To the Editor:
Science Corp., an animal research firm, is slated to lease a large City-owned property on Alameda Point. Hundreds of monkeys, rabbits, and rodents will be used in their experiments. At the City Council meeting on Tuesday, October 17, Councilmembers will vote on whether to approve the 10-year lease. Because this is City property, approval for the lease will require the vote of four Councilmembers—we think we have a good chance of stopping this lease!
The CEO and President of Science Corp. is Max Hodak, recent president and co-founder of Elon Musk’s Neuralink Corp. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) found evidence of longtime animal abuse of Rhesus Macaque monkeys under Hodak‘s tenure as president of Neuralink. Additionally, three Neuralink employees stated there was ongoing animal abuse at the company. Many of the monkeys suffered grave pain as a result and were eventually killed. In a December 2022 Reuters article entitled, “Musk’s Neuralink faces federal probe, employee backlash over animal tests,” an expert estimated that 1,500 animals were killed at Neuralink from 2018 to 2022, including 280 sheep, pigs and monkeys.
Hodak quit Neuralink in 2021 to found Science Corp. He wrote an article about his new company, entitled “Science Corp.” It seems clear from his article that brain experimentation and exploration will be the primary goal, whether by photonics or some other means. Hodak writes that he envisions a new world where we may be “adding new senses” to the five we naturally possess. Perhaps this sounds like interesting experimentation, until you think of the heavy suffering and cost to so many innocent animals that will be extremely confined and subjected for a long time to this experimentation and then will be killed. Hodak writes ominously that the experiments “….will not be non invasive.”
Please email the City Council before Tuesday night’s meeting and ask them to vote NO (email addresses are on the City’s website.) Also, it’s really important for concerned residents to come to City Hall, corner of Oak Street and Santa Clara Avenue, on Tuesday, October 17, at 7 p.m. and tell City Council in person to vote NO. You can also join the meeting on Zoom, but coming in person at City Hall is most persuasive.
In general, Alamedans greatly value kindness within our community. We highly value kind acts on behalf of people—and for our animals. Surely most Alamedans do not want our City property to be used for science fiction Brave New World brain experimentation on monkeys, rabbits, and rats.
Please tell the City Council to vote NO. We don’t want this or need this, particularly on City property.
Thank you.
Signed,
Reyla Graber, Janet Davis, Anda Bockis, Joe Cloren, Pat Gannon, Carole Lohr, and many more Alameda residents.
Editor’s note: Science Corp. currently occupies space at 1010 Atlantic Ave. in Alameda. According to online job postings, they have nineteen positions in Alameda open for application, including a Cell Culture Technician, Registered Veterinary Technician, multiple engineer positions, and more.
Editorials and Letters to the Editor
All opinions expressed on this page are the author's alone and do not reflect those of the Alameda Post, nor does our organization endorse any views the author may present. Our objective as an independent news source is to fully reflect our community's varied opinions without giving preference to a particular viewpoint.
If you disagree with an opinion that we have published, please submit a rebuttal or differing opinion in a letter to the Editor for publication. Review our policies page for more information.