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Undark Magazine @undark.org · 1d

In contrast to some European and Asian countries, sunscreens in the U.S. are regulated by the FDA as over-the-counter drugs instead of cosmetics, meaning they must fulfill a long list of requirements to obtain approval.

A New Bill’s Bid to Bring Better Sunscreens

The SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act seeks to revamp the FDA’s review process. Could it usher in more effective sunscreens?

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · 6d

Join us at 3 PM ET on Reddit for an AMA with Undark reporter Teresa Carr about her investigation into cannabis testing failures.

From the IAmA community on Reddit: I’m Teresa Carr, an investigative journalist at Undark Magazine who reported on how weak cannabis testing lets contaminated products and inflated THC numbers reach consumers. Ask Me Anything.

Explore this post and more from the IAmA community

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · 6d

The share of global electricity from nuclear has dropped from 17% in 2001 to 9% in 2024. In the U.S., only two new reactors have come online in nearly 30 years.

Is a 'Nuclear Renaissance' Possible in the United States?

President Trump’s push to revive nuclear energy relies on deregulation, but experts say that strategy is misplaced.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · 9d

The sunscreen market in the U.S. has remained largely stagnant for the past 25 years, as many skincare and cosmetic companies have failed to get new active ingredients approved. Legislation recently introduced seeks to change that.

A New Bill’s Bid to Bring Better Sunscreens

The SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act seeks to revamp the FDA’s review process. Could it usher in more effective sunscreens?

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · 14d

The SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act seeks to revamp the FDA’s review process. Could it usher in more effective sunscreens?

A New Bill’s Bid to Bring Better Sunscreens

The SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act seeks to revamp the FDA’s review process. Could it usher in more effective sunscreens?

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · 15d

“Too expensive to build, and it takes too long to build,” says Allison Macfarlane, former NRC chair, on the barriers to nuclear expansion.

Is a 'Nuclear Renaissance' Possible in the United States?

President Trump’s push to revive nuclear energy relies on deregulation, but experts say that strategy is misplaced.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · 21d

🎧 This week on Entanglements, our hosts talk to two book authors about how artificial intelligence is deployed.

Podcast: Should Companies Decide Our Tech Future?

This week on Entanglements, our hosts talk to two book authors about how artificial intelligence is deployed.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · 21d

Specific data about H5N1 outbreaks on farms has generally been deemed confidential by state and federal officials.

In Tracking Avian Flu, Data Privacy Stymies Researchers

Specific data about H5N1 outbreaks on farms has generally been deemed confidential by state and federal officials.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · 21d

The Trump administration wants nuclear power to produce 400 gigawatts by 2050. Companies like Westinghouse and TerraPower are investing in new reactor designs, but costs and timelines remain major hurdles.

Is a 'Nuclear Renaissance' Possible in the United States?

President Trump’s push to revive nuclear energy relies on deregulation, but experts say that strategy is misplaced.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · 25d

Optimists see progress: companies like Kairos Power are already building demonstration plants, and DOE projects three SMRs running by next year. Others remain skeptical about costs and timelines.

Is a 'Nuclear Renaissance' Possible in the United States?

President Trump’s push to revive nuclear energy relies on deregulation, but experts say that strategy is misplaced.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · 27d

Machine learning rewards uniformity over diversity. Languages that deviate from dominant norms get filtered out—not because they lack value, but because they complicate the algorithms and slow down processing.

When AI Doesn’t Understand You: A New Form of Global Inequality

Opinion | Many of the world’s languages aren’t adequately represented in the data used to train chatbots and other AI-based tools.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · 28d

Experts warn that weakening the NRC could compromise safety. “The thrust of those orders is to essentially strip the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of its independence,” said Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists. https://undark.org/2025/09/08/trump-nuclear-renaissance/

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · Sep 8

In May, President Trump signed four executive orders aimed at reviving nuclear energy in the U.S. by cutting red tape and reshaping the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Experts question whether deregulation can spark a "nuclear renaissance."

Is a 'Nuclear Renaissance' Possible in the United States?

President Trump’s push to revive nuclear energy relies on deregulation, but experts say that strategy is misplaced.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · Sep 5

The American Academy of Pediatrics issues guidelines that shape child health nationwide. But critics say its conflict-of-interest policies fall short of global standards.

A Question of Conflicts at America's Top Pediatrician Association

How far should the AAP go to disclose potential conflicts of interest in guidelines and other official recommendations?

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · Sep 3

RFK Jr’s Vaccine Policies Could Undermine Coverage — and Trust

RFK Jr's Vaccine Policies Could Undermine Coverage — and Trust

A series of recent changes could have significant implications for how Americans receive and pay for their shots.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · Sep 3

Only 8 percent of patients remain on GLP-1s after three years, according to a new review. A holistic approach may help.

How to Help People Stay on Their Weight-Loss Drugs

Only 8 percent of patients remain on GLP-1s after three years, according to a new review. A more holistic approach may help.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · Sep 2

Global AI activity concentrates in the US, China, and Western Europe. Countries in the Global South lack infrastructure to build their own models, creating dependency on foreign technologies that shape their public services.

When AI Doesn’t Understand You: A New Form of Global Inequality

Opinion | Many of the world’s languages aren’t adequately represented in the data used to train chatbots and other AI-based tools.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · Aug 29

The consequences are real. Official forms in Tamil Nadu reject valid surnames due to rigid formatting. Registrars in Peru refuse Indigenous names. Voice systems force users to mask their accents or switch languages entirely.

🔗: https://undark.org/2025/08/07/opinion-ai-language-inequality/

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · Aug 28

Should We Make Viruses More Dangerous – For Science?

Season 2 of Entanglements is live and for the first episode, our hosts talk to a microbiologist and a virologist about gain-of-function research.

Podcast: Should We Make Viruses More Dangerous – For Science?

Kicking off Entanglements Season 2, our hosts talk to a microbiologist and a virologist about gain-of-function research.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · Aug 28

Interview: In her new book, journalist Shoshana Walter takes aim at the nation’s drug treatment system and finds it sorely lacking.

Interview: Lifting the Veil on America's Addiction Rehab Industry

In her new book, journalist Shoshana Walter takes aim at the nation's drug treatment system and finds it sorely lacking.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · Aug 27

Experts in flood mitigation see a national system decades behind. A disbanded FEMA advisory group was supposed to help.

U.S. Flood Risk Maps Are Badly Outdated, But Trump Slows Reforms

Experts in flood mitigation see a national system decades behind. A recently disbanded FEMA advisory group was supposed to help.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · Aug 27

Opinion: Asking the Wrong Questions About Antidepressants

Asking the Wrong Questions About Antidepressants

Opinion | Simplistic debates about the drugs obscure the complex dynamics of how psychic pain is understood and treated.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · Aug 27

Subscribe to Entanglements:

➡️Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/entanglements-by-undark/id1090953091

➡️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4BAUrbi38FcPbbrl8DK8T0

Undark Magazine @undark.org · Aug 27

🎧 This week on Entanglements, our hosts talk to a parent and an autistic journalist about how to focus research.

Podcast: Should We Try to Prevent Autism?

This week on Entanglements, our hosts talk to a parent and an autistic journalist about how to focus research.

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Undark Magazine @undark.org · Aug 26

One adult oyster filters 50 gallons of water daily, removing nitrogen that would otherwise fuel toxic algal blooms. Thanks to a serendipitous lab accident, we now know how to help these natural water filters reproduce more effectively.

Excerpt: How Prozac Might Give Clams a Boost

The accidental release of fluoxetine in a aquarium filled with clams gave bivalve husbandry an unexpected new tool.

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