Scientific American Endorses Joe Biden
We’ve never backed a presidential candidate in our 175-year history—until now
Stories by THE EDITORS
Welcome to 175 Years of Discovery
An orientation to our special issue
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
Too Many Black Americans Are Dying from COVID-19
The pandemic exposed a glaring health gap caused by systemic racism. Here’s how to narrow it
Rape Kits Are Sitting on Shelves, Untested
Evidence gathered in sexual-assault cases could catch more criminals—if anyone bothered to look
Facial-Recognition Technology Needs More Regulation
Algorithms that can recognize people are too often biased or inaccurate—and they can easily invade our privacy
The President Alone Should Not Be Able to Start a Nuclear War
The U.S. should require a second assent for a strike and pledge to never strike first
5G Could Disrupt Accurate Weather Forecasts
Storm tracking could be scuttled by interference from next-gen wireless communications
The New Coronavirus Outbreak: What We Know So Far
A virus that originated in Wuhan, China, has sickened thousands in the country and spread to numerous other nations
Doctors Need to Focus Less on a Patient’s Weight
Extra pounds can lead to health problems, but dwelling on fat itself can increase stigma and shame
A Nationwide Ban Is Needed for “Anti-Gay Therapy”
Most states still allow this damaging practice targeting young teens
Adapt or Mitigate? Both
To cope with climate change, we need every strategy we’ve got
The U.S. Congress Has Started to Revive Gun Violence Research—and Must Follow Through
A new bill promises millions of dollars for lifesaving studies, and scientists should use it wisely
China Needs Stronger Ethical Safeguards in Biomedicine
As the country seeks to become a research powerhouse, it must rectify worrisome practices
The U.S. Should Tighten Vaccination Mandates
Existing religious and philosophical exemptions endanger public health
Indigenous Remains Do Not Belong to Science
The law that allows Native Americans to claim ancestral remains must be strengthened
The U.S. Needs to Tighten Vaccination Mandates
Existing religious and philosophical exemptions endanger public health
Everyone Is an Agent in the New Information Warfare
Before you click “like,” hit “pause”
The U.S. Should Go Back to the Moon—but Not on Its Own
Do not make the U.S.’s lunar return an international clash
Bag Bans Won’t Solve the Plastic Pollution Problem
Policies need to address a deeper, more systemic failure of global recycling systems
