Science touches so many aspects of modern life that it's hard to keep up. Through our programs and this website, Science for the Public provides up-to-date information about scientific innovations, discoveries, and issues that are shaping modern knowledge.
04/23/24 Promoted for years as a means to strengthen bones and lower risk of multiple diseases, improved studies by JoAnn Manson and others revealed that Vitamin D supplements were not very effective at all. Natural sources, including sunshine, are much better. It’s important to understand why. JoAnn Manson
05-06-24 WGBH Forum Network webinar, 12:30 PM EDT. All sorts of animals engage in imaginative types of play. Is this behavior just creature-entertainment, or is it important for development and bonding? David Toomey
03/26/24 CANCELLED As climate change accelerates, an international strategy to save the planet becomes imperative. But conflicting economic and political interests of nations complicate efforts to form a viable policy. A leader in environmental economics discusses the problems and the options. Robert N. Stavins
03/19/24 A prominent biologist explains the crucial importance of biodiversity for life on Earth, and how the sixth mass extinction fractures that stability. Michael Reed.
02/09/24 GBH Forum Network webinar (noon ET) The extreme level of atmospheric CO2 is well beyond a “capture and storage/sequestration” solution, yet the hype persists that some clever extraction innovation will resolve the problem. Charles Harvey
Paradoxical objects that underscore the mystery of the universe, black holes seem the ultimate destructive force, but may be essential to the stability of galaxies...
The notion that invisible organisms cause disease was very difficult to accept
Mounting evidence suggests a link between chemicals in consumer products and breast cancer.
What's so important about an atmosphere? Find out here.
Many of the most important advances in scientific understanding were initially rejected or ignored.
In an era of global science, other nations are increasing their science budgets. Why aren't we?
The discovery of organisms thriving in extreme temperatures and conditions deep undersea, deep in the Earth, deep in the ice suggests that life, once it emerges, is extraordinarily resilient..
02/21/23 There is increasing concern about the impact of social media on mental health, especially among young people. What causes this problem and how should it be addressed? Jacqueline Sperling
06/07/22 An increasing percentage of the Food and Drug Agency's funding comes from the pharmaceutical industry. How does this arrangement affect the agency in general and the approval of new medications in particular? Aaron Kesselheim
04/05/22 How can we distinguish scientific facts from disinformation? This Union of Concerned Scientists writer battles distortion on a regular basis. Elliott Negin
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10/05/14 A novel approach to teaching mathematics. Sanjoy Mahajan
11/28/17 A very exciting investigation of the possible role of ultraviolet radiation in the emergence of life --on Earth and elsewhere. Sukrit Ranjan
03/19/24 A prominent biologist explains the crucial importance of biodiversity for life on Earth, and how the sixth mass extinction fractures that stability. Michael Reed.
04/26/21 The evolution of the human language apparatus, comparison of human language and animal communication, and explanation of the Neanderthal language controversy. Philip Lieberman
05/16/17 An important explanation of the relationship between glacial cycles and climate change. Jack Ridge
10/10/14 A leader in the international research on marine sediments explains how climate history is recorded in ocean sediments. Richard Murray
02/10/19 A visit to the Weng Lab at Whitehead Institute to learn how researchers exploit the mechanisms and molecules of plants contributing to medical innovations. Jing-Ke Weng
04/18/17 An explanation of how environment, community, class, and other factors must be included in public health. Sandro Galea
05/14/13 Why public acceptance of wind power can differ from one community to another. Maria Petrova
06/28/12 A co-author of the new book from the Union of Concerned Scientists describes how individuals can substantially reduce their carbon footprints while creating a healthy lifestyle...Jeff Deyette
A writer who also teaches science-technical writing (as well as literature)
A specialist in infectious diseases, with extensive medical and research experience in more than 50 nations --and a dedicated advocate for children's health worldwide.