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
This ultrasound connects to an iPhone to help catch COVID-19
Ultrasound can be a useful diagnostic tool for COVID-19. A portable ultrasound machine called the Butterfly iQ may make it safer.
Is it safe to hang out with friends now?
As more states ease up on lockdown restrictions, many of us are asking: is it safe to hang out with friends now? Here’s everything you need to know.
“Off-switch” in mouse brains offers new hope for pain relief
A newly discovered part of the mouse brain appears to naturally stop pain processing, and it could lead to more robust pain relief options in the future.
Children and seniors to join Oxford’s coronavirus vaccine trial
Oxford University is enrolling people older than 70 and children between the ages of 5 and 12 in a Phase 2 coronavirus vaccine trial.
The pandemic time capsule
The novel coronavirus has changed life as we know it. Submit your story to a pandemic time capsule to help mark history.
Relaunching the NBA, repairing medical devices, and more COVID-19 updates
In our weekly news roundup, we take you inside the fight against COVID-19 to explore the solutions on the frontlines of an unprecedented global response.
Bats are not the enemy
Researchers are developing options from the domestic to the deific to allow humans and bats to live together in…
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Biohackers
DIY biohacking: Do(n’t) try this at home
Dr. Josiah Zayner believes scientists are dragging their feet on realizing CRISPR’s potential, so his do-it-yourself CRISPR kit allows people to experiment with gene editing at home.
The road to reopening, according to a Nobel Prize winner
In this episode of the Freethink Progress Report, we attempt to answer a question on all of our minds: what will it take for routines to return to normal in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns?
Virus-repellent coating could help end the PPE shortage
Researchers have created a virus-repellent coating for fabric that could help end the PPE shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Human challenge trials, schools reopening, and more COVID-19 updates
In our weekly news roundup, we take you inside the fight against COVID-19 to explore the solutions on the frontlines of an unprecedented global response.
Genetically engineering the first hypoallergenic cat
Scientists are attempting to create the world’s first truly hypoallergenic cat by deleting the feline gene that causes cat allergies.
Eating out during the coronavirus looks a little different now
Restaurant owners are looking for — and finding — creative ways to convince patrons that eating out during the coronavirus can be safe.
Facing the fear of death in virtual reality
With a virtual reality death simulator, this immersive experience helps people address the uncomfortable subject of mortality and face their fear of dying.
A coronavirus-detecting face mask could arrive this summer
Researchers from MIT and Harvard are developing a coronavirus-detecting face mask that gives off a fluorescent signal when it senses the virus.
New exosuit helps stroke survivors walk farther and faster
A new exosuit helps stroke survivors overcome hemiparesis by assisting them in making two key walking motions with their feet.
New HIV vaccine gives monkeys longer-lasting protection
Scientists have created an HIV vaccine that triggers two types of immune response, providing monkeys with longer-lasting protection from infection.
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Dope Science
Are social media giants censoring life saving drug research?
The first casualty of war is truth, and that applies to the war on drugs. Some are fighting back with harm reduction and drug education, yet they’re facing opposition from an unexpected source.
Stem cell research breakthrough opens path to growing human organs in animals
New stem cell research has revealed a way to coax human cells to grow to maturity in mouse models, a major advance in the field.
A nonthermal plasma field can eliminate 99.9% of airborne viruses
Airborne viruses can be tough to stop. A team at Michigan has developed a device that may stop them cold.
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.