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.

Aerospace

Spacecraft tech turns moon dust into “near-instant” landing pads

To protect spacecraft from moon dust, Masten Space Systems is developing a tech that quickly creates landing pads on the surface of the moon.

Kristin Houser

Urban Living

Startup is turning abandoned houses into affordable homes

The startup nonprofit Parity is renovating abandoned houses in Baltimore and then selling them to locals at affordable prices.

Kristin Houser

Family

Why employers might pay your parents to watch your kids

The Helpr app makes it easy for working parents to get their employers to pay for backup childcare provided by friends and family members.

Kristin Houser

Aerospace

Europe backs “space factory” set for 2022 launch

UK startup Space Forge is developing a space factory designed to make “microgravity on demand” a reality for researchers and manufacturers.

Kristin Houser

Fertility

An at-home test to find your best birth control option

Seattle-based startup adyn is developing an at-home testing kit to help women find their best birth control method.

Kristin Houser

CRISPR

Gene-edited fish grow up to 60% more muscle

A gene-edited fish that grows up to 60% more muscle on the same amount of feed could help revitalize Japan’s aquaculture industry.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

Pill to treat COVID-19 cuts risk of hospitalization or death in half

A pill to treat COVID-19 that cut hospitalizations and deaths in half could become the first oral medication against the disease.

Kristin Houser

Sustainability

Can tech rentals solve the problem of electronic waste?

To combat the problem of electronic waste, German startup Grover is now selling Americans subscriptions to laptops, phones, and other tech.

Kristin Houser

Clean Energy

China’s experimental thorium reactor is ready for testing

An experimental thorium reactor in China could greatly expand the number of people who can benefit from clean nuclear energy.

Kristin Houser

Bionics

MIT’s new bionics center may usher in our cyborg future

MIT has established a new bionics research center to help people everywhere overcome the challenges of disabilities.

Kristin Houser