Editors’ Picks: Our Favorite Opinions of 2023
As 2023 comes to a close, we look back at a year of poignant commentary on space, politics, climate, artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons, and health—and the ways we explore the human experience
I Worked in Antarctica for Three Years. My Sexual Harasser Was Never Caught
Hundreds of support staff keep Antarctic research stations running. For decades, workers including me have had little to no protection from sexual harassers and stalkers
Diversity in Science Includes Cultural Dress
Images of sari-wearing space scientists in India remind us that research is global and cultural dress should be welcome in the workplace
Universities Need to Address Sexual Harassment in the Gaming They Sponsor
Esports are booming on college campuses, and safe participation in gaming is a new Title IX challenge. Schools should get ahead of the threat of harassment now
Why Women Earn Less Than Men: Economic Historian Wins Nobel for Work on Gender Pay Gap
Claudia Goldin mined 200 years of data to show that greater economic growth did not lead to wage parity or more women in the workplace
What Grand Theft Auto Tells Us about the ‘Crisis in Masculinity’
Breaking down “toxic masculinity” is complicated, especially amid fears of a masculinity crisis. Just look at one video game’s attempt
Female Physicists Aren’t Represented in the Media—And This Lack of Representation Hurts the Field
The Manhattan Project wouldn’t have been possible without the work of many accomplished female scientists
Men Think They Are Strong Workplace Allies. Women Disagree
Men and women often disagree on how much support women receive from male colleagues. The differences hurt women’s well-being at work
E. Jean Carroll’s Case Reveals the ‘Double Victimization’ of Sexual Assault Survivors
Courts and the public are skeptical of sexual assault survivors who didn’t react violently to assault, placing a double burden on them. “Why didn’t you fight back?” is an impossible standard to demand, research shows
Population Decline Will Change the World for the Better
A future with fewer people offers increased opportunity and a healthier environment
This 19th-Century Obscenity Law Is Still Restricting People’s Reproductive Rights
The Comstock Act is part of a federal case over access to abortion pills. A historical science-fiction writer weighs in on the legacy of 19th-century prudishness
How to Unravel The Recent Mifepristone Rulings
Courts hand down conflicting decisions often. Here’s how this has played out with mifepristone