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
As Ebola reaches Ugandan capital, vaccines race to catch up
Caused by the Sudan strain of Ebola, current vaccines and therapies approved for Ebola won’t work in Uganda. But these might.
UK scientists solve a decades-long blood mystery
Researchers have discovered a new blood group which may have been behind the tragic loss of two babies.
Male birth control options are in development, but a number of barriers still stand in the way
A survey of over 9,000 men in nine countries found that over 55% would be willing to use a new method of male birth control.
Like genes, your gut microbes pass from one generation to the next
Not only did microbes diversify with their early modern human hosts as they traveled across the globe, they followed human evolution.
Genetically engineered bacteria make living materials for self-repairing walls and cleaning up pollution
With just an incubator and some broth, researchers can grow reusable filters made of bacteria to clean up pollution and more.
First-of-its-kind surgery may have helped reverse baby’s paralysis
The first recipient of a groundbreaking spina bifida treatment is now one year old and showing no signs of leg paralysis.
It may be possible to treat inherited blindness, even in adults
A new mouse study suggests that synthetic retinoids may be able to help restore vision in adults with Leber congenital amaurosis.
Walking to school is more likely to keep kids active as they age
Children who walk or bike to school at a young age are more likely to continue the habit as they age, a new study shows.
Cambridge researchers have discovered how cancer spreads
New research out of the University of Cambridge may have discovered a mechanism behind metastasis.
New test catches deadly bloodstream infections much faster
Bloodstream infections have a high mortality rate. But a new test to catch them faster could lead to more saved lives.
A cure for blindness may be first product made in space
An ISS experiment suggests that manufacturing artificial retinas in space will make them more effective at reversing blindness.
A newly discovered class of RNA can fight off multiple viruses, including flu and SARS-CoV-2
Harvard-affiliated researchers have discovered a form of double-stranded RNA which may be a potent antiviral.
Tiny robots completely clear out deadly pneumonia infection in mice
Researchers have created microscopic robots capable of clearing pneumonia from the lungs of mice.
A modified herpes virus completely wiped out a terminal cancer
In a small phase 1 trial of a herpes-based cancer therapy, one patient had their tumors completely eliminated.
Biden pardons federal cannabis possession cases, urges states to do the same
The Biden administration is pardoning federal possession offenses, encouraging states to do the same, and reexamining its drug scheduling.
Three reasons “you” won’t return after this life
Entire religions are constructed around theories of an afterlife, but former monk Stephen Batchelor lists three reasons you won’t come back.
Scientists claim “never before” seen results in ALS clinical trial
The ability of tofersen, a gene-based treatment for ALS, to improve symptoms is being hailed as a “treatment milestone.”
If you want people to like you, try talking more, not less
People tend to think they should speak less than half the time to be likable but more than half the time to be interesting.
Study finds a striking difference between neurons of humans and other mammals
Researchers identified a “building plan” that holds true for every species they looked at — except for humans.
New Alzheimer’s drug slows mental decline by 27% in clinical trial
Eisai and Biogen are reporting that their new Alzheimer’s antibody slowed cognitive decline by 27% in a global trial.
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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