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

Is it safe to fly right now? MIT expert weighs in.

Is it safe to fly right now? An MIT professor calculated the risk of air travel during the pandemic in two different flight scenarios.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

Scientists find a new way to detect space junk orbiting Earth

A new technique for tracking space junk with lasers works during daylight hours — making previously “invisible” space debris visible.

Kristin Houser

Languages

Nerve-stimulating earbud could accelerate language learning

A non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation device can make language learning easier — and it might help with other types of learning, too.

Kristin Houser

Accessibility

Blind YouTuber shows tech industry how to be more inclusive

Visually impaired YouTuber Kristy Viers has created a channel where she demonstrates the assistive technology features on her devices.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

Designer antibodies could help treat and prevent COVID-19

A pair of new trials will test the ability of designer antibodies to not only treat COVID-19, but also potentially prevent coronavirus infections.

Kristin Houser

Oceans

Divers remove wildlife-killing “ghost nets” from shipwreck

The Healthy Seas initiative removes wildlife-killing “ghost nets” from the ocean so that they can be recycled into useful Econyl yarn.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

A sunblock to save Martian explorers from radiation in space

Radiation in space is a major threat to astronauts’ health, but a new biomaterial could make space exploration a little less dangerous by blocking x-rays.

Kristin Houser

Agriculture

Afghan farmers use solar panels to grow food — and opium

Farmers in Afghanistan are taking advantage of cheap solar panels to power the water pumps they use to irrigate crops for food and opium production.

Kristin Houser

Computer Science

Is quantum hacking the biggest threat to encryption?

While some security experts prepare for quantum hacking, others argue that the EARN IT Act is the threat to encryption we need to address right now.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

See prototype of Mars-bound Starship take its first “hop”

The first Starship test flight was a success, with the massive SpaceX rocket lifting off from a base in Texas and landing less than a minute later.

Kristin Houser