Science works best when it is open
The sharing of research results, the free circulation of knowledge, and transparency in methodology are key tenets to the scientific method.
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The sharing of research results, the free circulation of knowledge, and transparency in methodology are key tenets to the scientific method.
It is remarkable that the sharing of academic research was the genesis of the modern web, yet today remains one of the last bastions of non-free content on the web.
Jerome Ravetz has been one of the UK’s foremost philosophers of science for more than 50 years. Here, he reflects on the troubles facing contemporary science. He argues that the roots of science’s crisis have been ignored for too long. Quality control has failed to keep pace with the growth of science.
Science appears to be in something of an evolutionary cul-de-sac, mired in poor methodology and misguided objectives that have changed only for the worse.
Making proclamations about the scientific enterprise based on sparse employment and career data about junior scientists has become a common endeavor. But this approach is fundamentally flawed.
The fast-moving field of gene-drive research provides an opportunity to rewrite the rules of the science, says Kevin Esvelt.
Experts preaching the ‘truth’ on healthy eating or cancer cures are not immune to the murky worlds of politics and commerce.
Solitude often holds negative connotations. Yet, solitude in science it is not necessarily a bad thing.
After ASAPbio, Cell Press CEO Emilie Marcus was left with many questions about preprint servers and her company's policy towards them.
In their response to the EU’s Competitiveness Council’s Conclusions of May 27, 2016, the publishers expressed numerous deep concerns.
The establishment of an agency in Indonesia that will support 'frontier research' is a welcome development, argues Dyna Rochmyaningsih.
The current movement to replicate results is crippled by a lack of agreement about the very nature of the word “replication” and its synonyms.
Young scientists are expected to change country and jobs every few years on average to get a chance to progress their academic career. Mobility in science stems from a long tradition. It is favoured for bringing very enriching experiences. But post docs and their scientific work do not always benefit from mobility. Here, EuroScientist looks into how being on the move every few years affects the life of researchers and looks at ways of enhancing work/life balance.
Women outnumber men in a raft of science courses – but when they start their careers, they find many insurmountable barriers.
The controversies surrounding Sci-Hub touch on many hot-button topics in librarianship. This primer lays out multiple perspectives on the issues.
Lessons learned and future thoughts on open access in humanities and social sciences.
There are better solutions to the “reproducibility crisis” in research
Nick Hillman offers academics advice on managing expectations and ensuring that their research has a big impact
Scientists, journal editors, and funders of research are talking about a once-heretical idea: preprint publishing for biologists.
How might Web technology change the publishing industry? Ask the inventor of the World Wide Web.
The reality of academia is stifling the passion and creativity needed both to enjoy science, and to do it well.
Overtime pay for postdoctoral scientists is welcome — but could mean fewer positions.
Purchase of research repository has horrified open access advocates who fear acquisition marks attempt to maintain control over publishing