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.

A collage featuring images of an x-ray of deep brain stimulation

Neuroscience

Zapping injured brains can improve cognition and memory

The lasting symptoms of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be treated with deep brain stimulation, according to a first-of-its kind trial.

Kristin Houser

an artist's concept of an exoplanet next to a rendering of a methane molecule

Astronomy

NASA’s Webb telescope finds methane in far-off “warm Jupiter”

Astronomers have spotted methane — a molecule linked to the presence of life — in the atmosphere of a “warm Jupiter” exoplanet.

Kristin Houser

A collage featuring Toshiba's prototype cobalt-free battery and a close-up of cobalt.

Batteries

Toshiba unveils new fast-charging, cobalt-free battery

Toshiba has developed a new kind of cobalt-free battery that could lead to cheaper, more sustainable EVs in the future.

Kristin Houser

A plane in a hangar with large pink robotic arms surrounding it

Robotics

World’s largest robots will help airlines cut carbon emissions

Norwegian startup Avinxt is building massive AI robots to help airlines reduce their emissions, save water, and inspect their planes.

Kristin Houser

Cancer

Lidocaine makes cancer cells self-destruct, study finds

Lidocaine, a common local anesthetic, activates proteins that cause certain types of cancer cells to self-destruct.

Kristin Houser

Medicine

Stem cell injections could be the key to curing MS

From promising stem cell therapies to EBV vaccines, researchers are closer than ever to finding a cure for MS.

Kristin Houser

An artist's rendering of a Natrium nuclear power plant

Clean Energy

How TerraPower is leading the nuclear renaissance

Bill Gates’ TerraPower startup is building a next-generation nuclear power plant that could revive the declining industry.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

T-Minus: Starship’s big flight, an alien-hunter’s gift, and more

Freethink's weekly countdown of the biggest space news, featuring Starship's second test flight, a new "dark mysteries" telescope, and more.

Kristin Houser

Brain

Cholesterol drug suggests new way to treat Alzheimer’s

A cholesterol drug that reduced brain damage in mice could reveal a new approach to treating Alzheimer’s disease in people.

Kristin Houser

Aging

First anti-aging drug for dogs nears approval

The FDA is a major step closer to approving biotech company Loyal's LOY-001, the first anti-aging drug for dogs.

Kristin Houser