Policy & Ethics
Science Sting Exposes Corrupt Journal Publishers
A stunt reveals the problematic practices of predatory journals
Stories by Ivan Oransky
Policy & Ethics
Scientists Protest Trump Order with Boycotts of Journals, Conferences
More than 4,500 academics have pledged to skip U.S.-based meetings
Medicine
New Study Raises Concerns About Morning Sickness Drug
An analysis of an early trial reveals missing data, high dropout rates and inconsistencies
The Sciences
Scams Prompt Attempt to Plug Holes in Scientific Publishing System
Some scientists have found highly unethical or duplicitous routes to tamper with and game the peer-review system designed to ensure the validity of findings
Public Health
What is swine flu? U.S. declares public health emergency
U.S. officials declared a public health emergency today over swine flu, now that 20 cases of the illness have been confirmed in the country, with 80 dead and 1,300 infected in Mexico.
The Sciences
Wyden's vision for health care reform begins with making sure everyone is covered
SEATTLE -- If the U.S. wants real health care reform, it needs to make sure everyone is covered. The way to pay for that coverage? Limiting the tax-exempt status of health insurance premiums, Sen...
Space
Space shuttle Discovery reaches orbit successfully
Space shuttle Discovery reached orbit 200 miles above earth tonight at 7:51 local time, after taking off from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida at 7:43:44.
The Sciences
At Intel STS Week, a 17-year-old on science, meeting President Obama, and a TV in the bathroom
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 10, 2009)—If you're 17 and visiting our nation's capital, it's probably enough that your hotel room at the Saint Regis, steps from the White House, has a television in the bathroom...
The Sciences
And the Intel Science Talent Search winners are...
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 10, 2009)—Eric Larson, 17, of Eugene, Ore., took home the top prize at this year's Intel Science Talent Search here—a $100,000 scholarship—for "classifying mathematical objects called fusion categories." His work, according to Intel, "describes these in certain dimensions for the first time." Here, we will attempt to explain what that means...
The Sciences
Sebelius is pick for HHS secretary
The New York Times and the Associated Press, quoting an anonymous White House source, are reporting that Pres. Barack Obama has chosen Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as secretary of the U.S...
The Sciences
Your guide to the Oscars--Or at least the science of the Oscars
The 81st Annual Academy Awards are tonight, and science would be in the running for best supporting theme—if there was an Oscar for that kind of thing.
The Sciences
Artificial life: Was Steven Spielberg onto something in E.T.?
CHICAGO—There is a moment in Steven Spielberg's E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial in which scientists realize that E.T. in fact has DNA, like Earth-based life forms.
Sustainability
At AAAS, Al Gore urges scientists to get involved in climate change debate
CHICAGO—Fresh from adding a Grammy to his mantle Sunday, former vice president Al Gore told scientists gathered here for the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to push administration officials and the general public for solutions to climate change...
The Sciences
Who are the 10 most important people working in science in 2009?
Readers, we'd like your recommendations. Following up on our long-running Scientific American 50 series, we’re looking for 10 individuals who during the past year have demonstrated exceptional leadership and accomplishment in guaranteeing that future technologies will be applied to the benefit of humanity...
The Sciences
James Watson--yes, that Watson--to discuss...how to train scientists better?
I got an invitation today to a film screening of Naturally Obsessed, The Making of a Scientist . The documentary, by Richard and Carole Rifkind, asks the question, "What does it take to produce the scientists we need to keep America competitive?" That seems like an important question, and one to which Scientific American readers would no doubt like to have the answer...
Sustainability
Farewell, pygmy rabbit? Officials may give up on an endangered species
It may be the end of the road for an endangered species of rabbit. After eight years and several million dollars, federal officials will likely halt a program by the end of this year designed to save the Columbia basin pygmy rabbit from extinction, according to the Associated Press...
Health
RIP: The Medscape Journal of Medicine, an open-access pioneer, stops publishing new papers
A pioneering medical journal has fallen victim to the dramatic and wrenching changes that are overtaking the publishing industry: The Medscape Journal of Medicine (MJM) , the first electronic-only open access general medical journal,* will no longer publish new papers, Editor in Chief George Lundberg and colleagues announced yesterday...
The Sciences
Ivan No, or why you shouldn't name your kid after me: He might become a criminal
Our friends at LiveScience posted a story yesterday that makes me want to ransack their offices. Now before you assume that’s the sort of thing that happens in the dog-eat-dog world of science journalism, take a look at the story...
Health
Confirmed: Peanut butter is culprit in 400 U.S. salmonella cases
Turns out it was the peanut butter. The typhimurium type, if you must know. Minnesota health officials confirmed today that the salmonella strain -- also known as a serotype -- found in a 5-pound container of King Nut peanut butter on Friday is the same as the strain that has wreaked havoc in 410 people in 43 U.S...
Tech
Perigee moons, and other Twitter musings--Follow us!
ScientificAmerican.com —in the form of the author of this blog post—had a great experience this weekend. Despite the fact that it was cloudy and snowing heavily much of Saturday night in western Massachusetts, we got to see this month’s perigee moon, the largest and brightest of 2009...
