National Academy of Sciences

TODAY at 3 pm ET, don't miss NAS President Marcia McNutt deliver the third annual address, where she will explore the status of the U.S. research enterprise, global science leadership, and economic competitiveness.

“For decades, science has been the bedrock of U.S. economic growth and national prosperity," said McNutt. "In my address, I will explore reforms that could make the research enterprise more resilient so that science can continue to produce the foundational advances we depend on to drive progress and ensure U.S. leadership.”

Join here: https://www.nationalacademies.org/events/1133

The 2026 U.S. Frontiers of Science symposium—the Academy's premier program for leading early-career scientists—brought together researchers tackling some of today’s most fascinating topics and urgent questions:

👽 The search for life among the stars
🧠 Brain-computer interfaces
🌡️ Heat stress and human health
🦠 Invisible frontiers of life
🧪 PFAS, microplastics, and “forever chemicals”
🍄 Psychedelics and the brain
🌊 Sea level rise and Earth system transitions
✨ Studying astrophysical systems in the laboratory

The result is a wide-ranging look at where discovery is headed next across space, climate, health, technology, and the hidden systems that shape life on Earth.

Watch the full series of talks: https://www.nasonline.org/symposia/2026-u-s-frontiers-of-science/

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2026 Shaw Prizes! Three are among the winners recognized for transformative contributions across astronomy, life science and medicine, and mathematics.

🌌 Stanford Woosley (with Ken’ichi Nomoto) — Shaw Prize in Astronomy for their studies of stellar explosions and the origin of the elements.

🔬 Zhu Chen (with Anne Dejean and Hugues de Thé) — Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine for uncovering the molecular basis of acute promyelocytic leukemia and pioneering targeted therapies that transformed it from one of the most deadly diseases to one of the most curable cancers.

🧮 Emmanuel Candès (with Camillo De Lellis) — Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences for foundational advances in mathematical analysis with major impact on signal processing, statistics, and fluid dynamics.

Learn more: https://www.shawprize.org/en/media/news/announcement-press-conference-2026-press-release

The Shaw Prize 邵逸夫獎

Biodiversity conversations often focus on endangered or charismatic species, but what about the animals living alongside us every day? In a Q&A for the International Day for Biological Diversity, evolutionary biologist and Marlene Zuk discusses Outsider Animals, her new book exploring rats, coyotes, cockroaches, gulls, and other species often dismissed as pests or nuisances.

Their stories reveal a more complicated picture of in a human-shaped world, where ecosystems are constantly changing, biology is far from static, and the line between "good" and "bad" animals is not always clear. Rather than asking us to love every species, Zuk argues for something else: curiosity, nuance, and a fuller understanding of the overlooked forms of life woven into our everyday environments.

Read the full Q&A: https://www.nasonline.org/news/biodiversity-day-marlene-zuk/

The Biodiversity We Overlook: Marlene Zuk Explains What “Outsider Animals” Can Teach Us About Coexistence in a Human-Dominated World - NAS When people think about biodiversity, they often picture rainforests, coral reefs, or endangered wildlife, not cockroaches in kitchen corners or coyotes crossing city streets. But in her new book Outsider Animals, evolutionary biologist Marlene Zuk argues that these overlooked species are also part....

Happy ! 🐝 Honey bees sustain much of our food supply, pollinating crops from fruits to nuts and contributing billions in value to agriculture. But their importance goes far beyond food.

As Gene Robinson explains in a new Q&A, bees are also extraordinary models for understanding how social life evolves. Their communication systems, including the waggle dance, reveal how ancient biological pathways are repurposed to support cooperation and collective decision-making.

Even amid global concerns about pollinator decline, bee populations show remarkable resilience, including evolving defenses against parasites like Varroa mites, offering hope for the future. Read the full Q&A: https://www.nasonline.org/news/food-for-thought-gene-robinson/

The science academies of the G7 countries have released three new joint “S7” statements addressing urgent global challenges: rapid Arctic change, the growing risks and opportunities of large satellite constellations, and the need to advance brain health worldwide.

The U.S. National Academy of Sciences joined its counterparts in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada, and the United Kingdom in providing science-informed guidance ahead of the upcoming G7 summit in Evian, France. The statements emphasize coordinated international action, evidence-based policymaking, and long-term investment in global resilience.

“Science is truly a global endeavor, and our Academies are committed to working together to help address these challenges our nations share with evidence-based advice and guidance,” said National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt.

Read the full announcement: https://www.nasonline.org/news/s7-statements-on-arctic-satellite-brain

On International Museum Day, we celebrate the enduring scientific and cultural value of museum collections. 🏛️ Paleontologist and George Ga***rd Simpson was one of the key figures who transformed museum fossil collections into a foundation for modern evolutionary biology. Through his work at major natural history museums like the American Museum of Natural History, he helped show how specimens preserved in collections can reshape our understanding of life’s history.

Read his NAS memoir:https://www.nasonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Simpson_George.pdf

Happy ! 🏛️

Looking to discover a new museum in DC? Step inside the “nation’s home of science," the NAS Building, on a guided tour with Cultural Programs of the National Academy of Sciences (CPNAS). Explore soaring ceremonial spaces, striking art and architecture, and exhibitions where science and culture meet, from the Great Hall to the Kavli Auditorium. Designed by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue and dedicated by President Calvin Coolidge in 1924, the building blends Hellenic, Byzantine, Egyptian, and Art Deco influences.

Register for tours here: https://www.cpnas.org/exhibitions-events/events/

events are becoming more disruptive and costly, underscoring the need to better understand long-term patterns of change.

A new National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report and interactive site—featuring contributions from Isabel P. Montañez—show how paleoenvironmental records like tree rings and ice cores can reveal past extremes and strengthen resilience for the future.

Explore the interactive website: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/resource/29290/interactive/index.html

Read the report: https://www.nationalacademies.org/units/DELS-BASCPR-21-P-437/publication/29290

The future of the U.S. research enterprise is at a critical juncture. How can the nation sustain scientific leadership, strengthen innovation, and remain globally competitive in a rapidly changing world?

At the third annual address, NAS President Marcia McNutt will examine the challenges and opportunities ahead, and what’s at stake for the country’s economic future and global leadership in research.

Learn more and register to attend on June 2: https://www.nationalacademies.org/events/1133