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
Strange life forms create an “alien” ecosystem in an abandoned uranium mine
Scientists have found diverse life forms dwelling in an abandoned, flooded uranium mine in Germany, creating an “alien” ecosystem.
Yoga: Modern research shows a variety of benefits to both body and mind from the ancient practice
Researchers have begun to study yoga’s effects and are finding that it has great benefits for both mental and physical health.
Experiment regenerates a damaged kidney for the first time ever
A new treatment that caused the diseased kidneys of mice to regenerate might one day do the same for people.
DMT therapy appears effective for depression in phase 2 clinical trial
London-based Small Pharma has released positive top-line results for their phase 2a trial of DMT as an antidepressant.
New CAR-T therapy shows promise against ovarian tumors
A CAR T-cell therapy that’s effective in mice with ovarian cancer may bring us closer to using the blood cancer treatment against tumors.
Scientists have discovered how to make almost any vaccine more potent
An approach called “rational vaccinology” could allow us to design more powerful vaccines, just by rearranging their ingredients.
“Brain-eating” amoeba beaten by old European drug
A man infected by a deadly brain-eating amoeba is on the road to recovery thanks to a decades-old drug used to treat urinary tract infections.
CRISPR eliminated heart damage in mice after a heart attack
A new CRISPR base editing therapy was able to prevent mice from suffering seemingly any heart damage following an induced heart attack.
New evidence that teeth can fill their own cavities
Researchers find that, in some cases, tooth dentin can be regrown instead of needing to be replaced with man-made composite.
“Bioprinted” skin could help end animal testing for cosmetics
Bioprinted skin can now look and act so much like real skin that it could one day replace some animal testing.
Mindfulness can slow down the brain’s aging and more
The benefits of practicing mindfulness carry over into everyday life – even when you aren’t actively meditating.
Yale researchers have found a way to spot new viruses
By screening negative nasal swabs for a specific antiviral protein, a Yale team believes we may be able to find hidden viruses before they emerge.
Human-rat brain hybrid shows a way to cure blindness
New research has shown that human “mini brains” can integrate with damaged rat brains to perform functions related to sight.
New “cyborg” cells could be the future of medicine
Semi-living “cyborg” cells might one day do everything from deliver cancer treatments to help clean up the environment.
First-of-its-kind nasal vaccine for COVID-19 deployed in India
India has begun deploying a nasal vaccine for COVID-19 that may be able to prevent infections, not just limit their severity.
ChatGPT-like AI creates new bacteria-killing proteins
Using a large language model AI, biotech startup Profluent has created new antimicrobial proteins.
Your microbiome is influenced by the people you hang out with
The human microbiome is largely influenced by our social interactions, according to the largest study to date of microbiome transmission.
mRNA could train our blood cells to stop chronic inflammation
A new study has identified the substance used by our white blood cells to reduce inflammation when it is no longer needed.
New blood test predicts Alzheimer’s 3.5 years in advance
A blood sample and machine learning helps predict whether people with mild cognitive impairment will soon develop Alzheimer’s.
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.