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.

two men in space suits standing in what looks like a dust field

Aerospace

See inside NASA’s simulated Mars base for the first time

NASA has unveiled Mars Dune Alpha, a simulated Mars base where volunteers will live like Mars astronauts for a year at a time.

Kristin Houser

small containers filled with a cream-colored substance

Food

Lab-grown meat is about to get fatty

Tufts University has unveiled a new technique for producing lab-grown fat that could improve the taste and texture of cultured meat.

Kristin Houser

an illustration of a ship on the water trailing a red substance

Climate Crisis

Scientists want to dump iron nanoparticles into the oceans to save the planet

Engineered nanoparticles could make ocean fertilization a viable weapon in the battle against climate change.

Kristin Houser

Astronomy

New method could triple the size of space telescope mirrors

A new technique for making super-thin, lightweight space telescope mirrors could dramatically improve our view of space.

Kristin Houser

Medicine

One shot could stop severe bleeding and save thousands of lives

A potentially lifesaving treatment to stop severe postpartum hemorrhage could soon be more accessible to the people who need it the most.

Kristin Houser

a man holding a container labeled "Titan Silicon" and filled with a black powder

Transportation

New battery tech boosts EV range by 20%

A new silicon anode material for EV batteries can boost a vehicle’s range by 20% while cutting down on charging times.

Kristin Houser

a map of Mars with dozens of locations labeled

Astronomy

You can now explore the highest-res map of Mars ever made

Caltech researchers have created an interactive map of Mars that lets anyone explore the surface of the Red Planet in unprecedented detail.

Kristin Houser

a man holding a microscope slide covered in tiny colorful dots

Medicine

New drug delivery tech could ensure you never forget your meds

Rice University's new drug delivery tech uses biodegradable microparticles to administer medications exactly when and where they are needed.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

Nasal COVID-19 vaccine outperforms mRNA shots in new study

A live attenuated vaccine for COVID-19 that delivered via a nasal spray outperformed several shots in a preclinical study.

Kristin Houser

an illustration of astronauts floating with paper money

Aerospace

Space could be a trillion dollar industry by 2040

Now that falling launch costs are making space more accessible, hundreds of groups are looking for ways to make money off-world.

Kristin Houser