The Digital Frontier

A data center with rows of servers and neatly organized cables in red and blue on both sides of a central aisle.

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
The masterplan to end EV “range anxiety” forever
A look at the history of EV charging and the tech trends that could encourage more people to make the switch to an electric car.
Why happiness is not the best indicator of well-being
Achieving values and pursuing growth is the real secret to a fulfilled life.
T-Minus: 10 space startups to watch
Today’s aerospace industry includes hundreds of startups, all vying to be the next SpaceX. Here are 10 that could actually do it.
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How do stimulants actually work to reduce ADHD symptoms?
Stimulant drugs are thought to alter the activity of key neuotransmitters, dopamine and noradrenaline, in the brains of people with ADHD.
Aussie scientists hit milestone in concentrated solar power
A breakthrough at a concentrated solar power facility in Australia could help make solar a more reliable source of energy in the future.
The centipede’s dilemma: Why overthinking is killing productivity
The centipede’s dilemma refers to the phenomenon where becoming aware of one’s own ability or competence can lead to tripping up.
How physics models could improve NBA teams’ performance
Density functional theory, a model used to study quantum-entangled particles, has surprising relevance on the basketball court.
Analog computing is undergoing a resurgence
Combining smart sensors with an older technology — analog computing — could dramatically reduce their power consumption.
Bad trips: Study examines the long-term adverse effects of psychedelic drugs
New research suggests that some users face long-term difficulties following psychedelic use, including emotional and social challenges.
Arkansas man receives world’s first eye transplant
The world’s first whole eye transplant puts doctors a major step closer to restoring vision with donor eyes in the future.
T-Minus: NASA’s surprise asteroid, China’s reusable rocket, and more
Freethink’s weekly countdown of the biggest space news, featuring a surprising asteroid discovery, a new reusable rocket, and more.
Hard Reset Podcast: Sidewalks | Episode #9
Much of U.S. infrastructure is designed with cars in mind, not pedestrians. Here’s how we can fix that.
MIT design would harness 40 percent of the sun’s heat to produce clean hydrogen fuel
Engineers hope to produce totally green, carbon-free hydrogen fuel with a new, train-like system of reactors driven by the sun.
Spinal implant lets man with Parkinson’s walk again
An experimental spinal implant has given a French man with advanced Parkinson’s disease back his ability to walk.
OpenAI launches a GPT Store for customized AI chatbots (Updated)
ChatGPT users will soon be able to create, share, and potentially monetize customized versions of the chatbot through OpenAI’s GPT Store.
Explore JWST’s deepest views ever for yourself
If you want to observe the Universe more deeply than ever before, simply point your high-powered observatory at the same region of sky.
Memory champion explains how she memorizes 1,080 numbers in 30 minutes
Katie Kermode — a memory athlete with four world records — tells Big Think about her unique spin on an ancient technique to memorize unfathomably long lists of information.
“Iron Man” material made from DNA and glass is 4x stronger than steel
Using only DNA and glass, researchers made a material four times stronger and five times lighter than steel. It was inspired by Iron Man.
Mindfulness: New age craze or science-backed solution?
Research shows mindfulness can be an effective wellness practice, yet the effect sizes found in studies tend to be moderate.
Insomnia and mental disorders are linked, but exactly how is still a mystery
The relationship between insomnia and mental disorders is complex. It’s not just a case of “which comes first”?
New gene therapy reverses hearing loss in 4 children
A new gene therapy being trialed in China was able to reverse hearing loss in 4 of the 5 children to receive it.
From a five-layer graphene sandwich, a rare electronic state emerges
When stacked in layers in a rhombohedral pattern, graphene takes on a rare state that could advance powerful magnetic memory devices.
Mouse embryos grown in space for the first time
A mouse experiment on the International Space Station suggests humans might one day be able to reproduce in space.
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