Bad luck, bad journalism and cancer rates
How a recent "bad luck" cancer study illustrates failure of science journalism.
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The direction of travel in scholarly publishing
Recent moves by established journals to make research papers freely available signpost the direction of travel in academic publishing
Juncker axes Europe's chief scientific adviser
While Europe’s scientists were watching Rosetta, President Juncker quietly scrapped the role of his top scientific adviser. What does this mean for the future of evidence-based policy in Europe?
It's like Robin Hood in reverse
Horizon 2020 has a budget of £63bn, but don’t expect a share unless you’re in one of the wealthiest countries and have a string of articles published in top journals.
Pioneering scientists share 35 mioCHF Breakthrough prize pot at US awards
Pioneering scientists share 35 mioCHF Breakthrough prize pot at US awards
Breakthrough Prizes may elevate scientists to rock-stars, showering the finest minds with lucrative awards.
New CSIRO chief focuses on innovation
Newly appointed chief executive of the CSIRO Larry Marshall says he is comfortable with crises, which can become a ‘catalyst for change and redirection’
Why women leave academia and why universities should be worried
A recent report reveals that only 12% of third year female PhD students want a career in academia.
Harvard University says it can't afford journal publishers' prices
University wants scientists to make their research open access and resign from publications that keep articles behind paywalls.
Nobel prizewinner John O'Keefe urges UK to nurture young scientists
Joint winner says move to UK was important to his success and fears impact of government migration controls and funding freeze.
Open letter : they have chosen ignorance
Open letter stating that research cannot follow political cycles.
Want an education in life? Then drop out of university
Academia doesn’t make the grade as a training ground for today’s world
Who governs science?
Recent retraction of two papers on stem-cell research by the journal Nature highlights weaknesses in this self-regulatory framework that scientists need to address.
Stop the deluge of science research
The increasing pace of human discovery is a curse – we need to rethink what it means to publish the results of research.
Retractions are coming thick and fast: it's time for publishers to act
Commenters on post-publication peer review sites such as PubPeer are catching errors that traditional peer reviewers have missed.
The Guardian view on the end of the peer review
Nature, the pre-eminent journal for reporting scientific research, has had to retract two papers it published in January after mistakes were spotted in the figures, some of the methods descriptions were found to be plagiarised and early attempts to replicate the work failed.
Evidence-based Union? A new alliance for science advice in Europe
A new network is being launched today, to strengthen science advice and evidence-based policymaking across Europe.
The age of invention isn't dead - it just needs time
The biggest thing holding invention back is our impatience. With enough time and support, young engineers will develop the technology we need.
'DIY labs offer an agile alternative to university-based research'
'DIY labs offer an agile alternative to university-based research'
Free from bureaucracy, independent science labs offer a flexibility that can't be matched by universities, writes a researcher.
Working across research silos is harder than it looks
One of the loudest buzzwords in current science politics is interdisciplinarity. Government extols its virtues. Research councils clamour about its value. Academics parade their credentials.
This is important. You have £5.8 billion to spend on science things
How this money is invested could make a huge difference to our future, in the UK and to some extent beyond
Is UK humanities research reaching the widest possible audience?
Report points to 'serious dangers for the international standing of UK research' in humanities and social sciences.
How to create a successful science blog
Setting up your own science blog is a great way to publicise a field that is close to your heart, hone your writing skills and make a name for yourself
Tobacco industry-funded research, peer review, and nannying
Aside from the occasional cigar (once every five years or so), I'm one of those smug "never smoked" gits. You then might think that I'm all for plain packaging, not publishing tobacco industry-funded research, and completely against the " normalization" of smoking via the evidently evil medium of e-cigarettes.
Trial to see how treatment can fight cancer set to begin this year
Cancer Research UK, AstraZeneca and Pfizer to create a pioneering clinical trial for patients with advanced lung cancer
Stem cell scientist Haruko Obokata found guilty of misconduct
A young researcher who shot to fame in scientific circles when she published an apparently radical and simple way to create stem cells has been found guilty of misconduct by a committee charged with investigating her work
Is pressure on postdocs leading to 'massaged' research?
Merciless competition for jobs and funds pushes some researchers to spin data in the eternal quest for success
We need more scientific mavericks
We need more scientific mavericks
Scientific mavericks once played an essential role in research. We must relearn how to support them and provide new options for an unforeseeable future.
Why it should be a key issue for university leaders
Universities are drowning in digital information. It's time senior leaders made openness – and its consequences – their concern.
Faith and reason
Faith and reason
Scientists are not as secular as people think.
Female students start to show more interest in science and engineering
The number of female students considering university courses in STEM subjects has seen a bigger increase over the last seven years than for male students, according to new research.
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