Contributor

Kristin Houser

Staff Writer

Contact

[email protected]

Kristin Houser is a staff writer at Freethink, where she covers science and tech. Her written work has appeared in Business Insider, NBC News, 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.

Prior to joining Freethink, Kristin was a staff writer for Futurism and wrote several animated and live action web series.

Video Games

Video game for at-home stroke rehabilitation cuts costs, benefits patients

Patients and healthcare workers are benefitting from video games designed to help with stroke rehabilitation, chronic pain relief, and more.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

One shot of this COVID-19 drug reduces risk of death by 60%

In-development COVID-19 drug Peginterferon Lambda reduced risk of hospitalization or lengthy emergency room visits by 50% in a phase 3 trial.

Kristin Houser

Asteroids

New asteroid spotted just before impact with Earth

NASA successfully pinpointed almost exactly where and when a new asteroid would hit Earth’s atmosphere, before it made contact.

Kristin Houser

Activism

Volunteers cold call Russians to tell them the truth about Ukraine

Volunteers are using phone calls, spam emails, and more to counter Russian propaganda and tell Russians the truth about the Ukraine war.

Kristin Houser

Transportation

Volkswagen reveals release date for electric Microbus

Volkswagen will begin selling its all-electric ID. Buzz — a modern take on the iconic Microbus — in the U.S. in 2024.

Kristin Houser

Hacking

International army of hackers joins Ukraine’s cyberwar

An estimated 400,000 volunteers have joined Ukraine’s IT army, helping the nation attack Russia from the digital realm.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

China’s COVID-19 cases surge, with low elderly vaccination rates

China’s “zero-COVID” policies may be contributing to a surge of cases that has forced 50 million people into lockdown.

Kristin Houser

CRISPR

CRISPR cattle cleared for the first time by FDA

Beef cattle genetically altered to be less susceptible to heat stress have been cleared for human consumption by the FDA.

Kristin Houser

Transportation

Steering wheels now optional for driverless cars in US

Driverless cars no longer need to have manual controls, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s safety standards.

Kristin Houser

Mental Health

Hugging a cushion that “breathes” can reduce anxiety

A study found that hugging a cushion that “breathes” was able to reduce anxiety for students prior to a test as much as guided meditation.

Kristin Houser