Science & Society
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Space
Distant nebulae star in one of the first images from the Rubin Observatory
These are the first public images collected by the Chile-based observatory, which will begin a decade-long survey of the southern sky later this year.
- Animals
50 years after ‘Jaws,’ sharks face their own terror
Humans have driven sharks and their cousins to the brink of extinction. The health of the entire ocean is at stake.
- Science & Society
A Supreme Court ruling on nuclear waste spotlights U.S. storage woes
Court ruling allows interim nuclear waste storage in Texas, but the U.S. still has no long-term plan for its 90,000 metric tons of spent fuel.
- Science & Society
How attacks on evolution in classrooms have shifted over the last 100 years
Since the Scopes trial in 1925, Science News has reported on legislative attempts to undermine the teaching of evolution.
By Erin Wayman - Science & Society
Is nuclear energy good? A new book explores this complex question
Atomic Dreams explores nuclear energy's future in the U.S. through the history of Diablo Canyon, California's last operational nuclear power plant.
- Humans
100 years after the Scopes trial, science is still under attack
In 1925, John Scopes was indicted for teaching evolution. Science News looks at the forces that led to the trial and how expertise was the big loser.
- Science & Society
A common parenting practice may be hindering teen development
A poll shows U.S. parents are wary of unsupervised teens, but lack of independence undermines normal development, experts say.
By Sujata Gupta - Humans
FDA cuts imperil food safety, but not how you might think
Layoffs at the FDA, USDA and CDC could erode the U.S. food safety system. Experts aren’t so worried about milk or chicken today; they’re concerned about the future.
By Meghan Rosen - Chemistry
Lotions and perfumes affect the air near our skin
The personal care products suppress reactions between skin oils and ozone. It's not clear how, or if, this chemistry change might impact human health.
By Skyler Ware - Science & Society
Students’ mental health imperiled by $1 billion cuts to school funding
The Trump administration is cutting $1 billion in grants that support student mental health. That has educators worried.
By Sujata Gupta - Health & Medicine
Personalized gene editing saved a baby, but the tech’s future is uncertain
The personalized CRISPR treatment could be the future of gene therapy, but hurdles remain before everyone has access.
- Science & Society
Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ plan has a major obstacle: Physics
Scientists suggest the missile defense plan will face big hurdles, especially given its projected timeline and cost.