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Environmental Health and Safety

Environmental health and safety research examines how pollutants and toxins in air, water, and soil affect human health and ecosystems. The National Academies study exposure risks and develop guidance to reduce harmful impacts through safer design, regulation, and policy.

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Paleoenvironmental Data 101: Using Earth’s Past to Prepare for the Future

Announcement

While data collected by modern instruments can provide information on decades of Earth’s extreme events, paleoenvironmental data found in natural archives such as ice cores and tree rings can extend that record by hundreds, thousands, or millions of years into the past. Drawing on a new National Academies report, this interactive webpage offers an introduction to different paleoenvironmental archives and how they are being used to develop a deeper understanding of disasters in the past and plan for a more resilient future.

May 4, 2026

Rock core samples at the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland.

Used on the cover of: A Synthesis Center for Paleoenvironmental Records of Extreme Events

Gulf Futures Challenge Awards $20 Million Each to Two Projects Building a Safer, More Resilient Gulf Coast

News Release

The National Academies’ Gulf Research Program has awarded $20 million each to the Louisiana Public Health Institute and the Gulf Offshore Research Institute through the Gulf Futures Challenge, an initiative to fund projects that apply, translate, or communicate science, engineering, or medical knowledge to produce inclusive, innovative, and transformative solutions to the key challenges facing the Gulf Coast region.

Apr 23, 2026

Drone aerial image of houses on a barrier island in Louisiana

Clinicians Should Focus on Symptom Evaluation and Continuity of Care Following Jet Fuel Releases in Oahu, Says New Report Examining Health Risks from Potential Exposures

News Release

A new National Academies report recommends guidance for clinicians caring for individuals who were potentially exposed to drinking water contaminated by jet fuel accidently released on Oahu, Hawaii, in November 2021. The report also calls for continued environmental oversight of the drinking water system, health research, surveillance of the exposed community, and other efforts to rebuild trust.

Mar 19, 2026