The world has lost more than a pope. It has lost a man who tried, however imperfectly, to steer a 2,000-year-old institution toward something more […]
When Politics Enters the Science: The Fight Over What Judges Should Know
The courts routinely deal with questions that judges cannot answer through legal precedent alone. What caused an environmental disaster? How reliable is a particular scientific test? What does the available research tell us about a disputed health risk? When those questions arise, judges often turn to scientific experts and reference materials to help them understand complicated evidence. That process is now at the center of an unusual controversy involving the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the Federal Judicial Center, and a chapter about climate science that was written to help judges evaluate scientific evidence. The chapter was included…
Why States Are Worried About SNAP
For decades, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, has operated as a partnership between the federal government and the states. The federal government has traditionally paid for food benefits while states have shared responsibility for administering the program. Although disagreements over funding and eligibility have been common, the basic financial structure remained largely unchanged. That is beginning to change. New federal rules tied to state payment error rates are creating a financial challenge that many states have never faced before. States with higher administrative error rates could soon be required to contribute a portion of the cost…
Can We Trust Food Safety?
Americans rarely think about the complex system that keeps the food supply safe. They purchase a bag of lettuce, a container of fruit, or a packaged meal and generally assume that government regulators, food producers, and distributors have already done the work necessary to protect them. That trust is essential. The United States has one of the largest and most sophisticated food safety systems in the world, involving federal agencies, state health departments, laboratories, farmers, processors, and retailers. Yet when something goes wrong, that trust can quickly become fralettucegile. The recent Cyclospora outbreak linked to shredded iceberg lettuce has raised…
Why States Are Worried About SNAP
For decades, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, has operated as a partnership between the federal government and the states. The federal…
The Battle Over the 25-Foot Rule
A person standing on a sidewalk with a smartphone can now document events that previously might have gone unnoticed. A traffic stop, a protest, an…
The Growing Alarm Over Facial Recognition and ICE Detentions
For years, debates about facial recognition technology largely centered on local police departments, airport security, and private sector data collection. More recently, however, a different…
The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence has moved from a largely academic concept to a central force shaping modern technology. Today, AI systems influence how people search for information,…
When Politics Enters the Science: The Fight Over What Judges Should Know
The courts routinely deal with questions that judges cannot answer through legal precedent alone. What caused an environmental disaster? How reliable is a particular scientific…
Can We Trust Food Safety?
Americans rarely think about the complex system that keeps the food supply safe. They purchase a bag of lettuce, a container of fruit, or a…
Why Financial Literacy Matters More Than Ever
For generations, financial literacy has been viewed as a personal skill that helps people budget wisely, save for retirement, and avoid unnecessary debt. Today, it…
How Speculators Move Gas Prices
For most Americans, the price of gasoline feels deeply personal. It determines commuting costs, shipping prices, airline tickets, and, indirectly, the cost of groceries and…
Can We Trust Food Safety?
Americans rarely think about the complex system that keeps the food supply safe. They purchase a bag of lettuce, a container of fruit, or a…
How Worried Should We Be About Hantavirus?
News about outbreaks of rare viruses tends to trigger a familiar cycle of anxiety. Headlines spread quickly, social media speculation accelerates, and comparisons to COVID-19…
Fake Ozempic Floods U.S. Market
A new warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) underscores growing concerns about counterfeit medications entering the U.S. drug supply. This time, the focus […]
Windows 10’s Exit Fuels E-Waste Crisis
Microsoft’s announcement that Windows 10 will reach end-of-support on October 14, 2025, marks the end of an era for one of the most widely used […]
Trump Eyes Exile for U.S. Citizens
It might sound like something out of a dystopian novel or a half-remembered history lesson from a darker time, but President Donald Trump’s latest proposition […]
Deportation by Decree, Not Due Process
The recent wave of immigration enforcement actions under the Trump administration has exposed a troubling pattern of due process violations, raising urgent questions about legality, […]
Asteroid 2024 YR4 May Hit the Moon
New projections from NASA and international space agencies have further clarified the trajectory and characteristics of asteroid 2024 YR4, a near-Earth object that drew attention […]
Trump’s Third Term Power Play
President Donald Trump says he’s “not joking” about serving a third term. But if that’s true, then the joke is on the Constitution and on […]
Yellowstone’s New Steam Show No Threat
A newly observed steam vent in Yellowstone National Park has captured public attention in recent weeks. Rising from a wooded hillside about a mile north […]
War Plans, Emojis, and Incompetence
Ten years ago, Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while serving as Secretary of State was treated as a national scandal. Donald Trump […]
Social Security Cuts: A Silent Purge?
In an unprecedented move, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is enacting drastic policy changes that will make it harder for millions of Americans to access […]