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B. David Zarley

Senior Staff Writer

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B. David Zarley is a senior staff writer for Freethink, where he covers health and medicine, including infectious disease, psychedelic research, mental health, and the brain. A graduate of SUNY Fredonia, his work has also appeared in The Atlantic, The Verge, Jezebel, Frieze, Sports Illustrated, VICE, Paste Magazine, and numerous other publications. He lives in Chicago and can be reached via Signal by request. Send him story ideas!

Phone cameras can now measure your pulse and breathing

A team of researchers has developed an algorithm to measure pulse and respiration rate during a telehealth appointment using your device’s camera.

B. David Zarley

Vaccines

New approach for mRNA HIV vaccine passes first human trial

There is currently no HIV vaccine, but a new technique which produced specific immunity cells in humans may pave the way to one.

B. David Zarley

Penn scientists correct genetic blindness with a single injection into the eye

Antisense oligonucleotide therapy uses small molecules to alter RNA. Researchers have now used those molecules to alleviate a genetic form of blindness.

B. David Zarley

Nobel prize-winning chemist helps invent synthetic mucus

Mucins, the long proteins in mucus, have an array of bacteria-fighting properties. These artificial mucins can act like the real thing.

B. David Zarley

The next generation of living machines: xenobots 2.0

Made from the stem cells of a frog, “Xenobots” are tiny living machines. And researchers have just debuted version 2.0.

B. David Zarley

These color-changing sutures can catch infections

Iowa high school senior Dasia Taylor has invented color-changing sutures that can catch an infection early.

B. David Zarley

Deep brain stimulation: explained

Deep brain stimulation is being studied as a treatment for any number of neurological and psychological conditions. But what is it, exactly?

B. David Zarley

Extreme E is bringing electric SUV racing to the ends of the Earth

With climate change and gender equity at its core, Extreme E is bringing electric SUV racing to the wild.

B. David Zarley

Scientists have created a heart valve implant that grows

Children may have heart valve replacement surgery 5 or more times. A lab-grown, growing valve may change that in the future.

B. David Zarley

A common virus may be the key to a COVID vaccine for young children

Researchers have reverse-engineered a common children’s virus to show the spike protein, potentially leading to a new COVID vaccine for young children.

B. David Zarley