Contributor

Kristin Houser

Managing Editor

Contact

[email protected]

Kristin Houser is the Managing Editor of Freethink. Her articles on science and technology have been featured in NBC News, RealClearDefense, and the World Economic Forum’s Agenda, among other publications, and Stephen Colbert once talked about a piece on “The Late Show,” to her delight.

Kristin is currently based in Pittsburgh, and prior to joining Freethink, she was a staff writer for Futurism, launched an LA-based music blog, and wrote several animated and live action web series.

Asteroids

Nuking an asteroid heading to Earth really could protect us

Blowing up an asteroid heading to Earth with a nuclear bomb could save the planet, according to new planetary defense simulations.

Kristin Houser

Magic Leap is back with a new AR headset

Augmented reality startup Magic Leap plans to release a new AR headset in 2022 using a recently raised $500 million in funding.

Kristin Houser

Transportation

Germany unveils first-of-its-kind autonomous train

A new system that turns a standard electric metro train into a more efficient, higher-capacity autonomous train has debuted in Germany.

Kristin Houser

Robotics

Are robotic kitchens the future of food?

Restauranteurs are using robotic kitchens to cut real estate costs, opening up room in their budgets for higher quality ingredients.

Kristin Houser

Clean Energy

Japan is restarting aging nuclear reactors after 10 years offline

Three of Japan’s nuclear reactors closed after the Fukushima disaster are restarting, a controversial move designed to reduce CO2 emissions.

Kristin Houser

Robotics

Caltech’s walking robot can also fly and skateboard

Caltech's new bipedal walking robot can fly to get around obstacles, and it's steady enough on its feet to skateboard or slackline.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

William Shatner has boldly gone to space with Blue Origin

Star Trek actor William Shatner has gone to space as a passenger aboard Blue Origin’s second crewed flight — making him the oldest astronaut.

Kristin Houser

Robotics

Facebook robot winds fiber-optic cable around power lines

A Facebook robot that wraps fiber-optic cables around power lines could help bridge the digital divide by expanding internet access.

Kristin Houser

Inventions

Smart microscope slides make breast cancer cells leap off screen

Breast cancer cells appear brightly colored when placed on new smart microscope slides, which could help doctors diagnose patients earlier.

Kristin Houser

Agriculture

Inside Europe’s largest vertical farm

At a massive vertical farm in Denmark, food tech startup Nordic Harvest is demonstrating the benefits of moving agriculture indoors.

Kristin Houser