Contributor

Kristin Houser

Staff Writer

Contact

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Kristin Houser is a staff writer at Freethink, where she covers science and tech. Her written work has appeared in Business Insider, NBC News, and the World Economic Forum’s Agenda, among other publications, and Stephen Colbert once talked about a piece on The Late Show, to her delight.

Prior to joining Freethink, Kristin was a staff writer for Futurism and wrote several animated and live action web series.

a collage of mouse pancreatic cells and electricity

Genetics

New study shows how electricity can turn on genes

A prototype wearable demonstrates a novel way to trigger gene expression: by zapping cells with electricity.

Kristin Houser

an Aska A5 flying car parked on a tarmac

Transportation

A $790,000 flying car is now cleared for takeoff

Air mobility startup Aska has begun flight testing the Aska A5, an SUV-sized flying car that costs an eye-watering $789,000.

Kristin Houser

a collage of images related to Alzheimer's, including the face of an elderly person and brain neurons

CRISPR

Two CRISPR treatments for Alzheimer’s ace early studies

Two teams of researchers have used CRISPR to alter the genes of mice to alleviate signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

Kristin Houser

An enhanced geothermal system viewed from above

Clean Energy

Google-backed startup sets two world records in geothermal power

Google-backed startup Fervo Energy has successfully tested a record-breaking enhanced geothermal system in Nevada.

Kristin Houser

A doctor is examining a boy's eye for signs of butterfly skin disease, considering potential treatment options such as topical gene therapy.

Medicine

First-of-their-kind eye drops reverse blindness in teen

A topical gene therapy designed to heal the wounds of people with “butterfly skin disease” has now been used to reverse blindness.

Kristin Houser

A close up of a blue crab with its mouth open, showcasing its natural energy storage systems.

Batteries

Crab shells boost the lifespan of zinc-ion batteries

A zinc-ion battery containing crab shells could serve as the foundation for future renewable energy storage systems.

Kristin Houser

Mental Health

New clinical trial is testing a ketamine skin cream for PTSD

A topical ketamine treatment designed to alleviate the symptoms of PTSD without causing hallucinations has entered clinical trials.

Kristin Houser

Medicine

New RSV shot protects babies against dangerous lung infections

The FDA has approved nirsevimab, an RSV shot that protects babies against the leading cause of infant hospitalizations in the US.

Kristin Houser

Apple has reportedly built its own ChatGPT

Apple is reportedly exploring the potential of generative AI, but hasn't decided how to incorporate the tech into its products yet.

Kristin Houser

A person is injecting a yellow radiopharmaceutical liquid into a container.

Cancer

Radioactive drugs are transforming cancer treatment

Radiopharmaceuticals allow doctors to directly target patients' cancer cells and avoid healthy tissue typically damaged by radiation therapy.

Kristin Houser