Environmental and social factors make a bigger difference in heat-related deaths among women, according to scientists.
Science & Innovation
Read our inspiring stories about women in STEM. These female scientists, engineers, researchers, and innovators are shaping the future. The Story Exchange, an award-winning, nonprofit news outlet, covers STEM careers, groundbreaking discoveries, and the women advancing science and technology.
Women Are Working to Keep People Climate-Conscious Amid Trump Cutbacks
As President Donald Trump’s administration revokes research grants and shutters online resources on climate research, women scientists and politicians are pushing back.
The Klamath River Dam Removal: How the Yurok Tribe Won a Historic Environmental Victory
After decades of advocacy, the Yurok Tribe secured the largest dam removal project in U.S. history — restoring salmon to the Klamath River and reshaping a devastated ecosystem.
These 6 Women Just Won the ‘Green Nobel Prize’
This year’s winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize are all women, and they’re tackling climate change through research efforts, activism, policy proposals and more.
Why Climate Action Needs to Focus on Women
With women more likely to be killed or injured by extreme weather, UN Women says it’s critical to apply a gender lens to policy prescriptions.
Earth Month 2026: These Women Are Taking Climate Action
As our planet spins toward a dangerously warm future, these women are demonstrating that knowledge is power – and we can still make a difference.
Woman Astronaut Is Ready to Make History on Moon Mission
“Things are starting to feel real,” says Christina Koch, who is poised to become the first woman to fly around the moon.
New Research Offers Better Clitoral Knowledge — and Better Outcomes for Patients
Taboos around women’s sexuality have long hampered research into the clitoris, which plays a key role in achieving orgasms. But new imaging has brought new clarity.
Activist Goes on Hunger Strike to Fight Corporate Contributions to Climate Change
The award-winning Diane Wilson has refused to eat for weeks now, in protest of a proposal to legalize water pollution by a company with operations in her hometown.
Impacted By The Estrogen Patch Shortage? Here Are Your Options
A lot of people are reporting trouble finding estradiol patches used to address perimenopause and menopause symptoms.
A City in the South Brings Back an Old-Time Practice for New Moms and Babies
For those who have just given birth in a New Orleans, a new program offers free house calls, regardless of insurance status of income levels.
Women Have Made Strides in STEM Fields, But Remain Underrepresented as Leaders
A shockingly low percentage of women scientists are appointed to governing bodies and leading academic institutions, according to a new report.
Saving Nature: 11 Women to Watch in Science
These women are using their hard-earned knowledge to protect our planet already ravaged by brutal storms, epic floods and intense wildfires.
Imagining a World Without Food Waste
Yagmur Yegin’s biodegradable food technology, developed at MIT, could extend shelf life without refrigeration and reduce emissions from decomposing food.
She Rowed Across Crocodile-Infested Waters – and Became a Better Leader
Rebecca Peters of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center translates science into practical action. Fieldwork is key, she says.
Protecting the Earth, One American Rancher at a Time
Rural sociologist Ada Smith helps ranching communities in the West adapt to climate change. The work is more mental than you’d think, she says.
She’s Helping Cities Manage Stormwater Floods
In South Carolina, Sarah Waickowski investigates the use of green streets, rain gardens and permeable pavements to improve water quality and reduce flooding.
Inspired by Alaska Upbringing, This Scientist is Exploring the ‘Edge of Possibility’
Liz Dennett is the founder of Endolith, which uses microbes to extract critical minerals for clean energy. The real frontier isn’t space – it’s “under our feet,” she says.
This Scientist Studies Better Grazing Practices – for Cows, and the Earth
Paige Stanley of Colorado State University studies carbon in the soils and works with ranchers to heal their land.
Making Butter Without Agriculture — No Plants or Animals Needed
At Savor, Kathleen Alexander is using organic chemistry to create fats and cooking oils that won’t damage the planet.
She Turns Textile Waste Into a Climate Solution
In Detroit, Madeline Walker Miller of NexTiles is giving a second life to fabric shreds from fashion, automotive and aircraft companies.
Searching for Snow in the Water-Strapped West
Marianne Cowherd, a snow hydrologist, is unpacking the shifting nature of snowfall – and what it means for water availability.
From Dew on Plant Leaves to Tropical Rivers, She Follows the Water
At Berkeley, Cynthia Gerlein-Safdi leads research on how climate change disrupts water cycles.
After Wildfires, This Scientist Reads the Future of the Land
In Yellowstone and beyond, Katherine Siegel blends high-tech data with on-the-ground conversations to help save iconic landscapes.
Experts: Rural Women’s Healthcare Crisis Won’t Be Solved By Robots
Remote areas of the U.S. that lack OBGYNs and clinics need more than the non-human solutions recently touted by Dr. Oz, medical professionals say.
Women Can Soon Do At-Home Pap Smears — And Most Insurances Will Have to Cover It
Medical experts hope this new screening test will eliminate the risk of cervical cancer.
Death of Midwife Shows Dire Need for Access to Quality Care
Dr. Janell Green Smith’s “heartbreaking” passing is “unacceptable” in the U.S., the American College of Nurse-Midwives said. Smith advocated for Black maternal health.
Heart Disease Is Top Killer of Women, Yet Few Are Cardiothoracic Surgeons
Women don’t just face barriers to becoming cardiothoracic surgeons — once they are in the role, they face sexual harassment, demanding hours and unequal pay.
This Group in South Is Now at Risk for HIV, According to Report
Black women living in the South have become vulnerable due to limited resources, federal funding cuts and few rural hospitals.
Studies Show Pregnancy Problems Impact Health Later in Life
A growing body of research points to lasting medical implications, including risks of heart disease and stroke, long after pregnancy is over.
Expectant Mothers Aren’t Getting Prenatal Care Early Enough for Fourth Year Straight — Report
The March of Dimes gave maternal and infant health in the U.S. a D+ rating after finding many women didn’t start prenatal care until after the first trimester.
Period Blood Is the New ‘Frontier’ In Science — and Women’s Health
Recent startups like NextGen Jane are analyzing period blood from voluntary samples to detect for diseases and hormonal changes.
Gates Foundation Fills U.S. Global Funding Gap with $2.5 Billion for Women’s Health
As the U.S. government cuts off support, the country’s largest foundation steps up to help vulnerable women in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Women With Breast Cancer Unable to Access Less Grueling Radiation Treatment
The therapy, known as IORT, has been widely available overseas for more than two decades. But doctors say it’s hard to come by in the U.S. because it’s cheaper than regular radiation.
RIP Jane Goodall, Role Model for Women in Science and More
The famed naturalist died this week, leaving behind a legacy of lessons, values and influence that will continue to shape the planet.
Trump’s Policies Have Now Shut Down Several Rural Women’s Health Clinics
According to those working in the medical industry, the recently enacted “Big, Beautiful Bill” has directly caused the closures.
Herd Immunity is Now Dangerously Low. Children (and Women) Will Suffer Most
As a federal vaccine panel prepares to vote on several once-regular shots, a new study finds that waning vaccination rates may cause the return of previously eradicated diseases.
The Environmental Justice Movement Isn’t Going Anywhere — Even As It Faces Attacks by Trump
The 19th spoke to Jalonne White-Newsome, who headed environmental justice initiatives under Biden, about the executive orders aimed at dismantling its progress.
DEADLINE PASSED: Nominate a Trailblazer for Our ‘Cutting-Edge Women in Science’ List
If you’re a member of the scientific community, tell us who deserves the spotlight. Deadline: Sept. 15.
A Promising Path to Breast Cancer Treatment Just Hit a Political Roadblock
The government’s cancellation of almost $500 million in contracts involving mRNA vaccines could halt progress on cancer research.
New Woman-Led Study Details Trump’s Attacks on Science — and the Harm They Cause
Hurricane season is here. Trump’s defunding of scientific research – as well as his team’s refuting of scientific fact – could make it the most dangerous one yet, experts say.
A New, Woman-Made Speculum Is In The Works
The innovative design could someday replace the current one used in most OB-GYN exams, which looks more like a medieval torture device than a tool. It’s about time.
Meet the Nonprofit Leader Who’s Teaching Kids About Hydroponic Farming
At NY Sun Works, Bolivia-born Manuela Zamora has pioneered a hands-on approach to train the next generation of climate scientists and farmers.
The Resilient Provider Who’s Survived Arson, Death Threats and Supreme Court Rulings
Before Julie Burkhart could even open Wyoming’s only full-service abortion clinic, an extremist tried to burn it down. That hasn’t stopped her. Neither has the Dobbs ruling.
Study: Coffee Might Just Help Women Age Healthily
Researchers have linked drinking coffee to a reduction in chronic diseases in older women. Talk about a boost.
New Study Finds Link Between Global Warming and Rising Cancer Rates Among Women
Scientists pointed to ultraviolet radiation and air pollutants as reasons why rising temperatures would have such an effect on women.
More Babies Are Dying in Post-Roe America, Study Shows
The “pro-life” movement’s fight to overturn Roe v. Wade – which ultimately took away nationwide abortion access – has resulted in a spike in infant mortality.
A Conversation About Abortion Care — and It’s Not All Bad News
Angel Foster of the Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project on how medication abortion is here to stay, even as anti-abortion forces double down.
More Women Than Men Say Climate Is a Top Voting Issue, Study Finds
A new report from the Environmental Voter Project reveals that the threats imposed by climate change loom larger in the minds of women.
Trump Cuts to CDC’s Reproductive Health Efforts Will Be Deadly, Experts Say
A tidal wave of terminations at the CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health is likely to have catastrophic effects on an already-worrisome maternal mortality rate.