Stories by Robin Lloyd

Leaving the Paris Climate Accord Could Lead to a Public Health Disaster

Global warming will get worse. Physical and mental health might, too

When Breathing Goes Awry

Shortness of breath can arise from a bewildering number of conditions, complicating diagnosis and treatment

Flint's Water and Environmental Justice

The University of Michigan's Paul Mohai, a leading researcher of issues related to environmental justice, talked about the Flint water crisis at a workshop sponsored by the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources, attended by Scientific American contributing editor Robin Lloyd. 

Grand Canyon Rapids Ride for Evolution Education

Each summer, the National Center for Science Education organizes a boat trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon to bring visitors face to wall-face with striking examples of geologic and evolutionary processes.

Water Main Breaks Are a New Norm

Most of the nation’s waterworks require upgrades and replacement

Is There Really a War on Science?

People who oppose vaccines, GMOs and climate change evidence may be more anxious than antagonistic

For a White Christmas This Year, Try Alaska

A North Atlantic climate phenomenon will keep December 25 warm and snow-free in most of the country, other than in Anchorage and a few spots out West

Migratory Birds: What a Long-Range Trip It's Been

Ornithologist Eduardo Inigo-Elias, senior research associate with the conservation science program at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, talks about the challenges of studying migratory birds and how improved relations between the U.S. and Cuba will help his field     

HPV Cancers in Men Take Off

A male-centric vaccination approach might be more effective at combating the STD

NASA to Send Sample-Return Mission to Earth-Bound Asteroid [Video]

A spacecraft set to launch in 2016 will head for a carbonaceous asteroid that has a high probability of colliding with Earth in the 22nd century

An Inside Look at an 18 Million-year-old Fossil Dig Site in Florida

It took only 10 minutes for paleontologists to dig up a scientifically important tortoise fossil this fall when a group of science writers visited theFlorida Museum of Natural History’s Thomas Farm site.

Comedy about Isaac Newton Enlightens

Haskell King plays Isaac Newton in the Ensemble Studio Theater production of "Isaac's Eye." Isaac Newton, the giant of classical physics and co-inventor of calculus, was a pill.

Science and the Public Parlay: Come a Little Bit Closer

BOSTON—Rarer than hen’s teeth is a bill in Congress that has bipartisan support. But such legislation exists, and if passed would open up a semi-secret world.

Do Birds Really Migrate South for the Winter? [Video]

In a demonstration of the power of citizen science, millions of data points collected by laypeople helped generate stunning North American bird migration forecasts for more than 300 species

40 Years of Health Care for Women-Including Access to Abortion Services

Today’s political rhetoric in the U.S. makes it easy to fall into the trap of viewing abortion services as outside the realm of women’s health care—but a recent event in Manhattan belied that logical flaw, just as Scientific American did in an editorial in its May 2012 issue.

SA Biology Blogger Wins L'Oreal For Women in Science Fellowship

The Miss America pageant is often judged to be somewhat of an insult to women. So I was once surprised to learn that the Miss America Organization is the world’s largest provider of scholarship assistance to younger women.

Massive Genomics Center Set to Open in Lower Manhattan

An artist's rendition of the New York Genome Center exterior at 101 Avenue of the Americas, Manhattan. Credit: NYGC NEW YORK—For a spot news junkie, the sight of a podium-studded dais surrounded by people holding up recording devices is irresistible, especially on a hot summer day.

Transcript: Live Chat with SA Blogs Editor Bora Zivkovic on Clocks, Metabolism and Evolution

What's Smaller Than Mark Zuckerberg?

The Facebook IPO earlier this month left us a bit disappointed. There were financial and ethical let-downs. But the over-arching surprise is that people were misled in advance about the value of the company.

Is Football to Blame for Players' Suicides?

High-profile suicides of professional football players have mounted in the past several years—Terry Long (2005), Andre Waters (2006), Dave Duerson (2011) and Ray Easterling (2012) all killed themselves following retirement and bouts with diagnoses likely related to the thousands of hits they fearlessly underwent as players.