Situating Science
A column about how the everyday language we use to talk about science reveals — or conceals — what we believe.
Topics
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Who Pays and Who Counts in Global Health?
Rethinking measurement priorities requires centering the people who actually produce and use health data — health workers, facility teams, and district managers, not philanthropists or donor countries.
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More Property Rights Can Mean Less Land Security
In Bolivia, many rural farmers resisted a reform that would seem to bring prosperity. Instead, Law 1720 would have made their land and livelihoods more precarious.
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AI Needs to Be Trained to Sort Patients Better
Systems can be good at locating someone at risk for a heart attack. But they fail the woman who says that she is ‘just off.’
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Gummies, Chews, and Powders: The Contradiction of Super-processed Superfoods
In an ironic twist, highly processed products are increasingly used to satisfy consumers’ desire for real food. But açaí and moringa extracts are no substitute for access to fresh meals and the time to prepare them.
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The Kilowatt Economy
Economies that prioritize electricity abundance will win the race for economic growth.
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Reducing Opioid Deaths Is Possible When State and Federal Levels Align
Legalizing drug testing equipment at both the federal and state level could be a tangible step toward reducing opioid overdose deaths.
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Three Looming Executive Branch Threats to Science for the Public Good and the Public’s Health
All are in play — and none are facts foretold.
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The Coming Global Food Crisis?
A Warning…
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How To Be a Diamond in a Rhinestone World
I grew up in the kind of place where government cheese was baked onto rectangular pizzas, and every talent show included a Dolly. The singer still informs my work in global health: Even those who have no money can be as rich as they could be.