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These Black Holes Shouldn't Exist, but There They Are
On the far side of the universe, a collision of dark giants sheds light on an invisible process of cosmic growth.
Unsub Gives Libraries Powerful Evidence to Walk Away from Big Deals
Unsub Gives Libraries Powerful Evidence to Walk Away from Big Deals
“The point of Unsub is to take away much of the uncertainty of doubt around cutting journals,” says Jason Priem, one of the co-founder of the non-profit oranization Our Research.
Systematize Information on Journal Policies and Practices - A Call to Action
Systematize Information on Journal Policies and Practices - A Call to Action
Recently the creators of Transpose and the Platform for Responsible Editorial Policies convened an online workshop on infrastructures that provide information on scholarly journals. In this blog post they look back at the workshop and discuss next steps.
Are Children Able to Continue Learning During School Closures?
In response to the unprecedented educational challenges created by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 90 per cent of countries have implemented some form of remote learning policy. This UNICEF factsheet estimates the potential reach of digital and broadcast remote learning responses, finding that at least 463 million students around the globe remain cut off from education, mainly due to a lack of remote learning policies or lack of equipment needed for learning at home.
Challenge to Scientists: Does Your Ten-year-old Code Still Run?
Missing documentation and obsolete environments force participants in the Ten Years Reproducibility Challenge to get creative.
The Language of Science
How the words we use have evolved over the past 175 years.
Why Antibody Tests Won't Help You Much
Most antibody tests are useful only for large population surveys, diagnosis in certain children or when initial diagnostic testing fails, according to an expert panel.
Blockchain, the Amazing Solution for Almost Nothing
Blockchain technology is going to change everything: the shipping industry, the financial system, government … in fact, what won't it change? But enthusiasm for it mainly stems from a lack of knowledge and understanding. The blockchain is a solution in search of a problem.
Why COVID Deniers and Climate Skeptics Paint Scientists As Alarmist
And why they also try to "feminize science," labeling experts as shrill or emotional.
Open Access Transformation in Switzerland & Germany: A Synopsis of Agreements with Wiley, Springer Nature & Elsevier
Open Access Transformation in Switzerland & Germany: A Synopsis of Agreements with Wiley, Springer Nature & Elsevier
Since Germany has been trying for years to reach such a contract with Elsevier, it is worth comparing it with the two transformative contracts with Wiley and Springer Nature in Germany, which were reached and coordinated by Project DEAL.
Why Figshare? Choosing a New Technical Infrastructure for 4TU.ResearchData
Written by Marta Teperek & Alastair Dunning 4TU.ResearchData is an international repository for research data in science, engineering and design. After over 10 years of using Fedora, an open so…
Explore 175 Years of Words in Scientific American
Search a 4,000-word database to see how language in the magazine evolved over time
What's the Secret Ingredient to Great Mentorship?
“Find a mentor.” It’s a piece of career advice so commonplace many of us have never given it a second thought. But does it hold up to scrutiny?
Taking Our Seat at the Table!
Women at ETH Zurich - from the early days to the present
Open Scholarship Knowledge Base
Discover open scholarship resources created and curated by the community.
America's Window of Opportunity to Beat Back Covid-19 is Closing
The United States has a chance to make things better before things get much, much worse. But much of the country appears to be squandering the opportunity.
Responses to 10 Common Criticisms of Anti-Racism Action in STEM
Table of Contents 1. "There is no evidence of racism in STEM."2. "Don't politicize STEM! Stick to the science, not social issues."3. "I'm not a racist, so I don't need to do anything."4. "I only hire/award/cite based on merit; I do not need to consider race."5. "There just aren't as many BIPOC who want to…
Why the Coronavirus Is More Likely to 'Superspread' Than the Flu
Most people won't spread the virus widely. The few who do are probably in the wrong place at the wrong time in their infection, new models suggest.
Workspaces That Move People
Today's offices don't encourage us to mingle-but that's what creativity and productivity demand.
The Truth Is Paywalled But The Lies Are Free
Why is it that while the most vital, and most rigorously tested, information is often locked up behind a paywall, yet falsehoods are readily available?
Ten takeaways from ten years at Retraction Watch
Retraction Watch looks back at some lessons learned.
How the Pandemic Defeated America
A virus has brought the world's most powerful country to its knees.
The Pandemic is Hitting Scientist Parents Hard, and Some Solutions May Backfire
New data quantify lost work hours and productivity, but the way forward remains uncertain.
When Evidence Does Not Matter - What Brazil Teaches Us About the Fragility of Evidence Based Policymaking
When Evidence Does Not Matter - What Brazil Teaches Us About the Fragility of Evidence Based Policymaking
An underlying assumption of modern political states is that they are rational systems that 'follow the science' to achieve optimal outcomes for their citizens. Whilst COVID-19 continues to foregrou…
Science Publishing Has Opened Up During the Coronavirus Pandemic. It Won't Be Easy to Keep It That Way
Science Publishing Has Opened Up During the Coronavirus Pandemic. It Won't Be Easy to Keep It That Way
Scientists and science publishers are sharing information as fast as they can during the COVID-19 pandemic. Speed and openness bring new challenges, but they are the way forward for research.