Policy16715 articles archived since 1845

Readers Respond to the February 2019 Issue

Letters to the editor from the February 2019 issue of Scientific American

Rubella Vaccines Succeed; Alcock and Brown Fly across the Atlantic

Innovation and discovery as chronicled in Scientific American

Understanding through Time

Bag Bans Won’t Solve the Plastic Pollution Problem

Policies need to address a deeper, more systemic failure of global recycling systems 

Online Voting Seems like a Great Idea—Until You Look Closer

Tech experts can’t guarantee it’s safe

In Case You Missed It

Top news from around the world

We Can’t Count on Missile Defense to Defeat Incoming Nukes

Missiles designed to destroy incoming nuclear warheads fail frequently in tests and could increase global risk of mass destruction

People of Color Breathe More Than Their Share of Polluted Air

Black and Hispanic people in the U.S. are exposed to more emissions than whites and consume less from the industries responsible

At First-Ever Public Hearing on CBD, FDA and Advocates Try to Blaze Trail to Regulatory Compromise

Agency officials press sometimes confused stakeholders for more data. Is it possible to define a “more effective CBD cosmetic?”

Don’t Panic about Rare Earth Elements

The materials used in iPhones and Tesla cars need not become a long-term casualty of a U.S.-China trade war

Trump Administration to Issue First Emissions Limits for Planes

Greenhouse gas contributions from air travel are expected to rapidly increase in the near future

The Trump Administration Has Attacked Science 100 Times ... and Counting

That’s more than any administration since the Union of Concerned Scientists started tracking

The Case for Collaborative Care

It produces better patient outcomes. Here’s why it works and how it can be effectively deployed

Mystery Solved: Warming Superpollutant Tracked to China

Chinese firms violated international law by using a banned, potent greenhouse gas in insulation manufacturing

What Are the Biological Consequences of Homelessness?

Understanding why living on the street seems to cause rapid aging could help homeless people—and governments

Science on the Hill: Solving the Plastic Waste Problem

On June 6, a panel of experts convened by  Scientific American  and Nature Research—part of Springer Nature—will talk about the issue and possible solutions in Washington, D.C...

Anthropocene Now: Influential Panel Votes to Recognize Earth’s New Epoch

The atomic age would mark the start of the current geologic time unit, if proposal receives final approval

How to Reverse the Assault on Science

We should stop being so embarrassed by uncertainty and embrace it as a strength rather than a weakness of scientific reasoning

Turn Methane into CO₂ to Reduce Warming, Experts Propose

Converting methane into a less potent greenhouse gas would need to be done along with overall emissions reductions

Why Do Some Green Activists Eat Meat?

Saying you care about the environment a bit is hollow if you’re not ready to change your diet