Chesley Bonestell, “The Exploration of Mars” (1953), oil on board, 143/8 x 28 inches, gift of William Estler, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Reproduced courtesy of Bonestell LLC.

Science Politics

Scientific research is often presented as "apolitical"—dealing entirely in objective facts. But research findings are frequently marshalled in support of one political objective or another, and of course the scientific enterprise itself is not immune to politics and political pressure. This section delves into the politics and policy behind science and innovation, covering everything from artificial intelligence to government censorship, climate change to social media, human genome editing to research funding.