ScienceWriters2021 to be hybrid event; Submit a session proposal
We are pleased to announce that ScienceWriters2021 will be held as a hybrid event, with an in-person gathering in Boulder, Colorado, October 8-11.
NASW news
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Announcing NASW’s new Conflict of Interest resource
Built by volunteers, and informed by commentary from more than 50 contributors, this resource aims to inform writers and editors about behaviors or practices that may raise COI concerns and to inform conversations between writers and editors about COI and how to address it in performance or contract negotiations.
Unpacking Perseverance: a look into the updates on NASA’s new rover
NASA’s newest rover, Perseverance, landed on Mars last month equipped to hunt for signs of life—and to pave the way for human exploration in the future.
Light, Perception, and Architecture: How Your Environment Can Make You Feel Better
Walking into the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is a feast for the senses. Through the graceful curve of the cavernous ceilings, the gentle diffusion of light permeating the floor and the grandness of an echoing space, the nearly 800-year-old iconic house of worship serves as an example of how our built environment influences the human sensory experience.
Artificial intelligence is getting chatty, but still hasn’t perfected the gift of gab
It’s one thing to be able to talk; but it’s another to converse. And artificial intelligence (AI) has yet to check off the latter. Even with tremendous progress over the last years, the technology still hasn’t achieved the level of naturalness that would make you want to trade your best friend or favorite coworker for a smart virtual assistant.
Indigenous knowledge vital to resilience of coastal communities, experts say
More than 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods, according to the U.N. Coastal landscapes and communities, however, are increasingly threatened by environmental degradation, climate change and overexploitation. Some experts believe meeting this ecological and economic challenge is contingent on creating connections between modern science and Indigenous knowledge.
NASW Diversity Reporting Grants support coverage of marginalized communities
Last October, Chandra Bozelko, Ambika Chawla, Jesse Kathan, Ciara Reyes-Ton, and reporting duo Elora Apantaku and Charmaine Runes were selected as recipients of NASW’s new Diversity Reporting Grants.
Updates for freelancers: Pandemic assistance and the PRO Act
Freelancers and Pandemic Assistance
Programmable “Living Architecture” system uses microbes to power homes and recycle wastewater
Researchers in the UK have built a prototype of a home-architecture system that capitalizes on microbial actions in urine and wastewater to generate electricity, scrub water and air of pollutants, produce plant fertilizers, and carry out other household chores.