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Animation shows a black-and-white voronoi diagram growing from points within a plane. Each “seed” gives rise to a cell, based on uniform outward growth from the initial point. The cells create a tessellation pattern over the entire plane.

Society

A light in the dark: Finding the good in the natural world

OPINION: Is it absurd to think that science can inform our values? Not at all, says writer KC Cole.

Photograph of vegetation-covered mountain rising above desert lowlands.

Living World

Hunting sky islands for genetic clues to climate resilience

OPINION: Isolated mountaintops are hotbeds of evolutionary adaptation and great places to study how climate change affects ecosystems

Conceptual art shows a disposable cup, straw and a bunch of sugar lumps on a blue background.

Health & Disease

Soda taxes can’t reverse the obesity epidemic

OPINION: They might be able to help, but only if well-designed and in combination with other policies

Photo shows a flooded intersection in New York City closed to traffic with yellow caution tape.

Food & Environment

The hidden threat from rising coastal groundwater

OPINION: Sea level rise won’t hit just homes on shorefronts, but also the infrastructure beneath our feet

Photograph shows landscape of dead conifer trees with mountains behind them.

Food & Environment

Forests are under attack from invasive species

OPINION: International commerce and travel bring ecological destruction to the world’s most cherished natural places. We need to do more to stop the assault.

Conceptual illustration shows a teeter totter with people on both ends. One side, on the ground, has a much larger number of people on it than the other, which just has a few people and is raised up in the air.

Health & Disease

We urgently need data for equitable personalized medicine

OPINION: A massive bias in medical studies toward men of European origin means that genetic variants in understudied populations don’t get the focus they deserve

Illustration shows a policeman painting fingerprints and a gun onto pieces of wood, implying he is concocting evidence for use in a court of law.

Society

It’s way past time to stop police ‘testilying’

OPINION: The culture of deception in US courts needs to end

Photo illustration shows a living room with couch, desk and windows overlaid

Health & Disease

How optimizing indoor humidity can help stop the spread of Covid and flu

OPINION: Recent CDC guidelines for indoor air quality disregard the benefits of humidity. But research shows it can kill viruses and help thwart infections.

Photograph of many planted trees near a river, with mountains in the background

Society

Abandon the idea of ‘great green walls’

OPINION: The notion of planting miles of trees to hold back encroaching deserts is misguided and damaging; we should promote programs that secure livelihoods and respect dryland ecologies instead

A conceptual image shows close-ups of chocolate, cattle, soybeans, cups of coffee and fallen logs. In the background, various forests are visible.

Food & Environment

Why one deforestation solution has yet to stop massive tree loss

OPINION: Zero-deforestation supply-chain commitments aren’t protecting tropical forests as much as hoped. But they might, if the same standards were applied to domestic and export markets.

A yellow city poster stapled to a pole in front of an older brick wall shows an icon of a creepy rat in the sights of a red target. It warns of the use of poison bait to kill rats in the area.

Health & Disease

Dealing with rats, and their health, in America’s ‘rattiest’ city

OPINION: A study in Chicago found that rodents surviving poisoning are more likely to carry disease. Good pest control needs to take such things into account.

Two mollies face each other in a fish tank with rocks and plants

Living World

Nature, nurture and randomness

OPINION: More than genes and upbringing determine animal personalities: There’s a good dose of chance in the mix, too.

Photograph of a person standing in the waters at the beach, staring out at the ocean.

Living World

Our oceans’ future: Hot and troubled

OPINION: Ocean warming, acidification and deoxygenation due to climate change — as well as pollution and development — threaten our global waters, but disaster is far from inevitable

Photo of an orange butterfly with black wing borders and white spots perched on a grass blade, above pale blue flowers.

Living World

Get out in your yard and count bugs

OPINION: How worried should we be about insect declines? Community science is vital for gathering information about arthropods.

Hello, beautiful: Head-on photo of a brown marmorated stink bug shows off its dark bulging eyes, speckled body and banded lower legs.

Living World

We need to stop bugs at the border

OPINION: Trade and travel come with a shared responsibility for biosecurity

Photograph of a Malayan tiger with two cubs.

Living World

Zoos need to change

OPINION: To justify their existence, they must make conservation their top priority

Photograph of a small child with a backpack staring through some railings at an empty schoolyard.

Society

How to recover from the Great Education Disruption

OPINION: Children around the world were out of school for months, with big impacts on learning, well-being and the economy. How do we avoid a ‘generational catastrophe’?

Alternative proteins that replace meat in our diets may take many forms in the future. A collage shows chickpeas, seaweed, tofu, kidney beans, a package of Impossible soy-based

Food & Environment

What is the protein of the future?

OPINION: It’s sustainable, nutritious and delicious. Scientists need to ramp up efforts to meet this urgent need.

Silhouette of video gamer seen from behind, wearing headset. In front of the gamer is a brightly colored computer screen.

Technology

Can playing video games make you smarter?

OPINION: Research highlights six key principles for better learning

Illustration shows a man and woman running a race, with the man leading. The women has a large female symbol tethered to her wrist. EKG lines are in the background.

Health & Disease

America is failing women’s health

OPINION: Systemic inequity means women in the US die younger and suffer more than they should. It’s time for health for all.

A rear view of a large tanker ship in port in Kobe, Japan, in 2020.

Society

Europe should shape the clean fuel market now

OPINION: For the world to hit its climate goals, the European Union needs to take the lead, ditch coal and write the rule book for green hydrogen

Photograph of a long concrete chute running into a reservoir that doesn’t seem to have much water in it!

Food & Environment

Pricing groundwater will help solve California’s water problems

OPINION: The state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act is a great opportunity — if it goes far enough

Photo shows orange lava spewing from atop a volcanic crater.

Physical World

There are more active volcanoes than you think

OPINION: Volcanologists warn that magma-filled vents evolve over time, leading to an underestimation of the number that might erupt — especially those capable of the biggest explosions

People holding placards march behind a large white banner with “National March for Life” written on it in red. There are buildings in the background.

Health & Disease

The US abortion decision is already having global impacts

OPINION: The reversal of Roe v. Wade is a tragedy not just for the United States, but for women everywhere

A photograph shows huge clouds of black smoke darkening the sky above the containers and other structures of an oil storage facility. Flames are also visible.

Society

Russia is guilty of ecocide

OPINION: All perpetrators of environmental destruction should be held accountable

Photograph of an adult female Sumatran rhino resting on the ground. An adorable rhino calf is standing to her left.

Living World

The importance of understanding wildlife sex

OPINION: If we’re truly serious about protecting animal species from extinction, we should learn more about how they reproduce

Health & Disease

This myth about guns is killing us

OPINION: The idea that gun violence prevention research is at odds with gun rights is just not true

Cartoon-style illustration of a snazzy, turquoise electric car being fueled up. The background is black with a lot of hexagons on it.

Society

Make electric vehicles affordable for the rest of us

OPINION: EV subsidies are poorly designed and mostly benefit the rich. Some simple changes could make them more effective and equitable.

Photograph about a dozen pale, tan horses relaxing on green grass by a body of water, Trees line the far shore.

Living World

The creative way to pay for wildlife recovery

OPINION: ‘Pragmatic rewilding’ restores damaged ecosystems and harnesses private money, with benefits for all

Two women sit facing each other. The woman on the right is holding a baby, supporting the baby’s head with her hand. The woman on the left is administering vaccine into the baby’s arm.

Health & Disease

The first malaria vaccine is a leap forward, but we can’t stop now

OPINION: Next-generation vaccines, and a lot more money, are needed now to crack the stalemate in the fight against malaria

Several cars are partially submerged in a road flooded with waist-deep water; some people wade among the cars.

Food & Environment

Don’t let climate change take all the blame

OPINION: The climate crisis is a massive problem, but when politicians fault it entirely for every disaster, attention is deflected from local measures that might build resiliency. That needs to change.

Image shows a pixelated $100 dollar bill, representing digital money.

Technology

The next evolution of digital money? It’s happening now

OPINION: After cryptoassets, a wave of central bank digital currencies is set to revolutionize our ideas about what money is and how to manage it

Conceptual illustration shows a cityscape, two people staring out of windows and a giant red coronavirus hovering in the sky.

The Mind

Pandemic psychology: Nothing new under the Sun

OPINION: Our behavior during Covid-19 echoes that of individuals, societies and governments during past plagues. We can and should do better.

Illustration shows a repeated motif of shady businessman (wearing bow-tie, bowler hat, and sunglasses) holding a large pill capsule.

Society

The science of placebos is fueling quackery

OPINION: The placebo effect is real. So are the ethical conundrums posed by those who would exploit the latest research advances for profit.

Photo shows people volunteering after a devastating earthquake in Nepal to recover bricks and heritage items from a destroyed temple in 2015. The volunteers, shown in silhouette, pass items hand to hand from the roof down to the ground.

Society

How to short-circuit short-term thinking

OPINION: Human behavior is fueling major social dilemmas — from climate change to the Covid pandemic to the spread of misinformation. But that means it’s also the solution, if only we can harness psychology for the common good.

Oil painting of a group of people around a table in a garden. One of the women is fast asleep, leaning on the table. They are drinking. There is food on the table.

The Mind

The vicious cycle of food and sleep

OPINION: More than a third of Americans don’t log enough hours in bed, provoking serious impacts on their health. Diet is an important and under-recognized reason.

Illustration shows two young Black children staring at a wall with words that express examples of the racism people in the United States face.

Society

How racism in early life can affect long-term health

OPINION: Excessive adversity activates biological reactions that can lead to lifelong problems in physical and mental wellbeing

Lab researchers wearing full protective suits, supplied with clean air, are shown in a lab.

Society

Question the ‘lab leak’ theory. But don’t call it a conspiracy.

OPINION: If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, labels get in the way of facts and make the truth that much harder to find.

Photo shows the exterior of a large building with a sign saying “This Hospital is CLOSED. If this is an emergency, call 911.”

Society

Let’s change how we pay for hospitals

OPINION: Many health facilities were already in fiscal straits before Covid-19 — except in Maryland. The state’s innovative and sound approach could be the answer to rescuing systems nationwide.

Illustration shows a variety of ways that scientists might work in a lab to find potential new therapies.

Health & Disease

Why we are developing a patent-free Covid antiviral therapy

OPINION: During global health crises such as pandemics, drug discovery should be publicly funded and open, with no research secrets locked away

Illustration shows a networked globe with coronavirus particles.

Health & Disease

Building an immune system for the planet could prevent the next pandemic

OPINION: We need a global information network that spans borders so we can spot — and stop — new pathogens before they threaten world health

Panoramic photo shows a green lawn in Central Park, with park-goers, trees and the city skyline visible.

Society

Covid cut pollution and got us outside. Let’s keep it up.

OPINION: Urban planners need to find ways to reduce traffic and provide equal access to green spaces

Health & Disease

Let’s put community health workers to work

OPINION: Covid laid bare the scope of health disparities in the US and around the world. Research shows that trained lay people may be the best way to bring evidence-based care to those who need it most.

Collage shows people's hands using devices such as a phone or laptop in a virtual meeting, with an illustration of the planet superimposed on top.

Food & Environment

Let’s keep meetings virtual after Covid

OPINION: We don’t want to go back to living on planes and out of suitcases. Virtual meetings are cheaper, more accessible and better for the planet.

Health & Disease

Covid job loss: The cause of the next epidemic?

OPINION: Being out of work — even for a just a few months — may be bad for your health

Photo shows a dad seated on the floor with a laptop balanced on his lap and writing in a planning calendar while talking on the phone. A baby sits at his knee, playing with blocks.

Society

Remote work can be a lot better than this

OPINION: Under the right conditions (i.e., not during a pandemic), telework can be great for both employers and employees

Living World

Save the microbes!

OPINION: Recent data suggest that microbial diversity is under threat — which puts the entire planet at risk

Health & Disease

Four ways HIV activists have saved lives during Covid

OPINION: We owe these early fighters a debt of gratitude for transforming our response to public health crises.

Health & Disease

Yes, all this screen time is hurting your eyes

OPINION: A neuroscientist says that he’s particularly worried about kids, who may have spent much of last year learning online. Some easy hacks can help.

Photo shows an unhoused man with his belongings resting in a covered bus stop in Washington, DC, in February 2021. A digital sign in the bus stop tracks upticks in the US national debt.

Society

The danger of high public debt is not what you think

OPINION: An overlooked consequence of huge deficit spending during the Covid-19 pandemic could be further loss of public trust in the government

Food & Environment

10 years after the nuclear meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi, I’m still worried

OPINION: The cleanup of the past decade at the Japanese power plant could be set back if authorities don’t properly handle a massive stockpile of contaminated water

Photograph of a smashed-up car that ran off the road into a lamppost. A fire truck and police cars are in the background.

Society

Another way that Covid can kill: Car crashes

OPINION: Traffic is down, but deaths are up. Here’s how to stay safe on the road.

Photo illustration of someone looking at information about mifepristone, used to terminate early pregnancies, on their smartphone.

Health & Disease

Abortions can happen safely — and entirely — at home

OPINION: The pandemic has taught us how we can deliver better care to patients who seek to terminate pregnancies. Now if only science could triumph over politics.

This scanning electron micrograph shows Clostridium difficile bacterial cells as they are dividing.

Health & Disease

Don’t let Covid boost another killer

OPINION: The pandemic may be interfering with our fight against drug-resistant bacteria. Luckily, the same tactics can beat back both scourges.

The Mind

Pandemic behavior: 4 takeaways, 2 experts and 1 big opportunity

OPINION: So many things about this global health crisis come down to people’s small, day-to-day actions. What have we learned so far?

Image of several coronaviruses floating on a red background

Health & Disease

How enlisting dentists can speed up Covid-19 vaccinations

OPINION: Dental care providers have the skills, the facilities and the trust of patients who might otherwise miss out

A conceptual illustration shows four individuals, three in white coats and all wearing masks, working at a circular table. A set of syringes points to the middle of the table. In the center is a large, blobby coronavirus particle.

Health & Disease

Are too many scientists studying Covid?

The pandemic prompted many scientists to pivot their research to the coronavirus. That’s not an entirely good thing.

A patient breaths in through a breathing apparatus during a medical test

Health & Disease

How to help Covid-19 long-haulers

OPINION: Patients with lingering symptoms need access to specialized clinics — and so much more

A man stands outside a taxicab, face mask on his forehead, looking at the camera

Society

Don’t abandon paid sick leave. It’s a cost-effective tool against Covid-19.

OPINION: Requiring companies to give unwell workers compensated time off isn’t a burden. It’s smart public health policy that reduces the spread of disease.

A family of four gathered in a hotel room, the father standing up by a small table figuring out food, the mother and children sitting on the bed, which has toys and books on it..

Society

A winter of despair for homeless families

OPINION: In the absence of much-needed measures, the pandemic will make the cold days harder and more perilous among our most vulnerable population

Photograph shows a back-view of a man and woman in business attire standing in front of two elevators and reaching for the buttons.

Society

How men can ‘lean in’ on behalf of women

OPINION: Women have been pulled away from their jobs during the pandemic. Here’s what they need right now from male allies in the office.

Conceptual illustration featuring a syringe and virus particles.

Health & Disease

I got the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. Or maybe not.

OPINION: Many Americans say they won’t take a vaccine. I am not one of <br xmlns="http://pub2web.metastore.ingenta.com/ns/"/>them — and I have the shots to prove it.

Society

Covid stole my Dad’s final months

OPINION: Because of the pandemic, I couldn’t visit him in his nursing home, and because of his dementia he couldn’t understand why. Mismanagement of this crisis has failed the elderly and caused incalculable hurt.

Health & Disease

7 ways to fix this pandemic — and stop the next one

OPINION: Experts predict another nearly 180,000 deaths by February. It doesn’t have to be that way, writes health security expert Eric Toner.

A still shot from the Eterna online game, which invites citizen scientists to help design RNA molecules with greater stability with an aim of making a potentially more practical Covid vaccine.

Health & Disease

Wanted: Online gamers to help build a more stable Covid-19 vaccine

OPINION: People beat artificial intelligence hands-down at puzzling out new ways to fold molecules for a potential SARS-Cov-2 immunization. Thousands more players are needed.

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