Politics

Politics

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Fanciful drawing of scientific-looking apparatus, highlighting a variety of research that made the news this year.

Corruption: When norms upstage the law

People with good motives may engage in bribery and worse depending on what society expects of them. A political scientist explains.

A collage including children tattling, an old-fashioned telephone, an advertisement for a tip line, a pointing finger, police with a detainee, a mugshot and a woman blowing a whistle.

Society

See something, say something? The science of speaking out

From tattling to whistleblowing, a sociologist explores what drives people to tell on one another

Conceptual art shows a government building opening up to show gears, a wrench and mechanical systems at work under the roof.

Society

How to make bureaucracies better

People love to hate them, but effective administrative systems shape good government. A political scientist weighs in on why reforming them is best done with care.

A young grizzly bear climbs over a highway guardrail.

Food & Environment

Getting along with grizzly bears

In rural Alaskan and Canadian communities, reducing conflict between people and their wild neighbors means both species must change their behavior

Illustration shows a robot standing in front of a judicial robe hanging on a hook.

Society

Why regulating AI is so hard — and necessary

Misinformation, market volatility and more: Faced with the need to mitigate risks that artificial intelligence presents, countries and regions are charting different paths

Hands type at a computer with bar graphs on screen, other hands hold questionnaires.

Society

Can you believe the polls? It depends

A veteran of survey research explains why high-quality polling matters — and warns of the proliferation of shoddy gimmicks

A conceptual illustration shows a city street with people standing on each side, some holding placards. One side is colored red, the other blue. There are political posters on the walls and a huge chasm in the middle of the street.

Society

Divided we stand: The rise of political animosity

Scientists peered into the partisan abyss. Here’s what they found.

Conceptual collage shows two upset parents with some large, accusing fingers pointed at them. In the background is a teenager holding a placard with his details on it, as if posing for a mug shot.

Society

When are parents responsible for their kids’ behavior?

A researcher weighs in on who’s accountable, when and why, in the eyes of the law — and whether the measures work as intended

Photo of an older man holding a framed, transparent prism, which partly blocks and distorts his face.

Society

The atomic bomb, exile and a test of brotherly bonds: Robert and Frank Oppenheimer

A rift in thinking about who should control powerful new technologies sent the brothers on diverging paths. For one, the story ended with a mission to bring science to the public.

Photograph of molten metal being poured from a bucket in a metal workshop

Food & Environment

A big boost to Europe’s climate change goals

The bloc aims to become the first carbon-neutral continent. A new policy called CBAM will assist its ambitions — and may persuade other countries to follow in its footsteps.

Abstract illustration representing rising student debt, showing graduates in cap-and-gown attire, a laptop and dollar signs.

Society

The knotty economics of student loan debt

People in the US owe a whopping $1.7 trillion for higher education. An economist weighs in on how to deal with the ballooning college tab.

Photo shows a mural of a man with black hair and mustache in front of a landscape with city lights, mountains and the sunset. The words “Barrio Pablo Escobar” are on the left. On the right it says: “Bienvenidos” (Welcome) along with the slogan “Aquí se respira paz” (Here we breathe peace).

Society

When criminals rule the land

In Latin America, tens of millions of people live in territories that are governed by outlaws — from powerful drug cartels to crime syndicates. What can be done to restore legitimate law and order?