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
Customized stem cells could show us how dementia happens
By turning human cells into induced pluripotent stem cells, researchers hope to finally map the genetic path to Alzheimer’s disease.
Pfizer is testing a coronavirus antiviral
Pfizer is testing a new coronavirus antiviral that has stopped SARs-CoV-2 from replicating in the lab in humans.
These brain-sensing headphones could help you focus
Boston startup Neurable is now accepting preorders for Enten, brain-sensing headphones that use EEG data to help users’ maximize their focus.
Phase 2 trial finds psychedelic works as well as common drug
A small study has provided evidence of psilocybin for depression working as well as a popular SSRI.
App can detect early sign of autism in toddlers
A Duke University smartphone app that can detect an early sign of autism in toddlers could one day make diagnosing autism in young children far easier.
Fireside Project is a support line for your bad trip
Fireside Project is a nonprofit that is providing a support line for your challenging psychedelic experiences — read: bad trip.
Neuroscientists are making "bug brain soup"
A novel method for counting neurons that involves mashing insects’ brains into a “soup” has led to several new discoveries about bugs.
"Complex" and "exciting": Researchers study the use of CBD for pain
In a small study, researchers at Syracuse found that both thinking you’re getting CBD for pain and the drug increase pain tolerance.
Would you spray this DIY COVID-19 vaccine up your nose?
Makers of a DIY COVID-19 vaccine are talking to governments about launching human challenge trials to quickly and cheaply find out if the vaccine is effective.
FDA authorizes mind-controlled exoskeleton for stroke rehab
Neurolutions’ IpsiHand — a brain-computer interface that uses an exoskeleton to assist with stroke rehab — has been authorized by the FDA.
Meet Dr. Jennifer Doudna: She’s leading the biotech revolution
Jennifer Doudna on the future of CRISPR.
Back-poking robot triggers presence hallucinations
A back-poking robot can trigger presence hallucinations in people with Parkinson’s disease, giving researchers a way to finally study the phenomenon.
How long are you too high to drive? The science is fuzzy.
Some drug driving laws outlaw any amount of THC. To create better laws, researchers are trying to find out how long cannabis intoxication itself lasts.
Oxford launches COVID reinfection study
To try and understand the immune response to SARS-CoV-2, including the threat of COVID reinfection, the University of Oxford will purposely infect volunteers.
Oxford malaria vaccine is 77% effective in young children
A malaria vaccine developed by Oxford University was 77% effective at protecting children during a phase 2 trial in Africa.
Weekly insulin shots may be “game-changer” for diabetes
Daily insulin injections can be burdensome and stigmatized. New clinical trials suggest a weekly insulin regimen can work just as well.
Can CBD be the next superbug slayer?
In the search for new weapons against superbugs, CBD and antibiotics in combination, as well as CBD alone, may prove to be promising candidates.
Reversible gene editing is on the horizon
In the future, we may be able to turn CRISPR off whenever we wanted.
All adults in the US are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccines
In the U.S., anyone over the age of 16 is now eligible for COVID-19 vaccines — a major milestone along the path to herd immunity.
Scientists may have figured out how to fight prion disease
Researchers believe they have found a spot on a mutated prion protein that can lead to brain-spongifying disease.
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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