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AI Will Soon Be Able to Audit All Published Research - What Will That Mean for Public Trust in Science?

An AI audit of scientific research would likely expose some fraud and widespread inconsequential work. But we need to be careful it doesn't discredit science in general.

theconversation

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News

Africa

Innovation

Africa's Innovations Are Overlooked Because Global Measures Don't Fit: What Needs to Change

theconversation

Africa

Innovation

Africa's Innovations Are Overlooked Because Global Measures Don't Fit: What Needs to Change

Many of Africa's most powerful innovations are not being measured correctly.

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Research Replication Can Determine How Well Science is Working - but How Do Scientists Replicate Studies?

theconversation

Research

Replication

Research Replication Can Determine How Well Science is Working - but How Do Scientists Replicate Studies?

Replication research can take the temperature on how accurate science in a given field is, but research replication is easier said than done.

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Science Requires Ethical Oversight - Without Federal Dollars, Society's Health and Safety Are at Risk

theconversation

Ethics

Funding

Science Requires Ethical Oversight - Without Federal Dollars, Society's Health and Safety Are at Risk

There are several steps between research on seemingly esoteric subjects and breakthrough medical treatments. Ethical oversight at every stage ensures science and society ultimately benefit.

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Cuts to Research into Inequality, Disparities and Other DEIA Topics Harm Science

Cuts to Research into Inequality, Disparities and Other DEIA Topics Harm Science

From HIV treatments to school desegregation, research into topics now considered DEIA have benefited Americans throughout history.

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Cutting Funding for Science Can Have Consequences for the Economy, US Technological Competitiveness

Cutting Funding for Science Can Have Consequences for the Economy, US Technological Competitiveness

America has already lost its global competitive edge in science, and funding cuts proposed in early 2025 may further a precipitous decline.

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How Populist Leaders Like Trump Use 'Common Sense' As an Ideological Weapon to Undermine Facts

theconversation

Scientific Method

Politics

How Populist Leaders Like Trump Use 'Common Sense' As an Ideological Weapon to Undermine Facts

When common sense is promoted as a virtue, it's not just to celebrate how regular people understand the world. It promotes a worldview that rejects empirical facts and paves the way for propaganda.

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How Citizen Science is Shaping International Conservation

theconversation

Citizen Science

Policy

How Citizen Science is Shaping International Conservation

Citizen science can shape policy at every level, from local projects to global initiatives.

theconversation

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News

Africa

Early Career Researchers

Why Africa's Young Scientists Should Help Check the Quality of Climate Change Research

theconversation

Africa

Early Career Researchers

Why Africa's Young Scientists Should Help Check the Quality of Climate Change Research

Global scientific reports about climate change are largely written and reviewed by older researchers from the global north.

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Use-inspired research

Biden Helped Bring Science out of the Lab and into the Community − Emphasizing Research Focused on Solutions

theconversation

Research

Policy

Use-inspired research

Biden Helped Bring Science out of the Lab and into the Community − Emphasizing Research Focused on Solutions

Biden's legacy includes elevating science's influence in federal decision-making and considering the social and ethical effects of research.

theconversation

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Web

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Provides In-house Science Advice for the President

theconversation

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Provides In-house Science Advice for the President

Headed by the president's science adviser, OSTP serves as a one-stop shop for everything science and innovation inside the White House.

theconversation

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Publications

Open Research

Can Science Be Both Open and Secure? Nations Grapple with Tightening Research Security As China's Dominance Grows

theconversation

Open Research

Can Science Be Both Open and Secure? Nations Grapple with Tightening Research Security As China's Dominance Grows

Scientific R&D drives economic competitiveness, military technology and national security. Governments are trying to balance research security with protecting the openness that makes science work.

theconversation

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News

Science Communication

Simple Science Summaries Written by AI Help People Understand Research and Trust Scientists

theconversation

Science Communication

Simple Science Summaries Written by AI Help People Understand Research and Trust Scientists

Scientists use jargon and complicated language to describe their work. Regular folks 'get it' more when descriptions are simpler - and think better of the researchers themselves.

theconversation

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News

Technology

Trump and Harris Are Sharply Divided on Science, but Share Common Ground on US Technology Policy

theconversation

Technology

Trump and Harris Are Sharply Divided on Science, but Share Common Ground on US Technology Policy

Based on federal budgeting requests from the past 2 administrations, Trump and Harris placed different values on science research funding.

theconversation

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Web

Scientific Method

'Junk Science' is Being Used in Australian Courtrooms, and Wrongful Convictions Are at Stake

theconversation

Scientific Method

'Junk Science' is Being Used in Australian Courtrooms, and Wrongful Convictions Are at Stake

Expert opinion is necessary as part of the justice system - but nobody is asking if the experts are fit for the task and if their evidence is reliable.

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Research Espionage is a Real Threat - but a Drastic Crackdown Could Stifle Vital International Collaboration

Research Espionage is a Real Threat - but a Drastic Crackdown Could Stifle Vital International Collaboration

Australia's flexible and proportionate response to the risks of research espionage and foreign interference balance security with the necessity of international collaboration.

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Connecting Researchers and Legislators Can Lead to Policies That Reflect Scientific Evidence

Connecting Researchers and Legislators Can Lead to Policies That Reflect Scientific Evidence

Researchers want real-world impact. Lawmakers want programs that work. The public wants to benefit from taxpayer-funded research. Building a bridge from academia to legislatures is key to all three.

theconversation

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Opinion

Horizon Europe

The UK Re-joining the Horizon Research Funding Scheme Benefits Europe Too - the Data Backs It Up

theconversation

Horizon Europe

The UK Re-joining the Horizon Research Funding Scheme Benefits Europe Too - the Data Backs It Up

The UK has just rejoined the EU’s flagship research funding programmes, Horizon Europe and Copernicus. This is great news for science, the EU and the UK.

theconversation

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Opinion

Higher Education

Quantum Information Science is Rarely Taught in High School - Here's Why That Matters

theconversation

Higher Education

Quantum Information Science is Rarely Taught in High School - Here's Why That Matters

A former physics teacher says America could lose its technological edge if it doesn't do a better job of teaching quantum information science - starting in high school.

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UN Invasive Species Report Reveals Scale of Threat to Nature and People - and How to Manage It

theconversation

Ecosystems

United Nations

UN Invasive Species Report Reveals Scale of Threat to Nature and People - and How to Manage It

Not all alien species are a significant hazard to people and ecosystems.

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The US and China May Be Ending an Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation

The US and China May Be Ending an Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation

China's success in science and technology propelled it to the forefront of many fields. Now, the US wants to pull back from years of intense cooperation.

theconversation

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Web

Biotechnology

How to Grow Rhinos in a Lab: the Science That Could Save an Endangered Species

theconversation

Biotechnology

How to Grow Rhinos in a Lab: the Science That Could Save an Endangered Species

Efforts to save one species can provide scientific knowledge that enables us to save other creatures in need.

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Secondary Publishing Rights Can Improve Public Access to Academic Research

theconversation

Publishing

Open Access

Secondary Publishing Rights Can Improve Public Access to Academic Research

Secondary publishing rights could facilitate immediate open access to publicly funded research and foster global innovation and discovery.

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Is 'Wokeism' Slowly Killing Scientific Merit? Look to the Latter for the Real Threat to Science

Is 'Wokeism' Slowly Killing Scientific Merit? Look to the Latter for the Real Threat to Science

While some worry "wokeist" ideology could corrupt scientific merit, it could be our problematic understanding of the latter that poses an even greater threat to science, two philosophers argue.

theconversation

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Web

Activism

Science Activism is Surging - Which Marks a Culture Shift Among Scientists

theconversation

Activism

Science Activism is Surging - Which Marks a Culture Shift Among Scientists

Political mobilization among scientists has been growing in recent years. Two social scientists break down what this looks like and how it represents a culture shift among the scientific community.

theconversation

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Publications

Philosophy

400 Years Ago, Philosopher Blaise Pascal Was One of the First to Grapple with the Role of Faith in an Age of Science and Reason

theconversation

Philosophy

400 Years Ago, Philosopher Blaise Pascal Was One of the First to Grapple with the Role of Faith in an Age of Science and Reason

Blaise Pascal, a mathematician and a Catholic theologian, born 400 years ago, left a deep and lasting influence on the world that can be felt today.

theconversation

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Opinion

Social Sciences

Beyond the Hype: How AI Could Change the Game for Social Science Research

theconversation

Social Sciences

Beyond the Hype: How AI Could Change the Game for Social Science Research

Large language models are becoming increasingly capable of imitating human-like responses, creating opportunities to test social science theories on a larger scale and with much greater speed.

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Why It's Impossible for Public Policy to Rely Entirely on Science

Why It's Impossible for Public Policy to Rely Entirely on Science

The only way an Alberta COVID-19 committee can meaningfully determine how public policy should be made is if it tackles head-on the question of how to measure the psychological impacts of policy.

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Weaving Indigenous and Western Ways of Knowing Can Help Canada Achieve Its Biodiversity Goals

theconversation

Canada

Biodiversity

Weaving Indigenous and Western Ways of Knowing Can Help Canada Achieve Its Biodiversity Goals

Canada's commitment to halt biodiversity loss can only be realized by weaving together Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge.

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China Now Publishes More High-quality Science Than Any Other Nation - Should the US Be Worried?

China Now Publishes More High-quality Science Than Any Other Nation - Should the US Be Worried?

In 2014, Chinese researchers published more papers than any other country for the first time. In 2019, China overtook the U.S. as the No. 1 publisher of the most influential papers.

theconversation

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AI Will Soon Be Able to Audit All Published Research - What Will That Mean for Public Trust in Science?

AI Will Soon Be Able to Audit All Published Research - What Will That Mean for Public Trust in Science?

Africa's Innovations Are Overlooked Because Global Measures Don't Fit: What Needs to Change

Africa's Innovations Are Overlooked Because Global Measures Don't Fit: What Needs to Change

Research Replication Can Determine How Well Science is Working - but How Do Scientists Replicate Studies?

Research Replication Can Determine How Well Science is Working - but How Do Scientists Replicate Studies?

Science Requires Ethical Oversight - Without Federal Dollars, Society's Health and Safety Are at Risk

Science Requires Ethical Oversight - Without Federal Dollars, Society's Health and Safety Are at Risk

Cuts to Research into Inequality, Disparities and Other DEIA Topics Harm Science

Cuts to Research into Inequality, Disparities and Other DEIA Topics Harm Science

Cutting Funding for Science Can Have Consequences for the Economy, US Technological Competitiveness

Cutting Funding for Science Can Have Consequences for the Economy, US Technological Competitiveness

How Populist Leaders Like Trump Use 'Common Sense' As an Ideological Weapon to Undermine Facts

How Populist Leaders Like Trump Use 'Common Sense' As an Ideological Weapon to Undermine Facts

How Citizen Science is Shaping International Conservation

How Citizen Science is Shaping International Conservation

Why Africa's Young Scientists Should Help Check the Quality of Climate Change Research

Why Africa's Young Scientists Should Help Check the Quality of Climate Change Research

Biden Helped Bring Science out of the Lab and into the Community − Emphasizing Research Focused on Solutions

Biden Helped Bring Science out of the Lab and into the Community − Emphasizing Research Focused on Solutions

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Provides In-house Science Advice for the President

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Provides In-house Science Advice for the President

Can Science Be Both Open and Secure? Nations Grapple with Tightening Research Security As China's Dominance Grows

Can Science Be Both Open and Secure? Nations Grapple with Tightening Research Security As China's Dominance Grows

Simple Science Summaries Written by AI Help People Understand Research and Trust Scientists

Simple Science Summaries Written by AI Help People Understand Research and Trust Scientists

Trump and Harris Are Sharply Divided on Science, but Share Common Ground on US Technology Policy

Trump and Harris Are Sharply Divided on Science, but Share Common Ground on US Technology Policy

'Junk Science' is Being Used in Australian Courtrooms, and Wrongful Convictions Are at Stake

'Junk Science' is Being Used in Australian Courtrooms, and Wrongful Convictions Are at Stake

Research Espionage is a Real Threat - but a Drastic Crackdown Could Stifle Vital International Collaboration

Research Espionage is a Real Threat - but a Drastic Crackdown Could Stifle Vital International Collaboration

Connecting Researchers and Legislators Can Lead to Policies That Reflect Scientific Evidence

Connecting Researchers and Legislators Can Lead to Policies That Reflect Scientific Evidence

The UK Re-joining the Horizon Research Funding Scheme Benefits Europe Too - the Data Backs It Up

The UK Re-joining the Horizon Research Funding Scheme Benefits Europe Too - the Data Backs It Up

Quantum Information Science is Rarely Taught in High School - Here's Why That Matters

Quantum Information Science is Rarely Taught in High School - Here's Why That Matters

UN Invasive Species Report Reveals Scale of Threat to Nature and People - and How to Manage It

UN Invasive Species Report Reveals Scale of Threat to Nature and People - and How to Manage It

The US and China May Be Ending an Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation

The US and China May Be Ending an Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation

How to Grow Rhinos in a Lab: the Science That Could Save an Endangered Species

How to Grow Rhinos in a Lab: the Science That Could Save an Endangered Species

Secondary Publishing Rights Can Improve Public Access to Academic Research

Secondary Publishing Rights Can Improve Public Access to Academic Research

Is 'Wokeism' Slowly Killing Scientific Merit? Look to the Latter for the Real Threat to Science

Is 'Wokeism' Slowly Killing Scientific Merit? Look to the Latter for the Real Threat to Science

Science Activism is Surging - Which Marks a Culture Shift Among Scientists

Science Activism is Surging - Which Marks a Culture Shift Among Scientists

400 Years Ago, Philosopher Blaise Pascal Was One of the First to Grapple with the Role of Faith in an Age of Science and Reason

400 Years Ago, Philosopher Blaise Pascal Was One of the First to Grapple with the Role of Faith in an Age of Science and Reason

Beyond the Hype: How AI Could Change the Game for Social Science Research

Beyond the Hype: How AI Could Change the Game for Social Science Research

Why It's Impossible for Public Policy to Rely Entirely on Science

Why It's Impossible for Public Policy to Rely Entirely on Science

Weaving Indigenous and Western Ways of Knowing Can Help Canada Achieve Its Biodiversity Goals

Weaving Indigenous and Western Ways of Knowing Can Help Canada Achieve Its Biodiversity Goals

China Now Publishes More High-quality Science Than Any Other Nation - Should the US Be Worried?

China Now Publishes More High-quality Science Than Any Other Nation - Should the US Be Worried?