At a briefing co-hosted by AAAS, experts said the use of clinical trials is growing rapidly but there remains a serious lack of data on whether protections for participants are working as intended.

You are an archaeologist excavating a site that was inhabited by some of the earliest people to live in the Americas, about 14,000 years ago. You find ancient fragments of preserved seaweed scattered across the floors and stuck to an ancient cutting tool.

Based on 14,000-year-old seaweed found in Chile, researchers writing in Science suggest that the first humans in the Americas may have migrated along the Pacific Coast.

Three Science covers by staff illustrator Chris Bickel have been selected for the prestigious Illustrators Club Exhibition beginning 8 May in Washington, D.C.

Two anti-evolution bills pending in the Louisiana Legislature pose economic, educational and legal risks, AAAS CEO Alan I. Leshner writes in the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

The UK has reorganized S&T at the top level of government and is pursuing ambitious plans on energy, environment, health and security, says the nation's new innovation minister.

A warming climate is decreasing oxygen concentrations in tropical waters, particularly the Atlantic Ocean, broadly threatening marine life, says a new study in Science.

Some things—like iPods and laptop computers—just keep getting smaller and smaller. And scientists are trying to shrink these kinds of gadgets even further, using parts that can be as tiny as the width of a human hair. But as researchers are finding out, it can be tricky to create building blocks that stack into neat patterns at this small size.

When the AAAS Forum on S&T Policy convenes 8-9 May, leading thinkers will discuss research funding, new media, the possibility of a "post-scientific society" and other critical issues.

Mastodon and Tyrannosaurus rex now have a place on the vertebrate family tree, thanks to a new study.

Soft tissue found in Tyrannosaurus rex and mastodon fossils has enabled researchers publishing in Science to construct biological family trees for the prehistoric giants.

Scientists may be able to grow eggs and sperm from stem cells in five to 15 years. At AAAS, members of an international study group urged oversight in advance of clinical applications.

The planet's 3.5 billion year-history of biological evolution may offer important strategies for responding to modern security threats, ecologist Raphael Sagarin said at a AAAS briefing.

AAAS Chairman David Baltimore and fellow Nobel laureate Ahmed Zewail, writing in the Wall Street Journal, said the U.S. must re-energize its commitment to being the world S&T leader.

In a letter to members of the U.S. Senate, AAAS said the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act would protect individuals and encourage participation in vital research.

In a new statement, AAAS criticizes a new intelligent design propaganda film for inappropriately pitting religion against science and for demeaning scientists worldwide.

Mercury in polluted rivers doesn't just affect aquatic life. Scientists have discovered that spiders, moths and grasshoppers living near the water can deliver mercury to the food chain on land when they become tasty treats for birds.

Shirley Malcom, AAAS head of Education and Human Resources, tells the Congressional Nanotechnology Caucus that public engagement is critical to scientific success.

Seasonal influenza strains constantly evolve in overlapping epidemics in Asia and sweep the rest of the world each year, according to research in the 18 April issue of the journal Science.

In the new issue of Science, a team of researchers describe how spatial maps could help conservationists in Madagascar protect some of the most biodiverse hot spots on the planet.

Approximately 50 percent of plant and over 70 percent of vertebrate species are crammed into biodiversity "hotspots" that make up only 2.3 percent of Earth's land surface. Madagascar is one of these hotspots, and its government is planning to triple the amount of the protected land where the plants and animals can live without interference from humans.

With influential speakers and a cutting-edge program, the annual Forum will bring perspective to the 2008 presidential campaign and crucial science-related policy issues.

A 10 May workshop in Washington D.C., sponsored by AAAS and eight other research societies, will offer practical advice to scientists and engineers who are interested in political office.

Writing in the Orlando Sentinel, AAAS CEO Alan I. Leshner and business leader Maryann Fiala see human and economic risks in Florida's pending anti-evolution measures.

In a recent interview, AAAS President James McCarthy discussed the role of science in politics, the often-overlooked joys of research, and his plans for the 2009 Annual Meeting.

Insects are fast food for birds flying through tropical forests, which munch on them all day long. But things aren't much safer for the bugs at night, two groups of scientists found out recently. It turns out that bats eat lots of insects when the sun goes down in the forests. In fact, they may eat as many insects as the birds do during the day.

The International Atomic Energy Agency needs to strengthen its tools and procedures for overseeing peaceful uses of the atom, say two nonproliferation specialists at a AAAS briefing.