Articles

What it Takes

A Dangerous Job: Snake Milkers Risk Their Lives to Save…

A Dangerous Job: Snake Milkers Risk Their Lives to Save Others

A very small number of very daring people are responsible for all of the world’s antivenom.

Photo Essay

The Final Maker Faire

The maker movement is grieving a big loss with the shutdown of Maker Media. Freethink's Alexandra Cardinale spoke with some of the most creative people at the final Maker Faire.

The Forgotten Parent: How One Father is Making Sure Teen…

The Forgotten Parent: How One Father is Making Sure Teen Dads Don’t Go Overlooked

As the founder of Fathers New Mexico, Barry McIntosh is on a mission to help young fathers understand how important the early parenting years really are.

CRISPR: A Future Alternative to Vaccines?

Humanity is locked in an arms race with diseases: we update our vaccines, and diseases evolve new ways to try to sneak past them. Cutting-edge research is exploring how to stimulate immunity without using vaccines, using the new gene-editing technology known as CRISPR.

Reverse Innovation

MacGyver Medicine Can Save Lives

The package is simple and dirt-cheap—a plastic bag with a condom, a syringe, a rubber tube, and a card with instructions—but it can mean the difference between a mother living and dying.

Health

The Future of Healthcare Could Look a Lot Like the 1900s

For many cancer patients, being treated at home is just as safe, more affordable, and more convenient than being treated in a clinical setting.

Catalysts

How This Non-Profit Weaves a Family of Support for…

How This Non-Profit Weaves a Family of Support for Struggling Teens in Baltimore

“Everyone - no matter their age, race, or background - needs a network of supportive relationships to help them thrive.”

Thinking Differently

Is Autism a Mysterious Medical Condition or a Disability…

Is Autism a Mysterious Medical Condition or a Disability That's Part of the Spectrum of Human Diversity?

Rethinking Autism: Interview with NeuroTribes Author Steve Silberman

Thinking Differently

What's Wrong With Science?

A shocking amount of scientific studies can’t be reproduced. Do we need to change the culture of science?

Stand Together

Sometimes It Really Does Take a Village

Building a new, community-based foster care system

#fixingjustice - Harm Reduction

Should Violence be Treated Like A Disease?

Epidemiologist Dr. Gary Slutkin of Cure Violence says we need to treat violence like a public health crisis and employ the same types of strategies we use in medicine to treat violence.

#fixingjustice - Harm Reduction

A Day in the Life of a 'Violence Interruptor'

Freethink followed Andre T. Mitchell, the founder of Man Up!, and his violence interrupter team for a day in Brooklyn as they responded to a recent shooting in a nearby neighborhood.

#fixingjustice - Re-entry

Can Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Break the Cycle of…

Can Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Break the Cycle of Violence?

CBT is a promising way to reduce violence and depression, so why has it been so hard to scale?

#fixingjustice - Re-entry

The Ride Home from Prison

The "Ride Home Program" sends drivers to pick up former inmates on their first day of freedom to help ensure a smooth transition in those first few critical hours.

#Fixingjustice - Sentencing Reform

Rising Stars in Criminal Justice Reform

These key players are working from outside the system to lead the criminal justice reform movement.

#Fixingjustice - Sentencing Reform

A Mother’s Wish for Her Son’s Killer

DeVitta Briscoe never had a chance to request a lighter sentence for the man who shot her son.

#fixingjustice - Prosecution

Exclusive Interview: How Miriam Krinsky is Leading Us to a…

Exclusive Interview: How Miriam Krinsky is Leading Us to a Smarter & More Equitable Justice System

Her organization is bringing together a new generation of prosecutors with a shared vision of fair, compassionate, and responsible criminal justice reform.

#fixingjustice - Policing

Do We Need More Police Or Better Police?

American cities are safer than they used to be, but they’re still quite violent, and many economists think they’re under-policed. More police could help reduce crime, but only if people trust them to do a good job.

#fixingjustice - Policing

Community Policing is Back in Vogue. But Does it Work?

As police departments look for ways to rebuild trust with their communities, an increasing number are turning to new community policing programs. But are they effective? As with most things, it depends on what you measure.

#fixingjustice - Policing

Civilian Oversight Is a Solution to Police Misconduct. But…

Civilian Oversight Is a Solution to Police Misconduct. But is it Effective?

Creating a civilian review board to oversee police conduct seems like a straightforward solution to disciplinary issues on the force. But why is it so hard to implement?

#fixingjustice - Harm Reduction

Why Drugs Are Hurting More People Than Ever – And What to D…

Why Drugs Are Hurting More People Than Ever – And What to Do About It

Is the solution to dangerous drugs... making them safer?

Longreads

Fixing the Way We Fund Science

Basic science funding is a mess. Fixing it could radically improve the pace of innovation.

Dispatches

Hacking the Brain's Comms Network – without Surgery

When nerve cells in the brain communicate, they create tiny electric fields that can be sensed – and sometimes altered – from outside the skull.

Catalysts

Prison Education Can Break the "Revolving Door"…

Prison Education Can Break the "Revolving Door" of Recidivism

Over 600,000 people will leave prison this year; here's how we can help them never return.

Dispatches

A Tumor-Killing Virus Could Treat Eye Cancer and Save…

A Tumor-Killing Virus Could Treat Eye Cancer and Save Children's Sight

The only treatment for retinoblastoma is surgical removal of the eye—but scientists may have found another way: cancer-killing viruses.

Dispatches

Tiny Satellite “Constellations” Could Bring the Entire Wor…

Tiny Satellite “Constellations” Could Bring the Entire World Online

SpaceX is out in front, but the race for global satellite internet is getting crowded.

Dispatches

Mosquitoes Are the Deadliest Animals in History. Should We…

Mosquitoes Are the Deadliest Animals in History. Should We Wipe Them Out?

The world's richest and poorest people are teaming up against our deadliest predator.

Dispatches

The First Private Moonshot Is Ready to Launch

The Israeli group's moon mission will be ride-sharing on a SpaceX rocket.

Dispatches

A "LinkedIn for Cancer" Helps Myeloma Patients…

A "LinkedIn for Cancer" Helps Myeloma Patients Find Help – and Hope

The site aims to help scientists discover new treatments – and empower patients to advocate for their own care.

Dispatches

Training the Body to Fight Off Drug-Resistant Bacteria

A new strategy, called host-targeted defense, could help solve antibiotic resistance by upgrading the immune system.

Dispatches

How NASA Scientists Learned to Stick with Super Long-Term…

How NASA Scientists Learned to Stick with Super Long-Term Goals

When the New Horizons spacecraft launched in 2006, Pluto was still a planet and the iPhone didn't exist.

Dispatches

Supercharging Photosynthesis Can Grow 40% More Food

We need a lot more calories to feed a growing world, and these scientists may have figured out how to get them.

Dispatches

Finding a New Drug in One-Third the Time and One-Thousandth…

Finding a New Drug in One-Third the Time and One-Thousandth the Cost

How a pediatric cancer drug went from discovery to clinical trials in five years and just $500,000.

Dispatches

Living Drugs May Be the Key to Beating Genetic Disease

Engineering bacteria in the microbiome could fix previously untreatable genetic disorders.

What Is Cystic Fibrosis—And What Is It Like?

What you need to know about this genetic disease, explained by someone who knows it inside and out.

Dispatches

How Redesigning Labs Can Demystify Genetic Science

"Scientists work in high-security buildings that are banned to the public and then wonder why they are misunderstood."

Dispatches

A Hidden Benefit of Banned Antimicrobial Soap: Treating…

A Hidden Benefit of Banned Antimicrobial Soap: Treating Cystic Fibrosis Infections

The FDA banned triclosan from hand soap, but new research shows that it can supercharge old antibiotics.

Dispatches

Why We Need a Universal Flu Vaccine

Two scientists explain why the flu is still such a problem, a century after it killed 50 million people — and what we can do stop it.

Dispatches

Paige and the Virus Hunter

Drugs couldn’t stop her infection — so she asked Ben Chan to get her a virus, instead.

Dispatches

Is a "Global Village" a Pandemic Waiting to…

Is a "Global Village" a Pandemic Waiting to Happen?

New research suggests that our hyper-connected world might be protecting us against devastating plagues.

Dispatches

Neuroscience Has a Low-Tech Answer for a Good Night's Sleep

Neuroscientists say that we may be ignoring a basic fact that could defuse the "screen-time wars" between parents and kids.

Dispatches

Driverless Cars Go Off-roading

Computer-game simulations can train self-driving cars to navigate in the real world.

Dispatches

"Q" Probably Won't Make You Rich, but It's an…

"Q" Probably Won't Make You Rich, but It's an Experiment Worth Watching

It's not the next Bitcoin (or a path to riches), but it's an intriguing idea.

Dispatches

We're Mapping 100 Trillion Human Cells (and All of Their…

We're Mapping 100 Trillion Human Cells (and All of Their Genes)

The "Human BioMolecular Atlas" will map the active genes in over 200 types of cells and 80 different organ systems.

Dispatches

A Skin Graft Cures Cocaine Cravings (in Mice)

A CRISPR skin graft looks like a promising way to deliver gene therapy.

Dispatches

Personal Genetics Might Solve the Opioid Crisis – and the P…

Personal Genetics Might Solve the Opioid Crisis – and the Pain Crisis

Why does pain hurt more for some people? Why do others feel nothing at all?

Dispatches

Goodbye, Passwords: Hello Brain-ID

Can mind-readers replace passwords and biometric security?

Dispatches

AI Will Make You Smarter

Artificial intelligence will multiply your own intelligence, in ways that will surprise you.

Longreads

Why Can't America Solve Murder Anymore?

The evidence suggests that most murderers get away with it. Here's what we can do about that.

Dispatches

To Eradicate TB, We Need Old-Fashioned Ambition

The Ebola outbreak sparked more medical innovation in two years than TB has in decades, even though TB is killing millions of people a year.

Dispatches

What's the Deal with the Giant Mosquitoes after Hurricanes?

These suckers grow to be three times larger than other mosquitoes, but they may not be as bad as you think.

Dispatches

Meet the 380 Trillion Viruses inside Your Body

Scientists aren't exactly sure yet what the "virome" is up to, but it's probably important.

Dispatches

The First “Telepathic” Social Network Is Used to Play Tetris

Researchers claim that BrainNet is “bringing us a step closer to a ‘social network of brains.’”

Dispatches

What We Learned from a Decade of Commercial Space Travel

Businesses have gotten to space; now what?

Dispatches

A New Kind of Headset “Hears” Words You Don’t Say

The project, named AlterEgo, intentionally crosses the line between what's "out there" and what's in your head.

Dispatches

The 2018 Nobel Prize Could Mark a Turning Point in the War…

The 2018 Nobel Prize Could Mark a Turning Point in the War on Cancer

More than one in three people will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime; new discoveries are helping them fight back.

Dispatches

A New Stem Cell Treatment Can Heal Burns, Bedsores, and…

A New Stem Cell Treatment Can Heal Burns, Bedsores, and Diabetic Ulcers

In addition to healing injuries, the approach could be useful for repairing skin damage, countering the effects of aging, and modeling skin cancer.

Dispatches

“I'd Like to Build My Own Coffin”

How the founders of the "coffin clubs" got started – and their advice for others.

Dispatches

Can DIY Science (Finally) Cut the Cost of Insulin?

A century after its discovery, insulin is still incredibly expensive, but DIY bio-manufacturing could change that in a big way.

Dispatches

Why a Third of Antidepressants Are Prescribed for…

Why a Third of Antidepressants Are Prescribed for "Off-label" Problems

The "secret life of antidepressants" could open up a host of new treatments.

Dispatches

Zika Could Be a "Smart Missile" for Brain Cancer

Zika can devastate fetal brains; scientists want to turn it against brain tumors instead.

Dispatches

Brains Store Memories in a Temporary "Cache" (and…

Brains Store Memories in a Temporary "Cache" (and We Can Read It)

Like the day’s newspaper, the brain has a temporary way to keep track of events.

Dispatches

How a Video Game Helped the Cajun Navy Save Lives

When lives are on the line, inspiration can come from the most unlikely places.

Dispatches

GMO Mosquitoes Could Be Our Best New Weapon against Disease

It sounds like science fiction, but it could save millions of lives.

Dispatches

FDA Approves First Mute Button for Genetic Diseases

It is the first of "a wave of advances that have the potential to transform medicine."

Dispatches

Are "CRISPR Kids" the New "Test-Tube…

Are "CRISPR Kids" the New "Test-Tube Babies"?

Forty years later, IVF shows how fears about new technology can fade.

Dispatches

New Evidence Suggests Viruses May Trigger Alzheimer’s

For the first time in a long time, there's a new direction for potential Alzheimer's treatments.

Dispatches

High Tech Archaeology Found a New Way to Screen for Vitamin…

High Tech Archaeology Found a New Way to Screen for Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency is an age-old problem, but new techniques from archaeology may be the key to catching it early.

Dispatches

What Happens If Scientists Lose Faith in Their Own Research?

Half of scientists have failed to replicate their own work — but they rarely come forward. A new project wants to change that.

Dispatches

AI Could Replace Chemical Testing on Animals

Scientists have developed software that could save one billion dollars (and two million animals) each year.

Dispatches

Paralyzed Mice Walk Again After Breakthrough Treatment

One small step for a mouse, perhaps one giant leap for treating spinal injuries.

Dispatches

"Cybersecurity for Plants" Can Stop Germs from…

"Cybersecurity for Plants" Can Stop Germs from Hacking Our Food Supply

Computer hackers exploit flaws in code to access systems and take what they want; plant diseases work the same way.

Dispatches

Quieter, Faster, Stronger: The Next Jet Age Is Coming

Air travel takes longer today than it did 40 years ago. That's about to change.

Dispatches

UV Robots Can Sterilize an ICU in 10 Minutes

UV light destroys bacterial DNA from the inside out, eradicating the toughest pathogens in minutes.

Dispatches

Will Probiotics Cure Cholera?

MIT scientists say eating good bacteria can prevent, cure, and diagnose cholera—cheaply.

Dispatches

The Gut Microbiome Affects Brain Structure

What happens in your gut in childhood can change how your brain works later in life.

Dispatches

An Insulin Pill Could Change Everything for Diabetics

A pill instead of a needle would be the "holy grail" for diabetes treatment.

Dispatches

FDA Approves the First Marijuana-based Drug

The drug has been proven effective at reducing seizures from certain types of childhood epilepsy.

Dispatches

CRISPR Edits Out Autistic Traits in Mice

The technique could also open up treatments for Huntington's, schizophrenia, and epilepsy.

Dispatches

A New Brain Surgery Robot Can Work Inside an MRI

Metal robots and electric motors don't normally play well with giant magnets.

Dispatches

How Coffee Could Treat Diabetes

Someday, diabetics could use caffeine to trigger insulin production, thanks to specially designed kidney cells.

Dispatches

New Tech Makes Fresh Produce Last Twice as Long

The plant-based preservative could radically change the game on food waste.

Dispatches

Precision Medicine Cured an “Untreatable” Stage IV Breast Can…

Precision Medicine Cured an “Untreatable” Stage IV Breast Cancer

Two years ago, she had two months to live.

Dispatches

A Zero-Carbon Gas Power Plant Just Came Online in Texas

Hey, it works!

Dispatches

Does CRISPR Cause Cancer?

Two studies find that CRISPR'd cells tend to become cancerous. Here's what that means for biotech medicine.

Dispatches

The Cost of Sucking Carbon Out of the Air Just Fell By 85%

It's not there yet, but carbon capture just got interesting.

Dispatches

Study Shows Schizophrenia Begins in the Womb, Unraveling a…

Study Shows Schizophrenia Begins in the Womb, Unraveling a Genetic Mystery

Half of genes linked to schizophrenia are primarily involved in the placenta, not the brain.

Dispatches

Mental Training Can Heal Traumatic Brain Injuries (and…

Mental Training Can Heal Traumatic Brain Injuries (and Reduce Depression)

Millions of people are dealing with traumatic head injuries; brain scans show that cognitive training could actually repair damaged neural connections.

Dispatches

Why Don’t Vaccines Work as Well in Poor Countries?

Our best tool for preventing disease is the least effective in the places where it's most needed.

Dispatches

Tesla Fixed Its Model 3 Brakes with Software – And Showed U…

Tesla Fixed Its Model 3 Brakes with Software – And Showed Us the Future of Cars

Consumer Reports failed the Model 3's braking system. A week later, Tesla beamed a fix to the entire fleet.

Dispatches

Genetic Tests Miss “Invisible” Mutations That Cause Disease and…

Genetic Tests Miss “Invisible” Mutations That Cause Disease and Neurological Disorders

There's more to your DNA than just letters, and mutations can lurk in that genetic "dark matter."

Dispatches

Emergency Braking Was Disabled During Self-driving Uber…

Emergency Braking Was Disabled During Self-driving Uber Fatality: Feds

Uber turned off the emergency braking function in its self-driving cars because of "erratic vehicle behavior."

Dispatches

Your DNA Is Not the Same in Every Cell

Your body began with a single cell and a single genetic code. But it didn't stay that way for long.

Dispatches

Spraying Bacteria onto the Skin Can Treat Eczema

The bacteria in your microbiome ward off infections and help keep your skin healthy.

Dispatches

Robots Are Mass Producing Mini-Organs

Robots can make hundreds of tiny copies of your organs, allowing doctors to test many different treatments at the same time.

On the Fringe

Could Freezing Your Body Offer a Chance at Immortality?

In a lab in Arizona, dozens of bodies sit preserved at 320 degrees below zero. They each paid $200,000 to be frozen on the hope that, one day, medicine will advance far enough to once again bring them back from the dead.

Dispatches

Scientists Physically "Transplant" a Memory in…

Scientists Physically "Transplant" a Memory in Snails

The experiment breaks the conventional wisdom about what memories are made of.

Dispatches

The Cause (and Possible Cure) for Most Infertility

Fertility medicine may be on the edge of a breakthrough.

Dispatches

Two Billion People Have TB. What Should We Do about It?

In the fight against TB, sometimes it's better to just get along.

Dispatches

CRISPR Can Diagnose Zika (and Ebola) with Just a Strip of…

CRISPR Can Diagnose Zika (and Ebola) with Just a Strip of Paper

We could be on our way to a fast, reliable, portable test for almost any virus or cancerous mutation.

Dispatches

We Found the Oldest Human Virus: It's Familiar (but Weird)

The discovery cracks open a 7,000-year history of human-virus warfare. And it's raising weird questions.

Science

Bionic Prosthetic Grants Amputee Musician a Rocking Encore

How might your life change if you lost an arm? After losing his right arm in an electrical accident, Jason wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to drum again.

Dispatches

Neuroscientists Want to Beam Experiences Directly into Your…

Neuroscientists Want to Beam Experiences Directly into Your Brain

It's a breakthrough for the blind and paralyzed, not the first step toward the Matrix. (Promise.)

Dispatches

Scientists Want to Rewrite the Entire Human Genome, from…

Scientists Want to Rewrite the Entire Human Genome, from Scratch

What if we could rewrite our entire genetic code to make us invincible against viruses?

Dispatches

Organic Solar Is (Finally) Efficient Enough to Compete

Reliable power straight from the sun looks more achievable than ever.

Dispatches

Glowing Cancer Cells Could Find Hidden Tumors (And Replace…

Glowing Cancer Cells Could Find Hidden Tumors (And Replace Mammograms)

A new pill can make cancer cells glow under infrared light, and it could eliminate for mammograms.

Dispatches

Unlike Smoking, Vaping Won't Mess With Your Microbiome

Smoking kills off good bacteria and upsets the balance of power your gut.

Dispatches

Babies Sometimes Trigger Preterm Labor to Escape Infections

A new discovery upends what we thought we knew about premature births and could point the way to entirely new solutions to prevent them.

Dispatches

Scientists Finally Get a Look at Enzyme that Protects DNA

We finally have a detailed picture of an enzyme that could play a key role in fighting both aging and cancer

Science

The Ebola Vaccine Is Still Working 2 Years Later

The vaccine works great at preventing infection—let’s hope it can also prevent media panic too.

On The Fringe

These Bacteria-Eating Sewer Viruses are Saving Lives

The world discovered phages before antibiotics, but these lowly sewer viruses are getting renewed attention in the age of antibiotic resistance.

Dispatches

Linking Genes to Depression Could Revolutionize Treatment

Saying something is “genetic” used to be a fatalistic diagnosis. But with modern medicine, it could be the key to treatment.

Dispatches

The Eternal Sunshine of the Stressed Out Mind

Researchers at Cambridge University have finally figured out how the brain stops stressful thoughts and memories from taking over our minds.

Dispatches

Researchers Want to Create A Traffic Cop for the Sky

A new kind of radar could direct drone traffic safely around city skies.

Dispatches

FDA Approves AI “Doctor” That Can See Disease in Your Eyes

How will artificial intelligence transform medicine?

Dispatches

23andMe Can (Finally) Tell You about Your Genetic Cancer…

23andMe Can (Finally) Tell You about Your Genetic Cancer Risk

23andMe has won the right to tell you what your genes say about you. It's a landmark legal achievement that could help usher in a new age of personalized medicine.

Dispatches

Tesla and Uber Fatalities Show the Limits of…

Tesla and Uber Fatalities Show the Limits of “Semi-Autonomous” Cars

How can we make humans pay attention when a machine is doing our job for us?

Dispatches

A Prosthetic Memory Can Help You Remember

Scientists have figured out how to hack the brain's memory.

Dispatches

Self-driving Uber Fatality: Video Shows Tech Failure &…

Self-driving Uber Fatality: Video Shows Tech Failure & Human Error

The only way to make self-driving cars safer is to take the risk of more testing.

On the Cusp

How Virtual Reality is Changing Medicine

From virtual hearts to immersive battlefields, doctors and scientists are using virtual reality to transform medicine

Science

Could This Revolutionary Football Helmet Protect Players…

Could This Revolutionary Football Helmet Protect Players and Save the Game?

As more and more former football players exhibit symptoms of CTE, one company thinks their new helmet can address the problem of player safety.

Crossing the Divide

Why Does This Cop Have a Million Instagram Followers?

Officer Tommy Norman's work has drawn national attention recently, but his approach to policing is nothing new.

Crossing the Divide

Can a Single Conversation Really Change Someone's Mind?…

Can a Single Conversation Really Change Someone's Mind? This Research Says Yes.

After studying a team of canvassers, two researchers found that a single conversation can have a significant and lasting impact on a person's opinion.

Crossing the Divide

Maybe We Can All Get Along: 5 Reasons to Be Hopeful

While the press tends to emphasize bad news, there are less covered stories of people from different backgrounds and beliefs coming together.

Crossing the Divide

Americans Are Divided. These People Are Doing Something…

Americans Are Divided. These People Are Doing Something About It.

Amidst our most intense religious, political, and cultural conflicts, there are people around the country who are working tirelessly to forge connections

Pop Revolution

How Skate Punks are Ushering in a New Era of Freedom in…

How Skate Punks are Ushering in a New Era of Freedom in Myanmar

For decades, Myanmar, also known as Burma, was ruled by a repressive military junta. Then, in 2011, things began to change.

Coded

Nico Sell on Recruiting Hackers for Good

Why we should teach kids how to hack and encourage them to use their new-found talents for good.

Rise

The Untold Story of Rio’s Largest Favela

Meet the proud, hopeful, ambitious people determined to build the life they’ve dreamed of.

Rise

5 Fascinating Ways Humans are Adapting to Cities

There’s a global transformation happening - millions of people are migrating to cities from the countryside.

Wrong

3 Times Our Brightest Minds Made Bad Predictions

Some of the predictions might look outlandish now, but at the time they actually seemed quite plausible.

Criminal Justice

Can This Robot Stop Violence at Traffic Stops?

A Duke robotics PhD student and his partner think they have a way ease tensions while deep-rooted differences are hashed out.

Coded

Meet the Artist and Activist Who Wants You to Erase Your DNA

Heather Dewey-Hagborg wants to make sure people understand the hidden secrets in the DNA they leave behind everywhere they go.

Coded

From Multi-Millionaire Bitcoin Entrepreneur to Inmate and…

From Multi-Millionaire Bitcoin Entrepreneur to Inmate and Back Again

The story of how Charlie Shrem built his business as a Bitcoin pioneer, lost it all, and is now clawing his way back.

The App That Sniffs Out Censorship

Created by the Tor Project, the app gives internet users a new way to monitor and report online censorship around the world.

On The Cusp

This Week in Ideas: Saying Goodbye to Lab Rats and…

This Week in Ideas: Saying Goodbye to Lab Rats and Replacing Bees with Drones

Breakthrough could mean the end of test animals, violent crime nearly cut in half, and drones that pollinate flowers.

Coded

Nico Sell Thinks Hackers Can Be a Force for Good

After criminals hijacked the term, Sell is on a mission to change our perception of hackers.

On The Cusp

This Week in Ideas: Building a Cheaper MRI, Reconciling God…

This Week in Ideas: Building a Cheaper MRI, Reconciling God and AI, and The Next Einstein

Rethinking the MRI machine, how will Christianity handle advanced tech, and is this 7-year-old the next Einstein?

Coded

Meet the Digital Bodyguard for Investigative Journalists

Smári McCarthy discusses his job protecting the work of journalists investigating organized crime and corruption

Coded

It’s Time for Regular Americans to Think Differently About C…

It’s Time for Regular Americans to Think Differently About Cybersecurity

If huge companies and government agencies can't manage the cyber threats, how can ordinary Americans?

Coded

The Hackers Exposing Government-Wide Crime and Corruption

Displaying the power of unique technological abilities combined with dogged investigative journalism

On The Cusp

This Week in Ideas: Embryonic People-Pigs, the Glories of…

This Week in Ideas: Embryonic People-Pigs, the Glories of the Hubble Telescope, and American Cyber-Security

A step toward human organs in animal embryos, the Hubble Telescope was a game changer, and Americans aren't doing much to protect themselves online.

Coded

The Evolution of a Dissident: How Ladar Levison Became…

The Evolution of a Dissident: How Ladar Levison Became Someone Who Said "No" to the FBI

For Ladar Levison, founder of secure email service Lavabit, everything changed when the two FBI agents showed up at his door.

Coded

What We Mean When We Talk About Hacking

We've all heard it before: "I was hacked!" But that can mean a lot of things. We take a look at some of the big ones.

Coded

Meet the Programmer Who Defied the FBI

Ladar Levison spent 10 years building his business, then destroyed it all in one night when the FBI came knocking.

On The Cusp

This Week in Ideas: How to Form Good Habits, the Case…

This Week in Ideas: How to Form Good Habits, the Case Against Empathy, and a Miracle Cure Derailed

From how to make good habits (and keep them) to a crisis at the NIH, it's a new edition of our week in ideas.

Coded

WATCH: Trailer for Our New Show, Coded

Meet the programmers on the frontlines of the war over security and privacy.

Challengers

Let's Talk About Failure

Are we fetishizing failure? What are the costs of failing? How do we bounce back after it inevitably happens?

Challengers

What Can We Learn From an Entrepreneur Whose Business…

What Can We Learn From an Entrepreneur Whose Business Failed?

Luke Kenworthy put everything he had into making his business work. But it didn't pan out. Now he's sharing what he learned through it all.

Challengers

Failure is Inevitable, But It Doesn't Have to Ruin Your Life

Why learning to suck at something is the only way to get good at it.

Culture

This Week in Ideas: Good Things That Happened in 2016

Despite 2016 being widely panned, there were also truly good things that happened over the past year. Here are some of the big ones.

Challengers

Four Crazy Uses for Virtual Reality (That Aren't Video…

Four Crazy Uses for Virtual Reality (That Aren't Video Games)

We’re now starting to scratch the surface of the true potential of virtual reality.

Challengers

Five Insights: Linc Gasking On What Every Startup Should Be…

Five Insights: Linc Gasking On What Every Startup Should Be Shooting For

Linc Gasking, co-founder of VR startup 8i, discusses the day-to-day grind and big picture excitement of being an entrepreneur.

Challengers

Meet the Startup Creating Incredible Virtual Realities

8i takes video and converts it into virtual realities that are nearly indistinguishable from real life.

On The Cusp

This Week in Ideas: Why D.A.R.E. Didn't Work, the Future of…

This Week in Ideas: Why D.A.R.E. Didn't Work, the Future of Cities, and is Love Actually Actually Good?

Our weekly take on the best stuff from around the web.

Challengers

Five Insights: Ryan Petersen on Tackling Problems That Feel…

Five Insights: Ryan Petersen on Tackling Problems That Feel Too Big to Fix

Flexport's founder discusses the personal and business side of building an ambitious startup.

Challengers

Five Insights from AltSchool Founder and CEO, Max Ventilla

Max Ventilla on why he thinks its time for a new way to educate kids and how his startup could be a way to do it.

Challengers

Can This Startup Build the School System of the Future?

AltSchool wants to build a new school system based on a highly personalized education model that any school could join.

Challengers

Three Reasons We Don't Have More Nuclear Power in the U.S.

Many think of Chernobyl and Three Mile Island when they hear nuclear power. But nuclear's struggle to gain a foothold in the U.S. is more nuanced than isolated safety problems.

Challengers

Four Crazy Ideas From the Golden Age of Nuclear

For a couple decades people thought nuclear power was the answer to pretty much everything. And they came up with some ideas we’ll generously call visionary.

Challengers

Dr. Leslie Dewan on the Future of Nuclear Energy

We dive into the viability and future of nuclear energy in the U.S. and around the world with Leslie Dewan, CEO of nuclear power startup Transatomic.

Challengers

Can This Startup Power the World With Nuclear?

Leslie Dewan and her team at Transatomic believe they've figured out a safe, scalable, cost-effective way to power the world with nuclear.

On The Cusp

This Week in Ideas: The End of Checkout Lines,…

This Week in Ideas: The End of Checkout Lines, Photoshopping Your Voice, and a New Way to Pay for a Ride

Amazon's new grocery store, Adobe's new tech can make you say anything, and pay for the bus by watching an ad.

Challengers

You Should Start Learning About Artificial Intelligence.…

You Should Start Learning About Artificial Intelligence. Here's How.

There are a lot of different levels of artificial intelligence being applied in a lot of different ways. Here's a primer for starting to wrap your head around it all.

Challengers

Five Insights: Scott Phoenix on Creating AI and Building a…

Five Insights: Scott Phoenix on Creating AI and Building a Company Around a Crazy Idea

Scott Phoenix, founder of Vicarious, shares insights on the development of artificial intelligence and why this is a great time to be alive.

Challengers

Meet the Startup Developing Human-Level Artificial…

Meet the Startup Developing Human-Level Artificial Intelligence

The story of Vicarious' mission to build the world's first human-level artificial intelligence and use it to help humanity thrive.

On The Cusp

This Week in Ideas: Fighting Addiction With Implants, Using…

This Week in Ideas: Fighting Addiction With Implants, Using VR to Educate, Amazon Prime Gets Primer

An arm implant to treat opioid addiction, teaching hair stylists with VR, and a potential Amazon Prime game changer.

Challengers

An American Entrepreneur on the Importance of Chinese…

An American Entrepreneur on the Importance of Chinese Manufacturing

Greg Shugar, founder of Tie Bar and Thread Experiment, discusses why his businesses wouldn’t have been possible without Chinese factories.

Challengers

This Startup Wants to Make Everything You Buy Cheaper

Flexport's app is built to make global trade easier. If they're successful, it could mean everything you buy will cost less.

The New Space Race

This is The New Space Race

It’s been 44 years since a human stepped on the moon, and a new generation of entrepreneurs is laying the groundwork for us to go back.

This is Our Superhuman Future

With Thanksgiving winding down, take some time to join us on a journey to the frontier of medical technology.

Challengers

Meet the Entrepreneurs Disrupting Industries and Changing…

Meet the Entrepreneurs Disrupting Industries and Changing the World

Fast Company and Freethink bring you powerful stories of a new generation of entrepreneurs.

Culture

This Week in Ideas: Unveiling Google Earth VR, China Goes…

This Week in Ideas: Unveiling Google Earth VR, China Goes All in on CRISPR, Cuba's Cancer Vaccine

Google releases some beautiful VR, human trials of gene-editing technology CRISPR, and importing Cuba's cancer vaccine.

Culture

What We Need Right Now Is a Little Bit of Hans Rosling

The Swedish public health researcher says that, contrary to most of what you hear, the world is actually moving in the right direction.

Culture

This Week in Ideas: A $1 Microscope, Healing Our Divisions,…

This Week in Ideas: A $1 Microscope, Healing Our Divisions, Planet Earth is Back

Democratizing microscopes, how we heal our political divisions, and BBC's Planet Earth returns. These are our favorite stories of the week.

The New Space Race

Why the U.S. Government Treated Satellites and Machine Guns…

Why the U.S. Government Treated Satellites and Machine Guns as the Same for 15 Years

Regulations forced companies that planned to sell satellites to other countries to register, in effect, as arms dealers.

New Space Race

How Do We Respond to Crimes in Space?

As talk of space colonization heats up, is it time to have a serious conversation about conflict resolution in a place where few rules or laws exist?

The New Space Race

Preparing the First Space Colonizers for Life Off of Planet…

Preparing the First Space Colonizers for Life Off of Planet Earth

It’s only a matter of time until the average person can explore space. But, will the average person be ready?

Science

The Four Weirdest Things We've Sent to Space

We take a look at a few of the not-so-obviously-bizarre things we've launched beyond the earth's atmosphere.

Culture

How a Sci-Fi Enthusiast Decided to Memorialize His Best…

How a Sci-Fi Enthusiast Decided to Memorialize His Best Friend

The story of how one man gave his space-loving best friend a final resting place in the final frontier.

The New Space Race

Who Owns the Moon?

Throughout history, different organizations, governments, and even individuals have attempted to establish rules for, and ownership of, outer space.

The New Space Race

Can This Startup Give Everyone Access to the Moon?

With advanced navigational technology, Astrobotic wants to provide a routine, affordable, and accurate delivery service to the moon.

Culture

This Week in Ideas: Beer That Delivers Itself, Chatbots…

This Week in Ideas: Beer That Delivers Itself, Chatbots From Beyond, and How to Set a Very Strange World Record

Uber's self-driving beer truck, how a chatbot can help the grieving process, and more of our favorite stories from the week.

Science

Why Don't We Believe Extreme Weather Forecasts?

Research shows people don't take extreme weather predictions seriously. And don't take the necessary precautions as a result.

The New Space Race

The Market for Tiny Satellites Is Going to Be Huge

Fleets of small satellites can gather far more accurate and timely data than conventional satellites. And investors are taking notice.

The New Space Race

The Startup That May Be On the Cusp of Revolutionizing the…

The Startup That May Be On the Cusp of Revolutionizing the Satellite Industry

Spire's satellites fit in the palm of your hand, cost a fraction of their predecessors, and transmit more data than several behemoth satellites combined.

This Week in Ideas: Using Drones for Medicine, Fighting…

This Week in Ideas: Using Drones for Medicine, Fighting Zika, Re-Imagining Passwords

Reimagining how we get medicine to people, using genetically modified mosquitoes to fight Zika, and selfies as passwords. These are the stories that got us talking.

The New Space Race

Here's What Happens to the Human Body in Outer Space

As the idea of colonizing space becomes mainstream, it’s important to keep in mind that traveling in outer space does some crazy stuff to our bodies.

The New Space Race

What Happens When Stuff Breaks in Space?

Despite rigorous prep, astronauts often have to improvise when things go wrong in space. And a lot more duct tape is involved than you may expect.

The New Space Race

Why This Startup Believes 3D Printing in Space Will Be a…

Why This Startup Believes 3D Printing in Space Will Be a Game Changer

Sending things into space is really expensive. But what if we didn't have to? What if everything in space was made in space?

The New Space Race

What a Controversial Asteroid Mission Tells Us About U.S.…

What a Controversial Asteroid Mission Tells Us About U.S. Space Policy

Billions spent on projects of questionable benefit - like the plan to capture an asteroid - raises the question: Should NASA take a back seat in the 21st century space race?

The New Space Race

Where Did the Commercial Space Sector Come From?

Private companies have worked with NASA for decades. Can the next generation of space companies get by without the government as their biggest customer?

The New Space Race

Can XCOR Build the World's First Airline for Space?

Out of a small hangar in the Mojave Desert, XCOR is developing a rocket ship designed to fly to space four times a day, five days a week.

Culture

This Week in Ideas: Rockets in Flight, Poverty in Decline,…

This Week in Ideas: Rockets in Flight, Poverty in Decline, and Explaining the Unexplainable

A step forward for space tourism, extreme poverty could be on its way out, and illustrating advanced tech. These are our favorite stories of the week.

The New Space Race

The New Space Race is Here

Our new show will introduce you to the people and the technology that could make humans a multi-planetary species in the coming century.

Culture

The Fake Disease That Saved Rome's Jews

Dr. Giovanni Borromeo dreamed up a brilliant scheme that saved dozens of Jewish families in Rome from Nazi persecution.

This Week In Ideas: An Artificial Pancreas, Google's New…

This Week In Ideas: An Artificial Pancreas, Google's New Translation Tech, and a Massive Mars Rocket

An incredible medical breakthrough, Google ups the ante, and the SpaceX Mars rocket. These are our favorite stories of the week.

Science

What to Expect In a Post-Meat Future

From advanced plant-based meat alternatives to real meat grown in a lab, the days of eating meat from once-living animals could be numbered.

Culture

Elon Musk Explains the Economics of Getting to Mars

The SpaceX founder gave a rousing presentation on his company’s long-term plan for getting to Mars and establishing a civilization there.

This week in ideas: How VR changes our dreams, a stem cell…

This week in ideas: How VR changes our dreams, a stem cell miracle, and the shoes of the future

Virtual reality users experience more lucid dreams, a paralyzed man gets movement back, and self-lacing shoes. These are our favorite stories this week.

This Computer Can Write 2,000 Snarky Articles Per Second

What does it mean for the future of journalism when a computer can turn mounds of data into a cohesive narrative?

Culture

This Army Sergeant Started a 24-Hour Hotline For Service…

This Army Sergeant Started a 24-Hour Hotline For Service Members with PTSD

First Sgt. Landon Jackson battled with severe PTSD and turned his experience into a 24 hour hotline that gives service members an outlet whenever they need it.

Self-Driving Cars are Finally Here. Sort Of.

Uber rolled out self-driving cars in Pittsburgh, but they're not totally autonomous. Yet. Under Pennsylvania law, every car still needs an operator.

Superhuman

Meet the Wounded Veteran Using Bionics to Take Back His…

Meet the Wounded Veteran Using Bionics to Take Back His Independence

Jerral lost his left arm in Iraq. Now he's working with a team from Johns Hopkins to test a prosthetic arm that works by reading signals in his skin.

Culture

This Week in Ideas: Reasons to Feel Good About Humanity

A paralyzed woman runs a half marathon in an exoskeleton, Sri Lanka defeats malaria, incomes are rising. Here's some good news since most of what we hear is just the bad.

Science

A Regulatory Fight Is Brewing Over Experimental Stem Cell…

A Regulatory Fight Is Brewing Over Experimental Stem Cell Therapies

New proposed regulations from the FDA would effectively shut down private stem cell clinics in the U.S.

Science

The Future of Sports and Human Performance

Unpacking the science behind human performance with The Sports Gene author David Epstein

Superhuman

The Experimental Procedure That Can Reverse Blindness

Doctors told Vanna she was permanently blind. But thanks to an experimental procedure, she can see.

Can Tech Giants Get Ahead of A.I.?

Companies gather to discuss impact of A.I. A possible neural lace breakthrough. And unmanned cargo ships. This is the coolest stuff we've read this week.

How Do We Scale Bionic Technology?

Right now, assistive bionic technology is really cool and really expensive. This is how it will get better and cheaper.

What to Expect at the First Cyborg Olympics

The event will seek to answer one of the most interesting technology questions of the early 21st century: How close are we to integrating humans with machines?

Science

Could Your Brain Regenerate Like Skin?

Brain regeneration used to be considered a medical fantasy. But research shows that fantasy could eventually become a reality.

Superhuman

Meet the Paralyzed Man Who Can Walk Again

Robert is paralyzed from the chest down. But now a robotic exoskeleton is giving him what he calls "a second chance at life."

Will Robots Steal Our Jobs?

Could exoskeletons help us do our jobs? Should we actually be afraid of robots taking our jobs? These are the latest stories from the frontlines of the robotic world.

Assistive Tech Doesn't Have to be High Tech

The story of how 3D printing gave Ryan Hines a chance to regain his independence for $150. And how he's now offering the same chance to others.

Technology

Prosthetics Enter a New Age of Beautiful Form and…

Prosthetics Enter a New Age of Beautiful Form and Incredible Function

For centuries, prosthetics didn't change much at all, but the past 10 years has seen an incredible leap forward in the way they look and work.

Superhuman

Everything You Wanted to Know About the World's Most…

Everything You Wanted to Know About the World's Most Advanced Bionic Arm

A fascinating interview with Michael P. McLoughlin, the chief engineer of research and exploratory development at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab.

Superhuman

Meet the Man with the Most Advanced Prosthetic Arm in the…

Meet the Man with the Most Advanced Prosthetic Arm in the World

Johnny Matheny has been working with doctors at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab to test a prosthetic arm that is controlled with your thoughts.

A Lay Person's Guide to Biohacking

We're living in a golden age of people exploring high and low tech methods to optimize our bodies.

Technology

How to Send Mail to a Person With No Address

Millions of people have no address. They can’t get mail, they can't vote, they can’t get aid, and they don’t have rights. One company wants to change that.

Science

How to Rebuild a Broken Brain

The unbelievable story of the day Jordan Riley was declared brain dead and his journey of re-learning how to be human.

Superhuman

The 3D-printed helmet that can read your mind. Could it…

The 3D-printed helmet that can read your mind. Could it change the world?

OpenBCI has developed technology that allows you to control the world outside your body with your brain waves.

Superhuman

Meet the Mom Curing Her Daughter's Incurable Disease

Karen Aiach isn't a doctor and has never worked in medicine. But when doctors said her daughter wouldn't live past adolescence, she knew she had to get to work.

Science

The Fascinating Story of How AIDS Activism Helped Usher in…

The Fascinating Story of How AIDS Activism Helped Usher in a "Right to Try" Movement

Should terminally ill patients be allowed to try experimental procedures? Hear the amazing, true story of the AIDS activists who fought for a "right to try." And won.

Superhuman

Three Women Who Changed the Way We Think About Medicine

From newborn health to AIDS treatment to DNA research, these brilliant women paved the way for incredible advances in the field of medicine.

Superhuman

Is the Miracle Medicine of the Future About to Become the…

Is the Miracle Medicine of the Future About to Become the Totally Real Medicine of the Present?

Gene therapy uses a virus to replace missing or defective genes. It sounds counterintuitive, but it could be the key to curing previously incurable diseases.