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Forget just living longer. Eric Topol wants to help Americans live better, too.
In "Super Agers," the writer and medical researcher maps a path to extending healthspan with AI, targeted drugs, and lifestyle changes.
The next era of psychedelics may be precision-designed states of consciousness
A look inside Mindstate Design Labs' effort to design drugs that reliably produce specific states of consciousness.
Living longer — and healthier — starts with boosting your brain
Science is beginning to unravel the reasons behind age-related cognitive decline — and what we can do about it.
Longevity progress is real. So are the scams.
Longevity is in a paradoxical place at the moment, with anti-aging influencers misrepresenting real progress in order to make money.
The left–right twist that could rewrite tech
Scientists are harnessing chirality — the left- and right-handedness of molecules — to build better batteries, sharper displays, and more.
Inside a neuroscientist’s quest to cure coma
Thousands of Americans are trapped in disorders of consciousness. Neuroscientist Daniel Toker is searching for a way out.
Why tomorrow’s longevity treatments could be divided by sex
Why women consistently outlive men is a mystery — and it may influence the future of longevity medicine.
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The Freethink Interview
Why the future of pharma is off-planet | A live conversation with Varda founder Will Bruey
"We’ve reached a point where Earth-bound manufacturing limits what biology can do—space unlocks an entirely new frontier."
Progress happens because solutions create new problems to solve
Solutionism means fully accepting what’s in front of us and enthusiastically stepping up to meet the challenge.
The exciting research that may cure Parkinson’s
GeneCode is developing a drug it hopes won't just alleviate Parkinson's symptoms but also protect and restore patient's neural health.
Has the US reached “peak obesity”?
A CDC survey suggests America’s obesity rate may be falling. Is this a turning point in the obesity epidemic? Or just a temporary plateau?
From cryonics to aging: How AI is transforming human health
From curing rare diseases to extending lifespans, four biotech founders share how AI is rewriting the future of medicine.
How a dog’s life could extend yours
Studying animals — from long-lived clams to everyday dogs — is helping scientists understand aging and design therapies to slow decline.
A playbook for the next century of progress
To build a bold, abundant future, we must reform the laws, institutions, and culture that once powered human progress.
Are weight-loss meds the next wonder drugs?
Evidence is mounting that GLP-1 agonists could treat many health issues — including ones that aren’t obviously related to weight.
What’s next for COVID-19 drugs?
Paxlovid may have underperformed in a new trial, but other promising COVID-19 drugs are being authorized or in the works.
Revolutionary weight-loss drugs like Wegovy come with a catch
People taking GLP-1 agonists are losing too much muscle, but these drugs designed to prevent muscle loss could solve the problem.
Pager panic: When beepers were infiltrating schools
Cities and schools once actually arrested students for carrying this dangerous technology.
Psychedelic drugs and the law: What’s next?
The push to legalize magic mushrooms, MDMA, LSD, and other hallucinogens is likely to heighten tensions between state and federal law.
How Google’s new AI could revolutionize medicine
Google DeepMind's AlphaFold 3 could be the future of drug discovery — and the journey to its creation started more than a century ago.
AI’s next frontier: Modeling life itself
Biologists are skipping the petri dish and using AI-powered virtual cells to experiment in silico.
Drugs made in space “cooked real good,” says startup
Varda Space Industries has shared the results of its first mission to manufacture "space drugs" in Earth's orbit.
A dietician explains “Zepbound,” the newest weightloss drug
Zepbound recently joined the list of obesity-fighting drugs administered as injections that has been approved by the FDA.
We purged worms from our bodies — and may have made ourselves sick
Biotech labs are mining worm chemistry to design medicines that calm the immune system without the risks of live infection.
Milk could overcome one of the biggest hurdles to RNA therapies
RNA therapies typically break down if administered orally, but particles found in cows’ milk could provide perfect protection.
FDA approves weight-loss drug Wegovy to treat heart problems
The FDA has approved the use of Novo Nordisk’s popular weight-loss drug Wegovy to reduce the risk of certain major heart issues.
AI can help predict whether a patient will respond to specific tuberculosis treatments
Instead of a one-size-fits-all treatment approach, AI could help personalize treatments for each patient to provide the best outcomes.
Ancient Olympians wouldn’t qualify for today’s Games
Across history, the human body has been reshaped by discipline, medicine, and now technology — each era redefining peak performance.
Weight-loss drug reduces cravings for opioids in small study
A first-of-its-kind trial found that GLP-1 agonists, a popular kind of weight-loss drug, could help people overcome their opioid cravings.
Psychoactive drug ibogaine helps veterans with TBI
A small study found that one dose of ibogaine could reduce the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) for military vets.
The forgotten war on the Walkman
Today, the Sony Walkman inspires nostalgia, but in the 1980s, it was feared as a dangerous device that could disconnect society.
Ultrasound waves help Alzheimer’s drug get into the brain
Beaming focused ultrasound waves into the heads of Alzheimer’s patients helped a drug bypass the blood-brain barrier.
DeepMind’s AI could accelerate drug discovery
A new study suggests that AlphaFold, DeepMind’s AI tool for predicting protein structures, could be useful for drug discovery after all.
Old drug appears to halt progression of Parkinson’s motor symptoms
A GLP-1 agonist used to treat diabetes appeared to halt the progression of Parkinson’s symptoms in a phase 2 trial.
When an antibiotic fails: MIT scientists are using AI to target “sleeper” bacteria
Most antibiotics target metabolically active bacteria, but AI can help efficiently screen compounds that are lethal to dormant microbes.
Clinical trials can save more lives, and faster, with AI
The type of AI powering ChatGPT could help accelerate drug development by matching patients with clinical trials and vice versa.
Professor Giles Yeo on making sense of anti-obesity drugs
Anti-obesity drugs have been in the news, and for good reason; they seem to work. Giles Yeo talks us through some misconceptions at play.
This startup is solving the biggest problem to creating drugs that work
Lab-grown human tissues could revolutionize drug development. This AI-powered robot can create and test 10,000 of them at once.
HIV drug shows promise against COVID-19 and MERS
Based on promising lab tests, the HIV drug cobicistat could be an effective antiviral treatment for COVID-19.
Popular weight-loss drugs show promise as addiction treatments
New trials will test the ability of GLP-1 agonists, a popular class of weight-loss drugs, to help people beat addictions to drugs and alcohol.
First anti-aging drug for dogs nears approval
The FDA is a major step closer to approving biotech company Loyal's LOY-001, the first anti-aging drug for dogs.
Retro Biosciences wants to add 10 healthy years to your life
Backed by $180 million in funding from OpenAI's Sam Altman, Joe Betts-LaCroix’s Retro Biosciences is racing to extend the human healthspan.
Superbug-killing antibiotic is now in human trials
A promising new antibiotic that kills a superbug resistant to nearly all available drugs is now being tested in people.
T-Minus: Bezos’ space station advances, Boeing’s capsule crews up, and more
Freethink counts down the biggest space news, featuring a new space station, NASA's next astronaut transporter, and more.
A memo from the future
In the world of 2069, humans have more reach, more speed, and more leverage than any previous generation.
Using AI, MIT researchers identify a new class of antibiotic candidates
Using a type of artificial intelligence, MIT researchers have discovered a class of compounds that can kill drug-resistant bacteria.
ADHD drugs could alleviate symptoms of Alzheimer’s
Scientists reviewed 40 years of clinical studies that assessed the effects of NA-targeting drugs, such as certain ADHD drugs, on Alzheimer’s.
“Hydrogel” drugs could suppress HIV with minimal treatments
An injectable solution that self-assembles into a hydrogel to deliver 6 weeks of anti-ARV drugs could make managing HIV less of a burden.
Experimental drug cuts heart disease risk factor by 96%
Eli Lilly’s experimental drug lepodisiran reduced blood levels of lipoprotein(a) by up to 96% in a small trial.
Cholesterol drug suggests new way to treat Alzheimer’s
A cholesterol drug that reduced brain damage in mice could reveal a new approach to treating Alzheimer’s disease in people.
New weight loss drug acts like an “exercise pill”
A new candidate weight loss drug called SLU-PP-332 was found to boost muscular and aerobic endurance in mice.
How do stimulants actually work to reduce ADHD symptoms?
Stimulant drugs are thought to alter the activity of key neuotransmitters, dopamine and noradrenaline, in the brains of people with ADHD.
Octopus tentacle-like patch delivers drugs through your cheek
A needle-free drug delivery system inspired by octopus tentacles could one day replace injections for administering biopharmaceuticals.
AI-developed drug for deadly lung disease reaches phase 2 trials
AI-driven drug development has led to the launch of phase 2 trials of a drug to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
Drinking this foam could boost an experimental cancer therapy
A drinkable foam packed with carbon monoxide molecules appears to boost the cancer-killing effects of autophagy inhibitors.
Wegovy slashes heart attack risk by 28%
Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss drug Wegovy can reduce a person’s risk of a serious cardiovascular event by 20%.
Problem-solving is fundamental to human nature
Believing in the next solution is not blind optimism or even wishful thinking — it is a recognition that humans are problem-solving animals.
New “Lattice” device tests drugs on eight organs at once
Northwestern University scientists have developed a device that simulates up to eight organs at once to aid drug development.
New antiviral shortens COVID-19 by 1.5 days
People taking simnotrelvir, a new antiviral treatment for COVID-19, felt almost immediate symptom relief and got better 1.5 days faster.
New non-opioid pain reliever moves closer to approval
Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ new painkiller, VX-548, significantly reduced moderate-to-severe pain in two phase 3 trials.
Pill to prevent Lyme disease kills ticks before they can infect you
A pill to prevent Lyme disease quickly killed ticks that bit treated volunteers, suggesting it could slow the spread of tick-borne diseases.
The 5 most exciting clinical trial results of 2023
In 2023, several potentially game-changing meds, including ones to treat pain and high cholesterol, showed huge promise in human trials.
Is iron the Achilles’ heel for cancer?
Some cancer cells store high quantities of iron. Iron-activated cancer drugs selectively disrupt cancer cells, without harming healthy cells.
Soaring insulin costs? Cows could help.
A genetically engineered cow that produce milk containing with human insulin could help cut the cost of the life-saving diabetes med.
Drug for MS may be able to treat Alzheimer’s, too
A drug approved to treat multiple sclerosis reduced neuroinflammation and improved memory in mouse models of Alzheimer’s.
Brain implant lets cancer patients try 20 different drugs at a time
A microdevice that injects up to 20 drugs into gliomas at once could help doctors quickly identify the best treatment for cancer patients.
T-Minus: Stranded space drugs, a new moon lander, and more
Freethink's weekly countdown of the biggest space news, featuring a stranded space factory, Jeff Bezos' new moon lander, and more.
Last century, we extended our lives. This century, we need to shorten our deaths.
We are living longer lives, while also spending more years sick than ever before — but there are ways to close the lifespan-healthspan gap
A new hydrogel offers the hope of ending daily injections for diabetes
Type-2 diabetes often involves an intense and exhausting treatment burden, with many injections over many days. That might be set to change.
Radioactive drugs are transforming cancer treatment
Radiopharmaceuticals allow doctors to directly target patients' cancer cells and avoid healthy tissue typically damaged by radiation therapy.
One-and-done anti-aging treatment “rejuvenates” old mice
CAR-T cells that have been modified to target senescent cells could be a one-and-done anti-aging treatment.
Weight-loss drug improves heart failure symptoms, too
Novo Nordisk’s popular weight-loss drug semaglutide (Wegovy) improved heart failure symptoms in a trial of more than 500 people.
Urine-propelled nanobots shrink bladder tumors by 90% in animals
Tiny, radioactive nanobots propelled by urine shrank bladder tumors by 90% in mice, suggesting a new way to target the disease.
Weight-loss drug cut the risk of heart attack and stroke by 20% in large trial
The weight-loss drug semaglutide reduced patients’ risk of heart attacks, strokes, or death from heart disease by 20% in a large trial.
Bad trips: Study examines the long-term adverse effects of psychedelic drugs
New research suggests that some users face long-term difficulties following psychedelic use, including emotional and social challenges.
Does caffeine harm your decision-making?
A small study showed caffeine lessens decision-making. While preliminary, it raises questions about caffeine affects our "higher" cognitive functions.
Ray Kurzweil explains how AI makes radical life extension possible
Life expectancy gains in developed countries have slowed in recent decades, but AI may be poised to transform medicine as we know it.
T-Minus: Water discovered on asteroids, first space factory comes home, and more
Freethink's weekly countdown of the biggest space news, featuring the return of Varda's space factory, a Russian space weapon, and more.
“Living pharmacies” could mean you never forget to take your meds again
The US government is funding the development of "living pharmacies," implants containing cells that release medications on demand.
How Arc Institute is bringing science into the century of biology
Researchers at Arc Institute all work toward the same goal: make concrete progress in understanding and treating complex diseases.
MIT’s soft fiber implants could offer drug-free pain relief
An innovative new way to use fiber-pulses to inhibit pain.
One-shot CRISPR treatment for inherited disease aces first human trial
A CRISPR treatment for hereditary angioedema significantly reduced swelling attacks in its first human trial.
How to stop our immune systems from turning on us
From "inverse vaccines" to repurposed cancer therapies, several potential cures for autoimmune diseases are showing serious promise.
Molecule reduces inflammation in Alzheimer’s models
A potential new Alzheimer’s drug represses the harmful inflammatory response of the brain’s immune cells, improving cognition in tests.
Are anxiety and depression social problems or chemical disorders?
As antidepressants will soon be a $16B industry, the chemical imbalance theory suits business interests better than health interests.
How does Alzheimer’s disease erode memory? New findings on risk gene offer insights
The strongest genetic predictor of Alzheimer's disease is a variant of a gene called apolipoprotein E. Researchers are discovering why.
Existing heart drug may boost treatment for skin cancer
The FDA-approved heart medication ranolazine boosted the efficacy of a BRAF inhibitor in mouse models of melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer.
Blocking this one protein could strengthen muscles
Stanford researchers have figured out how a therapy that blocks a single protein can reverse age-related muscle loss in mice.
Why is anxiety spiking in young people but not older adults?
Anxiety among adults 18 to 25 nearly doubled in that time period, but remained stable for adults 50 and older.
Stem cell injections could be the key to curing MS
From promising stem cell therapies to EBV vaccines, researchers are closer than ever to finding a cure for MS.
Experimental implant could end the need for insulin injections
An arm implant containing islet cells could one day make it far easier for people with type 1 diabetes to manage their disease.
Drug to grow new teeth heads to human trials
A drug that causes animals to grow new teeth could one day allow us to regenerate teeth lost to injury, disease, or old age.
Engineers develop a vibrating, ingestible capsule that might help treat obesity
MIT engineers designed an ingestible capsule that vibrates within the stomach, creating an illusory sense of fullness and reducing appetite.
A short history of insomnia and how we became obsessed with sleep
Insomnia is big business and getting bigger. When did sleep become so important, so elusive, and so expensive?
Bioengineered protein could enhance memory
Memory-related conditions are notoriously hard to treat, but there may be a way to boost recall in the brain.
New on/off switch in mRNA lets doctors “tune” gene therapy
A new kind of mRNA switch could give doctors the ability to precisely control the expression of therapeutic genes.
Lung cancer drug slashes patients’ risk of death by 51%
Osimertinib, an FDA-approved lung cancer drug, slashes the risk of death for certain patients by 51%, according to new trial results.
At least 5 people have been cured of HIV. Is the AIDS pandemic ending?
A handful of people have already been functionally cured of HIV — and new, universal cures are just on the horizon.