Amanda Smith is a freelance journalist and writer. She reports on culture, society, human interest and technology. Her stories hold a mirror to society, reflecting both its malaise and its beauty.

Billing and insurance–related costs are a significant source of wasteful health care spending in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development nations, but these administrative burdens vary ...

Rice, one of the most important food crops for humans, is the first crop plant to have its genome sequenced. This article describes the availability and application of functional genomic tools for ...

Sarah D. Sparks is a reporter and data journalist for Education Week who covers the teaching profession and pedagogy for Education Week. She has covered education research and the science of learning ...

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Marguerita is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor ...