Superhuman News 🤖 - Living pharmacy implant

Hi there,

I am fascinated by human enhancement. My idea was always that life and the body can be manufactured, improved and enhanced to a large extent.

In mid-January of this year, that idea took a big dent.

Susan and I looked at each other. In series and movies, people are always laughing, crying and immensely exited.

Not in our case. Of course, we were happy, but we laughed uncomfortably. We thought the same thing: ‘Oh dear, what now?’

Two blue lines on a pregnancy test. We quickly started calculating: in September, we are expecting our first child. 👶

(and no, it wasn’t an accident!)

The more I think about it, the more stunned I am. Nature is wonderful and fantastic. How an embryo develops, how smartly the body responds to it and how it is tailored to the needs of the baby.

Pure nature, based on millions of years of evolution. A little miracle.

I let go of the illusion of perfection more and more. Creating life? Science and technology are not that far yet.

And now on with the newsletter, enjoy reading!

Peter

PS. I will therefore take it easy from September. I will still send you a monthly newsletter, but those will be shorter.

The US military is working on a special project: a subcutaneous chip with living cells that deliver medication to the body. Inverse states that researchers from Northwestern University (US) have received a large investment of $33 million to develop this idea.

The 1 by 3 cm device consists of electronics and genetically modified light-sensitive cells, according to lead researcher Jonathan Rivnay. The military is especially interested in allowing soldiers to adapt more quickly after jet lag or to give them medication for diarrhea.

I find the thought fascinating. From a technical perspective, but also because of the consequences. As a soldier, can you easily remove the chip when you leave the service? Are there possible applications in health care? Will there soon be biohackers who will use this technology to improve themselves in other ways?

🧠 Kernel has been working on brain-machine interfaces for years, just like Neuralink. In June, the company launched its first real products: Flow and Flux. The helmets still have a hefty price tag (around $50,000). I am curious which companies and consumers are going use these devices.

📚 Cixin’s Three-Body Problem is a science fiction trilogy about an alien civilization. An epic story with bizarre ideas and many scientific elements. It left me confused, but fascinated.

🎧 Lex Fridman interviewed Sam Harris for his podcast. The conversation goes in all directions, from superintelligence to consciousness, and psychedelics.

🎬 It has little to do with biohacking, but I’m a fan of the series Billions. Good actors, the city of New York as a background, and certainly in the first few seasons a strong story with cool plot twists.

These are upcoming events where I will give a talk that are accessible for everybody. Great to see you there!

Here you can find more information about my keynotes and webinars.