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Introducing the FAIR Principles for Research Software
Research software is a fundamental and vital part of research, yet significant challenges to discoverability, productivity, quality, reproducibility, and sustainability exist.
European Research Council Reflects on Its Formula for Backing Nobel Prize Winners
Fundamental science is a gamble. Scientists set out on projects in pursuit of knowledge, hoping to answer questions that no one has answered before. But in 2007 the EU decided it would give billions to the pursuit. Fifteen years on, the European Research Council (ERC) can justly claim to be doing well. Last week, three scientists who have received ERC funding won Nobel prizes.
Commission Lines Up for Large-Scale Review of Research Programmes
The European Commission is about to embark on assessments of the EU's research programmes, guided by a joint consultation with stakeholders opening in November. Three tasks on the agenda are a new strategic plan for the current €95.5 billion Horizon Europe research framework; evaluation of the first half of Horizon Europe; and the final assessment of the previous research programme, Horizon 2020.
"Formal and Informal Networkedness Among German Academics": Exploring the Role of Conferences and Co-publications in Scientific Performance - Scientometrics
"Formal and Informal Networkedness Among German Academics": Exploring the Role of Conferences and Co-publications in Scientific Performance - Scientometrics
This paper develops a new indicator based on an academic's inferred co-presence at conferences. It finds that hierarchy and influence play a stronger role in determining a scientist's performance in the context of informal networks than they do when considering formal co-publication networks.
They Probed Quantum Entanglement While Everyone Shrugged
This year's winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics were driven by curiosity, skill, and tenacity.
Why I Think Ending Article-Processing Charges Will Save Open Access
Why I Think Ending Article-Processing Charges Will Save Open Access
The way that the global north pays for publishing hampers public, scholar-led efforts in Latin America.
Horizon Papers: the Full Package
It's all here. The draft work programmes for the next two years of the EU's Horizon Europe research programme, which the European Commission has been keeping under wraps - for the most part - have been leaked.
How I Learned to Redefine Academic Success As a Senior Postdoc
After many professional twists and turns, a researcher reconsiders what it means to 'make it' in academia.
How the First Stars Split the Universe Apart
Astronomers are delving into the dark period between the light from the Big Bang fading and the birth of the first stars.
The Outer Space Treaty is 55 and out of Date
Back in the 60s, the Outer Space Treaty provided us with an assurance of peace and security in the Cold War space race. So much has changed since then - so why hasn't the treaty, asks DW's Zulfikar Abbany.
Ancient Mars Could Have Been Teeming with Microbial Life, Researchers Find
If the hydrogen-gobbling, methane-producing microorganisms existed, they would have caused their own demise
Indigenous Knowledge and Research Infrastructure
On Indigenous Peoples' Day we revisit an interview with Dr. Katharina Ruckstuhl, on how we can ensure that our research infrastructure supports and respects Indigenous knowledge and knowledge management.
Contrary to Media Narratives, Higher Education Has Little Impact on Students' Political Views
Contrary to Media Narratives, Higher Education Has Little Impact on Students' Political Views
It is often taken as a given that higher education shapes the politics of students. However, drawing on evidence from the British Election Study, Tom Fryer finds students' political attitudes do not change radically during their studies.
Open Science Conference 2022
Science Europe is organising a conference on Open Science. Institutional leaders, researchers at all stages of their careers, and experts from the field are invited to this event to discuss whether Open Science is ready to become the norm in research, and how to ensure an equitable transition.
If You're Not Failing, You're Not Learning
The learning scientist Manu Kapur, architect of the theory of productive failure, on reframing our notion of failure, and letting kids stumble (but with purpose).
The Big Picture: How Data Science and Earth Observation Intersect to Study Climate Risks
School Environments and Obesity
The rapid rise in obesity rates among school children in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) could have a direct impact on the region's physical and mental health, disability, and mortality. This review presents the available interventions likely to reduce, mitigate and/or prevent obesity among school children in LAC by modifying the food and built environments within and around schools. Two independent reviewers searched five databases: MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature for peer-reviewed literature published from 1 January 2000 to September 2021; searching and screening prospective studies published in English, Spanish and Portuguese. This was followed by data extraction and quality assessment using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2) and the Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I), adopting also the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Due to the heterogeneity of the intervention's characteristics and obesity-related measurements across studies, a narrative synthesis was conducted. A total of 1342 research papers were screened, and 9 studies were included; 4 in Mexico, and 1 each in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador. Four studies reported strategies for modifying food provision; four other targeted the built environment, (modifying school premises and providing materials for physical activity); a final study included both food and built environment intervention components. Overall, two studies reported that the intervention was significantly associated with a lower increase over time in BMI/obesity in the intervention against the control group. The remaining studies were non-significant. Data suggest that school environmental interventions, complementing nutritional and physical education can contribute to reduce incremental childhood obesity trends. However, evidence of the extent to which food and built environment components factor into obesogenic environments, within and around school grounds is inconclusive. Insufficient data hindered any urban/rural comparisons. Further school environmental intervention studies to inform policies for preventing/reducing childhood obesity in LAC are needed.
UK Research at 'significant Risk' from Brexit Brain Drain
Some of the brightest scientific minds are leaving the UK, as they lose access to European funding in the wake of Brexit, SkyNews has found.
Open Editors: A Dataset of Scholarly Journals' Editorial Board Positions
Editormetrics analyses the role of editors of academic journals and their impact on the scientific publication system - but open, structured and machine-readable data remains rare.
UK Needs Bigger Role for Science in Government, Says Chief Scientist
UK Needs Bigger Role for Science in Government, Says Chief Scientist
The UK's Chief Scientific Advisor says every government department needs to take science into consideration and invest more in R&D.
New 'Ethics Guidance' for Top Science Journals Aims to Root out Harmful Research - But Can It Succeed?
New 'Ethics Guidance' for Top Science Journals Aims to Root out Harmful Research - But Can It Succeed?
Nature's recent efforts to redefine the ethical responsibilities of scientists leave a lot to be desired.
Network of Clubs is Building a New Pipeline of Science Policy Professionals
Network of Clubs is Building a New Pipeline of Science Policy Professionals
A grassroots network led by early-career scientists offers new pathways to policy careers.
How Social Sciences and Humanities Programs Can Prepare Students for Employment
How Social Sciences and Humanities Programs Can Prepare Students for Employment
Internships and work-integrated learning for social sciences and humanities students can be part of how post-secondary institutions increase their capacities to contribute to social innovation.
Why Are There Fewer Young Women in Entrepreneurship Than Young Men?
A new French research collective set out to answer the question.