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Science Needs Clarity on Europe’s Data-Protection Law
As a commendable European law on personal data comes into force, the research community must not let excessive caution about data sharing, however understandable, become the default position.
Licence Restrictions: A Fool's Errand
Objections to the Creative Commons attribution licence are straw men raised by parties who want open access to be as closed as possible, warns John Wilbanks.
UK’s Powerful Funding Body Takes Shape
UK’s newly minted unified funding agency has released the first outline of its strategy. The long-awaited document gives the nation’s researchers an insight into how the mega-funding agency - which will command a budget of GBP6 billion (USD8 billion) - will work.
Europe’s Open-Access Drive Escalates as University Stand-Offs Spread
Sweden is the latest country to hold out on journal subscriptions, while negotiators share tactics to broker new deals with publishers. Inspired by the results of a stand-off in Germany, negotiators from libraries and university consortia across Europe increasingly declare that if they don’t like what publishers offer, they will refuse to pay for journal access at all.
Some Hard Numbers on Science’s Leadership Problems
Scientists pride themselves on being keen observers, but many seem to have trouble spotting the problems right under their noses. Those who run labs have a much rosier picture of the dynamics in their research groups than do many staff members working in the trenches.
Cancer Funding in the UK Fits Global Pattern of Gender Bias
Male scientists in the United Kingdom received an extra 40 pence for every pound awarded to women, reveals an analysis of cancer research funding over more than a decade.
Give Every Paper a Read for Reproducibility
Catherine Winchester was hired to ferret out errors and establish routines that promote rigorous research.
Open-Access Model Is a Return to the Origins of Journal Publishing
Until recently, many university and society journals operated at a loss. To return to their earlier significant role in scientific dissemination, scientific societies and universities will have to return to their earlier acceptance of knowledge sharing as part of their broader public service, rather than their more recent exploitation of publications as revenue generators.
When Will Clinical Trials Finally Reflect Diversity?
An analysis of drug studies shows that most participants are white, even though trials are being done in more countries.
Australian Budget Delivers for Science Facilities and Medical Research
Research facilities and medicine were among the winners for science in Australia's 2018/19 national budget. The government will push to invest almost Aus$1.9 billion (US$1.4 billion) over the next 12 years in shared research infrastructure. Scientists welcome relative windfall after years of stagnating funds.
Harassment Should Count as Scientific Misconduct
Scientific integrity needs to apply to how researchers treat people, not just to how they handle data.
How Science Will Suffer as Us Pulls out of Iran Nuclear Deal
International research collaborations could end in wake of US President Donald Trump’s decision.
I’d Whisper to My Student Self: You Are Not Alone
Twenty years on, Dave Reay speaks out about the depression that almost sunk his Ph.D., and the lifelines that saved him.
Luck of the Draw
Funders should assign research grants via a lottery system to reduce human bias, says Dorothy Bishop.
Report Harassment or Risk Losing Funding, Says Top UK Science Funder
The Wellcome Trust vows to pull grants if researchers or institutions do not abide by its new misconduct policy.
Virtual-reality applications give science a new dimension
Virtual- and augmented-reality tools allow researchers to view and share data as never before. But so far, they remain largely the tools of early adopters.
Billionaires, Butterflies and Brooding Skies - April’s Top Science Images
The month’s sharpest science shots, selected by Nature’s photo team.
Nature Announces New Editor-In-Chief
Magdalena Skipper, who is currently editor-in-chief of the open-access journal Nature Communications, will become the eighth editor of Nature. She will take over from Philip Campbell, who will move to the newly created post of editor in chief at publisher Springer Nature on 1 July.
Ten Reasons to Share Your Data
Making data available to the larger scientific community has many benefits.
Feeling Overwhelmed by Academia? You Are Not Alone
Five researchers share their stories and advice on how to maintain good mental health in the hyper-competitive environment of science.
Science in North Korea: How Easing the Nuclear Stand-Off Might Bolster Research
The isolated nation publishes fewer than 100 scholarly articles a year - but as political tensions thaw, researchers hope for greater collaboration.
US Government Considers Charging for Popular Earth-Observing Data
Images from Landsat satellites and agricultural-survey programme are freely available to scientists - but for how long?
Machine Learning Spots Treasure Trove of Elusive Viruses
Artificial intelligence could speed up metagenomic studies that look for species unknown to science.
Scientists' Early Grant Success Fuels Further Funding
A new paper suggests that positive feedback in funding may be a key mechanism through which money is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few extremely successful scholars, but also that the origins of emergent distinction in scientists' careers may be of an arbitrary nature.
YouTube Your Science
By making science readily available to any viewer, researchers can reach people who are interested in science but can’t read original manuscripts in a journal for whatever reason. If you don’t believe me, just ask my mum.
Military Work Threatens Science and Security
In an uncertain world, more governments are asking universities to help develop weapons. That’s a threat to the culture and conscience of researchers.