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Single Rulebook for EU Research Funding Risks 'Death' by Inflexibility, Warns ERC President

Single Rulebook for EU Research Funding Risks 'Death' by Inflexibility, Warns ERC President

A European Commission plan to standardise administrative processes for EU research funding could spell "death," the president of the European Research Council (ERC) has warned. Maria Leptin said that different EU research bodies had different aims and so need flexibility. Standardising their contracts, for example, could put them in a straitjacket. 

Science is No Longer Above Suspicion

Science is No Longer Above Suspicion

Science is no longer above suspicion. Once trusted as an impartial guide, it is now entangled with politics, corporate agendas and selective narratives - nowher

Navigating the chaos: Research community owes better communication to taxpayers

Navigating the chaos: Research community owes better communication to taxpayers

In exchange for continued taxpayer funding, American universities must better explain how research promotes the well-being and security of the public, according to two of the country’s top leaders in science policy.

International Scientific Collaboration is More Necessary - yet More Challenging - than Ever

International Scientific Collaboration is More Necessary - yet More Challenging - than Ever

These partnerships accelerate neuroscience by enabling researchers to share resources and expertise, as well as generate more relevant and reproducible results. But new federal funding restrictions in the United States are putting such collaborations in jeopardy.

As Scientists Raise the Alarm, Trump Administration Attacks Continue

As Scientists Raise the Alarm, Trump Administration Attacks Continue

Between January 20th and August 31st 2025, there have been 479 attacks on science, which undermine, co-opt, or blatantly ignore science in the federal government. These attacks follow the plan laid out in Project 2025.

The Case for a National Disaster Research Strategy

The Case for a National Disaster Research Strategy

An integrated national research strategy is urgently needed to strengthen the country's efforts to prepare for and respond to disasters.

The Road to FP10 is Paved with Missing Details

The Road to FP10 is Paved with Missing Details

Brussels research lobbies, together with leading MEP Christian Ehler, are calling for more detail and clarity about the European Commission's €175 billion plan for the tenth Framework Programme (FP10).

Nazi Human Experiments Still Influence Medicine Today

Nazi Human Experiments Still Influence Medicine Today

A new database tells the stories of victims of forced medical research during the Nazi era. What role do the specimens and findings from that time play in modern medicine and research?

Political Extremism Creates 'Climate of Anxiety' for Scientists

Political Extremism Creates 'Climate of Anxiety' for Scientists

The rise of populism and anti-science rhetoric in some regions of Europe is demoralising researchers and innovators, and creating a "climate of anxiety" that makes scientific discovery more difficult, according to a study published this month.

Why Science Must Embrace Co-Creation with Generative AI to Break Current Research Barriers

Why Science Must Embrace Co-Creation with Generative AI to Break Current Research Barriers

GenAI in science: The unexploited opportunity.

AI in Science: Is It Useful?

AI in Science: Is It Useful?

Artificial intelligence might be useful to scientists in some circumstances, but it's unlikely to revolutionise the job, according to presentations at a conference held last month that discussed the technology's impact on research. 

RFK Jr Has Slashed Vaccine Research. You Need To Know How Perilous That Is For The World

RFK Jr Has Slashed Vaccine Research. You Need To Know How Perilous That Is For The World

The avian flu virus is now just one mutation away from easier transmission among humans. Donald Trump’s health chief is a grave risk to world health.

Scientists’ role in defending democracy

Scientists’ role in defending democracy

We know from other countries and contexts that aspiring authoritarians often target scientists, elevate loyalists, and suppress or sideline any who might have the knowledge, expertise, or power to challenge government transgression and failures to make science-based policy decisions. In response to such threats, the US scientific community can work to rebuild critical elements of the federal science enterprise now being dismantled or compromised, including science advisory committees and scientific assessments, which for decades have helped ensure that the best available science informs policy decisions.

As Science Faces External Attacks, It Needs to Look Within to Defend and Reform

As Science Faces External Attacks, It Needs to Look Within to Defend and Reform

Rather than just defending the status quo, scientists should use data to understand and fix their own institutional problems

What Happens When the Nuts and Bolts of Science Diplomacy Come Loose?

What Happens When the Nuts and Bolts of Science Diplomacy Come Loose?

US science diplomacy has focused too much on preventing transfer of sensitive technology instead of on international collaboration.