Graduate students applying for NSF funding have had their applications returned without review—even though their proposed research appears to fall squarely within the fields of study outlined in the program solicitation.
Research & Developments
Brief updates on the effects of policy changes on science. These articles have no teaser and are not assigned a DOI.
Posted inResearch & Developments
Partial Shutdown Over DHS Funding Ensnares Education, Health
The U.S. government entered a partial shutdown Saturday at 12:01 Eastern after the Senate failed to resolve a showdown over funding for DHS and restrictions on ICE.
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Trump Administration to Speed Up Permitting for Deep Sea Mining, Even Beyond U.S. Boundaries
NOAA has finalized a rule that will expedite the permit and license application process for deep seabed mining and allow companies to mine beyond U.S. jurisdictional boundaries.
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We Are “Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means,” UN Report Warns
Humanity has overspent and depleted freshwater in the world’s aquifers, glaciers, wetlands, and other natural reservoirs to an irreversible degree, according to a new United Nations report.
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Hundreds of Scientists “Vehemently Oppose” U.S. Effort to Purchase Greenland
More than 200 scientists scientists have signed a letter condemning U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to acquire Greenland.
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In 2025, the Ocean Stored a Record-Breaking Amount of Heat, Again
The ocean soaked up more heat last year than any year since modern measurements began around 1960, according to a new analysis published in Advances in Atmospheric Science.
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Plan to End NEPA’s “Regulatory Reign of Terror” Is Finalized
The Trump administration has finalized a plan to roll back regulations outlined by one of our nation’s bedrock environmental laws.
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Trump Pulls United States Out of International Climate Efforts “Contrary” to National Interests
In an executive order issued on 7 January, the White House ordered the country’s withdrawal from 66 international agreements determined to be “contrary to the interests of the United States,” including two global efforts to combat climate change: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
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Science Escapes Largest Cuts in Latest Budget Bills
Today, top appropriators in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives released a three-bill appropriations package for fiscal year 2026 (FY26) that largely rejects drastic cuts to federal science budgets that President Trump proposed last year.
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Sculpture by Singer-Songwriter Jewel Incorporates Near Real-Time NASA Ocean Data
The soundscape changes in accordance with near real-time Atlantic Ocean conditions, as the data updates every 12 minutes. “If it’s raining, the piece looks and sounds different. If it’s stormy, the piece is different. It’s a living instrument that the ocean gets to play in real time,” Jewel said.