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
New water purification tablet makes river water safe to drink
A new water purification tablet that simply and quickly decontaminates river water could help address global drinking water scarcity.
Surgeons connected a pig kidney to a human
Scientists linked a pig’s kidney to a human body for the first time. This breakthrough experiment marks one step closer toward the goal of using animal organs for life-saving transplants.
Ear sensor can monitor COVID-19 patients remotely
An ear sensor successfully alerted doctors to signs that COVID-19 patients isolating at home were getting worse and should be hospitalized.
Smart microscope slides make breast cancer cells leap off screen
Breast cancer cells appear brightly colored when placed on new smart microscope slides, which could help doctors diagnose patients earlier.
CRISPR is revolutionizing medicine — its origin story is pretty incredible, too
The origin story of CRISPR highlights how groundbreaking discoveries can emerge from run-of-the-mill research.
New cardiac patch can be implanted with a syringe
A new cardiac patch developed by Canadian scientists could help repair heart damage by supporting tissue without blocking electrical activity.
Brain implant relieves woman’s treatment-resistant depression
A woman with severe treatment-resistant depression has found relief, thanks to “pacemaker” implanted in her brain by UCSF researchers.
Here’s why sensory perception research was awarded a Nobel Prize
Physiologists David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their research on human sensory perception.
Therapy can relieve chronic back pain by rewiring the brain
A psychological treatment for chronic back pain left two-thirds of study participants with little-to-no pain after just one month.
WHO recommends its first malaria vaccine
A malaria vaccine developed by GlaxoSmithKline, Mosquirix, has been recommended for use by the World Health Organization.
CRISPR partially restores vision in colorblind people
Scientists used CRISPR to direct edit DNA inside a healthy human cell, restoring partial vision to blind people.
Wearable health monitors help predict flu before symptoms start
A human challenge trial suggests that wearable health monitors could help predict flu and cold infections before symptoms appear.
This gene-edited tomato may help lower your blood pressure
A gene-edited tomato that may be able to lower your blood pressure is the first CRISPR-edited food to be sold commercially.
An at-home test to find your best birth control option
Seattle-based startup adyn is developing an at-home testing kit to help women find their best birth control method.
Gene-edited fish grow up to 60% more muscle
A gene-edited fish that grows up to 60% more muscle on the same amount of feed could help revitalize Japan’s aquaculture industry.
Pill to treat COVID-19 cuts risk of hospitalization or death in half
A pill to treat COVID-19 that cut hospitalizations and deaths in half could become the first oral medication against the disease.
MIT’s new bionics center may usher in our cyborg future
MIT has established a new bionics research center to help people everywhere overcome the challenges of disabilities.
Antiviral reduces COVID-19 hospitalizations by 87%
The FDA-approved antiviral drug remdesivir prevents high-risk people from ending up in the hospital, if given early.
A malaria antibody prevented infections in purposefully-infected volunteers
In a small study, researchers found an antibody that prevents malaria infection in people purposefully infected with the parasite.
Johns Hopkins has developed a lung cancer blood test
Researchers at Johns Hopkins are using AI to power a lung cancer blood test.
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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