One Health Summit Explores Integrated Solutions to Cross-Species Diseases

A Nov. 17 summit co-hosted by the Institute of Medicine, National Research Council, and One Health Commission examined how to more swiftly address emerging cross-species diseases, such as the H1N1 influenza and West Nile viruses, through collaboration in the human, animal, and environmental health sciences.

Review of Health and Safety Risks for Fort Detrick Lab: Second Committee Meeting

Listen to an audio recording of the second meeting of the National Research Council committee reviewing the health and safety risk analyses for the proposed Fort Detrick Infectious Disease Laboratory.

NAS, IOM Members to Serve as Science Envoys‪‪

Former NAS President Bruce Alberts, former NIH Director and IOM member Elias Zerhouni, and Nobel prize-winning chemist and NAS member Ahmed Zewail have been appointed by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to serve as science envoys to Muslim majority countries. The envoys will travel to North Africa, the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia "to fulfill President Obama’s mandate to foster scientific and technological collaboration," Clinton said, speaking at a forum in Morocco.‪

New Radio Spectrum Management Policies Needed to Protect Scientific Observations

The current means for managing the radio frequency spectrum -- which is used by researchers for myriad purposes, including weather forecasting and astronomical investigations, and by consumers for such technologies as cellular phones and wireless Internet -- must be changed, says a new report from the National Research Council. The current policies threaten to thwart scientific discovery, diminish the utility of critical environmental observations, and limit economic growth because of inefficient use of these resources.

Ways to Foster Science Education Outside the Classroom

A great deal of science learning takes place outside of school -- in museums and after-school programs, for example, and through TV programs, books, and online activities. A new report from the National Research Council recommends ways museum professionals, media specialists, and educators can create experiences that foster science learning for people of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures.

Improvements Needed to Ensure Interoperable State Voter Registration Databases

Several actions are needed to help make voter registration databases capable of sharing information within state agencies and across state lines, says a new report from the National Research Council. These include short-term changes to improve education, dissemination of information, and administrative processes, and long-term changes to make improvements in data collection and entry, matching procedures, and ensure privacy and security.

• Full Report

Census Bureau Releases Alternative U.S. Poverty Estimate

Oct. 20 - The U.S. Census Bureau has released alternative estimates of poverty for the 2008 calendar year. The Bureau’s calculations are based on recommendations in the 1995 National Research Council report, “Measuring Poverty: A New Approach.” Using the report’s revised definitions, the Census Bureau calculated a higher rate of poverty (15.8 percent) than the Bureau’s official annual estimate (13.2 percent).

(Note to reporters: Early news coverage of the Census Bureau's alternative estimates may have implied that the National Academy of Sciences issued the new estimates. The NAS did not calculate these numbers. However, as noted above, the Census Bureau based them on the 1995 Research Council report.)

New Nutrition Requirements Recommended for School Meal Programs

The National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program should adopt a new set of nutrient targets and standards, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine, to meet children's nutritional needs better and foster healthy eating habits. The recommended targets and standards would bring the programs in line with the latest information on nutrition and child health and with current dietary guidelines.

Report Examines Hidden Costs of Energy

A new report from the National Research Council examines "hidden" costs of energy production and use -- such as the the health impacts of air pollution -- that are not reflected in market prices of coal or oil. The quantifiable damages alone were an estimated $120 billion in the U.S. in 2005, a number that reflects primarily health damages caused by air pollution from electricity generation and motor vehicle transportation.

U.S. and China Mark 30 Years of Science and Technology Cooperation

The National Academy of Sciences today hosted representatives from the U.S. and China as the countries celebrate 30 years of science and technology cooperation. A ceremony included remarks by NAS President Ralph Cicerone, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology John Holdren, Minister Wan Gang of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Chinese Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kerri-Ann Jones.

Smoking Bans Reduce Risk for Heart Attacks Associated With Secondhand Smoke

Smoking bans are effective at reducing the risk of heart attacks and heart disease associated with exposure to secondhand smoke, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. The report also confirms there is sufficient evidence that breathing secondhand smoke boosts nonsmokers' risk for heart problems, adding that indirect evidence indicating that even relatively brief exposures could lead to a heart attack is compelling.

Members Receive 2009 Nobel Prizes

This year several members and foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine had the distinction of being honored with Nobel Prizes for their contributions to the fields of economics, chemistry, physics, and physiology or medicine. Six are members of the NAS; three of the NAE; and one of the IOM. Two winners also hold foreign associate status in the NAS.

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