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Policy & Ethics

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 17-May-2026 13:15 ET (17-May-2026 17:15 GMT/UTC)

New study shows early motherhood carries wage penalty, while delaying pays off

Rice University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A woman’s early career pregnancy decision may shape her financial future for decades, according to new research. The findings come at a time when reproductive rights and access are shifting nationwide, raising new questions about how policy changes intersect with women’s careers, economic mobility and workforce participation. Rice University researcher Eden King said the idea for the project emerged after reading language in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling asserting that access to reproductive autonomy has no effect on women’s economic standing.

Journal: Journal of Applied Science

Most peer reviewers now use AI, and publishing policy must keep pace

Frontiers
Reports 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.

John Holdren awarded 2026 AIP Karl Compton Medal

American Institute of Physics
Grant and Award Announcement

AIP’s 2026 Karl Taylor Compton Medal for leadership in physics is being awarded to Professor John Holdren of Harvard University and former Chief Science & Technology Advisor to President Obama. Named after prominent physicist Karl Taylor Compton, the medal is presented by AIP every two years to a highly a distinguished physicist who has made outstanding contributions to physics through exceptional statesmanship in science. Holdren was chosen by the selection committee “for his scientific leadership in engaging the public and promoting sound governmental policies and key international agreements.”

Project explores barriers to NHS career progression facing international medical graduates

University of Plymouth
Grant and Award Announcement

A three-year project, led by the University of Plymouth and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is exploring why some international medical graduates see their careers blossom once they start working in the NHS while others do not. The ‘SUP IMG’ project started this summer, building on research carried out for the General Medical Council which found that less than 5% of graduates who complete their training overseas join specialist or GP registers on arrival, and few – 11.6% within five years and 27.2% within 10 years – go on to become consultants or GPs. By contrast, around 75% of UK graduates become consultants or GPs over the same timeframe.

Funder: National Institute for Health Research

The number of abortions decreased by nearly a quarter in Spain during the two months of strict lockdown due to COVID-19

Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Barcelona
Peer-Reviewed Publication

esearch involving Pompeu Fabra University has concluded that abortions in Spain fell by around 24% during the two months of strict lockdown due to covid-19 in the spring of 2020. The study, conducted by the researchers Libertad González (UPF Department of Economics and Business and Barcelona School of Economics) and Karina Trommlerová (Institute of Public Policy of Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia), reveals that this reduction was not due to the closure of clinics or difficulties getting access to the health service, but to a decrease in unwanted pregnancies, especially among single women

Journal: Population and Development Review
Funder: Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness - Severo Ochoa Program Program for Centers of Excellence in R&D

Sustainability-focused companies benefit more from audit transparency

Nagoya University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Companies with strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) track records performed better than their peers after being required to adopt more rigorous auditing standards. This is according to a new study from researchers at Nagoya University in Japan, which is the first to examine the connection between the implementation of “key audit matters” (KAMs) and firms’ sustainability practices.

Journal: Managerial Auditing Journal
Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tsao Family Foundation

Invisible indoor threats: emerging household contaminants and their growing risks to human health

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Indoor dust, air and everyday products are exposing people to a growing mix of “new contaminants” inside homes, schools and workplaces, according to a new perspective published in the journal New Contaminants. The authors warn that these emerging chemicals may quietly increase the risk of heart disease, cancer and developmental problems while remaining largely unregulated and poorly monitored indoors.

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