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
How Boom is resurrecting supersonic flight
If Boom gets its way, the future of supersonic passenger travel will be quieter, cleaner, and more affordable than its past.
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.
More
Transplants of lab-grown brain cells reduce Parkinson’s symptoms
Transplants of lab-grown dopamine neurons reduced the amount of time people experienced Parkinson’s symptoms in a small trial.
Series|
Hard Reset
How can a water bottle cost negative 10 cents?
27 million likes on TikTok. A $0.00 product. How does the “FreeWater” company work?
Artificial kidney aces test in pigs
An artificial kidney prototype just aced a pig trial, bringing it closer to human trials — and a step closer to ending the need for dialysis.
Study discovers how one sleep stage reactivates memories
New research suggests that during NREM sleep, our brain is more likely to store positive memories.
This prefabricated construction company aims to make buying a home as simple as buying a car
Cover is a Los Angeles-based prefabricated home company that builds housing components in an off-site facility and then assembles them at the house site.
SpinLaunch will hurl payloads into orbit, cutting the cost of launch by 20x
Rockets are big because they require enormous amounts of fuel. SpinLaunch’s method does away with much of that by hurling payloads into space.
These factory-home builders are closing the housing gap
How we build homes is changing. So are construction jobs — and it could solve the labor shortage.
NASA is spending $850,000 to make a bag for space trash
TransAstra has secured a $850,000 NASA contract to build an inflatable bag for capturing space trash, which could then be recycled in orbit.
An ancient technique can improve your attention span
According to neuroscientist Amishi Jha, 12 minutes of mindfulness training a day strengthens your attentional systems.
Potential heart attack treatment discovered in human placentas
Placental cells known to home in on and repair damaged heart cells in mice have been discovered in humans, too.
To stave off Alzheimer’s, protect your brain’s mitochondria
Mitochondria are crucial for memory preservation and are emerging as key players in the fight against Alzheimer’s.
The US military just got its hands on a mini laser weapon
Laser weapons could shape the future of warfare — and the US military just got a “mini” version of the tech.
“Ghostly” neutrinos help us see our Milky Way as never before
A unique photograph of the Milky Way galaxy was captured using the IceCube detector, which observes high-energy neutrinos from space.
New battery charged by tears will power smart contact lenses
An ultra-thin, flexible battery could lead to safe, comfortable smart contact lenses partially powered by our tears.
2023 report on Great Barrier Reef: “The story is more complicated than the headlines.”
Yes, the Great Barrier Reef has rebounded beyond our expectations. But now the heat is back on and it’s time to act.
Meta’s first-of-its-kind AI can translate between any of 100 languages
Meta’s SeamlessM4T AI puts it a step closer to creating a universal translator that eliminates the language barrier for good.
Is this plant the protein food of the future?
Over the past 50 years or so, lupins have become more common as food for farm animals, and are also increasingly eaten by humans
Autonomous trucks may soon take over the most undesirable job in long-hauling
Embark is one of a handful of companies aiming to automate the long-haul trucking industry, which has logged severe labor shortages in recent years.
World-first experiment shows genetically engineered bacteria detecting cancer
Genetically engineered bacteria could be used to detect a range of different diseases, particularly infections and cancers.
I pilot a self-driving truck. Here’s why we need more.
96% of road accidents are caused by human error. Could self-driving semi trucks be a safer option?
Subscribe to the newsletter