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.
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Dope Science
I use ketamine for depression – here’s how it works
Commonly known as a party drug, ketamine’s powerful effects on the brain have led doctors to further explore its medical potential. Now, the animal anesthetic is providing relief and hope for people with severe depression.
New lasers see into the brain to detect concussions
Researchers are attempting to improve the age-old concussion test with a device that can measure CCO levels in the brain using infrared lasers.
$100 genome sequencing has finally arrived
China-based genome sequencing company MGI says it can sequence a human genome for just $100, a cost that could make the service available to all.
Intro to LSD
LSD, also known as acid, is a synthetic chemical that causes hallucinations, synesthesia, and sometimes, distress – the dreaded “bad trip.”
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Biohackers
The cyborg artist who hears color
Neil Harbisson was born colorblind. Now he has an antenna implant in his skill to hear color and create beautiful works of art.
Run faster, think better: Hugh Herr on the future of bionics
Hugh Herr, head of Biomechatronics research at MIT and hailed as a bionic pioneer, is working to close the gap between synthetic limbs and the brain.
Cancer survivor gives birth thanks to a new fertility procedure
A French cancer survivor is the first person to give birth via a fertility treatment that involves freezing and thawing eggs that underwent in vitro maturation.
New PTSD therapy dulls the sting of painful memories
A Canadian researcher’s reconsolidation therapy is helping people overcome PTSD by allowing them to edit painful memories to be less emotionally impactful.
Scientists are developing brain implants that improve memory
New research sheds hope for sufferers of traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s, and for all of us, old age.
Biohacker’s prosthetic arm lets him play a synthesizer with his mind
Biohacker Bertolt Meyer has built the SynLimb, a controller that attaches to his prosthetic arm, allowing him to control his modular synthesizer with his mind.
China is responding to the coronavirus in a way only China could
China is using its vast surveillance network and near-total control over citizens to respond to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in a way perhaps no other nation could.
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Biohackers
I got a chip implanted in a biohacking garage
Hacker surgeons like Jeffrey Tibbetts implant everything from compasses to wireless routers. Freethink’s own Chase Pipkin decided to try it out.
Experts unveil “breakthrough” map of key coronavirus protein
Scientists have created the first atomic-scale 3D map of 2019-nCoV’s spike protein, the part of the coronavirus that infiltrates human cells.
Stimulating monkeys’ brains snaps them out of unconsciousness
Researchers found that they could induce a state of consciousness in an unconscious monkey by electrically stimulating a specific part of the animal’s brain.
MDMA effects, risks, and rewards explained
MDMA, also known as Molly or Ecstasy, is a synthetic psychoactive drug. MDMA effects include enhanced pleasure and a heightened sense of touch and sound.
How to make 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccine in a year
Creating a new vaccine is slow and expensive. One biotech firm thinks a “plug-and-play” vaccine could change that.
Hacking the Tinder algorithm to find love
Dating apps are really good at introducing you to lots of people, but they might not be the best way to find a lifelong partner. Can we decode our data to get better results?
Medical cannabis explained
Medical cannabis is everywhere. We’re answering your basic questions and unpacking the promises and pitfalls, based on the latest research.
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The Edge
Eye tracking gives athletes an unprecedented edge
With eye tracking technology, athletes can now monitor, analyze, and train their eye movements to effectively reduce their average reaction time.
Improv for anxiety
In a judgement-free setting, improv requires the mind to focus on the present, providing natural anxiety relief for performers.
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.