The Union of Concerned Scientists was founded by MIT scientists and students in 1969 in an attempt to pressure the United States government to divert funding away from military technologies and into environmental and social problems. Since then, the organization has participated in dozens of campaigns to raise public awareness and move science policy in a more humane direction. The Center for Science and Democracy (CSD) is just one more step in that direction. Readers may want to begin with the What's At Stake tab, which explains the CSD's mission to bring hard research to bear on public policy. The blog features almost-daily articles on the intersection of public policy and science findings, while readers will find a number of in-depth reports under Publications. Over the years reports have covered topics ranging from the effects of special interests on public policy to the impact of tracking on communities.