bioethics

National Survey Reveals Americans' Most Important Scientific Priorities

Bioethics Slideshow
National Survey Reveals Americans' Most Important Scientific Priorities

A photo of the United States from space.

Photo by NASA on Unsplash

This article is part of the magazine, "The Future of Science In America: The Election Issue," co-published by LeapsMag, the Aspen Institute Science & Society Program, and GOOD.

A recent survey commissioned by Research!America on behalf of a working group formed to assess America's commitment to science reveals that Americans – across party lines – view science as critically important to solving urgent problems facing our nation. The survey reveals a public mandate for action.

In the survey, overwhelming majorities say science benefits them personally, want America to maintain its global leadership in science, and agree the U.S. is at a critical point for committing to a major new initiative to assure health, security, and prosperity for the nation. One set of findings are of concern, however: Adults aged 18-29 appear to see science as less consequential to our nation's future.

In the remaining weeks before Election Day, readers can reach out to candidates to convey the survey results and urge them to support a science strong future for our nation. The survey clearly shows supporting science is a priority for voters.. You can reach candidates through the nonpartisan Vote Science Strong site developed by Research!America and others with links to "tele-townhalls" and social media tools.

[Editor's Note: To read other articles in this special magazine issue, visit the beautifully designed e-reader version.]

Research!America
The Research!America alliance advocates for science, discovery, and innovation to achieve better health for all.

A new oral vaccine could prevent urinary tract infections for years

A new oral vaccine could prevent urinary tract infections for years

Urinary tract infections account for more than 8 million trips to the doctor each year.

Getty Images

Few things are more painful than a urinary tract infection (UTI). Common in men and women, these infections account for more than 8 million trips to the doctor each year and can cause an array of uncomfortable symptoms, from a burning feeling during urination to fever, vomiting, and chills. For an unlucky few, UTIs can be chronic—meaning that, despite treatment, they just keep coming back.

But new research, presented at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Paris this week, brings some hope to people who suffer from UTIs.

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Sarah Watts

Sarah Watts is a health and science writer based in Chicago.

MILESTONE: Doctors have transplanted a pig organ into a human for the first time in history

MILESTONE: Doctors have transplanted a pig organ into a human for the first time in history

A surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital prepares a pig organ for transplant.

Michelle Rose/Massachusetts General Hospital

Surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital made history last week when they successfully transplanted a pig kidney into a human patient for the first time ever.

The recipient was a 62-year-old man named Richard Slayman who had been living with end-stage kidney disease caused by diabetes. While Slayman had received a kidney transplant in 2018 from a human donor, his diabetes ultimately caused the kidney to fail less than five years after the transplant. Slayman had undergone dialysis ever since—a procedure that uses an artificial kidney to remove waste products from a person’s blood when the kidneys are unable to—but the dialysis frequently caused blood clots and other complications that landed him in the hospital multiple times.

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Sarah Watts

Sarah Watts is a health and science writer based in Chicago.