How to read science news

If you’re reading this, you’re probably a regular consumer of the news, so you know that for many, the reality of doing science in the US has been changing rapidly since the new administration assumed office in January. The headlines come thick and fast. And the options to find commentary seem to multiply by the week. In our increasingly polarized politics and media, it can be hard to untangle what updates about the science world are verifiable facts and which are pushing misinformation or an undeclared agenda. Additionally, the concept of what qualifies as news media can be confusing. You may face an overwhelming feed of information from many channels and devices. On social media, network news and legacy publications compete with posts from individual content creators. The incoming messages might be news, rumor, analysis, or simply “vibes.” It’s difficult to know whether the poster is committed to truth telling—or,