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
Harvard has a vaccine against septic shock
A new vaccine platform based on biomaterial may eventually provide rapid protection against multiple bacterial threats.
DeepMind releases massive protein structure database
DeepMind is releasing a massive database of protein structure predictions that includes all the molecules in the human proteome.
Olympic swimmers get speed boost from pool engineers
We already know that Olympic swimmers are fast, but Olympic swimming pools can be engineered to be “fast,” too.
This 3D-printed graft may improve ruptured eardrum surgery
Researchers at Harvard have developed a 3D-printed graft they hope will make ruptured eardrum surgeries safer, faster, and more effective.
New vaccines may use AI to hit a moving target
Can AI create vaccines that work against mutations that haven’t happened yet, groups of viruses, and virus too tricky to currently stop?
FDA approves first drug to treat lymphoma in dogs
The FDA has approved a medication specifically designed to treat lymphoma in dogs, potentially helping extend the lives of thousands of pets.
CRISPR used to create first gene-edited opossums
CRISPR technology has been used to create gene-edited opossums, a breakthrough that could have huge implications for medical research.
Lucky accident shows how immune system can beat MRSA without antibiotics
Researchers have accidentally found that blocking caspase enzymes can make mouse immune responses more robust.
Door-to-door vaccination campaign reaches the most vulnerable
An equitable door-to-door vaccination campaign might be just what it takes to help the U.S.’s most vulnerable communities fight COVID-19.
The world’s first needle-free diabetes test
A needle-free diabetes test that measures glucose levels from saliva, not blood, could be ready for consumers as soon as 2023.
Neuroprosthesis lets paralyzed man “speak” whole words again
An experimental neuroprosthesis that translates brain activity into words on a computer screen has given a paralyzed man back his “voice.”
Ancient human’s genome sequenced from DNA in cave dirt
Researchers have sequenced the genome of one of the ancient humans who lived in Satsurblia Cave 25,000 years ago using samples of cave dirt.
CRISPR halts coronavirus transmission in human cells
A new CRISPR treatment that halted coronavirus transmission in human cells could be the easy-to-distribute COVID-19 drug the world needs.
Yale study: magic mushrooms may grow connections between brain cells
A single dose of psilocybin caused increased growth in neuron-connecting dendritic spines in mice.
Cholera vaccine made from GM rice passes first human trial
An oral cholera vaccine that’s grown in genetically modified rice and can be stored at room temperature has passed its first human trial.
We’re one step closer to a malaria-free world
Now that malaria has been eliminated in China, the long-held dream of a malaria-free world is one nation closer to reality.
This wireless pacemaker dissolves into your body
Researchers at Northwestern and George Washington University have developed a pacemaker that dissolves into the body.
Moderna launches human trial for mRNA flu vaccine
Moderna Therapeutics is trialing an mRNA flu vaccine in humans and developing one to protect against seasonal influenza and COVID-19.
This bacteria can find a landmine
Bacteria that glow in the presence of a landmine may one day help save lives.
Oxford launches HIV vaccine trial
The University of Oxford’s newly launched HIV vaccine trial will test a unique approach to protecting people against the AIDS-causing virus.
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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