Contributor

Kristin Houser

Staff Writer

Contact

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Kristin Houser is a staff writer at Freethink, where she covers science and tech. Her written work has appeared in Business Insider, NBC News, and the World Economic Forum’s Agenda, among other publications, and Stephen Colbert once talked about a piece on The Late Show, to her delight.

Prior to joining Freethink, Kristin was a staff writer for Futurism and wrote several animated and live action web series.

Coronavirus

FDA: One-shot COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective

FDA experts confirm that Johnson and Johnson’s one-shot COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, putting it a step closer to authorization.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

NASA’s Mars helicopter phoned home. Here’s what’s next.

NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity has survived the journey to the Red Planet. Here’s what’s next for the first-of-its-kind aircraft.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

World’s first COVID-19 human challenge study is a go

Researchers have gotten the green light to deliberately infect people with the coronavirus as part of the world’s first COVID-19 human challenge study.

Kristin Houser

Medicine

Diabetes drug shows promise as obesity treatment

The diabetes drug semaglutide shows promise as an obesity treatment, helping people lose an average of 34 pounds in a recent trial.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

Light-driven levitation could lift probes to the edge of space

A new light-driven levitation technique can lift objects large enough to carry sensors to the understudied mesosphere near the edge of space.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

The hunt for a universal coronavirus vaccine

A universal coronavirus vaccine that protects against multiple coronaviruses could stop the next potential pandemic from ever starting.

Kristin Houser

Astronomy

This planetoid is officially the farthest known object in our solar system

A planetoid nicknamed Farfarout is officially the most distant known object in our solar system — but its reign might not last for long.

Kristin Houser

Neurodiversity

New Google tool lets you experience synesthesia

Google’s new online tool lets you experience synesthesia like the abstract artist Vasily Kandinsky, who could hear colors and see sounds.

Kristin Houser

Genetics

Black-footed ferret is first cloned US endangered species

A black-footed ferret clone could inject a much-needed dose of genetic diversity into her species, which is on the brink of extinction.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

Study: Strong immunity without Pfizer vaccine’s second dose

The Pfizer vaccine's second dose might not be as necessary as thought — and ultra-cold storage of the COVID-19 vaccine might not be necessary at all.

Kristin Houser