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The Trump Administration’s Assault on Public Health Protections

As we mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the nation is in the throes of a terrible public health crisis. In these desperate times, we are reminded that the protection of public health is a paramount duty of governments—and that our economic prosperity depends on our government diligently undertaking that responsibility. This year also marks […]

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Tiniest Murderer Devastates Africa’s Residents

Originally published in August 1913 Credit: Scientific American Advertisement “The Sesse Islands in Lake Victoria are a specimen of Nature’s jewelry. But, exquisite as is their scenery, death is over them. This is a land of silence. The voice of the child is unheard, the chant of Baganda women, so full of cadence, comes no […]

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The Green New Deal Is More Relevant than Ever

The United States is facing four interconnected crises: the COVID-19 pandemic, a looming economic recession, extreme inequality and a climate emergency. Congress will be forced to pass multiple stimulus bills to stave off these converging crises. But politicians, policy makers and everyday people are facing a unique challenge. What kind of stimulus will best protect […]

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Five Types of Research, Underexplored until Recently, Could Produce Alzheimer’s Treatments

No fundamental obstacle prevents us from developing an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Other troubles of human nature, such as violence, greed and intolerance, have a bewildering variety of daunting causes and uncertainties. But Alzheimer’s, at its core, is a problem of cell biology whose solution should be well within our reach. There is a […]

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How the Environment Has Changed since the First Earth Day 50 Years Ago

On April 22, 1970, millions of Americans took part in demonstrations, cleanups and other activities to make the first Earth Day. The event was the brainchild of then Democratic Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, and it was a watershed moment for the growing U.S. environmental movement: Americans had become increasingly aware that the same industrialization […]

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The Next Public Health Crisis: Mass Unemployment

The coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the United States. To tamp down community spread of the virus, most states have issued complete or partial “stay-at-home” orders. The economy has convulsed under these restrictions. Goldman Sachs has estimated that the gross domestic product (GDP) will decrease 24 percent in the second quarter of 2020. […]