New Horizons Newsroom 2020

Latinos and the pandemic Disproportionately high rates of COVID-19 infection among Latinos in the U.S. can be linked to their work in essential job sectors. But negative portrayals of the group in public d...

Aboriginal burning practices: a solution to Australia’s wildfires? The cause of the 2019–20 “black summer” bushfires that swept across Australia—burning over 40 million acres and 3,000 homes and killing 33 people—can be found in Australi...

Racism is no glitch, Benjamin tells science writers In a presentation to hundreds of science journalists and communicators Oct. 21, a prominent Princeton social scientist argued that technology, often seen as the solution to many of...

Studies show disparate death rates from COVID-19 linked to both poverty and race Two recent studies by Harvard University researchers have added striking new details to the story of racial disparities in deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. I...

After Australian mega-fires, many species face extinction threats For many, the catastrophic 2019–20 Australian mega-fires feel like a distant nightmare. The fires burned for seven months, destroying vegetation across an area larger than Portug...

Perseverance carries hope of finding signs of ancient life on Mars As the Perseverance rover cruises to Mars, hundreds of scientists anxiously await the moment when the planet’s newest robot explorer will land and start searching for signs of an...

Could organized ‘counter-speech’ curb online hate? Around the world, the internet is plagued by online hate speech—insulting and harmful messages about groups or individuals, and even calls for violence against them. Although no ...

Native American communities battling COVID-19 draw on strengths From smallpox to COVID-19, introduced infectious diseases have had a disproportionate impact on Native American communities for centuries. The current pandemic is casting a harsh s...

A rover that will explore the possible existence of life on Mars Mars rovers have thrilled scientists and the public with surprising images, a wealth of data, and intriguing hints of the possibility that the planet may have harbored life. But so...

Shifting fire regimes in the far North threaten a delicate balance The first time arctic ecologist Merritt Turetsky saw fire damage in her field sites, the sight brought tears to her eyes. “I’m a wetland person,” she said in a recent intervi...

Fake news’ potent impact may be… fake news A social scientist known for his study of information networks and relationships has taken a hard look at so-called “fake news” and concluded that it is not as widespread as so...