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, […]
We Know How to Prevent Black Lung. So Why Are Workers Still Dying?
There was a time when black lung was considered an inevitable consequence of working in a coal mine. Miners spent decades underground breathing coal dust, and many eventually developed the respiratory disease that became one of the most recognizable occupational hazards in America. We know better now. Scientists have understood the connection between inhaling dust and developing serious lung disease for generations. Workplace regulations have been written specifically to limit those exposures. Monitoring programs exist. Protective equipment exists. Medical screening exists. And yet American workers are still developing severe, sometimes fatal lung diseases caused by what they breathe on the…
The 9/11 Victims We’re Still Learning About
Twenty-five years after the September 11th terrorist attacks, researchers are preparing to study a group of people whose experiences have received considerably less attention than those of the firefighters, police officers, and other adults who responded to the disaster. They were children. Some were old enough to remember the planes striking the World Trade Center. Others were infants. Some were still in the womb. Many lived in Lower Manhattan or attended school nearby and were exposed to the enormous cloud of dust and debris created when the towers collapsed. Now, a major federal research effort is being established to examine…
The Cost of Closing Forest Research
The U.S. Forest Service is closing 23 research and development facilities across more than a dozen states as part of a sweeping reorganization of the agency. The move has received considerably less attention than many of the administration's other changes to the federal government, but its implications reach far beyond the offices and employees directly affected. The Forest Service conducts research into some of the most fundamental questions facing America's forests. Its scientists study wildfires, invasive species, forest diseases, water resources, wildlife, and the ways forests respond to changing environmental conditions. The agency says the research itself is not being…
Where Is the Opioid Settlement Money Going?
When opioid manufacturers, distributors, and other companies agreed to pay billions of dollars to settle lawsuits over their role in the nation's opioid crisis, the…
America’s Historic Drop in Homicides Deserves More Attention
For years, Americans have been told that crime is one of the country's most pressing problems. Political campaigns have been built around fears of rising…
When AI Reads Your Medical Records
For years, artificial intelligence in health care was largely discussed as a future technology. Doctors might someday use AI to identify diseases, analyze medical images,…
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 Cost of Closing Forest Research
The U.S. Forest Service is closing 23 research and development facilities across more than a dozen states as part of a sweeping reorganization of the…
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…
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…
We Know How to Prevent Black Lung. So Why Are Workers Still Dying?
There was a time when black lung was considered an inevitable consequence of working in a coal mine. Miners spent decades underground breathing coal dust,…
The 9/11 Victims We’re Still Learning About
Twenty-five years after the September 11th terrorist attacks, researchers are preparing to study a group of people whose experiences have received considerably less attention than…
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 […]
Is the United States Becoming a Police State?
Recent events surrounding immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s second term have reignited concerns about the erosion of constitutional rights and the unchecked power of […]
Mahmoud Khalil: Arrested for Protesting?
Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest is more than just a single case of immigration enforcement; it’s a warning. Whether one agrees with his views or not, the […]
The Vaccine-Autism Myth Won’t Die
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is set to undertake yet another study on the supposed link between vaccines and autism, despite decades […]
Democrats’ SOTU Protest Falls Flat
Democrats had an opportunity to make a bold statement during Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, but instead, they delivered a scattered, ineffective display […]