Science & Society
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Space
America risks losing its role as a space science pioneer
Funding uncertainties are pushing U.S. space scientists out of the field and putting existing and future space missions on the chopping block.
- Health & Medicine
Eroding access to childhood vaccines jeopardizes health for all
Recent U.S. decisions about vaccines signal bigger changes to come that could threaten the foundation of the national childhood immunization schedule.
- Oceans
Combining western science with Indigenous knowledge could help the Arctic
Polar marine ecologist Marianne Falardeau investigates how Arctic ecosystems are shifting under climate change.
- Science & Society
See the alarming extent of NIH and NSF funding cuts in 2025
In 2025, the Trump administration froze or ended about 5,300 NIH and NSF research grants totaling over $5 billion in unspent funds, a decision that reshaped many fields of science.
- Artificial Intelligence
Chatbots may make learning feel easy — but it’s superficial
People who use search engines develop deeper knowledge and are more invested in what they learn than those relying on AI chatbots, a study reports.
- Science & Society
Funding chaos may unravel decades of biomedical research
Battles between the Trump administration and academic institutions are putting important biomedical advances in limbo.
- Climate
Life-saving research on extreme heat comes under fire
The Trump administration’s cuts to heat research come at a time when climate change is making extreme heat waves more common and intense.
- Science & Society
Why do we feel starved for time? New research offers answers
Interruptions, to-do lists, lack of autonomy — “time poverty” depends more on perceived shortages of time than actual ones, recent research suggests.
- Science & Society
If another country tested nuclear weapons, here’s how we’d know
President Trump has argued the U.S. should test nuclear weapons because other countries are doing it. But scientific data suggest they’re not.
- Artificial Intelligence
As teens in crisis turn to AI chatbots, simulated chats highlight risks
From blaming the victim to replying "I have no interest in your life" to suicidal thoughts, AI chatbots can respond unethically when used for therapy.
- Artificial Intelligence
A conference just tested AI agents’ ability to do science
AI promises to speed up scientific analysis and writing. However, AI agents struggled with accuracy and judgment.
- Science & Society
Our relationship with alcohol is fraught. Ancient customs might inspire a reset
As evidence of alcohol's harms mounts, some people are testing out sobriety. Look to ancient civilizations' ways for a reset, scholars suggest.
