Book Review: Tackling the Riddle of Free Will
In “Free Agents” and “Determined,” authors Kevin J. Mitchell and Robert M. Sapolsky respectively undertake the expansive task of using the tools of science probe the question of whether we possess free...
View ArticleMedicaid ‘Unwinding’ Breeds Chaos in States
After pandemic-era federal protections ended this spring, Medicaid coverage for 10 million people across the country has been terminated. Millions more are expected to lose coverage in the coming...
View ArticleMedicaid ‘Unwinding’ Breeds Chaos in States
After pandemic-era federal protections ended this spring, Medicaid coverage for 10 million people across the country has been terminated. Millions more are expected to lose coverage in the coming...
View ArticleFor Volunteers Harmed in Clinical Trials, an Imperfect Safety Net
It’s a quirk of United States law that has long bedeviled bioethicists: Unlike in most other countries with lots of clinical research, U.S. regulations do not guarantee support for people who are...
View ArticleIn Massachusetts, Problem Gambling Meets Public Health
In 2015, Massachusetts launched its GameSense program, which employs advisors within casinos to help people who have spent too much money or time gambling. While the program is helpful for some, for...
View ArticleFresh Hope for Tracking Bird Migration in the Remote West
Scientists across the Western United States are increasingly turning to the Motus Wildlife Tracking System, an accessible, low-cost radio-based technology, to answer key questions for the first time...
View ArticleThe Log Jam in Biden’s $50 Billion Dollar Wildfire Plan
Last year, President Joe Biden’s administration unveiled a $50 billion wildfire prevention plan that emphasizes partially logging forests to reduce the amount of fuel that can burn. But an...
View ArticleInterview: What We Can Learn From Loneliness Research
Medical anthropologist Michelle Parsons says the profound consequences of loneliness and perceived social isolation extend beyond relationships with loved ones and acquaintances, but also relationships...
View ArticleIn Alaska, Preparing for Tsunamis Is No Small Feat
It’s hard to plan for a tsunami, especially as tsunami science is practically in its infancy, having only emerged in the 1980s. Scientists in Alaska lack the technology required to forecast tsunamis...
View ArticleIs China Emitting a Potent Greenhouse Gas It Agreed to Curb?
In 2021, China promised to dramatically reduce emissions of HFC-23, one of the world’s most potent greenhouse gases, by the end of that year. But air samples collected at a remote South Korean station...
View ArticleThe Military’s Big Bet on Artificial Intelligence
The Department of Defense is eager for new technology in the name of national security. But as the U.S. pours billions into development, some are raising questions about the ethical use of AI in the...
View ArticleWorld Leaders Must Fulfill Their Promises for TB Funding
After a decades-long decline, the global incidence of tuberculosis has risen since 2020, with cities around the world experiencing outbreaks. A nurse and TB survivor says governments must fulfill their...
View ArticleBook Review: The Ripple Effects of Climate Breakdown in Nature
In “The End of Eden,” Adam Welz issues a powerful warning about “the intimate ecological breakdowns” imperiling life on Earth because of the ripple effects of climate change, building his case by...
View ArticleDo Video Doorbells Really Help to Deter Crime?
People are increasingly installing motion-activated devices like Ring video doorbells to record possible criminal activity — and in some cases, sharing the footage with police departments in high-crime...
View ArticlePlastic Is Here to Stay. Can It Be Made More Sustainably?
Since plastic isn’t going anywhere for a while, scientists are working to create plastics with a net zero carbon footprint that are minimally harmful to the environment as waste. But redesigning the...
View ArticleThe Side Effect Roulette of Cancer Treatment
Clinical trials typically are well designed to measure the effectiveness and safety of cancer drugs, but some researchers and patient advocates say they don’t similarly capture the drug’s tolerability...
View ArticleCould Long Covid ‘Brain Fog’ Be an Acquired Form of ADHD?
Many people who have long Covid report having problems with thinking, attention, and memory. One physician examines whether this “brain fog” could be a form of acquired ADHD, which usually first...
View ArticleBook Review: What’s Behind Our Obsession With Green Cities?
In “The Living City: Why Cities Don’t Need to Be Green to Be Great,” author Des Fitzgerald argues against the orthodoxies of urban green spaces and the presumption of unalloyed goodness. For him, the...
View ArticleIn the Face of Extreme Weather, Scientists Look to Adapt Crops
In the face of extreme weather, scientists are turning to wild varieties of grains, fruits, and vegetables. Such overlooked crops may be better able to withstand drought and heat, scientists say, and...
View ArticleCould Long Covid ‘Brain Fog’ Be an Acquired Form of ADHD?
Many people who have long Covid report having problems with thinking, attention, and memory. One physician examines whether this “brain fog” could be a form of acquired ADHD, which usually first...
View Article