National Academy of Sciences

06/15/2026

Frederick James “Jim” Allen spent a six-decade career transforming our understanding of the deep human past across Australia, New Guinea, and the wider Pacific.

His archaeological work helped illuminate the initial colonization of Sahul (Pleistocene Australia-New Guinea), the Late Pleistocene history of Tasmania, the Lapita cultural complex, and the emergence of early coastal trading networks in New Guinea. Taken together, his research reshaped how we understand the movement and connection of ancient peoples across vast distances.

But colleagues remember Jim as more than a pioneering archaeologist. He was known for his larger-than-life presence: a passionate debater, a late-night performer of traditional Australian songs and poetry, a cricket enthusiast, and a knowledgeable guide to Australian wines, shaped by decades of experience.

Read more about his colorful life in a new NAS Memoir: https://ow.ly/em5850ZbSOC

06/15/2026

"Taking this job is a bet, or maybe a hope, that the best science will drive the conversation over the long run." Incoming NAS President Neil Shubin spoke with The New York Times about the state of American science and his hopes for his five-year term as president:

An eminent fossil hunter takes the reins at the National Academy of Sciences in a turbulent moment for American researchers.

06/12/2026

Metal-organic frameworks have revolutionized materials science with applications ranging from separations to sustainability. A new PNAS profile highlights the incredible contributions of 2025 Nobel Laureates in Chemistry, including Omar Yaghi: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2605022123

06/11/2026

Ocean systems don't always change gradually. Under the right conditions, they can shift abruptly, with far-reaching and potentially irreversible consequences.

To better understand these critical thresholds, the 2026 US-UK Scientific Forum convened leading scientists to examine the frontier of knowledge of tipping points in ocean systems.

Held May 19–20 at The Royal Society in London, the forum explored examples of past and projected ocean shifts, the drivers and mechanisms behind them, indicators and early-warning signals of approaching thresholds, implications for ecosystems and human systems, and strategies for anticipating, avoiding, or adapting to abrupt change.

Watch full recordings from the forum online: https://www.nasonline.org/event/us-uk-scientific-forum-on-shifts-and-tipping-points-in-ocean-systems/

06/10/2026

A new statement from the presidents of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and National Academy of Medicine addresses an inaccurate NSF citation of a recent National Academies report and reaffirms the importance of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) to U.S. ocean science.

Read: https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/statement-by-national-academies-presidents-on-importance-of-nsf-s-ocean-observatories-initiative

06/10/2026

🎉 Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 Kavli Prize! This year's laureates include six .

Eva Andrei, Pablo Jarillo-Herrero, and Allan MacDonald were awarded the Kavli Prize in Nanoscience “for foundational work that established the field of Twistronics.”

Christine Holt, Kelsey Martin, and Erin Schuman were recognized with the Kavli Prize in Neuroscience alongside Oswald Steward “for the discovery of local protein translation in neurons and establishing its importance for brain development and plasticity.”

The Kavli Prize celebrates scientists for breakthroughs in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience—transforming our understanding of the big, the small, and the complex. The laureates will be awarded their prizes in Oslo in September.

https://www.nasonline.org/news/nas-members-win-2026-kavli-prizes/

06/09/2026

Do you know an outstanding researcher? Nominate them for the 2027 Arctowski Medal! The Medal is presented with a $100,000 prize, plus $100,000 to support research in solar physics and solar terrestrial relationships.

Learn more: https://www.nasonline.org/programs/awards/arctowski-medal.html



06/08/2026

The ocean faces growing pressures, but cross-disciplinary science and collaboration can help illuminate the path forward. On , explore the recent NAS symposium on Ocean Health in a Changing Planet, where researchers took a deep dive into emerging threats, critical knowledge gaps, and opportunities to better understand and protect ocean ecosystems. 🌊

Watch the full symposium here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKsSvl-RqY4

06/04/2026

We are now accepting nominations for the 2027 NAS Awards! We will honor scientists who have made pioneering contributions to a wide range of fields, including , , , , and more.🏅

Who will you nominate? https://awards-nasonline.secure-platform.com/a/organizations/main/home

06/03/2026

The asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs may also have created the perfect conditions for fungi to thrive. 🍄 In a new PNAS study, Rosanna Baker and Arturo Casadevall found evidence of massive fungal blooms following the Chicxulub impact 66 million years ago.

After the collision triggered darkness, ecosystem collapse, and widespread death, fungi appear to have spread across the planet, feeding on enormous amounts of dead organic matter, including the remains of dinosaurs and other life lost in the mass extinction. The findings offer a striking picture of how Earth’s ecosystems transformed in the aftermath of one of the most catastrophic events in planetary history.

Read more in VICE:

The dinosaurs had a good run and a brutal end that, according to new research, somehow got even more brutal after the asteroid killed them.