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The Rise of the Trump Academic
We can all recognise the ambitious researcher at the conference who is anxious to advertise their own work. It resonates with my current work on academic self-promotion via university profile pages. And I start to wonder, is a new academic habitus beginning to emerge?
Mass production of review articles is cause for concern
A torrent of low-quality meta-analyses and systematic reviews in biomedicine might be hiding valuable research and misleading scientists.
Money isn't enough
If Zuckerberg and Chan want to get some bang for their buck, they’ll need to break down the structures that hold brilliant young scientists back
How to review a paper
How to review a paper
For Peer Review Week, researchers from across the spectrum offer advice and insights about how to review research manuscripts
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What's the point of maths research?
We don't know what knowledge we'll need in the future, and that's where maths research comes in.
Which are the best universities in the world?
Last week saw the publication of the latest world university rankings. But until the purveyors of these league tables address the uncertainties in their data, no-one knows where they really stand. Opinion piece by Stephen Curry.
Nobel-Prize Winner Harold Varmus Talks Politics and Science
The cancer researcher reflects on the 2016 election, his experience as a political adviser, and the difficulties of communicating how science works.
Industry is open for business
Postdoc positions in industry can teach people skills that they would not learn in academia.
Impact of referendum on immigration still uncertain
Two and a half years ago now, a narrow majority of the Swiss electorate approved the so-called popular 'Stop Mass Immigration' initiative or MEI proposed by the Swiss People’s Party or SVP...
Advice for early-career peer reviewers
The peer-review system, despite its flaws, is a central component of the publication process. However, relatively little guidance is provided for early-career scientists on 2 important aspects of peer review:
The Solution to Science's Replication Crisis
The solution to science's replication crisis is a new ecosystem in which scientists sell what they learn from their research.
A Primer on How (Not) to Normalize
Citation metrics are very influential and their normalization is a contentious issue. Each normalization approach has advantages and disadvantages that need to be understood for proper use of these metrics.
Making drug development less secretive could lead to quicker, cheaper therapies
Making drug development less secretive could lead to quicker, cheaper therapies
With the right investment, an open source drug discovery system might compete with the traditional pharmaceutical industry to deliver the drugs we need.
‘Motherless babies!’ How to create a tabloid science headline in five easy steps
‘Motherless babies!’ How to create a tabloid science headline in five easy steps
A modest developmental biology paper prompts breathless claims of egg-free embryos
Stop ignoring misconduct
Efforts to reduce irreproducibility in research must also tackle the temptation to cheat.
Why We Should Stop Grading Students on a Curve
Ask people what’s wrong in American higher education, and you’ll hear about grade inflation.
There’s a lot of junk fMRI research out there
It's easy to misrepresent the findings from brain scan studies. Just ask a dead salmon.
Give The Public What It Pays For
When you pay for something, you expect to receive it. Whether a physical good or a service, there is the rightful expectation that you will receive something in exchange for your money. The same should be true for scientific research.
Taking the lead in the lab
Eight scientists share the secrets of being a successful principal investigator
Female Scientists Turn to Data to Fight Lack of Representation on Panels
One day in August 2015, the Princeton University neuroscientist Yael Niv saw an email notice of a conference on deep brain stimulation, a hot topic in treatment for depression and other mental disorders. Dr. Niv noticed that none of the 21 scientists scheduled to speak were women.This was not the first time Dr. Niv had lamented a skewed lineup.
Why we have set publisher requirements
Robert Kiley, our Head of Digital Services, explains why Wellcome has introduced a set of publisher requirements for open access publications.
Why academics are losing relevance in society – and how to stop it
Academics are getting out of touch with the rest of society. This helps explains the sorry state of our public discourse on science.
The long march to open science
Many researchers are positive about the new, burgeoning science culture, but they still hesitate to enter into an open exchange of knowledge. There are many reasons why – such as a lack of knowledge about data management and the fear of intellectual property theft.
The science–policy interface
How do we ensure the effective role of science in public policy-making? This well-worn, long-standing question reflects the fact that the answer is not simple. Later this month in Brussels, scientists and policy-makers will convene at the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) Forum to consider the most promising ways forward.