Contributor

B. David Zarley

Senior Staff Writer

Contact

b.david@freethink.com

B. David Zarley is a senior staff writer for Freethink, where he covers health and medicine, including infectious disease, psychedelic research, mental health, and the brain. A graduate of SUNY Fredonia, his work has also appeared in The Atlantic, The Verge, Jezebel, Frieze, Sports Illustrated, VICE, Paste Magazine, and numerous other publications. He lives in Chicago and can be reached via Signal by request. Send him story ideas!

Medicine

How we treat inflammation may be causing chronic pain

Reversing common belief, researchers at McGill say treating inflammation may be causing chronic pain, not preventing it.

B. David Zarley

Drones

Watch a drone swarm navigate a bamboo forest

By arming each drone with its own sensors, researchers have created the first swarm capable of navigating a wide environment.

B. David Zarley

Art

Ukrainian artists turn to NFTs to tell their stories

A Kyiv gallerist and Puerto Rican art gallery are auctioning off NFTs of art created in conflict to support Ukrainian artists.

B. David Zarley

Clean Energy

Finland prepares world’s first “nuclear tomb”

Deep beneath Finland, a “tomb” for nuclear waste is set to be a test for geological disposal facilities.

B. David Zarley

Medicine

Silkworms could one day repair human tendons stronger than before

Mixing silk protein with a gel matrix allowed for better cell growth and healing in rat models.

B. David Zarley

Big Tech

Google Maps’ “Immersive View” shows cities in a whole new way

Combining satellite and Street View images, Google Maps’ “immersive view” will let you explore select neighborhoods soon.

B. David Zarley

Sports

Watch John McEnroe take on past versions of himself on the court

Thanks to AI, digital avatars, and robotic cannons, John McEnroe is taking on his toughest opponent: himself.

B. David Zarley

Aging

Brain infusions from younger mice revive memory in older ones

Stanford researchers have found that an infusion of cerebrospinal fluid from young mice improves the memory of old ones.

B. David Zarley

Sports

The NBA’s Golden State Warriors use data to optimize the fan experience

The Warriors are using data in an attempt to deliver the best — and best targeted — fan experience possible.

B. David Zarley

Virology

How herpes wakes up

Researchers believe they have identified how herpes hiding in your cells wakes back up to cause symptoms.

B. David Zarley