Across many dimensions, U.S.-China relations are under strain. Amid ongoing debates about tariffs, rare earth minerals, technology, and Taiwan, one challenge stands out: nuclear risk fueled by increasing nuclear competition and a lack of risk reduction mechanisms. China currently has an estimated six hundred nuclear warheads and that number is expected to reach one thousand by 2030. At the same time, global nuclear risks are rising as the arms control regime weakens, with countries withdrawing from treaties and the last remaining U.S.-Russia treaty set to expire in February 2026. Adding to the tension, in October 2025, President Donald Trump ordered the resumption of nuclear weapons testing prior to a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jingping. Without an arms control agreement or risk reduction measures between the United States and China, experts warn of a potential arms race and the risk that overreaction or crisis escalation could lead to nuclear conflict.

Miranda Restovic and Sarah DeBacher of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities describes their organization’s efforts to bring rich, humanities-focused educational experiences to preschoolers, thereby expanding the traditional understanding of what a humanities organization does—and for whom.

Legal scholar and Daedalus contributor Eric Posner discusses separation of powers, checks and balances, and the state of the U.S. presidency with Stephen Dubner of Freakonomics.

At an Academy event, participants considered the potential impact of Solar Radiation Management with regard to climate change and considered questions of governance. Given the relevance to climate and global affairs, the discussants included environmental and atmospheric scientists, political scientists, and policy experts.

Today the Academy’s Humanities Indicators launches its latest informational resource, the National Inventory of Humanities Organizations (NIHO).

Vanesha Pravin, a lecturer in UC Merced’s Merritt Writing Program, receives prestigious May Sarton Prize for Poetry from the American Academy.

Ruth Lehmann and Gertrud M. Schüpbach have been awarded the 2020 Francis Amory Prize in Reproductive Medicine and Reproductive Physiology by the Academy. The discoveries made by Lehmann, a cell biologist, and Schüpbach, a geneticist, have advanced their own fields and contributed to knowledge and progress in DNA repair, embryonic development, RNA regulation, stem cell research, and other areas.

There are many rights that Americans living in poverty can’t access simply because they can’t afford a lawyer. This includes rights in housing, veterans’ benefits, disability access and many other areas of our civil justice system. This is called the access to justice gap, and it’s one of the most urgent — and under-discussed — civil rights issues of our time.

Academy’s Humanities Indicators Cited in “Dear Colleague” Letter

Prizes Awarded by the American Academy

James Carroll states the case for American support of the International Criminal Court. This editorial was initially published in The Boston Globe.

Academy members and guests attended a matinee performance of Robert Glaudini's The Poison Tree, in its world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum. After the show, they adjourned to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for dinner and the Stated Meeting, presided over by Western Center Cochair Jack W. Peltason.

How long can U.S. science lobbyists keep repeating the same message—that boosting federal funding for basic research and removing barriers to innovation is a proven way to ensure economic prosperity—without tuning out their intended audience?

Essays examine the history of the business press, the economics behind it, and how business journalism is taught today

Academy members are frequently invited on television shows to share their expertise and insights. If you follow the Academy on social media, we share broadcast segments featuring members.

Academy Publications

A Reuters article about the publication "The Case for Supreme Court Term Limits" - issued by the Academy's bipartisan working group - quotes Professor Akhil Amar and Judge Patti Saris, and cites U.S. Circuit Judge Diane Wood and Professor Charles Fried, all of whom are members of the working group and the Academy.

The American Academy has received one of the largest donations since its founding in 1780. David M. Rubenstein, co-CEO of The Carlyle Group, a global alternative asset manager, has donated $5 million to establish the David Rubenstein Enhancement Fund at the American Academy. This gift will provide funding for new Academy projects (both major commissions as well as exploratory initiatives), and it will also enhance the visibility of the Academy and its projects and commissions among policymakers and the general public.

The American Academy of Arts & Sciences is awarding the May Sarton Award for Poetry to dg nanouk okpik in recognition of work that demonstrates both distinguished achievement and exceptional promise.