The Gruesome Story of How Neuralink’s Monkeys Actually Died

According to a recent report by WIRED, Neuralink, a company that creates medical implants, caused the deaths of at least twelve monkeys during animal testing.

This goes against what the company's founder, Elon Musk, claimed. Musk had said that no monkeys died because of the implants, and he suggested that they were tested on monkeys already near death. However, this report contradicts his statements.

A former employee of Neuralink, who wished to remain anonymous, called Musk's statement "ridiculous" and even suggested it was a complete fabrication.

The monkeys were in the company's care for about a year before any surgery took place, which contradicts the claim that they were near death.

The monkeys used in Neuralink's tests were also relatively young, as indicated by a doctoral candidate working at the California National Primate Research Center, which collaborated with Neuralink. It's hard to believe that these young monkeys were already terminally ill.

Veterinary records reveal that many of the implanted monkeys suffered severe complications and had to be euthanized.

These complications included issues like bloody diarrhea, partial paralysis, and even brain swelling. One monkey dislodged an implant by pulling on it repeatedly. When veterinarians tried to fix it, they found that the implant area had become infected and couldn't be healed because the device was in the way.

Another monkey kept picking at her implant until it bled and displayed signs of pain or discomfort. She became lethargic, would lie on the floor of her cage, and even held hands with her roommate until she saw lab workers. Then she would start shaking uncontrollably. A necropsy revealed severe brain damage caused by the implant after she was euthanized.

Yet another monkey had to be euthanized because the screws on its implant became so loose that the whole device could easily be removed. The necropsy report confirmed that this was purely a mechanical failure.

Neuralink is currently under two federal investigations regarding its animal testing practices. The Department of Agriculture began an investigation in December 2022, and it was reported that Neuralink had killed about 1,500 animals during testing since 2018. Additionally, in 2023, the Department of Transportation launched an investigation based on allegations that Neuralink transported antibiotic-resistant pathogens in an unsafe manner.