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
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DIY Science
Treating diabetes with a DIY pancreas
A group of coders created an open source, DIY pancreas to help people with diabetes manage their condition.
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Crossing the Divide
The conservative radio host urging people to break out of their bubbles
Charlie Sykes, a conservative radio host and author of “How the Right Lost Its Mind”, explains the dangers of…
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DIY Science
Can coding prevent overdoses?
A group of teenagers in Baltimore have created an app that can notify the public about heroin overdoses and save countless lives
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On the Fringe
Freezing bodies for the future
Alcor CEO Max More knows most people don’t believe cryonics will work. But More thinks we can’t afford not to try.
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On the Fringe
Growing human organs in pigs
Twenty people die every day in the U.S. waiting for an organ transplant. There aren’t enough organs for the 100,000…
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On the Fringe
Can snot help stop the flu?
The flu is a really tough target. The virus evolves far too fast to really pin it down. If only they could slow it…
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On the Fringe
A stranger's poop could save your life
is pretty gross. We do everything we can to avoid it. But thanks to the burgeoning field of fecal transplants,…
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On the Fringe
Searching for cures in a sewer
Yale researcher Ben Chan spends a lot of time doing what most people would avoid at all costs. He travels the world…
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Wrong
Is vitamin C a total sham?
In the heart of cold and flu season, it’s natural to reach for the Vitamin C. But we may want to think twice. While…
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Wrong
Did rats start the drug war?
Much of our shared understanding about drugs and addiction came from a series of studies done in the 1950s and 60s…
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Superhuman
3D printing prosthetics for kids
The incredible movement of shared designs and tech that’s making prosthetics better and cheaper for everyone.
How virtual reality is changing medicine
From virtual hearts to immersive battlefields, doctors and scientists are using virtual reality to transform medicine
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Superhuman
Stem cells give paralyzed man movement
Could an injection of embryonic stem cells into the spinal cord reverse paralysis?
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Superhuman
Brain implant gives quadriplegic movement
A brain implant connected to electrodes could offer hope to those who have lost function in their limbs.
Could this revolutionary football helmet protect players and save the game?
As more and more former football players exhibit symptoms of CTE, one company thinks their new helmet can address…
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Crossing the Divide
How to negotiate the nonnegotiable
Insights on working through conflict with Harvard’s top negotiation expert.
Can a single conversation really change someone's mind? This research says yes.
After studying a team of canvassers, two researchers found that a single conversation can have a significant and…
The mom who will stop at nothing to save her daughter's life
Doctors told Karen Aiach her daughter had a rare and fatal disease. So she decided to invent a cure.
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Wrong
Beware the Frankenbabies!
Frightening predictions almost stopped the invention that has helped millions of families.
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Coded
Erasing your DNA
Is a spray that can mask your DNA the frontier of personal privacy or a tool for criminals?
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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