Biotech
Human history has been all but defined by death and disease, plague and pandemic. Advancements in 20th century medicine changed all of that. Now advancements in 21st century medicine promise to go even further. Could we bring about an end to disease? Reverse aging? Give hearing to the deaf and sight to the blind? The answer may be yes. And soon.
Featured
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.
This conservationist is trying to bring extinct species back to life
Ryan Phelan, co-founder of Revive & Restore, talks about the future of conservation at Freethink’s Great Progression event.
How consensus can undermine science
The main objective of consensus statements appears to be to reduce doubt, which may stifle scientific inquiry.
Psychedelics & Mental Health
Pac-Man turned 45 today. The surgeon general once warned that playing it could make kids violent.
Officials’ warnings about the impact of video games on kids were never proven true. They may be making the same mistake with social media.
Flexible brain implant takes major leap forward
The FDA’s clearance of Precision Neuroscience’s flexible electrode array pushes the startup ahead in the race to BCI commercialization.
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.
Biohacking
Three founders look to the future at Freethink’s inaugural Great Progression event
The tech community came together for the launch of the Great Progression event series, curated by Peter Leyden and produced by Freethink.
We’re able to create new creatures through gene editing. What’s stopping us?
The question isn’t whether we can sculpt new life. The question is what comes next.
Boosted Breeding and beyond: 3 tech trends that could end world hunger
A world without hunger is possible, and the development and deployment of new farming technologies could be one key to manifesting it.
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.
Vaccines
Personalized cancer vaccines are having a moment
Personalized cancer vaccines were a recurring theme at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in 2024.
The threat of avian flu — and what we can do to stop it
Avian flu is infecting cows on US dairy farms, and now a person has caught it — but new research could help us avoid a bird flu pandemic.
One shot recreates younger immune systems, in mice
An antibody treatment designed to revitalize an aging immune system delivers “surprising” results in elderly mice.
More
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.
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.
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…
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…
How the Phoenix is fighting addiction with fitness
Meet the group that is helping thousands of people transform their lives and unlock their potential.
Can science make people live healthier for longer?
An MIT researcher has turned 30 years of aging research into something you can use right now.
Why a third of antidepressants are prescribed for "off-label" problems
The “secret life of antidepressants” could open up a host of new treatments.
Zika could be a “smart missile” for brain cancer
Zika can devastate fetal brains; scientists want to turn it against brain tumors instead.
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.
FDA approves first mute button for genetic diseases
It is the first of “a wave of advances that have the potential to transform medicine.”
Are "CRISPR kids" the new "test-tube babies"?
Forty years later, IVF shows how fears about new technology can fade.
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.
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.
Paralyzed mice walk again after breakthrough treatment
One small step for a mouse, perhaps one giant leap for treating spinal injuries.
Coffin-building club helps seniors face death and enjoy life
These seniors are tackling the stigma around death by decorating their own coffins.
UV robots can sterilize an ICU in 10 minutes
UV light destroys bacterial DNA from the inside out, eradicating the toughest pathogens in minutes.
Will probiotics cure cholera?
MIT scientists say eating good bacteria can prevent, cure, and diagnose cholera—cheaply.
The gut microbiome affects brain structure
What happens in your gut in childhood can change how your brain works later in life.
Using neuroscience to talk to people in a vegetative state
A scientist figures out how to talk to the brain when the body won’t respond.
Insulin pills could change everything for diabetics
A pill instead of a needle would be the “holy grail” for diabetes treatment.
Special Collection
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The Science of Death
Explore the journey from life to death and beyond. Near-death experiences, death doulas, digital immortality, and more – join us for a thoughtful exploration of one life’s most intriguing and inevitable phenomena with stories from the frontlines of death.
Get inspired with the most innovative stories shaping the world around us.