Stories

A new Harvard Medical School study shows that lithium shields the brain from neurodegeneration and maintains the normal function of all major brain cell types—providing a new theory of the disease and a new strategy for early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

Recent federal funding cuts are hitting climate research hard. The losses will hamper progress, Harvard environmental scientists say, but they won’t stop it.

A new collaboration between Harvard and Berkeley, the Green Industrial Strategy Project is exploring how governments and companies can develop strategies that enhance economic competitiveness and facilitate global decarbonization in a world of intensifying geo-economic competition.

A Harvard atmospheric modeling team has created an online platform that could help communities identify areas in need of controlled burns or other fire management strategies, with the goal of preventing future uncontrolled fires and, more specifically, reducing smoke exposures.

Using NASA laser technology from the International Space Station, a new Harvard study reveals the impact of climate change on global tropical forests with greater depth and breadth than ever before.

Climate change is altering the Earth’s smells and how we perceive them. Experts gathered at Harvard Radcliffe Institute to explore—and try to remedy—this sensory deficit.

Harvard research leads to a new law giving states profits from clean energy, which will be particularly beneficial for rural communities in the American West. 

Climate Up Close—a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that includes climate scientists from Harvard—discusses climate change at community centers across the U.S., where they with presentations designed to foster open dialogue and trust between scientists and American communities. 

Applying the skills she developed at Harvard, Kirsten Van Fossen SB ’12 is exploring how to employ electrochemistry to convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into usable, sustainable fuel.

Inspired by his upbringing, public policy expert Dustin Tingley studies how the transition to renewable energy impacts communities by merging data with insights from people’s lived experiences.

Spectral biology pioneer Jeannine Cavender-Bares PhD ’00 uses light to analyze plants—including the 5.5 million specimens in Harvard’s collection—to understand biodiversity and the changing climate.

For his senior capstone project, mechanical engineer Brice Austin SB ’25 developed a prototype of a liquid window, which uses layers of fluid to more efficiently heat and cool buildings. 

James Reinhart MBA/MPA ’09, co-founder of ThredUp—a leading online platform for secondhand clothing that diverts textiles from the landfill—discusses finding success in the circular economy.

Published in 1993, Harvard Chan School’s landmark Six Cities Study—which led to policies curbing air pollution, saving hundreds of thousands of lives—continues to inspire researchers today.

August is Make-a-Will Month—a timely reminder to take the first step in writing your will or to review your estate plans to ensure they reflect your wishes. Here are three key reasons to create a will, one of the most important actions you can take for yourself and your loved ones, regardless of your age or financial situation.

Rabbi Getzel Davis, who spent 12 years as a Harvard chaplain, will serve as the University's inaugural director of interfaith engagement.

Meet five students who are working with faculty on summer research projects ranging from heat mortality and epigenetics to Legionnaires’ disease and anorexia.

Supported by philanthropy, Harvard Kennedy School’s new American Service Fellowship will fully fund a one-year master’s degree for at least 50 public servants and military veterans. 

Threats to federal research funding for universities endanger scientific breakthroughs and disease prevention, treatment, and cures.

Explore examples of life-changing innovations by Harvard Medical School researchers who are revolutionizing patient care with groundbreaking discoveries in medicine and clinical practice.