d

Statement from the Organizing Committee on Reported Human Embryo Genome Editing

On the eve of the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing, we were informed of the birth of twins in China whose embryonic genomes had been edited.




d

New Report Details Priority Research Projects for U.S. Department of Transportation Regarding Truck Size and Weight Regulations

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine presents a research roadmap to address gaps and uncertainties in estimating the impacts of proposed changes in truck size and weight limits -- the regulations that set the maximum weights, lengths, and numbers of trailers allowed for trucks on U.S. highways.




d

Human Genome Editing Summit Kicks Off in Hong Kong

Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, welcomed hundreds of participants from around the world to the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing, which began today.




d

New Report Calls for Health Monitoring and Research Program on Gulf War and Post-9/11 Veterans and Descendants

To help determine if the descendants of Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans are at risk for health effects resulting from the service members’ exposure to toxicants during deployment, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends the creation of a health monitoring and research program (HMRP).




d

Statement by the Organizing Committee of the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing

In December 2015, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and U.S. National Academy of Medicine, the Royal Society of the United Kingdom, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences hosted an international summit in Washington, D.C., to discuss scientific, ethical, and governance issues associated with human genome editing.




d

U.S. NAS and NAM Presidents Issue Statement on the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing

We thank the organizing committee of the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing, held this week in Hong Kong, for planning an important and timely conference on a rapidly advancing area of science and medicine.




d

Independent Reviews, Environmental Assessments Needed to Build Trust and Inform DOE NNSA’s Plans if it Proceeds with the Dilution and Disposal Process of Surplus Plutonium

If the dilute and dispose approach for disposing of the surplus plutonium in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is fully implemented, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) should use two independent review teams to develop public trust in and improve its decisions, says a new interim report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




d

Curbing Climate Change and Sustainably Supplying Food, Water, and Energy Among Top Challenges Environmental Engineering Can Help Address, New Report Says

Over the next several decades as the global population grows, society will be faced with pressing challenges such as providing reliable supplies of food and water, diminishing climate change and adapting to its impacts, and building healthy, resilient cities.




d

National Academies Gulf Research Program Now Accepting Applications for 2019 Early-Career Research and Science Policy Fellowships

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is now accepting applications for its Early-Career Research Fellowships and Science Policy Fellowships for 2019.




d

New Cryptography Must Be Developed and Deployed Now, Even Though A Quantum Computer That Could Compromise Today’s Cryptography Is Likely At Least A Decade Away, Says New Report

Given the current state of quantum computing and the significant challenges that still need to be overcome, it is highly unlikely that a quantum computer that can compromise public-key cryptography – a basis for the security of most of today’s computers and networks – will be built within the next decade, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




d

Lauren Alexander Augustine Appointed to Lead National Academies’ Gulf Research Program

Lauren Alexander Augustine has been appointed executive director of the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




d

Reusable Respirators Are an Effective and Viable Option for Protecting Health Care Personnel During Routine Work and Public Health Emergency Response, Says New Report

Half-facepiece reusable elastomeric respirators are an effective and viable option for protecting health care workers from exposure to airborne transmissible contaminants or infectious agents — for example, influenza virus — during day-to-day work or with a sudden or rapid influx of patients, such as during a public health emergency, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




d

Most Alternative Technologies to Open Burning and Open Detonation of Conventional Waste Munitions Are Mature, Says New Report

Most of the alternative technologies to open burning and open detonation (OB/OD) of conventional munitions designated for disposal are mature, including contained burn and contained detonation chambers with pollution control equipment, and many are permitted to replace OB/OD of waste munitions, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




d

U.S. Interstate Highways Need Overhaul

The future of the U.S. Interstate Highway System is threatened by a persistent and growing backlog of structural and operational deficiencies and by various looming challenges, such as the progress of automated vehicles, developments in electric vehicles, and vulnerabilities due to climate change.




d

Human Rights Day 2018

To assess the effects of Venezuelas ongoing health crisis, CHR member Dr. Chris Beyrer organized and supported a team of public health and medical professionals from Johns Hopkins University that joined researchers from Human Rights Watch on a trip to Venezuelas borders.




d

National Academies Gulf Research Program Opens New Funding Opportunity to Advance Safety Culture in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced it will award up to $10 million through a new funding opportunity to support research projects that will advance understanding and facilitate improvement of safety culture in the offshore oil and gas industry.




d

National Academies Keck Futures Initiative Publishes Program Summary Sharing Lessons from 15 Years of Igniting Innovation at the Intersections of Disciplines

The National Academies Keck Futures Initiative (NAKFI) is pleased to announce the publication of Collaborations of Consequence - NAKFI’s 15 Years of Igniting Innovation at the Intersections of Disciplines.




d

Minority-Serving Colleges and Universities Are Positioned to Serve as a Greater Resource for Meeting U.S. STEM Workforce Needs, But Increased Attention and Investments Are Needed

Higher education leaders, policymakers, and the private sector should take a range of actions to strengthen STEM programs and degree attainment in the nation’s Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




d

To Benefit From its Investments in Fusion Energy, U.S. Should Remain in ITER and Initiate a National Program of Burning Plasma Research and Technology

Along with participation in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project – a large, international burning plasma experiment – the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) should start a national program of accompanying research and technology to build a compact pilot plant that produces electricity from fusion at the lowest possible capital cost, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




d

Research Campaign to Advance Understanding of Gulf of Mexico Loop Current Moves Forward By Awarding $10.3 Million in Initial Grants

Following recommendations from a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report released earlier this year, the National Academies’ Gulf Research Program (GRP) is developing a long-term research campaign to improve understanding and prediction of the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current System (LCS).




d

New Investments Are Needed to Sustain NASA’s Instrumentation and Facilities for Future Extraterrestrial Sample Analyses, Says New Report

NASA’s investment in new instruments to analyze extraterrestrial samples is insufficient to provide for replacement of existing instruments, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




d

Call for Nominations for 2019 Communication Awards

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are now accepting nominations for the 2019 Communication Awards to recognize excellence in reporting and communicating science, engineering, and medicine to the public during 2018.




d

Biotechnology Holds Promise for Protecting Forest Health, But Investments in Research Are Needed, Along With Public Dialogue

Biotechnology has the potential to be a part of the solution in protecting forest trees against destructive pest and disease outbreaks




d

Worlds Largest Gathering of Transportation Professionals Jan. 13-17

More than 13,000 people – including industry leaders, policymakers, administrators, and researchers from government, industry, and academia – are expected to gather for the Transportation Research Board’s 98th Annual Meeting.




d

Summary of Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing Now Available

A new publication from the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, provides a brief summary of presentations and discussions at the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing, held in Hong Kong on Nov. 27-29, 2018.




d

National Academies’ Climate Communications Initiative Releases Strategic Plan

The National Academies established the Climate Communications Initiative (CCI) last year to enable their extensive work on climate science, impacts, and response options to inform decision-makers and the public more effectively.




d

A Message from the Presidents of the NAS, NAE, and NAM

With the new year underway, we would like to share with you our outlook for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in 2019.




d

Partnerships Between NASA and Industry Can Support Lunar Exploration, Say Two New Reports

Renewed interest in exploration of the moon has the potential to benefit lunar science greatly and could evolve into a program facilitated by partnerships between commercial companies and NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD), say companion reports by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




d

NAS President and Colleagues Call for Creation of Research Policy Board

In a Nature commentary published today, National Academy of Sciences President Marcia K. McNutt and several colleagues make the case for the creation of a U.S. advisory board for research integrity and quality.




d

World Day of Social Justice 2019

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), proclaimed by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948, this year the Committee on Human Rights (CHR) will be sharing stories of scientists, engineers, and health professionals who have used their expertise to promote and protect human rights.




d

EPA Should Strengthen the Science in Its Permitting Program for Industry’s Management of Stormwater Pollution, Says Report

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine offers guidance to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to inform the next revision of a permit program that requires industries to manage stormwater to minimize discharges of pollutants to the environment.




d

Child Poverty Rate Could Be Cut in Half in Next Decade Following Proposals in New Expert Report

In light of the many costs generated by child poverty for the United States, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine provides evidence-based policy and program packages that could cut the child poverty rate by as much as 50 percent while at the same time increasing employment and earnings among adults living in low-income families.




d

Breakthrough Solutions and Technologies Needed to Speed Cleanup of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Sites

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends changes in the way that the U.S. Department of Energy manages science and technology (S&T) development in order to accelerate the cleanup of radioactive waste and contaminated soil, groundwater, and facilities at U.S. nuclear weapons sites.




d

Sodium and Potassium Dietary Reference Intake Values Updated in New Report

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine reviews current evidence and updates intake recommendations known as the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for sodium and potassium that were established in 2005.




d

New Decadal Survey for the Social and Behavioral Sciences Presents Guidance to the Intelligence Community

The social and behavioral sciences (SBS) offer an essential contribution to the mission of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), a mission that requires an understanding of what human beings do, how, and why, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




d

$2.5 Million in Grants Available to Advance Understanding and Prediction of Gulf of Mexico Loop Current

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced a new funding opportunity to provide up to $2.5 million in grants to foster innovative approaches that support its ongoing efforts to improve understanding and prediction of the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current System (LCS).




d

Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Science and Technology

Chairwoman Johnson, Ranking Member Lucas and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I am Marcia McNutt, president of the National Academy of Sciences.




d

G20 Science Academies Release Statement on Threats to Coastal and Marine Ecosystems and Conservation of the Ocean Environment

Representatives from the national academies of sciences of the G20 countries handed over recommendations for improving marine conservation to the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.




d

NAS, NAE, and NAM Presidents Highlight Facts on Vaccine Safety in Light of Measles Outbreaks

The current measles outbreaks in the United States and elsewhere are being fueled by misinformation about the safety of vaccines.




d

Russian and U.S. Academies Sign Agreement to Continue Cooperation

The president of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) and the presidents of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS), U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE), and U.S. National Academy of Medicine (NAM) have signed a five-year agreement to continue their cooperation on studies, workshops, and other activities in areas of mutual interest.




d

Statement on Call for Moratorium on and International Governance Framework for Clinical Uses of Heritable Genome Editing

A commentary published in Nature calls for a moratorium on clinical uses of heritable human genome editing and the establishment of an international governance framework.




d

Medications to Treat Opioid Addiction Are Effective and Save Lives, But Barriers Prevent Broad Access and Use, Says New Report

Medications to Treat Opioid Addiction Are Effective and Save Lives, But Barriers Prevent Broad Access and Use, Says New Report




d

New Report Identifies Ways Communities Can More Effectively Measure Progress Toward Resilience

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends steps U.S. communities can take to better measure their progress in building resilience to disasters, including measuring resilience around multiple dimensions of a community, and incentivizing the measurement of resilience.




d

International Day for the Right to Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims

International Day for the Right to Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims Today, on the International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims, we are sharing our interview with forensic anthropologist Mercedes Doretti, the Director of North and Central American Programs and Board Member of the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF), which she also co-founded. Doretti and her colleagues collect and analyze physical evidence of human rights abuses (which often includes identifying the remains of victims of grave human rights abuses and returning them to their families), and they regularly present their findings to tribunals and legal mechanisms around the world to secure justice for those whose rights to life and personal security have been violated.




d

$5 Million in Grants Available to Advance Understanding of U.S. Gulf Coastal Ecosystems and Their Interactions with Natural Processes and Human Activities

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced a new funding opportunity under its Healthy Ecosystems Initiative.




d

Current Evidence Supports Classification of Red Wolf as a Distinct Species, Report Says, Mexican Gray Wolf Is a Valid Subspecies of Gray Wolf

Current evidence supports the classification of the contemporary red wolf as a distinct species of wolf, although additional genomic evidence from historic wolf specimens could change that assessment, says Evaluating the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red Wolf, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




d

New Report Calls for Different Approaches to Predict and Understand Urban Flooding

Urban flooding is a complex and distinct kind of flooding, compounded by land use and high population density, and it requires a different approach to assess and manage, says Framing the Challenge of Urban Flooding in the United States, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




d

Dispersants Can Be an Effective Tool for Managing Impacts During a Major Marine Oil Spill, Report Concludes

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examines the effects and efficacy of using dispersants in marine oil spill response.




d

G-7 Science Academies Release Statements on Science and Trust, Artificial Intelligence, Citizen Science

Today the national science academies of the G-7 countries issued three joint statements to their respective governments, to inform discussions during the G-7 summit to be held in August in France, as well as to inform ongoing policymaking.




d

New Report Examines Reproducibility and Replicability in Science, Recommends Ways to Improve Transparency and Rigor in Research

While computational reproducibility in scientific research is generally expected when the original data and code are available, lack of ability to replicate a previous study -- or obtain consistent results looking at the same scientific question but with different data -- is more nuanced and occasionally can aid in the process of scientific discovery, says a new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.