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
Surgeons can now practice on a 3D-printed copy of your liver
A new technique for creating life-like 3D-printed livers based on individual patients’ scans could help surgeons be better prepared for operations.
We may have a new ally in the fight against dengue fever
A large trial has provided the best evidence yet that infecting mosquitoes with Wolbachia can help reduce dengue infections.
Many amputees couldn’t afford a bionic arm — until now
Indian startup Makers Hive has developed a bionic arm that’s not only 90% cheaper than most, but also more functional.
Beer hops could hold key to preventing common liver disease
Compounds derived from hops might be able to help prevent — or even treat — nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in people.
A virus "chimera" reveals new dengue targets
Using a flavivirus that only infects insects, Australian researchers can safely study more dangerous viruses.
Two opposite kinds of stroke. One promising treatment.
A new stroke treatment could give doctors a way to help victims sooner, improving their chances of avoiding permanent brain damage.
3D-printed liver tissue may be first step to lab-grown organs
A NASA challenge designed to accelerate tissue engineering has announced two winning teams, both of which used 3D bioprinting to create human liver tissue.
Google and Harvard have created the most detailed brain map yet
Google and Harvard have released the most detailed map yet, called a connectome, of a section of the human brain.
Neck-zapping device helps sleep-deprived soldiers think
A handheld device that delivers vagus nerve stimulation was shown to combat the effect of sleep deprivation in soldiers.
Did the flu lose diversity during the pandemic?
After a record-low flu season, an entire clade of flu may be gone. If so, making vaccines may have become easier.
Hope and controversy: FDA approves first new Alzheimer's drug in decades
The FDA has approved the first new Alzheimer’s drug in decades, but the decision brings not only hope, but controversy.
Blood test can quickly tell if a targeted cancer therapy works
The ExoSCOPE blood test can determine with 95% accuracy whether a targeted cancer therapy is working within 24 hours of administration.
Want strong teeth? Eat this candy.
Researchers claim to have invented an experimental breath mint that may renew tooth enamel and strengthen teeth, and it’s already headed into human trials.
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Just Might Work
Can we hack sugar to be healthy?
Is there such a thing as healthy sugar? Food scientists in Israel are hacking the sugar molecule itself – eliminating the need for subpar alternatives.
Disease-resistant banana created with CRISPR
African scientists have used CRISPR to create a disease-resistant banana that is indistinguishable from unmodified plants.
Microscopic animals revived after 24,000 years in permafrost
A multicellular animal called the bdelloid rotifer has used cryptobiosis to survive in the Siberian permafrost for at least 24,000 years.
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine 2.0: Lower dose, fewer side effects
Any revised version of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will likely include a smaller dose, reducing side effects and increasing the supply of shots.
Editing one gene extends mouse life expectancy by 23%
By modifying just one gene, researchers were able to extend the life expectancy of mice by 23%, and they think their results may translate to humans.
Can a dog vaccine for Valley fever lead to a human one?
Cases of Valley fever, a fungal infection, have risen dramatically over the decade. Researchers hope a dog vaccine may lead to one for humans.
A small dose of an ibogaine-like drug cures stress in mice
A novel drug designed like ibogaine but without the ibogaine trip or toxicity has corrected the effects of stress in mice.
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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