Highlights:

  This Week in PNAS 
Highlights from the recent edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the Academy's scientific journal

  Biographical Memoirs
Access more than 1,000 biographies of leading U.S. scientists including Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Margaret Mead, Louis Agassiz, and Joseph Henry

  New Lecture Series to Be Held in Woods Hole, Mass.
Learn more about the Distinctive Voices@Jonsson series and view the summer schedule

News:

  Transit Systems Are Not Well Integrated Into Local Emergency Plans
July 22, 2008: Millions of people each day rely on transit, yet few urban area emergency plans have focused on its role in an emergency evacuation. Transit systems could play a significant role in transporting carless and special needs populations in times of emergency, but these groups are inadequately addressed in most local emergency plans.

  With Government and Industry Support, Hydrogen Vehicles Could Reduce U.S. Oil Use and Emissions
July 17, 2008: A transition to hydrogen vehicles could greatly reduce U.S. oil dependence and carbon dioxide emissions, but challenges remain, including high costs and a lack of infrastructure. These obstacles could be overcome, however, with continued support for research and development from the automotive industry and the federal government.

  Forest Management Important for Water Supplies
July 14, 2008: Modifications to forests’ structure and composition -- whether caused by manmade or naturally occurring phenomena, such as wildfires, insects, climate change effects, road networks, or chemicals like fertilizers and fire retardants -- can alter water quantity and quality. More research should be pursued to address critical water issues, and watershed councils and citizen groups should work with agencies to better protect and sustain water resources.

  Professional Science Master's Degree Programs Should be Expanded
July 11, 2008: U.S. policymakers, universities, and employers should work together to speed the development of professionally oriented master's degree programs in the natural sciences. Graduates of these programs -- which build both scientific knowledge and practical workplace skills -- can contribute significantly to the nation's competitiveness, the report says.

  Restoration of Climate Sensors Needed
July 10, 2008: To continue the study of long-term climate change, NASA and NOAA need to restore a number of sensors that were previously planned for future Earth-observing satellites but cancelled. The report from the National Research Council provides recommendations for a recovery strategy and stresses the need for a clearer national policy toward acquiring long-term climate records.

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