Outlook in 2018

Gene tinkering opens the door to treatments for an array of diseases

The research is promising, but a true cure for this painful condition could be years away.

Anti-seizure medication doesn’t work in every person with epilepsy. But a treatment option is emerging that would spare the need for brain surgery.

Gene therapy could one day be used for bodily enhancement, creating an ethical minefield for physicians, says Ellen Wright Clayton.

Researcher and entrepreneur Luk Vandenberghe thinks he can transport genes into cells much more efficiently by improving the viral vectors that carry them.

The largest organ in the body is a prime target for gene therapy.

Insertion of genetic information can prompt the body to make antibody-based drugs, offering a fresh approach to treating diseases such as influenza, as well as infections like HIV.

Cancelling out an illness before a child is born offers the most potential benefit.

The hope of gene therapy could be crushed by its financial burden unless there are more rational ways of paying for it, says Michael Sherman.

The medical regulatory authorities ride a wave of clinical studies for gene therapies.

An explosion in information technology is remaking the world, leaving few aspects of society untouched.

Electronic-government initiatives could help states to run more smoothly, but all that personal data raises serious questions about security.

A growing proportion of global culture exists only online, presenting a challenge to those tasked with maintaining the historical record.

Fears over the impact on mental health of smartphones, social media and other trappings of the digital world are driving tech companies to change, but the evidence remains sketchy.

More robotics and artificial intelligence in the workplace doesn’t have to destroy your job.

If the digital revolution is to democratize knowledge, it must include the voices of marginalized communities, say Anasuya Sengupta, Siko Bouterse and Kira Allmann.

The public’s view of artificial intelligence may not be accurate, but that doesn’t mean that those developing new technologies can afford to ignore it.

As a multifaceted organ, skin provides the body with protection from infection and the environment, as well as sensory capabilities.

Pollutants in the environment cause more harm than once thought, with effects that can range from irritating to deadly.

Skin-like electronics that stretch and sense will create a way to monitor vital signals and build prosthetics with a sense of touch.