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
How consensus can undermine science
The main objective of consensus statements appears to be to reduce doubt, which may stifle scientific inquiry.
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.
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.
Psychedelics & Mental Health
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.
How Neuralink’s chief competitor is tapping into the brain without surgery
Synchron’s brain-computer interfaces do not require brain surgery, but travel to the brain through the jugular.
Biohacking
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.
New AI generates CRISPR proteins unlike any seen in nature
An AI that generates CRISPR proteins is opening the door to gene editors with capabilities beyond what we’ve found in nature.
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
The untapped potential of stem cells in menstrual blood
Stem cells found in menstrual blood could unlock new therapies and diagnostic tests, some researchers argue.
Man feels hot and cold again with prosthetic hand breakthrough
Researchers have built a device that helps users feel temperature through a prosthetic arm. A new study shows it works with high accuracy.
Evidence that gamma rhythm stimulation can treat neurological disorders is emerging
Researchers survey the therapeutic potential of noninvasive sensory, electrical, or magnetic stimulation of gamma brain rhythms.
Bioluminescent plants don’t exist in nature — but you can buy one for $29
Biotech firm Light Bio is selling gene-edited bioluminescent plants that glow green in the dark for just $29.
New pharma supergroup aims to tackle skin disorders
Six biotech companies just merged to form Alys Pharmaceuticals with the goal of developing new treatments for skin disorders.
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.
Scientists stole a mutation from cancer and used it to kill tumors
Inserting a mutation found in cancer cells into CAR-T cells enabled them to kill a variety of solid tumors in mice.
Focus on right now, not the distant future, to stay motivated and on track to your long-term health goals
Research highlights three effective strategies to help you achieve your goals, including prioritizing short-term consequences.
Injections of brain protein reverse memory loss in mice
A protein called “KIBRA” could be the key to new Alzheimer’s treatments that don’t just slow disease progression, but reverse memory loss.
Netflix’s “You Are What You Eat” proves twin studies’ importance to science
What is it that makes twins so special, and how do researchers harness the power of twins? “You Are What You Eat” helps prove their importance.
Scientists create the first “functional” 3D-printed mini brains
The first 3D-printed brain organoids that function like natural brain tissue could lead to breakthroughs in neuroscience.
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.
New hope for early pancreatic cancer intervention via AI-based risk prediction
To train their machine learning models, MIT researchers used electronic health record data from various institutions across the U.S.
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.
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.
Inhalable sensors could enable early lung cancer detection
MIT engineers have designed diagnostic particles that can be aerosolized and inhaled to find cancer-associated proteins in the lungs.
“Insane” new type of virus-like organisms found in human gut
Stanford scientists have discovered a strange new class of virus-like organisms, called “obelisks,” in the human gut microbiome.
New DNA testing reveals who made ancient stone tools
Using modern DNA analysis techniques, archaeologists have solved the mystery of who made a class of ancient stone tools.
New CRISPR tomatoes need less watering
Gene-edited tomatoes that can grow with less water could help solve the problem of feeding a world battling increased water scarcity.
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.
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