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!

A common virus may be the key to a COVID vaccine for young children

Researchers have reverse-engineered a common children’s virus to show the spike protein, potentially leading to a new COVID vaccine for young children.

B. David Zarley

Researchers have built a mini-lab for mini-brains

Researchers have created a “tiny machine” to better study brain organoids, clumps of stem cells that simulate the brain.

B. David Zarley

This startup is creating a toothpaste for your peanut allergy

Immunotherapy for allergies can help reduce allergic reactions, but it needs to be daily. Could toothpaste provide a solution?

B. David Zarley

How to spot a deepfake? It’s all in the eyes.

University at Buffalo researchers have created a tool capable of spotting deepfakes with 94% accuracy. The secret’s in the eyes.

B. David Zarley

A plant-based COVID vaccine is going into arms

A COVID-19 vaccine grown in plants is beginning phase 3 clinical trials.

B. David Zarley

Researchers have developed a “plant communication” device

Plants emit weak electric signals. Researchers have developed a device to read and send signals back — a type of “plant communication.”

B. David Zarley

Researchers have grown a mouse embryo in a bottle

Researchers have grown a mouse embryo outside the uterus for longer than ever before, opening up the door to learning more about how mammals grow.

B. David Zarley

Coronavirus

Facebook’s vaccine hunters are helping Americans get vaccinated

COVID-19 shots are here, but making an appointment can be a pain. Vaccine hunters are playing matchmaker on Facebook to get jabs into arms.

B. David Zarley

Coronavirus

Texas firefighters deliver COVID-19 vaccines to seniors

Firefighters in Corpus Christi are delivering COVID-19 vaccines to homebound seniors.

B. David Zarley

Medicine

New drugs are taking the fight to lung cancer

KRAS mutation, which causes tumors to form, was long considered “undruggable.” But new drugs could be approved by year’s end.

B. David Zarley