Futurity -- News from Leading Research Universities

The website Futurity.org was formally launched on September 15. Essentially an Open Access online research magazine, Futurity will aggregate and highlight news about the latest discoveries in such areas as science, engineering, the environment, health, and so on. Futurity, hosted at the University of Rochester, is produced and funded by a consortium of 35 leading US and Canadian research universities, all members of the Association of American Universities. Futurity provides an interesting rationale for its creation:

The way people share information is changing quickly and daily. Blogs and social media sites like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook are just a taste of what’s to come. It will be easier than ever to share content instantly with people around the globe, allowing universities to reach new audiences and engage a new generation in discovery.

Equally significant has been the recent decline in science and research coverage by traditional news outlets. For decades, universities have partnered with journalists to communicate their work to the public, but that relationship is evolving. At the same time, research universities are among the most credible and trusted institutions in society, and now have the ability to deliver their news and information directly to readers without barriers or gatekeepers.

In an increasingly complex world, the public needs access to clear, reliable research news. Futurity does the work of gathering that news. Think of it as a snapshot of where the world is today and where it’s headed tomorrow. Discover the future.