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A newsletter and curated collection of 14981 articles on science policy
Supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation
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NewsWebOpinionPublications
Publications
Publication
Impact

Can We Estimate a Monetary Value of Scientific Publications?

sciencedirect
Publication
Impact

Can We Estimate a Monetary Value of Scientific Publications?

Policymakers are beginning to put monetary value on scientific publications. What does this mean for researchers?

sciencedirect
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Opinion
Open Data
Open Science

Articles Are the Fundamental Unit of Data Sharing - The Scholarly Kitchen

scholarlykitchen
Open Data
Open Science

Articles Are the Fundamental Unit of Data Sharing - The Scholarly Kitchen

The FAIR principles answer the 'How' question for sharing research data, but we also need consensus on the 'What' question.

scholarlykitchen
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Web
Racism
Genetics

Weapons for when Bigotry Claims Science As Its Ally

nature
Racism
Genetics

Weapons for when Bigotry Claims Science As Its Ally

As COVID-19 reveals the toll of discrimination, racism and inequality, a book skewers genetic reductionism.

nature
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Opinion
Funding
Reproducibility
Peer Review
Science Culture
Careers

More Better Science | Clothing the Emperor

blogs
Funding
Reproducibility
Peer Review
Science Culture
Careers

More Better Science | Clothing the Emperor

This blog calls for a better scientific quality by pointing to the shortcomings in academia.

blogs
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Publications
Policy
Science

Understanding Conceptual Impact of Scientific Knowledge on Policy

web
Policy
Science

Understanding Conceptual Impact of Scientific Knowledge on Policy

The Manchester Team within the Oslo Institute for Research on the Impact of Science centre has published this a conceptual paper that underpins the empirical work on framework conditions on the user side combining various political science and sociological theories.

web
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News
COVID-19

Facial Masking for Covid-19 — Potential for “Variolation” as We Await a Vaccine

web
COVID-19

Facial Masking for Covid-19 — Potential for “Variolation” as We Await a Vaccine

Universal facial masking might help reduce the severity of SARS-CoV-2 and ensure that a greater proportion of new infections are asymptomatic.

web
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Publications
COVID-19

The Contagion Externality of a Superspreading Event:The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and COVID-19

web
COVID-19

The Contagion Externality of a Superspreading Event:The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and COVID-19

Large in-person gatherings without social distancing and with individuals who have traveled outside the local area are classified as the “highest risk” for COVID-19 spread by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Between August 7 and August 16, 2020, nearly 500,000 motorcycle enthusiasts converged on Sturgis, South Dakota for its annual motorcycle rally.

web
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News
Careers
UK
Europe
Brexit
Universities

Higher Education in the UK is Morally Bankrupt. I'm Taking My Research Millions and I'm off

theguardian
Careers
UK
Europe
Brexit
Universities

Higher Education in the UK is Morally Bankrupt. I'm Taking My Research Millions and I'm off

After 25 years I feel Britain has broken my trust. I'm one of many academics who now see their future in Europe

theguardian
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News
Ecology
Climate

Shorter Lifespan of Faster-growing Trees Will Add to Climate Crisis, Study Finds

theguardian
Ecology
Climate

Shorter Lifespan of Faster-growing Trees Will Add to Climate Crisis, Study Finds

Rise in carbon capture as global warming speeds growth of forests would be negated by earlier deaths, say scientists.

theguardian
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News
Open Access
Publishing

Dozens of Scientific Journals Have Vanished from the Internet, and No One Preserved Them

web
Open Access
Publishing

Dozens of Scientific Journals Have Vanished from the Internet, and No One Preserved Them

Most open access journals lack the technical means and plans to preserve their articles, despite a mandate from some funders that they do so. Specialists worry about a potential loss to scholarship.

web
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News
AI

A Robot Wrote This Entire Article. Are You Scared Yet, Human?

theguardian
AI

A Robot Wrote This Entire Article. Are You Scared Yet, Human?

We asked GPT-3, OpenAI's powerful new language generator, to write an essay for us from scratch. The assignment? To convince us robots come in peace.

theguardian
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News
AI
Medicine

AI Standards Launched to Help Tackle Problem of Overhyped Studies

theguardian
AI
Medicine

AI Standards Launched to Help Tackle Problem of Overhyped Studies

New guidelines aimed at ensuring AI research is of same quality as that in other fields.

theguardian
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News
Society
Social Media
Psychology
COVID-19

Facts V Feelings: How to Stop Our Emotions Misleading Us

theguardian
Society
Social Media
Psychology
COVID-19

Facts V Feelings: How to Stop Our Emotions Misleading Us

The pandemic has shown how a lack of solid statistics can be dangerous. But even with the firmest of evidence, we often end up ignoring the facts we don't like.

theguardian
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Opinion
Open Access
COVID-19

Open Access in the Plague Year

web
Open Access
COVID-19

Open Access in the Plague Year

Coronavirus shows why open publishing is vital, but could make it unaffordable, says Martin Eve.

web
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News
Open Science

The New Age of Preprints: Enhanced, Reproducible, and Reusable

web
Open Science

The New Age of Preprints: Enhanced, Reproducible, and Reusable

Invest in Open Infrastructure receives initial funding to launch and hire a Director.

web
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News
Early Career Researchers
COVID-19

Postdocs in Crisis: Science Cannot Risk Losing the Next Generation

nature
Early Career Researchers
COVID-19

Postdocs in Crisis: Science Cannot Risk Losing the Next Generation

The pandemic has worsened the plight of postdoctoral researchers. Funders need to be offering more than moral support.

nature
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News
COVID-19

How the Coronavirus Attacks the Brain

nytimes
COVID-19

How the Coronavirus Attacks the Brain

It's not just the lungs - the pathogen may enter brain cells, causing symptoms like delirium and confusion, scientists reported.

nytimes
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News
SSH
Careers
Social Sciences
Humanities

'Humanities Graduates Are Just As Employable': Do the Sciences Really Lead to More Jobs?

theguardian
SSH
Careers
Social Sciences
Humanities

'Humanities Graduates Are Just As Employable': Do the Sciences Really Lead to More Jobs?

The UK government wants more students to study science subjects - but employers want humanities graduates too.

theguardian
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Opinion
COVID-19

What if We Have to Wait Years for a Coronavirus Vaccine?

nytimes
COVID-19

What if We Have to Wait Years for a Coronavirus Vaccine?

A silver-bullet vaccine is far from guaranteed. But it's also not the only way out of the pandemic.

nytimes
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News
Open Access
Publishing

More Readers in More Places: The Benefits of Open Access for Scholarly Books

web
Open Access
Publishing

More Readers in More Places: The Benefits of Open Access for Scholarly Books

New report published by Springer Nature analyses usage patterns across open access and closed books.The results show higher geographic diversity of usage, higher numbers of downloads and more citations for open access books.

web
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Publications
Open Access
Book

Diversifying Readership Through Open Access: A Usage Analysis for Open Access Books

springer
Open Access
Book

Diversifying Readership Through Open Access: A Usage Analysis for Open Access Books

New Springer Nature white paper analyses geographical diversity and usage of OA books.

springer
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News
Horizon Europe
Science Policy
EU

Member States Agree on Cuts to 2021 R&D Budget

sciencebusiness
Horizon Europe
Science Policy
EU

Member States Agree on Cuts to 2021 R&D Budget

The 2021 draft budget would give Horizon Europe commitments of €11.5 billion, less than the European Commission's June proposal which had €12.3 billion slated for the R&D programme.

sciencebusiness
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News
COVID-19
Clinical Trials

Show More Empathy to Boost Confidence in Vaccines, Scientists Told

theguardian
COVID-19
Clinical Trials

Show More Empathy to Boost Confidence in Vaccines, Scientists Told

Expert behind vaccine confidence report points to halting of Oxford Covid trial as example.

theguardian
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News
Early Career Researchers

Data-driven Advice for Grad School

aaas
Early Career Researchers

Data-driven Advice for Grad School

"Do you have any advice for future graduate students?" I asked. The student had recently defended his Ph.D., and I was conducting an exit interview-something I do with every graduating biomedical Ph.D. student at my university, where I am in charge of evaluating our medical school's Ph.D. training programs. He sat back in his chair and thought for a minute before responding: He wished he had started to plan for his post-Ph.D. career earlier. My shoulders dropped and I let out a sigh. "Program directors recommend this to incoming students every year, but some don't seem to hear it," I said. "How do you think we can get them to listen?" This time, he didn't hesitate. "They are graduate students in science ," he exclaimed. "Show them the data!" > "Even when you're just getting started, you need to look forward." That was my aha moment. I immediately began to document the responses to this question in subsequent interviews. It has been 3 years now, and the data I've collected confirm my suspicions-the same answers come up again and again. As a new cohort of Ph.D. students starts grad school this fall, here are the five pieces of advice graduates offer most frequently. Thirty-two percent of graduating students said this is the most critical decision a Ph.D. student can make. Many students gravitate toward mentors who work in areas they find interesting and exciting, but it is also important to think about what style of mentoring you respond to best. Finding a mentor with the right mentoring approach for you is at least as important as finding one who studies a specific topic. You need time to (a) decide which career paths you find appealing and (b) start preparing for those careers. Twenty percent of graduating students recommended exploring future careers as early as possible so you can use your time in grad school to build additional skills you will need. To learn about specific professions, you can conduct informational interviews, attend seminars where alumni discuss their careers, do an internship, or engage in a variety of other options. Graduate school is full of ups and downs. Thirteen percent of graduates said that if you feel the need to talk to someone on or off campus, don't hesitate. "If you are not happy, try to do something about it and make a change," one student said. If you feel isolated, another student recommended joining a campus group to connect with others. Twelve percent of graduates recommended that students consistently and critically evaluate their progress throughout their training. Make an outline of your research and career goals and when you want to achieve them, and hold yourself to that plan. Some students use an individual development plan to prompt discussions with their mentor and thesis committee. But don't wait for these meetings; setting goals and holding yourself accountable should be a continuous habit. This looks different for different people, but don't ignore it. You should expect to work hard in grad school, but the right work-life balance can have an important influence on your mental health and overall quality of life. Nine percent of graduates recommended finding something that helps you unwind, such as pursuing hobbies, getting together with friends, or volunteering in the community. Observant readers may notice that the numbers above only add up to 86%. Other pieces of advice included be assertive and ask for what you need, learn to trust your experimental results as long as the controls work, and plan your projects around what's needed for a publishable paper. But the most important thing is to take these pointers to heart early on. Even when you're just getting started, you need to look forward.

aaas
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News
Metrics
Misconduct

Fraud by Numbers: Metrics and the New Academic Misconduct

web
Metrics
Misconduct

Fraud by Numbers: Metrics and the New Academic Misconduct

UCLA professor of Law and Communication Mario Biagioli dissects how metric-based evaluations are shaping university agendas.

web
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News
Technology
Climate

Your Phone Wasn't Built for the Apocalypse

The Atlantic
Technology
Climate

Your Phone Wasn't Built for the Apocalypse

Why the orange sky looks gray.

The Atlantic
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News
Biodiversity

Scientists Baffled by Orcas Ramming Sailing Boats Near Spain and Portugal

theguardian
Biodiversity

Scientists Baffled by Orcas Ramming Sailing Boats Near Spain and Portugal

From the Strait of Gibraltar to Galicia, orcas have harassing yachts, damaging vessel and injuring crew.

theguardian
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News
Gender
COVID-19

How the Pandemic Could Choke Gender Equity for Female Researchers in Denmark

nature
Gender
COVID-19

How the Pandemic Could Choke Gender Equity for Female Researchers in Denmark

An advocacy group calls for funders and institutions to launch flexible grant and fellowship schemes and equity programmes.

nature
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Opinion
AI
Society
Fake News

Welcome to the Next Level of Bullshit

nautil
AI
Society
Fake News

Welcome to the Next Level of Bullshit

The language algorithm GPT-3 continues our descent into a post-truth world.

nautil
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News
COVID-19

COVID-19 Herd Immunity: Where Are We?

nature
COVID-19

COVID-19 Herd Immunity: Where Are We?

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, the concept of herd immunity has become a topic of much debate. This Comment examines the factors that determine it, discusses how far we have come and considers what it will take to reach herd immunity safely.

nature
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