Some Republicans in Congress Are Worried About Asteroids Crashing Into Earth—but Not About Climate Change
Asteroids pose a risk for anyone—regardless of income level. That's not the case with climate change.
Francie Diep
Francie Diep is a staff writer at Pacific Standard, where she specializes in health and drug policy and the intersections of culture and science. Previously, she covered science, health, and science policy for Scientific American, Popular Science, and Smithsonian.
Retreating Arctic Ice Has Shifted Shipping Routes 180 Miles Closer to the North Pole
Even smaller fishing boats are venturing deeper into the Arctic, an analysis finds.
Facebook Is Planning on Turning Its Data Over to Social Scientists. Should Users Trust the Project?
We spoke with social-science ethicists about how well Facebook's initiative appears to protect users' privacy. They're skeptical, but still eager to see Facebook data studied.
How Easy Is It to Get Naloxone in Your State?
Here's how states have made it easier for bystanders to administer naloxone to overdose victims.
The Surgeon General Urges More Americans to Carry Naloxone
Advocacy groups have long pushed for making more naloxone available to the public as a way to prevent overdoses. The surgeon general's advisory gives that effort a big boost.
Marking the 50th Anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Death in Atlanta
Hours before a televised ceremony, the sites of King's crypt and church saw a steady stream of visitors.
The NIH Just Announced a Billion-Dollar Initiative to Combat Opioid Addiction
On Wednesday, federal science and policy speakers outlined their plans for combating opioid addiction.
A Decade After the FDA Warned Doctors About Methadone, States Finally Stopped Recommending It
When used as a pain reliever, methadone is especially likely to cause unintentional overdoses.
Independent Autopsy Finds That Police Shot Stephon Clark Mostly in the Back
Clark turned out to be unarmed, and his death sparked large protests organized by Black Lives Matter and other groups.
'This Is the Closest to Home It's Ever Been': Scenes From the 'March for Our Lives' in Washington, D.C.
The marchers offered an array of ideas for reducing gun violence in America.
Dispatches: 'Pacific Standard' Goes to Washington
News and notes from Pacific Standard staff and contributors.
Animal Rights Groups Sue the Department of the Interior Over Trophy Hunting
The lawsuit alleges that the DOI's decision to allow Americans to bring their hunting trophies back home violates the Endangered Species Act.
The Research Behind Trump's Anti-Drug Proposals
Is condemning drug dealers to death really a wise strategy?
Why Did the National Science Foundation Propose Slashing Its Own Social Science Budget?
Social science advocates and Democratic lawmakers suggest the White House was behind the NSF's proposed budget slashes.
PS Picks: The 'New York Times' on High Drug Prices in America
PS Picks is a selection of the best things that the magazine's staff and contributors are reading, watching, or otherwise paying attention to in the worlds of art, politics, and culture.
How Immigration Crackdowns Are Hurting America's Poorest Schools
Teachers around the country report emotional and behavioral problems among their students as a result of ICE raids. Even kids from families under no danger of deportation are affected.
The USGS Director's Newest Job Description: Maintaining 'Scientific Integrity'
There was a recurring theme during former astronaut James Reilly's confirmation hearing to become the new USGS director: the importance that he prevent the agency from corruption.
Emergency Room Visits for Opioid Overdoses Went Up 30 Percent Last Year
It seems few corners of America have been spared the ravages of opioid misuse.
The National Science Foundation Is Still Months Away From Finalizing Its Policy on Harassers—but It's Enforcing the New Rules Anyway
Scientists found to have harassed colleagues or subordinates are now open to having their NSF grants revoked.
A New Website Names and Shames Universities and Companies Who Fail to Report Clinical Trials
The government has never fined anyone for breaking a law about reporting clinical trials. A new effort is trying to change that.
PS Picks: The Story of Nigel, the Loneliest Seabird in New Zealand
PS Picks is a selection of the best things that the magazine's staff and contributors are reading, watching, or otherwise paying attention to in the worlds of art, politics, and culture.
An Off-Label Use of Cheap Strips—to Test for Deadly Contaminants in Drugs—Gets the Backing of Science
Research is beginning to show that cheap strips can accurately detect deadly fentanyl, and encourages people to get high more cautiously.
What's Trump's Budget Means for Space, Health, and Basic Science in America
Under Trump's request, NASA's budget would hold steady, while the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation would see their funding slashed.
The Scope of America's Failing Water Systems
A new study looks at how often American community water systems violate health standards.
How Much Would Cutting Fossil-Fuel Subsidies Really Limit Global Warming?
Not that much, one new study finds.
Scientists Have Found More Evidence That the Flint Water Crisis Led to an Outbreak of Legionnaire's Disease
New research suggests that, when officials in Flint, Michigan, didn't properly treat their water, they created the conditions for a deadly bacteria to grow.
California's Farms Are an Even Larger Source of Air Pollution Than We Thought
A new study uncovers an underappreciated source of air pollution in the Golden State: fertilized soil.
Scott Pruitt's Testimony Before a Split Senate Committee Was Rowdy but Ultimately Unsurprising
Half the senators lobbed the EPA chief softball questions; the other half blasted his attempts at deregulation.
Will the DEA's Plan to Get Rural Americans Better Access to Addiction Treatment Work?
The DEA's rule change allows other health-care professionals aside from just doctors to prescribe buprenorphine, an effective—but potentially addictive—treatment.
A New Government Report Finds the Zika Virus Caused a Big Uptick in Serious Birth Defects in 2016
The surge is also expected to show up in last year's data.
Drought and Climate Change Could Hamper the Return of Plants and Animals Displaced by California's Biggest Wildfire
One local ecologist set out to catalog the destruction.
Philadelphia Clears the Way for Supervised Injection
Philadelphia has the highest opioid-overdose death rate of any American city.
Most Women and African Americans in Tech Say They've Been Discriminated Against
Science and tech jobs are among America's highest-paying and fastest-growing, but women and minorities in the field report they face unfair barriers in the workplace.
Walmart Promises Higher Pay Under Tax Overhaul
Walmart is one of several companies that has announced raises and one-time bonuses for employees after Congress passed its tax overhaul.
Climate Information Is Disappearing From Federal Websites Under Trump
One group of scientists spent the past year tracking 20,000 government websites and databases about climate change. Here's what they found.
A Group of Scientists Is Helping to Determine the Future of America's Satellites
An influential new survey will help government agencies decide which satellite capabilities to fund.
BBC Editor Quits, Citing Gender Discrimination in Pay
Though editor Carrie Gracie was offered a raise, she felt it did nothing to address the systemic nature of the BBC's pay-gap problem.
DHS Ends 200,000 Salvadorans' Protected Resident Status
Immigrant advocates worry that terminating Salvadorans' Temporary Protected Status will break up families.
Fifty Years After a Blowout, This Natural-Gas Reservoir Is Still Contaminating the Local Groundwater
A study of a blowout site in the Netherlands offers safety lessons for natural gas fields around the world.
A 'Pacific Standard' Guide to Keeping Your New Year's Resolutions
Find your purpose, forgive yourself for slip-ups, and have someone gently prod you.
Our Best Social Justice Stories of 2017
The best stories include adversity and injustice, but also triumph.
Life Expectancy Fell in the United States Again, Mostly Because of Drug Overdoses
Spanish flu, HIV/AIDS, drug overdoses: Epidemics that affect the young often show up dramatically in the data.
The FDA's Proposed Crackdown on Homeopathy Takes Aim at Risky Remedies
Homeopathic products include everything from the radically alternative to certain over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines.
Could All That Ash From the Thomas Fire Be Making Temperatures Drop?
A reminder that wildfires have wide-ranging and surprising effects.
Trump Reportedly Watches Four-Plus Hours of TV a Day. Science Says That's Not a Great Idea.
Pacific Standard checks out the studies.
Where Did All the Money Come From in the Alabama Senate Race?
Super PACs dedicated to the country's top national politicians are spending the most in the Alabama special election.
White House Calls for Immigration Reform After New York City Bombing
Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called for Congress to work with President Trump to change immigration laws.
In a Future With More Wildfires, There Will Also Be More Smoke
Here's what individuals and communities can do to protect themselves.
The FDA Just Approved a New Injection for Treating Opioid Addiction. Will Drug Courts Actually Let Defendants Take It?
The new treatment may help overcome some courts' lingering—and dangerous—aversion to medication-assisted treatment.