How to Distribute a COVID-19 Vaccine Ethically
The unequal wealth of nations should not determine allocation
Policy & Ethics16337 articles archived since 1845
The Next Administration Must Get Science and Technology Policy Right
This was evident even before the pandemic descended; it’s even more crucial now
U.S. National Academy of Sciences Can Kick Out Harassers—So Why Hasn’t It?
The NAS says that no one has used the complaint system put in place last year, even though several academy members are known sexual harassers
Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Death Is One More Terrible Blow in a Year of Loss
She was a champion of equality under the law and would have played a crucial role in key cases that bear on environmental protection
Who Benefits from Public Green Space?
The High Line in New York City shows that the answer can be the wealthy, who flock to live nearby, driving up property values and driving out long-term, low-income residents
When Politics Distorts Science
Shocking levels of interference at the CDC and HHS threaten public faith in our most reliable public health institutions
Anonymous Peer Review: Truth or Trolling?
When reviewers of journal articles are hidden behind a curtain, they can get away with unethical behavior
We Can’t Allow the CDC to Be Tainted by Politics
If science doesn’t drive the agency’s crucial weekly reports about disease prevalence and mortality, we’ll lose a key tool for fighting this pandemic
COVID-19 Dreams, Synchronicity and Visitors from Another Solar System
Welcome to the October issue of Scientific American
Scientific American Endorses Joe Biden
We’ve never backed a presidential candidate in our 175-year history—until now
It’s Time to Rein in Inflated Military Budgets
In an era of pandemics and climate change, we need to reconsider what “national security” means
In Case You Missed It
Top news from around the world
COVID-19’s Disparate Impacts Are Not a Story about Race
They’re a story about racism
The Idea That a Scientific Theory Can Be ‘Falsified’ Is a Myth
It’s time we abandoned the notion
Stop Stealing Doctors from Developing Countries
The U.S. is luring physicians from places where they’re already in short supply
How Those Bogus Reports on ‘Ineffective’ Neck Gaiters Got Started
The study they were based on was misrepresented by the press—but the scientists were partly at fault as well
The Dangers of Intellectual Territorialism
Narrow expertise has its value, but it’s also vital to let scientists step out of their “lanes”
Do-It-Yourself Vaccines for COVID-19
Some scientists are self-administering an untested product. Is doing so legal or ethical?
Republican Convention Ignored Climate Threat, But Americans’ Attitudes Are Shifting
Many Americans have experienced climate-fueled disasters in the last four years and want to see federal action
Medical Education Needs Rethinking
Under the lingering influence of the 110-year-old Flexner Report, medical schools still minimize social and environmental factors in the understanding and treatment of disease
