Science & Society

Science & Society

‘A Polar Affair’ delves into a centurylong cover-up of penguin sex

In a new book, Lloyd Spencer Davis seeks to understand why an Antarctic explorer kept some of his penguin observations a secret.

Science & Society

What happens when governments crack down on scientists just doing their jobs?

Through their research findings or sense of duty, scientists can run afoul of government leaders keen to control information’s spread.

Humans

50 years ago, income inequality was severe in the U.S. It still is

In 1969, lower-income households tended to be nonwhite and in the U.S. South. That still holds true today.

Neuroscience

Is taking birth control as a teen linked to depression? It’s complicated

As researchers sift through conflicting data, no clear answers emerge on whether birth control during teenage years can cause depression later.

Earth

Critics say an EPA rule may restrict science used for public health regulations

Editors of six major scientific journals argue that a rule proposed by the U.S. EPA may keep key data from factoring into environmental regulations.

Climate

Most Americans now see signs of climate change where they live

In a Pew Research survey, most Americans said the U.S. government isn’t doing enough to counter climate change amid local weather extremes.

Science & Society

A Dallas museum hosts rare hominid fossils from South Africa

Fossils of the South African hominids Australopithecus sediba and Homo naledi are on display at the Perot Museum of Science and History in Dallas.

Science & Society

Why a warrant to search GEDmatch’s genetic data has sparked privacy concerns

A search warrant issued by a state judge in Florida gives police access to DNA profiles of over a million Americans in a public genealogy database.

Humans

The medieval Catholic Church may have helped spark Western individualism

Early Catholic Church decrees transformed families and may help explain why Western societies today tend to be individualistic and nonconformist.

Science & Society

Can neighborhood outreach reduce inner-city gun violence in the U.S.?

While mass shootings grab U.S. headlines, the steady scourge of inner-city gun violence gets less attention — and fewer solutions.

Tech

Here’s what it will take to adapt the power grid to higher wildfire risks

Better sensing tech on power lines and reliance on more local power sources could help avoid vast power outages like those in California in October.

Science & Society

Alaska’s free money for residents hints at how universal basic income may work

Since 1982, Alaskans have gotten an annual oil dividend. Scientists say that program hints at the pros and cons of a universal basic income.