Biotechnology
New 'liquid trees' divide the internet
Large tanks of algae have been set up to harvest carbon dioxide from city air, converting it to oxygen faster than trees can.
Taxidermy birds can be used as drones for spying on wildlife—and people
The dead bodies of birds are being used to disguise drones with flapping wings, allowing them to blend into the environment better.
Worm spit can digest the world's most-polluting plastic
Enzymes isolated from wax-worm saliva have been shown to break down the most-commonly used form of plastic, polyethylene.
CIA Funding Wooly Mammoth De-Extinction Company
Paris Hilton has also invested in the company looking to use CRISPR gene editing technology to attempt to bring back the wooly mammoth from extinction.
Chinese Firm Claims It Has Cloned an Arctic Wolf, Made It Live With a Dog
Proponents of the technology say it could be used to save extinct species—others say it's premature and brings up ethical issues.
Biden Backs Lab-Grown Meat
To help the country's future food security, Biden has said the U.S. government will invest in "cultivating alternative food sources" and other biotechnologies.
Genetics Company Wants To Bring Iconic Tasmanian Tiger Back From Extinction
Colossal Biosciences—the company attempting to revive the woolly mammoth—has announced that it is now working on the "de-extinction" of the thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger.
U.S. Buys Millions of Monkeypox Vaccines As Massachusetts Man Infected
It comes as health authorities track several other cases of monkeypox in the U.K., some of which may have been locally transmitted.
Elizabeth Holmes' Alleged Former Assistant Details Working for Theranos CEO
"I was already spending 18 hours of my day at Theranos," said Leona Marlene in one of a series of videos shared on TikTok.
U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Chinese Biotech Companies Over Abuse of Uyghurs
The government announced U.S. companies are not allowed to sell to China's Academy of Military Medical Sciences and its research institutes without a license.
Mesmerizing Video Shows How Tiny 'Living Robot' Xenobot Cells Reproduce
This is the first time the process has been seen in a living organism, and it could one day be used in medicine or for pulling microplastics out of the ocean.
Henrietta Lacks' Estate Accuses Company of Selling Her Cells for Profit
"Thermo Fisher Scientific has known that HeLa cells were stolen from Ms. Lacks and chose to use her body for profit anyway," the lawsuit says.
Biotechnology Can Fight Climate Change—But Trade Negotiators Need to Act
Advances in biotechnology, especially within the agricultural sector, can help us overcome the immense, interconnected challenges of climate change and global hunger.
Government and Industry May Miss Health Care's Machine Learning Moment
Both government and industry are missing an opportunity to use new machine learning technology to deliver better health care at a lower cost.
Scientists Create 'Living Materials' That Can Self-Repair When Damaged
Such materials could one day be used in medicine to encourage skin repair, according to one researcher.
Biosensors and Beyond: State of the Health Tech Wearable Market
With a broad market and wide range of players, this is only a glimpse into the wearables market as a whole.
Nearly 150,000 Gene-Hacked Mosquitoes to Be Unleashed in Florida
The mosquitoes are being released as part of an experiment to help combat a disease-transmitting local species, according to Oxitec, the company behind the project.
COVID-19 Could Wreck a Last Frontier in Our Privacy: Our Biological Selves
The urgency of tracking coronavirus carriers calls for relaxing rules on data privacy. But unless these changes are ringfenced for this emergency, every aspect of our physical lives could soon be traded by Big Tech.
Are Manmade Viruses the Next Big Terrorist Threat?
In the wrong hands, this technology could create a weapon with the potential to inflict catastrophic damage on an unprecedented scale.
First Early Alzheimer's Treatment Could Be Put Up for FDA Consideration
Clinical trials for the drug were discontinued earlier this year, sending shockwaves through the industry.
Soft Contact Lens Which Can Zoom in When You Blink Twice Developed
The researchers utilized special electric signals generated by eye movements to control and change the focal length of the soft lens.
The Ethics of Experimenting with Human Brain Tissue
Human brain surrogates are enabling researchers to understand more about various neurological disorders.
Yellowstone's Hot Springs Host a Bizarre Virus
The researchers found the virus lurking in a bucket of water.
Flexible, Stretchy Battery Could Be Powered by Sweat
This futuristic fabric bio-battery is now in the works.
EPA Approves Killer Mosquitoes to Stop Harmful Diseases
Pitting mosquitoes against mosquitoes just might work.
Scientists Generate Electricity From Tears, Egg Whites
Scientists harness the power of lysozyme, a protein found in tears and egg whites, to make energy.
The Merger of Humans and Machines Has Already Begun
Transhumanism is the idea that we can transcend our biological limits, by merging with machines.
Spray-On Skin: 'Miracle' Stem Cell Spray Heals Burns
A medical startup has developed an experimental "SkinGun"—the world's first device to use a patient's stem cells to directly heal the skin.
How Insects Are Advancing Hearing Aid Technology
The physiology of how insects process sound holds promises for developing hearing aid tech.
Tiny Pacemaker Can Be Fitted Without Surgery
Medtronic's device is small enough to be delivered through a catheter and implanted directly into the heart.