Contributor

B. David Zarley

Senior Staff Writer

Contact

[email protected]

B. David Zarley is a senior staff writer for Freethink, where he covers health and medicine, including infectious disease, psychedelic research, mental health, and the brain. A graduate of SUNY Fredonia, his work has also appeared in The Atlantic, The Verge, Jezebel, Frieze, Sports Illustrated, VICE, Paste Magazine, and numerous other publications. He lives in Chicago and can be reached via Signal by request. Send him story ideas!

Outer Space

The dwarf planet Ceres may hide a subterranean sea

The largest body in the asteroid belt, the dwarf planet Ceres may hide a salty subterranean sea.

B. David Zarley

Drugs

One ayahuasca experience could have lasting effects on the brain

Researchers believe just one ayahuasca experience may be enough to have a lasting effect on the brain.

B. David Zarley

Hacking

DEF CON hackers compete to hijack a satellite in orbit

DEF CON’s Space Security Challenge 2020 tasked teams with hacking satellites. The grand prize? Nothing less than the moon.

B. David Zarley

Animals

These ultra-black deep-sea fish absorb over 99% of light

Researchers have discovered ultra-black deep-sea fish that can absorb over 99% of light. Their skin may hold secrets to creating new ultra-dark materials.

B. David Zarley

Medicine

Medieval medicine yields modern weapons

Deadly antibiotic-resistant superbugs require new weapons. Ancient and medieval medicine may point us to where to find them.

B. David Zarley

Coronavirus

Immune signals may predict severe cases of COVID-19

Severe cases of COVID-19 involve a runaway immune response called a cytokine storm. Immune system “signatures” may sharpen doctor’s forecasts.

B. David Zarley

Researchers discover living 100-million-year-old microbes

Researchers have found microbes in deep sea sediment millions of years old. Given food, they sprung back to life.

B. David Zarley

Coronavirus

COVID-19 tests that are fast, cheap, and less accurate may be key

Fast, cheap, DIY COVID-19 tests could dramatically increase the amount of testing done. And some experts think the trade off in accuracy would be worth it.

B. David Zarley

Clean Energy

New solar cells could be a breakthrough in clean energy

Better solar cells are an objectively good thing. Two new breakthroughs may help us harness more light, more cost effectively.

B. David Zarley

Aerospace

Meet NASA's autonomous vehicle — for Mars

When Perseverance lands on Mars, it will hopefully drive further faster than any rover before. NASA’s autonomous vehicle’s secret? A dedicated “pilot.”

B. David Zarley