National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

09/10/2026

Scientific freedom and human rights are deeply connected.

For 50 years, our Committee on Human Rights has worked on behalf of scientists, engineers, and health professionals at risk.

Learn about ​the people and stories behind its work: https://ow.ly/4NuA50ZM37P

09/09/2026

Natural hazards can set off complex chains — severe storms lead to floods, which can trigger landslides.

Explore how machine learning can inform our understanding of these cascading hazards at our September 15 meeting: https://ow.ly/IzF450ZL2FX

09/08/2026

From coastal flooding to overflowing rivers and intense rainfall, Virginia faces flood risks on multiple fronts.

See how communities across the Commonwealth are using science to strengthen resilience: https://ow.ly/rFpf50ZKXh7

09/06/2026

Sickle cell disease is a life-long condition that affects approximately 100,000 people in the U.S. and impacts every organ system in the body. Symptoms and complications can vary widely and may include acute and chronic pain, hospitalizations, and other serious health effects.

Our recent consensus study report examines the latest evidence and community experiences related to managing and treating sickle cell disease. The report explores pain crises, hospitalization and readmissions, pain management, blood transfusions, end-organ damage, and the disease’s functional impacts to inform Social Security disability evaluations.

Learn more about the experiences of people living with sickle cell disease during Sickle Cell Awareness Month: https://ow.ly/kMZf50ZItsT

09/05/2026

National Academy of Sciences President Neil Shubin recently sat down with Holden Thorp — Editor-in-Chief of Science — to discuss the challenges of providing scientific advice that often has policy implications, and plans to engage Academy members and younger researchers.

Watch: https://ow.ly/CaJj50ZJAJq

09/04/2026

Changes in prescription drug policy can shape what cancer treatments cost — and whether patients can access them.

Our new workshop series explores how the Inflation Reduction Act may affect affordability and access to cancer care.

Register: https://ow.ly/SRuH50ZJxXa

09/03/2026

As a new school year begins, we’re highlighting "A Framework for K–12 Science Education."

Released over a decade ago, the Framework has helped shape modern science standards across nearly every U.S. state — and remains relevant today.

Explore: https://ow.ly/NuCg50ZIVLO

09/02/2026

Flight crews receive among the highest occupational doses of ionizing radiation in the U.S. While estimated annual doses generally remain below recommended limits, questions remain about what cumulative exposure over the course of a career may mean for long-term health.

Some studies have reported elevated rates of certain cancers among pilots and flight attendants, but the evidence is not conclusive enough to determine whether occupational radiation exposure is the cause. Other aspects of aviation work — including other types of exposures and circadian disruption — may also affect health outcomes.

Our new report examines radiation exposure among flight crewmembers and recommends more consistent radiation safety programs, education, and career-long exposure tracking.

Learn more:

A new congressionally mandated National Academies report is bringing renewed attention to those questions, recommending a more consistent approach to occupational radiation safety across the aviation industry. Assessing Radiation Exposure, Health Outcomes, and Mitigation Strategies for Flight Crewme...

09/01/2026

Last week, early and mid-career researchers from 17 countries across the Americas and Caribbean gathered in São Paulo for the Connections to Sustain Science in Latin America Symposium, exchanging ideas on oceans, the Amazon, extreme events, AI in life sciences, and biomedicine.

The symposium was held in partnership with the Academia Brasileira de Ciências, Agência FAPESP, and the InterAmerican Network of Academies of Science, with support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Thank you to our partners for helping make this exchange possible!

08/31/2026

NASA’s launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope marks a major milestone for a mission recommended as the top-ranked large space mission in the National Academies’ 2010 astronomy and astrophysics decadal survey.

With a field of view more than 100 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope, Roman will survey the cosmos to help scientists discover exoplanets and deepen understanding of dark matter and dark energy.

For decades, the National Academies have helped identify science goals and mission priorities for NASA, including our most recent Astro 2020 decadal survey. https://ow.ly/EkEc50ZHocJ