eflecting their broad interest in the health of America’s research enterprise, the National Academies launched a study in early 2000 on the implications of information technology for the future of the nation’s research university—a social institution of great importance to our economic strength, national security, and quality of life. The premise of this study was a simple one. Although t…
To aid in identifying fruitful approaches to assessment of both the positive and negative impacts of using information technologies, the National Science Foundation asked the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB) of the National Research Council (NRC) to gather perspectives on the problem from experts in several relevant disciplines—in particular, economics, sociology, psycholo…
An epidemic is both a medical and a social occurrence. Medically, it is the appearance of a serious, often fatal, disease in numbers far greater than normal. Socially, it is an event that disrupts the life of a community and causes uncertainty, fear, blame, and flight. The etymology of the word itself suggests the broader, social meaning: epi demos, in ancient Greek, means ''upon the people or …
The world’s climate is changing, and it will continue to change throughout the 21st century and beyond. Rising temperatures, new precipitation patterns, and other changes are already affecting many aspects of human society and the natural world. Climate change is transforming ecosystems at extraordinary rates and scales. As each species responds to its changing environment, its interactions …