Science & Society
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Science & Society
Online reviews can make over-the-counter drugs look way too effective
Online patient reviews put a far more misleading spin on medications than clinical trials do.
- Science & Society
Science journalists don’t use the science of ‘nudge’
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill discusses the mission of science journalists.
- Science & Society
Data-driven crime prediction fails to erase human bias
Software programs that predict where crimes will occur don’t eliminate bias; they exacerbate it.
- Psychology
Nudging people to make good choices can backfire
Steering people’s decisions with simple nudges, such as e-mail reminders or opt-out programs, can come with a downside.
- Ecosystems
Invasive species, climate change threaten Great Lakes
In The Death and Life of the Great Lakes, a journalist chronicles the lakes’ downward spiral and slow revival.
- Tech
Virtual reality has a motion sickness problem
Virtual reality games and experiences can make some people sick, and women are more susceptible.
- Science & Society
Choosing the right cyberattack response is a complicated game
Public shaming or retaliation aren’t necessarily the best strategies in the world of cyber warfare, an analysis reveals
- Humans
Transgender children are at greater risk of mental health problems
The Trump administration has rescinded federal protections for transgender kids in public schools, a move that the American Academy of Pediatrics condemns.
- Science & Society
Scientists may work to prevent bias, but they don’t always say so
Scientists may do the work to prevent bias in their experiments — but they aren’t telling other scientists about it, two new studies show.
- Science & Society
Physics greats of the 20th century mixed science and public service
New biographies highlight Enrico Fermi’s and Richard Garwin’s contributions to science and society.
- Science & Society
Science’s questions rarely have clear, easy answers
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill discusses science's complexities.
- Genetics
Human gene editing therapies are OK in certain cases, panel advises
A panel of experts says clinical gene editing to correct and prevent human disease should move forward, but enhancements should not be allowed.
