Contributor

Kristin Houser

Staff Writer

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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.

Wearables

You no longer need a prescription to buy hearing aids in the US

The FDA is making over-the-counter hearing aids available to Americans, potentially making the devices cheaper and more accessible.

Kristin Houser

Mental Health

New kind of schizophrenia drug aces human trial

KarXT, a new schizophrenia treatment that addresses a wider range of symptoms than existing meds, has aced a phase 3 trial.

Kristin Houser

Surgery

Eye implant made from pig skin reverses blindness in 14 people

Using collagen from pig skin, Swedish researchers created an artificial cornea that reversed blindness in 14 people.

Kristin Houser

Climate Crisis

Cheap carbon capture tech could filter out CO2 in smokestacks

A new carbon capture technology made from the cheap material melamine could help keep emissions out of the atmosphere.

Kristin Houser

Medicine

Half of all vaccines are wasted. A gel could save them.

A new hydrogel that wraps around heat-sensitive molecules could help prevent vaccine waste by keeping them viable at higher temperatures.

Kristin Houser

Text-to-image AIs are changing art forever

Text-to-image AIs that draw whatever you describe in text are making it easy for anyone to create unique art online.

Kristin Houser

Agriculture

Weed’s “superpower” could help feed the planet

A Yale study focused on how photosynthesis works in the common weed purslane puts us closer to engineering crops resistant to climate change.

Kristin Houser

Startups

Startup that created Elon Musk’s foldable house opens a new factory

Elon Musk has confirmed he owns a foldable house made by Boxabl, a startup hoping its manufactured homes can help end the housing shortage.

Kristin Houser

Memory

Smartphones might actually be improving your memory

Rather than causing “digital dementia,” storing important information in a digital device can actually improve memory.

Kristin Houser

Robotics

NASA is sending a robot surgeon to the ISS (Updated)

A MIRA surgical robot is heading to the ISS in 2024 so developers can test its potential to help astronauts survive medical emergencies.

Kristin Houser