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
One-minute COVID-19 breath test authorized in Singapore
Singapore has provisionally authorized a COVID-19 breath test that measures VOCs to deliver accurate results in just one minute.
"Defective" embryos can actually self-correct in the womb
PGT-A, a genetic test used to screen embryos for aneuploidy prior to in vitro fertilization, appears to be excluding many viable options.
Inhaled CRISPR treatment tackles COVID-19, flu
An inhaled CRISPR treatment can be easily tweaked to attack a variety of viruses, from the one that causes the flu to the coronavirus behind COVID-19.
Liverpool and DeepMind are bringing AI to the beautiful game
AI in sports has taken off in recent years. Now, Liverpool and DeepMind are teaming up to see how AI may impact the world’s most popular sport.
Human lifespan may have a hard limit: 150 years
The human lifespan is limited to 150 years, according to a new longevity study focused on the body’s ability to bounce back from stressful events.
These bacteria grow biodegradable “Aquaplastic”
Scientists genetically modified E. coli to create a plastic called “aquaplastic,” which can be transformed into a three-dimensional shape just by adding water.
Predicting your protection against COVID-19
Australian researchers have found an immune response measurement they believe can predict protection against COVID-19.
Gene therapy and special goggles partially restore man’s vision after 40 years
Researchers have demonstrated that restoring limited vision to people suffering from retinitis pigmentosa, a historically permanent type of blindness, is within reach.
Ohio announces $1M vaccine lottery, shots surge 33%
Ohio’s vaccine lottery, which will give five vaccinated residents $1 million each, appears to have sparked the desired increase in new vaccinations.
The first steps towards an allergic asthma vaccine
French researchers have shown an allergic asthma vaccine to be effective in mice. The next step: human clinical trials.
Can an app save cardiac arrest victims before EMS arrives?
In Denmark, Heartrunner directs citizen responders to cardiac arrest victims. Should the U.S. adopt a similar approach?
Can new drugs make obesity a medical — not moral — condition?
Researchers are hopeful that a class of drugs called incretins will not only treat obesity, but help people think of it as a medical condition.
IBS treatment app helps patients reprogram their minds
An IBS treatment app that facilitates cognitive behavior therapy helped trial participants manage symptoms and improve their quality of life.
These glowing bacteria can diagnose gut problems
Using synthetic biology, a team at Rice has designed bacteria that can sense signs of inflammatory bowel disease in mice.
Experimental procedure zaps nerves to lower blood pressure
Renal denervation, a procedure that uses ultrasound pulses to zap renal nerves, showed promise as a treatment for resistant hypertension in a recent trial.
Sperm may play a bigger role in pregnancy than we thought
Sperm appear to play a bigger role in pregnancy than previously believed, not only fertilizing the egg, but also “persuading” the female body to accept it.
What it’s like to do a human challenge trial
Human challenge trials are risky, but they could help us avoid another prolonged pandemic.
Old dogs are helping scientists combat human aging
By studying donated tissues stored in a pet dog biobank, researchers have uncovered a genetic link between brain aging in canines and humans.
The DNA-based diet you’ll be hearing about everywhere
A growing field called “nutrigenomics” aims to provide people with personalized lifestyle guidance based on their DNA
Molecular "tweezers" pick apart bacterias' biofilm
Israeli researchers have developed a set of “molecular tweezers” that can pick apart the biofilm which protects some bacteria.
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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