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
VR shows parents what will happen in their baby’s surgery
A U.K. hospital is using VR to help parents see the potential impact skull-reshaping surgery could have on their baby’s appearance.
Genetically modified worms sniff out cancer in urine
Genetically modified worms that react to the scent of cancer in urine could one day be used for routine pancreatic cancer screening.
This device can automatically detect and reverse opioid overdoses
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed an AI-powered wearable to detect, and reverse via naloxone injection, opioid overdoses.
The science behind “anti-aging” diets
A recent study reviewed the efficacy of popular diets that claim to have anti-aging benefits.
How the new coronavirus variant was found and what we know so far
Omicron is a new ‘variant of concern’ but there’s still so much about it that we don’t know.
A patch to treat peanut allergies appears safe to wear for years
A peanut allergy can be debilitating at best, and life threatening at worst. A new possible treatment looks to be safe to wear for at least three years.
7 scientists we are thankful for this Thanksgiving
One of these scientists saved more lives than any other person in history.
Psychedelics can change how you think about the universe
A new study finds that a single trip on a psychedelic can cause lasting changes in a person’s metaphysical beliefs.
Tuberculosis may spread through aerosols, without coughing
University of Cape Town researchers believe tuberculosis may spread in small aerosols, much like COVID-19.
Can CRISPR keep the beer flowing?
Researchers are turning to CRISPR to create barley better able to remain dormant in climate change — while being still ready to make beer.
This engineer fixed his own heart
When Tal Golesworthy was told he was at risk of his aorta bursting, he wasn’t impressed with the surgery on offer – so he came up with his own idea.
How a BBQ lighter can make DNA vaccines more powerful
Georgia Tech researchers turned a BBQ lighter into a delivery system that uses electricity to boost the potency of DNA vaccines.
Vaccine robot administers doses without needles or human help
Canadian startup Cobioni has built a vaccine robot that can deliver a dose into a patient’s arm without a needle or any human help.
Second patient clears own body of HIV, hinting cure is possible
Two “elite controllers” that no longer have any replicable HIV virus in their bodies may hold the key to a cure for HIV.
“Dancing” molecules repair spinal cord injuries in paralyzed mice
A treatment for spinal cord injuries was able to reverse paralysis in mice by “dancing” to connect with cells near the site of the injury.
10 surprising things we’ve learned about death
Modern science has demystified death by divulging its biological processes, but many questions remain.
Survival genes from the world’s harshest desert environment could save our crops
Researchers have discovered genes linked to plant survival in Chile’s Atacama Desert, one of the world’s harshest desert environments.
Psilocybin treatment relieves depression in largest trial yet
The largest psilocybin treatment trial to date suggests that the psychedelic drug can help people with treatment-resistant depression.
Deal brings COVID-19 vaccines into conflict zones
The U.S. has brokered a deal between Johnson & Johnson and the COVAX initiative to get COVID-19 vaccines to people in conflict zones.
DeepMind’s AI lights path to faster drug development
Alphabet has announced the launch of Isomorphic Labs, an AI-driven drug discovery company built on research from its DeepMind subsidiary.
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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