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
Scientists want to study your at-home psychedelic mushroom experiences
Scientists are looking for people planning to trip on psychedelic mushrooms for a new study focused on people’s “real-world” experiences with psilocybin.
Fecal transplant cures man whose gut made him drunk
A fecal transplant cured a man of auto-brewery syndrome, a rare condition in which the gut converts carbs into alcohol, making a person feel drunk.
Can the common cold help battle COVID-19?
The common cold can be caused by a coronavirus. New research suggests the immune response it causes may help protect against COVID-19.
Scientists grow mini human hearts from stem cells
Mini human hearts grown from stem cells, also known as “heart organoids,” could help doctors address the most common kind of birth defect in humans.
Study may explain why cancer gets more aggressive as we age
A molecule in the blood of older people promotes the spread of cancer, which could explain the link between age and metastatic cancer.
Using smartphone cameras to detect diabetes
A new algorithm can detect diabetes using data collected by a smartphone’s camera, offering a way to address the problem of undiagnosed diabetes.
Who should get the COVID-19 vaccine first?
The COVID-19 vaccine will likely be rationed. Who will be first on the list to receive it?
The material that could help humans become cyborgs
Coating implantable electronics in the polymer PEDOT can extend their life, which could make cyborgs more common in the future.
Can a wellness app really change someone’s life?
America has the highest per capita health spending in the world, and yet, worse population health outcomes than most other developed nations. This wellness app gets to the heart of the issue.
Open-source COVID-19 saliva test could be a game changer
SalivaDirect, a COVID-19 saliva test funded by the NBA and NBA players’ union, could be the cheap, accurate testing method the U.S. desperately needs.
This smart pill could unlock mysteries of the human gut
A new smart pill can be programmed to collect gut microbiome samples from anywhere along the GI tract — overcoming a major research problem.
AI force plate prevents injuries by predicting them
Sparta Science has developed an AI-powered force plate system that prevents injuries among athletes and soldiers by predicting their likelihood.
Doctors spray chemo inside abdominal cancer patients
For the first time, a U.S. trial will test the ability of an experimental cancer treatment called PIPAC to help late-stage abdominal cancer patients.
Immune proteins show promise as COVID-19 treatment
Immune proteins called interferons appear useful as a COVID-19 treatment if given to patients before an infection becomes severe.
Good news, bad news, and reasons to be optimistic about COVID-19
Much has evolved since the earliest predictions about COVID-19. Here’s how the data is updating our view on the coronavirus.
Gates Foundation backs a $3 coronavirus vaccine
The Gates Foundation is spending $150 million to help with the manufacturing and distribution of a $3 coronavirus vaccine in lower-income nations.
Urine test could replace malignant melanoma biopsies
Doctors can look to the levels of certain fluorescent molecules in the urine of malignant melanoma patients to track the progression of their skin cancer.
Gene-edited squid: a breakthrough in brain health research
Researchers use CRISPR to create a gene-edited squid. This work could help advance research on neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington’s or Alzheimer’s.
App brings psychedelic-assisted therapy into your home
The Field Trip app aims to help people get some of the benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy outside the confines of a clinic.
Is it safe to fly right now? MIT expert weighs in.
Is it safe to fly right now? An MIT professor calculated the risk of air travel during the pandemic in two different flight scenarios.
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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