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
The next era of psychedelics may be precision-designed states of consciousness
A look inside Mindstate Design Labs’ effort to design drugs that reliably produce specific states of consciousness.
What is The Great Progression: 2025 to 2050?
We have a historic opportunity to harness AI and other transformative technologies in order to make a much better world in the next 25 years.
Progress happens because solutions create new problems to solve
Solutionism means fully accepting what’s in front of us and enthusiastically stepping up to meet the challenge.
Psychedelics & Mental Health
How to reclaim meaning in a changing world
What if the barrier to a fulfilled life isn’t technology, it’s culture?
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.
Biohacking
We’re able to create new creatures through gene editing. What’s stopping us?
The question isn’t whether we can sculpt new life. The question is what comes next.
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.
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.
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.
One shot recreates younger immune systems, in mice
An antibody treatment designed to revitalize an aging immune system delivers “surprising” results in elderly mice.
More
Brains store memories in a temporary "cache" (and we can read it)
Like the day’s newspaper, the brain has a temporary way to keep track of events.
FDA approves first mute button for genetic diseases
It is the first of “a wave of advances that have the potential to transform medicine.”
Are "CRISPR kids" the new "test-tube babies"?
Forty years later, IVF shows how fears about new technology can fade.
New evidence suggests viruses may trigger Alzheimer’s
For the first time in a long time, there’s a new direction for potential Alzheimer’s treatments.
High tech archaeology found a new way to screen for vitamin D deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency is an age-old problem, but new techniques from archaeology may be the key to catching it early.
Paralyzed mice walk again after breakthrough treatment
One small step for a mouse, perhaps one giant leap for treating spinal injuries.
Coffin-building club helps seniors face death and enjoy life
These seniors are tackling the stigma around death by decorating their own coffins.
UV robots can sterilize an ICU in 10 minutes
UV light destroys bacterial DNA from the inside out, eradicating the toughest pathogens in minutes.
Will probiotics cure cholera?
MIT scientists say eating good bacteria can prevent, cure, and diagnose cholera—cheaply.
The gut microbiome affects brain structure
What happens in your gut in childhood can change how your brain works later in life.
Using neuroscience to talk to people in a vegetative state
A scientist figures out how to talk to the brain when the body won’t respond.
Insulin pills could change everything for diabetics
A pill instead of a needle would be the “holy grail” for diabetes treatment.
FDA approves the first marijuana-based drug
The drug has been proven effective at reducing seizures from certain types of childhood epilepsy.
CRISPR edits out autistic traits in mice
The technique could also open up treatments for Huntington’s, schizophrenia, and epilepsy.
A new brain surgery robot can work inside an MRI
Metal robots and electric motors don’t normally play well with giant magnets.
How coffee could treat diabetes
Someday, diabetics could use caffeine to trigger insulin production, thanks to specially designed kidney cells.
Precision medicine cured an “untreatable” stage IV breast cancer
Two years ago, she had two months to live.
Does CRISPR cause cancer?
Two studies find that CRISPR’d cells tend to become cancerous. Here’s what that means for biotech medicine.
Study shows schizophrenia begins in the womb, unraveling a genetic mystery
Half of genes linked to schizophrenia are primarily involved in the placenta, not the brain.
Mental training can heal traumatic brain injuries (and reduce depression)
Millions of people are dealing with traumatic head injuries; brain scans show that cognitive training could…
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.
Subscribe to the newsletter