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
Harvard geneticists create an organism that is immune to all viruses
Researchers at the Harvard lab of George Church have genetically engineered E. coli resistant to viral infection.
Spread of deadly cancer delayed by organ transplant drug
A groundbreaking discovery on how pancreatic cancer spreads could lead to better therapies for the hard-to-treat disease.
How low-cost surgical training programs could save lives in low-resource countries
Lack of access to surgery leads to millions of deaths every year around the world. Meet the innovators who are working to reduce this toll.
New CRISPR tool reversed blindness in mice — permanently
A new CRISPR tool corrected a mutation causing retinitis pigmentosa in mice without making any significant off-target edits.
Wristband device helps to control Tourette’s tics in clinical trial
A new wrist-worn device from the University of Nottingham uses electrical pulses to help curb Tourette syndrome symptoms.
Bird flu is everywhere. Are the vaccines ready?
As avian influenza continues to devastate the bird population and jump into mammals, scientists are preparing to protect two important groups.
Mice grow mini deer antlers after stem cell transplant
The discovery of a new type of stem cell in deer antlers could lead to breakthroughs in human regeneration.
What that study linking sugar-free sweeteners and heart disease really tells us
A new study links higher blood levels of sugar-free sweeteners, commonly found in ketogenic diet foods, to a greater risk of death.
The case for viewing depression as a consciousness disorder
A new hypothesis explains depression as an altered state of consciousness, which could help researchers make an objective diagnostic test.
There is now a blood test for anxiety disorders
A new blood test for anxiety may be able to help doctors diagnose patients and find effective treatments for them more quickly.
Large language models are biased. Can logic help save them?
MIT researchers trained logic-aware language models to reduce harmful stereotypes like gender and racial biases.
As bird flu spreads in the US and worldwide, what’s the risk that it could start a human pandemic?
Many virologists are concerned that the latest bird flu outbreak could spill over to humans and cause a new human pandemic.
This easy fix could eliminate harmful chemical exhaust from home heaters
Retrofitting gas heaters with this catalyst could slash their environmental impact.
First ever therapy for rare genetic disorder now approved
The FDA has approved the first drug for Rett syndrome, a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder, which disproportionately affects women and girls.
AI isn’t close to becoming sentient, we just think it is
To what extent will our psychological vulnerabilities shape our interactions with emerging technologies? AI will be the test.
Making electricity from wastewater
Researchers have developed a “sandwich-like” membrane that removes pollutants while generating power.
Pfizer’s nasal spray for migraines is heading to pharmacies
The FDA has approved Pfizer’s zavegepant, a nasal spray for migraines that can ease pain in as few as 15 minutes.
Psychedelics open a new window on the mechanisms of perception
Some neuroscientists think psychedelics and the hallucinations they induce could help reveal how we generate our perceptions of the world.
First healthy mice with two dads — and no moms — born in Japan
For the first time, scientists have created healthy, fertile mouse pups using only the DNA of two adult males.
Here’s how your sleep affects your immune system
Researchers found that patients who slept less than six hours a night were 27% more likely to have an infection.
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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