Of the 23 primates who received the Neuralink brain implant between 2017 and 2020, many of them would have died in excruciating conditions, accuses an animal rights group.
In total, at least nine US animal welfare laws are said to have been swept away by Elon Musk during Neuralink’s experimental tests. Launched in 2016, the project aimed to establish a device directly in the brain : in addition to setting foot in transhumanism, Elon Musk’s company also aimed to help people recover from head trauma, cure depression, and counter certain mental pathologies. In the longer term, the goal was also to succeed in connect to the Internet by brainpower alone.
After praising the progress of his project, especially during a show of force dating from last year, where we were able to discover a monkey playing Pong game by thought, Elon Musk will however have to wait before carrying out his first tests on humans. Whereas the billionaire planned to implant his human chips this yearan animal rights group, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), today warned of the consequences of Neuralink: “Almost all monkeys who received head implants suffered terrible debilitating effects on their health.” In a long file of more than 700 pages, compiling autopsies and veterinary reports, we also learn that 15 of the 23 monkeys used as guinea pigs died following the tests.
It must be said that to implant its brain chips, Neuralink first had to drill holes directly into the skulls of primates, causing skin infections, uncontrolled vomiting, loss of limbs and cerebral hemorrhages.
A complaint of abuse
Last Thursday, February 10, the PCRM filed a complaint with the US Department of Agriculture. The organization notably accuses the University of California at Davis and Neuralink of nine violations of the animal protection law, highlighting the “extreme suffering” and the many complications caused: “These highly invasive implants and their associated hardware, which are inserted into the brain following drilling holes into the skulls of animals, have produced recurrent infections in animals, significantly compromising their health, as well as the integrity of research” .
For its part, the University of California was quick to respond. The establishment that has stopped its collaboration with Neuralink in 2020 cleared himself of all responsibility, simply stating: “We strive to provide the best possible care for the animals in our care. Animal research is strictly regulated and UC Davis follows all applicable laws and regulations, including those of the United States Department of Agriculture”. Elon Musk’s company has not yet spoken.