scientificamerican--2020-09-22--The Masks We Wear to Survive

The Masks We Wear to Survive

It is 2018 , the second year of my psychiatry residency training , and I ’ m in the shower , unable to stop the doubts : “ What if I don ’ t know enough for my patients ?
” You know more than enough .
“ Do I remember that exact mechanism of that specific drug ?
” It ’ s okay to not remember everything .
“ No , it ’ s not .
You ’ ve learned for certain people it ’ s not.
” You ’ re going to be okay .
“ Am I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Have I ?
” As a psychiatry resident who is African-American and gay , I am accustomed to the doubt .
I am a doctor—a good one .
But the second I step foot outside my apartment , I am reduced to my skin color and sexual orientation .
A physician ’ s job is to help and to heal patients at their most vulnerable .
Doctors themselves are rarely allowed to let their guard down , however .
And for minoritized physicians , the pressure to be “ perfect ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t allowed to be less than perfect .
And even perfection is too often not enough .
I know this fact because I have lived it .
If I don ’ t put on the performance , if I am not perfect , I know precisely what will happen .
When I report racist behaviors toward me , I will be asked , “ What were you doing wrong ?
” I will be questioned about my choice to dye my hair—I ’ ve done the entire color wheel : from neon blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even a distinguished gray .
But because sexual orientation , skin color , clothes and hairstyle apparently make a physician for some , my decisions to express myself have led to my clinical acumen being doubted , my medical decisions disputed , while my colleagues continue their rounds uninterrupted .
I know , too , that my experience is the reality for far too many African-American trainees in medicine .
This injustice is happening in medical schools across the U.S .
Minorities encounter higher rates of discrimination than their straight , cisgender and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promoted .
They are tasked with heading diversity efforts but denied praise and support .
At the end , they may leave these institutions , burned out , psychologically damaged and filled with sorrow .
To protect against the coronavirus pandemic , every healthcare worker now wears a mask to work .
But for minoritized physicians , these masks are nothing new .
I ’ ve worn them for years .
My masks are there to guard against another pandemic : racism and homophobia .
I wear them so I won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system based on facts of my birth .
Every day I morph and mold myself to meet the expectations that all minorities must navigate .
Every day I surrender some of my identity to “ fit in ” with a medical system that is not built to allow minoritized physicians to flourish as themselves .
Who was I once , underneath all of those masks ?
I was a scientist who wasn ’ t as bogged down with dealing with racism and homophobia every day .
That freedom in college and graduate school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had the chance to be that friend who stayed up until dawn with you as we shared our stories and united our hearts and celebrated our differences of orientation , gender , religion or any other factor society uses to separate us .
I wrote fantasy novels because I didn ’ t have to continually think about how to make the school I worked in better for minorities .
I could have nuanced conversations about race , diversity and advocacy with my fellow students , because most of us came from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t need my masks then .
These are not those days of yore , though .
So as I head to work , I cycle self-protectively and almost lovingly through my masks .
They are old friends , facets of myself , after all : I ’ ve given each of them a name that could come from a fantasy novel .
I could be Fantasy Chase , filled with boundless energy , who believes the world is full of wonderful people—who has no armor and is open with everyone .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that face ?
A young man deeply frustrated by promises of equity , fighting off pessimism about a medical system and a country that seem to hold no place for him to be himself .
The mask will allow him to hide his rage , because he knows any anger , no matter how justified or righteous , will indelibly brand him as the stereotypical “ angry Black man.
” I could become Snow Chase , who watches each person ’ s every move , who maps out every single interaction of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ painstakingly precise and coldly calculating—who doesn ’ t make mistakes .
This mask hides a kid who is frightened that he is in fact stupid—a young man who has internalized all of the terrible things that have been said about African-Americans in this country .
Without that mask , I will be trapped by the constant doubt that I have only achieved what I have because I am African-American and gay and not through sheer intelligence , hard work and , yes , economic privilege .
I could transform into Warrior Chase .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ eternal champion and place that battle armor on—defending other people from the realities of the world , constantly speaking up against the bigotry experienced by friends , acquaintances and people I barely know .
Behind this image , I will tell you , is a person who only wishes that others would defend him from the constant onslaught of implicit biases , overt aggressions and minority stresses that are all too prevalent in our country .
A person who remembers when he and so many others stood against such biases in college and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in trying to do so .
Or , in dire moments , I could warp myself into Shadow Chase .
While the other three personas are defensive , Shadow Chase takes the offensive .
With him , I attack .
I take all the darkness that burns me inside , and I unleash it , perfectly-honed , to put people enacting bigotry in their place .
I use words as weapons .
I dislike Shadow Chase most of all .
He conceals the vulnerability I once could display openly : I have lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and many times I ’ ve been sure I will eventually kill myself because of the daily discrimination I ’ ve faced .
Being Shadow Chase allows me to deflect and avoid my despair at the fact that near the end of college , my depressive symptoms had completely vanished because I was in a safe environment with friends who changed—and saved—my life .
I once thought my depression was gone forever .
That mask hides my fears that I deserve the racism , homophobia and discrimination I experience because I dared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recurring nightmare that this is all my fault .
Even though I take medications and am “ stable ” —and am so often told I am an excellent physician—no medication is powerful enough to stop racism , homophobia and the havoc such forces wreak on my mind .
Yet I believe that we can get to a better place .
There are those who look nothing like me—a category that generally includes everyone , actually , seeing as I have neon-dyed hair—who understand what it means to be an African-American , gay manin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white , cisgender men .
The best allies acknowledge this reality .
They recognize that I do not have the luxury of blending in .
Not only do they understand that fact , but they offer support and assure me that if anything untoward happens , I am not alone .
In their presence , I am seen as a person .
I don ’ t have to stress about being perfect .
I am not constantly thinking about what to do if someone confuses me with another minority in the program while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right .
I don ’ t have to worry about being one of the best to compensate for being a double minority .
I ’ m going to let you all in on a little secret : 99.9 percent of the time , it isn ’ t the patients who care about what I ’ m wearing , my race or my sexual orientation .
The fact that I am openly gay helped an LGBTQ+ patient know that he was safe and reassured his parents that I could understand that aspect of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitalization for depression .
And my neon hair and open demeanor created a sphere of nonjudgement that allowed one of my patients to confide in me about her body-image issues .
The experiences I ’ ve described occurred two years ago .
Now I ’ m a child and adolescent psychiatry fellow in California .
Now I ’ m told that my expression of self is beautiful .
My professionalism has not once been questioned ; I ’ m told I can dye my hair however I want .
And I and my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly all levels .
There ’ s this grin that often appears as I wake , up excited to go to work , as I collaborate with my wonderful colleagues and some truly astounding kids , and as I leave my job , looking forward to coming back the next day .
Not everything is perfect , because as I heal from the past seven years , there ’ s still the U.S. at large to contend with .
But I am accepted , not only tolerated .
I haven ’ t felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graduate school .
As for the masks I once wore every day ?
I haven ’ t put on a single one since I arrived in California .
And for that , I am deeply grateful .

It is 2018, the second year of my psychiatry residency training, and I’m in the shower, unable to stop the doubts: “What if I don’t know enough for my patients?” You know more than enough. “Do I remember that exact mechanism of that specific drug?” It’s okay to not remember everything. “No, it’s not. You’ve learned for certain people it’s not.” You’re going to be okay. “Am I?” You’ve prepared enough. “Have I?”
As a psychiatry resident who is African-American and gay, I am accustomed to the doubt. I am a doctor—a good one. But the second I step foot outside my apartment, I am reduced to my skin color and sexual orientation. A physician’s job is to help and to heal patients at their most vulnerable. Doctors themselves are rarely allowed to let their guard down, however. And for minoritized physicians, the pressure to be “perfect” is even higher; they aren’t allowed to be less than perfect. And even perfection is too often not enough.
I know this fact because I have lived it. If I don’t put on the performance, if I am not perfect, I know precisely what will happen. When I report racist behaviors toward me, I will be asked, “What were you doing wrong?” I will be questioned about my choice to dye my hair—I’ve done the entire color wheel: from neon blue to shocking orange to calming fuchsia and even a distinguished gray. But because sexual orientation, skin color, clothes and hairstyle apparently make a physician for some, my decisions to express myself have led to my clinical acumen being doubted, my medical decisions disputed, while my colleagues continue their rounds uninterrupted.
I know, too, that my experience is the reality for far too many African-American trainees in medicine. This injustice is happening in medical schools across the U.S. Minorities encounter higher rates of discrimination than their straight, cisgender and white male colleagues. They are not promoted. They are tasked with heading diversity efforts but denied praise and support. At the end, they may leave these institutions, burned out, psychologically damaged and filled with sorrow.
To protect against the coronavirus pandemic, every health care worker now wears a mask to work. But for minoritized physicians, these masks are nothing new. I’ve worn them for years. My masks are there to guard against another pandemic: racism and homophobia. I wear them so I won’t be perceived as a threat to the system based on facts of my birth.
Every day I morph and mold myself to meet the expectations that all minorities must navigate. Every day I surrender some of my identity to “fit in” with a medical system that is not built to allow minoritized physicians to flourish as themselves.
Who was I once, underneath all of those masks? I was a scientist who wasn’t as bogged down with dealing with racism and homophobia every day. That freedom in college and graduate school allowed me to do melanoma research. I had the chance to be that friend who stayed up until dawn with you as we shared our stories and united our hearts and celebrated our differences of orientation, gender, religion or any other factor society uses to separate us. I wrote fantasy novels because I didn’t have to continually think about how to make the school I worked in better for minorities. I could have nuanced conversations about race, diversity and advocacy with my fellow students, because most of us came from a place of common respect. I didn’t need my masks then.
These are not those days of yore, though. So as I head to work, I cycle self-protectively and almost lovingly through my masks. They are old friends, facets of myself, after all: I’ve given each of them a name that could come from a fantasy novel.
I could be Fantasy Chase, filled with boundless energy, who believes the world is full of wonderful people—who has no armor and is open with everyone. What will people not see if I wear that face? A young man deeply frustrated by promises of equity, fighting off pessimism about a medical system and a country that seem to hold no place for him to be himself. The mask will allow him to hide his rage, because he knows any anger, no matter how justified or righteous, will indelibly brand him as the stereotypical “angry Black man.”
I could become Snow Chase, who watches each person’s every move, who maps out every single interaction of people and groups around him, who is painstakingly precise and coldly calculating—who doesn’t make mistakes. This mask hides a kid who is frightened that he is in fact stupid—a young man who has internalized all of the terrible things that have been said about African-Americans in this country. Without that mask, I will be trapped by the constant doubt that I have only achieved what I have because I am African-American and gay and not through sheer intelligence, hard work and, yes, economic privilege.
I could transform into Warrior Chase. I could wear the mask of the eternal champion and place that battle armor on—defending other people from the realities of the world, constantly speaking up against the bigotry experienced by friends, acquaintances and people I barely know. Behind this image, I will tell you, is a person who only wishes that others would defend him from the constant onslaught of implicit biases, overt aggressions and minority stresses that are all too prevalent in our country. A person who remembers when he and so many others stood against such biases in college and graduate school and now feels mostly alone in trying to do so.
Or, in dire moments, I could warp myself into Shadow Chase. While the other three personas are defensive, Shadow Chase takes the offensive. With him, I attack. I take all the darkness that burns me inside, and I unleash it, perfectly-honed, to put people enacting bigotry in their place. I use words as weapons. I dislike Shadow Chase most of all. He conceals the vulnerability I once could display openly: I have lived with merciless depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation, and many times I’ve been sure I will eventually kill myself because of the daily discrimination I’ve faced. Being Shadow Chase allows me to deflect and avoid my despair at the fact that near the end of college, my depressive symptoms had completely vanished because I was in a safe environment with friends who changed—and saved—my life. I once thought my depression was gone forever. That mask hides my fears that I deserve the racism, homophobia and discrimination I experience because I dared to be myself.
He hides the recurring nightmare that this is all my fault. Even though I take medications and am “stable”—and am so often told I am an excellent physician—no medication is powerful enough to stop racism, homophobia and the havoc such forces wreak on my mind.
Yet I believe that we can get to a better place. There are those who look nothing like me—a category that generally includes everyone, actually, seeing as I have neon-dyed hair—who understand what it means to be an African-American, gay man in a medical system made for straight, white, cisgender men. The best allies acknowledge this reality. They recognize that I do not have the luxury of blending in. Not only do they understand that fact, but they offer support and assure me that if anything untoward happens, I am not alone.
In their presence, I am seen as a person. I don’t have to stress about being perfect. I am not constantly thinking about what to do if someone confuses me with another minority in the program while getting the name of every white person right. I don’t have to worry about being one of the best to compensate for being a double minority.
I’m going to let you all in on a little secret: 99.9 percent of the time, it isn’t the patients who care about what I’m wearing, my race or my sexual orientation. The fact that I am openly gay helped an LGBTQ+ patient know that he was safe and reassured his parents that I could understand that aspect of his identity as he went through his first hospitalization for depression. And my neon hair and open demeanor created a sphere of nonjudgement that allowed one of my patients to confide in me about her body-image issues.
The experiences I’ve described occurred two years ago. Now I’m a child and adolescent psychiatry fellow in California. Now I’m told that my expression of self is beautiful. My professionalism has not once been questioned; I’m told I can dye my hair however I want. And I and my colleagues have nuanced discussions about diversity at nearly all levels. There’s this grin that often appears as I wake, up excited to go to work, as I collaborate with my wonderful colleagues and some truly astounding kids, and as I leave my job, looking forward to coming back the next day. Not everything is perfect, because as I heal from the past seven years, there’s still the U.S. at large to contend with. But I am accepted, not only tolerated. I haven’t felt this kind of peace since college and graduate school.
As for the masks I once wore every day? I haven’t put on a single one since I arrived in California. And for that, I am deeply grateful.


scientificamerican--2020-09-22--We Must Confront Anti-Asian Racism in Science

Recently , there was a fake local “ Asian restaurant ” listing on Google Maps and Instagram involving students from my university which included menu items such as “ mouse tail salad ” and “ marinated ostrich foreheads.
” The restaurant ’ s name , menu and reviews—even if they were intended as a joke—were all despicable examples of the prevalence and perpetuation of anti-Asian racism that is very much present today and brought to the forefront amid COVID-19 .
Such behavior creates an unpleasant and very uncomfortable work environment that is neither welcoming nor inclusive for Asian researchers like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it turned out that the Instagram account was linked to students who are predominantly from my college .
Knowing that there are students in my very own college who promulgate such offensive views is unsettling and has become a realization of my own anxiety that surfaced in the early days of the pandemic .
Because the virus originated in Wuhan , I have had to struggle with the growing bigotry towards Asians in addition to avoiding the virus itself .
Early on , there would be report after report about how Asians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the disturbingly common usage of terms lime `` Chinese virus '' and “ kung flu.
” Therefore , I was told by family and friends to be alert and careful when I was literally anywhere but my home .
At the beginning of the pandemic , mask wearing was not required , but it was something I strongly considered doing in lab and around campus given I had some dust masks .
I didn ’ t wear them , though , as I was told that coworkers and colleagues might suspect I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harass me .
I was told not to stay late and avoid sparsely populated areas on campus as it could be physically dangerous .
I ended up going home early most days , shortening the time for experiments and work .
These were all things I accepted because of the xenophobia towards Asians worldwide , but the heightened awareness became burdensome and made research ( as well as non-research and leisure activities ) all the more difficult .
At the time , I thought that speaking up about these concerns could make me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and result in alienation or loss of collaboration .
In the end , my anxiety was not unfounded .
As I will soon be physically returning to a building regularly frequented by many engineering students , it is even more concerning now than it was several months ago , knowing potential colleagues I work with or see on a regular basis might hold racist views .
Questions and thoughts such as “ Do others view me and other Asians as unsanitary and ill ?
” or “ Will some students in my building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” or “ How can I do research properly when I ’ m worried ?
” or “ I should try to finish my experiments as soon as possible to minimize my time on campus ” will continue to pervade the back of my mind .
These concerns are further magnified because of the microaggressions I faced before the outbreak , like being asked if I was related to someone who shared my last name , or told that engineering should be easy for Asians because they excel in math .
Likewise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too commonly presumed to be pursuing careers in science or engineering because we were forced to by our families or assumed and expected to be good at it .
Another question I have regularly received is about where I am “ originally from , ” even though I am from the U.S. Lastly , Asians are often ( inaccurately ) viewed as the model minority and thought to not suffer from discrimination , which is clearly false as seen from recent events .
I am not alone in this anxiety .
A recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans have the highest reported negative experiences ( such as noticing people acting uncomfortable around them , receiving slurs/jokes , and feeling fear of threats or physical attacks ) compared to those of other surveyed ethnicities since the coronavirus outbreak .
About four in 10 Americans reported that it is more common now for people to have racist views towards Asians than before the outbreak .
Although this survey was of American adults not specific to any institution ( s ) , these issues most definitely hold true at institutions worldwide where Asian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my institution and college have been proactive in condemning racist behavior .
They have contacted Google and Instagram to remove the fake “ restaurant , ” have expressed their concern and willingness to take action against racism , and are holding journal club discussions and diversity symposiums about race .
I deeply appreciate these efforts for productive dialogue and the sincere care taken to create a more inclusive and safe space .
More broadly , in addition to mandatory online bias training , institutions should develop spaces like a life issues groups ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , journal clubs , or symposiums for discussions to educate the community about prejudice and race .
Additionally , faculty—from PIs to deans—should welcome discussions about race issues and be more transparent in addressing them .
I also think that social media campaigns by institutions also have the potential to raise awareness and educate others about racism .
We have a lot of work ahead of us , but inclusion and positive change within our very own institutions and in science is achievable if we unite against racism .
Greater inclusion will lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where science can flourish .
I would like to thank my friend Annie Zhou , and my advisor , Dr. Zhijie Wang , for their support in the writing of this piece .

In the summer of 2020 some people posted a listing for a fake Asian restaurant near my university on Google Maps and Instagram, with a name insulting to Asians and a menu that included horrible-sounding items such as “mouse tail salad” and “marinated ostrich foreheads.” The fake name, menu and reviews—even if they were intended as a joke—were all despicable examples of anti-Asian racism that has always been present in the U.S. and has been brought to the forefront amid the COVID outbreak.
Such behavior creates a hostile environment for researchers of Asian ancestry such as myself. It turned out that the Instagram account was linked to students who were predominantly from my college. Knowing that my fellow students have such offensive views has heightened my anxiety, which surfaced early in the pandemic.
Because the disease was first reported in China, I have had to struggle with growing bigotry toward Asians in addition to avoiding the virus itself. There have been many reports about Asians facing verbal and physical attacks, fueled by disturbingly common terms like “Chinese virus” and “kung flu,” hate-inspiring language frequently used by former president Donald Trump and others. The Pew Research Center found that Asian-Americans reported a higher level of negative experiences, including racist jokes and slurs or fear of threats or physical attacks, than Black, Hispanic or white respondents in a survey conducted after the pandemic began. Moreover, a Stop Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Hate National Report by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council found more than 2,500 reports of anti-Asian incidents across 47 states in a five-month period (from March to August 2020). Of these, 70 percent involved verbal harassment, and 9 percent of them were physical assaults. More undoubtedly go unreported.
When news of these attacks became public, my family and friends warned me to be alert and careful when I was anywhere outside my home. At the beginning of the pandemic, mask wearing was not required, but to protect people and myself against the spread of the coronavirus, it was something I wanted to do in our laboratory and around campus. But I didn’t, because I was told that co-workers and colleagues might avoid or harass me. My family and friends cautioned me not to stay out late and to avoid sparsely populated areas on campus; they and I worried other people might hurt me because I was Asian. I ended up going home early most days, shortening my time for experiments and work.
I endured these limitations because of the xenophobia toward Asians worldwide, but the heightened anxiety became burdensome and made research (as well as nonresearch and leisure activities) more difficult. And I kept quiet about my concerns around the lab because I thought that speaking up could make me a target of jokes among colleagues and lead to alienation and loss of collaboration.
These concerns were magnified because I had faced frequent microaggressions even before the outbreak, such as being asked about where I am “originally from,” although I am from the U.S., or if I was related to someone because we shared a common name. Non-Asians too often presume—and say—that my Asian peers and I are pursuing STEM careers because we were forced to by our families. Asians are also often (inaccurately) viewed as the model minority and are falsely thought not to suffer from discrimination.
I am thankful that my institution and college have condemned racist behavior. They contacted Google and Instagram to remove the fake restaurant listing; have expressed concern about and willingness to take action against racism; and are holding journal club discussions and diversity symposiums about race. I deeply appreciate these efforts and the care taken to create a more inclusive and safe space. Institutions in general should require bias training and should develop spaces such as “life issues” groups (my department has one), journal clubs and symposia designed to educate the community about racism. Faculty and administration should welcome discussions about race issues and be more transparent in addressing them. I also think that social media campaigns by institutions have the potential to raise awareness and educate others.
We have a lot of work ahead of us, but inclusion and positive change within our institutions and in STEM are achievable if we unite against racism. Greater inclusion will lead to more sharing of ideas that will help science, technology and medicine flourish, at a time when we dearly need them.


scientificamerican--2020-09-22--3-D Printing inside the Body Could Patch Stomach Ulcers

Stomach ulcers and other gastric wounds afflict one in eight people worldwide , but common conventional therapies have drawbacks .
Now scientists aim to treat such problems by exploring a new frontier in 3-D printing : depositing living cells directly inside the human body .
Just as 3-D printers set down layers of material to create structures , extrude living cells to produce tissues and organs .
A long-term dream for this concept is that people on active waiting lists for organ donations— nearly 70,000 individuals in the U.S. alone , according to the nonprofit United Network for Organ Sharing—might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bioprinted organ .
Although the ability to produce a functional heart or kidney this way likely lies years in the future , realistic near-term goals include bioprinting simpler structures , such as bone grafts .
Living tissues printed outside the body , however , would still require implantation surgery , which often involves large incisions that increase the risk of infection and lengthen recovery times .
What if doctors could instead print cells directly inside the body ?
The idea would be to use current to insert 3-D printing tools into patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new tissues .
Potential applications for such “ in vivo bioprinting ” might include and patches for ovaries to help reverse infertility .
Much of the previous research on in vivo bioprinting has focused on treatments of skin and other tissues in the outer part of the body , because the necessary equipment is normally too large to access the digestive tract and other centrally located organs without extensive surgery .
In their effort to treat stomach lesions less invasively , scientists in China wanted to develop a miniature bioprinting robot that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The researchers used existing techniques for creating dexterous electronic devices , such as and , says the study ’ s senior author Tao Xu , a bioengineer at Tsinghua University in Beijing .
The resulting micro robot is just 30 millimeters wide—less than half the width of a credit card—and can fold to a length of 43 millimeters .
Once inside a patient ’ s body , it unfolds to become 59 millimeters long and can start bioprinting .
“ The team has constructed clever mechanisms that make the system compact when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a large working area once past the tight constrictions at entry , ” says David Hoelzle , a mechanical engineer at the Ohio State University , who did not take part in the study .
In their experiments , the researchers in China fitted the micro robot onto an endoscope ( a long tube that can be inserted through bodily openings ) and successfully snaked it through a curved pipe into a transparent plastic model of a stomach .
There , they used it to print gels loaded with human stomach lining and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in culture by a commercial laboratory ) onto a lab dish .
The printed cells remained viable and steadily proliferated over the course of 10 days .
“ This study is the first attempt to combine micro robots and bioprinting together , ” Xu says .
The researchers say that mainstream gastric lesion treatments include medications , which can work slowly and are not always very effective ; endoscopic surgery , which can only mend relatively small wounds ; and endoscopically delivered sprays that staunch bleeding but are of little help in completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for in vivo bioprinting is that it might eventually improve on these methods by patching over gastric lesions with living structures that can repair them , Xu says .
Future research could bring the micro robot down to 12 millimeters wide and equip it with cameras and other sensors to help it perform more complex operations , Xu adds .
He and lead study author Wenxiang Zhao of Tsinghua University detailed this summer in Biofabrication .
Xu and his colleagues note that the gels they used as bioprinting “ ink ” were only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body temperatures , they were too liquid to form structures well .
Moreover the calcium chloride solution the researchers added to help solidify the gels could potentially damage the human body .
But another gel , recently developed independently by Hoelzle and his colleagues , may help address these problems : it can hold its shape at body temperature and can be solidified using visible light .
One challenge with bioprinting is how to effectively attach printed cells to existing soft organs and tissues .
Hoelzle and his colleagues tested a potential solution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in texturally similar materials—including raw chicken breast strips .
First , the 3-D printer ’ s nozzle extruded a tiny knob of bio-ink into the puncture , creating an anchor that could connect the pierced tissue to a bioprinted structure .
Then they slowly withdrew the nozzle , trailing behind a strand of material they could use to lay more cells on the outside of the tissue .
“ This work is enlightening , ” Xu says .
Drawing on these methods , he adds , will help the further development of in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology will likely never become capable of printing complex organs .
Instead it may prove useful by augmenting standard surgeries with relatively modest printed structures that could release drugs to promote healing or prevent infection .
“ There are many opportunities for tissue engineering materials … that are currently not considered—because no one would want to open up the patient to deliver the material , ” Hoelzle says .

Stomach ulcers and other gastric wounds afflict one in eight people worldwide, but common conventional therapies have drawbacks. Now scientists aim to treat such problems by exploring a new frontier in 3-D printing: depositing living cells directly inside the human body.
Just as 3-D printers set down layers of material to create structures, bioprinters extrude living cells to produce tissues and organs. A long-term dream for this concept is that people on active waiting lists for organ donations— nearly 70,000 individuals in the U.S. alone , according to the nonprofit United Network for Organ Sharing—might one day have the option of getting a bioprinted organ. Although the ability to produce a functional heart or kidney this way likely lies years in the future, realistic near-term goals include bioprinting simpler structures, such as bone grafts. Living tissues printed outside the body, however, would still require implantation surgery, which often involves large incisions that increase the risk of infection and lengthen recovery times.
What if doctors could instead print cells directly inside the body? The idea would be to use current minimally invasive surgical techniques to insert 3-D printing tools into patients through small incisions and then lay down new tissues. Potential applications for such “in vivo bioprinting” might include surgical meshes to help repair hernias and patches for ovaries to help reverse infertility .
Bioprinted gel on a lab dish. Credit: Wenxiang Zhao
Much of the previous research on in vivo bioprinting has focused on treatments of skin and other tissues in the outer part of the body, because the necessary equipment is normally too large to access the digestive tract and other centrally located organs without extensive surgery. In their effort to treat stomach lesions less invasively, scientists in China wanted to develop a miniature bioprinting robot that could enter the human body with relative ease. The researchers used existing techniques for creating dexterous electronic devices, such as mechanical bees and cockroach-inspired robots , says the study’s senior author Tao Xu, a bioengineer at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
The resulting micro robot is just 30 millimeters wide—less than half the width of a credit card—and can fold to a length of 43 millimeters. Once inside a patient’s body, it unfolds to become 59 millimeters long and can start bioprinting. “The team has constructed clever mechanisms that make the system compact when entering the body yet unfurl to provide a large working area once past the tight constrictions at entry,” says David Hoelzle, a mechanical engineer at the Ohio State University, who did not take part in the study.
In their experiments, the researchers in China fitted the micro robot onto an endoscope (a long tube that can be inserted through bodily openings) and successfully snaked it through a curved pipe into a transparent plastic model of a stomach. There, they used it to print gels loaded with human stomach lining and stomach muscle cells (which were grown in culture by a commercial laboratory) onto a lab dish. The printed cells remained viable and steadily proliferated over the course of 10 days. “This study is the first attempt to combine micro robots and bioprinting together,” Xu says.
The researchers say that mainstream gastric lesion treatments include medications, which can work slowly and are not always very effective; endoscopic surgery, which can only mend relatively small wounds; and endoscopically delivered sprays that staunch bleeding but are of little help in completely healing a larger injury. The hope for in vivo bioprinting is that it might eventually improve on these methods by patching over gastric lesions with living structures that can repair them, Xu says.
Future research could bring the micro robot down to 12 millimeters wide and equip it with cameras and other sensors to help it perform more complex operations, Xu adds. He and lead study author Wenxiang Zhao of Tsinghua University detailed their findings this summer in Biofabrication.
Xu and his colleagues note that the gels they used as bioprinting “ink” were only stable when relatively cool. At normal body temperatures, they were too liquid to form structures well. Moreover the calcium chloride solution the researchers added to help solidify the gels could potentially damage the human body. But another gel, recently developed independently by Hoelzle and his colleagues, may help address these problems: it can hold its shape at body temperature and can be solidified using visible light.
One challenge with bioprinting is how to effectively attach printed cells to existing soft organs and tissues. Hoelzle and his colleagues tested a potential solution by trying to “heal” punctures in texturally similar materials—including raw chicken breast strips. First, the 3-D printer’s nozzle extruded a tiny knob of bio-ink into the puncture, creating an anchor that could connect the pierced tissue to a bioprinted structure. Then they slowly withdrew the nozzle, trailing behind a strand of material they could use to lay more cells on the outside of the tissue. “This work is enlightening,” Xu says. Drawing on these methods, he adds, will help the further development of in vivo bioprinting.
Hoelzle suggests that the technology will likely never become capable of printing complex organs. Instead it may prove useful by augmenting standard surgeries with relatively modest printed structures that could release drugs to promote healing or prevent infection. “There are many opportunities for tissue engineering materials … that are currently not considered—because no one would want to open up the patient to deliver the material,” Hoelzle says.


scientificamerican--2020-09-22--Science News from around the World

Science News from around the World

Hi , I ’ m Scott Hershberger , with Scientific American as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellow .
And here ’ s a short piece from the September 2020 issue of the magazine , in the section called Advances : Dispatches from the Frontiers of Science , Technology and Medicine .
The article is titled “ Quick Hits , ” and it ’ s a rundown of some stories from around the globe .
From Argentina : The earliest dinosaurs laid soft-shelled eggs , paleontologists say .
A new chemical analysis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Patagonia—and a clutch of more recent eggs from Mongolia , found in the Gobi Desert—revealed a thin film matching the characteristics of modern soft-shelled eggs .
From England : Archaeologists found that 20 deep shafts , previously thought to be natural sinkholes and ponds , were dug by Neolithic humans .
The shafts form a circle two kilometers in diameter , with the Durrington Walls monument at its center , just three kilometers from Stonehenge .
From Brazil : Researchers documented the largest lightning bolt ever recorded .
The “ mega-flash , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kilometers in southern Brazil in 2018 , was detected by a new advanced weather satellite in geostationary orbit .
From Israel : Researchers sequenced DNA samples from the Dead Sea Scrolls , identifying fragments made from sheep skin and others made from cow hide .
The technique could help match fragments together and unravel the artifacts ’ geographic origins .
From Indonesia : Scientists identified an elusive nose-horned dragon lizard in the forests of North Sumatra .
Despite appearing in the mythology of the indigenous Bataks , the visually striking species had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago .
And from Australia : Submarine drones uncovered an extensive system of underwater “ rivers ” of dense , salty water along Australia ’ s continental shelf .
These flows carry organic matter from the coast into the deep ocean , and their volume varies seasonally , peaking in winter .
[ The above text is a transcript of this podcast . ]

Full Transcript
Hi, I’m Scott Hershberger, with Scientific American as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellow. And here’s a short piece from the September 2020 issue of the magazine, in the section called Advances: Dispatches from the Frontiers of Science, Technology and Medicine. The article is titled “Quick Hits,” and it’s a rundown of some stories from around the globe.
From Argentina:
The earliest dinosaurs laid soft-shelled eggs, paleontologists say. A new chemical analysis of a more than 200-million-year-old fossilized egg from Patagonia—and a clutch of more recent eggs from Mongolia, found in the Gobi Desert—revealed a thin film matching the characteristics of modern soft-shelled eggs.
From England:
Archaeologists found that 20 deep shafts, previously thought to be natural sinkholes and ponds, were dug by Neolithic humans. The shafts form a circle two kilometers in diameter, with the Durrington Walls monument at its center, just three kilometers from Stonehenge.
From Brazil:
Researchers documented the largest lightning bolt ever recorded. The “mega-flash,” which extended for more than 700 kilometers in southern Brazil in 2018, was detected by a new advanced weather satellite in geostationary orbit.
From Israel:
Researchers sequenced DNA samples from the Dead Sea Scrolls, identifying fragments made from sheep skin and others made from cow hide. The technique could help match fragments together and unravel the artifacts’ geographic origins.
From Indonesia:
Scientists identified an elusive nose-horned dragon lizard in the forests of North Sumatra. Despite appearing in the mythology of the indigenous Bataks, the visually striking species had been spotted by scientists only once before—almost 130 years ago.
And from Australia:
Submarine drones uncovered an extensive system of underwater “rivers” of dense, salty water along Australia’s continental shelf. These flows carry organic matter from the coast into the deep ocean, and their volume varies seasonally, peaking in winter.
That was “Quick Hits.” I’m Scott Hershberger.
[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]


scientificamerican--2020-09-22--How Justice Ginsburg's Death Could Affect Future Climate Rulings

If President Trump is able to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the nation 's highest bench , he may stymie climate action for generations to come .
Legal experts say that the addition of a sixth conservative justice to the court could lock in opposition to expansive readings of the Clean Air Act that encompass greenhouse gas emissions or trigger a reexamination of the landmark 2007 climate case Massachusetts v. EPA .
In either case , court watchers say , the outcome does n't bode well for the future of climate regulation .
`` Climate change is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the tools we can get , and some of them are probably not going to be there , '' said Dan Farber , a law professor at the University of California , Berkeley .
`` If Trump is able to fill this vacancy , there 'll be at least five conservative votes for at least 20 years , and we do n't know what ... new doctrines that are not now on the horizon that could really weaken the power of the government to deal with climate change , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deregulation a cornerstone of its agenda for the last four years , rolling out major changes to rules including emissions standards for automobiles and power plants .
Green groups have lambasted the changes as violations of federal environmental and administrative law , which require reasoned rulemaking .
But a conservative Supreme Court majority that favors curbing agency powers could limit oversight of emissions without even touching Massachusetts v. EPA , which said the government can regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as `` air pollutants '' under the Clean Air Act , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harvard Law School 's Environmental & Energy Law Program .
`` EPA has been reconsidering their own interpretations of the law in order to limit their own authority , '' she said .
`` That 's something that this more conservative court may be more inclined to agree with them about , for example , the scope of the Clean Air Act as a much more limited scope that would not allow for the latitude to really take aggressive action against climate change . ''
Georgetown Law Center professor William Buzbee noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reading statutes , deferring to agencies when they have demonstrated ample work and review of scientific expertise .
But right-leaning justices tend to give agencies less leeway , which could hurt legal challenges of Trump rollbacks before a court with six Republican-appointed jurists .
`` The conservative justices on the court frequently used this thing called the 'major questions canon , ' which is a general resistance to agencies asserting new major regulatory power , '' Buzbee said .
`` [ Ginsburg ] tended not to view that as an appropriate move to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the anti-regulatory playbook on the Supreme Court . ''
If Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins the election and chooses to roll out stronger climate policies , the administration 's reach would be hemmed in under a 6-3 conservative Supreme Court , Farber said .
`` The biggest implications are for things like the Clean Power Plan that might be adopted in the future , that really make sort of bold , creative use of existing statutory authority , '' he said .
`` I think that 's going to be really tough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A far-reaching Biden climate policy could provide a foothold for a more deeply conservative Supreme Court to dig in again on the central question in Massachusetts v. EPA , said Niskanen Center chief counsel David Bookbinder .
`` Any regulatory measures [ Biden takes ] obviously will be challenged , '' he said .
`` If the [ U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ] or whichever court of appeals is dealing with it upholds the administration 's action , whoever 's being regulated will seek [ certiorari @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conceivable direction — including trying to get them to rehear Massachusetts . ''
Farber said the Supreme Court 's conservative justices have shown some willingness to uphold agency rules in cases where there is clear statutory authority for their action .
That opens up the possibility for incremental climate policy under a Biden administration , said Farber , even if Trump installs his third justice on the high court .
`` There 's a lot of leeway if you do your due diligence to take action , '' he said .
Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ v. EPA keeps Loyola University law professor Karen Sokol up at night .
An effort by the bench to reverse the watershed ruling could gut the United States ' ability to pass crucial climate change legislation in the future , she said .
`` Even if [ legislation ] does n't happen ... what we do have — which is largely the Clean Air Act — is under significant threat , '' Sokol said .
`` And all of this was of concern anyway , even with Ginsburg on the court , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oral arguments in 2016 over the Obama administration 's Clean Power Plan , which set limits on carbon dioxide emissions for power plants , then-D.C .
Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh called the Clean Air Act a `` thin statute '' that was n't designed to combat climate change .
Kavanaugh , who later became Trump 's second Supreme Court pick , drew a parallel to the high court 's 2004 plurality opinion in Hamdi v. Rumsfeld that said the judiciary had the right to review executive decisions made during wartime .
`` War @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kavanaugh said , quoting the ruling , and `` global warming is not a blank check either for the president . ''
Reprinted from Climatewire with permission from E & E News .
E & E provides daily coverage of essential energy and environmental news at www.eenews.net .

If President Trump is able to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the nation's highest bench, he may stymie climate action for generations to come.
Legal experts say that the addition of a sixth conservative justice to the court could lock in opposition to expansive readings of the Clean Air Act that encompass greenhouse gas emissions or trigger a reexamination of the landmark 2007 climate case Massachusetts v. EPA.
In either case, court watchers say, the outcome doesn't bode well for the future of climate regulation.
"Climate change is a crisis, and we really need all the tools we can get, and some of them are probably not going to be there," said Dan Farber, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
"If Trump is able to fill this vacancy, there'll be at least five conservative votes for at least 20 years, and we don't know what ... new doctrines that are not now on the horizon that could really weaken the power of the government to deal with climate change," he said.
The Trump administration has made environmental deregulation a cornerstone of its agenda for the last four years, rolling out major changes to rules including emissions standards for automobiles and power plants. Green groups have lambasted the changes as violations of federal environmental and administrative law, which require reasoned rulemaking.
But a conservative Supreme Court majority that favors curbing agency powers could limit oversight of emissions without even touching Massachusetts v. EPA, which said the government can regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as "air pollutants" under the Clean Air Act, said Hana Vizcarra, staff attorney at Harvard Law School's Environmental & Energy Law Program.
"EPA has been reconsidering their own interpretations of the law in order to limit their own authority," she said.
"That's something that this more conservative court may be more inclined to agree with them about, for example, the scope of the Clean Air Act as a much more limited scope that would not allow for the latitude to really take aggressive action against climate change."
Georgetown Law Center professor William Buzbee noted that Ginsburg had a more pragmatic approach to reading statutes, deferring to agencies when they have demonstrated ample work and review of scientific expertise.
But right-leaning justices tend to give agencies less leeway, which could hurt legal challenges of Trump rollbacks before a court with six Republican-appointed jurists.
"The conservative justices on the court frequently used this thing called the 'major questions canon,' which is a general resistance to agencies asserting new major regulatory power," Buzbee said. "[Ginsburg] tended not to view that as an appropriate move to make, but that is definitely part of the anti-regulatory playbook on the Supreme Court."
If Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins the election and chooses to roll out stronger climate policies, the administration's reach would be hemmed in under a 6-3 conservative Supreme Court, Farber said.
"The biggest implications are for things like the Clean Power Plan that might be adopted in the future, that really make sort of bold, creative use of existing statutory authority," he said.
"I think that's going to be really tough in the future," Farber said.
'Not a blank check'
A far-reaching Biden climate policy could provide a foothold for a more deeply conservative Supreme Court to dig in again on the central question in Massachusetts v. EPA, said Niskanen Center chief counsel David Bookbinder.
"Any regulatory measures [Biden takes] obviously will be challenged," he said. "If the [U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit] or whichever court of appeals is dealing with it upholds the administration's action, whoever's being regulated will seek [certiorari] and will attack it in every conceivable direction — including trying to get them to rehear Massachusetts."
Farber said the Supreme Court's conservative justices have shown some willingness to uphold agency rules in cases where there is clear statutory authority for their action. That opens up the possibility for incremental climate policy under a Biden administration, said Farber, even if Trump installs his third justice on the high court.
"There's a lot of leeway if you do your due diligence to take action," he said.
Still, the prospect of an overhaul to Massachusetts v. EPA keeps Loyola University law professor Karen Sokol up at night.
An effort by the bench to reverse the watershed ruling could gut the United States' ability to pass crucial climate change legislation in the future, she said.
"Even if [legislation] doesn't happen ... what we do have — which is largely the Clean Air Act — is under significant threat," Sokol said. "And all of this was of concern anyway, even with Ginsburg on the court, but even more so now."
During oral arguments in 2016 over the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan, which set limits on carbon dioxide emissions for power plants, then-D.C. Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh called the Clean Air Act a "thin statute" that wasn't designed to combat climate change.
Kavanaugh, who later became Trump's second Supreme Court pick, drew a parallel to the high court's 2004 plurality opinion in Hamdi v. Rumsfeld that said the judiciary had the right to review executive decisions made during wartime.
"War is not a blank check," Kavanaugh said, quoting the ruling, and "global warming is not a blank check either for the president."
Reprinted from Climatewire with permission from E&E News. E&E provides daily coverage of essential energy and environmental news at www.eenews.net.


scientificamerican--2020-09-22--The Next Administration Must Get Science and Technology Policy Right

As wildfires ravage the west coast , the COVID-19 pandemic continues to exact a toll on the nation as its citizens grapple with the economic fallout and businesses face uncertainty .
The country is bracing itself for an even greater host of challenges in the coming months : the onset of the seasonal flu , uncertainty around the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine , underdeveloped telehealth systems , navigating the challenges of online learning and remote work that requires access to a strong digital infrastructure and broadband .
These challenges underscore the urgent need for renewed investment in the science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new scientific knowledge and advanced technology to solve complex problems .
One thing is clear : the next presidential administration must renew its commitment to investing in science and technology regardless of who wins in November .
We write as a group of leaders from across science , technology and innovation who have served in the executive branch , Congress , academia and the private sector , now joining together on a nonpartisan basis to unite behind ambitious ideas put forward by the Day One Project to make the generational investments this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and transform every American ’ s life for the better .
The Day One Project was launched in January 2020 to build a portfolio of innovative and actionable ideas across science , technology and innovation policy to inform the priorities of the next administration .
The Project , which is non-partisan , aims to put forth forward-leaning proposals to address pressing challenges including responding to the health and economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and delivering a vaccine , the proliferation of devastating wildfires , addressing racial and gender equity , ensuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rebuilding institutional capacity of Federal institutions tasked with science and technology work , as well as elevating the role of science , technology , and innovation in the policymaking process .
In the 1950s and 1960s , successive presidents challenged the nation to explore a once-unimaginable frontier—and American ingenuity delivered , with NASA producing both the largest rocket in history and the precise machinery necessary to make the trip to the moon .
In the 1970s and 1980s , this nation made rapid advances in computing , boldly proposing that the computer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and created military and intelligence technologies so powerful that they helped recast geopolitics .
In the 1990s , the U.S. served as the center of the international Human Genome Project , with American scientists daring to undertake a challenging mission that has since revolutionized the field of biology .
In the past two decades , American innovators led the construction of an entire economy around network connections and servers , connecting over three billion people worldwide and putting the world ’ s knowledge at anyone ’ s fingertips .
In the future , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to lead the way in science and technology .
Scientific and technological innovation are the engine of America ’ s essential contract with its citizens : to ensure national security , to advance public health and environmental quality and to achieve sustained and inclusive economic prosperity .
Rooted in a rich history of American ingenuity , this contract represents a shared expectation by the people of this country that American innovation will play an indispensable role in meeting this country ’ s most important challenges .
But events in this year alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if science and technology are taken for granted .
The COVID-19 pandemic could be remembered solely for its immense human and economic costs—or it could also mark an opportunity to reimagine health with prevention and equity at the core and a pivot to recommit the science and technology enterprise to creating a better American future .
To get these benefits―and the advances in so many other aspects of national well-being and security that depend on science and technology―the American science and technology community must cultivate and lift up diverse perspectives across race , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential of this nation to maintain the country ’ s global edge in innovation .
It will also require embracing other nations as partners , working with allies on topics driving national security and economic competitiveness , and building broader coalitions on global challenges in which all have a common stake .
Two critical rebuilding efforts are needed to provide the foundations for the work ahead .
The first is to reinvigorate government institutions of science , technology and innovation and build on existing strengths in this nation ’ s ecosystem of government-funded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entrepreneurial innovation in companies big and small , and public-private partnerships to accelerate the transition from research discoveries to applications in the national interest .
The second critical effort is to lay the groundwork for the fundamentally new modes of scientific research and innovation that some of the nation ’ s challenges will require such as rising inequality and the need for more comprehensive , forward-leaning approaches to climate change , ecological impoverishment and epidemic disease .
New ideas abound , from funding models that reward high-risk research to new mechanisms that bridge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Getting these ideas embraced and funded would benefit from the commitment of every American who believes in the promise of scientific and technological innovation .
Each generation has the choice of how to best embark on a path to progress .
Previous generations created the National Science Foundation , the National Institutes of Health and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ; landed astronauts on the moon ; orbited satellites to monitor the state of the Earth ’ s environment and the activities of this country ’ s potential adversaries ; invented the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the sun ; and produced generation after generation of increases in the American standard of living .
The current moment will require a response of comparable ambition that seeks to include every American and builds U.S. capacity in every zip code .
Leadership from the U.S. government is needed to help leverage the science and technology community and work towards ideas that can shape our nation ’ s future for the better—starting with building up the science and technology capacity in executive-branch departments and elevating the role of science and technology in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders and veterans of a number of federal science and technology institutions , we know rebuilding these organizations requires commitment and expertise from day one of the next presidential term .
Whether President Trump wins a second term or Vice President Joe Biden becomes the next commander-in-chief , the next administration must make investments in science and technology a core priority .
Equally important , the whole science and technology community must work to ensure the public ’ s trust in science and evidence .
Of course , the federal government alone can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ robust partnerships with industry , academia and with state and local governments will be critical to this renewed commitment to reinvigorating the science-society partnership .
The Day One Project is working with experts and new voices to help shape the agenda of the next presidential term , and to convert ambitious new ideas into usable policy proposals that generate impact .
There is so much that needs to be done ; we must be prepared on day one .

As wildfires ravage the west coast, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to exact a toll on the nation as its citizens grapple with the economic fallout and businesses face uncertainty. The country is bracing itself for an even greater host of challenges in the coming months: the onset of the seasonal flu, uncertainty around the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine, underdeveloped telehealth systems, navigating the challenges of online learning and remote work that requires access to a strong digital infrastructure and broadband. These challenges underscore the urgent need for renewed investment in the science and technology enterprise and the rapid application of new scientific knowledge and advanced technology to solve complex problems.
One thing is clear: the next presidential administration must renew its commitment to investing in science and technology regardless of who wins in November. We write as a group of leaders from across science, technology and innovation who have served in the executive branch, Congress, academia and the private sector, now joining together on a nonpartisan basis to unite behind ambitious ideas put forward by the Day One Project to make the generational investments this country needs to address its stubborn challenges and transform every American’s life for the better.
The Day One Project was launched in January 2020 to build a portfolio of innovative and actionable ideas across science, technology and innovation policy to inform the priorities of the next administration. The Project, which is non-partisan, aims to put forth forward-leaning proposals to address pressing challenges including responding to the health and economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and delivering a vaccine, the proliferation of devastating wildfires, addressing racial and gender equity, ensuring economic growth, boosting American national security, rebuilding institutional capacity of Federal institutions tasked with science and technology work, as well as elevating the role of science, technology, and innovation in the policymaking process.
In the 1950s and 1960s, successive presidents challenged the nation to explore a once-unimaginable frontier—and American ingenuity delivered, with NASA producing both the largest rocket in history and the precise machinery necessary to make the trip to the moon. In the 1970s and 1980s, this nation made rapid advances in computing, boldly proposing that the computer could be a tool for everyone, and created military and intelligence technologies so powerful that they helped recast geopolitics.
In the 1990s, the U.S. served as the center of the international Human Genome Project, with American scientists daring to undertake a challenging mission that has since revolutionized the field of biology. In the past two decades, American innovators led the construction of an entire economy around network connections and servers, connecting over three billion people worldwide and putting the world’s knowledge at anyone’s fingertips.
In the future, the United States has the opportunity to continue to lead the way in science and technology. Scientific and technological innovation are the engine of America’s essential contract with its citizens: to ensure national security, to advance public health and environmental quality and to achieve sustained and inclusive economic prosperity. Rooted in a rich history of American ingenuity, this contract represents a shared expectation by the people of this country that American innovation will play an indispensable role in meeting this country’s most important challenges. But events in this year alone make clear such progress will not happen if science and technology are taken for granted.
The COVID-19 pandemic could be remembered solely for its immense human and economic costs—or it could also mark an opportunity to reimagine health with prevention and equity at the core and a pivot to recommit the science and technology enterprise to creating a better American future. To get these benefits―and the advances in so many other aspects of national well-being and security that depend on science and technology―the American science and technology community must cultivate and lift up diverse perspectives across race, gender and background, tapping the full potential of this nation to maintain the country’s global edge in innovation. It will also require embracing other nations as partners, working with allies on topics driving national security and economic competitiveness, and building broader coalitions on global challenges in which all have a common stake.
Two critical rebuilding efforts are needed to provide the foundations for the work ahead. The first is to reinvigorate government institutions of science, technology and innovation and build on existing strengths in this nation’s ecosystem of government-funded research in universities and national laboratories, entrepreneurial innovation in companies big and small, and public-private partnerships to accelerate the transition from research discoveries to applications in the national interest. The second critical effort is to lay the groundwork for the fundamentally new modes of scientific research and innovation that some of the nation’s challenges will require such as rising inequality and the need for more comprehensive, forward-leaning approaches to climate change, ecological impoverishment and epidemic disease.
New ideas abound, from funding models that reward high-risk research to new mechanisms that bridge the divide from lab to market. Getting these ideas embraced and funded would benefit from the commitment of every American who believes in the promise of scientific and technological innovation. Each generation has the choice of how to best embark on a path to progress. Previous generations created the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; landed astronauts on the moon; orbited satellites to monitor the state of the Earth’s environment and the activities of this country’s potential adversaries; invented the internet and the smartphone; harvested electricity from the sun; and produced generation after generation of increases in the American standard of living. The current moment will require a response of comparable ambition that seeks to include every American and builds U.S. capacity in every zip code.
Leadership from the U.S. government is needed to help leverage the science and technology community and work towards ideas that can shape our nation’s future for the better—starting with building up the science and technology capacity in executive-branch departments and elevating the role of science and technology in the federal policymaking process. As former leaders and veterans of a number of federal science and technology institutions, we know rebuilding these organizations requires commitment and expertise from day one of the next presidential term. Whether President Trump wins a second term or Vice President Joe Biden becomes the next commander-in-chief, the next administration must make investments in science and technology a core priority. Equally important, the whole science and technology community must work to ensure the public’s trust in science and evidence.
Of course, the federal government alone cannot accomplish what is needed; creating robust partnerships with industry, academia and with state and local governments will be critical to this renewed commitment to reinvigorating the science-society partnership. The Day One Project is working with experts and new voices to help shape the agenda of the next presidential term, and to convert ambitious new ideas into usable policy proposals that generate impact. There is so much that needs to be done; we must be prepared on day one.


scientificamerican--2020-09-22--U.S. National Academy of Sciences Can Kick Out Harassers--So Why Hasn't It?

Last year , the US National Academy of Sciences ( NAS ) voted overwhelmingly to amend its by-laws so that it could expel members for harassment or other types of misconduct .
Nearly 16 months later , no one has been ousted and no one has used the new system to report known harassers within the NAS ’ s membership , Nature has learned .
Marcia McNutt , president of the NAS , confirmed that although the academy has reviewed two or three reports of other types of misconduct since amending its by-laws , it has not received any reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the NAS ’ s membership is free of harassers .
Still among its members are astronomer Geoffrey Marcy and evolutionary geneticist Francisco Ayala , who resigned from their universities in 2015 and 2018 , respectively , following findings of sexual harassment , and electrical engineer Sergio Verdú , who was dismissed from Princeton University in New Jersey in 2018 for violating its policy prohibiting consensual relations with students .
“ We know that there are several NAS members for which there is good documentation of violation of our code of conduct , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were changed last year , McNutt feared that the NAS would be inundated with requests to investigate members .
“ And in fact the opposite has happened , ” she says .
“ It ’ s been practically radio silence.
” Several other prominent scientific bodies have instituted similar policies in recent years .
In 2018 , the governing council of the American Association for the Advancement of Science voted unanimously to adopt a policy for removing known harassers from its fellows .
And other professional societies have established processes for revoking fellowships @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Under the NAS ’ s new policy , anyone—whether they are a member of the academy or not—can bring a complaint , McNutt says .
When this occurs , the appropriate secretary—the home secretary when an NAS member is accused , and the foreign secretary when a foreign associate is accused—would examine the evidence presented as part of the complaint .
If incidents being reported seem to violate the NAS code of conduct , the secretary appoints a committee , which then gathers statements from the complainant and the accused , allows each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on what disciplinary measures the NAS should take .
The NAS does not have the resources to conduct its own formal investigations , unless the complaint that ’ s been filed is about internal NAS matters , according to McNutt .
So the policy stipulates that complaints must be based on public documentation of resolved cases investigated elsewhere , such as a university report detailing harassing behaviour or a statement that a professor has been dismissed for violating an ethics policy .
The change to the NAS ’ s by-laws , announced in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scrutiny of sexual harassment at professional institutions as part of the # MeToo movement .
Before the change , the academy had no mechanism for removing members .
Even a 1997 prison sentence for child molestation did not prompt the NAS to oust physician Daniel Gajdusek from its ranks .
He was still a member when he died in 2008 .
Eighty-four per cent of the NAS ’ s membership ultimately voted to adopt the new policy , which required only a simple majority to pass .
“ I was very happy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did , ” says Meg Urry , an astrophysicist at Yale University in New Haven , Connecticut , who became an NAS member in 2016 .
Urry has long spoken out against sexual harassment in academia .
Election to the NAS—a lifetime appointment—is often considered one of the highest honours a US scientist can receive .
But membership of the academy isn ’ t just a line in a scientist ’ s awards list : the academy takes an active role in advising the federal government on scientific issues , so members are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The National Academies Press publishes more than 200 reports each year that weigh in on issues such as the implications of climate change and equitable vaccine distribution .
It is problematic for someone who has committed sexual harassment to have such an influential , national role , says Kathleen Treseder , an ecologist at the University of California , Irvine .
Treseder was one of four women at the university who filed sexual-harassment complaints against Ayala in November 2017 .
Membership of the academy is a signal that , by some measure , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But mentoring young people and fostering their growth as scholars is also part of being a great scientist , Urry says , and that ’ s why harassers should not be allowed to stay .
“ It ’ s not just that you ’ ve done something bad , it ’ s that you ’ ve poisoned the well.
” Why no one has used the new NAS system to file a harassment complaint is an open question .
One possibility is that the NAS has not properly communicated its new policy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to the wider community .
“ As far as I understand it , the process hasn ’ t been finalized , ” Urry told Nature when contacted about this issue .
Bill Kearney , a spokesperson for the NAS , says that the change to the policy was widely covered in the media last year and was disseminated to the NAS ’ s members .
Some may also question why the NAS leadership can ’ t proactively move known harassers into the queue for consideration by a committee , even if no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not , because under the new policy , she would be the arbiter if a case were appealed , presenting a conflict of interest .
As for other members of the NAS ’ s governing council or leadership , Kearney confirmed that they could bring forward complaints so long as they recused themselves from the rest of the proceedings .
And those who have already reported harassers to other organizations might be feeling fatigue .
“ Do I have to do everything ?
I ’ ve already sacrificed enough , ” Treseder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed a complaint with the NAS .
“ Everybody else has this information .
Somebody else could do it.
” She adds : “ I could not be more disappointed in the National Academy of Sciences as an institution and every single National Academy of Sciences member who has allowed the sexual harassers to stay.
” McNutt says that the NAS members who are known harassers have been keeping a low profile since the by-laws changed .
“ They are not being appointed to committees or panels or anything like that , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the academy is non-existent.
” Jane Willenbring , a geologist at Stanford University in California , who successfully pushed the Geological Society of America to institute a similar policy after someone who harassed her was named a fellow of the organization in 2017 , says that these scientists ’ lack of participation in academy activities is not enough .
Their continued presence as members—even inactive ones—sends a signal that “ we don ’ t have to take an active role in telling harassers that they have no place in science ” , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think that ’ s a healthy way to create the important change that we need to see.
” This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on September 21 2020 .

Last year, the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) voted overwhelmingly to amend its by-laws so that it could expel members for harassment or other types of misconduct. Nearly 16 months later, no one has been ousted and no one has used the new system to report known harassers within the NAS’s membership, Nature has learned.
Marcia McNutt, president of the NAS, confirmed that although the academy has reviewed two or three reports of other types of misconduct since amending its by-laws, it has not received any reports concerning harassers.
That’s not because the NAS’s membership is free of harassers. Still among its members are astronomer Geoffrey Marcy and evolutionary geneticist Francisco Ayala, who resigned from their universities in 2015 and 2018, respectively, following findings of sexual harassment, and electrical engineer Sergio Verdú, who was dismissed from Princeton University in New Jersey in 2018 for violating its policy prohibiting consensual relations with students.
“We know that there are several NAS members for which there is good documentation of violation of our code of conduct,” says McNutt.
After the by-laws were changed last year, McNutt feared that the NAS would be inundated with requests to investigate members. “And in fact the opposite has happened,” she says. “It’s been practically radio silence.”
Filing a complaint
Several other prominent scientific bodies have instituted similar policies in recent years. In 2018, the governing council of the American Association for the Advancement of Science voted unanimously to adopt a policy for removing known harassers from its fellows. And other professional societies have established processes for revoking fellowships and awards in cases of misconduct.
Under the NAS’s new policy, anyone—whether they are a member of the academy or not—can bring a complaint, McNutt says. When this occurs, the appropriate secretary—the home secretary when an NAS member is accused, and the foreign secretary when a foreign associate is accused—would examine the evidence presented as part of the complaint. If incidents being reported seem to violate the NAS code of conduct, the secretary appoints a committee, which then gathers statements from the complainant and the accused, allows each to respond, and makes a recommendation on what disciplinary measures the NAS should take.
The NAS does not have the resources to conduct its own formal investigations, unless the complaint that’s been filed is about internal NAS matters, according to McNutt. So the policy stipulates that complaints must be based on public documentation of resolved cases investigated elsewhere, such as a university report detailing harassing behaviour or a statement that a professor has been dismissed for violating an ethics policy.
The change to the NAS’s by-laws, announced in early June 2019, came amid renewed scrutiny of sexual harassment at professional institutions as part of the #MeToo movement. Before the change, the academy had no mechanism for removing members. Even a 1997 prison sentence for child molestation did not prompt the NAS to oust physician Daniel Gajdusek from its ranks. He was still a member when he died in 2008.
A prestigious award
Eighty-four per cent of the NAS’s membership ultimately voted to adopt the new policy, which required only a simple majority to pass. “I was very happy to see the vote come out as it did,” says Meg Urry, an astrophysicist at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, who became an NAS member in 2016. Urry has long spoken out against sexual harassment in academia.
Election to the NAS—a lifetime appointment—is often considered one of the highest honours a US scientist can receive. But membership of the academy isn’t just a line in a scientist’s awards list: the academy takes an active role in advising the federal government on scientific issues, so members are often recruited to serve on panels. The National Academies Press publishes more than 200 reports each year that weigh in on issues such as the implications of climate change and equitable vaccine distribution.
It is problematic for someone who has committed sexual harassment to have such an influential, national role, says Kathleen Treseder, an ecologist at the University of California, Irvine. Treseder was one of four women at the university who filed sexual-harassment complaints against Ayala in November 2017.
Membership of the academy is a signal that, by some measure, a person is a great scientist. But mentoring young people and fostering their growth as scholars is also part of being a great scientist, Urry says, and that’s why harassers should not be allowed to stay. “It’s not just that you’ve done something bad, it’s that you’ve poisoned the well.”
Radio silence
Why no one has used the new NAS system to file a harassment complaint is an open question. One possibility is that the NAS has not properly communicated its new policy and process for reporting harassers to its members and to the wider community. “As far as I understand it, the process hasn’t been finalized,” Urry told Nature when contacted about this issue.
Bill Kearney, a spokesperson for the NAS, says that the change to the policy was widely covered in the media last year and was disseminated to the NAS’s members.
Some may also question why the NAS leadership can’t proactively move known harassers into the queue for consideration by a committee, even if no individual has filed a complaint. McNutt cannot, because under the new policy, she would be the arbiter if a case were appealed, presenting a conflict of interest. As for other members of the NAS’s governing council or leadership, Kearney confirmed that they could bring forward complaints so long as they recused themselves from the rest of the proceedings.
And those who have already reported harassers to other organizations might be feeling fatigue. “Do I have to do everything? I’ve already sacrificed enough,” Treseder says of why she hasn’t filed a complaint with the NAS. “Everybody else has this information. Somebody else could do it.” She adds: “I could not be more disappointed in the National Academy of Sciences as an institution and every single National Academy of Sciences member who has allowed the sexual harassers to stay.”
McNutt says that the NAS members who are known harassers have been keeping a low profile since the by-laws changed. “They are not being appointed to committees or panels or anything like that,” she says. “Their influence in the academy is non-existent.”
Jane Willenbring, a geologist at Stanford University in California, who successfully pushed the Geological Society of America to institute a similar policy after someone who harassed her was named a fellow of the organization in 2017, says that these scientists’ lack of participation in academy activities is not enough. Their continued presence as members—even inactive ones—sends a signal that “we don’t have to take an active role in telling harassers that they have no place in science”, she says. “I don’t think that’s a healthy way to create the important change that we need to see.”
This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on September 21 2020.


scientificamerican--2020-09-22--The Most Vulnerable Ransomware Targets Are the Institutions We Rely On Most

Editor ’ s Note ( 9/21/20 ) : This article was originally published online on March 23 , 2016 .
We are republishing it in light of the news that a woman in Germany died as a result of a ransomware attack on the hospital where she was being treated .
Experts suggest this event could be the first known case of a cyberattack directly contributing to someone ’ s death .
Earlier this month a Los Angeles hospital became yet another victim of ransomware—a type of cyber attack where hackers encrypt data on individuals ’ or institutions ’ computers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information .
A few weeks later the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services reportedly suffered a similar fate .
These are just two cases in a rising tide of ransomware hacks , and experts predict the problem is only going to get worse .
Unfortunately , it turns out that some of easiest ransomware attack targets are the critical establishments that we rely on most .
Many vital public institutions such as hospitals , police stations and fire stations typically do not have the most sophisticated cybersecurity , and they are perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacks .
This is not because public institutions are more exposed to these attacks than , say , restaurants or dentists—the problem is that there is more at stake for everyone when these institutions become victims .
Ransomware has been around since the late 1980s , but in recent years it has become increasingly popular with cyber criminals , especially since the creation of bitcoin in 2009 gave hackers an easy way to get paid anonymously .
In 2014 ransomware attacks rose 113 percent compared with the previous year , and 2015 estimates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Haley , director of Symantec Security Response .
Ransomware hackers trick victims into visiting an infected Web site or downloading an attachment and then encrypt their data .
Hackers post a ransom note on a user ’ s screen ; if the victim does not pay within a certain amount of time , their data is lost forever .
Criminals like ransomware because it works .
“ This software is very effective at getting money out of people , ” explains Justin Cappos , a computer security expert at New York University .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a few hundred dollars , so they tend to fly under law enforcement ’ s radar .
But they target so many people that they can take in millions .
“ It ’ s a volume business , like McDonald ’ s , ” explains Phil Lieberman , founder of Lieberman Software and a cybersecurity expert .
Although ransomware attacks are mostly random , researchers say that cybercriminals have found a “ sweet spot ” of $ 10,000 when they specifically target businesses—a big sum , but still low enough that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement .
Some groups are prepared to deal with this threat .
Tech companies , financial firms and certain government agencies tend to have to have sophisticated cybersecurity to help them fend off attacks and recover quickly when they happen .
But small and midsize businesses , including mom-and-pop shops , restaurants , dentists and attorneys are typically less well protected , as are crucial public institutions .
Many police stations , for example , have had their data held hostage by hackers .
In 2013 ransomware struck the Swansea Police Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ server , locking up important administrative and investigative documents as well as seven years ’ of mug shots .
The department paid $ 750 to get its data back .
Similar attacks were launched on police stations from Tennessee to Maine to Chicago .
Fire departments have also been victims of ransomware .
In 2015 a Maryland fire department reportedly had to shut down its computerized dispatch center and record everything on paper because of an attack .
Ransomware is especially troublesome for these kinds of institutions because they absolutely need to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Like police and fire stations , hospitals are vulnerable because they also run 24/7 and also have irreplaceable data .
Yet hospitals may actually be more susceptible to ransomware attacks for reasons unique to the medical industry .
Some medical institutions use old legacy administrative software that only works on outdated operating systems , which contain more weaknesses for ransomware to exploit .
It is also difficult for hospitals to update software on medical devices because of tight regulations , and this leaves them more open to attacks as well .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new software , ” explains Josephine Wolff , a computing security expert at the Rochester Institute of Technology , “ The medical world is dealing with a very complicated legal and policy regime around medical data and how it has to be handled.
” Critical infrastructure , such as dams , power grids and other systems are increasingly linked to the Internet , meaning they , too , are exposed to ransomware .
“ We ’ re getting more and more connected in ways that developers of these systems did not envision many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a professor of computer science at Northeastern University .
“ As a result , these systems could be taken down by malware attacks , and the consequences can be difficult to predict.
” Experts , however , say that ransomware is less likely to cause major problems for infrastructure than other types of malware because it deals with data rather than interfering with control systems .
But Kirda says that , theoretically , ransomware hackers could access certain data that may affect , say , how power is managed .
Lieberman agrees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that an attacker could target an employee of a critical infrastructure company , shut down that company down , and demand a ransom to restore access.
” Ransomware attacks not only place a financial burden on victims , they also hinder the operations of these crucial public institutions .
In the case of the Los Angeles hospital it took $ 17,000 ( 40 bitcoins ) in payment and 10 days before the hospital had its system running again .
And although paying the hackers may seem like a relatively small price compared with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is more at stake .
The cash that institutions , businesses and average citizens send to hackers ends up in bad places .
“ The money goes to criminal organizations and a lot of them are involved in really despicable things like human trafficking , ” Cappos says .
“ You ’ re really providing funding and support to people doing horrible things.
” And when victims show they ’ re willing to pay , it attracts more criminals to the ransomware market .
Experts encourage everyone—from police stations to corporations to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importantly : have backups .
“ Ransomware relies on the idea that hackers have managed to encrypt something that ’ s really valuable to you because you only have one copy , ” Wolff explains .
“ If you have backups , then what they ’ ve got has no value .
”

Editor’s Note (9/21/20): This article was originally published online on March 23, 2016. We are republishing it in light of the news that a woman in Germany died as a result of a ransomware attack on the hospital where she was being treated. Experts suggest this event could be the first known case of a cyberattack directly contributing to someone’s death.
Earlier this month a Los Angeles hospital became yet another victim of ransomware—a type of cyber attack where hackers encrypt data on individuals’ or institutions’ computers and demand a ransom to unlock the information. A few weeks later the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services reportedly suffered a similar fate. These are just two cases in a rising tide of ransomware hacks, and experts predict the problem is only going to get worse. Unfortunately, it turns out that some of easiest ransomware attack targets are the critical establishments that we rely on most.
Many vital public institutions such as hospitals, police stations and fire stations typically do not have the most sophisticated cybersecurity, and they are perhaps the most vulnerable of all in ransomware attacks. This is not because public institutions are more exposed to these attacks than, say, restaurants or dentists—the problem is that there is more at stake for everyone when these institutions become victims.
Ransomware has been around since the late 1980s, but in recent years it has become increasingly popular with cyber criminals, especially since the creation of bitcoin in 2009 gave hackers an easy way to get paid anonymously. In 2014 ransomware attacks rose 113 percent compared with the previous year, and 2015 estimates also show rapid growth, says Kevin Haley, director of Symantec Security Response. Ransomware hackers trick victims into visiting an infected Web site or downloading an attachment and then encrypt their data. Hackers post a ransom note on a user’s screen; if the victim does not pay within a certain amount of time, their data is lost forever.
Criminals like ransomware because it works. “This software is very effective at getting money out of people,” explains Justin Cappos, a computer security expert at New York University. The hackers usually demand fairly small payment of a few hundred dollars, so they tend to fly under law enforcement’s radar. But they target so many people that they can take in millions. “It’s a volume business, like McDonald’s,” explains Phil Lieberman, founder of Lieberman Software and a cybersecurity expert. Although ransomware attacks are mostly random, researchers say that cybercriminals have found a “sweet spot” of $10,000 when they specifically target businesses—a big sum, but still low enough that it will not attract too much attention from law enforcement.
Some groups are prepared to deal with this threat. Tech companies, financial firms and certain government agencies tend to have to have sophisticated cybersecurity to help them fend off attacks and recover quickly when they happen. But small and midsize businesses, including mom-and-pop shops, restaurants, dentists and attorneys are typically less well protected, as are crucial public institutions.
Many police stations, for example, have had their data held hostage by hackers. In 2013 ransomware struck the Swansea Police Department in Massachusetts and encrypted its main file server, locking up important administrative and investigative documents as well as seven years’ of mug shots. The department paid $750 to get its data back. Similar attacks were launched on police stations from Tennessee to Maine to Chicago. Fire departments have also been victims of ransomware. In 2015 a Maryland fire department reportedly had to shut down its computerized dispatch center and record everything on paper because of an attack. Ransomware is especially troublesome for these kinds of institutions because they absolutely need to get that critical data back to continue operating.
Like police and fire stations, hospitals are vulnerable because they also run 24/7 and also have irreplaceable data. Yet hospitals may actually be more susceptible to ransomware attacks for reasons unique to the medical industry. Some medical institutions use old legacy administrative software that only works on outdated operating systems, which contain more weaknesses for ransomware to exploit. It is also difficult for hospitals to update software on medical devices because of tight regulations, and this leaves them more open to attacks as well. “You can’t just roll out new software,” explains Josephine Wolff, a computing security expert at the Rochester Institute of Technology, “The medical world is dealing with a very complicated legal and policy regime around medical data and how it has to be handled.”
Critical infrastructure, such as dams, power grids and other systems are increasingly linked to the Internet, meaning they, too, are exposed to ransomware. “We’re getting more and more connected in ways that developers of these systems did not envision many years ago,” explains Engin Kirda, a professor of computer science at Northeastern University. “As a result, these systems could be taken down by malware attacks, and the consequences can be difficult to predict.” Experts, however, say that ransomware is less likely to cause major problems for infrastructure than other types of malware because it deals with data rather than interfering with control systems. But Kirda says that, theoretically, ransomware hackers could access certain data that may affect, say, how power is managed. Lieberman agrees: “It’s not inconceivable that an attacker could target an employee of a critical infrastructure company, shut down that company down, and demand a ransom to restore access.”
Ransomware attacks not only place a financial burden on victims, they also hinder the operations of these crucial public institutions. In the case of the Los Angeles hospital it took $17,000 (40 bitcoins) in payment and 10 days before the hospital had its system running again. And although paying the hackers may seem like a relatively small price compared with losing all that data, experts say there is more at stake. The cash that institutions, businesses and average citizens send to hackers ends up in bad places. “The money goes to criminal organizations and a lot of them are involved in really despicable things like human trafficking,” Cappos says. “You’re really providing funding and support to people doing horrible things.” And when victims show they’re willing to pay, it attracts more criminals to the ransomware market.
Experts encourage everyone—from police stations to corporations to individuals—to follow best security practices. Most importantly: have backups. “Ransomware relies on the idea that hackers have managed to encrypt something that’s really valuable to you because you only have one copy,” Wolff explains. “If you have backups, then what they’ve got has no value.”