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
The left–right twist that could rewrite tech
Scientists are harnessing chirality — the left- and right-handedness of molecules — to build better batteries, sharper displays, and more.
Longevity progress is real. So are the scams.
Longevity is in a paradoxical place at the moment, with anti-aging influencers misrepresenting real progress in order to make money.
How a dog’s life could extend yours
Studying animals — from long-lived clams to everyday dogs — is helping scientists understand aging and design therapies to slow decline.
Psychedelics & Mental Health
Living longer — and healthier — starts with boosting your brain
Science is beginning to unravel the reasons behind age-related cognitive decline — and what we can do about it.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
More
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.
Gene therapy restores youthful eye cells — and vision — to older mice
A team of researchers have achieved sight restoration in older mice and those modeling glaucoma, in what could be an important step in understanding aging.
A gene drive could wipe out mosquitoes. But what if we want to turn it off?
Gene drives could wipe out malaria. It’s risky, but scientists say it’s getting safer.
CBD does not impair driving, study finds
A new study has demonstrated that CBD is safe for driving, while the effects of THC last only a few hours. This work could inform cannabis use laws.
New pancreatic cancer treatment penetrates tough tumors
For a new pancreatic cancer treatment, researchers attached a chemotherapy drug to an antibody that targets a molecule on the outside of cancer cells.
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.