people do more tasks on their own, as Neuralink’s does, have the potential to dramatically boost someone’s quality of life. But they also [raise a whole host of ethical issues](, and we asked two scholars at the University of Washington to weigh in: bioethicist Nancy Jecker and neurosurgeon Andrew Ko. Part of critics’ concerns, they point out, are about the ethics of science itself. It’s important that researchers can learn from each other’s failures, not just their successes, yet Neuralink has shared little information about its current trial. And it’s not just Neuralink, they explain: Musk’s company embodies the private equity model increasingly common in science and health. On a lighter note, here’s a Valentine’s Day treat: We’ll be sending you a special newsletter later today with our favorite stories about love’s many meanings and forms. [ [Science from the scientists themselves. Sign up for our weekly science email newsletter.]( ] Molly Jackson Religion and Ethics Editor Brain-computer interfaces have the potential to transform some people’s lives, but they raise a host of ethical issues, too. Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment via Getty Images [Several companies are testing brain implants – why is there so much attention swirling around Neuralink? Two professors unpack the ethical issues]( Nancy S. Jecker, University of Washington; Andrew Ko, University of Washington Brain-computer interface devices have the potential to boost users’ autonomy, especially for people who experience paralysis. But that comes with risks, as well. Science + Technology - [Bringing AI up to speed – autonomous auto racing promises safer driverless cars on the road]( Madhur Behl, University of Virginia Artificial intelligence systems that can handle the pressure of high-speed auto racing could lead to driverless vehicles that can safely manage the morning commute. - [We designed wormlike, limbless robots that navigate obstacle courses − they could be used for search and rescue one day]( Tianyu Wang, Georgia Institute of Technology; Christopher Pierce, Georgia Institute of Technology Robots often have a hard time navigating through debris, but robots designed based on worms and snakes could move around obstacles faster, thanks to an idea called mechanical intelligence. Economy + Business - [Don’t let ‘FDA-approved’ or ‘patented’ in ads give you a false sense of security]( Michael Mattioli, Indiana University Most people don’t know what these labels really mean − and advertisers take advantage of that fact. - [Revving up tourism: Formula One and other big events look set to drive growth in the hospitality industry]( Rachel J.C. Fu, University of Florida With big events drawing a growing share of of tourism dollars, F1 offers a potential glimpse of the travel industry’s future. - [Real-world experiments in messaging show that getting low-income people the help they need is more effective when stigma is reduced]( Jessica Lasky-Fink, Harvard Kennedy School; Elizabeth Linos, Harvard Kennedy School The stigma around poverty and government benefits can make those initiatives less effective. - [Immigrants do work that might not otherwise get done – bolstering the US economy]( Ramya Vijaya, Stockton University Despite widespread fears about immigrants being a burden, even those arriving as asylum applicants are more likely to work than the US-born population. Politics + Society - [Mayorkas impeached: Is Congress on a witch hunt? 5 ways to judge whether oversight is legitimate or politicized]( Claire Leavitt, Smith College With its impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the House exercised its oversight power. How can you tell if it was it a legitimate use of that power? - [Who will be picked for vice president? Let’s discuss who’s qualified for the job]( Christopher Devine, University of Dayton Media coverage of vice presidential candidates tends to focus on who can help win the election rather than who is qualified to help govern once in office. - [Back in the day, being woke meant being smart]( Ronald E. Hall, Michigan State University Conservative politicians have launched attacks against the use of the word “woke.” If they knew the history of the word, they might stop wasting their time. Health + Medicine - [Recognizing when someone is having a seizure – and how you can help during those first critical moments]( Jacob Pellinen, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus What you don’t do: Don’t shout at them, don’t put things in their mouth and don’t let them get near things that are sharp or hard in case of a fall. Environment + Energy - [Wildlife selfies harm animals − even when scientists share images with warnings in the captions]( Andrea l. DiGiorgio, Princeton University The caption may say that only scientists and trained professionals should handle wild animals, but viewers remember the image, not the words. International - [Kelvin Kiptum: the Kenyan runner who redefined what it takes to win marathons]( Wycliffe W. Njororai Simiyu, Stephen F. Austin State University His sudden death at 24 has shone a light on what a talent and hard worker he was, and what he represented. Trending on site - [Our robot harvests cotton by reaching out and plucking it, like a lizard’s tongue snatching flies]( - [Saving the news media means moving beyond the benevolence of billionaires]( - [Are you really in love? How expanding your love lexicon can change your relationships and how you see yourself]( Today's graphic 📈 [A bar chart that shows how many hours a week family givers provided. Approximately 1 in 3 family caregivers dedicate 21 hours or more per week to caregiving, with more than 20% providing 41 hours or more – essentially taking on a full-time caregiving role.]( From the story, [Family caregivers face financial burdens, isolation and limited resources − a social worker explains how to improve quality of life for this growing population]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Follow us on social media: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon]( • [Post.news]( • [LinkedIn]( • [Instagram]( • [Facebook]( • Or [get a daily text from us]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](