Dimensions of Trust
Who’s Afraid to Share Science in Their Listserv?
An interview with Democratic pollsters on the chicken-and-egg challenges of keeping science in neutral political territory.
Trust in Science
The Strange New Politics of Science
M. Anthony Mills,Price St. Clair
The polarization of trust in science is a complex phenomenon shaped by—and increasingly also shaping—American political identities.
The Latest
Editor’s Journal
Who Owns Science?
Why has the public not shown much outrage at—or even interest in—the dismantling of the national research project that they’ve been bankrolling for the past 75 years?
The Minnesota Diet
Charlie Jane Anders
The ISSUES Interview
“Universities Are the Invisible Hand.”
Marcia McNutt and Michael M. Crow talk about the role of science in nation-building, why uncertainty can be as damaging as budget cuts, and how the scientific enterprise can become more efficient and effective.
Science, Art, and Poetry
Lia Halloran: Warped Side
Artist Lia Halloran and Nobel Prize–winning astrophysicist Kip Thorne intertwine science, art, and poetry to illuminate the extraordinary phenomena of warped space and time, including black holes, wormholes, and gravitational waves.
The Ongoing Transformation
Music and Health: Your Brain on Music
J. D. Talasek,Sweta Adatia,Fred Johnson
On this episode of Music and Health, Sweta Adatia and Fred Johnson discuss how music impacts the brain, and how music can go beyond entertainment to create stronger, healthier communities.
What Is Going On in Science Policy?
April 23, 20253:00pm–4:00pm
The Strange New Politics of Science
Vol. XLI, No. 3, Spring 2025
Solving the disconnects between science and society will require much more than good ideas and good intentions—it will require the political will to bring the fragmented institutions of science together. Today’s political environment precludes the science community from making its old pitches to Congress; it will need to break old habits, build new bonds at personal, local, and regional levels, and reconsider the way it works.
Browse the Issue
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Forum
In response to essays published in Issues, our readers weigh in on critical topics in policy related to science, technology, and society.
Spring 2025
Stop Neglecting Fungal Diseases
A Discussion of
Foiling the Growing Threat of Fungal Pathogens
Responses By
Spring 2025
US Research in Retreat?
A Discussion of
Reconsidering Research Security
Responses By
Beyond the Headlines
Looking Beyond “De-extinction” to Protect Biodiversity
Mitigating River Flooding By Working With Nature
New Cross-Border Partnership on Clean Energy
China Gaining on US in Nuclear Fusion
“The Complexity of Technology’s Consequences Is Going Up Exponentially, But Our Wisdom and Awareness Are Not.”
Tristan Harris is a technology ethicist and the cofounder of the Center for Humane Technology. He’ll be speaking at the Nobel Prize Summit 2023: Truth, Trust, and Hope at the National Academy…Read More
How Science Gets Drawn Into Global Conspiracy Narratives
Marc Tuters,Tom Willaert,Trisha Meyer
A few short years ago, mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) was the subject of fundamental research, but it is now known as the basis for COVID-19 vaccines. At the same time, the concept…Read More
Rumors Have Rules
Around the time the US government was testing nuclear bombs on Bikini Atoll in the spring of 1954, residents of Bellingham, Washington, inspected their windshields and noticed holes, pits, and other damage.…Read More
Viral Suppression
In November 2021, an investigative story in theBritish Medical Journal (BMJ) with the headline “Covid-19: Researcher blows the whistle on data integrity issues in Pfizer’s vaccine trial” received more…Read More
In Finland, We Make Each Schoolchild a Scientist
Much of the conversation around misinformation and mistrust focuses on messengers and message systems. Some emphasize that policymakers and scientists must communicate more effectively, others that social media platforms must moderate content…Read More
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Future Tense Fiction
Future Tense Fiction is a speculative fiction series that uses imagination to explore how science and technology will shape our future. It features short stories written by acclaimed authors across a wide range of styles. Each story is paired with original artwork by Rey Velasquez Sagcal and a response essay from an expert who connects the fictional narrative to real-world policy debates.
The Minnesota Diet
Charlie Jane Anders
In a future city complete with vertical farms, rooftop gardens, and no carbon footprint, the city’s survival still depends on regular food deliveries from the outside. When those deliveries suddenly stop showing up, residents start rationing food and becoming more delirious with hunger each passing day—until they find a solution that was hidden in their homes all along.
Can We Insulate Ourselves From Food Shortages?
Christopher Wharton
A food systems and security researcher responds to Charlie Jane Anders’ short story “The Minnesota Diet.”
Response
Computing Consciousness
Cristopher Moore
What is the connection between consciousness, computation, and complex systems?
Response
Coda
Arula Ratnakar
When Ray discovers a secret that a powerful quantum computing company would rather keep hidden, she’s forced to question the very nature of her reality—and the memories that make it up.
When Robot and Crow Saved East St. Louis
Annalee Newitz
Robot, a disease-detecting drone, has been meticulously trained to gather public health data in hard-to-reach communities—and to use that data to stymie the spread of dangerous viruses. But when the public health authorities responsible for Robot are defunded, it’s forced to assemble a new team to keep its communities safe.
No Robot Like Robot
Janelle Shane
Janelle Shane’s response essay to Annalee Newitz’s short story, “When Robot and Crow Saved East St. Louis.”
Response
