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SPONSORED BY  | | | | October 29, 2024: How to undo anti-intellectualism in the U.S., innovative solutions to health care in rural America, and a sunken ancient civilization is discovered off Italy. —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | | | The submerged ancient warehouse district along the Pozzuoli coast. Figure by M. Stefanile | | | • An ancient temple made by Arabian immigrants from the Nabataean culture has been found off the Italian coast. | 4 min read | | | • A new program announced by Vice President Harris called the Medicare at Home plan would cover at-home aides and other long-term services, with the potential to help 14.7 million people as well as caregivers. | 6 min read | | | • Damage from Hurricane Helene forced the only abortion clinic in western North Carolina to shutter, disrupting health care for pregnant people across a large region. | 4 min read | | | One way to restore trust in science is to inspire curiosity about science in kids. Kali9/Getty Images | | | Anti-intellectualism is the dislike and distrust of scientists, college professors and other experts, plus the rejection of the scientific method and rational thought. This stance is rooted in emotion, not evidence or reason, and has long been present in American life, writes Matt Motta, an assistant professor at the Boston University School of Public Health and an affiliate at Harvard University. Nearly one third of Americans have held anti-intellectual views at any given point in the past several decades, he says.
Why this matters: In his research, Motta has shown that Congress tends to call on public health experts, climate scientists and economists much less frequently at times when public anti-intellectualism is comparatively high. Anti-intellectualism fuels people's rejection of public health campaigns (like vaccines) and encourages unhinged misinformation (like false claims that the government is engineering hurricanes).
What can be done: Social psychologists have shown that those with a curiosity for science may be less likely to dismiss scientific findings and expertise. Stimulating that curiosity in kids and young adults (perhaps through free science museum admission for kids, and requiring science classes throughout school) may cement a lifelong respect for expertise and intellectualism. "Those who express elevated interest in new discoveries, space exploration and technology over time become less likely to hold negative attitudes toward scientists and other experts," writes Motta. | | | People living in rural areas of the U.S. face profound barriers to receiving health care. Rural regions are a long drive from medical facilities and many areas lack mass transit options. Local specialists like neurologists and obstetricians are in low supply and many rural areas lack high-speed Internet that would facilitate telemedicine. High poverty rates, food insecurity and limited resources further contribute to health issues. Indigenous populations are particularly at risk for such health disparities.
Why this matters: Approximately 57 million Americans live in rural areas and have higher rates of maternal mortality, chronic illness, and diseases of despair (drug overdoses, suicide and alcoholism).
What can be done: Doctors, nurses and other health care providers have devised new ways to reach their patients. For example, some health care practices have begun remote monitoring of their low-risk patients by sending them home with equipment like blood pressure cuffs, scales and fetal monitors. Some hospitals run local "health-care micro sites" where patients can receive basic medical services and connect with specialists online through high-speed Internet. Grants and federal programs like the Rural Maternity and Obstetric Management Strategies program fund transportation, food pantries and a visiting nurse service. | | | SPONSORED CONTENT BY THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES | For over 200 years, the New York Academy of Sciences has been at the forefront of scientific programming. Join our global community and gain access to a network of 20,000+ scientific researchers and exclusive membership benefits, at a discounted rate. Learn more. | | | • The General Assembly of the UN is hoping to establish an international panel of scientists to assess, communicate and advance our current knowledge of the effects of nuclear war. Everyone--and especially scientists--should support this effort, writes Zia Mian, co-director of Princeton University's Program on Science and Global Security. A joint statement from the national science academies of G7 nations highlights that "the world needs a deeper and more widely shared knowledge of the catastrophic effects of nuclear war on people and planet, and emphasizes that the scientific community has a special role and responsibility both in developing and communicating it." | 5 min read | | | T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage)/H. Schweiker (WIYN and NOIRLab/NSF/AURA) (CC BY 4.0) | | | • This planetary nebula is fit for Halloween, writes astronomer and columnist Phil Plait, who calls Sharpless 2-68 the Flaming Skull Nebula. Oxygen close to the core glows blue, and the cavities in it—the "eyes" and "mouth"--are sculpted by stellar winds. Hydrogen ejected from the glowing core of the star glows red. | 6 min read | | | One of my earliest first-hand experiences with science was a year-long "pond project" in middle school, where we tracked the number of organisms (bugs, worms, snails) that lived in a local pond near our school over the course of several seasons. Observational science is a natural fit for the wonder of childhood. The key is to keep up the wonder as the years go by and apply that science-like thinking to everyday life! When did you first experience the awe of science? | Thank you for being part of our circle of science-curious readers! Email me anytime: newsletters@sciam.com. I read all your notes and respond to many. See you tomorrow. | —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | | Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters . | | | | Scientific American
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