Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued a brief, unsigned order temporarily blocking (staying) a federal judge’s restrictions on immigration agents’ […]
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…
Congress Near Shutdown Again Over Health and Security
As the January 30, 2026, deadline for federal government funding draws near, the United States once again faces the risk of a partial government shutdown. […]
The Epstein Inquiry’s Clinton-Centered Distraction
House Republicans are moving to hold Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for refusing to appear in person before a House panel […]
Renee Good, Iryna Zarutska, and How Two Deaths Became Political Weapons
In the span of a few months, two killings in two different cities have been pulled into the same political machine, one that turns grief […]
Why Grok’s Failures Can’t Be Defended by Free Speech Rhetoric
Recently, controversy has emerged around Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by xAI, after users demonstrated that it could be prompted to generate CSAM and […]
A Dangerous Precedent: The U.S. Military ‘Operation’ in Venezuela
The Trump administration’s decision to authorize a military strike on Venezuela and capture President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, has rapidly become one […]
Investigating Minnesota Daycare Fraud Without Inventing a Scapegoat
Recent allegations involving Minnesota daycare centers accused of defrauding government childcare programs have drawn national attention. While any credible misuse of public funds warrants serious […]
Why the Epstein File Rollout Fails
The Trump administration is facing renewed scrutiny over its handling of records related to Jeffrey Epstein, following allegations that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has […]
Brown University: How Rare Is a Prolonged Search After a School Shooting?
In the modern era of U.S. school shootings, one pattern has been grimly consistent. The violence is usually over quickly, either because the shooter is […]
The Death of Rob Reiner and Our Need for Answers
The deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, have shaken many people. The couple were found dead inside their Brentwood home, […]