NASA’s Hopes for Space Solar Power Are Looking Dim
Exorbitant launch costs and daunting engineering challenges make the dream of space-
based solar power look dicey for the space agency
Policy
We Need to Investigate UFOs—But Without the Distraction of Conspiracy Theories
A former government official calls for investigating unidentified anomalous phenomena without succumbing to conspiracy theories about extraterrestrials
‘Consent’ Searches Don’t Stop Drug Trafficking. They Threaten Privacy Rights
U.S. police embraced frequent “consent” searches of motorists during the “tough on crime” era. These searches, meant to sidestep privacy rights, are both racially misapplied and ineffective
To Design Cities Right, We Need to Focus on People
Far too often city planning is approached as an engineering problem instead of connecting people with the land
What a Climatologist’s Defamation Case Victory Means for Scientists
A jury awarded Mann more than $1 million—raising hopes for scientists who are attacked politically because of their work
AI Audio Deepfakes Are Quickly Outpacing Detection
An alleged voice recording of racist remarks exemplifies the challenges of our new AI normal
Rift over N95 Use Puts Health Workers at Risk Again
Critics push back on proposed CDC guidelines that they say leave health care facilities free to cut corners on N95 masks and other measures that protect workers against airborne diseases such as COVID
Tech Billionaires Need to Stop Trying to Make the Science Fiction They Grew Up on Real
Today’s Silicon Valley billionaires grew up reading classic American science fiction. Now they’re trying to make it come true, embodying a dangerous political outlook
COP28’s Climate Rhetoric Is in Stark Contrast to Our Dependence on Fossil Fuels
Even as the COP28 climate meeting agreed to transition away from fossil fuels, global emissions are on the rise, coal consumption is set to break records, and oil and gas production is booming in the U.S.
Do Video Doorbells Really Prevent Crime?
More people are using doorbell cameras and sharing the footage with the police, but there are few data showing their effectiveness
COP28 Climate Summit Deal Called ‘Historic.’ Now Countries Must Follow Through
The COP28 climate talks in Dubai ended with a deal to curb the use of fossil fuels, but some delegates and experts lament that the agreement was not more ambitious
Millions of U.S. Homes Risk Disaster because of Outdated Building Codes
Building codes that don’t fully account for climate change are “one of the most significant factors” in increasing disaster risk, a federal report says