Factbox: Neuralink: what you need to know about Elon Musk's brain chip company
Neuralink, the Elon Musk company that Reuters reported on Monday is the target of a federal investigation over its animal trial program, has been trying to develop a brain chip that would enable the paralyzed to walk and the blind to see.
Here is more on what Neuralink does.
WHAT IS NEURALINK DEVELOPING?
Founded in 2016 by Musk and a group of engineers, Neuralink is building a brain chip interface that can be implanted within the skull, which it says could eventually help disabled patients to move and communicate again, and also restore vision.
Neuralink's device has a chip that processes and transmits neural signals that could be transmitted to devices like a computer or a phone.
The company hopes that a person would potentially be able to control a mouse, keyboard or other computer functions like text messaging with their thoughts.
"First @Neuralink product will enable someone with paralysis to use a smartphone with their mind faster than someone using thumbs," Musk said in April 2021.
Neuralink also believes its device will eventually be able to restore neural activity inside the body, allowing those with spinal cord injuries to move limbs. The San Francisco and Austin-based company also aspires to cure neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's and dementia.
WHAT PROGRESS HAS NEURALINK MADE?
Neuralink has produced several examples of testing aspects of its technology successfully on animals, including a video in 2021 that showed a macaque playing a simple videogame after being implanted with a brain chip. In a presentation webcast last week, the company showcased improvements in the speed and capabilities of the chip.
WHAT HURDLES FOR NEURALINK NEXT?
Neuralink has yet to secure U.S. regulatory approval to move to human trials - unlike competitor Synchron, which has less ambitious goals for its medical advances. Neuralink has missed Musk's publicly stated deadlines to start human trials and this year submitted its application to the Food and Drug Administration to begin them. Musk said last week he believes Neuralink can start human clinical trials in six months.
CONTROVERSY AROUND ANIMAL TESTING
The company is facing a federal probe for potential animal-welfare violations at a time when its staff has complained that the testing is being rushed, causing needless suffering and deaths, according to documents reviewed by Reuters and sources familiar with the investigation and company operations.
In all, the company has killed about 1,500 animals, including more than 280 sheep, pigs and monkeys, following experiments since 2018.
Source: Reuters
Factbox: Neuralink: what you need to know about Elon Musk's brain chip company
Neuralink, the Elon Musk company that Reuters reported on Monday is the target of a federal investigation over its animal trial program, has been trying to develop a brain chip that would enable the paralyzed to walk and the blind to see.
Here is more on what Neuralink does.
WHAT IS NEURALINK DEVELOPING?
Founded in 2016 by Musk and a group of engineers, Neuralink is building a brain chip interface that can be implanted within the skull, which it says could eventually help disabled patients to move and communicate again, and also restore vision.
Neuralink's device has a chip that processes and transmits neural signals that could be transmitted to devices like a computer or a phone.
The company hopes that a person would potentially be able to control a mouse, keyboard or other computer functions like text messaging with their thoughts.
"First @Neuralink product will enable someone with paralysis to use a smartphone with their mind faster than someone using thumbs," Musk said in April 2021.
Neuralink also believes its device will eventually be able to restore neural activity inside the body, allowing those with spinal cord injuries to move limbs. The San Francisco and Austin-based company also aspires to cure neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's and dementia.
WHAT PROGRESS HAS NEURALINK MADE?
Neuralink has produced several examples of testing aspects of its technology successfully on animals, including a video in 2021 that showed a macaque playing a simple videogame after being implanted with a brain chip. In a presentation webcast last week, the company showcased improvements in the speed and capabilities of the chip.
WHAT HURDLES FOR NEURALINK NEXT?
Neuralink has yet to secure U.S. regulatory approval to move to human trials - unlike competitor Synchron, which has less ambitious goals for its medical advances. Neuralink has missed Musk's publicly stated deadlines to start human trials and this year submitted its application to the Food and Drug Administration to begin them. Musk said last week he believes Neuralink can start human clinical trials in six months.
CONTROVERSY AROUND ANIMAL TESTING
The company is facing a federal probe for potential animal-welfare violations at a time when its staff has complained that the testing is being rushed, causing needless suffering and deaths, according to documents reviewed by Reuters and sources familiar with the investigation and company operations.
In all, the company has killed about 1,500 animals, including more than 280 sheep, pigs and monkeys, following experiments since 2018.
Source: Reuters
Factbox: Neuralink: what you need to know about Elon Musk's brain chip company
Neuralink, the Elon Musk company that Reuters reported on Monday is the target of a federal investigation over its animal trial program, has been trying to develop a brain chip that would enable the paralyzed to walk and the blind to see.
Here is more on what Neuralink does.
WHAT IS NEURALINK DEVELOPING?
Founded in 2016 by Musk and a group of engineers, Neuralink is building a brain chip interface that can be implanted within the skull, which it says could eventually help disabled patients to move and communicate again, and also restore vision.
Neuralink's device has a chip that processes and transmits neural signals that could be transmitted to devices like a computer or a phone.
The company hopes that a person would potentially be able to control a mouse, keyboard or other computer functions like text messaging with their thoughts.
"First @Neuralink product will enable someone with paralysis to use a smartphone with their mind faster than someone using thumbs," Musk said in April 2021.
Neuralink also believes its device will eventually be able to restore neural activity inside the body, allowing those with spinal cord injuries to move limbs. The San Francisco and Austin-based company also aspires to cure neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's and dementia.
WHAT PROGRESS HAS NEURALINK MADE?
Neuralink has produced several examples of testing aspects of its technology successfully on animals, including a video in 2021 that showed a macaque playing a simple videogame after being implanted with a brain chip. In a presentation webcast last week, the company showcased improvements in the speed and capabilities of the chip.
WHAT HURDLES FOR NEURALINK NEXT?
Neuralink has yet to secure U.S. regulatory approval to move to human trials - unlike competitor Synchron, which has less ambitious goals for its medical advances. Neuralink has missed Musk's publicly stated deadlines to start human trials and this year submitted its application to the Food and Drug Administration to begin them. Musk said last week he believes Neuralink can start human clinical trials in six months.
CONTROVERSY AROUND ANIMAL TESTING
The company is facing a federal probe for potential animal-welfare violations at a time when its staff has complained that the testing is being rushed, causing needless suffering and deaths, according to documents reviewed by Reuters and sources familiar with the investigation and company operations.
In all, the company has killed about 1,500 animals, including more than 280 sheep, pigs and monkeys, following experiments since 2018.
Source: Reuters
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Meatless Mondays
January
Go Meatless (Mondays, and More)! Here’s a simple resolution with a positive environmental impact: eat less meat! One of the chief contributors to climate change is meat production. Resource-intensive animal-based foods carry a higher carbon footprint than plant-based foods and account for approximately one-quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Become a Climate Change Community Champion
February
Climate Change Community Champions exemplify and help others implement a host of climate change efforts including but not limited to climate change activism, mitigation and adaptation, such as starting a Rain Garden or installing a Solar Panel. Are you a Climate Change Community Champions? Register with us below, tell us your story and become a Climate Change Community Champion. You could also be featured on our website. Thank you.
RePurpose (Sustainable) Clothing
March
RePurpose Fashion
About
REPURPOSE by Shidonna Raven Fashion is a climate change conscious brand that reduces, reuses, recycles & REPURPOSES women clothing to reduce the huge impact fashion has on our environment. Additionally we offer ReNEWED items as well, which are new and have never been worn and when possible are made from upcycled or recycled fabrics and materials. Thank you for joining us and being a customer. Enjoy your REPURPOSED items and Recycle gently used clothing.
In the midst of efforts to reduce the impacts of climate change around the world. RePurpose Fashion brand is purposed to encourage people to do their part, fashionably, to help prevent climate change by reducing, reusing, recycling, renewing and RePurposing the fashion they wear. The fashion industry along with other industries have a huge impact on climate change today. Instead of putting your gently used clothes in the landfill RePurpose them.
Start a Garden
April
There are many types of Gardens You can start in addition to a Rain Garden. Consider the Environment and your personal interest or goals. For instance, if you really enjoy cooking with herbs, consider starting a Kitchen Garden or an Herbal Garden and grow your own organic herbs such as Basil. Growing your own food not only gives you more control over your food supply and what you consume, with proper organic or natural Garden Techniques (JOIN the Garden Club and/or Read Our Ezine (Saturdays Gardens Days) - you can also positively impact the environment. The following are just a few Types of Gardens you can start:
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Rain Garden - grow edible plants and capture rain over-flow at the same time while mitigating flooding in your community.
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Kitchen Garden
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Vegetable Garden
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Floral Garden
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And more
Kitchen Composting
Composting is a great way to recycle the organic waste we generate at home. Food scraps and garden waste combined make up more than 28 percent of what we throw away. Not only is food waste a significant burden on the environment, but processing it is costly. The average cost to landfill municipal solid waste in the United States was around $55 per ton in 2019. With the United States generating more than 267 million tons of municipal waste in 2017 and sending two-thirds of that to landfills and incinerators, we spent billions of dollars on waste management. Composting at home allows us to divert some of that waste from landfills and turn it into something practical for our yards.
Celebrate Trees
About the Celebrate Trees Project
Celebrate Trees is an environmental initiative designed as a community partnership that gives residents and businesses a reason to celebrate and grow Norfolk's tree canopy. The program was inspired by a tree-planting program in Norfolk's sister city, Kitakyushu, Japan.
Trees provide many benefits, including:
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Beautifying the city
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Conserving energy
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Enhancing property values
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Facilitating social and educational opportunities
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Improving water quality
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Lowering city temperatures
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Providing wildlife habitats
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Reducing air pollution
In the coming years, Norfolk's goal is to increase the tree canopy from 23% to 30%, the recommended percentage for cities east of the Mississippi River.
Three Ways to Celebrate
Residents and businesses can get involved with Celebrate Trees in three ways:
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Donate - Make a donation to the Living Legacy Grove fund, which will be used to plant trees in a designated public park or open space area. Read more about Living Legacy Groves.
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Plant a Tree - Celebrate a meaningful event by planting a tree on your own property. View planting instructions and advice.
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Request a Tree - Contact the City of Norfolk to request a street tree on the city-owned median or curb area in front of your home or business.
Explaining Electric & Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles (EVs) have a battery instead of a gasoline tank, and an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are a combination of gasoline and electric vehicles, so they have a battery, an electric motor, a gasoline tank, and an internal combustion engine. PHEVs use both gasoline and electricity as fuel sources. More on PHEVs.
Availability
Related Information
EVs and PHEVs are now available in multiple vehicle classes. There are currently about 40 EV and PHEV models on the market, and more models are expected to be released in the coming years. Visit fueleconomy.gov for a full list of options. Not all models are available in all 50 states.
Emissions
EVs produce no tailpipe emissions. While charging the battery may increase pollution at the power plant, total emissions associated with driving EVs are still typically less than those for gasoline cars—particularly if the electricity is generated from renewable energy sources like wind.
PHEVs produce tailpipe emissions when gasoline is being used as a fuel source.
To estimate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with charging and driving an electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle where you live, visit our Greenhouse Gas Emissions for EVs and PHEVs Calculator.
Start an Indoor Herb Garden
August
Benefits of growing your own medicinal herbs
One of the most significant advantages of growing your own medicinal herbs is having control over the quality of the herbs you use in your remedies. You can ensure that your herbs are grown organically without any harmful chemicals or pesticides.
Growing your own medicinal herbs is also a sustainable way to provide you and your family with healing benefits without foraging. And in the case of some medicinal herbs like white sage, you will protect a threatened species from over-harvesting or poaching.
Another benefit of growing your own medicinal herbs is that it can save you money in the long run. Store-bought remedies can be expensive, and you may not always be sure of their quality or effectiveness. By growing your own herbs, you can make your remedies at a fraction of the cost.
Install Solar Panels
September
The sun is the original source of all energy,1 and we can all benefit from its resources. But how does solar power actually work? How is it that something as simple as a solar panel can take sunlight and use it to power things like your oven, television, and other appliances like your Xbox?
We can answer that for you. In this article, we’ll define solar for you, explain the solar process and how it works, help you understand where the concept of solar energy originated, explain why the renewability of solar energy can be so impactful, help you understand how solar can save you money, and go over a few other helpful things like how much solar can cost and how it relates to things like batteries and EV chargers. Let’s get started.
Recycle Electronics (Devices)
October
Electronics Recycling
Electronics Recycling Services
As of April 14, 2023, electronic waste (e-waste) is no longer accepted at Towing and Recovery, 1188-A Lance Road. Norfolk residents must take all e-waste to the Norfolk SPSA Transfer Station located at 3136 Woodland Avenue, free of charge. Residents can drop off e-waste at the transfer station on Tuesdays & Saturdays, noon - 4:00 PM. E-waste must be delivered in a personal vehicle. There is an e-waste disposal limit of five items per visit. Commercial e-waste is not accepted. View a list of acceptable items (PDF).
The Home Depot (1261 N Military Hwy) and Lowe's Home Improvement (1081 N Military Hwy) also accept cell phones.
Cook & Eat Clean for the Holidays
November
The Health Prospective
Clean Eating
Your guide to eating more whole foods and reducing processed foods. These are our best tips to help you start eating clean—recipes included.
You've probably heard of clean eating, but you may not know what it is exactly or how to go about cleaning up your diet. It's about eating more of the best and healthiest options in each of the food groups-and eating less of the not-so-healthy ones. That means embracing whole foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains, plus healthy proteins and fats. It also means cutting back on refined grains, additives, preservatives, unhealthy fats and large amounts of added sugar and salt. And avoiding highly refined foods with ingredients you'd need a lab technician to help you pronounce.
SHOP Green for the Holidays
December
Sustainable Clothing
What is Sustainable Clothing?
According to, Green Dreamer
Sustainable fashion refers to clothing that is designed, manufactured, distributed, and used in ways that are environmentally friendly.
Why most of fashion today is NOT sustainable
The word sustainable is defined as “capable of being sustained.” Therefore, a sustainable fashion industry is one that must operate in ways that can continue working for years and decades to come.
Unfortunately, this is not true of today’s dominant ‘fast fashion,’ which refers to clothing that’s intentionally designed to be consumed quickly at cheap prices, leading shoppers to view clothes as being disposable—wearing them just a few times before throwing them out or moving on to newer and trendier cheap clothes.
The fast fashion cycle is far from sustainable, because it depletes the Earth’s natural resources at exponential rates, exploits workers around the world, and results in an overwhelming amount of waste.
In contrast to traditional fashion houses that only have a few seasonal collections per year, fast fashion brands may churn out as many as one new collection per week (or more) in efforts to drive continuous, mindless consumption.
“In contrast to traditional fashion design houses that only have a few seasonal collections per year, fast fashion brands may churn out as many as one new collection every week, in efforts to drive continuous, mindless consumption.”
My recommendation for you is to think about which social or environmental concerns you feel most passionate about and then to first prioritize those focuses as your entry point into sustainable fashion.
The industry is still learning how to best elevate its social and environmental standards, and because the movement is still evolving, it definitely helps for us to focus on continuously doing better, rather than striving for and expecting perfection right now.
In light of this, below are some simple things you can look for to slowly green your wardrobe.
The Environment
Our primary goal is good health through good diet, fitness and health (the lack of illness). A large contributor to our over all health is the environment in which we live, work, play and grow our foods in.
As growers (of foods) and those living in a climate with extreme precipitation, we take opportunity to contribute to the over all well being of ourselves and consequently our environment by focusing on a few key areas: Rain Harvesting & Rain Gardens. We also take opportunity to focus on a few other areas impacting several communities and apart of our national climate agenda:
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Solar Panels
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Electric Vehicles
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Recycling
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Composting
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Renewable Energies
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Zero Waste Products
The water we harvest can be used in both our gardens and our homes. Rain gardens also take benefit of the excess of water by harvesting the water for gardens that are often not edible.
While their are many types of extreme weather unique to many places across the nation and globe from California Wild fires to tsunamis and we recognize there are many ways to contribute to the over all health of the environment, these are the climate conditions unique to our area and the means upon which we seek to impact our environment.
We invite you to join us or to make your own contributions. within this page (and within our e-zine) you will find information and resources that will help you harvest your own water, establish and maintain your own water gardens so that you may join us in making a contribution to the environment, your health and the health of your neighbors. As always you are the best part of what we do. Keep sharing and asking questions.