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The Digital Frontier

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The Digital Frontier

Advancements in 20th century medicine reshaped society and made good health an expectation, not an exception. Now, 21st century breakthroughs may end disease, reverse aging, and restore sight and hearing — perhaps sooner than we think.
Featured
A close-up of a person's fingers holding a small, transparent electronic component with a green background.
Series| Hard Reset
This tiny pill spies on your stomach
Two people trek across a dry, open desert landscape marked by sparse vegetation under a partly cloudy sky, illustrating the challenges of water scarcity. In the distance, mountains stand as silent observers to this arid expanse.
AI
The West needs more water. This Nobel winner may have the answer.
Paul Migrom has an Emmy, a Nobel, and a successful company. There’s one more big problem on the to-do list.
A police cap is covered with binary code on a bright yellow background.
Police spend 40% of their time on paperwork. Can AI help?
Axon’s AI innovations promise to free officers from desks, but not without questions of ethics. CEO Rick Smith addresses concerns and community trust:
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A man in camouflage is standing in front of a table with a virtual globe displayed above its surface
Military
Space Force pays Microsoft $20 million for a space simulator
Microsoft is building an advanced space simulator for the US Space Force so that its members can train in VR.
An image of a woman driving a car with car cameras.
Privacy
Are modern cars keeping us safe, or invading our privacy? Or both?
Modern cars have cameras to track your speed, your lane position, and if you’re distracted, all in the name of safety. What about privacy?
a collage featuring a mouse brain and microscope images of cells
CRISPR
Revamped CRISPR restores vision in blind mice
A new delivery system for prime editing could be the key to using the tech to treat genetic disorders in people.
construction workers building an apartment complex using the Renco system
Construction
A real apartment complex was built like a LEGO set
Renco, a system combining LEGO-like blocks and color-coded building plans, could be the future of construction.
A black man pouring liquid into a keg in a brewery.
Food
Tastier nonalchoholic beer is here – will you drink it?
To some people, nonalcoholic beer sounds like an oxymoron, but newer techniques are producing tasty, high-quality options.
A close up of blue balls.
Medicine
Using AI, MIT researchers identify a new class of antibiotic candidates
Using a type of artificial intelligence, MIT researchers have discovered a class of compounds that can kill drug-resistant bacteria.
Two women in lab coats working with a beaker.
Agriculture
Zapping plants in “eSoil” makes them grow 50% larger
Using a new “eSoil” to electrically stimulate plants during hydroponic farming could potentially increase crop yields.
a train-like robot moving along an underground track
Transportation
Autonomous tech is taking over last-mile delivery
Autonomous robots, drones, and even underground tunnels could be the standard for last-mile delivery in the future.
A man sitting in a chair in front of a tv.
Cars
We test drove BMW’s life-sized remote-controlled car
BMW revealed a remote-controlled car concept at CES 2024. Currently positioned as a remote valet concept, the potential extends much further.
the back of a man's head with a colorful background featuring neurons and chemical symbols
Brain
Psychoactive drug ibogaine helps veterans with TBI
A small study found that one dose of ibogaine could reduce the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) for military vets.
An aerial view of a forest in brazil.
Ecosystems
Does it work to pay people not to cut the forest?
Evidence that paying people to save trees, preserve ecosystems and reduce carbon emissions is scarce. But it can succeed if it’s done right.
Astronomy
T-Minus: SpaceX’s direct-to-cell satellites, XRISM’s first images, and more
Freethink’s weekly countdown of the biggest space news, featuring SpaceX’s direct-to-cell satellite launch, XRISM’s first images, and more.
A person holding a robotic glove at a trade show.
VR
We tested the most advanced haptic gloves in the world
HaptX’s new technology uses tactile and force feedback to allow people to “feel” virtual objects with high fidelity.
an image of the new R1 device
AI
AI startup Rabbit’s R1 device sells out in 24 hours
Tech startup Rabbit has unveiled R1, an AI-powered consumer device designed to free you from app overload.
A black land rover driving down a city street.
Cars
Ever-larger cars and trucks are causing a safety crisis on US streets
Deadly traffic incidents have declined in most developed countries in recent years. But in the U.S. they’re becoming more common.
Plants in glass jars on a shelf in a lab.
Biology
Bioengineers design a new plant to purify air faster than nature
Neoplants has bioengineered a pothos plant that removes 30 times more pollutants from the air than a regular houseplant.
An image of a brain with blue and green lights.
Memory
How a mutation in microglia elevates Alzheimer’s risk
A study finds that microglia with mutant TREM2 protein reduce brain circuit connections, promote inflammation, and contribute to Alzheimer’s.
A woman holding a baby while holding an ipad.
AI
Cappella’s AI translates baby cries to help sleep-deprived parents
The startup Cappella has developed an app that translates baby cries and informs parents what is wrong alongside helpful suggestions.
A woman wearing Apple's mixed reality headset.
AR
Apple’s $3500 mixed reality headset hits stores February 2
Apple has announced a February 2, 2024, release date for its highly anticipated mixed reality headset, Vision Pro.
A close up of a piece of silver metal.
Engineering
Gallium: The liquid metal that could transform soft electronics
By harnessing the unusual properties of a liquid metal called gallium, scientists could create a new generation of flexible devices.
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