Contributor

Kristin Houser

Staff Writer

Contact

[email protected]

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.

Brain

New blood test for Alzheimer’s is as accurate as brain scans

A new blood test for Alzheimer’s is as accurate as the costly, invasive, and time-consuming methods currently used to detect the disease.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

Scientists test DIY coronavirus vaccine on themselves

Scientists have developed a DIY coronavirus vaccine they think could provide protection against COVID-19 — and they’re testing it on themselves.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

How to watch the Mars 2020 rover launch

NASA plans to launch its Mars 2020 rover on July 30. Here’s what you need to know about the agency’s latest Mars mission.

Kristin Houser

3D Printing

A new way to promote bone healing, inspired by LEGO blocks

Drawing inspiration from LEGO blocks, researchers have created a new type of scaffold to facilitate better bone healing and soft tissue repair.

Kristin Houser

Transportation

“Touchless touchscreen” could reduce distracted driving

New “predictive touch” tech could help prevent distracted driving by limiting the amount of time drivers spend interacting with vehicle displays.

Kristin Houser

Oceans

This underwater base could become the ISS of the ocean

Aquanaut Fabien Cousteau has announced plans to build Proteus, the world’s biggest underwater base for scientific research.

Kristin Houser

CRISPR

This genetically modified cow could transform beef production

Cosmo the bull calf has an extra SRY gene, which makes him more likely to sire male cows — and also makes him a strong candidate for use as a GMO food.

Kristin Houser

Education

Doctors need to learn what illnesses look like on darker skin

Medical student Malone Mukwende wrote a book to teach others how to spot clinical signs of illness on patients with darker skin tones.

Kristin Houser

Healthcare

New blood test for cancer could lead to earlier diagnoses

A new blood test for cancer that can detect the disease four years before symptoms appear could one day be used as a routine cancer screening tool.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

Scientists organize concert to study COVID-19 transmission

To better understand the potential for COVID-19 transmission at live events, scientists are organizing a free concert by pop singer Tim Bendzko.

Kristin Houser