A pioneer as elusive as his particle
A pioneer as elusive as his particle
When the Nobel Prize in Physics was to be announced, Peter Higgs decided it would be a good day to get out of town. Unfortunately, his car wasn't working.
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The forgotten half of scientific thinking
Although thinking is the core business of scientists, we rarely ponder how it thrives best; this is ironic, as there is abundant scientific insight to draw upon.
How can we trust scientific publishers with our work if they won't play fair?
I have never liked how scientific journals charge us to read the research that we produce. But that is another debate for another day. What I really hate is how they abuse this power to stifle debate in the name of their business interests.
Scientific Foresight blog
The Scientific Foresight (STOA) Unit analyses the implications and options for future policy-making in science and technology related fields for the European Parliament.
The validation of peer review through research impact measures
The validation of peer review through research impact measures
The number of funded applications per year was found to correlate well with total annual citation impact, suggesting that improving funding success rates by reducing the size of awards may be an efficient funding strategy to optimize the scientific impact of research program portfolios.
Social capital in academia
Social capital in academia
This paper provides useful insights for the design of networks that promote research productivity. Overall, dense networks negatively affect the creation of new knowledge. In addition, the analysis shows that a division of labor in academia, in the sense of interdisciplinary research, increases the productivity of researchers. It is also found that the position in a network is critical. Researchers who are central tend to create more knowledge.
The Effects of International Mobility on European Researchers
Comparing Intra-EU and U.S. Mobility
Is there a creativity deficit in science?
If so, the current funding system shares much of the blame.
Divided opinions in job satisfaction
Researchers around the world love their work, but tight funding is eroding their spirits.
Want an education in life? Then drop out of university
Academia doesn’t make the grade as a training ground for today’s world
Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted
Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted
Are there any lessons to be learnt from the field of healthcare quality which could improve our approach to assessing research quality?
Faut-il supprimer le conseiller scientifique de la Commission Européenne ?
Faut-il un conseiller scientifique en chef pour la Commission Européenne ?
Welcome to my genome
Welcome to my genome
George Church is a genetics pioneer whose research spans treating diseases, altering bodies and a desire to breed woolly mammoths
Entretien avec Gisou van der Goot, nouvelle doyenne de la faculté de Sciences de la vie
Entretien avec Gisou van der Goot, nouvelle doyenne de la faculté de Sciences de la vie
Gisou van der Goot, professeure à l’EPFL, a récemment été confirmée dans son poste de doyenne de la faculté de Sciences de la vie de l'EPFL.
Policy design and implementation monitoring
We know that those Open Access policies that work are the ones that have teeth. Both institutional and funder policies work better when tied to reporting requirements.
Unzufrieden, weil Zukunftsperspektiven fehlen
Stehen Juniorprofessoren in Deutschland kurz vor dem Sprung in ihre weitere wissenschaftliche Karriere, wächst die Angst, keine Perspektive zu haben. Fast die Hälfte äußert sich "unzufrieden" mit ihrer Situation, klagt über fehlende Tenure-Track-Optionen.
There is life after academia
With high numbers of postdocs emerging from universities, prospective PhD students must be prepared for the fact that they will probably not end up with a career in research.
How the digital revolution can fix scientific publishing
The culture of scientific publishing is complex. Some problems need technical solutions, but others require a cultural change within academia.
Judge research impact on a local scale
Metrics that give a global overview risk sidelining science in developing nations.
Where is the brain in the Human Brain Project?
Where is the brain in the Human Brain Project?
Europe's €1-billion science and technology project needs to clarify its goals and establish transparent governance.
Life outside the lab: The ones who got away
Sometimes, the brightest stars in science decide to leave. Nature finds out where they go.
Why null results rarely see the light of day
Why null results rarely see the light of day
Researchers have put numbers on the “file drawer” phenomenon, in which scientists abandon results that they believe journals are unlikely to publish.
Is Biblioleaks inevitable?
We explore the feasibility and consequences of a Biblioleaks event for researchers, journals, publishers, and the broader communities of doctors and the patients they serve.
Warning over EU research budget
Negotiations on the European budget could result in cuts to Horizon 2020, the European University Association has warned.
Put focus back on basic research, say science unions
Put focus back on basic research, say science unions
Survey of 12 countries shows discontent with governments that prioritize short-term rewards.
Scientists criticise new "open access" journal
One hundred and fifteen scientists have signed an open letter to the AAAS expressing concerns over the launch of a new scientific journal, Science Advances.
Die Schweiz bleibt das kompetitivste Land
Die Schweiz bleibt das kompetitivste Land
Zum sechsten Mal in Folge belegt die Schweiz den ersten Rang auf der Rangliste der kompetitivsten Länder des WEF. Der Mangel an Fachkräften könnte die Kompetitivität in den nächsten Jahren allerdings beeinträchtigen.
EPSRC sets new strategy
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council aims to accelerate both scientific breakthroughs and social and economic impact.
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