A Tree and Its People in a Warming Landscape
Conservation scientist Lauren Oakes discusses her book about Alaska ecology and sociology, In Search of the Canary Tree: The Story of a Scientist, a Cypress, and a Changing World...
Policy & Ethics12971 articles archived since 1845
Why Are Electric Vehicle Sales Low? Psychology Provides Clues
Social norms and a lack of information on financial benefits have hampered U.S. EV adoption
4/20 Traffic Accidents Claim Curbed
A deeper data dive calls into question a 2018 study that found a spike in fatal traffic accidents apparently related to marijuana consumption on this date.
Part-Revived Pig Brains Raise Slew of Ethical Quandaries
Researchers need guidance on animal use and the many issues opened up by a new study on whole-brain restoration, argue Nita A. Farahany, Henry T. Greely and Charles M. Giattino
Stanford Clears Three Faculty Members of "CRISPR Babies" Involvement
A review concluded that the scientists did not take part in a Chinese researcher’s experiment to edit the genomes of twin human embryos
Nobelist Says System of Science Offers Life Lessons
At an event honoring Nobel and Kavli Prize winners, economist Paul Romer talked about how the social system of science offers hope for humanity and for how we can live with each other.
To Prevent Women from Dying in Childbirth, First Stop Blaming Them
Two-thirds of all U.S. maternal deaths are considered preventable. Racism—not race—is a critical factor
Fertile Ground: The Long-Neglected Science of Female Reproductive Health
When the discussion of reproductive health is dominated by the political will to control it, gaps in medical research get overshadowed
Washington Aims to Decarbonize its Electricity Grid
It is the fourth state to pursue such a plan, with a couple others looking at following suit
After a $14-Billion Upgrade, New Orleans' Levees Are Sinking
Sea-level rise and ground subsidence will render the flood barriers inadequate in just four years
Readers Respond to the December 2018 Issue
Letters to the editor from the December 2018 issue of Scientific American
States Target Potent Greenhouse Gases in Absence of Federal Action
The push to restrict hydrofluorocarbons is one of the clearest examples of states banding together on climate policy
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Top news from around the world
1969: We Used Flints for Threshing; 1919: We Wanted Airships for Travel
Innovation and discovery as chronicled in Scientific American
Solar Power's Benefits Don't Shine Equally on Everyone
Racial and ethnic minorities have less access to solar power, regardless of income, highlighting the need for environmental justice
The World Health Organization Gives the Nod to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Bad Idea
The World Health Organization is now promoting unproved traditional Chinese medicine
New York Looks to Congestion Pricing to Control Pollution
The plan would be the first in the U.S. and would help fund the city’s aging public transit system
Looking for Life on Mars: Viking Experiment Team Member Reflects on Divisive Findings
Patricia Straat looks back on the Viking lander experiment that aimed to find microbes
When Storms Hit Cities, Poor Areas Suffer Most
Low-income neighborhoods see more damage and have less political clout to advocate for fixes
The Pitfalls of Data's Gender Gap
Without female data, everything from safety gear to urban design to Siri is biased toward men. The effects range from inconvenient to deadly
