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Martin Rees

Martin Rees

5 commentaries

Martin Rees, a cosmologist and astrophysicist, has been Britain’s Astronomer Royal since 1995. He is a former Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, and former President of the Royal Society.

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  1. The Biomedicine Threat
    rees4_Andrew Brookes_Getty Images_laboratory Andrew Brookes/Getty Images

    The Biomedicine Threat

    Sep 6, 2019 Martin Rees fears that rapid scientific advances in the field will come with escalating ethical and safety concerns.

  2. Are Moonshots Still Possible?
    op_rees_moon_landing_ Apic_Getty_Images Apic/Getty Images

    Are Moonshots Still Possible?

    Jul 19, 2019 Martin Rees reflects on the legacy of the Apollo program and the future of human space exploration.

  3. Is Immortality Worth It?
    rees3_GettyImages_infinitysymbolclocks Getty Images

    Is Immortality Worth It?

    Jul 11, 2019 Martin Rees warns that increasingly extreme approaches to extending human life are likely to have unwanted consequences.

  4. Risking It All

    Risking It All

    Mar 7, 2013 Martin Rees on how and why nuclear deterrence worked.

  5. Can Science Save the World?

    Can Science Save the World?

    Nov 5, 2008 Martin Rees

  1. karman1_getty images_cooperation Getty Images

    Human Progress in the Trump Era

    Tawakkol Karman, et al. propose ways to foster a culture of cooperation at a time of rising conflict and democratic erosion.
  2. frankel166_JemalCountessGettyImages_national_debt Jemal Countess/Getty Images

    Elon Musk’s $2 Trillion Fiscal Fantasy

    Jeffrey Frankel

    It is often said that a businessman like Donald Trump or Elon Musk will know how to put America’s fiscal house in order. But between Trump’s planned tax cuts and Musk’s absurd estimate of how much federal spending can be reduced, the smart money says they have no idea what they are doing.

    dives into the incoming US administration’s absurd claim that fresh tax cuts will not increase the deficit.
  3. buchholz21_getty images_us china Getty Images

    The Deal Trump Should Offer China

    Todd G. Buchholz

    To address what he sees as an unfair Sino-American economic relationship, Donald Trump should focus not on trade but on China's currency manipulation and massive holdings of US debt. After all, why saddle US consumers with higher costs when you can demand reparations directly from a foreign competitor?

    proposes that the incoming US administration push for a debt write-off and market access instead of tariffs.
  4. muzikarova7_NurPhotoGettyImages_cyberconference_poland NurPhoto/Getty Images

    Central and Eastern Europe’s Bid for AI Dominance

    Soňa Muzikárová outlines steps policymakers can take to harness the technology’s potential to boost growth and prosperity.
  5. aosaid1_getty images_tech justice

    Can Technology End Corruption?

    Azalina Othman Said thinks that powerful new digital tools can help, but only if governments commit to upholding the rule of law.
  6. scherger1ARMEND NIMANIAFP via Getty Images_farming ARMEND NIMANI/AFP via Getty Images
    Free to read

    Carbon Farming Won't Save the Planet

    Sophie Scherger warns that soil-storage offsets may serve as a smokescreen for polluting industries.
  7. bildt129_MaximShipenkovGettyImages_valdai_putin_fail Maxim Shipenkov/Getty Images

    Putin’s March of Folly

    Carl Bildt argues that Russia’s president has only his own poor decisions to blame for his country’s loss of status.
  8. hausmann117_TONY KARUMBAAFP via Getty Images_africawindfarm Tony Karumba/AFP via Getty Images

    A Better Approach to Climate Finance

    Ricardo Hausmann shows how developing countries can accelerate global decarbonization while creating new growth opportunities.
  9. ghosh83_CHRISTIAN MONTERROSAAFP via Getty Images_trump cop CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA/AFP via Getty Images

    Trump’s Bad COP

    Jayati Ghosh says the Paris climate agreement’s future depends on how other countries respond to the new US administration.

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