'Unidentified Aerial Phenomena,' Better Known as UFOs, Deserve Scientific Investigation

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July 27, 2020

Dear Reader, Here are some highlights from today's roundup: The coronavirus has killed a disproportionate number of people of color in the U.S. Our editorial explains some of the ways to reduce the harm. How should astronomers, meteorologists, or planetary scientists approach the recent proposals to study "unidentified aerial phenomena"? In an op-ed, two researchers suggest that an interdisciplinary scientific investigation is needed. Scientists have identified the gene responsible for a sea creature's rare ability to make an unlimited supply of sperm and eggs. The Department of Energy is taking a fresh look at a tough research problem that has baffled experts for more than a decade: developing a low-cost alternative to jet fuel.

Sunya Bhutta, Senior Editor, Audience Engagement @sunyaaa

Policy & Ethics 'Unidentified Aerial Phenomena,' Better Known as UFOs, Deserve Scientific Investigation UAP are a scientifically interesting problem. Interdisciplinary teams of scientists should study them By Ravi Kopparapu,Jacob Haqq-Misra

Space NASA's Ingenuity--the First Ever Off-World Helicopter--Is Set for a 'Wright Brothers Moment' on Mars Launching with the Perseverance rover, this technology demonstration could lead to revolutionary new capabilities in interplanetary exploration By Irene Klotz

Public Health Too Many Black Americans Are Dying from COVID-19 The pandemic exposed a glaring health gap caused by systemic racism. Here's how to narrow it By THE EDITORS

Public Health Vaccine Trials Should Reflect America's Diversity Racial minorities and those with underlying health conditions may be at a greater risk from coronavirus infection, but have historically been less likely to be included in clinical trials By JoNel Aleccia,Kaiser Health News

Public Health World War II's Warsaw Ghetto Holds Lifesaving Lessons for COVID-19 An outbreak of typhus in the densely packed walled enclosure was countered by adopting all-too-familiar public health measures By Gary Stix

Biology Perpetual Fertility: How an Obscure Sea Creature Makes Endless Eggs and Sperm Understanding hydractinia's rare ability could provide insights into human reproductive disorders  By Stephenie Livingston

Environment Search for a Cleaner Jet Fuel Leads to Sewage Plants Researchers aim to short-circuit the decay process in organic waste to produce a potent, less carbon-intensive fuel By John Fialka,E&E News

Behavior & Society Why Young Americans Are Lonely And what we can do about it By Sian Leah Beilock

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FROM THE ARCHIVE A Word about Those UFO Videos I'm an astrophysicist, but that doesn't mean I have a motivation to debunk them By Katie Mack | May 2020

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