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New Science Minister's Activism Sparks Debate
Elena Álvarez-Buylla will become the director of the National Council of Science and Technology in Mexico. While many scientists are delighted that she'll be the first woman to do so, critics worry about her opposition to genetically modified maize, which could spoil the country's astonishing agricultural biodiversity.
'Life Changing' Climate Report Under Debate
Scientists discuss a report aimed at keeping global temperature rise under 1.5C this century. The report will be the guiding light for governments as they decide how to develop their economies in the face of rising temperatures over the coming decades.
An Explosion of Openness Is About to Hit Scientific Publishing
Major European countries are mandating that publicly-funded research should appear only in open-access journals.
Help to Shape Policy With Your Science
Decision-makers need input from researchers on issues involving science and society.
Psychiatrists Call for Rollback of Policy Banning Discussion of Public Figures’ Mental Health
Psychiatrists Call for Rollback of Policy Banning Discussion of Public Figures’ Mental Health
Some of the field’s most notable thinkers call on the American Psychiatric Association to permit discussion of public figures' mental health in some cases.
Four Principles to Make Evidence Synthesis More Useful for Policy
Reward the creation of analyses for policymakers that are inclusive, rigorous, transparent and accessible.
Evidence-Informed Policymaking: Does Knowledge Brokering Work?
Sarah Quarmby takes a look inside a knowledge broker organisation, the Wales Centre for Public Policy, to see how its day-to-day workings tally with the body of knowledge about evidence use in policymaking.
New Zealand Appoints First Female Chief Scientific Adviser
Biochemist Juliet Gerrard will advise the government on key science issues when she takes up the position next month.
US EPA Science Advisers Question ‘Secret Science’ Rule on Data Transparency
US EPA Science Advisers Question ‘Secret Science’ Rule on Data Transparency
Independent board will review agency decisions to repeal or change climate regulations and rules on the use of non-public data.
China to Crack down on Fraud in Scandal-Hit Scientific Research
China to Crack down on Fraud in Scandal-Hit Scientific Research
New national guidelines spell out punishment for plagiarism, fabrication of data and research conclusions, ghostwriting and peer review manipulation.
Loss of Trust? Loss of Trustworthiness? Truth and Expertise Today
Loss of Trust? Loss of Trustworthiness? Truth and Expertise Today
A discussion of how trust in expertise is placed or refused, highlighting the affective dimension of epistemic trust, and discussing the danger of a 'context collapse' in digital communication.
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.
Failures Are Essential to Scientific Inquiry
Reproducibility failures occur even in fields such as mathematics or computer science that do not have statistical problems or issues with experimental design. Suggested policy changes ignore a core feature of the process of scientific inquiry that occurs after reproducibility failures: the integration of conflicting observations and ideas into a coherent theory.
All Science Should Inform Policy and Regulation
In the context of a recent proposal to exclude research from consideration at the Environmental Protection Agency, John Ioannidis points out that "perceived perfection is not a characteristic of science, but of dogma" and envisions how governments can promote a standard of openness in science.