Society & Policy13341 articles archived since 1845

Coastal Flooding Has Surged in U.S.

LEGO Reveals Female Scientist Minifigures

After much rejoicing at the news last month that LEGO would mass-produce a set of female scientist minifigures, the company has released a prototype of the final set to its original designer, Ellen Kooijman (a.k.a...

Put the Muse Back in Museums

Science museums should recruit the public in confronting the planet’s toughest challenges

Hotter Heat Waves Deadly, but Cities Can Use Tricks for Cooling Off

Cities can combat the urban heat island effect under global warming with trees, white roofs and other fixes

Hard Road Ahead for Solar Freakin' Roadways

Take a solar panel. Surround it with light-emitting diodes attached to a microprocessor and, in northern climes at least, some kind of heater.

New Hotbeds of Innovation Rise in the U.S.

Seattle and Raleigh top the list of cities that are grabbing patents fastest 

Developing World: Global Warning

Much of the world is ill-equipped to cope with its rising cancer burden and are pushing prevention and screening

Parched California Proposes Steep Fines for Over-Watering Lawns

Why Is Namibia Killing Its Rare Desert Elephants?

On Saturday, June 21 one of the Republic of Namibia’s rare desert elephants was felled by a hunter’s rifle. Unlike most of the other elephants that die on any given day in Africa, this particular elephant was slain legally...

Put Yourself in the Cheater's Shoes

Could seeing the world through the eyes of the scientist who behaves unethically be a valuable tool for those trying to behave ethically? Last semester, I asked my “Ethics in Science” students to review an online ethics training module of the sort that many institutions use to address responsible conduct of research with their students [...]..

Clean Energy to Stave Off Catastrophic Climate Change Possible by 2050, Barely

The world is not on track to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius but can still hold that line with tremendous effort

Biotech Reels over Natural Products Ruling

Firms are fighting with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and Supreme Court for the right to patent natural products and processes

U.S., China Ink Coal, Clean Energy Deals but Climate Differences Remain

Space-Based Data Collection Better Predicts Floods

Satellite data can help geologists predict major floods up to 11 months in advance in areas where snow melt or groundwater is a significant contributor. Cynthia Graber reports 

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Endangered Manatees Face a New Threat: Lawsuits

What do manatees and bureaucracy have in common? They both have a tendency to move slowly—sometimes painfully slowly. In Florida manatees’ own lethargy puts the animals at risk of being killed or injured by the speedboats that zip through the state’s waterways...

How to Protect Yourself against Bad Self-Help

Dangers lurk within the U.S.'s $12-billion self-help industry. Here is how to spot the warning signs

Drinking from the Toilet

Treated sewage could be the safest, most environmentally sound source of tap water yet—if we can get over the yuck factor

Can Indiana Jones Help Sort Out the Palm Oil Problem?

Harrison Ford, known for iconic roles such as Han Solo and the intrepid archaeologist, confronts the Indonesian forestry minister on television

Foreign Companies Grab Increasing Share of U.S. Patents

Countries and companies scramble to gain a competitive edge

Air Pollution's Impact on Cancer Is "Grossly Underestimated"

Carcinogens are all around us, so scientists are broadening their ideas of environmental risk