Contributor

Kristin Houser

Staff Writer

Contact

kristin.houser@freethink.com

Kristin Houser is a staff writer at Freethink, where she covers science and tech. Her written work has appeared in Business Insider, NBC News, and the World Economic Forum’s Agenda, among other publications, and Stephen Colbert once talked about a piece on The Late Show, to her delight.

Prior to joining Freethink, Kristin was a staff writer for Futurism and wrote several animated and live action web series.

Climate Crisis

Quantum computer designs heat-radiating window coating

Notre Dame researchers have used quantum computing to design a transparent window coating that reflects heat into the atmosphere.

Kristin Houser

Medicine

New mRNA vaccine for flu and COVID-19 enters human trials

Pfizer and BioNTech's new mRNA vaccine designed to protect against COVID-19 and the flu has entered human trials.

Kristin Houser

AI could help cancer patients avoid a deadly recurrence

A new study found that AI can use a patient’s initial skin cancer growth to predict their risk of melanoma recurrence.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

Chinese robot helps convert moon dust into fuel and oxygen

Chinese researchers have built an autonomous robot to set up an ISRU system for converting lunar soil into fuel and oxygen.

Kristin Houser

CRISPR

7 ways CRISPR is shaping the future of food

Using the powerful gene-editing tool CRISPR, researchers are altering crops and animals to add desirable traits and remove undesirable ones.

Kristin Houser

Healthcare

These earbuds can tell if a newborn has hearing problems

A newborn hearing screening device made from off-the-shelf earbuds is as effective as expensive commercial options.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

NASA “Flashlight” will hunt for hidden water on the moon

NASA’s Lunar Flashlight mission will use reflections from laser light to measure lunar water hidden in permanently shadowed craters.

Kristin Houser

Climate Crisis

NASA detects 50+ methane “super-emitters” from space

A new instrument aboard the International Space Station has been used to identify more than 50 “super-emitters” of methane.

Kristin Houser

Medicine

FDA approves first-of-its-kind blood cancer treatment

The FDA has approved Johnson & Johnson’s Tecvayli, a new blood cancer treatment for people with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Kristin Houser

Astronomy

Meteorite blasts “biggest new crater” NASA has ever seen into Mars

A meteorite impact that caused a marsquake and created a massive new Mars crater could shape our plans to send people to the Red Planet.

Kristin Houser