Biotech
Human history has been all but defined by death and disease, plague and pandemic. Advancements in 20th century medicine changed all of that. Now advancements in 21st century medicine promise to go even further. Could we bring about an end to disease? Reverse aging? Give hearing to the deaf and sight to the blind? The answer may be yes. And soon.
Featured
Are microplastics really destroying our health?
Scientists still don’t know how microplastics impact human health, but they do have ideas for stopping their spread.
The exciting research that may cure Parkinson’s
GeneCode is developing a drug it hopes won’t just alleviate Parkinson’s symptoms but also protect and restore patient’s neural health.
This $400 genetic test could save your life
Nucleus Genomics’ new whole genome sequencing and analysis service promises to reveal the secrets hidden in your DNA.
Psychedelics & Mental Health
AI chatbots may ease the world’s loneliness (if they don’t make it worse)
AI chatbots may have certain advantages when roleplaying as our friends. They may also come with downsides that make our loneliness worse.
Beyond screen time: Rethinking kids’ tech use with the “Goldilocks hypothesis”
The “Goldilocks hypothesis” asks parents to think beyond screen time and consider the habits that teens build around technology use.
Potato chips or heroin? The debate on social media and mental health
Experts disagree on whether social media causes mental health issues in adolescents despite looking at the same data. Here’s why.
Biohacking
Boosted Breeding and beyond: 3 tech trends that could end world hunger
A world without hunger is possible, and the development and deployment of new farming technologies could be one key to manifesting it.
New AI generates CRISPR proteins unlike any seen in nature
An AI that generates CRISPR proteins is opening the door to gene editors with capabilities beyond what we’ve found in nature.
The threat of avian flu — and what we can do to stop it
Avian flu is infecting cows on US dairy farms, and now a person has caught it — but new research could help us avoid a bird flu pandemic.
Ray Kurzweil explains how AI makes radical life extension possible
Life expectancy gains in developed countries have slowed in recent decades, but AI may be poised to transform medicine as we know it.
Vaccines
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.
One shot recreates younger immune systems, in mice
An antibody treatment designed to revitalize an aging immune system delivers “surprising” results in elderly mice.
A protein found in human sweat may protect against Lyme disease
Human sweat contains a protein that may protect against Lyme disease, according to a study from MIT and the University of Helsinki.
More
How to change the world
Olivia Leland, founder and CEO of Co-Impact, on how we should approach solving the world’s most complex problems.
Drone racers are a thing and they’re amazing
Blistering speed. Big money. 11-year-old world champions. Is drone racing the next big sport?
Is autism a mysterious medical condition or part of the spectrum of human diversity?
Rethinking Autism: Interview with NeuroTribes Author Steve Silberman
Can people with autism help create next-generation AI?
Daivergent is a new startup that hires people with autism to train artificial intelligence – and helps them start independent careers.
The joy of being wrong
Can practicing intellectual humility make us smarter and happier? Science says yes.
Giving animals new legs
Derrick Campana is a prosthetics engineer helping animals walk again with artificial limbs.
These hero pups are helping veterans and prisoners heal
Hero Pups is an organization providing support dogs for military veterans and first responders. Now, prison inmates are helping train them – with great results.
Who will save your parent’s life story?
When her dad had Alzheimer’s, this journalist wrote his life story to help his caregivers understand him. Now, she’d doing the same for hundreds more.
A day in the life of a 'violence interruptor'
Freethink followed Andre T. Mitchell, the founder of Man Up!, and his violence interrupter team for a day in…
Can cognitive behavioral therapy break the cycle of violence?
CBT is a promising way to reduce violence, so why has it been so hard to scale?
Civilian oversight is a solution to police misconduct. But is it effective?
Creating a civilian review board to oversee police conduct seems like a straightforward solution to disciplinary…
Do we need more police or better police?
American cities are safer than they used to be, but they’re still quite violent, and many economists think they’re…
This fearless principal used UFC & skateboards to save a failing school
How one relentless, unconventional principal rallied an underdog school.
Why drugs are hurting more people than ever – and what to do about it
Is the solution to dangerous drugs… making them safer?
Science funding is wasting young careers. Here's how to fix it.
Basic science funding is a mess. Fixing it could radically improve the pace of innovation.
How a smartphone can detect a deadly disease, without a lab, for free
This app tests for anemia, and it’s nearly as good as the gold-standard lab test.
Hacking the brain's comms network – without surgery
When nerve cells in the brain communicate, they create tiny electric fields that can be sensed – and sometimes…
An app to help prevent suicide
Meet the teens who built the notOK App: a “panic button” for people who need help.
Special Collection
Collection
The Science of Death
Explore the journey from life to death and beyond. Near-death experiences, death doulas, digital immortality, and more – join us for a thoughtful exploration of one life’s most intriguing and inevitable phenomena with stories from the frontlines of death.
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