Recently, the National Academy of Engineering released its latest list of academicians. In this list, we see the billionaire known as the tech maniac - Elon Musk.
(Photo caption: Elon Musk)
With his technology companies, Musk has become a leader in many new fields, which is an important reason why he can be selected as an American academician. However, this honor is accompanied by the accusations of countless scientists. For a time, Musk was pushed to the cusp of the storm, or rather, in the past few years, he has not come down from the cusp. The three major technology companies he was proud of all exposed to negative news, which made him suffer from countless scientists' boycotts.
Space X
This is his most controversial company, especially his Starlink project, which is a headache for astronomers. The so-called Starlink project is to form a huge space-based Internet by launching tens of thousands of Starlink satellites into the low-altitude orbit of the Earth, from which huge benefits are obtained. Some speculate that once the StarChain is formed, Musk will most likely occupy the position of the world's richest man without a doubt.
(Photo caption: Starlink Satellite)
However, such benefits come at the expense of astronomical observation and spaceflight. These satellites reflect sunlight and interfere with human astronomical observations. When human ground-based telescopes take pictures of the starry sky, there may be interference due to the transit of starlink satellites.
Recently, an article was published in the Astrophysical Journal Newsletter, taking the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) that patrols the Milky Way galaxy as an example, in 2019, the starlink satellites caused almost 0.5% of the damage to the images taken during dusk; in August 2021, the number of starlink satellites above the earth has exceeded 1,000, and the degree of damage has reached 18%.
(Photo caption: This image shows how much interference a Starlink satellite can have)
Although Musk has repeatedly claimed that Starlink satellites will not interfere with astronomical observations, Space X will continue to improve its technology to reduce possible interference. But scientists' research has proven that musk is telling a pure lie. This could significantly increase astronomers' data processing efforts and potentially miss discoveries of asteroids that could threaten Earth, which is worrying.
There is also the fact that after Musk's starlink satellites go into space, they are almost in a "free-range" state. Although space is large, satellite encounters occasionally occur in low-altitude orbits. Musk claims that his starlink satellites have automatic obstacle avoidance, but in fact they have never played a role.
(Photo caption: Starlink satellite launch)
As early as September 2, 2019, the European Space Agency's "Fengshen" meteorological satellite almost collided with the "Starlink 44" satellite. Space X was adamantly unwilling to back down, so much so that ESA had to take the initiative to avoid it to prevent accidents. In April 2021, one of OneWeb's satellites also changed orbits to avoid Starlink satellites.
What is even more exaggerated is that in July and October last year, the Starlink satellites approached the continental space station twice, forcing the space station to temporarily change orbit, which seriously threatened the life safety of mainland astronauts.
(Photo caption: China Space Station)
These are the satellites they are still using, and they can ignore it, not to mention the out-of-control space equipment.
In April 2021, a farm in the U.S. state of Washington was suddenly hit by an unknown object. The findings revealed that this turned out to be the wreckage of the space X Falcon IX heavy rocket that separated. There was also an abandoned thruster for their Falcon IX rocket in 2015, which scientists speculate has been out of control for 7 years and could crash on the lunar surface next month.
(Photo caption: Rocket wreckage crashed on a Washington farm)
To this day, NASA and other departments have not taken any measures against Musk in response to any of these problems, which can be said to be quite indulgent. However, justice is in the hearts of the people, and both astronomers and astronauts have always held a condemning attitude towards Musk's irresponsible behavior.
Neuralink
This company, everyone hears less about, but it is also a technology company founded by Musk, and the content of the research sounds very sci-fi, that is, "brain-computer interface". The so-called brain-computer interface is a technology that directly connects the brain of a person or animal with an external device, so as to control the external device as if it were its own limb.
(Photo caption: Musk is also very interested in brain-computer interfaces)
Such experiments cannot be carried out directly in humans, but the animal that most resembles humans will be preferred, that is, monkeys. Experimental monkeys are widely used in research, especially in the fields of medicine and pharmacology. Including after the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, many countries have competed for experimental monkey resources to test vaccines or drugs. Even so, it is ethical for these experimental monkeys to try to ensure their safety and reduce their suffering while experimenting.
(Image caption: Experimental monkeys are required for brain-computer interfaces)
Recently, however, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) prepared to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which regulates experimental animals, for abuse of experimental monkeys by Neuralink and the University of California, Davis, for investigation and treatment.
According to reports, when the company studies brain-computer interfaces, it needs to drill a small hole in the animal skull, and then implant a wireless chip about the size of a coin into a specific location in the brain. In this process, in order for the chip and the brain to be organically combined, a substance called biogel needs to be used. However, the bio-glue they used was unapproved, resulting in parts of the monkeys' brain tissue being destroyed and eventually dying.
(Caption: Neuralink allegedly abused experimental monkeys)
Moreover, during the experiment, the company's technicians did not show any care for the monkeys. Many monkeys suffered from a variety of strange diseases in the experiment, and developed many symptoms, such as vomiting, hemorrhagic skin infections, epilepsy and even self-harm. Although these monkeys were generally euthanized, the suffering they suffered during their lives was unimaginable.
(Photo caption: Even experimental monkeys should reduce their suffering)
It can be said that brain-computer interfaces do have the potential to become the key to changing human lives in the future, such as restoring healthy lives for people with disabilities. But even such a science should not violate ethics. In the process of scientific research, ethics is always the bottom line that cannot be broken. If unnecessary suffering of other animals can be disregarded for the sake of science, it is indeed reprehensible.
Tesla
As for Tesla's problem, domestic friends are more familiar with it. There is also a lot of news about these cars on the Internet. Although most cars are fine, the few cars that have problems are still prohibitive.
(Photo caption: Tesla is a leader in new energy vehicles and autonomous driving, but also controversial)
To better improve the capabilities of self-driving technology, Tesla has also used a software called Full-Self Driving Capability (FSD). It is said to be fully automatic, but in fact, when the user is driving, the software learns to master the machine learning principles of automatic driving technology.
For this software, Jake Fisher, senior director of the automotive test center of Consumer Reports in the United States, said: Tesla's means of developing automatic monitoring technology is to use customers as test engineers. Moreover, instead of receiving any training or getting any rewards in the process of "cultivating" FSDs, these customers will have to spend money on the software.
(Photo caption: Tesla crashed during autopilot)
A legal adviser related to the automotive industry in the United States pointed out that Tesla has different opinions on the description of automatic driving before and after the sale of cars, sometimes telling consumers that they do not need to control the vehicle at all, and then telling consumers to put their hands on the steering wheel when there is a problem.
As for the results of autonomous driving technology, it is obvious that we have seen some vehicle accidents, some mild, some more serious. Even so, Musk insisted that the occasional casualty would be acceptable in order to better develop self-driving technology. If Space X does not hide from satellites or is still messing around, this statement can be said to be a hasty human life...
(Photo caption: Controversial AMERICAN academician Elon Musk)
For the media inquiry, Tesla's response is also quite simple. Some unofficial media, in particular, may receive email responses from the company at most. Even relevant departments will not be able to obtain relevant information because of the so-called confidentiality measures.
summary
There is no doubt that Musk is a person with a mixed reputation. Many of his ideas are truly admirable, which is why these first-class technology companies were created. But some of his views are really hard to accept.
(Photo caption: Musk needs to think carefully about the relationship between technology and ethics)
Mainland astronomer Deng Licai has also commented before, saying that he admires Musk as an individual, but as an astronomer, he is very resistant to Musk's star chain project, and I believe this is also the attitude of many scientists or ordinary people.
In short, no matter how far the scientific level develops, it cannot break through the boundaries of ethics.
Science is in the service of mankind, not against it.