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Is it safe to go to the dentist now?
Is it safe to go to the dentist now that offices are reopening across the U.S.? Here’s what experts say you should consider before making an appointment.
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of internet
Should internet access be a human right? 42 million Americans still don’t have reliable access, but the pandemic has kickstarted initiatives to change that.
The truth about coronavirus mutations 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.
Phage therapy kills superbug behind many ICU infections
Combining a bacteria-killing virus and an antibiotic was able to wipe out an infection of the superbug A. baumannii in mice.
COVID’s unique challenge for the Navajo nation
With a lack of access to running water and other resources, the Navajo Nation faces a tough challenge in COVID-19. But the Diné are fighting back.
Just how are deepfakes made, anyway?
Capable of creating incredibly realistic false data — most infamously of famous people — deepfakes are a powerful tool.
The case for teaching students outside this fall
Transitioning to outdoor classrooms this fall could help stem the spread of COVID-19 in schools and protect students, according to researchers.
Telemedicine is the new normal. But can it survive after COVID?
As medical professionals struggle to meet the needs of patients during the coronavirus pandemic, telemedicine companies have become welcome allies that could drastically alter the future of healthcare.
New NFL mouth shield could protect players from COVID-19
The NFL’s mouth shield is designed to stop respiratory droplets. But player’s reactions have been mixed.
Hospitals, morgues, and drive-ins: Empty stadiums fill new purposes
Their roars dulled, empty stadiums are serving as field hospitals, supply depots, morgues, drive-in theaters … and an Airbnb.
Reopening schools this fall could benefit children
Experts in favor of reopening schools as soon as possible argue that school closures could be hurting young people’s physical, mental, and social health.
Computer scientists build new tool to fight coronavirus
Computer scientists are using AI and text mining to sort through thousands of coronavirus research papers that could help fight the disease.
Researchers have grown a mouse embryo in a bottle
Researchers have grown a mouse embryo outside the uterus for longer than ever before, opening up the door to learning more about how mammals grow.
Every significant breakthrough that’s stemmed from the pandemic
A timeline of coronavirus solutions from the people on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19.
Contact-tracing tech advances, the new saliva test, 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.
Wearables can detect coronavirus symptoms early
A study involving more than 600 people found that the Oura Ring wearables can detect coronavirus symptoms 72 hours prior to onset with 90% accuracy.
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Catalysts
The missing data in criminal justice reform
In partnership with Stand Together
This Y Combinator startup is building new, criminal justice technology solutions to sustainably reduce our prison populations.
Would you volunteer to be infected with COVID-19?
Coronavirus vaccine development could take months. There’s a potential shortcut though: purposefully exposing research subjects to the virus.
The daily coronavirus news roundup – friday, march 20th
Each day, Freethink publishes the “Coronavirus Roundup,” a collection highlighting the latest must-read COVID-19 stories from us and others.
A nasal spray for coronavirus prevention is in development
Scientists are developing a nasal spray for coronavirus prevention that uses a protein found in red algae to stop the virus from taking hold.
A list of the coronavirus symptoms, and when to see a doctor
Here is the latest information on coronavirus symptoms and how to distinguish COVID-19 from allergies, the flu, or a common cold.
Plasma from coronavirus survivors helps sick patients recover
Two studies in China found that plasma from coronavirus survivors helps patients with severe cases of COVID-19 recover within days of treatment.
Nonprofits innovating in the face of COVID-19
In partnership with Stand Together
Wondering how you can help during the coronavirus? Here are five organizations that need your support, and how your donation could be doubled.
The coronavirus hospital staffed by robots
A robot-run coronavirus hospital in Wuhan, China, is just one remarkable example of how technology is helping combat the global COVID-19 outbreak.
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.
Man's double hand & face transplant may be first to succeed
Five months post-surgery, a double hand and face transplant recipient shows no signs of transplant rejection, suggesting the procedure was a success.
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?
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.
A new device is protecting healthcare workers from airborne coronavirus
Researchers have developed a system for protecting healthcare workers while they treat coronavirus patients in need of respiratory support.
The rise of simulated sports in the face of COVID-19
Because of the coronavirus, sports have come to a screeching halt. Unless you look online.
New images reveal which type of face mask is the best
To find out which type of face mask is the best, researchers rigged a mannequin’s head to a fog machine and then tested four masks on it.
Where can you get tested for the coronavirus?
Everything you need to know to get tested for the coronavirus, including COVID-19 testing requirements and resources to help you find testing sites.
The "Creative Singularity" came and went. Now what should we do?
The emergence of generative AI signals an important inflection point for artists.
World’s fastest supercomputer finds 77 drug candidates that could help battle COVID-19
The Summit supercomputer made quick work of complicated simulations to identify 77 compounds that could be promising COVID-19 treatments.
Cheap CRISPR-based coronavirus test delivers fast results
Scientists have unveiled STOPCovid, a CRISPR-based coronavirus test that avoids many of the shortcomings of existing diagnostic tests.
We can now see a virus invasion in real-time
Understanding how a virus infects and replicates in a cell is crucial to stopping them. Now, researchers can see an infection in real-time.
“Virus burritos” could be the key to vaccine preservation
Vaccine preservation is crucial to world health; the WHO estimates we waste 50% of vaccines a year. Vaccine burritos may provide some help.
Doctors: home-based care for coronavirus could save lives
A group of doctors in Italy is making the case for more home-based care for coronavirus patients as a way of coping with the overwhelming COVID-19 outbreak.
Why the MLB antibody study matters
10,000 MLB employees, from players to concession stand attendees, are volunteering to help scientists study how COVID-19 has spread throughout the country.
How organoids are helping scientists fight the coronavirus
Researchers are turning to organoids — lab-grown clumps of cells that mimic human organs — in an effort to better understand the coronavirus.
Personalized skin cancer vaccine is made from tumor cells
A personalized skin cancer vaccine developed from melanoma survivors’ own tumor cells has shown promise in a small trial.
Apple and Google join forces on coronavirus tracking project
Apple and Google are collaborating on a coronavirus tracking project they hope will eliminate the privacy concerns surrounding contact-tracing apps.
An epidemic of false confidence related to COVID-19
To distinguish between the most optimistic and pessimistic pandemic scenarios, we need to measure how many people have developed an immunity to the virus.
Scientists find a way to quickly ID coronavirus mutations
A new tool that allows scientists to quickly identify coronavirus mutations could help experts track and treat COVID-19.
Why aren’t the World Bank’s pandemic bonds helping fight COVID-19?
The World Bank sold pandemic bonds to address global health emergencies, but it has yet to release any of the money to help fight the COVID-19 outbreak.
Y Combinator startups turn resources toward coronavirus
More than 25 Y Combinator startups have joined the COVID-19 response effort — find out how you can help these businesses fighting the coronavirus.
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.
“Social bubbles” could help end coronavirus lockdowns
Computer simulations show that “social bubbles” could help us end coronavirus lockdowns without causing a dramatic increase in cases.
Gates Foundation funds at-home coronavirus testing project
The Gates Foundation is funding an at-home coronavirus testing project in Seattle, with the goal of testing thousands of people for COVID-19 daily.
Are we scratching the surface of what an old vaccination method can do?
Smallpox vaccine was administered by scratching the skin. Mice suggest this old-school method may work better against other respiratory viruses as well.
HIV drugs appear to prevent the #1 cause of vision loss in seniors
An HIV drug appears to prevent dry macular degeneration, suggesting that drug repurposing could be a viable strategy for treating the incurable disease.
Ghana uses drones to speed up coronavirus testing
In Ghana, Zipline is helping speed up coronavirus testing by using drones to deliver test samples, and it wants to bring the service to the U.S.
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.
Major drugmakers team up on potential coronavirus vaccine
Major vaccine developers GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi are collaborating on a potential coronavirus vaccine to help end the COVID-19 pandemic.
This startup can make a digital twin of anyone
In just a few minutes, Hour One can produce a digital twin of anyone, capturing their likeness, expressions, and voice.
Newly discovered coronavirus antibody blocks infection in cell cultures
A newly discovered coronavirus antibody produced using mice was able to prevent SARS-CoV-2 from infecting cells in the lab.
Researchers unveil low-cost coronavirus ventilator design
Researchers have specifically designed a new coronavirus ventilator to address the critical shortage caused by the abundance of COVID-19 patients.
Singapore to give all residents wearables for contact tracing
Singapore is testing the ability of wearables for contact tracing to prevent an increase in coronavirus infections as it lifts lockdown restrictions.
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.
What is protecting kids against the coronavirus?
Something is protecting kids against the coronavirus, and researchers want to figure out what it is so they can use it to develop a treatment.
5 recent breakthroughs that completely changed electronics
From wearable electronics to microscopic sensors, new advances are bringing "impossible" electronics to life.
FDA approves first saliva test for coronavirus
The FDA has granted a saliva test for coronavirus emergency use authorization, giving health officials a new way to diagnose COVID-19.
How does the coronavirus spread? Expert consensus builds
Scientists are beginning to come to a consensus on coronavirus transmission.
University students step up to expand coronavirus testing
University students are helping expand coronavirus testing by volunteering their time to help process thousands of test samples per day in school labs.
Here is every potential coronavirus treatment and vaccine
Across the globe, researchers are scrambling to find a coronavirus treatment or vaccine that could bring the COVID-19 outbreak to a swift end.
New bug spray "crystals" can help wipe out malaria
Crystalizing a common insecticide makes it kill mosquitoes faster, and could be a cheap, effective new weapon for malaria prevention.
Earwax gives doctors easy access to cortisol levels
The Trears device could make it easier for doctors to monitor cortisol levels by allowing patients to extract their own earwax samples for analysis.
A new electric face mask kills the coronavirus
A new electric face mask prototype uses heat to kill the coronavirus. Another model generates an electric field that hinders its ability to infect cells.
“That is insane”: The strange, deadly coronavirus immune response
Research suggests the coronavirus immune response is different than with other viruses. It may help inform treatments and our understanding of COVID-19.
Data scientists are making it easier to track COVID-19
Teams of computer scientists across the globe are working tirelessly to help track COVID-19 through the use of computer modeling and data dissemination.
US’s first drive-thru coronavirus clinic opens in Seattle
A Seattle hospital system has opened a drive-thru coronavirus clinic, a place where people can be tested for COVID-19 without leaving their cars.
Stablecoins, CBDCs, and the future of money
What role would a Fedcoin play in the evolving landscape of digital currency?
FDA to begin testing chloroquine as coronavirus treatment
The FDA has announced plans to begin testing chloroquine, an anti-malaria drug, as a potential treatment for the novel coronavirus behind COVID-19.
Vaccine factories, a promising new treatment, 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.
Domestic abuse is surging under lockdown. can we stem the tide?
Coronavirus lockdowns may be the impetus for rising occurrences of child and domestic abuse. Advocates find creative solutions.
Blood enzyme could explain severe impact of coronavirus in men
A new study suggests that higher concentrations of the ACE2 blood enzyme could explain the particularly deadly impact of the coronavirus in men.
Coronavirus antibody testing project launches in Colorado
Colorado’s San Miguel County has launched an antibody testing project to test the blood of all 8,000 residents for signs that they’re immune to COVID-19.
Spain will use robots to increase coronavirus testing
Spain is buying a fleet of robots to increase coronavirus testing from 20,000 COVID-19 tests daily to 80,000, according to officials.
A promising vaccine candidate, new mutual-aid networks, 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.
This pen makes hand washing fun for kids
SoaPen makes hand washing much less of a hassle, and it could have an enormous impact in helping prevent future pandemics.
Researchers have discovered how SARS-CoV-2 is mutating
SARS-CoV-2 mutations, which cause new variants of the virus, are eluding the virus’s proofreader. New research shows why.
FDA authorizes first at-home coronavirus test kit
The FDA has authorized LabCorp’s at-home coronavirus test kit, meaning people no longer need to leave their houses to find out if they have COVID-19.
Where did the coronavirus come from?
After analyzing dozens of coronaviruses, U.S. scientists believe COVID-19's origin story involves not one, but two animal species.
Antiviral pill shows promise as treatment for coronavirus
The oral antiviral drug EIDD-2801 has emerged as a promising treatment for coronavirus, performing well in the lab and in mouse studies.
Blood plasma from coronavirus survivors could save lives
A drug company is using the blood plasma of coronavirus survivors to develop a treatment for those still battling the disease.
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.
Oxford coronavirus vaccine could be ready by September
Millions of doses of an Oxford coronavirus vaccine now in the human trial stage could be ready by September, according to researchers.
More than $1 million in prizes for coronavirus solutions
Emergent Ventures is awarding more than $1 million in coronavirus prizes to people who make significant progress in combating COVID-19.
Major League Baseball joins massive coronavirus antibody study
More than 10,000 Major League Baseball players and employees agreed to have their blood tested for a massive coronavirus antibody study.
Doctors use AI to test new coronavirus treatments on patients
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center launched a new trial that uses artificial intelligence to test promising coronavirus treatments as quickly as possible.
Studying pig sh*t to prevent the next pandemic
A pilot program in North Carolina offers one solution to scanning for a potential pig virus in our farm system - slurry testing.
New data visualization tool lets scientists “walk” inside cells
A new data visualization tool called vLUME recreates tiny objects like cells and neurons in a virtual world, allowing scientists to then explore them in VR.
Genetic evidence debunks coronavirus conspiracy theories, scientists say
A team of researchers analyzed the COVID-19 coronavirus. Their findings debunk the conspiracy theory that the virus was lab-made.
Converting shipping containers into ICUs for coronavirus patients
The CURA project aims to address the shortage of room in ICUs for coronavirus patients by creating new units out of shipping containers.
A lesson on empathy from a people-first CEO
In partnership with Conscious Capitalism
In an increasingly competitive corporate world that so often prioritizes profits over people, one CEO is flipping the script and calling attention to the importance of empathy in the workplace.
The daily coronavirus news roundup – monday, march 23rd
Solutions to the mask shortage, a massive vaccine and treatment list, and other fresh coronavirus news updates.
Scientists analyze sewage to track coronavirus infections
Scientists are attempting to track coronavirus infections by analyzing sewage for signs of the virus’ genetic material.
New “universal” diagnostic test can ID any infection
UC San Francisco scientists have developed a new diagnostic test that uses DNA sequencing to quickly identify any pathogens in any type of patient sample.
New tool seeks to protect those reusing coronavirus masks
A group of researchers launched a website that teaches healthcare workers everything they need to know about reusing coronavirus masks as safely as possible.
Private sector stepping up to combat COVID-19
Cosmetics companies and distilleries are making hand sanitizer and the UK asks manufacturers to make ventilators as the private sector responds to the pandemic.