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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New exoplanet discovered orbiting Proxima Centauri
A third exoplanet has been discovered orbiting Proxima Centauri, and it’s one of the lightest astronomers have ever detected.
“Fly ash” contains rare earth elements needed for electronics
A new method for extracting rare earth elements from fly ash could help end the U.S.’s reliance on China for the valuable metals.
Scientists propose sending tiny lifeforms to neighboring solar systems
Scientists have created a plan for interstellar travel. They plan to send tiny lifeforms to the nearest solar system.
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Challengers
The man building robotic legs for kids with cerebral palsy
The medical industry wasn’t moving fast enough. So he built a robot to help his nephew with cerebral palsy walk.
DNA used to make the world’s tiniest “radio”
Scientists have created the world’s smallest antenna, measuring only five nanometers in length. It is designed to decipher real-time changes in proteins and records and transmits data via light signals.
Mutation protecting against Alzheimer’s edited into human cells
Scientists have used CRISPR to edit the “Icelandic mutation,” which protects carriers against Alzheimer’s, into human cells.
Robot kid successfully conveys six emotions on its face
An android child capable of expressing six emotions puts us one step closer to a future in which we share our homes with companion robots.
First gene therapy for Tay-Sachs disease successfully given to two children
After 14 years in development, gene therapy has helped two children surpassed their life expectations and live seizure-free.
Solving the last mile problem with robotic delivery vehicles
Most of the cost of delivering goods is tied to moving “the last mile” from a hub to the final destination. A new robotic delivery bot being piloted in three cities may help solve the problem.
New antibody treatment against Omicron gets emergency approval
A new monoclonal antibody treatment effective against Omicron has received emergency authorization weeks after two others were banned.
Why calorie restriction may be the key to a healthier life
A new study suggests that people appear to benefit from a moderate calorie restriction the same way we know many animals do.
First woman cured of HIV through stem cell transplant
A woman has been cured of HIV through a transplant of umbilical cord blood, which is easier to match to patients than bone marrow.
Inhaled vaccine for coronavirus moves to human trials
An inhaled vaccine now moving into human trials could protect people from more than just the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
The case for techno-optimism: Is the world about to enter an era of mass flourishing?
Historically, periods of mass flourishing are underpinned by technological revolutions. Currently, we are undergoing a technological revolution unlike anything the world has ever seen.
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Hack the Dream
How a 21 y/o finance TikToker is hacking the American dream
The 9-5 didn’t work for her diagnosis. Now she’s helping her 1.2 million followers hack the American dream
Robot fish are powered by lab-grown human heart cells
A robot fish that uses human heart cells to swim has put scientists one step closer to growing full-size hearts in the lab.
Autonomous Black Hawk helicopter flies without a crew
The U.S. Army has given a Black Hawk helicopter the ability to complete an autonomous flight without any humans on board.
New synthetic tooth enamel is stronger than the natural kind
A synthetic tooth enamel that outperformed the natural kind in strength and durability tests could have applications beyond dentists’ offices.
Fusion reactor breaks 24-year-old nuclear record
A new record set by the world’s largest nuclear fusion reactor is giving researchers confidence we’re on the path to usable fusion energy.
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