Biotech
Human history has been all but defined by death and disease, plague and pandemic. Advancements in 20th century medicine changed all of that. Now advancements in 21st century medicine promise to go even further. Could we bring about an end to disease? Reverse aging? Give hearing to the deaf and sight to the blind? The answer may be yes. And soon.
Featured
This conservationist is trying to bring extinct species back to life
Ryan Phelan, co-founder of Revive & Restore, talks about the future of conservation at Freethink’s Great Progression event.
How consensus can undermine science
The main objective of consensus statements appears to be to reduce doubt, which may stifle scientific inquiry.
Three founders look to the future at Freethink’s inaugural Great Progression event
The tech community came together for the launch of the Great Progression event series, curated by Peter Leyden and produced by Freethink.
Psychedelics & Mental Health
Pac-Man turned 45 today. The surgeon general once warned that playing it could make kids violent.
Officials’ warnings about the impact of video games on kids were never proven true. They may be making the same mistake with social media.
Flexible brain implant takes major leap forward
The FDA’s clearance of Precision Neuroscience’s flexible electrode array pushes the startup ahead in the race to BCI commercialization.
The next era of psychedelics may be precision-designed states of consciousness
A look inside Mindstate Design Labs’ effort to design drugs that reliably produce specific states of consciousness.
Biohacking
We’re able to create new creatures through gene editing. What’s stopping us?
The question isn’t whether we can sculpt new life. The question is what comes next.
Boosted Breeding and beyond: 3 tech trends that could end world hunger
A world without hunger is possible, and the development and deployment of new farming technologies could be one key to manifesting it.
New AI generates CRISPR proteins unlike any seen in nature
An AI that generates CRISPR proteins is opening the door to gene editors with capabilities beyond what we’ve found in nature.
Ray Kurzweil explains how AI makes radical life extension possible
Life expectancy gains in developed countries have slowed in recent decades, but AI may be poised to transform medicine as we know it.
Vaccines
Personalized cancer vaccines are having a moment
Personalized cancer vaccines were a recurring theme at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in 2024.
The threat of avian flu — and what we can do to stop it
Avian flu is infecting cows on US dairy farms, and now a person has caught it — but new research could help us avoid a bird flu pandemic.
One shot recreates younger immune systems, in mice
An antibody treatment designed to revitalize an aging immune system delivers “surprising” results in elderly mice.
More
Should we use genome editing to make better babies?
Over the years, many different people, from preachers to philosophers, have voiced their concerns over the safety and ethics of gene editing.
A common arthritis drug treats alopecia (Updated)
A common arthritis drug may be an effective alopecia treatment, based on a trial in which it helped people regrow their hair in just 36 weeks.
Rare double lung transplant saves cancer patient’s life
A Chicago lung cancer patient’s successful double lung transplant is a ray of hope for others with the deadly disease.
New UV light safely kills 98% of airborne pathogens indoors
Far-UVC light — a type of ultraviolet light that isn’t harmful to human health — killed 98% of airborne microbes indoors in a new study.
Death: how long are we conscious for and does life really flash before our eyes?
Seeing one’s life flashing before one’s eye might be our ultimate attempt – however desperate – to find meaning in our lives.
In a hole in Earth’s magnetic field, neuroscientists are peering into the human brain
By using quantum physics to measure magnetic fields, researchers are pushing closer to measuring the brain in ways we couldn’t before.
Purple tomatoes could soon hit store shelves
Purple tomatoes modified to be packed with antioxidants found in blueberries could soon be approved for sale by the FDA.
Medical drones to transport blood being rushed to Ukraine
Medical drones are being rushed to Ukraine to help residents get the medical supplies they need in the midst of the war with Russia.
Wounds of kids with “butterfly disease” healed by DNA gel
A topical gene therapy helped heal the wounds of people with “butterfly disease,” a painful disorder that makes the skin incredibly fragile.
Reversing hearing loss with regenerative therapy
MIT spinout Frequency Therapeutics’ drug candidate stimulates the growth of hair cells in the inner ear.
Cancer is addicted to iron. It could be a fatal weakness.
By homing in on the high levels of iron in certain cancer cells, researchers have created a more targeted anticancer drug.
AI maps psychedelic “trip” experiences to regions of the brain – opening new route to psychiatric treatments
To better understand how these effects manifest in the brain, we analyzed over 6,000 written testimonials of hallucinogenic experiences.
How tattoo machines could revolutionize vaccination
A tattoo machine may be a better delivery method for DNA vaccines than the standard syringe and hypodermic needle.
Male birth control pill to enter human trials in 2022
Clinical trials of a male birth control pill that was 99% effective at preventing pregnancy in mice are expected to launch in 2022.
A physician didn’t shower for 5 years. Here’s what he found out.
Hygiene rituals are as old as recorded civilization, but capitalism has spurred us to use increasingly elaborate and expensive regimens.
Your pet dog could help people live longer, healthier lives
The Dog Aging Project is studying tens of thousands of dogs in the hope of helping pets and people live longer, healthier lives.
Internet-connected “smart” traps help cities combat rats
Internet-connected rat traps are bringing rodent control into the 21st century, helping cities leverage data in the battle against rats.
Vaccine used to treat COVID-19 for first time
A man whose persistent coronavirus infection kept him isolated for 7 months finally tested negative after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
This “family tree of all of humanity” shows how all of us are linked
Researchers have mapped the genetic ties between every person who ever lived, in the “first draft” of our shared family history.
Brain implant lets man with locked-in syndrome share thoughts
A man with total locked-in syndrome has used a brain-computer interface to spell out sentences with his mind.
Special Collection
Collection
The Science of Death
Explore the journey from life to death and beyond. Near-death experiences, death doulas, digital immortality, and more – join us for a thoughtful exploration of one life’s most intriguing and inevitable phenomena with stories from the frontlines of death.
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