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How the Coronavirus Infects Cells - and Why Delta is So Dangerous

How the Coronavirus Infects Cells - and Why Delta is So Dangerous

Scientists are unpicking the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 and how the virus uses tricks to evade detection.

Pandemic Aid Programs Spur a Record Drop in Poverty

Pandemic Aid Programs Spur a Record Drop in Poverty

The most comprehensive study yet of the federal response to the pandemic shows huge but temporary benefits for the poor - and helps frame a larger debate over the role of government.

Proposed NIH Windfall Raises Hopes - and Fears

Proposed NIH Windfall Raises Hopes - and Fears

Large increases to the budget of the US National Institutes of Health can spur wide investment, but also increase competition among junior researchers.

The Lack of People of Colour in Science Images Must Be Fixed

The Lack of People of Colour in Science Images Must Be Fixed

Archives, libraries, photo agencies and publishers need to do better to reflect science's true past and present.

Research Stories - from Webcomics to Local Bookstores

Research Stories - from Webcomics to Local Bookstores

Art has long been used as a means to communicate science. In ancient Greece, poetry was a powerful way of communicating about mathematics, astrology and the natural world. Fast forward 13 centuries, past the invention of the printing press which saw science communication flourish, to today, where artistic skills and science have come together once again - this time to explore the power of storytelling through comics. ERCcOMICS was the result of a search by the European Research Council to find an innovative and creative way to communicate ERC funded projects.

COVID Vaccines Have Higher Approval in Less-Affluent Countries

COVID Vaccines Have Higher Approval in Less-Affluent Countries

Surveys show that people in ten low- and middle-income nations are generally more eager to receive the COVID-19 jab than people in two wealthier nations where vaccine is plentiful.

Is It Time to Reassess Student Assessment?

Is It Time to Reassess Student Assessment?

The pandemic has accelerated numerous experiments in assessment for the digital age, moving beyond simple knowledge recall. But is the traditional exam really obsolete? As the dust settles on another marking season, seven academics give their widely differing views.

More Unintended Consequences: How the Plan S Transformative Journal Route Favors Larger Incumbent Publishers

More Unintended Consequences: How the Plan S Transformative Journal Route Favors Larger Incumbent Publishers

For smaller and independent publishers, the Transformative Journal route to Plan S compliance seems like a viable option. At least until you see the reporting requirements.

Office for Students Confirms Funding Reforms

Office for Students Confirms Funding Reforms

The Office for Students (OfS) has confirmed changes to how it will distribute funding to universities and colleges for 2021-22. OfS funding supplements course fees which pay for the bulk of higher education course costs.

Government Innovation Strategy Will Transform Lives and Livelihoods

Government Innovation Strategy Will Transform Lives and Livelihoods

UKRI welcomes the government's ambitious Innovation Strategy and its commitment to strengthening the UK's position as a world leader for research and innovation.

COVID and Mass Sport Events: Early Studies Yield Limited Insights

COVID and Mass Sport Events: Early Studies Yield Limited Insights

UK allowed mass gatherings and attempted to study them but the early results provide limited data on viral transmission.

ERC President Decries Basic Research Being 'Subordinated' to EU Political Priorities

ERC President Decries Basic Research Being 'Subordinated' to EU Political Priorities

The outgoing president of the European Research Council (ERC) Jean-Pierre Bourguignon called for an end to the current "boom and bust" approach to basic research funding, at a meeting of EU science ministers in Slovenia on Monday.

Pact for Research & Innovation: the Foundations of the European Research Area Still Valid and Unavoidable

Pact for Research & Innovation: the Foundations of the European Research Area Still Valid and Unavoidable

Launched two decades ago, the European Research Area (ERA) has made limited progress. The ERC Scientific Council fully supports renewed efforts for further development.

Why is Horizon Europe Important for Switzerland and the European Union?

Why is Horizon Europe Important for Switzerland and the European Union?

Switzerland has been excluded for now from the EU's key Horizon Europe research programme. This is a big blow for Switzerland's research landscape.

'They're Killing People': Biden Denounces Social Media for Virus Disinformation

'They're Killing People': Biden Denounces Social Media for Virus Disinformation

The president's blunt statement capped weeks of frustration in the White House over the spread of vaccine disinformation on Facebook and other platforms.

C.D.C. Director Warns of a 'Pandemic of the Unvaccinated'

C.D.C. Director Warns of a 'Pandemic of the Unvaccinated'

Cases, hospitalizations and deaths remain far below last winter's peak, but the director urged people to get fully vaccinated.

COVID: Why Are So Many People Against Vaccination?

COVID: Why Are So Many People Against Vaccination?

The number of people who are against getting a COVID-19 vaccine seems to be going up, even as ever more people get vaccinated. What do they base their arguments on?

What Science Fiction Got Right and Wrong About the Babies of the Future

What Science Fiction Got Right and Wrong About the Babies of the Future

A century of science has pushed the boundaries of human reproduction even beyond writers' imaginations.