A new study uses a brain-computer interface (BCI) to observe the neural activity in monkeys during the process of learning.
Why it matters: The internal state of the brain is often a mystery — including to ourselves — but new neural interfaces are making it easier for scientists to observe the mind in action.
The head of the world's leading genetic sequencing company predicts a future where genomic data will increasingly drive health care.
Why it matters: As our ability to read genes gets faster and cheaper, genetic sequencing could pave the way for everything from enhanced disease surveillance to truly personalized care.
A Republican running for Minnesota governor was removed from TikTok following complaints that he violated the platform’s misinformation policies in his viral posts about the pandemic.
The backdrop: Scott Jensen, a former state senator whose criticisms of the government's COVID-19 response attracted national attention, had amassed more than 280,000 followers since joining the platform last month. He said his posts were viewed hundreds of thousands of times a day.
Of note: Jensen, who appeared to be one of the nation's most-followed politicians on TikTok, told Axios that he hoped the platform would help him connect with millennials.
What he's saying: In a video posted to Twitter late Thursday, Jensen said posts criticizing a controversial "60 minutes" story about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' vaccine rollout were taken down before he was "permanently banned without explanation."
He told Axios several earlier posts had been flagged, but that he had appealed those decisions.
"It's really pretty confounding,but it sure feels like being canceled," he said in his video.
The other side: A TikTok spokesperson confirmed the account was removed and said Jensen's posts violated community guidelines on misinformation related to COVID-19.
She didn't specify which posts triggered the removal.
Between the lines: The family doctor garnered large online followings — and backlash — for his past statements on COVID-19, including comments suggesting the possibility of inflated death tolls.
A complaint challenging his medical license based on those comments was investigated and dismissed by state regulators last year.
Jensen said he hadn't posted about COVID-19 or vaccines in the last 24 hours and couldn't recall if posts related to the pandemic were among those that triggered violation allegations in the past.
"A complaint regarding [misinformation] regarding COVID-19 is so broad I don't know how to respond," he told Axios in a text. "It seems like anything that goes against the conventional mainstream might be construed as misinformation."
This coverage is part of Axios Twin Cities, anewsletter, designed to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news unfolding in their own backyard.
Amazon's success at stopping a union organizing drive at a warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, shows just how far the labor movement's effort to take on Big Tech still has to go.
Driving the news: The official National Labor Relations Board vote count announced Friday showed more than twice as many "no" votes as "yes."
In a major win for Amazon, a majority of workers involved in an organizing effort at its distribution center in Bessemer, Alabama, has voted not to unionize.
Why it matters: The vast majority of large tech companies have been composed of non-union workers, and tech companies, including Amazon, have fought hard to keep it that way. The "no" vote in Alabama could chill or delay other unionization efforts in the industry.
Google is signaling to the White House that a lack of coordination on tech and trade policy across the Atlantic is hurting business.
What's happening: Google's head of global policy and government affairs, Karan Bhatia, is urging the Biden administration to accept an invitation from the European Commission to form an EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council, according to a post shared exclusively with Axios.
Threats to Taiwan, the self-governing island only slightly bigger than Maryland, are sending shivers through the global tech industry.
Why it matters: Taiwan is home to 92% of the world's leading-edge chip manufacturing operations and a vital center for producing other tech components, including laptops and PC motherboards.
Lawmakers in both parties are finding common ground on the importance of protecting children's privacy and well-being online.
Why it matters: The pandemic, which has resulted in skyrocketing screen time for kids, has prompted bipartisan questions about children's online health, addiction and technology business models that encourage increased time on tech platforms.
Comments from a Korean pro gamer based in Dallas have stirred discussion in the esports world about discrimination against Asian and Asian American players.
Driving the news: “Being Asian here is terrifying,” said Lee “Fearless” Eui-Seok, a player for the Dallas Fuel “Overwatch” team, during a livestream on Monday that was later translated by another team’s manager and has since gone viral.
