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

Study: Risk of death from COVID-19 is 45% lower on arthritis drug

The arthritis drug tocilizumab may lower ventilated patients' risk of death from COVID-19 by 45%, according to a retrospective study.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

Survivors’ plasma might prevent coronavirus infections

Injections of COVID-19 survivors' blood plasma might prevent coronavirus infections, making them a promising stopgap until a vaccine is ready.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

Engineers create reusable N95 mask out of rubber

With face masks still in demand, engineers unveil a new reusable N95 mask made of durable, easy-to-sterilize silicone rubber.

Kristin Houser

Addiction

FDA: Smokeless cigarettes produce less harmful chemicals

FDA clears Philip Morris to market its smokeless cigarettes as modified risk tobacco products, which could benefit smokers battling a nicotine addiction.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

Natural herd immunity to COVID-19 might be impossible

Coronavirus antibodies can disappear, according to a new study, potentially killing hopes that natural herd immunity will end the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

What we know about how the coronavirus affects the brain

Studies are finding that the coronavirus affects the brain as well as the lungs in some patients, causing delirium, strokes, and even fatal swelling.

Kristin Houser

Genetics

Gene writing: A new type of genetic engineering

Startup Tessera Therapeutics has developed gene writing, a new approach to genetic engineering that it says overcomes CRISPR’s shortcomings.

Kristin Houser

Fixing Justice

Volunteers build first nationwide database of police records

Thousands of volunteers are data scraping public websites to compile police records into a single national database for researchers to mine.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

New air filter for COVID-19 could lower risk of being indoors

A new air filter for COVID-19 heats up to nearly 400 degrees Fahrenheit to kill the coronavirus in aerosols.

Kristin Houser

Mental Health

New algorithm gives trauma survivors a "PTSD risk score"

A newly developed algorithm calculates a "PTSD Risk Score" for people seeking treatment for traumatic injuries.

Kristin Houser