Science & Society

Sign up for our newsletter

We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Science & Society

    Fighting sexual harassment in science may mean changing science itself

    Sexual harassment is disturbingly prevalent in academia. But a course correction may involve tearing down the hierarchy that makes science run.

    By
  2. Neuroscience

    Splitting families may end, but migrant kids’ trauma needs to be studied

    The long-term effects of separating children from their parents at the U.S. border need to be studied, scientists say.

    By
  3. Genetics

    DNA testing can bring families together, but gives mixed answers on ethnicity

    DNA testing has become a new way for millions of Americans to expand their family trees and learn something about themselves, but results vary widely.

    By
  4. Science & Society

    So what do you know about Emmy Noether?

    Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses physicist Emmy Noether and women being underrepresented in science fields.

    By
  5. Genetics

    Why using genetic genealogy to solve crimes could pose problems

    Rules governing how police can use DNA searches in genealogy databases aren’t clear, raising civil rights and privacy concerns.

    By
  6. Tech

    50 years ago, NASA astronauts prepared to return to space

    Apollo 7 crewmembers underwent their first major tests 50 years ago. Today, U.S. astronauts struggle to get into space.

    By
  7. Genetics

    Privacy and consumer genetic testing don’t always mix

    Interested in taking a direct-to-consumer genetic test? Here are some things you should know.

    By
  8. Neuroscience

    Here’s why scientists are questioning whether ‘sonic attacks’ are real

    Sonic attacks would be hard to pull off and a terrible way of incapacitating diplomats, experts say.

    By
  9. Science & Society

    The power of great editors, their lessons and legacy

    Editor in Chief Nancy Shute reflects on the history and legacy of Science News editors.

    By
  10. Science & Society

    Readers respond to pesticides, Hawking radiation and more

    Readers had questions about pesticides, Hawking radiation and the intersection of science and the public.

    By
  11. Health & Medicine

    Hurricane Maria killed at least 4,645 people in Puerto Rico, a study estimates

    Researchers estimate Puerto Rico’s death toll from Hurricane Maria at more than 4,500 people based on household surveys — dwarfing the official count of 64.

    By
  12. Genetics

    The history of heredity makes for a fascinating, and chilling, read

    From eugenics to gene editing, Carl Zimmer’s She Has Her Mother’s Laugh recounts genetics’ biggest discoveries.

    By