Election 2024: A Scientific Perspective

Get 60 days of digital access for $1! [SciAm]( Dear Scientific American friends, Hot takes are everywhere these days, but informed perspectives, backed by expertise and evidence, seem harder than ever to sift out of the modern cacophony. We’re here to help. Instead of pundits pushing their personal politics, Scientific American’s Opinion page provides you with informed views on the major questions of the day. With the presidential election bearing down on the U.S., for example, a little science-based perspective on the political moment seems in order. Scientific American’s editors offered readers a [thorough look at the dangers to science posed by Project 2025]( the right-wing blueprint for former president Donald Trump’s potential second administration. Across federal agencies, the plan “would sabotage science-based policies that address climate change, the environment, abortion, health care access, technology and education,” they found. Along those lines, a historian of concentration camps looked at the [frightening implications of the mass deportations]( promised at July’s Republican National Convention. And when President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race, an expert on aging and culture told our readers that [age was now the youngest form of identity politics]( one that will drive the next generation’s voting decisions. The Supreme Court’s politics also drew our attention. Our editors criticized the Roberts Court’s decisions on everything from abortion to homelessness to water for [sidelining science in favor of partisan outcomes](. Additionally, a legal sociologist found the Court had engaged in “[whitewashing American racial history]( in a decision on affirmative action in university admissions that equated students in a highly educated demographic with people harmed by the history of enslavement and Jim Crow. We’re about more than politics, of course; see below for some other recent big stories. And this e-mail is just the start of what Scientific American’s Opinion section offers you in your inbox: smart and thoughtful commentary from experts in a range of scientific fields. If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to contact me anytime at [feedback@sciam.com](mailto:feedback@sciam.com?subject=&body=). And check back on Scientific American for more informed opinions on everything and everywhere, from the voting booth to the edges of our imagination. Dan Vergano Senior Opinion EditorScientific American Image Credit: BuzzFeed News News over Nonsense At Scientific American, we’re dedicated to delivering the facts—thoughtful analysis, expert perspectives, and the stories behind today’s most important scientific breakthroughs. We feel a responsibility to deliver information you can trust about the science impacting our world. Our Opinion page takes on the critical issues of our time, from the powerful effects of civic engagement on a local level to the lasting impact of Supreme Court decisions on science and society. In an era where reliable information is harder to come by, staying informed has never been more crucial. If you value our work, consider [becoming a subscriber](. [Right now you can get 90 days of digital access for $1](. [Support our Mission]( More Featured Stories [NASA Losing VIPER Rover Defangs the Science from Planned Moon Landings]( [NASA Losing VIPER Rover Defangs the]( [Science from Planned Moon Landings]( A former space agency official argues that cutting a robotic explorer pulls the scientific teeth from the Artemis program. [Kyoto Tells Us How Humanity Can Come Together on Climate Change]( [Kyoto Tells Us How Humanity Can Come Together on Climate Change]( A play celebrates the agreement that opened nations worldwide to accepting the science of climate change. [The U.K.’s Cass Review Badly Fails Trans Children]( [The U.K.’s Cass Review Badly Fails Trans Children]( A politicized review into transgender medicine in the National Health Service has upended lives in the U.K.—and threatens to spread harm across the globe. To view this email as a web page, [go here](. You received this email because you opted-in to receive email from Scientific American or you have registered for an account with Scientific American. To ensure delivery please add news@scientificamerican.com to your address book. [Unsubscribe]( | [Email Preferences]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact Us](