Bioethics.net

May 16, 2017 9:00 am

Soft Climate Denial at The New York Times (Scientific American)

In our so-called post-truth era, when the White House itself is brazenly peddling alternative facts as official news, it is more important than ever for the media to speak truth to power. When The New York Times launched its post-election ad campaign on “The Pursuit of Truth”—featuring a 30 second TV spot aired during the Academy Awards, along with print and billboard ads—it positioned the Pulitzer-laden paper on the side of courageous and responsible journalism. Weeks after advertising itself as the guardian of truth, however, TheTimes hired a conservative climate skeptic by the name of Bret Stephens as its newest Op-Ed columnist.

May 11, 2017 9:00 am

Human noise in US parks threatens wildlife (Nature)

Tourists who visit national parks and other protected areas in the United States hope to gain a respite from the sights and sounds of their everyday lives. But evading human soundscapes isn’t easy. Many protected areas are surprisingly noisy, a new study finds, and that can interfere with more than just the peace and quiet visitors seek.

May 8, 2017 9:00 am

In controversial move, Brazil may outsource Amazon deforestation monitoring (Science)

April 5, 2017 9:00 am

New EPA documents reveal even deeper proposed cuts to staff and programs (Washington Post)

The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a new, more detailed plan for laying off 25 percent of its employees and scrapping 56 programs including pesticide safety, water runoff control, and environmental cooperation with Mexico and Canada under the North American Free Trade Agreement.

March 22, 2017 9:00 am

Monsanto Weed Killer Roundup Faces New Doubts on Safety in Unsealed Documents (New York Times)

The reputation of Roundup, whose active ingredient is the world’s most widely used weed killer, took a hit on Tuesday when a federal court unsealed documents raising questions about its safety and the research practices of its manufacturer, the chemical giant Monsanto.

March 9, 2017 9:00 am

China pledges to cut pollution and boost food safety (Science)

China’s central government is laying plans to curb pollution, increase food and drug safety, and boost scientific research—though supporting details are scarce.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang outlined these and other major goals during the opening session of the National People’s Congress on Sunday. The congress discussions are not likely to result in new legislation specific to science but speeches by top leaders set the tone for policy over the coming year.

“Having reached the current stage of development, China can now advance only through reform and innovation,” Li said in support of his call to boost research efforts. China has “the largest pool of scientists, engineers, and professionals in the world, and their potential for innovation is truly tremendous.”

March 8, 2017 9:00 am

Trump plan for 40% cut could cause EPA science office ‘to implode,’ official warns (Science)

The Trump administration wants to cut spending by EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) by more than 40% from roughly $510 million to $290 million, according to sources that have seen preliminary directives from the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The cuts target scientific work in fields including climate change, air and water quality, and chemical safety. EPA’s $50 million external grant program for environmental scientists at universities would disappear altogether. Such erasures represent just part of a larger plan to shrink EPA’s budget by 25% to $6.1 billion.

March 7, 2017 6:00 am

Climate change threatens to wash away couple's history (CNN)

March 6, 2017 9:00 am

Polluted environments kill 1.7 million children each year, WHO says (CNN)

Each year, environmental pollutants cost an estimated 1.7 million lives among children under 5, according to World Health Organization reports released Monday.

February 8, 2017 9:00 am

Hawaii seeks to ban 'reef-unfriendly' sunscreen (Nature)

Legislators in Hawaii are trying to ban the sale of sunscreens that contain two UV-filtering chemicals, after studies suggested that they harm coral reefs.