Stories by The Editors

Hacking the Ransomware Problem

Organizations can act to protect themselves, but collaboration is the best defense

Biodiversity’s Greatest Protectors Need Protection

Indigenous peoples have been conserving ecosystems for millennia. Now the developed world wants to evict them

Expanding Mental Health Care Is a Medical Necessity

The COVID pandemic made a long-standing problem even more urgent

New State Laws Harm Public Health by Putting Politicians in Charge of Medicine

A crop of bad bills hobbles health agencies and makes it harder to stop disease

Fix Disaster Response Now

Emergency management leaves out vulnerable groups and is poorly prepared for worsening climate-related disasters

America’s Long-Term Care System Is Broken

It’s time to invest more in home-based care and nursing homes, increase workers’ pay and improve oversight

Why Anti-Trans Laws Are Anti-Science

Bills that restrict access to gender-affirming health care ignore research

Some Pandemic Health Habits Deserve to Stay

We need a public health culture change informed by lessons from COVID

How Scientific American’s Staff Is Reacting to the CDC’s New Mask Guidance

We asked our vaccinated colleagues whether they planned on keeping their masks on or not—and why

Those Who Investigate Premature Deaths Should Have Medical Training

Coroners are not typically required to have medical expertise—and that’s a problem

Three Ways to Fix Toxic Policing

Accountability, demilitarization and the transfer of responsibilities to social workers are needed to remake our overly antagonistic law-enforcement agencies

Biden Must Take Immediate Action to Reduce the Risk of Nuclear War

The continuing proliferation of atomic weapons threatens the safety of billions

Stop Domestic Terrorism

Our national leaders must take on racist-driven violence in the U.S.

Stories from a Past Pandemic

Readers write in about their ancestors’ experiences during the 1918 flu

A Step to Ease the Pandemic Mental Health Crisis

A technique known as psychological first aid could help reduce COVID stress and anxiety

The Four Most Pressing Science Priorities for the Next President

No One Should Have Sole Authority to Launch a Nuclear Attack

Leaving the decision to strike to the president alone is dangerous

A Federal Law That Protects Competition but Permits Hate and Harassment Online Must Be Revised

Fixing a flawed Internet free speech regulation requires input from more than just tech giants such as Facebook and Twitter

Take Racism Out of Medical Algorithms

Tools used in health care are harming people of color. It’s time to fix them

Facial-Recognition Technology Needs More Regulation

Algorithms that can recognize people are too often biased or inaccurate—and they can easily invade our privacy