The Statistician Who Believed in Miracles
Thomas Bayes had the right idea: Even scientific laws can benefit from an update.
Beware the Well-intentioned Advice of Unusually Successful Academics
There is a wealth of advice and 'how to' guides available to academics on the subject of how research can have an impact on policy and practice. In this post Kathryn Oliver and Paul Cairney assess the value of this literature, arguing that unless researchers seek to situate research impact within processes of policymaking and academic knowledge production, this advice can ultimately reinforce current inequalities in research impact.
Climate Change Swells Odds of Record India, Pakistan Heatwaves
A UK study says record-breaking temperatures in NW India and Pakistan are now 100 times more likely.
Paywalls Are Slowing the Quest For a Cancer Cure
Paywalls to scientific journals are hindering access and slowing progress to cures for cancer.
Is the Nobel Prize Still Relevant Today?
The Nobel Prize is considered the "Mount Everest of science." But it faces criticism over how winners are chosen, and may give a warped idea of scientific progress.
Knowledge Sector Takes Major Step Forward in New Approach to Recognising and Rewarding Academics
Knowledge Sector Takes Major Step Forward in New Approach to Recognising and Rewarding Academics
Academics can excel in many areas, but thus far they have primarily been assessed based on research achievements. From now on, the public knowledge institutions and research funders want to consider academics' knowledge and expertise more broadly in determining career policy and grant requirements.
Peer Review Has Its Shortcomings, But AI Is a Risky Fix
A European professor and journal editor argues that the use of AI in peer review could hamper scientific advancement.
Billionaires Are Rushing into Biotech. Inequality Is Following Them into Science
Billionaires Are Rushing into Biotech. Inequality Is Following Them into Science
In this era of billionaires and unequal funding, where is research going? And perhaps more importantly, how will our changing resources affect the training, success, and diversity of the scientists of our future?
What (Not) to Do When Libraries Won't Get on Board
Why aren't libraries providing support for your open access or open science initiative? Be careful what you assume.
Western science severs ties with Russia
NASA Scientific relations between Russia and the West have reached their lowest ebb since the cold war, after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.
Google’s Long, Strange Life Span Trip
Why does a mole rat live 30 years but a mouse only three? With $1.5 billion in the bank, Google’s anti-aging spinout Calico is rich enough to find out.
Support from Swiss Funder
SNSF grant-holders may deposit their scientific data in any recognized digital archive (commercial or not) that meets the FAIR principles.
Publish Peer Reviews
Biomedical funders and ASAPbio call on journals to sign a pledge to make reviewers’ anonymous comments part of the official scientific record.
Populist President Sparks Unprecedented Crisis for Brazilian Science
Tensions are rising as Jair Bolsonaro’s administration questions the work of government scientists and institutes debilitating cuts to research funding.
Developing an Inclusive Culture at South Africa's Research Institutions
Developing an Inclusive Culture at South Africa's Research Institutions
To fully desegregate science, institutions should bolster mentorship, safe spaces and a culture of belonging.
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?
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.
Will AI Ruin the Social Sciences - or Revolutionize Them?
The technology can whip up spurious findings and pollute survey responses, but it could also make research more rigorous.
Research for all
Numbers on racial bias in research grants awarded by the NIH show that science has more to learn about inclusiveness.
Social Media Accelerates Science
Social Media Accelerates Science
How researchers are taking advantage of Twitter and other forums to do, share, and discuss research
Fighting Sexual Harassment in Science May Mean Changing Science Itself
Science in Europe: by the Numbers
The region already hosts some of the world's leading scientific countries, and some of its smaller states are quickly catching up.
Could 'Science Courts' Help Build Public Trust?
Debating scientific topics in a courtroom setting could be a way to inform and engage citizens in public policy.
The Relative Influences of Government Funding and International Collaboration on Citation Impact
WHO Panel Proposes New Global Registry for All CRISPR Human Experiments
The World Health Organization should also step up governance of human genome-editing research.
Politics, science, and public attitudes
Politics, science, and public attitudes
What we're learning, and why it matters.
The number games
In our global survey on innovations in scholarly communication, we asked researchers what tools they use for a large number of activities across the research cycle.
China Faces Science Reform Challenges, Including Favoritism
In this Policy Forum, Cong Cao and Richard P. Suttmeier highlight the immense work and challenges China will encounter as it attempts to reform its scientific and technological development strategy.
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