Brain freeze? Literally. This dethawed brain *works*

// It’s easy being green with these EVs »

Advertise | Talk to Us | Shop | Unsubscribe

The Futurist is your daily tech, cosmic, and science (both weird or otherwise) newsletter with articles and content curated just for you.

Love The Futurist?
Forward to a friend and have them sign up here!

Frozen human brain tissue works perfectly when thawed 18 months later

“In good news for future animation figureheads, there might be a new way to revive frozen brains without damaging them. Scientists in China have developed a new chemical concoction that lets brain tissue function again after being frozen. … Eventually, the researchers arrived at the most promising mixture, which they called MEDY, after the four main ingredients: methylcellulose, ethylene glycol, DMSO and Y27632. … Intriguingly, brain organoids preserved in MEDY showed similar growth and function patterns to those that had never been frozen. Incredibly, one batch was frozen in MEDY for as long as 18 months and still showed similar protections against damage after thawing.”

// New Atlas »

Your current car is killing the planet

Sorry, there’s no easier way to say it than that. The truth is that there just aren’t that many perks to most American cars these days. They’re oversized. They’re expensive to own and maintain. And they’re awful for the environment. Eli Electric Vehicles is creating a new breed of micro-EVs that are everything but that. They’re compact, cost-effective, and eco-friendly vehicles that are changing the landscape of urban mobility for good. And with Eli Energy — their new solar-powered charging solutions launched in 2023 — they’re always innovating on new ways to keep the planet happy and keep you moving. Stake your claim in the greener driving game for just $9.80 per share and discover the exclusive investor perks! [Ad]

// Go green »

A single herd of bison can help capture CO2 from over 40,000 cars, scientists find

“In 2014, a rewilding project reintroduced European bison into the foothills of the Tarcu mountains in Romania, where they hadn't been seen for over two centuries. Now, a decade later, we're beginning to observe the remarkable ways this has transformed the region's ecology — offering a glimmer of hope in our efforts to combat climate change. As detailed in a yet-to-be-peer-reviewed study, researchers found that the bison herd, which now numbers 170, appears to be taking some 54,000 tons of carbon out of the atmosphere every year. … The work adds to a growing body of evidence on how animals can play a crucial role in reducing the greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere that are heating our planet — as opposed to more technological methods.”

// The Byte »

Okay, okay… how cool can a printer honestly be?

The answer: pretty dang cool, actually. This ain’t the one you grew up using at school. You know, that dinosaur of a machine that made lots of noises and kinda smudged all your papers? The HP Smart Tank 5101 is a top-of-the-line model but at a low-budget cost. So you can expect a seamless wireless connection, mess-free refills, and high-quality printing — all for only $200. [Ad]

// Save $50 today »

Turn your old iPhone into a dumb phone

“Wish you spent less time mindlessly scrolling on your phone? … If you’d like to try out a simpler phone but don’t want to shell out for a dedicated device, there’s a relatively new iPhone feature called Assistive Access that can turn your current iPhone — or an older iPhone that you have in a junk drawer — into something resembling a simplified dumb phone. That means it can only do the basics: texting, calling, music, and photos, and whatever other applications you specifically choose to enable.”

// Popular Science »

Blank page blues? Here’s the cure

Got big ideas? Of course you do. So what’s stopping you from bringing them to life? Oh yeah — that terrifying blank page staring back at you. When you’re having trouble transforming your ideas into realities, an AI like IdeaAize is a game changer. It can provide content, voiceovers, imagery, code, chatbot assistance — you name it — to help you finesse even the nitty gritty of any project. And if 10,000 other companies are using it to improve their output, it can definitely help you out, too. [Ad]

// Create more with AI »

France now has baguette-scented baguette postage stamps

“Every year on May 16, France celebrates Saint Honoré, the patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs. This year, the French postal service La Poste marked the occasion with a delightful tribute — a special postage stamp in his honor. The ‘Baguette de pain française’ stamp not only features a baguette wrapped in a ribbon of France's colors — red, white, and blue — but also features something unusual: It smells like a freshly baked baguette! Yes, you read that right — a scratch-and-sniff baguette-scented baguette stamp. … La Poste's description of the stamp really gets comically deep into the meaning of the baguette in French culture…”

// Boing Boing »