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Scientific American
Fortune Magazine
MIT Technology Review
Discover Magazine
Conde Nast Portfolio
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Harper’s
Medium
Inc.
Fast Company
Fiscal Times
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Life Magazine
Miscellaneous
The New Science of Wellness (Special Issue)
December 7, 2022
Contributing Editor
The Phenomics Revolution
December 7, 2022
The emerging science of phenomics could shift the focus of health care from treating the sick to the prediction and prevention of disease.
The Pioneering Biologist Behind the Push for Scientific Wellness
December 7, 2022
Leroy Hood plans to recruit a million people for a study that could help people stay healthier for longer.
Carbon in the Oceans Is Altering the Micro-Fabric of Life
September 8, 2023
Humans are feeding the invisible world of ocean microbes a punishing diet of pollutants, boosting the impact of climate change and hastening the destruction of life as we know it.
Genetics testing gets political, finally – Jul. 27, 2010
Jul 27, 2010 … By David Ewing Duncan, contributor July 28, 2010: 5:02 PM ET. FORTUNE – Last week, the nascent genetic testing …
Where the brainiacs are, and pharma is not – Mar. 1, 2010
Mar 1, 2010 … Peter Agre, AAAS chairman, delivers his presidential address at his organization's annual meeting. By David Ewing Duncan, …
23andme co-founder launches Alzheimer's foundation – Sep. 25, 2009
Sep 25, 2009 … A look back at the industry she helped grow and the future of consumer genetics testing. By David Ewing Duncan
A crisis of overconfidence
Dec 8, 2009 A crisis of overconfidence. Are humans hard-wired for overconfidence – and does that help explain the financial crisis? By David Ewing Duncan
FDA commissioner talks about regaining trust in the agency
Oct 14, 2009 … The FDA's newest commissioner, Margaret Hamburg, wants to restore Americans ' faith in the much-maligned agency. By David Ewing Duncan,
Rebooting the bioscience revolution – Oct. 13, 2010
By David Ewing Duncan October 13, 2010: 3:37 PM ET. FORTUNE – On a balmy summer day 10 years ago, President Bill Clinton announced…
Alice in Bio-Land – Jan. 20, 2010
By David Ewing Duncan January 20, 2010: 2:34 PM ET. SAN FRANCISCO (Fortune) – A recent jostling with thousands of life science bankers…
Treating cellular codes like radio stations – Mar. 17, 2010
What DNA, Patents and Lady Gaga have in common. By David Ewing Duncan March 17, 2010: 4:21 AM ET. (Fortune) – When radio was invented in…
Will marriage between Pharma and biotech create more drugs…
By David Ewing Duncan May 10, 2010: 11:53 AM ET. (Fortune) – For at least a decade, anyone following the life sciences industry has noticed two…
Scientists try to bring order to a glut of drug data – Apr. 29, 2010
By David Ewing Duncan April 29, 2010: 2:36 PM ET. (Fortune) – Like sages of old, they came to San Francisco last weekend, a group of biologists…
Merck CEO 'optimistic' about Big Pharma – Oct. 20, 2009
Oct 20, 2009 …and his company's pending merger with Schering-Plough. By David Ewing Duncan Last Updated: October 20, 2009: 6:05 PM ET
How Venter's creation could change business – May. 27, 2010
By David Ewing Duncan May 27, 2010: 1:06 PM ET. (Fortune) – For years Craig Venter has attracted outsized attention and sometimes vitriol for…
San Francisco goes green – Smarter building – Living roof (1 …
Sep 10, 2009 By David Ewing Duncan
San Francisco gets smart with green technology
Sep 11, 2009 … By David Ewing Duncan On Pier 96 on San Francisco Bay, a dirty, smelly leviathan of a machine roars and vibrates as it organizes 750 tons of …
FORTUNE Magazine: Table of Contents – CNNMoney.com
Sep 28, 2009 … San Francisco is using advanced technology to turn the city into one of America's greenest. By David Ewing Duncan. The best advice I ever got.
The great DNA letdown
Apr 8, 2010 … What went wrong? By David Ewing Duncan, contributor This is science as a biopic: the stars are four regular guys named A, T, C, and G.
China: The next biotech superpower?
Aug 15, 2011 … as the industry struggles in the U.S. to turn research into gold. Will U.S. biotech become the next Detroit? By David Ewing Duncan, contributor.
Stem cells bring sight to the blind in India – Oct. 24, 2007
By David Ewing Duncan, Fortune. October 24 2007: 6:54 AM EDT. (Fortune Magazine) – Eye surgeon Virendar Sangwan has perfected a procedure so …
Can This Plant Transform Indian Pharma. Drug Discovery in India
Can India become a major player in pharma drug discovery?
Fortune Magazine, October, 2005
Winner, SOPA Award for Excellence as part of a special Fortune Issue on India (SOPA – Society of Asian Publishers, the Asian Pulitzer)
MIT Technology Review
Contributing Editor
David's Profile: https://www.technologyreview.com/contributor/david-ewing-duncan/
Can AI Keep You Healthy?
November, 2017
Poll on Human Enhancement Shows Divided Public
July 28, 2016
A majority of Americans oppose futuristic biological enhancements that would make them smarter or stronger.
The Great Bio-Divide
October 31, 2011
At TEDMED - the gap is yawning between hopes and visions and reality in biomedicine.
A DNA Tower of Babel
September 23, 2011
As more and more people’s genomes are decoded, we need better ways to share and understand the data.
George Church on the Future of Stem Cells
September 14, 2011
Q&A with the Harvard geneticist.
My Genome Via E-mail
September 2, 2011
Trying to understand the six billion nucleotides—all of my DNA—that just arrived in my in-box.
Experimental Man Redux
August 23, 2011
The experiments continue in one man’s quest to test drive the latest in high tech medicine.
Stem Cells and Entrepreneurs
August 23, 2011
How Cellular Dynamics International is commercializing the new technology of induced pluripotent stem cells.
The Science of IPS Cells
August 23, 2011
Biologist James Thompson and others discuss the discovery of IPS cells: the science and the potential for research and personalized medicine.
How Scientists Make Heart Cells
August 23, 2011
CDI scientists explain how they made David Ewing Duncan’s beating heart cells in a petri dish and why it’s a significant feat.
Visiting Wisconsin to See My Heart
August 23, 2011
David traveled to the headquarters of CDI in Madison to view his stem cells and his beating heart cells–and to meet the lab team who made and tested them.
Growing Heart Cells Just for You
August 23, 2011
What can heart cells generated from my blood tell me about my risk for disease—and about what drugs I should take if I get sick?
Avatar Tech Helps Doctors Test for ADHD
May 31, 2011
Reflectors attached to my head and ankles–like those used in James Cameron’s Avatar–measure my distractibility.
Linking Environmental Chemicals to Disease
May 21, 2010
Stanford researchers use a novel approach to link pesticides and an ingredient in vitamin E to diabetes.
From Hope to Reality in Personalized Medicine
February 5, 2010
Francis Collins’s book offers optimism but no grand plan.
Company will reverse-engineer my cells
January 25, 2010
CDI has offered to bioengineer cells from my blood to create heart cells.
Made-to-Order Heart Cells
January 22, 2010
Stem cell advance will help drug development.
Made-to-Order Heart Cells
January 22, 2010
Stem cell advance will help drug development.
More experimental man in 2010
January 4, 2010
This is the year we figure out what to do with all of the DNA being generated by faster, cheaper sequencing technologies - and more.
DeCode is Bankrupt; So is The Idea of "Pure" Genomics
November 18, 2009
It’s time to start giving as much attention to the rest of human biology as we have lavished on genetics.
Waiter, Is There a Fungicide in My Soup?
November 6, 2009
Scientists in Canada have developed dipstick that measures levels of pesticides in food and beverages.
What A Concept: Docs Trained in Genetic Testing
October 21, 2009
Is an initiative at Harvard and with Navigenics the beginning of a trend to make physicians more familiar with the pluses and minuses of genetic testing?
Interview With the New FDA Head
October 14, 2009
Margaret Hamburg has an Obama-like energy. She’ll need it to reform and rebuild an agency that has been in trouble for years.
Putting Genetic Tests to the Test
October 7, 2009
Craig Venter and colleagues compare consumer genetic tests and suggest ways to make them more useful.
Complete Genomics Sequences 14 Genomes
September 10, 2009
The company sequenced the genomes in the last six months and plans 10,000 more next year.
New DNA Markers for Alzheimer's
September 6, 2009
The genetic risk factors could help scientists predict and better understand the disease.
Decoding the Profit Gene
August 19, 2009
Is the last pure genomics company from the 1990s about to go bust?
Big Oil Turns to Algae
July 22, 2009
ExxonMobil invests $300 million in Synthetic Genomics to develop algae biofuel.
More DNA for Less
July 15, 2009
Pathway Genomics is offering (a few) more genetic traits to consumers at a lower cost.
The Avastin Paradox
July 13, 2009
Why does Genentech’s anticancer drug work better for some patients than for others?
God, Science, and Francis Collins
July 10, 2009
The geneticist and Christian evangelical will bring a unique zeal to the National Institutes of Health.
Britain Calls for a Genomic Health Road Map
July 8, 2009
The plan would introduce a comprehensive link between genomics and health care. Should the United States follow Britain’s lead?
World record: 5094 genetic traits
June 21, 2009
Apparently, I am the most genetically annotated human on Earth. Is this a good thing?
The 16-Million-Year-Old Tickle
June 10, 2009
Researchers in Germany suggest that humans and apes have been tickling and giggling for a very long time.
Sequencing the cucumber
June 5, 2009
Geneticists in China and the U.S. have sequenced the cucumber genome.
What's the Point in Patenting Genes?
May 27, 2009
Whatever the outcome of the ACLU vs. Myriad case, a new effort is needed to turn genetic testing into a useful diagnostic tool.
How to Save a Trillion Dollars
May 6, 2009
America needs a Human Genome Project for personalized health care.
New UCSF Chancellor a Boost for Personalized Medicine?
May 5, 2009
Former Genentech president Susan Desmond-Hellmann is nominated to be the next UCSF chancellor.
The Leonardo paradox
May 1, 2009
Science has long used the singular genius model. Is this interfering with translating bio-research into something useful?
Welcome to the Experimental Man Blog
April 22, 2009
A blog about how leading-edge bio-science and technology is impacting individuals and society.
The Enthusiast
August 15, 2007
A controversial biologist at Harvard claims he can extend life span and treat diseases of aging. He may be right.
Longevity Pill Tested in Humans
July 19, 2007
Sirtris Pharmaceuticals announces that its souped-up version of resveratrol has passed early tests in humans.
A Hand for the Wounded
July 18, 2007
An innovative high-tech prosthetic hand offers individually controlled fingers and a more realistic touch.
Extraterrestrial Life Begins at Home
July 13, 2007
We are most likely to discover bizarre and unexpected new life-forms on other planets by studying extreme environments and organisms on Earth.
The Anti-Science President
July 12, 2007
Former surgeon general Richard Carmona is telling us what we already know: that the Bush administration has, from the beginning, put ideology ahead of science.
Smoke-Free United Kingdom: The Morning After
July 10, 2007
In a small U.K. village, the locals hold a smoking vigil as smoking bans catch fire around the world. Are they working? And what about the United States?
Saving the Banana
July 5, 2007
As the banana falls to a devastating fungus, Ugandan scientists launch tests on genetically modified varieties to save a food staple of 500 million people.
Brain Boosters
July 1, 2007
Our reporter enters the new world of neuroenhancers.
Are Chimeras People Too?
June 29, 2007
Catholic bishops oppose human-animal hybrids but say that if one is created, it should be considered a full human.
Extreme Metagenomics: Chasing Bugs in the Bowels of the Earth
June 27, 2007
Research highlights the lengths that microbiologists are going to to discover bizarre new bacteria.
Did Primordial Chefs Feed Our Giant Brains?
June 18, 2007
A Harvard primatologist thinks that the invention of barbecue occurred 1.9 million years ago, fueling the expansion of the early hominid brain.
Craig Venter: The Bill Gates of Artificial Life?
June 13, 2007
Critics say that in applying for a patent for an artificial organism, the maverick scientist is out to create a “Microbesoft” empire.
The World Trade Center: The Dust of Tragedy Lingers
June 6, 2007
The NEJM says that more than 71,000 people signed up to be monitored for lingering health effects following 9/11.
“Natural” Pot Helps Fetal Brains Connect
May 31, 2007
Marijuana-like cannabinoids appear in a mouse fetus at just the right time to help young neurons connect properly.
Eating Radiation: A New Form of Energy?
May 29, 2007
In a bizarre alternative to photosynthesis, some fungi “eat” radiation–with the role of chlorophyll taken by melanin, a chemical also found in human skin.
Can Centaurs and Talking Pigs Be Far Behind?
May 24, 2007
The United Kingdom Department of Health reverses its proposed ban on chimeras, saying that Parliament should allow the fusing of humans and other species.
Men, Are You Tired of Being Bald?
May 21, 2007
A breakthrough process at the University of Pennsylvania reactivates moribund cells in the skin to restore a thick head of hair–and it may cure acne, too.
Why Monkeys Can't Recite Shakespeare
May 18, 2007
If you are a primate reading this, chances are you have a gene called KLK8, recently discovered by Chinese scientists.
BIO Bacchanalia in Boston
May 11, 2007
A record 22,000 gathered to celebrate biotech–an industry that is still bleeding billions of dollars a year.
Maggots Are Back (Again)
May 10, 2007
Researchers in the United Kingdom desperate to find a treatment for foot infections turn to slimy, disgusting creatures.
Can Our Genes Save Us from Our Environment?
May 7, 2007
In Science, two NIH directors declare that the time has come for a fusion of environmental science and genetics.
Making Music out of Genes
May 3, 2007
A UCLA graduate student creates melodies out of genetic and protein sequences, allowing us to “listen” to DNA.
The Benefits of Exercise in a Pill
May 1, 2007
Scientists have discovered a drug that boosts cellular metabolism in mice, mimicking a healthy workout.
Where Have All the Billions Gone?
April 24, 2007
Big Pharma is on a buying spree to obtain smaller biotech companies after having spent billions on R&D and failing to produce new drugs.
Killer Salt
April 20, 2007
Cutting back on the white stuff may save your life, say Harvard Medical School researchers.
Experimenting with Drugs on the Less Fortunate
April 19, 2007
A Johns Hopkins study suggests that paying volunteers to test new drugs attracts mostly the poor, who, to their own detriment, keep coming back for more.
New Memory Gene
April 17, 2007
Shutting down a memory-blocking gene in mice may lead to super-recall. But will this expand our intelligence or bury us in useless detail?
Some Stem Cells from Females Work Better
April 13, 2007
The question of which sex gets it right when it comes to muscle stem cells used to regenerate muscle tissue has been settled.
Stem-Cell Vote Due in Congress … Again
April 10, 2007
Two bills to allow embryonic stem-cell research are poised for votes in the Senate as the feds continue to debate a moot point: should we research these special cells or not?
The Small-Dog Gene
April 6, 2007
We now know why a dog can be as small as a gerbil or as big as a tiger–and it says more about us than it does about our pooches.
Bacteria vs. Humans: Score One for Us
April 6, 2007
Researchers in San Diego announce a new molecule that stops bacteria from mutating to become resistant to antibiotics.
Neutralizing Toxic Chromium with Sugar?
April 5, 2007
Researchers in New Orleans have found that simple fructose and sucrose remove highly toxic hexavalent chromium, the pollutant made famous by Erin Brockovich.
James Watson's DNA Secrets Revealed … or Not
April 2, 2007
The codiscoverer of the double helix has had his whole genome sequenced, and he realizes that he may not want to reveal all after all.
Is Homeopathy Explained by the Placebo Effect?
March 30, 2007
A Nature commentary blasts homeopathic medicine taught in some British universities as little better than the placebo effect. The commentator may be missing the point.
Using Spit to Search for a Superathlete Gene
March 26, 2007
Taiwanese scientists in search of DNA that may account for sports stars’ prowess are building a genetic library of these athletes’ saliva.
We Need to Think Big to Reduce Carbon Dioxide
March 23, 2007
MIT scientists call on the U.S. government to spend half a billion dollars on projects to capture carbon dioxide from coal. Why think so small?
Cancer Atlas: Humongous Science under Fire … Again
March 20, 2007
Prominent cancer experts are calling the NIH’s $1.5 billion project to map all mutations in cancer tumors a waste of time and money; not so, say proponents.
Seeing Red Messes with IQ
March 19, 2007
Avoid the color red when you want to be the best you can be.
216 Million Americans Are Scientifically Illiterate (Part II)
March 19, 2007
The media are partly to blame for Americans’ lack of scientific literacy.
High Neurocrimes and Misdemeanors
March 15, 2007
An article in the New York Times makes me wonder what my brain will do next–and if we’re ready to give up our freedom to a lump of gray tissue between our ears.
Bush's Polar-Bear Problem
March 9, 2007
The administration tells scientists attending international meetings not to discuss polar bears, climate change, or sea ice.
Robots Evolve to Deceive
March 8, 2007
A Swiss insect expert creates tiny robots that evolve to work together in groups–and learn to trick “outsiders.”
Dolly at 10: Whither the Clones?
March 2, 2007
Ten years after Ian Wilmut announced that he had cloned the first mammal ever, where are the clones of me, you, and my dog, Brownie?
The Biopragmatist as Blogger
February 27, 2007
This blog is about what’s real, and what’s not, in the life sciences. It’s also about what happens when the science actually works.
The U.K.'s Biobank Gets Intimate
February 26, 2007
I pay a visit to the program that’s asking a half-million Brits to reveal all to their government–genetically, that is.
Response to My Readers: Religion and Science
February 23, 2007
My blog about science illiteracy two days ago has fomented a mini-tempest–and some thoughts.
Smoking, Jokes, and the Soul
February 22, 2007
A small region of the brain called the insula may be a master regulator of actions, cravings, and emotional experiences.
216 Million Americans Are Scientifically Illiterate (Part I)
February 21, 2007
The good news: America’s science literacy rate is up from a pathetic 10 percent in 1988. The bad news: it’s still only 28 percent.
Branson Again: Virgin Health Bank
February 16, 2007
The Virgin billionaire starts a bank for umbilical blood; a deposit costs only $3,000.
For Valentine's Day, Give Her Sweat, Not Chocolate
February 14, 2007
A UC Berkeley study has found that a chemical in a man’s sweat can trigger the hormones that sexually arouse women.
Billionaire Offers $25 Million to Save Earth!
February 13, 2007
As governments dither about greenhouse gases, billionaire Richard Branson offers a reward for removing excess carbon dioxide from Earth’s atmosphere.
How Altruistic Is Your Brain?
February 5, 2007
Brain scans suggest that altruism may be as much a part of our genes and gray matter as it is a function of free will.
Has Personalized Medicine Arrived?
February 2, 2007
It may have arrived for real this month with a largely bureaucratic announcement by a government agency.
Second Life, Darwin, and God
February 1, 2007
Is this new virtual world a product of creationism or of evolution?
Toxic Man?
January 30, 2007
I’ve been tested for 320 environmental chemicals, from DDT to flame retardants.
The Power of Bioethics
September 1, 2006
Arthur Caplan explains the role of bioethics in making life-and-death decisions.
Wired to Eat
July 1, 2005
Overweight Micronesians could help explain the genetics of obesity.
Implanting Hope
March 1, 2005
For the first time, a paralyzed patient has operated a prosthetic arm using just his mind.
Discover Magazine
Contributing Editor
David's Profile: http://discovermagazine.com/authors/david-ewing-duncan
"Super-Molecules that Extend Lifespan"
September, 2006
"The Covert Plague: Diabetes and the rise of insulin resistance"
December, 2005
"Doug Melton: Crossing Boundries"
June, 2005
Serialization from David's book, The Geneticist Who Played Hoops with My DNA
Frontiers of Science
October, 2005
Short Articles from Special 25th Anniversary Issue – See Below
"Longevity: Forever Young: Controlling appetite with a pill may incidentally lengthen life"
"Genome: DNA Zip Codes for Disease"
"Infectious Disease: The Bug's War on Drugs: Bacteria, HIV and other pathogens are fighting back"
Dialogues Column, Discover Magazine
James Watson, July, 2003
Baroness Susan Greenfield, September, 2003
George Whitesides, December, 2003
Cynthia Kenyon, February, 2004
Sydney Brenner, April, 2004
Craig Venter, December, 2004
Paul Berg, April, 2005
"20 Biotech geniuses to Watch"
July, 2002
Conde Nast Portfolio
Contributing Editor
(Now part of UpStart Business Journal)
How Julius Caesar Cost You More on Leap Day
February 29, 2012
My Toxins Made Me Do It!
March 20, 2009
A Birthday Gift for Darwin
February 12, 2009
Biotech In Decline
January 19, 2009
Green Crude
January 7, 2009
2009: The Year of Bespoke Medicine
December 31, 2008
Discount DNA
December 17, 2008
New Deal, or New Ideas?
December 12, 2008
Finding Cancer in a Drop of Blood
November 26, 2008
Mind Reader
November 19, 2008
Statins, Heart Attack, and Genes
November 12, 2008
Obama on Science
November 5, 2008
The Smell of Money
October 27, 2008
The Idea-to-Drug Gap
October 22, 2008
DeCode-ing Biotech's Future
October 19, 2008
Investing In Our Future
October 8, 2008
Frequent Fliers and Flame Retardants
September 24, 2008
How Smart Are You? The Answer's Here
September 14, 2008
My Brain Makes Me Nervous
September 10, 2008
DNA Police
September 3, 2008
Life, Death, and New Drugs
August 29, 2008
Will There Be Blood?
August 27, 2008
Desperate for a Cure
August 13, 2008
A Quant's Quest
July 30, 2008
Putting a Price on Innovation
July 25, 2008
Game of Hearts
July 16, 2008
Fuels of the Future
July 2, 2008
Biotech Reality Check
June 26, 2008
How Smart Are You?
June 18, 2008
California Pushes Back on DNA Testing
June 17, 2008
Starving Science
June 4, 2008
Just What the Doctor Ordered
May 21, 2008
The Ultimate Cure
May 12, 2008
You 2.0: Closing the Genetic Gap
May 7, 2008
You 2.0: Recreational DNA and Genetic Voyeurism
April 30, 2008
You 2.0: I'm Doomed. Or Not.
April 24, 2008
Fountain of Money
April 23, 2008
Block That Test!
April 21, 2008
You 2.0: Comparison Shopping for Your Future
April 16, 2008
Stem Cells on the Brink
April 2, 2008
A Billion for Brains
March 21, 2008
The T-Rex Inside Me
March 19, 2008
Genes 'R' Us: The New Dot-Coms?
March 5, 2008
Happy Leap Day! (Unless You're in Debt)
February 29, 2008
One Hell of a Trip
February 20, 2008
Gene-Sequencing Warrior
February 13, 2008
Bioengineering Bugs to Make Fuel
February 6, 2008
Inside Dealmakers' Brains
January 23, 2008
For Biotech, Hope (and Money) Spring Eternal
January 9, 2008
Last Days of the Anti-Science President
January 9, 2008
Remote Control Nano Drugs
December 28, 2007
Adapt or Die
December 26, 2007
F.D.A. on the Brink?
December 12, 2007
Hardwired for Optimism?
November 28, 2007
The Serious Business of Gene Tests
November 19, 2007
So You Want to Live Forever?
November 7, 2007
Welcome to the Future
October 15, 2007
The Pollution Within
A Chemical Autobiography
October, 2016
By David Ewing Duncan
Photographs by Peter Essick
See also interviews with David on NPR, Today Show, and CNN:
Discovering the Pollution Within Our Bodies
Morning Edition, September 19, 2006
How Toxic Are You?
Interview with Merideth Viera
Today Show, NBC, October 19, 2006
Toxic People
Interview with Miles O’Brien
CNN
Biobanks are on the Cusp of Translating Big Data Into New Medicine
August 25, 2022
The rise of biobanks around the world promised lots of cheap and plentiful human DNA for scientists to study. Here’s how that’s going.
New Microchip Based on Biomolecules is No Alien Technology
June 9, 2022
Roswell Biotechnologies wants you to believe its new chip will revolutionize the detection of viruses, DNA, and more. But it still has to prove itself.
The Big Business of Workplace Mindfulness
January 28, 2022
Corporate America is embracing mindfulness more than ever as the pandemic rages. But what do they mean by “mindfulness,” and does it work?
Predictions for 2021: Welcome to the New Uncertainty
December 31, 2020
This could be a “hinge year” in history: the opportunity to grasp a new and improved future for ourselves, our children, and our planet—or not.
After the Madness—Pandemic Silver Linings in Bioscience
June 4, 2020
Will the frenzied rush to understand and treat SARS-CoV-2 bring longer lasting benefit to the world of scientific research and medicine?
Q&A
Is the World Ready for Synthetic People?
April 6, 2018
Stanford bioengineer Drew Endy doesn’t mind bringing dragons to life. What really scares him are humans.
Q&A
The Radical Idea of Avoiding Sickness
October 6, 2017
Leroy Hood, pioneer of systems biology, is trying to upend medicine with a service that tests everything about you.
BOOK REVIEW
What Keeps a CRISPR Creator Up at Night
Gene-editing pioneer Jennifer Doudna’s new book reveals her dreams and nightmares about what she has unleashed.
Q&A
It’s Time to Believe in Synthetic Biology
June 2, 2017
Juan Enriquez bets on the end of undruggable targets, the power of programmable cells, and a machine that cooks up biological material.
David's Profile: http://www.newsweek.com/authors/david-ewing-duncan
Hacking Your DNA
March 12, 2014
The next Edward Snowden may be a geneticist on a personal mission to protect the public from new violations of privacy.
The Cyborg Olympic Games
February 20, 2014
Modern athletes are already enhanced. What if we took it further?
Calendar
February 1, 1999
It took two millennia to get the one we now use; we owe a lot to the sun and moon, to Caesar, Pope Gregory and, oh yes, the Earl of Chesterfield.
Is this any way to train a doctor? Medical Residencies
April, 1993
Silent Spring at 60: My Mom and Rachel Carson
August 8 2022
By David Ewing Duncan Only within the moment of time represented by the present century has one species — man — acquired significant power to alter the nature of the world. Rachel Carson wrote these words in a book published in the summer of 1962.
What Will Happen When Robots Store All Our Memories (Published in OneZero)
July 15, 2019
In the future, we could record, optimize, and replay our memories — even after death — In an excerpt from his new book Talking to Robots, David Ewing Duncan imagines looking back from a future where memories can be permanently stored with the help of a technology called Memory Bot based on an actual conversation he had with Ken Goldberg, Tiffany Shlain, and Odessa Shlain Goldberg.
Excerpt from Talking to Robots, by David Ewing Duncan
Articles published on Medium and proto.life:
Q&A
Is the World Ready for Synthetic People?
April 6, 2018
Stanford bioengineer Drew Endy doesn’t mind bringing dragons to life. What really scares him are humans.
Q&A
The Radical Idea of Avoiding Sickness
October 6, 2017
Leroy Hood, pioneer of systems biology, is trying to upend medicine with a service that tests everything about you.
BOOK REVIEW
What Keeps a CRISPR Creator Up at Night
Gene-editing pioneer Jennifer Doudna’s new book reveals her dreams and nightmares about what she has unleashed.
Q&A
It’s Time to Believe in Synthetic Biology
June 2, 2017
Juan Enriquez bets on the end of undruggable targets, the power of programmable cells, and a machine that cooks up biological material.
This Harvard Researcher Wants to Create Synthetic People
July 26, 2019
Harvard's George Church's bio-science has spun out dozens of companies on a mission to redesign and upgrade humans.
Excerpt from Talking to Robots, by David Ewing Duncan
The %$@! robot that swiped my job
August 1, 2019
How the day finally came when the bots fired the world’s most famous CEOs.
Excerpt from Talking to Robots, by David Ewing Duncan
Fiscal Times
Columnist & Contributing Editor
David's Profile: http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Authors/E/David-Ewing-Duncan
Bionic Eyes That Can Help the Blind See
June 24, 2011
What if I told you that a device exists that uses a mini-camera embedded in a pair of glasses to feed images directly into the brain of a blind person? And what if this device could earn hundreds…
Cars with Brains: Boosting the IQ of Automobiles
June 8, 2011
Imagine traffic one day behaving like dense schools of fish, which turn and maneuver in a synchronized flash of color without collisions, confusion, or delays. Fish have a natural system of sensors…
Investment Idea # 3: Rewiring the Sun
May 18, 2011
Minnesota is not known for its endless days of sunshine. But it soon may be known as a hotspot for energy emanating from the sun. This is thanks to Minneapolis-based TenKsolar, a start-up that has…
New Drugs at Lower Costs–Investing in Growth
April 6, 2011
Overall Grade: B- In 1996, a patient In a North Carolina hospital was given antibiotics for an infection that had been treated successfully for years. But this time, the drugs didn’t…
Green Crude: Can Algae End Our Oil Addiction?
March 8, 2011
This is the first in a series of columns that will report on 100 great ideas for innovation in America and around the world — how they are being funded and by whom, or whether the idea will pay…
Bay Area Voters View Key Elections with Apathy, Yawns
October 26, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO – For an election that has all of the drama, the oddball characters and the campy flare of a Hollywood spectacle, the California midterm campaigns have generated a surprisingly tepid…
New Study Says America is Losing its Innovative Edge
August 25, 2010
America 3.0 is a new column that assesses fiscal issues across America as if this nation were a company and its citizens were stockholders. The column will delve into subjects ranging…
Who Dies Best? A Survey of 40 Countries
July 22, 2010
For the past two or three centuries, the focus of our greatest minds has been on creating governments, technologies and institutions that support the ideal of longer, fuller and healthier lives –…
Bio-Research: Not Much to Show for a Big Investment…Yet
July 15, 2010
America 3.0 is a new column that assesses fiscal issues across America as if this nation were a company and its citizens were stockholders. Each business plan offers a formal set of goals and…
The American Business Plan–Oil: Time to Reboot
June 16, 2010
America 3.0 is a new column that assesses fiscal issues across America as if this nation were a company and its citizens were stockholders. Each business plan offers a formal set of goals and…
The American Business Plan–Oil: Time to Reboot
June 16, 2010
America 3.0 is a new column that assesses fiscal issues across America as if this nation were a company and its citizens were stockholders. Each business plan offers a formal set of goals and…
Life at All Costs: Part Five, The Solutions
March 16, 2010
The day that Terry Shinkle died of lung cancer, he fancied himself on a journey, driving with his teenage grandson from their home near Kansas City to visit Purdue University. “Are we there yet?” he…
Hearst: The San Francisco Chronicle
Columnist
Column: "Biotech and Creativity"
The column ran twice a month in the San Francisco Chronicle, 2003-2005
Tracking Genes in Iceland
October 19, 2003
Biotech on the Brink of Breakthroughs
February 22, 2004
When New Science Ignites a Firestorm
February 23, 2004
Return of Dr. Faust presents important lessons for scientists
March 8, 2004
Altered genes in worms may mean longer lives for humans
March 22, 2004
Without a genetic fix, the banana may be history
April 5, 2004
Hollywood takes a look at cloning
April 19, 2004
Alice goes to the land of biotech
June 13, 2004
Is U.S. leadership in science now over?
June 27, 2004
Trying to save the world on a shoestring budget
July 11, 2004
Why a cautious scientist supports the stem cell research initiative
July 25, 2004
Francis Crick left us valued lessons for life
August 8, 2004
Coming very soon: An "Enhanced Olympics"
August 22, 2004
Venter's goal is creating life in the laboratory
September 19, 2004
Now welcome to the California Republic of Science
October 3, 2004
How many trillions for a drug miracle?
October 17, 2004
Scientific progress can't be put back in the box
October 31, 2004
Quadriplegic fitted with brain sensor ushers in cybernetic age
December 5, 2004
Bio-Babel blockades scientific dialogue
December 19, 2004
This year bio-science must start to get real
January 16, 2005
Outrage today, normality tomorrow
February 6, 2005
Hunt for the 'thrifty gene' leads to a south seas island
February 20, 2005
Mr. Hyde is in remission, Soviet biowar designer now is a professor in the U.S.
March 6, 2005
Bush no match for science in debate over stem cells
May 29, 2005
From 1989 to 1997 David wrote for Life, reporting out stories ranging from steam trains in Africa to volcanoes, diamonds, Michelle Pfeiffer, poverty, and the cost of healthcare. Since this was before the digital age, none of these are available on line. Below are a few samples.
“A Shaman’s Cure”
“Last Days of the Iron Dragon”
“Romancing the Stones”
“Anatomy of a $63,589 Hospital Bill”
Miscellaneous
Other Articles from Various Publications
Believer
Craig Venter Interview
The renegade genius of genetics
May, 2005
Kari Stephanson Interview
The Viking as Geneticist
June, 2003
USA Today/USA Weekend
Can You Live to Be 150?
Two scientists chase the Fountain of Youth
September, 2006
Five Miracle Treatments Headed Your Way
June 17-19, 2005
The Calendar
December, 2005
The Sunday Telegraph (UK)
The Arrogant Adventurer: Craig Venter… has plenty of new ambitions…
May, 2005
San Francisco Chronicle Magazine
Finding the Fountain of Youth: Where will USCF biochemist Cynthia Kenyon's age-bending experiments with worms lead us?
Excerpt from The Geneticist Who Played Hoops with My DNA
Cover Story, May 29, 2005
Acumen Journal of Life Sciences
The Pursuit of Longevity
Long-lived worms tantalize researchers with the promise of extended life.
July/August, 2003
Acumen Journal of Life Sciences
The Year Ahead Issue
January, 2004
Acumen Journal of Life Sciences
Profiles of Trend Setters:
Edison Liu
Steve Holtzman
Corey Goodman
Tom Cech
Stanley Falkow
Heino von Prondzynski
Mark McClellan
Susan Greenfield
Carl Feldbaum
SEED Magazine
The Banana Crusade
GMO Bananas May Save a Major Food Staple of the Poor in the Developing World
July/August, 2003