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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Nanoparticle sensor can distinguish between viral and bacterial pneumonia
MIT researchers have designed a sensor that can distinguish between viral and bacterial pneumonia infections.
Yale study finds low levels of a hormone may predict long COVID
Yale and Icahn School of Medicine researchers may have found biomarkers for identifying long COVID.
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.
Cells become zombies when the ends of their chromosomes are damaged
Damage to the ends of the chromosomes can create “zombie cells” that are still alive but can’t function, researchers say.
Only human Lyme vaccine in development enters phase 3 trial
Pfizer and French biotech Valneva have announced a phase 3 clinical trial testing the human Lyme vaccine.
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.
Inside the crypto black markets of Argentina
Argentina’s black market for cash is embracing crypto — but it’s not what crypto proponents expected.
Debunking stereotypes about mobile homes could make them a new face of affordable housing
People see manufactured housing parks as problems. We recognize them as part of the solution to housing crises.
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.
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.
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Catalysts
Finding peace after gang violence with restorative justice
This ex-gang member sat down with his victim. What happened next changed his life.
Transhumanism: Savior of humanity or false prophecy?
While many of the technologies upon which transhumanists base their dream are real and world-changing, they have major limitations.
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.
5 ways to cope with increasingly intense heatwaves
Heatwaves in Japan and Italy reached record-breaking temperatures in June. How can humans cope with these dangerous conditions?
Russians reportedly building a satellite-blinding laser. How would it work?
If Russia is able to build the laser, it would be capable of shielding a large part of the country from the view of satellites.
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Heretics
You should be able to start a country
“I spent 10 years at Google… I think we should be able to start new countries as easily as we start companies today.”
Smartphones might actually be improving your memory
Rather than causing “digital dementia,” storing important information in a digital device can actually improve memory.
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.
What ever happened to the first cryogenically frozen humans?
For decades, people have arranged to freeze their bodies after death, dreaming of resurrection by advanced future medicine.
A new drug could repair stroke damage to memory and movement
A new drug can repair stroke damage in mice, improving memory and motor skills. If it works in humans, it could lead to a paradigm shift in stroke treatment.
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