Good morning. It's Thursday, June 12, and we're covering the death of a musical legend, an advancement in brain implant technology, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.5 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.
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Beach Boys cofounder and singer Brian Wilson has passed away at 82, his family announced yesterday. Wilson was the creative force behind the group in the mid-1960s—the most popular American rock group at the time.
Wilson formed the Beach Boys in 1961 in his hometown of Hawthorne, California. The band included his younger brothers, Dennis and Carl; cousin Mike Love; and friend Al Jardine. Hits like “Surfin’ USA,” “I Get Around,” “Don’t Worry Baby,” and “California Girls” helped propel the group to its initial successes. Their orchestral 1966 album “Pet Sounds” is considered by many critics to be the first-ever rock concept album. It included singles “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “God Only Knows,” which Paul McCartney called the greatest pop song ever written. The group made the Billboard Top 40 list 36 times in 36 years.
Wilson suffered from schizoaffective disorder and drug addictions, often leading to career setbacks. See the trailer for a biopic on his life, “Love & Mercy,” here. |
For the first time, a brain implant has allowed a man to speak instantaneously and expressively, and even sing, a new study has revealed. The finding marks a significant advancement in brain-to-text systems, which have struggled to operate in real time, and to convey variety in pitch, tone, and emphasis.
The patient has ALS, a neurodegenerative disease impacting his speech. Five years into symptoms, he underwent surgery to implant 256 silicon electrodes in a brain region controlling movement. Researchers at UC Davis then began collecting data on his brain activity as he worked to say various words.
The system, known as BrainGate2, managed to translate neural signals into words in 10 milliseconds—40 times faster than other brain-to-text systems. That enabled more fluid conversations and even the ability to interject mid-discussion, with the patient rated as understandable 60% of the time. The system was even able to capture the patient humming a string of three notes.
Researchers say the advancement could pave the way for more natural conversation, including in multiple languages. See BrainGate2 in action here. |
President Donald Trump announced yesterday that the US and China had reached a provisional trade deal, following two days of negotiations in London. The framework, which needs official sign-off from Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, addresses tariffs as well as student visas and critical minerals, two other sticking points in US-China relations.
Under the tentative agreement, the US would impose a total of 55% tariffs on Chinese goods (tariffs 101), down from the 145% rate imposed in April. Full details haven’t been released, but the framework reportedly also entails rolling back export limits on American technologies like airplane parts and allowing Chinese students to continue studying at American universities.
In exchange, China would keep the 10% tariffs on US goods agreed to in Geneva last month. China would also reportedly ease export restrictions on magnets and rare earth minerals, which are essential components for advanced technologies and whose market China dominates.
See a timeline of the trade war here. |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> Harvey Weinstein convicted in retrial of one charge of sexual assault and acquitted of another as jury continues to deliberate on final charge (More) |
> World's most-followed TikToker Khaby Lame departs the US after being detained by immigration officials at Las Vegas airport for allegedly overstaying his visa (More) |
> The 125th US Open golf tournament kicks off today from Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania; see full predictions and preview (More) | World Anti-Doping Agency seeks to shut down next year's "Enhanced Games," a competition that will encourage athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs (More) |
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> OpenAI releases o3-pro, the most advanced version of its flagship reasoning model; company cuts price of regular o3 by 80% (More) | Cybersecurity researchers discover first known example of a zero-click attack—requiring no interaction by the user—on an AI agent (More) |
> Scientists develop stretchable brain implant that allows the study of neurological development in animal embryos at the earliest stages of life (More) | Brain implants, explained (1440 Topics) |
> Window-sized device produces safe drinking water from atmospheric humidity without requiring an external power source; engineers estimate an array could produce enough water for a house, even in the desert (More) |
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> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.3%, Dow -0.0%, Nasdaq -0.5%) as investors weigh US-China trade deal and new inflation data (More) | US consumer price index rose 2.4% year over year in May, from 2.3% in April; excluding food and energy, core inflation rose 2.8% year over year for third consecutive month (More) |
> US budget deficit hit $316B in May, down 9% from a year ago, as customs receipts rose to a record $23B under new US tariffs, per Treasury Department report (More) | See how much the US is earning from tariffs (More, w/charts) |
> Disney and NBCUniversal sue generative AI company Midjourney over copyright infringement; marks first legal action from Hollywood against the generative AI industry (More) | Generative AI explained (1440 Topics) |
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> National Guard and Marines can temporarily detain—but not formally arrest—protesters in Los Angeles, commander overseeing the task force says (More) | See updates on immigration protests across the country (More) |
> Fulbright board resigns, alleging political interference from the State Department after it canceled nearly 200 US scholarships; Fulbright is the nation's flagship academic exchange program (More) | Read the board's statement (More) | Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appoints eight new members to vaccine advisory board (More) |
> The US authorizes voluntary departure for nonessential staff at the US embassy in Baghdad as concerns over Middle East unrest rise (More) | Denmark approves US military bases on Danish soil amid tensions over Greenland (More) |
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> The Hampton Inn Effect
Bloomberg Businessweek | Patrick Clark. With its no-frills formula of cleanliness, comfort, and free breakfast, Hampton Inn has become the unexpected gold standard in midscale travel and the world’s largest lodging brand. (Read)
> Ingredients for Brilliance
Aeon | Julia F. Christensen. How flow—the feeling of being fully immersed in a task—doesn’t come from chasing pleasure but from deep skill-building that makes hard work feel effortless. (Read) |
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The Truth About Sodium & Peak Performance |
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