Soapbox

  1. Indiana bats
    Animals

    Why bat scientists are socially distancing from their subjects

    Scientists are calling for a “hands-off” approach to research to decrease the chances of spreading the coronavirus to bats in North America.

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  2. people staying cool during heat wave
    Climate

    Hurricanes have names. Some climate experts say heat waves should, too

    A newly formed international alliance aims to raise awareness about extreme temperatures and protect vulnerable populations.

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  3. Danielle Belleny standing in a canyon
    Science & Society

    A #BlackBirdersWeek cofounder aims to amplify black nature enthusiasts

    Wildlife biologist Danielle Belleny hopes the social media campaign represents black birders and nature enthusiasts of color in a hobby often stereotyped as white.

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  4. photograph of someone about to get a vaccine shot
    Health & Medicine

    Infecting people with COVID-19 could speed vaccine trials. Is it worth it?

    To accelerate vaccine development, some experts argue we should purposefully infect volunteers with the coronavirus. Others warn of the risks.

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  5. EEG electrodes on the heads of three different people
    Science & Society

    New electrodes can better capture brain waves of people with natural hair

    Electrodes weren’t designed for people with thick, curly hair. A redesign is needed, says engineer Pulkit Grover.

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  6. doctor consulting patient
    Health & Medicine

    A bioethicist says scientists owe clinical trial volunteers support

    Researchers should be aware that many insurance policies do not cover experimental procedures, including side effects that may happen afterward.

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  7. YouTube
    Earth

    Climate misinformation may be thriving on YouTube, a social scientist warns

    Analyzing 200 climate-related videos on YouTube shows that a majority challenge widely accepted views about climate change and climate engineering.

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  8. plants
    Neuroscience

    Plants don’t have feelings and aren’t conscious, a biologist argues

    The rise of the field of “plant neurobiology” has this scientist and his colleagues pushing back.

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  9. Candida auris fungus
    Health & Medicine

    Climate change could raise the risk of deadly fungal infections in humans

    The rise of Candida auris, a deadly fungus spurring outbreaks in the United States and worldwide, may have been aided by climate change.

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  10. teen jail
    Health & Medicine

    A cognitive neuroscientist warns that the U.S. justice system harms teen brains

    The U.S. justice system holds adolescents to adult standards, and puts young people in situations that harm their development, a researcher argues.

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  11. happy couple
    Neuroscience

    Our brains sculpt each other. So why do we study them in isolation?

    Studying individual brains may not be the way to figure out the human mind, a social neuroscientist argues.

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  12. data mining illustration
    Artificial Intelligence

    Why a data scientist warns against always trusting AI’s scientific discoveries

    Artificial intelligence that helps make scientific discoveries needs to get better at admitting its uncertainty, Genevera Allen says.

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