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
The next era of psychedelics may be precision-designed states of consciousness
A look inside Mindstate Design Labs’ effort to design drugs that reliably produce specific states of consciousness.
What is The Great Progression: 2025 to 2050?
We have a historic opportunity to harness AI and other transformative technologies in order to make a much better world in the next 25 years.
Progress happens because solutions create new problems to solve
Solutionism means fully accepting what’s in front of us and enthusiastically stepping up to meet the challenge.
Psychedelics & Mental Health
How to reclaim meaning in a changing world
What if the barrier to a fulfilled life isn’t technology, it’s culture?
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.
Biohacking
We’re able to create new creatures through gene editing. What’s stopping us?
The question isn’t whether we can sculpt new life. The question is what comes next.
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.
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.
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.
One shot recreates younger immune systems, in mice
An antibody treatment designed to revitalize an aging immune system delivers “surprising” results in elderly mice.
More
Google rolls out new tools to help your doctor search
Google has debuted new ways to make your doctor search easier, allowing you to know what insurance they take and languages they speak.
This app offers alternatives to 911 in all 50 states
There are instances when 911 may not be the best number to call. Subdial, a free app, offers local and national alternatives to 911.
This chewing gum traps the coronavirus
A new chewing gum may help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by neutralizing the virus before it can leave an infected person’s mouth.
Falling traffic lights can kill. One tweak could save lives.
An impact-absorbing traffic light pole could save the lives of drivers and pedestrians, while also cutting repair and replacement costs.
A chemical in grape seeds extends lives of mice by 9%
A chemical in grape seeds extended the lives of old mice, made young ones healthier, and helped chemo drugs shrink tumors in a new study.
Experimental bionic eye is ready for human trials
An experimental bionic eye designed to help restore vision in people with retinal degeneration is ready for human trials.
How herpes hides
Herpesvirus hides in nerve cells, making it impossible to kill. Now, Northwestern researchers believe they have found the novel key to this nasty trick.
First person cured of type 1 diabetes thanks to stem cells
An experimental stem cell treatment has eliminated type 1 diabetes in a patient, giving experts guarded hope for a diabetes cure.
A simple webcam can automatically catch — and treat — infant jaundice
Researchers in Australia and Iraq have developed a system that uses a webcam to catch infant jaundice and begin treatment right away.
Is Omicron the COVID variant we have been waiting for?
There is no rule that will force Omicron or another COVID variant to become less deadly over time, but there is reason for hope.
How music can rewire the brain after an injury
MedRhythms, an experimental digital therapy combines sensors and music to help people with Parkinson’s disease walk.
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.
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.
Subscribe to the newsletter