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EnglishWhat Is the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Website?
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nationalacademies.org is the official website of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine — a body that provides independent, objective advice to advance science, engineering, and medicine. The site is most useful if you want to follow how that advice is produced and applied: news releases, statements, feature stories, and announcements tied to reports and studies. It is not a general science news outlet or a database you can search for raw data; it is the public face of an advisory institution.
What the organization actually does
The site states its purpose plainly: "Driving progress for the benefit of society by providing independent, objective advice to advance science, engineering, and medicine." Its stated role is to help shape sound policies, inform public opinion, and advance the pursuit of science, engineering, and medicine.
The homepage frames the three disciplines as connected:
- Science helps us understand and anticipate the future.
- Engineering helps us invent and shape our future.
- Medicine helps us treat and find cures for our illnesses.
- Together, they can help build a thriving and healthy society.
What you'll find on the site
The homepage is organized around current activity rather than a static description of the institution. Content types visible on the page include:
| Content type | Example from the page |
|---|---|
| Feature story | How the National Academies are informing discussions of AI progress and safety |
| Statement | U.S. National Academies presidents commenting on an attack on the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine |
| Announcement | NASA beginning design work on the PRIMA far-infrared telescope, recommended by a 2020 National Academies decadal survey |
| News release | A new edition of a widely used guide to responsible research |
| Announcement | Neil Shubin presenting an updated On Being a Scientist |
The page also links to a broader news index ("See all news"), so the homepage functions as a current snapshot rather than the full archive.
Who it's for
The site addresses several audiences at once:
- Policymakers and the public — the stated mission is to help them "understand and find solutions to complex problems."
- Researchers — through reports, decadal surveys, and guidance documents such as On Being a Scientist and the responsible research guide.
- The broader scientific community — through statements of support, such as the one regarding the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
Scale is part of the picture: the page reports that in 2025, over 20,000 volunteers, Academy members, and staff fulfilled the mission, and that over 7,300 local, state, and federal transportation leaders met with business leaders and researchers in the same year.
How to use it
If you want to understand a specific scientific or policy question, the practical path is to look for the relevant report or decadal survey referenced in the news items — for example, the astronomy and astrophysics decadal survey that led to NASA's PRIMA telescope recommendation. The homepage itself is best treated as an entry point: read the feature stories and statements to see what the Academies are currently weighing in on, then follow the linked reports for the underlying detail.
One limitation to keep in mind: the page evidence describes the institution's mission and current output, but does not indicate pricing, login requirements, or a full catalog structure. Treat the site as an advisory and news surface, not as a complete index of every study.