In the past months, Covid-19 has exposed major gaps in the safety nets required to protect our society and how it can react during national crisis.   How did we get to this point? Could we have avoided much of the social insecurity, deaths and economic damage that are arising from this advancing pandemic? Despite their close proximity to the pandemic epicenter in China and high…

Independence by July 4 We want to get everyone safely back to work and out of their homes by Independence Day. This might sound farfetched, but it is not impossible. What we need to do is TEST, TEST, TEST. Below, we have outlined how we get our Independence by Independence Day. Many policy recommendations have been floated, but to reopen safely and stay open we need a nationally coordinated effort…

The earth is like a chocolate covered ice cream bar. When you take that first bite – the chocolate coating cracks in a bunch of places. The chocolate coating is the Earth’s Crust and then ice cream is the Earth’s Mantle. How do Volcanos Erupt? The crust of the Earth is made of tectonic plates.…

A mining company has proposed to drill for titanium near the Okefenokee Swamp and National Wildlife Refuge. Wetlands are a vital natural resource. They filter water for drinking and irrigation. They mitigate the effects of extreme weather events, including hurricanes. The drilling permit raises red flags in that is unclear on the environmental impact, the…

The EPA is using COVID-19 as an excuse to suspend enforcement of pollution regulations. This is a time of crisis; however, these suspensions are very open ended. There is no statement on when enforcement will begin again (or a requirement to revisit the suspension once a month or every 90 days). There is no statement…

Update Apr 15 with new information on an extended comment period and a link to AAAS resources. Currently there is a new rule under consideration for the EPA called “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science.” It would require transparency in what studies are used in the formulation of EPA guidelines, rules, and regulation. In this case,…

It’s no joke – Science for Georgia joined AAAS’s Local Science Engagement Network (LSEN) on April 1st.    The LSEN is a partnership of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Science for Georgia. LSEN aims to elevate the voice of science and the use of evidence in civic society and policy discussion. LSEN will…

It all comes down to sugar and acid. Any fruit can become wine, but grape juice (and, almost as good, apple juice) have the ideal concentrations to become a happy alcohol accident.  Alcohol is the result of yeast fermenting sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Many factors go into this chemical reaction:  Type of sugar: glucose and fructose are easiest for wild yeast to digest.  Amount of oxygen: too much and…

The science says that in order to prevent deaths, and to get things back to normal, short-term, extreme closures are necessary. ***note – post updated 3/31 to reflect new information As we enter a new reality of social distancing, shelter in place, lockdowns, and other Covid-19 countermeasures, we are all starting to feel the economic…

In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, a large portion of functioning society is being put on hold. On good recommendation from agencies like the CDC, we have been told to stay home and slow the advance of this virus. Right now, large fraction of our population sits in their homes, voluntarily or involuntarily, and…

Covid-19 is not a lab experiment gone wrong. It’s the result of natural evolution. Check out a post from Nita Jain, a friend of Science for Georgia.

The environment that we live in affects our health and well-being. For those that live in poverty, an unhealthy environment can contribute to being trapped in a cycle of poverty. For example: bad air quality is correlated with increased sickness; being out sick leads to poor performance in work or school; poor performance leads to…

*Updated 3/18/2020 We’ve put together this handy list of activities to help you and your little ones get through social distancing. Please come back as we will update this page as we learn of more activities and resources for the Georgia community to enjoy. If you know of any activities we are missing please let…

*more resources added 3/18/2020 It’s our goal to help our community find any resources they may need. Please come back as we will update this page as we learn of more resources for the Georgia community. If you know of a change to any of the resources below, or know of other resources we are…

The novel coronavirus, or Covid-19, is a new strain of coronavirus that was discovered in 2019. Symptoms of the coronavirus include coughing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and fever. Covid-19 spreads mainly from person to person interaction and the virus may be able to live on surfaces for up to 3 days. Good hygiene and…

The coronavirus family can cause a variety of illnesses ranging from the common cold, to more severe respiratory illnesses like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Coronaviruses can also be transmitted between humans and some animals. The novel coronavirus, or Covid-19, is a new strain of coronavirus that was discovered in 2019. Covid-19 spreads mainly from person to person interaction but can also spread through small respiratory droplets that form when someone…

Coal Ash, the leftover waste from burning coal, affects Georgian’s health and well-being. Coal Ash contains arsenic, lead, mercury, and other heavy metals. When these chemicals seep into water or soil, it causes health problems for those exposed. As the chart shows, a high number of those individuals are low-income. Currently, disposal of Coal Ash…

Everyone complains that government doesn’t listen to them – but how many of us take the time to tell our representatives how we feel? Representatives have a lot of constituents in districts that span urban/rural divides, income disparities, and a myriad of interests. Daily, they are faced with multiple issues from public safety, to the…

My sister in law has a PhD in Biology. She studied genetics. Whenever my grandfather saw her, he would ask her about plants. Cause, you know – she is a biologist. My grandfather was a chemist. Smart guy. And he still made epic generalizations.   Just like when someone finds out “Oh you are a doctor? Let me…

If a person has a good idea, but doesn’t share, does it have an effect? There is a reason that bad ideas with good marketing outsell good ideas with bad marketing. Many people see Steve Jobs as a visionary and Bill Gates as a mobster, but Bill Gates spends billions of his own money to…

Watch a fun video on the benefits of eating insects.

Check out our article on Conscious World

The world is full of difficult problems that have been or can be solved using science. Right now, these solutions go unheard or worse: ignored. The long-growing trend of miscommunication and distrust between scientists and the public means that scientists need to reframe how they participate in public dialogue. Science for Georgia is working to…

Earning the Trust of Georgia. There is a fundamental disconnect between the scientific community and the public it serves. At Science for Georgia, our goal is to fix this disconnect using three different approaches: (1) to improve communication between scientists and the public, (2) increase public engagement with science, and (3) advocate for the responsible…

Georgia scientists and supporters took to the streets to march for science on April 22nd, 2017. It was an unforgettable display of advocacy that brought in over 4,000 people. Organizers however knew the problematic culture of labeling science and facts “fake news” wouldn’t go away so they made plans to grow as an institution in…

By Claire Jarvis, PhD Claire Jarvis is a science writer based in Atlanta, GA. You can follow Claire on LinkedIn and on Twitter @StAndrewsLynx If you were asked, “What cool science takes place in Georgia?” you might need time to think about your answer. The Peach State has many claims to fame…but its science sector isn’t usually…

Common understanding For many of us, theory and hypothesis mean the same thing: a “guess” at how or why something is the way it is. Once it is confirmed, it stops becoming a “theory / hypothesis”, and becomes “fact”. For example, in a murder mystery, the theory / hypothesis would be “the butler did it”…

Science for Georgia was created in the wake of the March for Science movement to spread curiosity and a love of science to everyone throughout this beautiful state. We at Science for Georgia want to evolve and encourage responsible use of science in policy making. To do that, we need your help. We are so…