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
Clues to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder hidden in the dark genome
A new study suggests that the causes of these disorders are hidden in “dark genes,” which may account for the enigma of their development.
Moderna will develop mRNA vaccines for Ebola, malaria, other major threats
Moderna is developing mRNA vaccines for 15 “priority” pathogens and launching a program giving other developers access to its mRNA tech.
Scientists discover how the AIDS virus breaks cellular “lockdown”
HIV replication continues even when infected cells shut down. New research shows how.
Psychosomatic illness: Are some diseases caused by our memories?
The brain appears to remember immune responses, and memories can trigger them to happen again.
Baby thrives after first-of-its-kind heart transplant
A baby’s first-of-its-kind heart transplant could help future patients avoid organ rejection and reduce the need for immunosuppressant drugs.
How the antidepressant Prozac could treat blindness
Prozac is a widely used antidepressant. Data indicates that the drug could be used to prevent blindness due to macular degeneration.
Brains scans of the placebo effect show new way to treat depression
A meta-study of placebo effect research has revealed a link between the phenomenon and brain stimulation as a depression treatment.
Digital sound archives can bring extinct birds (briefly) back to life
Sound recordings remind us that these beings are invaluable, and that humans have a duty to preserve them.
New antidepressant helps patients in just three days
Adding the new antidepressant zuranolone to standard treatments helped people with major depressive disorder feel better in less time.
How a bedtime routine may affect your brain — and your sleep
A mouse study has yielded new insights into the effect of a bedtime routine on the brain, which could lead to new therapies for insomniacs.
Spinal cord implants help paralyzed people walk again
A new spinal cord implant uses electricity to reawaken spinal neurons.
New tech cuts years off of DNA sequencing
The Stanford Medicine team set a new record for DNA sequencing. They went from obtaining a blood sample to diagnosing an illness in just 8 hours.
Sonic waves could help bones grow back after cancer
A technique that turns stem cells into bone cells using only sound waves could help people regrow bone destroyed by disease.
90% of drugs fail clinical trials – here’s one way researchers can select better drug candidates
It’s disappointing when the years of effort and resources spent to push a drug candidate to patients so often lead to failure.
What the Russian invasion means for clinical trials in Ukraine
Russia’s invasion has the potential to disrupt clinical trials in Ukraine, warns one of the many companies staging trials in the nation.
Researchers convert donor lungs to universal blood type
A new study reveals that if donor organs were treated with specific enzymes, any organ could become “universal” and be more compatible with recipients of any blood type.
How mRNA and DNA vaccines could treat autoimmune disorders, genetic diseases, and more
Using DNA or an mRNA vaccine, researchers are investigating the feasibility of essentially replacing missing genes that cause disease.
How close are we to curing blindness?
New approaches to curing blindness are heralding a future in which fewer people have to live life completely in the dark.
Despite its disastrous effects, COVID-19 offers some gifts to medicine
While it’s still too early to draw conclusions, there’s emerging evidence between autoimmune disorders and the virus that causes COVID-19.
Diamond-like starfish skeleton unlike any discovered in nature
The skeleton of the knobby starfish has a structure unlike any other found in nature so far, and it could inspire new lightweight ceramics.
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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