Articles

Assessing the space shuttle program

Americans paid dearly for the space shuttle. Was the investment worth it? George Alexander, who covered the shuttle for the Los Angeles Times from the project's initiation in 1972 until 1985, reviews the evidence for and against that proposition. Excepted from the Summer 2011 ScienceWriters.

On science blogs this week: Control

Birth control is free at last — a year from now. It includes sterilization and probably the coming contraceptives for men. The death of Amy Winehouse, addiction, and withdrawal from alcohol. How will the debt-ceiling legislation affect science and medicine?

Over $70,000 awarded so far in the Idea Grants Program

In the past seven months since we first announced our Idea Grants program, the National Association of Science Writers has awarded five grants, totaling $72,400. Funding is provided by income from the Authors Coalition, and the grants are intended to help science writers in their professional lives or benefit the field of science writing.

On science blogs this week: Miscellany too

Neuroscience explains the debt-limit crisis for you. The incredible shrinking brain. Is there life beyond Earth? Perhaps not. Protecting human research subjects. Find the Higgs boson at home in your spare time! Correction %^(. Human embryonic stem cells get their day in court.