NASA funds first wearable to measure muscle atrophy
The first wearable designed to monitor muscle atrophy could help NASA astronauts stay strong during long space missions.
The strongest evidence for a Universe before the Big Bang
For many decades, people conflated the hot Big Bang, describing the early Universe, with a singularity: that this "Big Bang" was the birth of space and time.
Meatball made from woolly mammoth unveiled in the Netherlands
An Australian cultured meat startup has “resurrected” the woolly mammoth in the hope that people will think about eating it.
Have scientists found a “brake pedal” for aging?
A new protein discovery may have highlighted a "switch" in brain cells that slows down inflammation and aging.
Harvard geneticists create an organism that is immune to all viruses
Researchers at the Harvard lab of George Church have genetically engineered E. coli resistant to viral infection.
Spread of deadly cancer delayed by organ transplant drug
A groundbreaking discovery on how pancreatic cancer spreads could lead to better therapies for the hard-to-treat disease.
Detailed images from space offer clearer picture of drought effects on plants
Researchers are using remote sensing observations to build high-resolution systems to monitor drought from space.
ChatGPT: why it will probably remain just a tool that does inefficient work more efficiently
ChatGPT could do inefficient tasks more efficiently — but that doesn't answer the question of whether the tasks are worth doing at all.
How low-cost surgical training programs could save lives in low-resource countries
In partnership with Intuitive
Lack of access to surgery leads to millions of deaths every year around the world. Meet the innovators who are working to reduce this toll.
Dog “nose print” app is 99% accurate at ID’ing lost pets
An AI-based app that identifies dogs and cats based on their unique nose prints could help reunite lost pets and their owners.
United Airlines plans to bring flying cars to Chicago
United Airlines plans to use flying cars to ferry passengers between O’Hare International Airport and a location near downtown Chicago.
Open-source map could empower pedestrians in car-filled cities
Most cities don’t map their own pedestrian networks. Now, researchers have built the first open-source tool to let planners do just that.
Some ChatGPT plugins are coming very soon
OpenAI has announced that ChatGPT plugins, including ones for shopping, travel planning, and workflow optimization, will be rolling out soon.
New CRISPR tool reversed blindness in mice — permanently
A new CRISPR tool corrected a mutation causing retinitis pigmentosa in mice without making any significant off-target edits.
The tech of the year is entering the workforce
Generative AIs are being integrated into the programs millions of people use at work, but will they really make our jobs easier?
Technology over the long run: See how dramatically the world can change within a lifetime
Bringing to mind how dramatically the world has changed can help us see how different the world could be in a few years or decades.
Wristband device helps to control Tourette’s tics in clinical trial
A new wrist-worn device from the University of Nottingham uses electrical pulses to help curb Tourette syndrome symptoms.
Bird flu is everywhere. Are the vaccines ready?
As avian influenza continues to devastate the bird population and jump into mammals, scientists are preparing to protect two important groups.
Quantum entanglement just got a whole lot weirder
Normally seen with identical particles, entanglement has just been demonstrated between particles with opposite charges.
How Einstein tried to model the shape of the Universe
Two years after proposing his general theory of relativity, Einstein endeavored to find the shape of the Universe.
AI that turns docs into presentations is available right now — no waitlist
Fast-growing startup Tome has just released a first-of-its-kind tool that uses generative AI to turn your documents into presentations.
Mice grow mini deer antlers after stem cell transplant
The discovery of a new type of stem cell in deer antlers could lead to breakthroughs in human regeneration.
World’s first 3D-printed rocket launches at Cape Canaveral
Relativity Space has just launched the world’s first 3D-printed rocket, Terran 1, but the flight didn’t go exactly as hoped.
NASA unveils new spacesuits for upcoming moon mission
NASA and Axiom Space have unveiled the new spacesuits that will be worn by the first woman and person of color on the moon.
“Treasure map” guides scientists to massive meteorite
A “treasure map” highlighting places where meteorites are most likely to be found has led to the discovery of a 17-pound space rock.
What that study linking sugar-free sweeteners and heart disease really tells us
A new study links higher blood levels of sugar-free sweeteners, commonly found in ketogenic diet foods, to a greater risk of death.
Here’s how to get the best prompts for ChatGPT and image-generating AI
Using these basics of prompt engineering, you can get the most out of generative AI.
Venus may have currently active volcanoes
Old images from NASA’s Magellan mission may have revealed that Venus, a close analogue to Earth, has volcanic activity.
Science fiction books that predicted the future with terrifying accuracy
Science fiction writers have anticipated a variety of modern inventions, from cars to organ transplants. Some books barely seem like fiction.
The case for viewing depression as a consciousness disorder
A new hypothesis explains depression as an altered state of consciousness, which could help researchers make an objective diagnostic test.
There is now a blood test for anxiety disorders
A new blood test for anxiety may be able to help doctors diagnose patients and find effective treatments for them more quickly.
Watch: London’s “rolling bridge”
London’s unique Cody Dock “rolling bridge” can be moved by hand winches.
Large language models are biased. Can logic help save them?
MIT researchers trained logic-aware language models to reduce harmful stereotypes like gender and racial biases.
NASA cuts odds of asteroid impact on Valentine’s Day 2046
NASA and ESA have updated their odds of 2023 DW, an asteroid the size of an Olympic swimming pool, hitting Earth in 2046.
New voice cloning AI lets “you” speak multiple languages
Voice cloning AIs are gaining more abilities, while the amount of audio needed to replicate a person’s voice is shrinking.
As bird flu spreads in the US and worldwide, what’s the risk that it could start a human pandemic?
Many virologists are concerned that the latest bird flu outbreak could spill over to humans and cause a new human pandemic.
GPT-4 is surprisingly good at explaining jokes
OpenAI's latest language model can grasp visual jokes, too.
This easy fix could eliminate harmful chemical exhaust from home heaters
Retrofitting gas heaters with this catalyst could slash their environmental impact.
New AI can “reimagine” your pictures in infinite ways
Stability AI has launched Stable Diffusion Reimagine, an AI that uses uploaded images as inspiration for new creations.
How Stripe is using GPT-4 to fight fraud
Stripe has incorporated OpenAI’s large language model GPT-4 into their business.
A search engine researcher explains the promise and peril of letting AI search the web for you
AI responds to questions but doesn’t actually know anything and is prone to making things up. Should you trust is with your internet search?
How “InstructGPT” lobotomizes the insanity of raw GPT
OpenAI has created a version of GPT, called "InstructGPT," that cuts down on the AI’s bizarre and irrational responses.
First ever therapy for rare genetic disorder now approved
The FDA has approved the first drug for Rett syndrome, a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder, which disproportionately affects women and girls.
Microsoft unveils AI Copilot for its 365 apps
Microsoft has just unveiled Copilot, a new AI-based tool for its Microsoft 365 apps, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
AI isn’t close to becoming sentient, we just think it is
To what extent will our psychological vulnerabilities shape our interactions with emerging technologies? AI will be the test.
General Motors is putting ChatGPT into its vehicles
General Motors is developing a new voice assistant that will give drivers access to the hugely popular ChatGPT while they're on the road.
Making electricity from wastewater
Researchers have developed a “sandwich-like” membrane that removes pollutants while generating power.
You can run this text-generating AI on your own devices, no giant servers needed
By fine-tuning a large language model, Stanford researchers have created a text-generating AI you can run for a fraction of the price.
Pfizer’s nasal spray for migraines is heading to pharmacies
The FDA has approved Pfizer’s zavegepant, a nasal spray for migraines that can ease pain in as few as 15 minutes.
7 creative ways people are already using GPT-4
Users are already demonstrating the wide array of uses the new AI tool may have.
Google rolls out AI writing assistant to Gmail and Docs
Google is incorporating generative AI into its Workspace products, starting with an AI writing assistant for Gmail and Docs.
Psychedelics open a new window on the mechanisms of perception
Some neuroscientists think psychedelics and the hallucinations they induce could help reveal how we generate our perceptions of the world.
OpenAI just launched GPT-4 — and you may already be using it
Just four months after releasing ChatGPT, OpenAI has already upgraded its hugely popular chatbot with a new AI model.
First healthy mice with two dads — and no moms — born in Japan
For the first time, scientists have created healthy, fertile mouse pups using only the DNA of two adult males.
Here’s how your sleep affects your immune system
Researchers found that patients who slept less than six hours a night were 27% more likely to have an infection.
New material traps CO2 — and turns it into baking soda
A new material for direct air capture systems turns trapped carbon into baking soda when introduced to seawater.
The ocean “twilight zone” could store vast amounts of carbon captured from the atmosphere
There may be ways to enhance natural processes so the ocean pulls more carbon out of the atmosphere to help slow climate change.
Canadian students discover EpiPens will turn toxic in space
Canadian students launched EpiPen solution into suborbital space, and what came back was no longer life-saving medicine.
A single injection of stem cells slashes risk of heart attack or stroke by 58%
An injection of stem cells reduced the risk of heart attack or stroke by 58% in a trial of people with heart failure.
Does online opioid treatment work?
A sudden shift to virtual health care has increased access — and possibly outcomes — for patients with opioid use disorder.
New warning system will make airports safer
The FAA has installed a new warning system to prevent planes from landing on taxiways at 43 major airports.
“Zombie virus” revived after 48,500 years in permafrost
A newly discovered “zombie virus” was still able to infect hosts more than 48,500 years after it was trapped in Siberian permafrost.
Volunteers were purposefully infected with COVID-19. Was it worth it?
It has been a year since the first COVID human challenge data was published. What did we learn, and can HCTs prepare us for the future?
“Digital detoxes” don’t work. Try these 4 skills instead
Digital distractions have become a ubiquitous part of work and life. But these distractions begin with emotional discomfort.
Watch: Scientists breed flame-resistant cotton, without added chemicals
USDA researchers have developed self-extinguishing cotton lines, potentially cutting down on the need for flame retardants in the future.
New drug could extend lives of people with deadly bone cancer
A new drug might extend the lives of people with bone cancer without subjecting them to painful or unpleasant treatments.
Scientists inject stem cells into the brain of Parkinson’s patient
A new stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease has just been administered to the brain of a person for the first time.
Self-sufficient “microgrids” could save you from power grid emergencies
Centralized power systems rely on large power plants and transmission grids, but microgrids are self-sufficient.
New kind of pill cut “bad” cholesterol up to 60% in clinical trial
In a phase 2 trial, a daily oral medication reduced LDL cholesterol levels by up to 60%.
LA’s on-demand vans charge just $1 per ride
Los Angeles has launched Metro Micro, an on-demand public transportation service that charges just $1 per ride.
Exercise is even more effective than counselling or medication for depression
A recent study showed exercise is an effective way to treat mental health issues – and can be more effective than medication or counselling.
Scientists treated heart attacks in mice — before they happened
By toggling an important heart gene, scientists have treated mice for a heart attack preemptively.
Tesla switches to motors without rare earth elements
Tesla’s future powertrains won’t contain rare earth elements, which are mined primarily in China using environmentally destructive methods.
Space travel will radically change human psychology and spirituality
We are living in a period of living and traveling in space. If we continue on this trajectory, we will develop new spiritual views.
New transplant technique cures type 1 diabetes in monkeys
Massachusetts General researchers have developed a new form of transplantation that cured type 1 diabetes in monkeys.
Starlink: SpaceX’s new internet service could be a gamechanger in Africa
SpaceX’s Starlink service is slowly arriving in Africa, starting with Nigeria and Rwanda. It could be a game-changer.
New anti-dust tech could solve this major problem for NASA
A new anti-dust technology could extend the lives of space rovers, improve the efficiency of solar panels, and more.
Tirzepatide: A novel obesity drug ushers in a new era of weight loss — because this one works (Updated)
Patients who received tirzepatide in a recent clinical study lost more than 20% of their body weight (52 pounds, or 23.6 kg).
Pest-resistant tomatoes finally available after 30-year wait
New lines of naturally pest-resistant tomatoes could help end farmers’ reliance on pesticides to protect their crops.
New 3D bioprinter could repair organs inside the human body
A snake-like soft robot designed to 3D bioprint tissues inside patients’ bodies might one day replace invasive implantation surgeries.
Batteries not included: How your own body could power wearables
Batteries are the weak link for wearable and implantable devices. But what if you could harvest energy from the heat, sweat or vibrations of the wearer?
AI is now DJing radio stations
GPT-3, the OpenAI tech behind the hugely popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, is now being used to automate radio DJing.
This incredibly life-like robot hand can be made for just $2,800
Low-cost robots that perfectly mimic parts of the human body foreshadow a future in which humanoid robots do all the work people don't want.
Could 3D printing help solve the US housing crisis?
3D printing could help solve the nation’s housing crisis, as it's cheaper, faster, and more sustainable than conventional construction methods.
Cyborg fish grow electrodes in their brains and fins
A gel that turns into an electrode once inside the body might end the need for invasive implantation surgeries.
How to pull carbon dioxide out of seawater
Researchers have found an effective new method for removing carbon dioxide from salt water in the ocean.
Lasers can help prevent surgical site infections in hospitals
Canadian company Ondine is using laser frequencies to help prevent surgical site infections.
Breakthrough study discovers that psychedelics breach our neurons
Researchers have discovered that psychedelics can activate 5-HT2A receptors inside of cortical neurons, a possible cause of their therapeutic effects.
Oral bacteria trigger rheumatoid arthritis flare-ups
Periodontal (gum) disease is more common in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, implicating the former in causing the latter.
World’s largest 3D-printed affordable housing project launches in Kenya
Construction of the world’s largest 3D-printed affordable housing development is underway, with the first 10 houses going up in just 10 weeks.
First at-home test can tell you if it’s COVID or flu
The FDA has granted authorization to an at-home test that can tell COVID from flu, the first of its kind.
ESA thinks we can grow hydroponic gardens on the moon
ESA is researching how to pull valuable nutrients from lunar regolith so that future astronauts can use them in hydroponic gardens.
How Singapore’s “Garden City” vision fused nature and urban design like nowhere else
Singapore's green thumb developed from its recent history. Its small size meant that staying independent required protecting its resources.
What is generative AI? An AI explains
Generative AI uses a type of learning called generative adversarial networks and has many uses, including creating images, text, and audio.
Watch: Robotic window cleaners take to the sky
In a bid to shake up the industry, two Israeli companies will soon deploy robot window cleaners to cities around the world.
Goodyear announces 90% sustainable tire
Made from a variety of recycled and repurposed materials, the tire may be perfectly suited for electric vehicles.
“Nothing” doesn’t exist. Instead, there is “quantum foam”
Even if you took an empty container devoid of all matter and cooled it to absolute zero, there is still "something" in the container.
Coastal cities created 40 Manhattans’ worth of new land since 2000
The first global assessment of land reclamation found that people have added 900 square miles of land to Earth’s coasts this century.
Psychedelics are helping dying patients overcome their existential distress
End of life patients face existential and spiritual challenges other patients do not. Psychedelics may be uniquely suited to helping them.