A Fatal Reaction
A cutting-edge gene-editing trial in China went disastrously wrong. A family wants accountability.
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Why Do Some People Who Trust in Science Also Believe in Scientific Conspiracy Theories?
Why Do Some People Who Trust in Science Also Believe in Scientific Conspiracy Theories?
Trust in science seems compatible with believing almost anything, so long as it is expressed in plausibly scientific terms.
Academic Freedom for the Win; Open Access Mandate in Germany Declared Unconstitutional
Academic Freedom for the Win; Open Access Mandate in Germany Declared Unconstitutional
A German court ruled against a mandatory article deposit requirement under Germany's "secondary publication right" (SPR).
AI Promised to Democratise Academic Publishing - the Evidence Says Otherwise
AI Promised to Democratise Academic Publishing - the Evidence Says Otherwise
It was thought AI would level the playing field in academic publishing for non-native English speakers. A growing body of evidence to reveals the opposite.
Anyone Can Fake a Scientific Image with AI, Tricking Even Academic Journals - and Undermining Trust in Science
Anyone Can Fake a Scientific Image with AI, Tricking Even Academic Journals - and Undermining Trust in Science
Several scientific fields rely on visual evidence to illustrate their claims. Inaccurate AI-generated images put the credibility of science at risk.
Decentralized Databases: Building a Backup Plan for Biomedicine’s Knowledge
Decentralized Databases: Building a Backup Plan for Biomedicine’s Knowledge
A brief outage at NCBI, the US government’s biomedical database, exposed the risks of relying on a single repository and renewed calls for a global, decentralized data-sharing network.
The Hill I will Die On: If Hollywood Blockbusters Must Dabble in Science, Can’t They Get the Small Stuff Right?
The Hill I will Die On: If Hollywood Blockbusters Must Dabble in Science, Can’t They Get the Small Stuff Right?
Project Hail Mary, Jurassic Park: from dino-mosquitoes to a spaceship’s roar, pointless mistakes on the scientific details make me wince.
What is Ethical Knowledge Brokering?
Knowledge brokers have to navigate competing interests often without guidance. The authors set out system of practical ethics for knowledge brokers.
The Netherlands is Actually Raking in Too Much European Research Funding
Countries in Central and Eastern Europe are becoming increasingly successful at applying for a European research grant. Yet the gap with the Netherlands and the rest of the EU remains large. "We are losing an enormous amount of talent."
Parliament ‘misreads’ link between Horizon Europe and ECF, Commission official says
Parliament ‘misreads’ link between Horizon Europe and ECF, Commission official says
Maive Rute says the upcoming competitiveness coordination tool will set a limited number of top-down priorities.
AI Policy is Penalising the Students Most Trying to Comply
Jim Dickinson presents findings from new research on students' use of AI – and argues the sector is punishing precisely the disposition it should be cultivating.
Understand the Motivations Involved in Research-policy Exchange
The rush to expand policy engagement without understanding the goals for each side risks creating structures and processes that work for no one. Here's how to understand each other better.
Public Writing Has Become a Benchmark of the PhD Journey
Public Writing Has Become a Benchmark of the PhD Journey
Writing for public audiences in a variety of media has become a common feature of PhD research. This blog discusses what pubic writing adds to the PhD journey.
What a Recent Court Win Reveals About the Trump Administration's Unlawful Attacks on Climate Science
Why the Crisis in Official Statistics Matters - and How It Can Be Fixed
Why the Crisis in Official Statistics Matters - and How It Can Be Fixed
Governments that value effective policymaking should be alert to the perils of falling survey-response rates, inadequate funding and increased politicization of official data.
The Swiss Science Council Submits Statement on Planned Abolition – Independent Advice Must Not Be Weakened
The Swiss Science Council Submits Statement on Planned Abolition – Independent Advice Must Not Be Weakened
As part of the consultation process on the reorganisation of extra-parliamentary commissions, the Swiss Science Council (SSC) firmly rejects the Federal Council's proposal to abolish the SSC.
The Popularity of "new Antiquarianism" Challenges How We Understand Research Impact
The Popularity of "new Antiquarianism" Challenges How We Understand Research Impact
Research in the humanities is not confined to academic institutions. Particularly in history & archaeology where "new antiquarianism" creates public research.
When Do Scientists Become Leaders? Earlier Than We Think
When Do Scientists Become Leaders? Earlier Than We Think
By treating leadership as a future role, research training overlooks skills trainees practice daily and delays their development.
Pop-up Journals for Policy Research: Can Temporary Titles Deliver Answers?
Journals that focus on specific research questions could help to bridge the science-policy gap, if they can attract researchers.
Does Targeted Research Funding Reshape Research Landscapes?
New research finds no clear evidence that targeted funding leads to larger or more abrupt shifts in research topics than non-targeted funding. Instead, changes in research focus tend to be gradual, and similar in scale across both funding modes.
Four Years On, Research Excellence in Wartime is Not a Luxury - It is Infrastructure
Four Years On, Research Excellence in Wartime is Not a Luxury - It is Infrastructure
The experience of UK-Ukraine research collaboration demonstrates the critical importance of structures when systems and individuals are under pressure.
Women’s Research Papers Spend Longer Under Peer Review Than Men’s
Women’s Research Papers Spend Longer Under Peer Review Than Men’s
A study of millions of life science papers revealed that manuscripts with women in key authorship roles spent longer between submission and acceptance.
So... IS the Essence of a Journal Portable? Checking in on NeuroImage and Imaging Neuroscience
So... IS the Essence of a Journal Portable? Checking in on NeuroImage and Imaging Neuroscience
How are two competing neuroscience journals faring since the editorial board of one departed to create the other?
Covid Prompted New Ways to Publish Research - It's Time to Embrace Them
Covid Prompted New Ways to Publish Research - It's Time to Embrace Them
The pandemic showed the benefits of a system based around reviewing preprints. Why was eLife the only journal to respond, asks Damian Pattinson.
We Need to Move Beyond the Accept/Reject Binary in Peer Review
Binary reject/accept peer review has become conflated with validation. The authors outline three myths sustaining this confusion and how we might escape it.
The Missing Infrastructure of Racial Equity in Doctoral Education
The Missing Infrastructure of Racial Equity in Doctoral Education
Underrepresentation of Black students in doctoral study is well known, and yet progress remains painfully slow.
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