Neuralink's First Patient Plays Chess Using Just His Mind
Personal Journey Update
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Neuralink's First Patient Plays Chess Using Just His Mind
Elon Musk's ventures continue to push the boundaries of innovation, with Neuralink achieving a remarkable milestone. The company recently showcased its first patient, Noland Arbaugh, playing online chess using only his mind.
Key Points:
Neuralink's Breakthrough Demonstration:
Neuralink, Elon Musk's brain implant company, demonstrated its groundbreaking technology with its first patient, Noland Arbaugh.
Arbaugh, who tragically became paralyzed below the shoulder after a diving accident, showcased the implant's capability by playing online chess using only his thoughts.
Empowering Patients with Neuralink:
Prior to Neuralink, individuals like Arbaugh had limited autonomy and independence due to their physical conditions.
With the Neuralink implant, Arbaugh can control a computer cursor and keyboard solely through his thoughts, representing a significant leap forward in assistive technology.
Expanding Capabilities and Hope for the Future:
Despite being in the early stages, Arbaugh can already engage in activities like playing Civilization VI and chess independently.
As the technology evolves and improves, there is hope for even greater advancements, offering possibilities for treating brain disorders, restoring senses and movement, and enabling direct brain-computer communication.
See the video here
Neuralink's Mission and Impact:
Neuralink's mission extends beyond individual cases like Arbaugh's, aiming to address broader challenges related to brain disorders and human-computer interaction.
Neuralink's successful demonstration with Noland Arbaugh shows the transformative potential of brain-computer interfaces in enhancing human lives and shaping the future of technology.
Forcing Accountability
YouTube has been found guilty in the Bitcoin scam lawsuit filed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak in 2020. This legal battle stemmed from fake videos on YouTube promising free Bitcoin and using footage resembling Wozniak to deceive viewers into sending BTC to a specific address.
Key Points:
Legal Victory for Steve Wozniak:
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has emerged victorious in the Bitcoin scam lawsuit against YouTube. The High Court overturned the decision of the lower court, allowing Wozniak to continue the lawsuit against the video streaming platform.
Details of the Scam:
In 2020, fake videos were created on YouTube using footage of Steve Wozniak, offering free Bitcoin to viewers.
Later, viewers were instructed to send BTC to a specific address, perpetrating the scam alongside ordinary people.
Involvement of Other Individuals:
Steve Wozniak was not alone in the legal battle against YouTube.
Seventeen other individuals, including Microsoft's Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Dell's Michael Dell, also filed cases against YouTube and its parent company, Google, for their alleged involvement in the Bitcoin scam.
Significance of the Ruling:
The ruling against YouTube highlights the responsibility of platforms like YouTube to address fraudulent content on their platform.
It also underscores the need for stricter federal laws to protect users from scams and misinformation spread through online platforms.
Concerns About Platform Awareness:
The case raises concerns about YouTube's awareness of fraudulent activities on its platform.
Especially with the increasing sophistication of technologies like AI and DeepFake videos, platforms must enhance their vigilance to prevent scams and protect users.
This legal victory for Steve Wozniak and the other individuals involved sends a strong message about accountability in online platforms and the importance of safeguarding users against fraudulent activities.
Personal Thoughts:
Even if platforms like YouTube start to tackle scam content it will still be out there no matter what.
Instead of relying on centralised entities to protect you from malicious activity, I believe people should also take responsibility for themselves online too.
This is an obvious one but if anyone online is offering anything to you for free it is no doubt a scam.
Brace Yourselves
Bitcoin traders are bracing for a potential downturn in the cryptocurrency's price, as indicated by options data pointing towards a bearish outlook. This cautious sentiment is further compounded by a decline in demand for Bitcoin ETFs.
Key Points:
Bearish Outlook Based on Options Data:
The volume of Bitcoin put options expiring on March 29 has surpassed call options in the last 24 hours.
This shift in the put-to-call ratio, particularly with strike prices around $50,000 and $45,000, suggests that traders are anticipating a price drop below $50,000 in the near term.
Market Correction Linked to GBTC Outflows:
Heavy outflows from the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) are cited as a contributing factor to the market correction.
Spot ETF net inflows data revealed consecutive days of outflows, indicating a waning demand for Bitcoin ETFs.
Contrasting Performance with the Stock Market:
While the stock market is buoyed by optimism about potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, Bitcoin has experienced a notable pullback.
The recent retreat marks one of the largest declines this year, with significant liquidations of bullish bets.
Factors Contributing to Price Decline:
Weakening correlation to equities, driven by product-specific outflows and liquidations, has impacted Bitcoin and Ethereum prices.
Despite relatively low funding rates for perpetual futures, indicating moderate leverage in crypto trading, the high level of leverage in long positions accelerated the Monday slump in Bitcoin.
Long-Term Optimism Amid Short-Term Uncertainty:
Some analysts maintain a positive outlook on Bitcoin's long-term prospects despite the current bearish sentiment.
A recent report by Bernstein suggests a price target of $90,000 for Bitcoin by the end of the year, citing factors such as the new Bitcoin bull cycle and strong ETF inflows.
Amidst the short-term uncertainty reflected in options data and recent price declines, Bitcoin's long-term trajectory remains a topic of interest among analysts and investors alike.
Personal Journey: A New Interest
So I was offered a free fish tank from someone at work and I don’t know why but I took it. Not having owned a fish tank since I was a kid I had no idea where to begin.
This time though I had a wealth of knowledge about aquariums at my fingertips thanks to YouTube, something I didn’t have when I was a kid.
I took the time to research what kind of tank setup would be suitable for my tank size and learnt how to create the best environment for the fish I wanted to keep.
Another colleague from work recommended Siamese fighting Fish more commonly known as Betta Fish. These fish have a tone of personality and are even able to learn a few tricks. They are very territorial which means they prefer to be alone although a few shrimp and snails are usually a good addition.
Knowing I would only have the one fish I knew there would not be much waste so after doing my research I learnt you could have a tank without a filter. This caught my attention as having a noisy filter was not something I wanted. The idea behind this concept is to try and make a more natural ecosystem meaning the tank would need lots of aquatic plants which work as a more natural filtration system.
After filling up my Amazon basket a few times and some trips to my local aquatic store I was ready. After a few rejigs here and there I created what I thought was a beautiful window into the world of underwater life.
Fast forward nearly 2 months the tank is still thriving and everything is doing really well. My Betta Fish is a Crowntail called Kratos named after the character from the game God of War, which was a good name choice considering he’s had a hand in a few shrimp casualties. Don’t worry the shrimp are now safe in their own enclosure so it’s just the snails that keep Kratos company now.
It’s safe to say this is a hobby I love as everything about it is so therapeutic and learning about all the different techniques to keep all sorts of amazing fish is so rewarding. I highly recommend it, even if you don’t have much space a large jar on a desk makes a great home for tiny little cherry shrimp like mine below.
Don’t be afraid to try something new as you might be surprised by what you enjoy.
Weekly Fact
MicroStrategy, meanwhile, has further cemented its investment in Bitcoin, now owning over 1% of the total Bitcoin supply.
This strategic accumulation of Bitcoin underscores MicroStrategy's commitment to the cryptocurrency as both an inflation hedge and a cash alternative.
Quote of the Week
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Enjoyed this edition. Thanks for putting this together :)