Health hackers are using genetic testing to better understand their biology, in the hopes of using smart drugs to fill the gaps and weak spots left by nature. In the pursuit of self-optimisation, people are creatively layering scientific advances to reach peak human.

Over a fifth of Britons have used search engines to diagnose a medical condition, whether that’s because they can’t get a GP’s appointment or due to ‘cyber-chondria’. Aiming to ease anxieties and provide fast, accurate advice is Ada, an AI-assisted app that gives users more control over their health.

The number of people Googling symptoms and diagnosing themselves has reached worrying proportions, with 20% of Brits now turning to the web rather than visiting a GP. Be Your Own Doctor is a new programme from Channel 4 that wants to help viewers navigate this potentially confusing world.

Although 72% of US internet users search for health info online, just 12% can adequately evaluate what they find. Canvas8 spoke with Amy Armstrong-Heimsoth and Melissa Johnson, co-authors of research about a health literacy programme, to learn how people can improve their Googling.