March 11 - Last week scientists from the NOAA-funded Gulf of Maine Toxicity Project (GOMTOX) issued an outlook for a significant regional algal bloom of Alexandrium -- the toxic algae that cause red tides. Red tides are a chronic problem in the Gulf of Maine, an area with a large shellfish industry. Filter-feeders such as oysters, mussels, and clams accumulate the toxins produced by red tides, making the shellfish dangerous for human consumption. Major blooms in 2005 caused an estimated $20 million in losses to the Massachusetts shellfish industry alone, and a large bloom in 2008 caused losses on a similar scale.

March 3 - The U.S. Commerce Department this week announced that the Census Bureau will develop a Supplemental Poverty Measure to improve understanding of the economic status of U.S. families. The measure is based on recommendations from the 1995 National Research Council report Measuring Poverty: A New Approach, along with subsequent research.

February 11 - With the declared goal of curbing childhood obesity within a generation, First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off a major initiative on Tuesday to bring down the nation's alarming rates of obesity among children and youth.

February 4 - The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Economic Council this week began collecting public input on science and technology challenges that could help shape our future. The initiative, designed to foster sustainable economic growth and create high-quality jobs, was partly inspired by the National Academy of Engineering’s Grand Challenges for Engineering.

January 12 - Last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed new legislation that would impose stricter air-quality standards for ground-level ozone concentrations. If implemented, counties and states would have up to 20 years to comply with the new regulations, which would work in tandem with other regulations, such as those on vehicle fuel economy, to reduce health risks and curb greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming trends.