Biotech

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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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
This designer is making masks for people with disabilities
With special closures, see-through panels, and a riot of colors and patterns, designer Sky Cubacub is making face masks for people with disabilities.
The long-term health effects of COVID-19
As their numbers swell, some survivors are reporting long-term health effects of COVID-19.
Simple tips for choosing a face mask that works
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, face coverings are now mandatory in many states. Here’s what you need to know about choosing a face mask.
Who is at high risk for COVID-19? Experts weigh in.
Two COVID-19 risk factors are particularly likely to increase a patient’s chances of having a severe case, according to a new CDC report.
Nanotech endometriosis treatment could ease women’s pain
An in-development endometriosis treatment uses dye-filled nanoparticles to identify and destroy diseased tissues.
Prescription video games for kids with ADHD could be on the horizon
With its FDA approval, EndeavorRx may mark the beginning of prescription video games for kids with ADHD and other mental health disorders.
Personalized blood test for cancer hunts down tumor DNA
A newly unveiled personalized blood test for cancer monitoring has a sensitivity 10 times that of existing liquid biopsy methods.
Building a factory for human organs
Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine experts are working to mass-produce human organs through the ARMI consortium.
Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls may be in animal DNA
Scholars’ understanding of the Dead Sea Scrolls may be enhanced by an unusual source: the DNA of the animals they’re printed on.
Does a positive antibody test mean i’m immune? it depends.
As the conversation shifts from tracking and diagnosing COVID-19 to reopening society, people are now focused on antibody tests. But experts warn that an antibody screen may supply a false peace of mind.
How to stop COVID-19's killer cytokine storm
COVID-19 can cause a potentially lethal cytokine storm, a runaway immune system response. Researchers are studying drugs they hope can calm the storm.
Series| Catalysts
Online eye exams will change the way we buy glasses
The FDA recently lifted restrictions against an online eye exam provider to help optometrists reach their patients during the pandemic. Will vision care go virtual for good?
How does the coronavirus spread? Expert consensus builds
Scientists are beginning to come to a consensus on coronavirus transmission.
Gene therapy hailed as cure for sickle cell disease
A gene therapy that uses CRISPR to edit a patient’s own stem cells looks like a “functional” cure for sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.
The first life-saving coronavirus drug is a common steroid
A large clinical trial in the U.K. identified the cheap, widely available steroid dexamethasone as potentially the first life-saving coronavirus drug.
“Pussypedia” demystifies the female anatomy
“Pussypedia” is a free, bilingual, gender-inclusive encyclopedia of highly accurate, easy-to-understand women’s health resources.
Street medics tend to protesters in the midst of a pandemic
Across the U.S., groups of volunteer street medics are dispensing medical care to police brutality protestors in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
How to keep hospitals safe with a pandemic still raging
This coronavirus screening app is helping 25,000 hospital employees get to work faster and safer.
How will businesses keep employees safe during COVID-19?
Lockdowns are ending but the coronavirus pandemic isn’t over, so what can businesses do to keep employees safe during COVID-19?
Embryo model unlocks “black box” of human development
This ethical model of a human embryo provides a look at a never-before-studied stage of embryonic development: gastrulation.
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.