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What Harmful Microbes Are Lurking in the World's 7 Billion Tonnes of Plastic Waste?

Pathogenic viruses and antibiotic-resistant bacteria thrive on plastic. The biohazard risks of this 'plastisphere' shouldn't be overlooked in efforts to tackle the pollution crisis.

nature

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Academic Freedom

'Afraid to Talk': Researchers Fear the End for Science in Venezuela

nature

Academic Freedom

'Afraid to Talk': Researchers Fear the End for Science in Venezuela

A lack of funding and academic freedom amid a political crackdown leave scientists feeling hopeless and pondering an exodus from the country.

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Unearthing 'hidden' Science Would Help to Tackle the World's Biggest Problems

nature

SDG

Evaluation

Unearthing 'hidden' Science Would Help to Tackle the World's Biggest Problems

Tens of thousands of studies evaluating government programmes are collecting dust in institutional vaults. Sharing them could benefit everyone.

nature

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News

Sustainability

Academics Say Flying to Meetings Harms the Climate - but They Carry on

nature

Sustainability

Academics Say Flying to Meetings Harms the Climate - but They Carry on

A survey at one of the biggest UK research universities finds that staff often end up flying to meetings despite a preference to avoid air travel.

nature

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Infrastructures

A Day in the Life of the World's Fastest Supercomputer

nature

Infrastructures

A Day in the Life of the World's Fastest Supercomputer

In the hills of eastern Tennessee, a record-breaking machine called Frontier is providing scientists with unprecedented opportunities to study everything from atoms to galaxies.

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Publishing Nightmare: A Researcher's Quest to Keep His Own Work from Being Plagiarized

nature

Ethics

Plagiarism

Publishing Nightmare: A Researcher's Quest to Keep His Own Work from Being Plagiarized

A scientist reviewing a study spotted figures that looked identical to his own, leading to a frustrating campaign to prevent its publication.

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Japan Moves to Halt Long-term Postgraduate Decline by Tripling Number of PhD Graduates

nature

Careers

Japan

Japan Moves to Halt Long-term Postgraduate Decline by Tripling Number of PhD Graduates

Plan aims to elevate the status of PhD holders and give them greater career mobility.

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Inside China's Race to Lead the World in Nuclear Fusion

nature

Infrastructures

China

Inside China's Race to Lead the World in Nuclear Fusion

The country has ambitious plans for fusion power plants to provide clean, limitless energy. Can they be realized?

nature

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News

Ethics

How to Harness AI's Potential in Research - Responsibly and Ethically

nature

Ethics

How to Harness AI's Potential in Research - Responsibly and Ethically

Artificial intelligence is propelling advances in all areas of science. But vigilance is needed, warn four researchers at the leading edge.

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China's Big-Science Bet

nature

Infrastructures

China

China's Big-Science Bet

With a view to increase its prestige and influence in global science, the country is investing heavily in major facilities.

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The Citation Black Market: Schemes Selling Fake References Alarm Scientists

nature

Publication

Citations

The Citation Black Market: Schemes Selling Fake References Alarm Scientists

The ways in which researchers can artificially inflate their reference counts are growing.

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Gender Bias Might Be Working at Level of Whole Disciplines

nature

Diversity

Gender

Gender Bias Might Be Working at Level of Whole Disciplines

Study adds to growing body of evidence that such biases can affect all researchers in a field.

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Cash for Catching Scientific Errors

nature

Integrity

Publishing

Cash for Catching Scientific Errors

The ERROR project offers researchers a bounty for spotting mistakes in published papers - a strategy borrowed from the software industry.

nature

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Equality

'There's a Lot of Privilege Masquerading As Merit': Why Inclusion Matters in Academia

nature

Equality

'There's a Lot of Privilege Masquerading As Merit': Why Inclusion Matters in Academia

Frankie Heyward explains why he founded the National Black Postdoctoral Association, and why researchers must honestly evaluate their privilege.

nature

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Science Communication

Funding

How to Win Funding to Talk About Your Science

nature

Science Communication

Funding

How to Win Funding to Talk About Your Science

Many researchers describe public outreach as a labour of love, often carried out in their spare time. But some funders reward these activities.

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A Model of Faulty and Faultless Disagreement for Post-hoc Assessments of Knowledge Utilization in Evidence-based Policymaking

nature

Science Policy

Evaluation

A Model of Faulty and Faultless Disagreement for Post-hoc Assessments of Knowledge Utilization in Evidence-based Policymaking

When evidence-based policymaking is so often mired in disagreement and controversy, how can we know if the process is meeting its stated goals?

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Scientists Are Falling Victim to Deepfake AI Video Scams - Here's How to Fight Back

nature

Fake News

Science

Scientists Are Falling Victim to Deepfake AI Video Scams - Here's How to Fight Back

Cybercriminals are increasingly singling out researchers, alongside politicians and celebrities. Targeted scientists share tips on how to silence them.

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How a Space Physicist is Shaking Up China's Research Funding

nature

Funding

China

How a Space Physicist is Shaking Up China's Research Funding

The president of the country's natural science foundation has prioritized support for young scientists and plans to boost investment in basic science.

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Quantum Computing Aims for Diversity, One Qubit at a Time

nature

Equality

Diversity

Quantum Computing Aims for Diversity, One Qubit at a Time

The fast-growing discipline needs more scientists from under-represented groups. A raft of initiatives is rising to the challenge.

nature

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News

Publishing

These AI Firms Publish the World's Most Highly Cited Work

nature

Publishing

These AI Firms Publish the World's Most Highly Cited Work

US and Chinese firms dominate the list of companies that are producing the most research and patents in artificial intelligence.

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How to Spot a Predatory Conference, and What Science Needs to Do About Them: a Guide

nature

Predatory Publishing

Conference

How to Spot a Predatory Conference, and What Science Needs to Do About Them: a Guide

Researchers who have fallen prey to predatory conferences share the tell-tale signs of a dud event.

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Guidelines on Lab-grown Embryo Models Are Strong Enough to Meet Ethical Standards - and Will Build Trust in Science

nature

Genetics

Ethics

Guidelines on Lab-grown Embryo Models Are Strong Enough to Meet Ethical Standards - and Will Build Trust in Science

The UK code of practice for researchers working with stem-cell-based embryo models is designed to both reassure the public and provide valuable guidance to researchers.

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Retraction Notices Are Getting Clearer - But Progress is Slow

nature

Communication

Retractions

Retraction Notices Are Getting Clearer - But Progress is Slow

Communications relating to retractions are often still opaque and lacking in detail, but an analysis finds some evidence of improvement.

nature

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News

Science Politics

Effort to 'Trump-proof' US Science Grows, but Will It Succeed?

nature

Science Politics

Effort to 'Trump-proof' US Science Grows, but Will It Succeed?

Unions are joining the Biden administration's campaign to promote scientific integrity and protect government scientists from political interference.

nature

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Web

Publishing

So You Got a Null Result. Will Anyone Publish It?

nature

Publishing

So You Got a Null Result. Will Anyone Publish It?

Researchers have tried a bunch of strategies to get more negative results into the literature. Nature asks whether they are working.

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India Budget: Modi Bets Big on Nuclear Energy and Space

nature

Research

India

India Budget: Modi Bets Big on Nuclear Energy and Space

The government has focused on areas of national pride and applied science, as many researchers expected.

nature

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Opinion

Politics

What Kamala Harris's Historic Bid for the US Presidency Means for Science

nature

Politics

What Kamala Harris's Historic Bid for the US Presidency Means for Science

The daughter of a scientist and a supporter of diversity in STEM, Harris as a potential candidate has stirred optimism among scientists.

nature

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Web

ChatGPT for Science: How to Talk to Your Data

nature

ChatGPT for Science: How to Talk to Your Data

Companies are using artificial intelligence tools to help scientists to query their data without the need for programming skills.

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China-US Research Collaborations Are in Decline - This is Bad News for Everyone

China-US Research Collaborations Are in Decline - This is Bad News for Everyone

Scientists say that the drop in partnerships between the scientific powerhouses will hold back research on priorities such as global warming.

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Bird Flu Could Become a Human Pandemic. How Are Countries Preparing?

nature

Research

Pandemics

Bird Flu Could Become a Human Pandemic. How Are Countries Preparing?

Wealthy nations are purchasing vaccines against H5N1 influenza and boosting surveillance, but there are concerns that low-income countries will be left behind.

nature

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What Harmful Microbes Are Lurking in the World's 7 Billion Tonnes of Plastic Waste?

What Harmful Microbes Are Lurking in the World's 7 Billion Tonnes of Plastic Waste?

'Afraid to Talk': Researchers Fear the End for Science in Venezuela

'Afraid to Talk': Researchers Fear the End for Science in Venezuela

Unearthing 'hidden' Science Would Help to Tackle the World's Biggest Problems

Unearthing 'hidden' Science Would Help to Tackle the World's Biggest Problems

Academics Say Flying to Meetings Harms the Climate - but They Carry on

Academics Say Flying to Meetings Harms the Climate - but They Carry on

A Day in the Life of the World's Fastest Supercomputer

A Day in the Life of the World's Fastest Supercomputer

Publishing Nightmare: A Researcher's Quest to Keep His Own Work from Being Plagiarized

Publishing Nightmare: A Researcher's Quest to Keep His Own Work from Being Plagiarized

Japan Moves to Halt Long-term Postgraduate Decline by Tripling Number of PhD Graduates

Japan Moves to Halt Long-term Postgraduate Decline by Tripling Number of PhD Graduates

Inside China's Race to Lead the World in Nuclear Fusion

Inside China's Race to Lead the World in Nuclear Fusion

How to Harness AI's Potential in Research - Responsibly and Ethically

How to Harness AI's Potential in Research - Responsibly and Ethically

China's Big-Science Bet

China's Big-Science Bet

The Citation Black Market: Schemes Selling Fake References Alarm Scientists

The Citation Black Market: Schemes Selling Fake References Alarm Scientists

Gender Bias Might Be Working at Level of Whole Disciplines

Gender Bias Might Be Working at Level of Whole Disciplines

Cash for Catching Scientific Errors

Cash for Catching Scientific Errors

'There's a Lot of Privilege Masquerading As Merit': Why Inclusion Matters in Academia

'There's a Lot of Privilege Masquerading As Merit': Why Inclusion Matters in Academia

How to Win Funding to Talk About Your Science

How to Win Funding to Talk About Your Science

A Model of Faulty and Faultless Disagreement for Post-hoc Assessments of Knowledge Utilization in Evidence-based Policymaking

A Model of Faulty and Faultless Disagreement for Post-hoc Assessments of Knowledge Utilization in Evidence-based Policymaking

Scientists Are Falling Victim to Deepfake AI Video Scams - Here's How to Fight Back

Scientists Are Falling Victim to Deepfake AI Video Scams - Here's How to Fight Back

How a Space Physicist is Shaking Up China's Research Funding

How a Space Physicist is Shaking Up China's Research Funding

Quantum Computing Aims for Diversity, One Qubit at a Time

Quantum Computing Aims for Diversity, One Qubit at a Time

These AI Firms Publish the World's Most Highly Cited Work

These AI Firms Publish the World's Most Highly Cited Work

How to Spot a Predatory Conference, and What Science Needs to Do About Them: a Guide

How to Spot a Predatory Conference, and What Science Needs to Do About Them: a Guide

Guidelines on Lab-grown Embryo Models Are Strong Enough to Meet Ethical Standards - and Will Build Trust in Science

Guidelines on Lab-grown Embryo Models Are Strong Enough to Meet Ethical Standards - and Will Build Trust in Science

Retraction Notices Are Getting Clearer - But Progress is Slow

Retraction Notices Are Getting Clearer - But Progress is Slow

Effort to 'Trump-proof' US Science Grows, but Will It Succeed?

Effort to 'Trump-proof' US Science Grows, but Will It Succeed?

So You Got a Null Result. Will Anyone Publish It?

So You Got a Null Result. Will Anyone Publish It?

India Budget: Modi Bets Big on Nuclear Energy and Space

India Budget: Modi Bets Big on Nuclear Energy and Space

What Kamala Harris's Historic Bid for the US Presidency Means for Science

What Kamala Harris's Historic Bid for the US Presidency Means for Science

ChatGPT for Science: How to Talk to Your Data

ChatGPT for Science: How to Talk to Your Data

China-US Research Collaborations Are in Decline - This is Bad News for Everyone

China-US Research Collaborations Are in Decline - This is Bad News for Everyone

Bird Flu Could Become a Human Pandemic. How Are Countries Preparing?

Bird Flu Could Become a Human Pandemic. How Are Countries Preparing?