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Watch the 2026 State of the Science Address

Announcement

National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt discussed the status of the United States’ research enterprise, global leadership in science, and implications for economic competitiveness in the third annual State of the Science address, delivered on June 2. Her address was followed by a panel discussion with other science leaders. (photo by Kevin Allen)

Jun 3, 2026
The State of the Science Address 2026. June 2, 2026. Held at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, DC.

VA, Congress Urged to Improve Process for Evaluating Disabilities Related to Military Sexual Trauma in New Report

News Release

Military sexual trauma can have immediate and lasting effects on veterans’ mental and physical health, yet many veterans encounter challenges when seeking disability compensation related to that trauma. A new National Academies report reviews the compensation examination process and makes recommendations to ensure veterans receive disability evaluations that are accessible, accurate, and fair.

Jun 3, 2026
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Platform Science and the Fragmentation of Global Scientific Cooperation

Announcement

In an editorial in PNAS Nexus, Vaughan Turekian, executive director of the National Academies’ Office of International Networks, Cooperation, and Security, argues that decisions made in the next five years about who can access AI-enabled platforms, and how, will shape the geography of global discovery for a generation.

Jun 4, 2026
Vaughan Turekian

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Platform Science and the Fragmentation of Global Scientific Cooperation

Announcement

In an editorial in PNAS Nexus, Vaughan Turekian, executive director of the National Academies’ Office of International Networks, Cooperation, and Security, argues that decisions made in the next five years about who can access AI-enabled platforms, and how, will shape the geography of global discovery for a generation.

Jun 4, 2026

Vaughan Turekian

Statement on Report’s Recommendation for NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative

Statement

Forecasting the Ocean:  The 2025-2035 Decade of Ocean Science, a National Academies report issued last year, found that the National Science Foundation’s Ocean Observatories Initiative has seen many successes and, as it stands, would partially support urgent ocean research questions identified by the committee that wrote the report.

Jun 3, 2026

Health and Safety Impacts of Aircraft Cabin Temperatures — New Report

News Release

Excessively hot or cold temperatures in commercial aircraft may affect the health and safety of passengers and flight attendants. A new National Academies report surveys the evidence on the influence of cabin temperature and humidity on safety and recommends strategies to improve monitoring and risk management.

Jun 3, 2026

Interior of airplane with passengers on seats and stewardess in uniform walking the aisle, serving people.

Watch the 2026 State of the Science Address

Announcement

National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt discussed the status of the United States’ research enterprise, global leadership in science, and implications for economic competitiveness in the third annual State of the Science address, delivered on June 2. Her address was followed by a panel discussion with other science leaders. (photo by Kevin Allen)

Jun 3, 2026

The State of the Science Address 2026. June 2, 2026. Held at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, DC.

VA, Congress Urged to Improve Process for Evaluating Disabilities Related to Military Sexual Trauma in New Report

News Release

Military sexual trauma can have immediate and lasting effects on veterans’ mental and physical health, yet many veterans encounter challenges when seeking disability compensation related to that trauma. A new National Academies report reviews the compensation examination process and makes recommendations to ensure veterans receive disability evaluations that are accessible, accurate, and fair.

Jun 3, 2026

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The Rabbit Hole of Everyday Questions with Emily Zhang

Feature Story

Emily Zhang has created dozens of YouTube videos, receiving over 300 million views on subjects from the physics of bowling to the invention of blue LED. This year she started Rabbit Hole, a channel that offers “extraordinary answers to everyday questions.” We spoke with Zhang — a 2025 winner of the National Academies’ Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications — about Rabbit Hole and her experiences with YouTube as a medium for science communication.

Jun 3, 2026

image for the feature story "The Rabbit Hole of Everyday Questions with Emily Zhang." Zhang is a 2025 winner of the National Academies’ Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications

What could we learn by landing humans on Mars?

Based on Science

Landing humans on Mars could teach us whether life ever existed beyond Earth, how planets change over time, and how humans can live on other worlds. By studying Mars up close, astronauts could answer some of the biggest questions in science, including whether we are alone in the universe.

May 29, 2026

cover art for A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars

Academy Members Receive Prestigious Shaw Prizes

Announcement

In recognition of distinguished and significant advances in their respective fields, this year’s Shaw Prize in Astronomy was awarded in equal shares to Stanford Woosley (NAS) and Ken’ichi Nomoto; the Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine was awarded to Zhu Chen (NAS/NAM), Hugues de Thé (NAM), and Anne Dejean; and the Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences was awarded to Emmanuel Candès (NAS) and Camillo De Lellis.

May 27, 2026

What to Know About the Current State of Bird Flu in the U.S.: A Conversation with Shawn Gibbs

Feature Story

As summer approaches, infectious diseases such as H5N1 — commonly known as bird flu — can spread more easily and potentially mutate. Bird flu cases in humans are still relatively rare, and the virus has not yet been known to spread from person to person, but farm workers have contracted the virus after close, prolonged, and unprotected contact with infected animals. We caught up with Shawn Gibbs, dean of the Texas A&M University School of Public Health, to get his thoughts on what should be done to mitigate exposure risks.

May 22, 2026

Workers in chicken farm

Does the current Ebola vaccine protect against every type of Ebola virus?

Based on Science

No. The currently approved Ebola vaccine used for outbreak response is called Ervebo. Ervebo protects against one species of Ebola virus, called Zaire ebolavirus. It has not been proven to protect against other Ebola viruses, including Bundibugyo virus. The 2026 outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo is caused by Bundibugyo virus, a different Ebola virus for which there is currently no approved vaccine.

May 22, 2026

A doctor in Africa checks the vaccine syringe

How does Ebola spread from person to person?

Based on Science

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the body fluids of a symptomatic person or with contaminated clothing or other materials. Ebola virus is in saliva and other body fluids but has not been found to spread as easily as airborne viruses, such as COVID-19 or measles.

May 22, 2026

Light micrograph histologic section showing human liver infected with Ebola virus causing African Hemorrhagic Fever

Are there proven treatments for Ebola?

Based on Science

Yes. Scientists have developed treatments that improve survival for Ebola virus disease caused by Zaire ebolavirus, especially when patients receive care early. But treatments that work for one species of Ebola virus may not work against all Ebola viruses.

May 22, 2026

Virus particle on a red background, illustration.

New Report on Managing Highway Stormwater Quality

Announcement

Stormwater infrastructure plays an important role in protecting water resources, but contaminants from highway runoff are not adequately removed by current structures, and improved management of the various types and sources of pollutants is needed. A new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies recommends methods state departments of transportation could use in their strategies to manage highway stormwater quality.

May 21, 2026

Drenched road from heavy rainfall.

Public Meeting on Airspace Design, Civil-Military Coordination, and Operational Safety in the National Capital Region

Announcement

On Jan. 29, 2025, a passenger jet descending to Ronald Reagan National Airport and a U.S. Army helicopter collided over the Potomac River, killing all passengers and crew of the two aircraft. Join us May 21 for a public meeting of a National Academies’ Transportation Research Board study on airspace design, civil-military coordination, and operational safety in the D.C. region. Speakers include representatives of the National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration, families and friends of American Airlines Flight 5342, and other stakeholders.

May 20, 2026

Science Academies Call on G7 to Protect the Arctic, Manage Large Satellite Constellations, and Advance Brain Health

Announcement

The National Academy of Sciences joined science academies from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada, and the United Kingdom in issuing three joint statements to inform discussions during the June G7 summit, as well as to offer science-informed guidance for ongoing policymaking. The S7 statements provide analysis of the current scientific evidence and recommendations related to the Arctic, large satellite constellations, and brain health.

May 19, 2026

Digital world

New Technologies and Approaches Needed to Shore Up Interconnected U.S. Energy and Water Systems, Says New Report

News Release

As demands on the nation’s deeply interconnected energy and water systems grow, potential disruptions can have far-reaching consequences for communities, the economy, and national security. A new National Academies report examines how the systems’ interdependencies create both risks and opportunities and how collaborative, coordinated approaches can strengthen resilience and reliability.

May 19, 2026

Tom Miller Dam, Lake Austin, Colorado River, Austin Texas. Lake Austin (formerly Lake McDonald) is a water reservoir on the Colorado River in Austin, Texas. The reservoir was formed in 1939 by the construction of Tom Miller Dam by the Lower Colorado River Authority.
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