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
A plant-based COVID vaccine is going into arms
A COVID-19 vaccine grown in plants is beginning phase 3 clinical trials.
Virus hidden in human for years may have caused new ebola outbreak
A genetic report shows that a survivor of the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in Guinea is likely to have begun the latest episode.
Researchers have developed a “plant communication” device
Plants emit weak electric signals. Researchers have developed a device to read and send signals back — a type of “plant communication.”
Researchers have grown a mouse embryo in a bottle
Researchers have grown a mouse embryo outside the uterus for longer than ever before, opening up the door to learning more about how mammals grow.
Scientists grow tear gland organoids that can actually cry
Researchers have grown tear gland organoids that can actually cry, a potential breakthrough in the treatment of dry eye disease.
One mosquito protein weakens several deadly flaviviruses
A mosquito protein that targets the viral envelope of flaviviruses, inhibiting their activity, could help doctors treat several life-threatening diseases.
Facebook’s vaccine hunters are helping Americans get vaccinated
COVID-19 shots are here, but making an appointment can be a pain. Vaccine hunters are playing matchmaker on Facebook to get jabs into arms.
US will spend $1 billion studying long COVID
The U.S. is dedicating $1.15 billion to studying long COVID, a condition in which survivors experience long-term effects of COVID-19.
Nurse’s smelling “superpower” leads to skin swab test for Parkinson’s
Researchers developed a skin swab test for Parkinson’s after studying a woman’s strange ability to smell the disease.
Texas firefighters deliver COVID-19 vaccines to seniors
Firefighters in Corpus Christi are delivering COVID-19 vaccines to homebound seniors.
New drugs are taking the fight to lung cancer
KRAS mutation, which causes tumors to form, was long considered “undruggable.” But new drugs could be approved by year’s end.
Doctors can now see the lungs of a newborn breathing
There’s a lot about newborn breathing doctors don’t know, but a new imaging technique that can record a baby’s first breaths is pulling back the curtain.
New test can show if you’ve had COVID-19, even if antibodies fade
The FDA has approved a T cell test for COVID, a first-of-its-kind assay that looks to the immune system’s memory.
Vaccine delivery truck brings COVID-19 shots right to you
Startup AYRO’s all-electric vaccine delivery truck could bring COVID-19 vaccines to people without access to reliable transportation.
New gene therapy for chronic pain could replace opioids
Researchers have engineered a gene therapy system to dampen pain. They’ve shown it to be effective in mice, for both short-term and long-term pain.
Existing chemo drugs could offer a potential Ebola treatment
Capable of causing highly lethal disease, Ebola treatment is a public health priority. A new study shows chemo drugs may do just that.
Duke scientists find a potential vaccine for UTI
Despite being common, painful, and persistent, there’s currently no vaccine treatment for UTIs. But a new method has shown promise in mice.
NFL hopefuls train with sensor-free athlete tracking tech
Intel’s new athlete tracking platform, 3DAT, can deliver performance insights without the use of potentially cumbersome sensors.
NYU is launching a center for psychedelic medicine
NYU’s Center for Psychedelic Medicine will serve as the nexus for the school’s psychedelic research, as well as provide training to budding researchers.
Great apes get vaccinated against COVID-19
Great apes, our closest living relatives, are susceptible to COVID-19. The San Diego Zoo has given some an experimental vaccine to protect them.
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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