🧠 China rivals Musk's brain implants, cocaine-craving rats, new quantum chip beats supercomputers by 10 septillion years

China is making significant strides in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, with plans for a large-scale clinical trial set for next year.

According to a Shanghai Science & Technology social media post, the groundbreaking Neural Electronic Opportunity (NEO) device has already shown remarkable results in three patients. Delve deeper into our Must-Read.

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MUST-READ

🧠 China prepares bold brain implant trials to rival Elon Musk’s Neuralink

NEO, a semi-invasive BCI developed in China, represents a collaborative effort between Neuracle Technology and Tsinghua University’s biomedical engineering team led by Hong-Bo.

The device was successfully implanted into a 38-year-old spinal cord injury patient in Shanghai who had lost mobility and hand function due to a car accident.

During the procedure, a coin-sized device was embedded in the skull to collect neural signals from sensory and motor brain areas. Power and signal transmission were facilitated by an external magnetic coil connected through the scalp.

🖥️ Google’s new quantum chip ‘Willow’ beats supercomputers by 10 septillion years

In a stunning display of computational power, Google’s latest 105-qubit ‘Willow’ quantum chip has outpaced the world’s most sophisticated supercomputers. Willow solved in minutes what would take the fastest supercomputers over a quadrillion lifetimes of the universe to figure out.

Additionally, the advanced chip showcases an exceptional ability to manage quantum noise, significantly reducing error rates as the system expands. This vital development improves the fidelity of quantum calculations and makes it possible to tackle larger, more complex problems with unprecedented accuracy.

Despite these achievements, experts note that Willow remains in the experimental phase, with the full spectrum of its capabilities yet to unfold in tackling real-world applications.

🐀 Cocaine-craving rats reveal genetic secrets fueling drug addiction

Researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) have conducted a study exploring the role of aversive cues—unpleasant experiences associated with drug use—in shaping susceptibility to addiction.

Using nearly 30 lab rats as their subjects, the research offers insights into how negative stimuli paired with drug rewards influence behavior, offering new perspectives on why addiction manifests differently among individuals.

“Aversive cues matter from the very first exposure,” said lead author Travis Moschak. But until now, he said, there hasn’t been a good animal model to study this concept.

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