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
These chatbots provide genetic counseling services
Genetic counseling services are in high demand. Now, chatbots are providing some of those services, helping patients navigate DNA testing.
CRISPR's big year: top breakthroughs of 2020
2020 was a big year for the gene-editing tool CRISPR. It was used to cure disease, edit DNA in a human’s eye, and even gene-edit pigs to grow suitable organs to transplant into humans.
These are the medical breakthroughs that inspired us in 2020
2020 has put medicine to the forefront like never before. Freethink’s B. David Zarley looked back on the year and chose three medical developments that inspired him.
The best therapy dog may be a robot
A life-life robot dog might be an effective — or even preferable — alternative to a living therapy dog, according to a new study.
Want better science? Learn how to lie (with magic).
Some experiment designs need to deceive. These former magicians have some advice.
The new coronavirus mutation: What we know & what we need to figure out
A new coronavirus mutation is spreading quickly in the U.K. Here’s what we know about the coronavirus strain and what we need to figure out.
Environmental DNA may prove the discovery of a new kind of whale
Researchers have found what they believe to be a new species of beaked whale. Environmental DNA will be used to prove it.
Tweaked psychedelic drug could treat addiction, depression
A modified ibogaine molecule could be a safer and more accessible treatment for addiction and depression than the psychedelic drug in its natural state.
Tobacco-based COVID-19 vaccine moves to human trials
British American Tobacco has FDA approval to begin human trials on a tobacco-based COVID-19 vaccine that could potentially be stored at room temperature.
Genetically modified pigs get green light from FDA
The FDA has approved Revivicor’s genetically engineered GalSafe pigs for use as food or medical products — a first for genetically modified animals.
Your questions about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine answered
If you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in the U.S., this is your place to find answers.
Gifts for the biohacker in your life
This year has put health front of mind for many of us. Biohackers are all about knowing themselves, and with this gift guide, you’ll look like you know them.
A universal flu vaccine has aced phase 1 trials
Influenza’s constant genetic shifting means flu vaccines aim at a moving target. But a universal flu vaccine just passed its phase 1 trials.
HIV can hide inside human cells for years. Can CRISPR cut it out?
Using CRISPR to stop the replication of SIV, a primate virus closely related to HIV, researchers may have taken a step to wiping the virus out in the body.
Genetically engineered tomato can grow drug to treat Parkinson’s
The latest biopharmaceutical is a drug for Parkinson’s disease, Levodopa, produced by genetically modified tomato plants.
MDMA couples therapy could help couples dealing with PTSD
A small study out of Canada investigated the potential of using MDMA-assisted couples therapy to treat PTSD.
FDA authorizes first over-the-counter COVID-19 test
The FDA has authorized the first over-the-counter COVID-19 test for home use, but buyers still have to send their samples to a lab for processing.
Microdosing mushrooms: Explained
Microdosing mushrooms — taking doses of psilocybin too small to cause a trip to enhance daily life — is gaining momentum. But does science support it?
4 people in the world have a mysterious dementia. Could it hold a key to Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s has proved difficult to treat. But solving the mystery of this ultra-rare frontotemporal dementia may unlock new understanding.
Cancer blood test trial to launch in the UK
The UK is trialing a blood test designed to detect 50 types of cancer at once, which could be a gamechanger in cancer screening if proven effective.
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.