Science & Society
- Space
Solar storms can wreak havoc. We need better space weather forecasts
Solar storms can devastate power grids and other systems on Earth. We need better forecasting
- Health & Medicine
Redefining ‘flesh-colored’ bandages makes medicine more inclusive
Peach-colored bandages label dark-skinned patients as outside the norm, says med student Linda Oyesiku. Brown bandages expand who gets to be normal.
- Health & Medicine
How 5 universities tried to handle COVID-19 on campus
U.S. colleges opened in the fall with a patchwork of control measures to keep COVID-19 at bay.
- Psychology
In the social distancing era, boredom may pose a public health threat
Boredom contributes to pandemic fatigue and may account for why some people don’t follow social distancing rules.
- Science & Society
Black, Hispanic and female police use force less often than white male officers
A case study of Chicago policing suggests that diversifying to include more Black, Hispanic and female officers may improve how civilians are treated.
- Science & Society
Can privacy coexist with technology that reads and changes brain activity?
An onslaught of new technology aims to listen to — and maybe even change — your brain activity. Readers, scientists and ethicists grapple with the ethical implications of new ways to get inside the skull.
- Science & Society
‘Under a White Sky’ explores whether we must tinker with nature to save it
In ‘Under a White Sky’, Elizabeth Kolbert examines the technological innovations we might need to save a planet we are actively destroying.
- Neuroscience
Famous brain sketches come to life again as embroideries
A needlework project pays tribute to the iconic drawings of Spanish neuroscientist Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
- Science & Society
Top 10 science anniversaries to celebrate in 2021
DNA, Maxwell’s demon and Dolly the Sheep all make the list. But the one we’re most excited about at Science News is our centennial.
- Chemistry
Chemists are reimagining recycling to keep plastics out of landfills
Recycling plastics is really hard, and usually creates low-quality materials that aren’t good for much. Chemists are trying to change that.
- Physics
‘Fundamentals’ shows how reality is built from a few basic ingredients
In ‘Fundamentals,’ physics Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek shares essential lessons from physics.
- Climate
How much will Africa capitalize on cheap renewable energy as its power grid grows?
An analysis of the successes and failures of past electrical power projects across Africa suggests the continent isn’t likely to go green before 2030.
