Policy & Ethics
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 15-Dec-2025 21:11 ET (16-Dec-2025 02:11 GMT/UTC)
15-Dec-2025
Voluntary wintertime cover crop adoption up 5 percent in Arkansas
University of Arkansas System Division of AgriculturePeer-Reviewed Publication
Using satellite imagery and government data, researchers measured a 5 percent increase in voluntary, or non-subsidized, cover crop adoption by Arkansas farmers. Using data from 2013-2019, agricultural economists with the experiment station showed that cover crop adoption in Arkansas had the greatest association with a soybean-to-soybean cash crop rotation. The finding came out of research seeking to pinpoint how farmers were using cover crops and where, to help policymakers develop more targeted incentives for using cover crops.
- Journal
- PLOS One
- Funder
- Natural Resources Conservation Service
15-Dec-2025
Households using more of the most popular WIC food benefits stay in the program longer, UW study finds
University of WashingtonPeer-Reviewed Publication
The WIC program provides families with cash benefits to purchase food in specific categories. New research finds that households who redeem more of their benefits in the most popular food categories are more likely to remain in the program long-term.
- Journal
- JAMA Network Open
15-Dec-2025
Optical properties of plants reflect ozone-induced damage
Chiba UniversityPeer-Reviewed Publication
Environmental pollutants such as ozone can damage the internal structure of plants and impair their growth and productivity. Conventional assessments requiring sample processing may not accurately reflect internal damage. A new study highlights the application of a novel ‘optical coherence tomography’ scanner for the non-invasive temporal assessment of live plants exposed to ozone. The technique can aid the timely detection of deficiencies and stress-induced damage, thereby supporting better plant management and improving crop productivity.
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
15-Dec-2025
Buffalo's deadly blizzard revealed when travel bans lose their power over time
NYU Tandon School of EngineeringPeer-Reviewed Publication
When Buffalo, New York’s devastating December 2022 blizzard claimed more than 30 lives, it exposed a hard reality: even life-saving travel bans can lose their force over time, especially when residents face situations where compliance becomes difficult. Researchers at NYU Tandon and RIT have now developed a way to help authorities anticipate when these breakdowns may begin.
- Journal
- Transport Policy
15-Dec-2025
New white paper analyzes U.S. vaccine safety monitoring system
Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of PennsylvaniaReports and Proceedings
In an Annenberg Public Policy Center white paper, biostatistician Jeffrey Morris of the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine analyzes the U.S. vaccine safety monitoring system and suggests how its components, including VAERS, can be improved.
15-Dec-2025
Most peer reviewers now use AI, and publishing policy must keep pace
FrontiersReports and Proceedings
A new whitepaper from Frontiers shows that AI has rapidly become part of everyday peer review, with 53% of reviewers now using AI tools. The findings in Unlocking AI’s untapped potential: responsible innovation in research and publishing point to a pivotal moment for research publishing. Adoption is accelerating and the opportunity now is to translate this momentum into stronger, more transparent, and more equitable research practices as demonstrated in Frontiers’ policy outlines.