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
Ancient Olympians wouldn’t qualify for today’s Games
Across history, the human body has been reshaped by discipline, medicine, and now technology — each era redefining peak performance.
Why AI gets stuck in infinite loops — but conscious minds don’t
Anil Seth suggests the difference is that living beings are rooted in time and entropy, a grounding that may be essential for consciousness.
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.
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
Archaeologists identify contents of ancient Mayan drug containers
Archaeologists used new methods to identify contents of Mayan drug containers, discovering a non-tobacco plant.
Potential cause of unexplained epilepsy cases uncovered
University of Arizona researchers have uncovered a protein that might be behind some epilepsy cases with currently unknown causes.
“Soft CRISPR” is safer and could help cure more diseases
A new CRISPR system was far more effective and precise than CRISPR-Cas9 when tested in fruit flies.
The first FDA-approved clinical trial of psilocin has begun
“This has never been done before,” says Filament’s CEO.
Nasal COVID-19 vaccines prepare for infection right where it starts – in your nose and throat
Intranasal vaccines are best suited to protect against pathogens that enter through the nose, like the flu or the coronavirus.
FDA authorizes new COVID-19 vaccine — and it’s not like the others
The FDA has issued an emergency use authorization for biotech company Novavax’s protein-based COVID-19 vaccine.
People who read live longer than those who don’t, Yale researchers say
A study by Yale researchers finds that reading books in particular returns cognitive gains that increase longevity.
CRISPR cure for high cholesterol enters first human trial
A trial testing a new CRISPR-based treatment to lower cholesterol has officially kicked off in New Zealand.
After death, you’re aware that you’ve died, say scientists
How can we know that we’re dead after we die? Some evidence attributes a certain neurological phenomenon to a near death experience.
NYU performs two more pig-to-human heart transplants
Two pig-to-human heart transplants performed by surgeons at NYU Langone Health showed all the signs of success.
A historian identifies the worst year in human history
The year 536 ushered in the coldest decade in thousands of years and started a century of economic devastation.
An old HIV drug may treat Down syndrome
A common HIV drug could potentially be a Down syndrome treatment, improving cognition in mouse models of the condition.
New discoveries are rewriting the rulebook for regenerating limbs
Human limb regeneration is closer to reality thanks to new studies that refine our understanding of what mammals need to regrow body parts.
Nanoparticles may automatically clean your teeth one day
Shapeshifting nanoparticles may one day lead to automated oral care.
FDA may soon allow pig organ transplant trials
With pig transplantation looking increasingly viable, the FDA may soon allow clinical trials of the technique to begin.
10-second balance test is a powerful predictor of death for older adults
Adults aged 51-75 who were unable to balance on one foot for ten seconds had an 84% higher risk of death than their peers who could.
Psychedelic research returns to Veterans Affairs
After decades, the Department of Veterans Affairs is once again investigating psychedelic therapies.
Universal flu vaccine enters phase 1 trials
NIAID researchers have begun a phase 1 trial of a new universal vaccine candidate that was promising in animal challenge studies.
A new delivery method for drugs that can’t withstand stomach acid
In order for a drug to get to the small intestine, it must first get past the highly acidic environment of the stomach.
Two FDA-approved drugs may improve Alzheimer’s symptoms
A retrospective study found that Alzheimer’s symptoms improved in patients who took two FDA-approved drugs that treat psychiatric disorders.
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.