How Do I Tell Someone That I Can't Write Them a Strong Letter of Recommendation?
Researchers are often asked to write references or recommendation letters. Nature asked three senior scientists what they do when they can't endorse someone.
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Improving Opportunities for Female Scientists in Central Africa
Improving Opportunities for Female Scientists in Central Africa
How a Congolese Foundation supports the development of women scientists.
A Multi-model Assessment of Inequality and Climate Change
A Multi-model Assessment of Inequality and Climate Change
Climate change and economic inequality are critical issues, and we still lack understanding of the interaction between them. Multi-model analysis shows how climate policies compatible with the goals of the Paris Agreement, including revenue-redistribution schemes, can reduce inequality-particularly in the short and medium terms.
Nearly 50% of Researchers Quit Science Within a Decade, Huge Study Reveals
How to Win a Nobel Prize: What Kind of Scientist Scoops Medals?
What subjects have past winners studied? What age were they when they won? Where do they live? Nature crunched the data on every science prizewinner to find out.
Researchers in Hungary Raise Fears of Brain Drain After 'body Blow' EU Funding Suspension
Researchers in Hungary Raise Fears of Brain Drain After 'body Blow' EU Funding Suspension
A survey of early-career academics finds that one in four is considering moving abroad amid concerns of stigmatization from some international colleagues.
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.
'Afraid to Talk': Researchers Fear the End for Science in Venezuela
A lack of funding and academic freedom amid a political crackdown leave scientists feeling hopeless and pondering an exodus from the country.
Unearthing 'hidden' Science Would Help to Tackle the World's Biggest Problems
Tens of thousands of studies evaluating government programmes are collecting dust in institutional vaults. Sharing them could benefit everyone.
Academics Say Flying to Meetings Harms the Climate - but They Carry on
A survey at one of the biggest UK research universities finds that staff often end up flying to meetings despite a preference to avoid air travel.
A Day in the Life of the World's Fastest Supercomputer
In the hills of eastern Tennessee, a record-breaking machine called Frontier is providing scientists with unprecedented opportunities to study everything from atoms to galaxies.
Publishing Nightmare: A Researcher's Quest to Keep His Own Work from Being Plagiarized
Publishing Nightmare: A Researcher's Quest to Keep His Own Work from Being Plagiarized
A scientist reviewing a study spotted figures that looked identical to his own, leading to a frustrating campaign to prevent its publication.
Japan Moves to Halt Long-term Postgraduate Decline by Tripling Number of PhD Graduates
Inside China's Race to Lead the World in Nuclear Fusion
The country has ambitious plans for fusion power plants to provide clean, limitless energy. Can they be realized?
China's Big-Science Bet
With a view to increase its prestige and influence in global science, the country is investing heavily in major facilities.
The Citation Black Market: Schemes Selling Fake References Alarm Scientists
The Citation Black Market: Schemes Selling Fake References Alarm Scientists
The ways in which researchers can artificially inflate their reference counts are growing.
Cash for Catching Scientific Errors
The ERROR project offers researchers a bounty for spotting mistakes in published papers - a strategy borrowed from the software industry.
'There's a Lot of Privilege Masquerading As Merit': Why Inclusion Matters in Academia
Frankie Heyward explains why he founded the National Black Postdoctoral Association, and why researchers must honestly evaluate their privilege.
How to Win Funding to Talk About Your Science
Many researchers describe public outreach as a labour of love, often carried out in their spare time. But some funders reward these activities.
A Model of Faulty and Faultless Disagreement for Post-hoc Assessments of Knowledge Utilization in Evidence-based Policymaking
A Model of Faulty and Faultless Disagreement for Post-hoc Assessments of Knowledge Utilization in Evidence-based Policymaking
When evidence-based policymaking is so often mired in disagreement and controversy, how can we know if the process is meeting its stated goals?
Scientists Are Falling Victim to Deepfake AI Video Scams - Here's How to Fight Back
These AI Firms Publish the World's Most Highly Cited Work
US and Chinese firms dominate the list of companies that are producing the most research and patents in artificial intelligence.
How to Spot a Predatory Conference, and What Science Needs to Do About Them: a Guide
How to Spot a Predatory Conference, and What Science Needs to Do About Them: a Guide
Researchers who have fallen prey to predatory conferences share the tell-tale signs of a dud event.
Guidelines on Lab-grown Embryo Models Are Strong Enough to Meet Ethical Standards - and Will Build Trust in Science
Guidelines on Lab-grown Embryo Models Are Strong Enough to Meet Ethical Standards - and Will Build Trust in Science
The UK code of practice for researchers working with stem-cell-based embryo models is designed to both reassure the public and provide valuable guidance to researchers.
Retraction Notices Are Getting Clearer - But Progress is Slow
Communications relating to retractions are often still opaque and lacking in detail, but an analysis finds some evidence of improvement.
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