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
Insulin pump can be controlled with an app
A new app lets insulin pump users deliver doses remotely, making it easier to manage diabetes discretely and conveniently
Take a look at the deepest known squid, just found
NOAA scientists used an ROV to spot a ghostly cephalopod, known as a bigfin squid
We can now use CRISPR to fight tick-borne diseases
U.S. researchers have overcome a hurdle that was preventing the use of CRISPR to fight tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease.
Horseshoe crabs are drained for their blue blood. That practice will soon be over.
One of humanity’s strangest and most macabre activities is slowly coming to an end, a trend that every horseshoe crab should celebrate.
Golden blood: The rarest blood type in the world
Golden blood, despite sounding like medical nonsense, is actually the nickname for Rh-null, the world’s rarest blood type.
Scientists use ultrasound to control brain cells in animals
Researchers have used ultrasound to trigger the brain cells of mice with a technique called sonogenetics.
MIT invents $4 solar desalination device
MIT has developed a $4 solar desalination device that could provide a family of four with all the drinking water it needed to survive.
DNA used to make the world’s tiniest “radio”
Scientists have created the world’s smallest antenna, measuring only five nanometers in length. It is designed to decipher real-time changes in proteins and records and transmits data via light signals.
Mutation protecting against Alzheimer’s edited into human cells
Scientists have used CRISPR to edit the “Icelandic mutation,” which protects carriers against Alzheimer’s, into human cells.
First gene therapy for Tay-Sachs disease successfully given to two children
After 14 years in development, gene therapy has helped two children surpassed their life expectations and live seizure-free.
New antibody treatment against Omicron gets emergency approval
A new monoclonal antibody treatment effective against Omicron has received emergency authorization weeks after two others were banned.
Why calorie restriction may be the key to a healthier life
A new study suggests that people appear to benefit from a moderate calorie restriction the same way we know many animals do.
First woman cured of HIV through stem cell transplant
A woman has been cured of HIV through a transplant of umbilical cord blood, which is easier to match to patients than bone marrow.
Inhaled vaccine for coronavirus moves to human trials
An inhaled vaccine now moving into human trials could protect people from more than just the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
New breed of pig will provide organs for human transplantation
German researchers are breeding a new type of pig that’s been genetically modified to have organs ideal for human transplantation.
MIT engineers invent surgical “duct tape”
MIT’s biodegradable surgical tape is designed to seal tears in the gastrointestinal tract, potentially preventing sepsis-causing leaks.
Monkeys’ alcohol consumption drops 50% after hormone therapy
Heavy-drinking monkeys cut their alcohol consumption by 50% after researchers treated them with a hormone called “FGF21.”
Coffee mug company builds high-tech box to keep vaccines cold
Smart mug company Ember has created a shipping container to help bolster the medicine cold chain.
Smartphone COVID test is as accurate as PCR test
Researchers created a smartphone-based test kit that will test for the viruses that cause COVID and flu. Early research has shown that the kit is as accurate as standard lab-based testing but much faster.
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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