Policy
What’s on the Horizon for 2023
Scientific American editors share what scientific events they are paying attention to as 2023 begins
Stories by The Editors
Space Exploration
Keep Looking Up
As a dismal year on Earth draws to a close, milestones in space exploration offer much for the whole world to celebrate
Culture
Every Story Is a Science Story
Science applies to every important social issue. Saying so doesn’t make us “unscientific”
Politics
On Election Day, Vote for Candidates with Science-Based Policies, Not Politicians Who Ignore Evidence
Some office seekers have positions based on research and facts, whereas others stand on assumptions and bias
Water
We Need 50 More Years of the Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that has fundamentally changed water pollution in the U.S., is under attack when it should be strengthened instead
Health Care
We Need More Health Clinics at Schools
In-school clinics improve well-being and educational outcomes and serve children who need them most
Education
Teaching about Racism Is Essential for Education
Lessons about racial injustice help students understand reality
Oceans
Exploration Is Fundamental to Human Success
Discoveries inspire us, give us hope for a better future and pay off generously
Politics
Evidence Shouldn’t Be Optional
This Supreme Court often ignores science when handing down decisions, and it affects far too many lives
Renewable Energy
We Need to Make ‘Electrifying Everything’ Easier
Incentives and remodeling need to be more straightforward and equitable if we expect people to convert their homes away from fossil fuels
Politics
To Prevent Nuclear Annihilation, Resume Negotiations Immediately
The war in Ukraine shows the urgency of nuclear arms control
Culture
The Science Is Clear: Gun Control Saves Lives
By enacting simple laws that make guns safer and harder to get, we can prevent killings like the ones in Uvalde and Buffalo
Reproduction
Abortion Rights Are Good Health Care and Good Science
Restricting access to abortion goes against science, safety, and human dignity and portends a dangerous future
Policy
Cryptocurrencies and NFTs Are a Buyer Beware Market
Scams and volatility plague this market, and the Biden administration is still trying to decide where the federal government fits in
Politics
Why We Must Protect Voting Rights
Evidence shows they boost suffrage, not fraud
Public Health
Contagions Worse Than COVID Will Prevail if Neglect of Global Public Health Continues
Health security is as important to a nation as a standing army
Policy
Why Anti-Trans Laws Are Anti-Science
Bills that restrict access to gender-affirming health care ignore research
Privacy
Hacking the Ransomware Problem
Organizations can act to protect themselves, but collaboration is the best defense
Conservation
Biodiversity’s Greatest Protectors Need Protection
Indigenous peoples have been conserving ecosystems for millennia. Now the developed world wants to evict them
Mental Health
Expanding Mental Health Care Is a Medical Necessity
The COVID pandemic made a long-standing problem even more urgent
