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
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.
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.
What if humans mastered every aspect of nature?
A bold vision of a 10x better future where humanity has mastered biology, energy, and matter to unlock unprecedented progress.
Psychedelics & Mental Health
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Something found in bats could help us survive infections and inflammation
This protein may help bats survive viral infections and could be the springboard for new anti-inflammatory drugs.
Like hungry locusts, humans can easily be tricked into overeating
Our bodies crave more food if we haven’t had enough protein — especially if we’re reaching for ultraprocessed foods.
Discovery finally uncovers how melanin blocks UV
An international team of researchers have isolated and analyzed a component of melanin, which protects us from the sun.
Scientists discovered a “minimum mechanism” required for consciousness
Scientists stimulated the brains of macaque monkeys in an effort to determine which areas are responsible for driving consciousness.
New electronic pill zaps the stomach to regulate hunger
MIT’s new electronic pill stimulates stomach cells to regulate hunger — showing it’s possible to hack the powerful gut-brain axis.
A banana that doesn’t go bad so fast approved by the Philippines
Billions of bananas are wasted every year, but that may change soon.
Psychedelic inspires discovery of two new drug candidates for depression
Researchers have found ibogaine-inspired compounds effective in treating depression and addiction in mouse models.
This soft brain implant unfurls its arms under the skull
A soft brain implant that unfurls under the skull could make implantation surgeries less costly and risky.
To be a happier, more successful person, get off the “hedonic treadmill”
Eudaimonic pursuits are outwardly focused, whereas hedonic activities are concerned with self-centered fulfillment.
Man’s mutated gene appears to delay onset of Alzheimer’s
The discovery of a second person naturally resistant to a genetic form of Alzheimer’s could lead to treatments for the disease.
First-in-US brain surgery performed in Boston
A surgical team has performed a surgery that alleviated a dangerous brain condition before it was too late.
3 key activities will make you “antifragile”
Resilience is vital for dealing with failure, and stems from three traits: self-esteem, psychological flexibility, and emotional regulation.
The groundbreaking plan to map the entire human immune system
Powered by AI and a vast trove of data, the Human Immunome Project aims to fully map the most complex system in the human body.
Personalized mRNA vaccine preps the body to battle deadly cancer
A new pancreatic cancer vaccine based on mRNA tech was shown to be safe and capable of triggering an immune response in a small trial.
Amish gene study finds clues to mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder
Researchers have turned to this unique genetic population to find insights into how our genes play a role in mental health.
CRISPR sausage gets FDA green light for consumption
The FDA has given Washington State University researchers the green light to feed five gene-edited pigs to people.
Potential way to treat anorexia found in microbiome
New research links the gut microbiome, an ecosystem of viruses, bacteria, and fungi, to the development of anorexia nervosa.
New gene therapy could reverse a common cause of blindness
A new study suggests we may be able to convert dormant eye cells into photoreceptors to reverse retinal degeneration.
Rapamycin: The unlucky history of the most powerful anti-aging drug
When rapamycin research was revived, it was found to have both anti-cancer and anti-aging properties. Here’s what researchers say today.
Ultrasound could help us fight the deadliest cancer
In a small study, Northwestern researchers were able to get chemo drugs into the brains of glioblastoma patients with implanted ultrasound devices.
Special Collection
Collection
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.