Watch a drone swarm navigate a bamboo forest
By arming each drone with its own sensors, researchers have created the first swarm capable of navigating a wide environment.
Ukrainian artists turn to NFTs to tell their stories
A Kyiv gallerist and Puerto Rican art gallery are auctioning off NFTs of art created in conflict to support Ukrainian artists.
Latest Videos
Series | Hard Reset
How to build neighborhoods we actually likeWatchWhere you live has more of an impact on your physical, emotional, and mental health than you think.
Series | Catalysts
8 complete strangers tell their life stories. What happens next is magicWatchOne surprising way to boost empathy lies in telling other people’s stories from a first-person perspective.
Series | Future Explored
Sponge cities: a solarpunk future by 2030WatchCities turning themselves into sponges? See how cities like Berlin are leading the trend.
Series | Catalysts
Inside the boxing gym that trains kids for life, not to fightWatchTheir schools were underfunded and understaffed. This Detroit community fought back with an unconventional approach.
Series | Challengers
Mind-reading technology – Are we ready for it?WatchStartup founders want to read your brainwaves – but how will they protect your data from tech giants?
Series | Just Might Work
The scientists decoding the ancient mystery of fireWatchWe still don’t understand the ancient mysteries of fire. How is that possible?
Series | Catalysts
Helping Boston’s most notorious gang leaders find a new path5:57This Boston organization, run by ex gang members, has reduced crime by 75%.
She sold an NFT for over $500k. Here’s how.Watch
pplpleasr went from an everyday creator to an NFT artist who sold a single piece for $500k. Just how do NFTs make artists money?
Series | Hard Reset
Can these tiny satellites democratize government secrets? 8:52These tiny satellites uncover daily images of climate change, Chinese labor camps, and hidden government areas – and make them publicly available.
Series | Challengers
At-home ketamine therapy — are you ready?7:22Will this at home “tripping kit” change mental health forever?
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We’re sending messages into space. Have they been received by aliens?
It's a record magnetic field, but… yeah. That didn't last long.
Tell us all about it.
It was supposed to have a 5.5-10 year lifetime, and take 6 months to calibrate. It's performing better than anyone anticipated.
Construction on the sustainable city will begin in 2023 and should wrap within three years.
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We focus on solutions: the smartest people, the biggest ideas, and the most groundbreaking technology shaping our future.
Latest on COVID-19
Moderna expects to have Omicron booster ready by Fall 2022
Moderna expects to have an Omicron booster that combines its original COVID-19 vaccine with one targeting the variant ready by Fall 2022.
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- 02.17.22New antibody treatment against Omicron gets emergency approval
Building a Solarpunk Future
Data centers need to be greener — Microsoft is leading the way
Microsoft’s plan for sustainable data centers includes more renewable energy, better temperature control, and new construction materials.
Climate tech is booming — and this is better news than COP26
It’s estimated that 65% of emissions reductions can be achieved by existing technologies. The other 35% will need to come from tech breakthroughs.
Coexisting with AI
Nike is betting you’ll want to wear Air Jordans in the metaverse
Nike is laying the groundwork to begin selling digital goods in the metaverse, joining what could soon be a multibillion dollar economy.
Crypto and traditional art are merging — and the result is fantastic
The addition of a physical component could help crypto art go mainstream.
DeepMind AI cracks the code of protein structures
A protein’s structure is crucial to its function. Predicting how a protein will fold was a challenge decades in the making — and answered by DeepMind.
Feature
We now know the big bang theory is (probably) not how the universe began
The Big Bang still happened a very long time ago, but it wasn’t the beginning we once supposed it to be.
Hacking Biology
Scientists relieve depression with magnetic brain stimulation
Researchers at Stanford University believe they’ve developed an effective and quick-acting technique to treat challenging cases of depression — using magnetic brain stimulation.
Lizard regenerates perfect tail thanks to stem cells
A USC study that prompted lizards to regenerate tails that were “perfect” could help facilitate breakthroughs in human regeneration.
Original Series
Meet the people whose bold ideas might sound crazy… but also Just Might Work.
Harnessing Psychedelics
Could VR change how you trip on ketamine?
Virtual reality meets ketamine therapy to help treat pain, anxiety, and depression, to name a few.
MDMA therapy and the promise of psychedelics
Despite years of work with a “stellar” therapist, Charlotte needed more. She turned to MDMA therapy.
Ibogaine: The psychedelic cure?
Ibogaine, an African psychedelic drug which comes from the iboga plant, is used for both religious rites and drug addiction treatment.
One ayahuasca experience could have lasting effects on the brain
Researchers believe just one ayahuasca experience may be enough to have a lasting effect on the brain.
Freethink Favorites
Stories focused on interesting solutions to big problems.
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Series | Just Might Work
Biohackers take aim at big pharma’s stranglehold on insulin5:55These biohackers plan to give away their instructions for how to make insulin for free.
Farming robot kills 100,000 weeds per hour with lasers
Carbon Robotics’ Autonomous Weeder is a smart farming robot that identifies weeds and then kills them using high-power lasers.
Supercentenarians’ DNA reveals clues to human longevity
A human longevity study involving people over the age of 105 has found that genetic variants linked to DNA repair appear to contribute to a longer life.
Series | Just Might Work
How robots could end animal captivity in zoos and marine parks7:45Could robotic dolphins help marine parks become more humane spaces where people can learn about and connect with nature?
Twisty nuclear fusion reactor gets twice as hot as the sun
Physicists optimized a nuclear fusion reactor to overcome a problem that causes heat loss and prevents the device from sustaining fusion.
Series | Coded
Tractor-hacking farmers take on John Deere5:46Tractor hacking is a fast-growing trend in the farming community — but it’s not outsiders breaking in.
Japan breaks world record for fastest internet speed
Engineers in Japan have set a new world record for fastest internet speed — 319 Tb/s — using a specially developed fiber-optic cable.
Sophia the Robot will be mass-produced this year
Hanson Robotics is going to begin mass-producing Sophia the robot in 2021, making the social robot available to help combat the pandemic.
Series | Challengers
This DIY laptop is challenging tech giants like Apple & Microsoft6:01Disposable tech is part of big tech’s business model. This engineer is fighting back by creating a DIY laptop anyone can repair on their own.
Prisoners will get a $2,750 check when they leave prison
A non-profit is experimenting with providing prisoners a $2,750 check when they leave prison. The goal is to reduce recidivism and help people get a fresh start.
Series | Hard Reset
How mirrors could power the planet… and prevent wars09:28If adopted globally, concentrated solar power could make major waves in manufacturing, not to mention prevent wars over oil and mitigate climate change.
