Sunday Special: Mind-reading brain chips

Welcome back, Superhuman. Telepathic communication may no longer be a scientific pipe dream. Stanford scientists have created a brain chip that can (literally) read your thoughts and turn them into spoken words. And for the first time ever, scientists have captured the earliest flickers of human life on camera — revealing a beginning far more dramatic than we’d have thought.

SCIENCE SUNDAY

The most interesting scientific discoveries and breakthroughs this week

1. 'Mind-reading' AI can turn even imagined speech into spoken words: Stanford researchers have developed a brain-computer interface that allows paralyzed patients to speak by just imagining words in their heads. The interface achieved 74% accuracy in decoding imagined speech from participants with severe paralysis, a step up from previous systems that needed users to physically attempt speaking. For people living with paralysis, this could potentially be the breakthrough that gives them their voice back.

2. We've found one of the largest black holes in the Universe (so far): Astronomers have discovered one of the largest black holes ever found, weighing in at 36 billion times the mass of our Sun. Located in the "Cosmic Horseshoe" galaxy 5B light-years away, the black hole grew to its record size by consuming surrounding galaxies until nothing was left to merge with. Using stellar movement measurements and gravitational lensing, researchers believe this represents the final stage of galactic evolution.

3. Scientists claim to find the DNA switch that made us human: Researchers at UC San Diego may have found the tiny genetic switch that helped turn our ancient ancestors into modern humans. The DNA segment, called HAR123, acts like a "volume control" for brain development, influencing the ratio of neurons versus support cells our brains produce during growth. Understanding this difference could potentially help researchers develop better treatments for conditions like autism.

4. First-of-its-kind video shows human embryo implanting in real time: Scientists have captured the first-ever real-time video of a human embryo burrowing into a laboratory model of a uterus, revealing that the process is surprisingly forceful. Since about two-thirds of embryos either fail to implant or are lost soon after implantation, understanding this critical moment could potentially be the key to turning failed pregnancies into successful ones. You can check the groundbreaking footage out here.

PRESENTED BY ROCKET

Build powerful apps with a single prompt

Rocket is the world’s most advanced vibe solutioning tool. Just input a single prompt, and Rocket will deliver your production-grade product instantly.

Forget scaffolding or menu drama—this is the easiest, most effective way to build an app.

• Production-ready mobile and web apps from one prompt

• Built-in security: Rocket won’t train on paid plans

• Ready-to-use templates and industry-leading Figma-to-app

Perfect for solopreneurs, SaaS founders, product teams, agencies, and designers who need to ship fast.

See it in action + save 15% with code SH15OFF.

NEW TECH

Our favorite new tech gadgets this week

1. Brisk It Origin 580: This smart BBQ grill uses gen AI and Wi-Fi connectivity to automate cooking and create personalized recipes, and is integrated with an app that lets you adjust settings remotely.

2. Terra Kaffe Demi: A compact automatic machine for true café-quality coffee at home. It brews espresso, lungo, Americano, and drip from fresh whole beans, and packs a self-cleaning system for easy daily use.

3. Shift Robotics Moonwalkers Aero: AI-powered wearable shoes that can reach speeds up to 7mph. They’re integrated with an app for real-time feedback and personalized control.

4. Oclean X Ultra S: The world’s first Wi-Fi-enabled smart toothbrush, which tracks your brushing in real-time with AI-powered bone conduction technology and delivers more than 84,000 movements per minute.

SOCIAL SIGNALS

What’s trending in science and tech on socials this week

🚄 Rail Runner: China is reportedly testing a vacuum high-speed train that can travel over 1,000 km/h, slashing the travel time between Shanghai and Hangzhou (distance: 200 km) to just 9 minutes.

🌊 Deep Dive: Someone on Reddit built a remote-controlled, Lego-powered submarine in what looks like an incredibly impressive design. You can watch it waddle about in the water here.

🐅 Final Farewell: The last-ever footage of the Tasmanian tiger, taken three years before it went extinct, just resurfaced on Reddit and has racked up thousands of views.

⚡️ Muscle Mods: YouTuber Basically Homeless built a wild setup that combines enemy‑detection software with electrical muscle stimulation to physically twitch his arm (and even his trigger finger), supercharging his reaction time toward targets in Counter‑Strike 2.

🚀 Rocket Regrets: In 1979, stuntman Kenny Powers attempted to jump the St. Lawrence River in a rocket-powered Lincoln Continental. It went about as well as you’d think. Watch the resurfaced footage here.

ONLY GOOD NEWS

A healthy dose of optimism to kickstart your week

Superbug Slayer: MIT scientists have used AI to design completely new antibiotics from scratch that can kill drug-resistant gonorrhoea and MRSA superbugs. The AI generated 36M possible chemical compounds and built two promising drugs atom-by-atom, which successfully eliminated the bacteria in lab and animal tests. While the compounds still need years of refinement and clinical trials, this potentially marks the first time gen AI has invented entirely new antibiotics.

Smart Specs: Envision has launched AI-powered smart glasses specifically designed to help blind and low-vision users navigate the world around them. The Ally Solos Glasses use built-in cameras and multiple AI models to read text, describe surroundings, recognize people and objects, and even search the web, delivering all information through open-ear speakers. For the millions of people with visual impairments, these glasses could provide unprecedented independence in their day-to-day.

Keratin Cure: Scientists have created a strange kind of toothpaste. Made from hair or wool, the toothpaste uses keratin protein, which combines with saliva to form a protective crystal-like coating that mimics natural enamel. Unlike fluoride toothpastes that only slow decay, this keratin-based treatment can stop it completely by actually repairing damaged tooth enamel. This could potentially offer the first real solution to permanently repair what was previously considered irreversible damage.

SUNDAY SCIENCE TRIVIA

Don’t Cheat: You can read more about the strange phenomenon here.

Your opinion matters!

You’re the reason our team spends hundreds of hours every week researching and writing this email. Please let us know what you thought of today’s email to help us create better emails for you.

Until next time,

Zain and the Superhuman AI team