The Verge reports:

More than 1,900 scientists and engineers have signed a letter saying they “see real danger in this moment” as the Trump administration slashes federal support for scientific research.

“Wise investments by the US government have built up the nation’s research enterprise, making it the envy of the world,” says the open letter published on Monday. “Astoundingly, the Trump administration is destabilizing this enterprise by gutting funding for research, firing thousands of scientists, removing public access to scientific data, and pressuring researchers to alter or abandon their work on ideological grounds.”

The letter was penned by members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which was created by Congress under President Abraham Lincoln to advise policymakers. Each person signed to express their individual support rather than as representatives of the universities and research institutions with which they are affiliated.

They accuse the Trump administration of censorship through executive orders and funding threats meant to stop any initiatives the president and his close allies dislike, including efforts to address climate change and develop vaccines. [Continue reading…]