The U.S. Opioid Epidemic Is Driving a Spike in Infectious Diseases
Researchers around the country are scrambling to understand these outbreaks, but lack solid data on case numbers
Stories by Sara Reardon
Massive Study Finds No Single Genetic Cause of Same-Sex Sexual Behavior
Analysis of half a million people suggests genetics may have a limited contribution to sexual orientation
Trials Test if C-section Babies Benefit from Mom’s Microbes
Swabbing infants with mothers’ vaginal bacteria could affect the children’s health, but critics warn of sparse data and high risk
Big Changes Needed to Fight Harassment, Group Tells US Biomedical Agency
Advisory panel says US National Institutes of Health should treat sexual harassment more seriously and do more to help affected researchers
Trump Administration Halts Fetal-Tissue Research by Government Scientists
Policy also requires ethics review for any grant applications to the National Institutes of Health that involve fetal tissue
Trump Seeks Big Cuts to Science Funding—Again
The president wants to cut spending at the National Institutes of Health and Environmental Protection Agency, but it is not clear whether Congress will go along
Party-Drug-Turned-Antidepressant Approaches Approval
Johnson & Johnson has submitted its esketamine for regulatory approval, but researchers still don't understand how the fast-acting antidepressant lifts moods
How Machine Learning Could Keep Dangerous DNA out of Terrorists' Hands
Sophisticated algorithms could help DNA-synthesis companies avoid making dangerous organisms on demand
As the Shutdown Persists, Here Are 5 Ways It Will Impact Science
A second wave of closures looms as the government funding fight barrels towards a record-breaking fourth week
Science and the Supreme Court: Cases to Watch in 2018
The death penalty, uranium mining and the endangered dusky gopher frog are among the topics that justices will consider this year
U.S. Is Woefully Unprepared for Nuclear Strike
Its health system lacks the capacity to respond to attacks that use high-powered modern weapons
Autism and DDT: What 1 Million Pregnancies Can—and Can't—Reveal
Analysis finds prenatal exposure to the pesticide is associated with a higher risk of severe autism with intellectual impairment
Trump Taps Meteorologist as White House Science Advisor
Nomination of Kelvin Droegemeier could end long drought at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Top U.S. Court Upholds Trump Travel Ban: Student Visas Already in Decline
In 5-4 ruling, Supreme Court allows government to bar visitors and immigrants from seven nations
Controversial Alcohol Study Cancelled by U.S. Health Agency
An investigation by the U.S. National Institutes of Health finds missteps that put the industry-funded project’s credibility in doubt
Hybrid Human–Chicken Embryos Illuminate Key Developmental Milestone
A new technique could replace the need for human embryos in some lab experiments
Colombia after the Violence
Peace efforts in Colombia have ended 50 years of intense conflict. Now, scientists are studying former fighters and victims as they attempt to heal
Brain Implants for Mood Disorders Tested in People
AI-controlled devices record neural activity and automatically stimulate the brain
Trump Budget Gives Last-Minute Reprieve to Science Funding
Funding for the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health would hold steady after Congress agrees to lift spending caps, but details are fuzzy
Cells Hack Viruslike Protein to Communicate
Proteins that researchers think are key to long-term memory formation also move genetic material between cells in both mice and flies
