Elon Musk says his company, Neuralink, has implanted a brain chip in a human.

Neuralink

The Story

Elon Musk says his company, Neuralink, has implanted a brain chip in a human.

A brain chip?

That’s right. Last year, Musk’s startup got the FDA's approval to test the Neuralink brain implant in humans. The device aims to help people with disabilities control computers and communicate by only using their thoughts. During animal testing, the device allowed a monkey to play a computer game, with their brain making all the moves. Now, Musk says Neuralink's first human patient received the implant on Sunday and is “recovering well.”

What else do we know?

Musk says that results “show promising neuron spike detection,” suggesting the device is already gathering information from the patient's brain. Still, it could be months before the public learns whether the device is fully working as intended. For now, Neuralink is focused on analyzing the device’s safety with its human trial. It comes as the company has faced criticism in the past for its animal testing and reportedly faulty business practices at its facilities in California and Texas.

theSkimm

For years, scientists have worked on creating brain-computer interfaces. Now, Musk’s company could be one step closer to making the tech a reality and changing how people communicate.

Who people are watching…

Imran Khan. Today, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan was sentenced to ten years in prison for leaking state secrets. Khan and former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi are already detained due to charges of corruption. Qureshi is also facing 10 years in prison. In an attempt to have the sentences suspended, the pair's legal team said they'd "challenge the decision in a higher court." The sentence is the most recent in Khan's long list of court cases, and it comes just before the February 8 parliamentary elections, which the deposed former leader is banned from running in because of his previous conviction.

What’s got authorities on alert…

Hate crimes in schools. Yesterday, a first-of-its-kind FBI report revealed schools are the third most common location of hate crimes in the US. The agency found more than 4,000 incidents of hate crimes in schools between 2018 and 2022 — more than 60% took place at the preschool through 12th grade level. The most common hate crimes included intimidation, vandalism, and assault. Black students faced most of the hate crimes at schools, followed by LGBTQIA+ and Jewish students. It’s unclear what’s driving the increase. The report comes amid the Israel-Hamas war, which advocacy groups say has led to a spike in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents. 

What mystery could be solved…

Amelia Earhart’s disappearance. Over the weekend, a deep sea exploration company said it captured sonar images of what could be her missing aircraft. In 1937, Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan went missing while attempting to fly around the world. Their bodies and the plane were never found. There are many theories about what could've happened. Now, the exploration company says it has found a plane-shaped object within 100 miles of Howland Island — where Earhart and Noonan were expected to refuel. The company’s CEO said there are “no other known crashes in the area.” Experts say a clearer image is needed to confirm whether the wreckage is Earhart's missing plane.

What people are talking about...

This AP report. It traced hundreds of brands — including for cereal, hot dogs, and rice — to various prison labor facilities across the US.

Who’s not getting another trial…

Alex Murdaugh. 

What could have “The Office” pressed...

“Suits.”