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
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.
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.
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
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
How we treat inflammation may be causing chronic pain
Reversing common belief, researchers at McGill say treating inflammation may be causing chronic pain, not preventing it.
Can your mind ever “own” an extra body part?
A robotic finger can feel like a part of our hand after just a short time using it, suggesting that our brains can “own” extra body parts.
How a healthy sex life can help minimize depression and anxiety symptoms
When you struggle with anxiety or depression, sex may be the last thing on your mind. But it can be a tool for well-being.
New MRI machine will unlock better images for medicine
A new MRI machine with a larger opening and a weaker magnetic field overcomes many shortcomings of other scanners.
Gene editing could reverse anxiety and alcohol-use disorder
Gene editing may be a treatment for anxiety and alcoholism in adults who were exposed to binge-drinking in their adolescence.
From robotic dogs to magnetic slime: 6 ways robots are helping humans
Robots are helping humans in a growing number of places – from archaeological sites to disaster zones to sewers.
Silkworms could one day repair human tendons stronger than before
Mixing silk protein with a gel matrix allowed for better cell growth and healing in rat models.
Nonprofit drugmaker Civica Rx is taking aim at the high insulin price
People living with insulin-dependent diabetes have been waiting a long time for it to be more affordable. Could things change?
Watch John McEnroe take on past versions of himself on the court
Thanks to AI, digital avatars, and robotic cannons, John McEnroe is taking on his toughest opponent: himself.
Brain infusions from younger mice revive memory in older ones
Stanford researchers have found that an infusion of cerebrospinal fluid from young mice improves the memory of old ones.
The NBA’s Golden State Warriors use data to optimize the fan experience
The Warriors are using data in an attempt to deliver the best — and best targeted — fan experience possible.
New vaccine for Epstein-Barr virus enters human trials
A Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) vaccine entering human trials could potentially protect against everything from mono to multiple sclerosis.
‘Mad honey’: The rare hallucinogen from the mountains of Nepal
On the mountainsides of Nepal and Turkey, bees sometimes produce a strange and dangerous concoction: mad honey.
Neuralink rival will soon test brain implant in US clinical trials
It’s the first time the FDA has approved clinical trials for a brain-computer interface.
How herpes wakes up
Researchers believe they have identified how herpes hiding in your cells wakes back up to cause symptoms.
Genes from over 5,000 stroke patients hint at surprising treatment
A study of nearly 6,000 stroke patient genomes suggests a treatment idea abandoned for decades should get a second look.
Moderna expects to have Omicron booster ready by Fall 2022
Moderna expects to have an Omicron booster that combines its original COVID-19 vaccine with one targeting the variant ready by Fall 2022.
5G millimeter wave tech may prevent unnecessary skin biopsies
Stevens Tech researchers have developed a device which uses the same tech as the TSA does to find skin cancer tissue without a biopsy.
A Spanish teen’s genome may hold the secret to lupus
Researchers believe they have found a single point mutation in an infection-sensing gene that causes the autoimmune disorder.
Docs discover likely cause of pig heart transplant failure
A pig virus — and not organ rejection — appears to be the reason a man who lived for two months after a pig heart transplant ultimately died.
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.
Subscribe to the newsletter