The Digital Frontier
Advancements in 20th century medicine reshaped society and made good health an expectation, not an exception. Now, 21st century breakthroughs may end disease, reverse aging, and restore sight and hearing — perhaps sooner than we think.
Featured
The West needs more water. This Nobel winner may have the answer.
Paul Migrom has an Emmy, a Nobel, and a successful company. There’s one more big problem on the to-do list.
Police spend 40% of their time on paperwork. Can AI help?
Axon’s AI innovations promise to free officers from desks, but not without questions of ethics. CEO Rick Smith addresses concerns and community trust:
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We need to know about progress if we’re concerned about the world’s large problems
Our World in Data explains their mission to publish the “research and data to make progress against the world’s largest problems.”
Tiny nanoscale drills can bore holes right through bacteria
Rice University researchers have developed tiny, bacteria-boring drills in an effort to stop superbugs.
The key to fighting fungal infections may have been inside us all along
MIT researchers have discovered that complex molecules in mucus can keep fungal infections in check.
Virginia launches world’s biggest 3D-printed housing project
Construction company Alquist 3D plans to build 200 3D-printed houses over the next 5 years through Project Virginia.
“Stealth bomb” for cancer unlocks powerful immune attack
A “masked” cancer drug stealthily trains immune system to kill tumors while sparing healthy tissues, reducing treatment side effects.
Gene therapy fixes rare heart disorder with clever workaround
Cleveland Clinic researchers have developed a gene therapy that cured arrhythmias in mice.
Tiny robotic crab, controlled by lasers, can run, twist, and jump
A new robotic crab has a sophisticated structure for its size, but it can still be manufactured using a relatively simple process.
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Just Might Work
Cow burps are dangerous. Let’s hack them.
Cows belch a greenhouse gas called methane, which is 30x more potent than carbon dioxide.
The biggest myths about electric vehicles
Electric vehicle sales are skyrocketing, but misinformation about the tech is still rampant. These are seven of the biggest myths about EVs.
Electric car supplies are running out
People who aspire to own a brand new electric vehicle will struggle to move forward. Will this also slow down the journey to net-zero?
Chinese robot clones pigs with no human help
A robot that automates a common technique for animal cloning has been used to produce a litter of pigs in China.
Stimulating deep sleep may improve brain health, memory, and mood
Researchers are trying to harness deep sleep to bolster the glymphatic system, which helps flush brain tissue.
Self-healing robot skin created out of human cells
University of Tokyo researchers have created a living skin, made from human cells and collagen, for a robotic finger.
The US Civil War drastically reshaped how Americans deal with death – will the pandemic?
How do American’s attitudes towards death change when they are confronted with such enormous losses?
New harvesting robots are gentle enough to pick this fruit
A pair of harvesting robots are picking raspberries in Portugal, demonstrating the ability of tech to help combat seasonal labor shortages.
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Heretics
The rogue geoengineer fertilizing the ocean with iron
This eco-pirate scientist says the solution to climate change is easy & cheap – so why are governments trying to stop him?
Small trial of cancer immunotherapy sends every patient into remission
Every participant in a small trial testing a rectal cancer immunotherapy has had their disease go into complete remission.
Geopsychology: Your personality depends on where you live
Scientists in the relatively new field of “geopsychology” are seeing links between personality and location.
Volvo to bring photorealistic graphics to electric cars through Unreal Engine
The world’s most popular graphics engine isn’t just for video games.
MIT grads demonstrate first ammonia-powered tractor
Amogy, a startup founded by four MIT grads, has transformed a John Deere into the world’s first zero-emission, ammonia-powered tractor.
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