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
New gene therapy for chronic pain could replace opioids
Researchers have engineered a gene therapy system to dampen pain. They’ve shown it to be effective in mice, for both short-term and long-term pain.
Existing chemo drugs could offer a potential Ebola treatment
Capable of causing highly lethal disease, Ebola treatment is a public health priority. A new study shows chemo drugs may do just that.
Duke scientists find a potential vaccine for UTI
Despite being common, painful, and persistent, there’s currently no vaccine treatment for UTIs. But a new method has shown promise in mice.
NFL hopefuls train with sensor-free athlete tracking tech
Intel’s new athlete tracking platform, 3DAT, can deliver performance insights without the use of potentially cumbersome sensors.
NYU is launching a center for psychedelic medicine
NYU’s Center for Psychedelic Medicine will serve as the nexus for the school’s psychedelic research, as well as provide training to budding researchers.
Great apes get vaccinated against COVID-19
Great apes, our closest living relatives, are susceptible to COVID-19. The San Diego Zoo has given some an experimental vaccine to protect them.
Can RNA create a malaria vaccine?
An effective malaria vaccine could save hundreds of thousands of lives each year. Can RNA vaccines like the ones fighting SARs-CoV-2 tackle another disease?
The pandemic is forcing sign language to evolve
Sign language users are adapting to the limitations of video conferencing platforms, which have become more popular due to the pandemic.
Surgery robot could make hysterectomies less painful
The FDA has approved its first surgery robot for use during a vaginal hysterectomy, which is less invasive than the abdominal approach.
Researchers have discovered how SARS-CoV-2 is mutating
SARS-CoV-2 mutations, which cause new variants of the virus, are eluding the virus’s proofreader. New research shows why.
“Heart in a box” gives 6 kids second chance at life
For the first time, TransMedics’ “heart in a box” machine has been used to help children in need of heart transplants, with great success.
First-of-its-kind pilot study uses MDMA for alcohol addiction
A small, first-of-its-kind study has piloted the use of MDMA for alcohol addiction therapy.
Smartphones can track your blood sugar levels
The ability to easily monitor blood sugar levels would allow everyone to have more control over their own metabolic health — not just people with diabetes.
Radioactive bone cement may help treat spinal tumors
External radiation can damage bones and cause side effects. Radioactive bone cement directly into the spine may be a better option.
Cone snail venom may help treat malaria
Clumps of infected red blood cells can make malaria dangerous even after its parasite is treated. Cone snail venom may one day help.
A new bird flu is infecting people. Here’s what we know.
The H5N8 bird flu virus has reportedly infected seven poultry farm workers in Russia. Here’s what we know about the new avian flu threat.
FDA: One-shot COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective
FDA experts confirm that Johnson and Johnson’s one-shot COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, putting it a step closer to authorization.
World’s first COVID-19 human challenge study is a go
Researchers have gotten the green light to deliberately infect people with the coronavirus as part of the world’s first COVID-19 human challenge study.
Diabetes drug shows promise as obesity treatment
The diabetes drug semaglutide shows promise as an obesity treatment, helping people lose an average of 34 pounds in a recent trial.
Stamp-sized wearable health monitor can do it all
Researchers at UCSD have developed a wearable health monitor that can measure both cardiovascular and biochemical signals at once.
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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.