Health

a vaccine vial in front of a backdrop of cells

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.

Kristin Houser

Sustainability

Scientists have invented a method to break down “forever chemicals” in our drinking water

Researchers have discovered a way to eliminate “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, which usually take hundreds or thousands of years to break down.

Johnny Wood

X-ray image of a human chest showing lungs and rib cage, with visible abnormal dark patches indicating possible tuberculosis.

Medicine

AI can help predict whether a patient will respond to specific tuberculosis treatments

Instead of a one-size-fits-all treatment approach, AI could help personalize treatments for each patient to provide the best outcomes.

Sriram Chandrasekaran

3D Printing

TikTok users rally to help elite athlete with Parkinson’s

TikTok users are rallying to help elite athlete Jimmy Choi by designing a pill bottle that's easier to use when his hands shake due to Parkinson’s disease.

Kristin Houser

Genetics

A “self-deleting” gene drive to end mosquito-borne diseases

A gene drive designed to remove itself from an insect population after a few generations could help bring an end to mosquito-borne diseases.

Kristin Houser

Medicine

These brain implants can predict an epileptic seizure days in advance

For the first time, a study has shown that brain activity could be used to forecast the onset of epileptic seizures several days in advance.

Teresa Carey

Medicine

A cancer immunotherapy technique may prevent diabetes

Engineered immune cells can fight off rogue T cells which damage the pancreas and cause type 1 diabetes.

Sarah Wells

Genetics

These chatbots provide genetic counseling services

Genetic counseling services are in high demand. Now, chatbots are providing some of those services, helping patients navigate DNA testing.

Kristin Houser

Medicine

These are the medical breakthroughs that inspired us in 2020

2020 has put medicine to the forefront like never before. Freethink’s B. David Zarley looked back on the year and chose three medical developments that inspired him.

B. David Zarley

Robotics

The best therapy dog may be a robot

A life-life robot dog might be an effective — or even preferable — alternative to a living therapy dog, according to a new study.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

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.

Kristin Houser

Mental Health

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.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

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.

Kristin Houser

Sections

Video

Freethink

We focus on solutions: the smartest people, the biggest ideas, and the most ground breaking technology shaping our future.