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
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.
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.
Psychedelics & Mental Health
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.
How Neuralink’s chief competitor is tapping into the brain without surgery
Synchron’s brain-computer interfaces do not require brain surgery, but travel to the brain through the jugular.
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
First anti-aging drug for dogs nears approval
The FDA is a major step closer to approving biotech company Loyal’s LOY-001, the first anti-aging drug for dogs.
Exposing plants to an unusual chemical early on may bolster their growth and help feed the world
“Priming” plants by exposing them to certain chemicals while they’re seeds can affect their growth later in life.
Australia’s 30-year quest to unlock an ancient painkiller
A crocodile attack led to a 30-year partnership to develop a painkiller based on the Nyikina Mangala people’s traditional knowledge.
Experimental drug cuts heart disease risk factor by 96%
Eli Lilly’s experimental drug lepodisiran reduced blood levels of lipoprotein(a) by up to 96% in a small trial.
Human brains have a remarkable ability to rewire themselves following injury
Every brain injury is unique, as is every person’s path to recovery. A concussion specialist explains the science behind rehabilitation and recovery.
New brain decoder system offers hope for communicating by thought alone
Is this another step towards telepathy?
How do researchers study the prevalence of mental illnesses?
Data on mental health is essential to understand the scale of mental illnesses. How do researchers collect this data, and is it reliable?
A new machine is able to keep the brain alive without a heart
A new device that lets scientists precisely control the brain’s blood supply could lead to new neuroscience breakthroughs.
New ultrasonic technique can destroy toxic “forever chemicals”
We can now use an ultrasonic jackhammer to break apart chemicals
What is brown noise? Can this latest TikTok trend really help you sleep?
Brown noise, the better-known white noise, and even pink noise are all sonic hues. But do any of them actually work?
One dose CRISPR therapy cuts cholesterol by up to 55%
A CRISPR-based cholesterol treatment reduced “bad” cholesterol levels by up to 55% in a small first trial.
Human sleep patterns appear to change with the seasons
Researchers observed the sleep of 188 subjects to see if their slumbers would change in duration and structure along with the seasons.
Want to feel better? Science says to care for your dog
Research shows that caring for your pets can improve your well-being, and that the act of caring provided more improvements than mere companionship
Pigs proven intelligent enough to play video games
A quartet of porcine subjects at the Purdue Center for Animal Welfare Science learned to play a simple video game.
World’s first chikungunya vaccine approved in US
The FDA has just approved French biotech company Valneva’s Ixchiq, making it the world’s first chikungunya vaccine.
World’s first CRISPR therapy approved in UK
UK regulators have authorized CRISPR Therapeutics’ Casgevy, making it the world’s first approved CRISPR therapy.
Solitude, without loneliness, can have mental health benefits
Spending some time alone (chosen or not) can be a chance to hit the reset button on your mental health — for the better.
Wegovy slashes heart attack risk by 28%
Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss drug Wegovy can reduce a person’s risk of a serious cardiovascular event by 20%.
How do stimulants actually work to reduce ADHD symptoms?
Stimulant drugs are thought to alter the activity of key neuotransmitters, dopamine and noradrenaline, in the brains of people with ADHD.
The centipede’s dilemma: Why overthinking is killing productivity
The centipede’s dilemma refers to the phenomenon where becoming aware of one’s own ability or competence can lead to tripping up.
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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