Policy & Ethics
If You Say ‘Science Is Right,’ You’re Wrong
It can’t supply absolute truths about the world, but it brings us steadily closer
Stories by Naomi Oreskes
Policy & Ethics
The Reason Some Republicans Mistrust Science: Their Leaders Tell Them To
GOP officials have been denigrating the government, including government scientists, for decades
Climate
That ‘Obama Scientist’ Climate Skeptic You’ve Been Hearing About ...
His track record on getting climate science right is extremely poor
Behavior & Society
Making Vaccines Is Straightforward; Getting People to Take Them Isn’t
Our instincts are unreliable about which problems are easy to solve and which are hard
Policy & Ethics
Scientists Should Admit They Bring Personal Values to Their Work
Value neutrality among researchers is a myth that hurts the public trust of science
Policy & Ethics
Expert Opinion Can’t Be Trusted if You Consult the Wrong Sort of Expert
The failure of the U.S. to respond appropriately to the pandemic could have been predicted if anyone had bothered to ask social scientists
Behavior & Society
Scientists Need to Be Kinder to One Another
Mutual criticism in research is necessary, but it needn’t be nasty
Space
Exploring Space Can Unite the U.S.—but Not in the Way You Might Think
Survey show that Americans want NASA to monitor climate change and asteroid threats, not land astronauts on the moon
Policy & Ethics
To Understand How Science Denial Works, Look to History
The same tactics used to cast doubt on the dangers of smoking and climate change are now being used to downplay COVID
Policy & Ethics
Scientists Failed to Use Common Sense Early in the Pandemic
The WHO’s initial advice not to wear masks in the fight to contain COVID sowed dangerous confusion
Policy & Ethics
Racism and Sexism in Science Haven’t Disappeared
Those who argue that the system will magically self-correct are kidding themselves
Computing
Unlimited Information Is Transforming Society
Technology is blurring the lines between consumers and producers, amateurs and professionals, and laypeople and experts. We’re just starting to understand the implications
Policy & Ethics
The False Logic behind Science Denial
Those who argue that COVID-19 isn’t a real threat are mirroring bogus attacks on global warming and evolution
Policy & Ethics
Jeffrey Epstein’s Harvard Connections Show How Money Can Distort Research
Letting the rich pay for science that interests them is a bad idea—even if they aren’t convicted sex offenders
Policy & Ethics
Joining Pro-Business Groups Can Make Tech Firms Seem to Be Antiscience
Some trade organizations have distorted the facts on climate change and other issues to keep members’ profits high
Math
Small Numbers Can Have Huge Impacts on Climate and Health
A number can be tiny in relative terms but hugely important nonetheless
Policy & Ethics
Funding Cuts Threaten to Hobble American Science
Support for basic research helped to make the U.S. an economic powerhouse, but that’s now in danger
Policy & Ethics
Why Do White Men and Scientists Tend to Downplay the Risks of Technology?
The naive answer is that white men and scientists are coldly rational—but that’s not the whole story
Policy & Ethics
Ensuring Measurement Devices Are Accurate Is Tedious but Crucial
Instrument calibration is essential for science—and justice
Climate
Fossil-Fuel Subsidies Must End
Despite claims to the contrary, eliminating them would have a significant effect in addressing the climate crisis
