biohacking

The Rise of Sleep Technologies

by guest
July 5, 2018July 5, 2018

Photo by Amy Treasure on Unsplash

Guest post by Lucy Wyndham

Studies show that at least 70% of adolescents sleep with at least two electronic items in their bedroom, which is associated with short weekday sleep duration and wake lag on the weekend. The use of screens before bed keeps the mind active by stimulating electrical activity in the brain. Performing physical tasks such as sending texts also tightens the muscles and releases the hormone cortisol, which further prevents sleep. Finally, exposure to the light from screens inhibits the production of melatonin, which is required to regulate sleep-wake cycles.

Why Train Stations Are A Great Place For An AI Party

by guest
May 9, 2018May 9, 2018

The Delhi Metro is a metro system serving Delhi and its satellite cities of Faridabad, Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad in the National Capital Region of India.

Artificial Intelligence now exists in more than 80% of the digital interactions we have. With almost all progress in science, business and even academia now being tied to the digital evolution, AI is pervading our lives like never before. One example of a place in which AI is making a big difference is at the humble train station, somewhere that perhaps we would not initially see as a hotbed of AI digital innovation.

How Technology Will Change Our Lives Twenty Years From Now

by guest
January 17, 2018January 17, 2018

Photo by Alex Knight on Unsplash

About the Author: Salah Stevens is a licensed attorney focusing on cryptocurrencies and the blockchain technology. As a fan of innovation, Stevens is a fierce proponent of the changes that are happening with Bitcoin, Etherium, and Litecoin, believing strongly in the worldwide improvements that the blockchain technology can bring. For more: http://salehstevens.com

A Great Time to be Alive

If someone were to go back to the 1900s when things like smartphones, computers, and artificial intelligence were incomprehensible technologies, they would witness a completely different way of life. After all, functioning elevators were once considered to be advanced. Now, people find even advanced products like drones on their way to becoming an everyday item. Improvements are being made daily and life-changing innovations occur more rapidly.

What are some of the ways that technology might alter our lives in another twenty years?

Learning To Swim

by cifanic
December 17, 2017June 14, 2019

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

In the dream I had, the lake bubbled like a hot spring. The water was crystal clear, and I could see all the way down to the bottom.

Antiheroes swim. Flesh and blood protagonists from popular 21st century television shows with enormous flaws and the deepest of secrets – Olivia Pope, Don Draper, Emily Thorne – they all swim.

Virtual Reality And The Future Of Storytelling

by cifanic
February 10, 2017June 14, 2019

Photo: Pixabay

“Just so I understand this correctly, it’s possible to experience death in virtual reality. To experience what it’s actually like to die, in the brutalist of ways even. And as our senses develop — touch, smell, things like that — this experience is only going to get more realistic.”

The woman nodded in response. We were sitting across from each other in a large yurt that overlooked the Pacific Ocean, the door flap of the enormous tent making a gentle slapping sound in the wind as six of us sat cross-legged in a circle well past midnight.

The topic: virtual reality and consciousness.

Environmental Biohacking & Rumbling With The Unknown

by cifanic
December 10, 2016June 14, 2019

Sunset at Big Sur taken during week 4 of my bio-hacking experiment

Big Sur, CA – Taken during Week 4 of my experiment.

The following is based on a talk I gave a few weeks back at Twitch HQ for Women’s Catalyst Lightening Talks.

At the end of September I deliberately kicked myself out of my studio apartment.

I sublet to a friend for two months and hit the road.

Now, I didn’t go very far. I drove around California in my trusty Prius C – living with friends, crashing on couches, spending time in nature.

I did this because I needed to get uncomfortable.

Because I believe that curiosity is greater than comfort.

[ Curiosity Zone > Comfort Zone ] *

I didn’t always believe this.

Beyond Meditation: Improving Brain Health And Performance

by cifanic
June 23, 2016June 14, 2019

Brain health is a fascinating topic. We know so little about our brains yet they drive everything we do. Meditation and the concept of mindfulness are popular topics, yet we don’t understand how we arrive at the benefits that everyone talks about. It’s probably safe to say that the majority of us don’t know how our brains actually work.

The good news is that we’re in new period of health and wellness where doctors can accurately see how our brains function, and even pinpoint the specific areas where our brains malfunction. This is very different from the traditional, assumption-based approach to making diagnoses in mental health. We are also learning that in many cases, real treatment doesn’t require the help of chemical drugs in order for us to find balance or heal.

The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, M.D. is an informative read that focuses on brain elasticity. He presents the concept that that we can redesign our brains by understanding how they work from a mechanical perspective.

Meditation Can Literally Rewire Your Brain

by cifanic
June 13, 2016June 14, 2019

I’ve been meditating on and off for the past ten years. It wasn’t until late last year that I started getting consistent about my practice.

There are two big reasons why I made it a daily habit. First, I joined a group called The Catalyst Collective. As part of the 8-week pilot program we were asked to do the following things daily: write, get 20 minutes of physical exercise, and meditate.

I’ve always liked meditation. In theory it’s so easy – just sit there and breathe? No problem! I quickly came to notice that dropping into a meditative state is not as simple as it seems. With personal coaching from Palomi Sheth I’ve been able to take my sessions deeper through regular practice mixed with a variety of visualization exercises.

How The Technology Revolution Will Change Our Lives 10 Years From Now

by guest
November 26, 2014August 6, 2019

Photo by Lux Interaction on Unsplash

If there’s one constant in history, it is that change will come. Today, things are evolving faster than ever before thanks to the extremely steady progression of technology. People’s lives today are very different than they were only ten years ago thanks to new tech. In the future, people’s lives may be altered even more radically due to the tech revolution picking up even more steam. With that in mind, below are ten ways people’s lives may change in ten years thanks to technological progress.

Nicole C. Lehmann-Haupt is an author and published writer whose work has appeared or is forthcoming in Hypertext Magazine, El Portal, Ignatian Literary Magazine, and Mulberry Literary, among others. In 2021 and 2024, Nicole's work was nominated for the Pushcart Prize. She has also contributed to Thrive Global, Yahoo!, Indie Shuffle, and LAist. Driven by a passion for storytelling that resonates across ages, her stories feature misfits, underdogs, and weirdos stumbling upon the extraordinary in an ordinary world. She is currently at work on a short story collection.