Biomedicine 3965 Stories

New technologies and biological insights are providing unprecedented ways of improving our health.

Rewriting Life

Want to know when you’re going to die?

Your life span is written in your DNA, and we’re learning to read the code.

by Karen Weintraub
2018-10-19T05:00:00-04:00

Rewriting Life

White-people-only DNA tests show how unequal science has become

Companies are selling disease-risk tests that only work in people of European ancestry. They hope to fix that soon.

by Antonio Regalado
2018-10-18T16:30:00-04:00

Rewriting Life

Genes linked to being gay may help straight people get more sex

The largest-ever study of genetics and sexual orientation offers a theory about the longevity of genes that influence homosexuality.

by Antonio Regalado
2018-10-18T10:00:00-04:00

Photo of Hossein Rahnama

Rewriting Life

Digital immortality: How your life’s data means a version of you could live forever

Your family and friends will be able to interact with a digital “you” that doles out advice—even when you’re gone.

by Courtney Humphries
2018-10-18T05:00:00-04:00

Rewriting Life

We can now customize cancer treatments, tumor by tumor

But can any company afford to manufacture one-off medical care?

by Adam Piore
2018-10-17T05:00:00-04:00

Rewriting Life

DNA-based molecular computing will pave the way for programmable pills

Molecular circuitry offers a better way to measure, and potentially harness, cellular signaling mechanisms.

by Emerging Technology from the arXiv
2018-10-17T04:20:00-04:00

Rewriting Life

Your next doctor’s appointment might be with an AI

A new wave of chatbots are replacing physicians and providing frontline medical advice—but are they as good as the real thing?

by Douglas Heaven
2018-10-16T07:30:00-04:00

Photo of Carlos D. Bustamante

Rewriting Life

DNA databases are too white. This man aims to fix that.

Carlos D. Bustamante’s hunt for genetic variations between populations should help us better understand and treat disease.

by David Rotman
2018-10-15T10:25:00-04:00

Rewriting Life

The 8-dimensional space that must be searched for alien life

A new mathematical model suggests that signs of extraterrestrial intelligence could be common, for all we know—we’ve barely begun investigating the vastness where they might lie.

by Emerging Technology from the arXiv
2018-10-08T09:50:00-04:00

Concept drawing of DNA data storage machine

Rewriting Life

The DNA data storage machine that’s the size of a school bus

A startup’s concept drawing of a hulking device to archive data in DNA molecules shows the idea has a way to go.

by Antonio Regalado
2018-10-02T10:00:00-04:00

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