children's health
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How a government feud threatens decades of scientific progress
The Trump administration’s move to cut off $2.6 billion in federal research funding to Harvard has upended a vital engine of American science, with ripple effects that reach far beyond a single university.
Emily Badger, Aatish Bhatia, and Ethan Singer report for The New York Times.
In short:
- Nearly 900 grants supporting projects in neuroscience, opioid treatment, environmental health, and more were halted after the administration accused Harvard of failing to meet federal conditions tied to civil rights and research integrity.
- The funding freeze impacts long-term, high-risk science — including regenerative medicine, sleep studies, and cancer research — that typically isn’t pursued by industry due to cost or lack of near-term profit.
- These grants also train the next generation of scientists, sustain critical partnerships across institutions, and support research that underpins national policy, from trans fat bans to telehealth effectiveness.
Key quote:
“What we are losing is a future.”
— Glorian Sorensen, professor and co-director of a worker health and safety center at Harvard
Why this matters:
Shutting down nearly 900 research grants puts real-world public health, environmental policy, and future breakthroughs at risk. The consequences might not be seen today, but years from now, the impacts will be felt — in the therapies the world doesn't have, the gaps in climate data, the lives that could have been saved but weren't.Read more: An open letter from EPA staff to the American public
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Opinion: Trump’s “gold standard science” order gives politics control over public health and climate policy
A new executive order from former President Trump puts political appointees in charge of defining scientific standards in federal agencies, threatening to erode protections meant to shield science from partisan manipulation.
In short:
- Trump’s executive order lets political appointees override agency scientists, effectively eliminating the safeguards put in place by the Biden administration to protect scientific integrity.
- The order demands a retrospective review of Biden-era scientific work, with the power to rewrite regulations based on vague definitions of “gold standard science” untethered from accepted scientific norms.
- Under this policy, federal scientists face the threat of discipline or dismissal for dissenting from political directives, and recent actions suggest this framework could gut agencies’ scientific capacity.
Key quote:
“By formalizing political control over agency science, the EO institutionalizes a ‘doubt science’ approach to shaping policy.”
— David Michaels, epidemiologist and professor at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, and Wendy Wagner, University of Texas, Austin, School of Law
Why this matters:
If scientific standards are dictated by political operatives rather than trained professionals, decisions about vaccines, pollution limits, chemical safety, and climate risks could be based on ideology rather than evidence — harming public trust, health, and the environment.
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Newsletter
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Young people grapple with emotional fallout from climate change
Anxiety over a warming planet is disrupting daily life for many young people, prompting new efforts to support mental health and foster resilience.
In short:
- Climate change is affecting young people's mental health through persistent worry, grief, and fear about the future, often leading to sleep issues and trouble concentrating.
- Therapists, educators, and community advocates are developing new strategies — from nature-based therapy to school tool kits — to help individuals cope emotionally with climate disruption.
- Many parents and teachers are modeling sustainable behaviors and encouraging collective action to help youth channel anxiety into engagement.
Key quote:
“A lot of times, the anxiety and the hopelessness comes from a feeling of powerlessness. And I don’t think any of us is powerless.”
— Kate Marvel, climate scientist and author
Why this matters:
The emotional toll of climate change is no longer a distant or abstract concern. For many young people, the crisis plays out not just in heat waves and fires but also in rising anxiety, depression, and existential fear. Studies show that a large majority of youth feel deeply concerned about climate change, but many believe they’re alone in those feelings — a gap that fuels isolation and despair. Mental health professionals are increasingly treating what’s known as “eco-anxiety,” while teachers and parents are being called to help youth process their concerns without downplaying the reality. As the climate crisis intensifies, so too does the need to understand and address its psychological dimensions, especially for the generations inheriting its consequences.
Related EHN coverage: Pollution’s mental toll: How air, water and climate pollution shape our mental health
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Trump’s anti-science crusade threatens America’s climate readiness
President Trump is gutting climate science programs across the government, crippling our ability to track — let alone respond to — the unfolding climate crisis.
In short:
- Hundreds of federal climate scientists have been fired or sidelined, and programs essential for tracking global warming — from NASA satellites to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency climate monitoring — are being dismantled.
- The administration justifies the cuts as cost-saving, but many of the targeted programs are inexpensive and critical for everything from hurricane forecasting to public health.
- New rules would give political appointees the power to decide what science the government can use, echoing Trump’s pandemic-era strategy of suppressing data that contradicts his message.
Key quote:
“They hate science because it leads to regulation, so they want to do everything they can to stop science from being used to regulate.”
— Andrew Dessler, climate scientist at Texas A&M University
Why this matters:
Back when COVID-19 was tearing across the country, President Trump had a go-to move: deny the science, then silence the scientists. His administration has been running the same playbook on climate change — and now the damage is emerging. Stripped of data, expertise, and, often, the ability to communicate openly with the public, public health officials, emergency responders, and frontline communities are left trying to navigate the climate crisis without a complete map.
Read more: Nearly one million US deaths from COVID-19—the grim consequences of sidelining science
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Credit: Photo by Bonté Ineza on Unsplash
New homes in B.C. are cutting rent, carbon, and ER visits
After moving into an energy-efficient social housing unit in New Westminster, Margaret Wanyoike’s family saw not just lower rent — but better health and clean air too. They're not alone.
In short:
- British Columbia’s nonprofit housing groups are building and retrofitting homes that fight both the housing and climate crises— keeping residents safe from wildfire smoke and deadly heat waves.
- Rent in climate-resilient units can be as low as $775, thanks to government support like B.C.’s Community Housing Fund and a building code that rewards energy efficiency and cooling systems.
- Some retrofits are done without displacing vulnerable tenants, preserving low rents while cutting carbon emissions by up to 90%.
Key quote:
“All homes should have these things because why would you build a home today that doesn’t have some kind of cooling and some kind of filtration? This is not going to get any better anytime soon and I don’t think money should be the dictating factor of having access to clean air and not dying of heat exhaustion.”
— William Azaroff, CEO of Brightside Community Homes Foundation
Why this matters:
Welcome to a quiet revolution in British Columbia, where nonprofit housing groups are showing what’s possible when climate policy meets basic human need. As the climate crisis pushes extreme heat and smoke into our daily lives, housing becomes a frontline defense. Smart housing policy can cut emissions, protect health, and ensure low-income families aren’t left behind. What’s happening in Metro Vancouver can represent a blueprint for cities everywhere.
Read more: People need shelter from climate change — their health hangs in the balance
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Tulane faces backlash for silencing researcher exposing pollution and racial bias
A Tulane University scientist has resigned, alleging she was muzzled for exposing how Louisiana’s petrochemical industry harms Black communities through pollution and discriminatory hiring.
In short:
- Dr. Kimberly Terrell resigned from Tulane’s Environmental Law Clinic, claiming the university censored her advocacy and barred her from discussing her studies linking toxic pollution to racial health disparities.
- Internal emails show university officials feared her work would jeopardize political and donor support for a high-profile redevelopment project tied to New Orleans’ historic Charity Hospital.
- Terrell’s research revealed higher cancer rates, premature births, and unequal employment in Black communities near petrochemical facilities, sparking pushback from elected officials and donors.
Key quote:
“I cannot remain silent as this university sacrifices academic integrity for political appeasement and pet projects. Our work is too important, and the stakes are too high, to sit back and watch special interests replace scholarship with censorship.”
— Kimberly Terrell, former director of community engagement, Tulane Environmental Law Clinic
Why this matters:
Here's a story that cuts right to the bone of environmental justice in the South, where petrochemical plants line the Mississippi River with polluting smoke stacks and nearby communities have long been treated as sacrifice zones. It's another blow to environmental justice and academic freedom in the face of corporate and political influence.
Read more:
- “Cancer Alley” residents exposed to more than the lifetime exposure limit for cancer-causing compound: Report
- Op-ed: “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you” — disabling environments in Cancer Alley and the Ohio River Valley
- Community activists plead to be heard through “closed doors” outside nation’s top energy conference
- Lives “devastated’ by petrochemical industry pollution in Texas: Report
- Op-ed: Why is the chemical industry pitting public health against economic growth?
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Extreme weather during pregnancy may affect babies’ brain development, study finds
When Superstorm Sandy hit New York in 2012, pregnant women exposed to the storm and extreme heat gave birth to children who now show structural changes in brain areas linked to emotional health.
In short:
- A study from Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY), used MRI scans to examine the brains of 8-year-old children whose mothers experienced Superstorm Sandy while pregnant. It found increased volume in the basal ganglia, a brain area that helps regulate emotions.
- The changes were more pronounced when mothers also endured extreme heat during pregnancy, though heat alone showed little impact. The study suggests that climate disasters and heat may interact to shape fetal brain development.
- Scientists say these findings signal that the climate crisis can have neurological consequences for future generations, expanding the scope of concern beyond the environment to public health and childhood development.
Key quote:
“What we are seeing is compelling evidence that the climate crisis is not just an environmental emergency, it is potentially a neurological one with consequence for future generations who will inherit our planet.”
— Duke Shereen, co-author of the study and director of the MRI facility at CUNY Graduate Center
Why this matters:
Rising global temperatures and stronger storms pose a risk to more than infrastructure: They affect health, and may leave biological scars before birth. During pregnancy, a fetus’ brain develops rapidly, making it highly sensitive to environmental stress. This vulnerability means that climate-fueled events like hurricanes and heat waves could alter emotional and cognitive outcomes in children. Such changes might not become obvious for years but can shape everything from mental health to learning capacity. As climate-related disasters become more frequent and intense, researchers are just beginning to understand their long-term effects on the next generation.
Related EHN coverage: LISTEN: Robbie Parks on climate justice and mental health
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