News

New Report Explores Recent Advances Enabled by Mathematical Sciences Research

July 3, 2012

Fueling Innovation and Discovery: The Mathematical Sciences in the Twenty-first Century, a new National Research Council report geared toward general readers, explores recent and ongoing advances in the mathematical sciences and how these advances are changing our understanding of the world, creating new technologies, and transforming industries.

Computing Advances Vital to Sustainability Efforts; New Report Recommends Problem-Focused, Iterative Approach to Research

June 29, 2012

Innovation in computing will be essential to finding real-world solutions to sustainability challenges in such areas as electricity production and delivery, global food production, and climate change. The immense scale, numerous interconnected effects of actions over time, and diverse scope of these challenges require the ability to collect, structure, and analyze vast amounts of data. A new report from the National Research Council says that advances in computing -- such as ones that allow us to make trade-offs, understand complex systems and their connections, and account for uncertainty -- will be critical to meeting sustainability challenges. News ReleaseFull Report

New Booklet and Videos on Climate Change Science Now Available

June 28, 2012

Climate Change: Evidence, Impacts, and Choices is a new booklet from the National Research Council intended to help people understand what is known about climate change. Based on several Research Council consensus reports, it lays out the evidence of climate change being observed around the world, summarizes projections of future climate changes and impacts expected in this century and beyond, and examines how science can help inform choices about managing and reducing the risks posed by climate change. The booklet is accompanied by a series of short videos that focus on the scientific evidence related to climate change.

National Academy of Sciences 150th Celebrated at Library of Congress

June 26, 2012

A new commitment to knowledge-based democracy was a central theme yesterday at a Library of Congress public event commemorating the 150th anniversaries of the passage of the Morrill Act -- which led to the creation of the nation's land-grant colleges -- and the establishment of the National Academy of Sciences and the Carnegie libraries. NAS President Ralph J. Cicerone led a session on the development of a national science infrastructure in the late 19th century. The panel discussed the cultural and intellectual conditions under which NAS was founded, but also focused on the need to look forward. "We need to capitalize on the American spirit of participatory democracy," Cicerone said. (more)

National Research Council Presents Long-Term Priorities for U.S. Nuclear Physics Program

June 26, 2012

Nuclear physics is a discovery-driven enterprise aimed at understanding the fundamental nature of visible matter in the universe. For the past hundred years, new knowledge of the nuclear world has also directly benefited society through many innovative applications. In its fourth decadal survey of nuclear physics, the National Research Council outlines the impressive accomplishments of the field in the last decade and recommends a long-term strategy for the future. Two videos have been prepared in conjunction with the report to illustrate several of the main ideas. The videos are suitable for classroom use and offer a clear and compelling articulation of the scientific rationale and objectives for nuclear physics, placing near-term goals in a broader international context. News ReleaseFull ReportVideosReport in Brief

California Sea Level Projected to Rise at Higher Rate Than Global Average; Slower Rate for Oregon, Washington

June 22, 2012

The sea level off most of California is expected to rise about one meter over the next century, an amount slightly higher than projected for global sea levels, and will likely increase damage to the state's coast from storm surges and high waves, says a new report from the National Research Council. Sea levels off Washington, Oregon, and northern California will likely rise less, about 60 centimeters over the same period of time. However, an earthquake magnitude 8 or larger in this region could cause sea level to rise suddenly by an additional meter or more. News Release Full Report Youtube Video HD (broadcast quality) Video Animations only (broadcast quality) Report in Brief

Water Restoration Efforts in Central Everglades Essential to Reversing Ecosystem's Continuing Decline

June 21, 2012

Twelve years after the launch of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), little progress has been made in restoring the core of the ecosystem, says the National Research Council’s fourth biennial evaluation of CERP, a multibillion-dollar, joint federal and state effort that aims to reverse the Florida ecosystem's decline while meeting growing demands for clean water and flood control. The report found that restoration projects have primarily focused on the periphery of the central Everglades, and says that efforts to improve the quality and amount of water in the core of the region are necessary to reverse ongoing declines. A new federal pilot project offers an innovative approach to this challenge, although additional analysis is needed to maximize restoration benefits. News ReleaseFull ReportReport in BriefProject Page

Ensuring the Safety of Offshore Drilling and Production

June 19, 2012

To ensure the effectiveness of recently mandated Safety and Environmental Management System (SEMS) programs for offshore drilling and production operations, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement should take a holistic approach that modifies some of its existing practices, says a new report from the National Research Council. These should include inspections, operator audits, bureau audits, key performance indicators, and a "whistleblower" program. The report emphasizes using cooperation and consultation to further develop a culture of safety. Since the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout and explosion, the federal government as well as the offshore oil and gas industry have been undergoing major changes, including the issuance of regulations requiring operators of offshore facilities to adopt and implement comprehensive SEMS programs by Nov. 15, 2011. These systems are intended to shift from an entirely prescriptive approach to a proactive risk-based, goal-oriented regulatory approach to improve safety and reduce the likelihood of similar events recurring. The committee for this study was charged with recommending a method of assessing the effectiveness of operators' SEMS programs on any offshore drilling or production facility. News Release Full Report

EngineerGirl! Announces Essay Contest Winners

June 18, 2012

NAE’s EngineerGirl! has announced the winners of its 2012 essay competition, Food Engineering. This year’s contest asked students to choose a food item and explain the way it is produced and how engineers are involved in the process. Older students were also asked to explain how a technology that is critical to the food production process works, and to describe the different types of engineers who might have contributed to its design. Prizes were awarded to students in three categories based upon grade level, and were chosen from 1,000 entries. “I am thrilled to see that so many young people are interested in engineering,” said NAE President Charles M. Vest. “Not only is this year’s record number of submissions very encouraging, but it’s exciting to know that so many students are thinking about the innovations of the next century. News Release

Role of Energy Technologies in Causing Earthquakes

June 15, 2012

Hydraulic fracturing has a low risk for inducing earthquakes that can be felt by people, but underground injection of wastewater produced by this and other energy technologies has a higher risk of causing such earthquakes, says a new report from the National Research Council. In addition, carbon capture and storage may have the potential for inducing seismic events, because significant volumes of fluids are injected underground over long periods of time. However, insufficient information exists to understand this potential because no large-scale carbon capture and storage projects are as yet in operation; continued research will be needed. News ReleaseFull ReportReport in Brief