The Digital Frontier

A data center with rows of servers and neatly organized cables in red and blue on both sides of a central aisle.

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.
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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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One way to speed up clinical trials: Skip right to the data with electronic medical records
It takes around 17 years for medical research to translate into clinical practice — why not use EMR data to speed things up?
You can now explore the highest-res map of Mars ever made
Caltech researchers have created an interactive map of Mars that lets anyone explore the surface of the Red Planet in unprecedented detail.
New drug delivery tech could ensure you never forget your meds
Rice University’s new drug delivery tech uses biodegradable microparticles to administer medications exactly when and where they are needed.
Going to space to find the cure for cancer  
Space cancer is a leading threat to astronauts. Now, a way to prevent it could help everyone on Earth.
Tuberculosis kills over a million people a year. New breakthroughs may help humanity fight back.
The world needs a tuberculosis vaccine, but the challenge trials that could help are impossible to run. Two new approaches look to change that.
We used to have steam-powered cars. What happened to them — and will they come back?
Steam cars went extinct because gas-powered cars became far more convenient. Will technology ever bring back the steam car?
Nasal COVID-19 vaccine outperforms mRNA shots in new study
A live attenuated vaccine for COVID-19 that delivered via a nasal spray outperformed several shots in a preclinical study.
Space could be a trillion dollar industry by 2040
Now that falling launch costs are making space more accessible, hundreds of groups are looking for ways to make money off-world.
3D printing promises to transform architecture forever
Large-scale additive manufacturing, like 3D printing, involves building objects one layer at a time, transforming architecture as we know it.
Epilepsy surgery has a success rate of only 50%. This digital brain may change that.
Using patient data and AI, French researchers have created a digital model of the brain to figure out which brain region needs removed.
Chinese space startup makes history with first rocket launch
Chinese rocket startup Space Pioneer successfully reached orbit on its first try, something no private company has done before.
Excel may make chatbots much more useful
Math and logic are a weakness for chatbot AIs like GPT-4. Access to Excel may help change that.
People destroyed printing presses out of fear. What will we do to AI?
Just like today with AI, people worried about the printing press’ effect on job security and the spread of disinformation.
NASA’s Mars helicopter breaks two records in a single day
On its 49th flight, NASA’s Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, soared higher and faster than ever before, setting two records in one day.
Viruses cause 200+ diseases. This one drug may be able to treat them all.
New Zealand-based startup Kimer Med wants to create an antiviral that would be effective against many known viruses — and unknown.
Why Earth is the only planet with plate tectonics
Here in our Solar System, of all the known planets, only Earth — not Mercury, not Venus, and not Mars — possesses plate tectonics.
The secrets of cooperation
Most people care what others think of them. In many situations, that can be leveraged for the common good — cooperation.
New mRNA therapy could bring an end to peanut allergies
A new peanut allergy treatment based on mRNA could potentially lead to therapies that prevent all types of allergies in people.
NASA’s mission to build the ultimate leak-proof lab
NASA is building a first-of-its-kind biocontainment lab to study samples from Mars — and possibly prevent a Martian plague.
Graphene sensor could let you control robots with your mind
The “wonder material” graphene has been used to develop a dry sensor that could enable anyone to control technology with their minds.
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