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
AI-discovered drug for ALS enters human trials in just four years
Verge Genomics has begun a trial of their AI-found ALS drug candidate, one of the first tests for this new method of drug discovery.
Understanding cancer’s “dark matter”
Researchers have discovered that cancer’s epigenome — changes to how genes are expressed that aren’t mutations — may play a key role in its behavior.
FDA approves first-of-its-kind blood cancer treatment
The FDA has approved Johnson & Johnson’s Tecvayli, a new blood cancer treatment for people with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
What you eat can reprogram your genes
You are what you eat, and what your parents ate, and what their parents ate. An expert explains how the foods you eat can reprogram your genes.
Australian researchers have manufactured a living blood vessel
A blood vessel isn’t just a simple tube. Researchers at the University of Sydney have developed an implant capable of mimicking its complexities.
To avoid the worst effects of aging, we might need to exercise harder than we thought
To avoid one of the worst side effects of aging—bone, joint, and muscle pain—we might need to exercise a lot harder and more often.
New VR body suit lets you see inside your body while you exercise
A system for monitoring motion and muscle engagement could aid the elderly and athletes during physical rehabilitation.
Flu and RSV can fuse into a new kind of virus
In a new discovery, researchers at the University of Glasgow have observed hybrid viruses capable of infecting lung cells in the lab.
New smart contact lens monitors for glaucoma 24/7
Purdue researchers have created a smart, soft contact lens that can test for eye pressure, a key indicator of glaucoma, 24 hours a day.
It’s time to change how we think about electroshock therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy is more effective than ketamine at treating severe depression, according to a new meta-analysis.
The missing apex of Maslow’s hierarchy could save us all
In his later years, psychologist Abraham Maslow added a new apex to the pyramid of human needs: self-transcendence.
Experimental “FLASH” cancer treatment aces first human trial
The first-in-human trial of FLASH radiotherapy found the experimental cancer treatment to be safe and effective.
Withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants can last over a year
A scientific review found that withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants and antipsychotics can last for over a year.
Merck pays Moderna $250m for personalized cancer vaccine
Pharma giant Merck has paid Moderna $250 million to co-develop and commercialize its promising mRNA-based personalized cancer vaccine.
Scientists discover slug that can decapitate itself, grow new body
Scientists observed two species of sea slug that were able to self-decapitate, survive for weeks without organs, and regenerate new bodies.
Deep brain stimulation can be life-altering for OCD sufferers when other treatment options fall short
Deep brain stimulation relies on thin electrodes implanted deep in the brain that deliver electrical currents. Could it treat OCD?
Five-minute breathing exercise can lower blood pressure
A simple breathing exercise called IMST can lower blood pressure as effectively as meds or aerobic exercise when done for five minutes a day.
Why does nature create patterns?
A physicist explains the molecular-level processes behind crystals, stripes, and basalt columns in nature.
New vaccine prevents 94% of severe RSV cases
UK drugmaker GSK’s RSV vaccine was nearly 95% effective at preventing severe infection in a phase 3 trial of older adults.
AI is able to spot diseases before symptoms appear
New AI tools are helping doctors screen healthy patients for diseases early, when treatments are most effective.
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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