#federal-scientists

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#epa
fromFortune
2 days ago
Philosophy

The EPA just valued a human life at $0. That's not just a moral crisis - it's a market crisis | Fortune

Public health
fromwww.theguardian.com
7 hours ago

EPA moves to designate microplastics and pharmaceuticals as contaminants in drinking water

EPA proposes to include microplastics and pharmaceuticals in drinking water contaminants list, responding to public health concerns.
Philosophy
fromFortune
2 days ago

The EPA just valued a human life at $0. That's not just a moral crisis - it's a market crisis | Fortune

Trump-era policies undermine trust in markets by valuing human life at zero, threatening the foundation of capitalism.
SF food
fromTruthout
4 days ago

The EPA Is Routinely Failing to Require Warnings on Cancer-Linked Pesticides

The EPA fails to label most carcinogenic pesticides, with only 1.4% of products receiving cancer warnings despite known risks.
US politics
fromNextgov.com
3 hours ago

President's budget proposes folding beleaguered DHS intelligence office into headquarters

The Department of Homeland Security's intelligence office faces consolidation and potential workforce reductions under Trump's proposed budget for 2027.
Silicon Valley
fromFast Company
10 hours ago

Baltimore is pushing back against AI's worst excesses. What happens next could reshape American tech

Baltimore is addressing the risks of AI, exemplified by a lawsuit against xAI for generating illegal content.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 day ago

Google teams up with gas plant for AI datacenter in sharp turn from climate goals

Google partners with Crusoe Energy for a natural gas power plant to supply energy for its Texas datacenter, marking a shift from its carbon-neutral goals.
OMG science
fromArs Technica
2 days ago

Research roundup: 7 cool science stories we almost missed

Raccoons exhibit flexible problem-solving skills, thriving in human environments by successfully navigating complex puzzles.
Europe politics
fromNextgov.com
2 days ago

State official to EU: Work with us on tech policy or fall behind a generation

The EU's regulatory regime hinders innovation and collaboration with the U.S., threatening economic competitiveness and technological advancement.
Business intelligence
fromNextgov.com
2 days ago

Survey: Human capital is a key barrier to government AI adoption

Federal leaders view AI as essential for improving agency efficiency, but many initiatives remain in early stages due to various implementation barriers.
fromNextgov.com
3 days ago

HHS reverses Biden-era restructuring of its IT and tech operations

HHS Chief Information Officer Clark Minor stated that consolidating the CTO, CDO, and CAIO roles within his office allows the department to move faster on shared platforms and protect systems more effectively.
Healthcare
fromHigh Country News
2 days ago

Forest Service overhaul sows confusion, concern - High Country News

"Nobody is asking for this. None of the farm groups want this. No one in conservation wants this. Nobody." Robert Bonnie, former Forest Service undersecretary, highlights widespread opposition to the reorganization.
Washington DC
fromNextgov.com
3 days ago

Lawmaker looks to award grants for veteran suicide prevention AI models

The Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health-Veteran Enhanced Treatment, or REACH VET, program identifies veterans in the top 0.1% of suicide risk by analyzing health records for specific indicators of potential self-harm.
Non-profit organizations
fromNature
4 days ago

Now is the time for scientific societies to guide global research

Modern scientific societies are increasingly vulnerable due to their dependence on membership fees and journal subscriptions, which are being challenged by the rise of virtual networking and open-access publishing.
Science
SF politics
fromAxios
4 days ago

Exclusive: Wind projects delayed as Trump's Pentagon reviews stall

At least 30 onshore wind farm projects are stalled due to Pentagon paperwork, affecting 7.5 gigawatts of capacity.
#climate-change
fromThe Mercury News
3 weeks ago
Environment

Letters: Global warming isn't a hoax; it's a scientific consensus

Scientific consensus from 97-99% of climate scientists confirms Earth is warming due to human activity, primarily fossil fuel burning, with measurable impacts on climate systems.
fromHigh Country News
1 month ago
Public health

Trump's EPA decided climate change doesn't endanger public health. Evidence says otherwise. - High Country News

Rescinding the endangerment finding ignores extensive evidence that greenhouse-gas-driven climate change increases heat-related deaths, extreme weather, and multiple health risks to the public.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
6 days ago

Can We Measure Climate Change's Impact on Mental Health?

Climate change significantly impacts mental health, but tracking these effects is challenging due to inadequate data and attribution issues.
OMG science
fromState of the Planet
2 days ago

A Complicated Future for a Methane-Cleansing Molecule

Warming may slightly increase hydroxyl radicals, enhancing methane breakdown, but rising plant emissions complicate the overall effect.
Environment
fromThe Mercury News
3 weeks ago

Letters: Global warming isn't a hoax; it's a scientific consensus

Scientific consensus from 97-99% of climate scientists confirms Earth is warming due to human activity, primarily fossil fuel burning, with measurable impacts on climate systems.
Public health
fromwww.npr.org
1 day ago

EPA flags microplastics, pharmaceuticals as chemicals of concern in drinking water

The Trump administration has included microplastics and pharmaceuticals in a draft list of drinking water contaminants for the first time.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 days ago

Invisible plumes and terrible pollution': the reality of the US gas sites rated grade A'

A UK nonprofit's methane certification scheme may underestimate actual emissions, raising concerns about compliance with EU methane regulations.
Science
fromHigh Country News
4 days ago

New nuclear safety rules reduce protections for workers, the public - High Country News

Easing radiation standards threatens worker safety in the nuclear industry, according to a veteran who handled radioactive materials for decades.
Privacy professionals
fromFEDweek
5 days ago

Agencies Need More Complete Guidance on Privacy Considerations of AI Use, Says GAO

GAO identifies gaps in AI guidance, highlighting risks and the need for comprehensive privacy protections in agency implementations.
fromwww.theguardian.com
16 hours ago

Why reducing air pollution deaths isn't just about reducing air pollution

Air pollution is the second-largest risk factor for early death globally. Traditionally, our response has focused on reducing the levels of pollution people breathe, but this is only part of the story.
Public health
#pcast
Silicon Valley
fromNature
1 week ago

Trump's new science advisers include 12 technology chiefs - and one academic

The new PCAST includes 13 members, primarily tech executives, with only one academic researcher, raising concerns about representation in biotechnology.
Silicon Valley
fromArs Technica
1 week ago

Trump staffs science and technology panel with non-scientists

PCAST's new appointees are predominantly wealthy technology figures, with few scientists included, reflecting a shift in focus from scientific expertise.
Silicon Valley
fromNature
1 week ago

Trump's new science advisers include 12 technology chiefs - and one academic

The new PCAST includes 13 members, primarily tech executives, with only one academic researcher, raising concerns about representation in biotechnology.
Silicon Valley
fromArs Technica
1 week ago

Trump staffs science and technology panel with non-scientists

PCAST's new appointees are predominantly wealthy technology figures, with few scientists included, reflecting a shift in focus from scientific expertise.
US politics
fromwww.npr.org
6 days ago

The Justice Department plans to share sensitive voter data with Homeland Security

The DOJ plans to share voter registration data with DHS for citizenship verification, raising concerns about potential voter disenfranchisement.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 days ago

On a whole other level': rapid snow melt-off in American west stuns scientists

Record-low snowpack levels in the American West threaten water supply due to a historically warm winter and rapid melt-off.
fromNextgov.com
3 days ago

Citizen Science Month 2026 is about more than just stargazing

Citizen Science Month is built around a goal of 2.5 million 'Acts of Science,' tying the annual event to America's 250th birthday through a simple but powerful idea: lots of small contributions can add up to something really meaningful.
OMG science
Higher education
fromArs Technica
2 weeks ago

National Academies of Sciences says no to demands it remove climate info

State attorneys general challenged the National Academies' climate science chapter as unbalanced, but the NAS responded with a two-sentence defense citing standard procedures, leaving no clear enforcement mechanism for the critics.
Privacy professionals
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

The real US surveillance threat isn't AI - it's the data infrastructure we already built - Silicon Canals

The infrastructure for mass surveillance already exists, relying on pre-existing technology and data rather than new AI advancements.
fromMail Online
3 days ago

Britain has just 20 years to save its wildlife, experts warn

'Our results show that the next 20 years are critical,' lead author Dr Rob Cooke told the Daily Mail. 'By around 2050, we reach a point where the choices we make on emissions and land use will largely determine whether Britain moves towards a much more degraded or a much more nature‑positive future.'
Environment
fromNextgov.com
2 weeks ago

Tech bills of the week: Improved biological data for research; Section 702 reform; and more

Ushering in the Golden Age of Innovation is about more than just winning the global tech race - it's about securing the safety and prosperity of our country for generations to come. Our bill is an important step in this effort and will better ensure the United States has the infrastructure in place to lead the 21st century.
EU data protection
Artificial intelligence
fromNextgov.com
2 weeks ago

Safe AI pathfinding is essential for government adoption, officials say

Federal agencies should adopt AI through experimentation and fit-for-purpose deployments, using centralized platforms like USAi.gov to safely evaluate tools and determine when AI solutions are actually needed.
Non-profit organizations
fromNature
2 weeks ago

NIH pivots away from agency-directed science

The NIH is shifting from solicited grants addressing agency-identified priorities to unsolicited grants driven by individual researchers' interests, reducing administrative costs but potentially limiting large collaborative projects and understudied research areas.
Public health
fromMail Online
4 days ago

Health warning issued for thousands as toxins flood multiple US states

Over half a million Americans are advised to stay indoors due to hazardous air quality caused by toxic fine particulate matter.
Environment
fromEarth911
4 days ago

The West Is Burning Before Summer Even Starts, and It's No Accident

Nevada set a new March high temperature record of 106°F, exceeding the previous record by 6 degrees during a significant heat wave.
Science
fromNature
2 weeks ago

Daily briefing: Funding calls plummet as NIH turns away from agency-directed science

The NIH shifts funding strategy toward unsolicited research proposals driven by individual scientists' interests rather than addressing specific scientific problems.
Non-profit organizations
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

We cannot replace USAID, but we can do big things': conservation plots a future without American money

Liberia's eco-guard program, funded by USAID, faces collapse after the Trump administration dismantled the agency, threatening forest conservation and wildlife protection in one of Africa's most biodiverse regions.
Artificial intelligence
fromFast Company
2 weeks ago

Anthropic's forced removal from the U.S. government is threatening critical AI nuclear safety research

The Trump administration's wind-down of Anthropic technology in U.S. government threatens critical national security partnerships focused on preventing AI-assisted development of nuclear and biological weapons.
Medicine
fromScienceDaily
4 weeks ago

PFAS found in most americans linked to rapid biological aging

Two forever chemicals, PFNA and PFOSA, accelerate biological aging, particularly in middle-aged men, suggesting newer PFAS alternatives pose significant health risks.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

Weather extremes gripping US bear climate crisis fingerprint', experts say

The US is experiencing extreme weather patterns this March, raising concerns about the climate crisis and its impact on seasonal transitions.
US news
fromNature
1 month ago

White House stalls release of approved US science budgets

The White House OMB is delaying authorization of research funding to NIH, NSF, and NASA despite Congress approving budgets in February, marking a departure from standard practice.
Science
fromNature
3 weeks ago

How data can help to guide NIH funding policy

NIH funding distribution data reveals Massachusetts has slightly higher grant success rates than Iowa and Nebraska, but differences are not statistically significant in available SBIR/STTR datasets.
Non-profit organizations
fromNature
3 weeks ago

How Congress can restore the independence of US science

US federal science governance is shifting from merit-based civil service implementation to presidential political control, threatening research effectiveness and the science base.
Artificial intelligence
fromNextgov.com
3 weeks ago

From national AI policy to agency execution

Executive Order 14179 establishes AI as national strategy; agency success requires redesigning core workflows with embedded AI and establishing multi-model orchestration layers, not isolated pilots.
Public health
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 weeks ago

Trump policies set to increase rates of lung disease and death, study finds

Trump administration policies across healthcare, environment, workplace, and vaccines are projected to significantly increase lung disease rates and premature deaths among Americans.
fromArs Technica
2 weeks ago

Emerging legislation would shield polluters from liability for climate change

Dozens of local communities, states, and individuals are suing major oil and gas companies and their trade associations over rising climate costs and for allegedly lying to consumers about climate change risks and solutions. At the same time, some states are enacting or considering laws modeled after the federal Superfund program that would impose retroactive liability on large fossil fuel producers and levy a one-time charge on them to help fund climate adaptation and resiliency measures.
Environment
Artificial intelligence
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

Agencies begin to shed Anthropic contracts following Trump's directive

Multiple federal agencies are phasing out Anthropic tools following President Trump's directive, citing national security concerns over the company's refusal to support certain defense applications.
Public health
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
4 weeks ago

Americans trust federal scientists more than RFK, Jr., poll suggests

Americans trust federal health agency scientists more than Trump administration-appointed leaders, with independent medical organizations like the AAP commanding significantly higher vaccine confidence than the CDC.
#epa-enforcement-decline
Environment
fromArs Technica
3 weeks ago

What crackdown? Trump's EPA enforcement claims don't pass sniff test.

EPA criminal enforcement cases dropped 76 percent in Trump's first year compared to Biden's first year, with only 16 cases filed despite recent high-profile prosecutions and $17 million in criminal fines.
fromAxios
1 month ago

These federal agencies may have a Claude problem now

Last year, Claude was made broadly available across all three branches of the federal government under a General Services Administration OneGov agreement.
US politics
Public health
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 weeks ago

Tackling air pollution should be part of government work to cut cancer rates, scientists say

Governments must reduce air pollution through WHO guideline compliance to prevent cancer, with actions needed at EU, national, and local levels.
fromInside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
1 month ago

NSF Plans to Boost Staffing, Halve Grant Solicitations

The fewer solicitations you have, the less time grant applicants have to figure out which of our pigeonholes they fit into. In the past, a solicitation might have been for an individual program, which means it's attached to an individual program officer and a specific dollar amount. Now, instead of going to one program officer's area, the NSF will use technology to better route applications to wherever within the agency they can best be reviewed.
Science
World news
fromNature
2 months ago

The US is quitting 66 global agencies: what does it mean for science?

United States is withdrawing from over 60 international organizations, including the IPCC and IPBES; affected scientific institutions expect limited disruption.
Higher education
fromNature
2 months ago

'Every aspect of my work life has changed' - scientists reflect on a year of Trump

Executive orders and funding changes during Trump's first year intensified campus censorship, worsened higher-education inequity, and risked access for low-income and LGBTQ+ students.
fromArs Technica
1 month ago

Major government research lab appears to be squeezing out foreign scientists

A NIST employee tells WIRED that some plans to bring on foreign workers through the agency's Professional Research and Experience Program have recently been canceled because of uncertainty about whether they would make it through the new security protocols. The staffer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, says the agency has yet to widely communicate what the new hurdles will be or why it believes they are justified.
US politics
fromNature
1 month ago

NIH rolls back red tape on some experiments - spurring excitement and concern

Many researchers are surprised and relieved over an unusual step taken by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH): the agency is rolling back the red tape on a host of basic-science experiments that involved human participants and had been classified as clinical trials. The decision, which was announced on 29 January and is part of a broader NIH effort to reduce administrative burden, should free such research from the heavy bureaucratic requirements that are designed for clinical trials but are sometimes ill-suited to other fields, such as basic psychology and behavioural studies.
Medicine
US news
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

National Weather Service's AI translation project lacks long-term plan, watchdog says

The National Weather Service uses AI to translate forecasts into multiple languages but lacks a long-term plan and faces funding, adoption, and alert-format limitations.
#nih
#epa-endangerment-finding
fromNature
1 month ago
Environment

US repeals key 'endangerment finding' that climate change is a public threat

fromNature
1 month ago
Environment

US repeals key 'endangerment finding' that climate change is a public threat

fromBig Think
2 months ago

The four paths forward for US scientists in 2026

For nearly 100 years, the United States has been the world's leader in a wide variety of scientific fields. No other country has: invested as much in fundamental scientific research, has made more scientific breakthroughs and scientific advances, has attracted more scientific researchers to move there to conduct their research, or has conducted more projects and been home to more scientists that have won Nobel Prizes.
Science
Public health
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
1 month ago

Key NIH research institute told to remove references to 'pandemic preparedness'

NIAID staff were ordered to remove 'biodefense' and 'pandemic preparedness' from web pages as the institute shifts focus away from those research priorities.
US politics
fromNature
1 month ago

Trump team's new rule could make firing government scientists easier

US OPM finalized a rule creating a 'Policy/Career' class to reclassify and ease firing of roughly 50,000 federal civil servants, including scientists.
fromInside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
1 month ago

NIH Avoided Cuts, but Lacks Permanent Leaders in Top Posts

But, as the agency that touts itself as the world's largest public funder of biomedical research marches forward with full funding this year, it lacks permanent directors to lead it. Fifteen directors of the 27 institutes and centers that comprise the agency are in an acting capacity. Directors have departed for multiple reasons, including terminations by the Trump administration and resignations.
US politics
Science
fromFlowingData
2 months ago

Cuts to science and research in the U.S. over the past year

Administration cuts to science funding, grant withholding, and elimination of research jobs caused a sharp decline in government science agency staffing.
#epa-policy
Science
fromNature
2 months ago

US scientists push back as Trump eyes Greenland

US-based scientists declared solidarity with Greenland after US presidential comments, emphasizing the island's critical role in climate research and global sea-level impacts.
Public health
fromArs Technica
1 month ago

Trump admin is "destroying medical research," Senate report finds

Widespread NIH leadership vacancies and expiring advisory committees threaten grant approvals; nominee Bhattacharya gave equivocal vaccine-autism answers, raising concerns about anti-vaccine influence.
US politics
fromNature
2 months ago

US science in 2026: five themes that will dominate Trump's second year

Federal science funding and governance face continued uncertainty as administration policies, legal challenges, and Congressional actions will shape research support in 2026.
Science
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
2 months ago

Americans Overwhelmingly Support Science, but Some Think the U.S. Is Lagging Behind

A majority of Americans value U.S. scientific leadership, but Democrats increasingly believe the country is losing ground while Republicans view scientific standing more positively.
fromArs Technica
1 month ago

NIH head, still angry about COVID, wants a second scientific revolution

At the end of January, Washington, DC, saw an extremely unusual event. The MAHA Institute, which was set up to advocate for some of the most profoundly unscientific ideas of our time, hosted leaders of the best-funded scientific organization on the planet, the National Institutes of Health. Instead of a hostile reception, however, Jay Bhattacharya, the head of the NIH, was greeted as a hero by the audience, receiving a partial standing ovation when he rose to speak.
US politics
fromTruthout
2 months ago

Trump Admin Tells USDA Staff to Investigate Foreign Scientists They Work With

The Trump administration is directing employees at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate foreign scientists who collaborate with the agency on research papers for evidence of "subversive or criminal activity." The new directive, part of a broader effort to increase scrutiny of research done with foreign partners, asks workers in the agency's research arm to use Google to check the backgrounds of all foreign nationals collaborating with its scientists.
US politics
US politics
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
1 month ago

What repealing the endangerment finding' means for public health

Revoking the 2009 EPA endangerment finding removes legal basis to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, increasing emissions, health risks and fuel costs.
Environment
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
2 months ago

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Are Rising for the First Time in Two YearsThey Could Climb Far Higher

Rapid expansion of AI data centers and colder winter increased U.S. electricity use, driving a projected 2.4% rise in greenhouse-gas emissions in 2025.
US politics
fromEngadget
1 month ago

US judicial body removes climate research paper after complaints from Republicans

A US judicial body removed the climate science chapter from the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence after Republican state attorneys demanded its deletion.
fromTruthout
2 months ago

Trump's EPA Is Questioning Its Own Legal Authority to Regulate Pollutants

Ethylene oxide was once considered an unremarkable pollutant. The colorless gas seeped from relatively few industrial facilities and commanded little public attention. All that changed in 2016, when the Environmental Protection Agency completed a study that found the chemical is 30 times more carcinogenic than previously thought. The agency then spent years updating regulations that protect millions of people who are most exposed to the compound.
Environment
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