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Why Is There so Little Research on Guns in the US?
Research is the foundation for evidence-based policies. But because of funding prohibitions, there's little US research to inform the contentious debate around gun violence and gun control.
No Science Minister, and It's Unclear Where Science Fits in Australia
Right now, for the second time since 1931, there is no minister directly responsible for science in Australia.
Novelty in Science - Real Necessity or Distracting Obsession?
When rewards such as funding of grants or publication in prestigious journals emphasize novelty at the expense of testing previously published results, science risks developing cracks in its foundation.
Universities Spend Millions on Accessing Results of Publicly Funded Research
Universities in New Zealand spent close to US$15 million on subscriptions to just four publishers in 2016, data that was only released following a request to the Ombudsman.
Want to Change Federal Policies? Here's How
One of the best ways to shape public policy is for experts to submit detailed, technical information through the public comment process.
New Research Shows Explaining Things to 'Normal' People Can Help Scientists Be Better at Their Jobs
New Research Shows Explaining Things to 'Normal' People Can Help Scientists Be Better at Their Jobs
It might feel like rocket science, but scientists need to get better at explaining things to people outside academia.
Academic Journal Publishing Is Headed for a Day of Reckoning
In our institutions of higher education and our research labs, scholars first produce, then buy back, their own content. With the costs rising and access restricted, something's got to give.
Expertise in Sciences and the Decision of What Is Publishable: A Noble yet Endangered Task
Expertise in Sciences and the Decision of What Is Publishable: A Noble yet Endangered Task
How is a scientific article accepted for publication in an academic journal? What is the role of peer reviewers? Where does the system go astray?
Not Just Available, but also Useful
Could the real open access please stand up? If more research was published according to true open access principles, we'd see better application of evidence for everyone's benefit.
Not Just Available, but Also Useful: We Must Keep Pushing to Improve Open Access to Research
Not Just Available, but Also Useful: We Must Keep Pushing to Improve Open Access to Research
Could the real open access please stand up? If more research was published according to true open access principles, we'd see better application of evidence for everyone's benefit.
How Fair Is It for Just Three People to Receive the Nobel Prize in Physics?
How Fair Is It for Just Three People to Receive the Nobel Prize in Physics?
Alfred Nobel didn’t foresee the current era of mega scientific collaboration.
I Was an Exxon-Funded Climate Scientist
A new study confirms what many already know: Exxon for years sowed uncertainty and doubt about climate change in the public. Should scientists reject certain funding sources?
When the Federal Budget Funds Scientific Research, It's the Economy That Benefits
No New Einsteins to Emerge If Science Funding Snubs Curiosity
Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein would have bridled under today's research funding bureaucracy. It's time to allow scientists to indulge their curiosity again.
Scientific Integrity Must Be Defended, Our Planet Depends on It
To conserve Earth's remarkable species, we must also defend the importance of science and scientific integrity.
Benefits that a Digital Healthcare System Could Bring Aren’t Out of Reach
There are many obstacles to bringing the power of 21st-century technology to the NHS. But that shouldn't stop us trying.
Research Transparency: 5 Questions About Open Science Answered
Partly in response to the so-called 'reproducibility crisis' in science, researchers are embracing a set of practices that aim to make the whole endeavor more transparent, more reliable – and better.
We Need to Break Science out of Its Ivory Tower
We can overcome the tyranny of inaccessible science hardware by building a movement for equity in science.
How We Edit Science Part 2: Significance Testing, P-Hacking and Peer Review
This is the second part in a series on how we edit science, looking at hypothesis testing, the problem of p-hacking and how the peer review process works.
After 75 Years, Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics Need Updating
Today's robots and artificial intelligence look very different from the androids conceived by Isaac Asimov.
Academics Can Change the World – If They Stop Talking Only to Their Peers
Very few academics do a great deal to share their often important and relevant research with the general public. What's holding them back?
The Science 'Reproducibility Crisis' – and What Can Be Done About It
The Science 'Reproducibility Crisis' – and What Can Be Done About It
We asked three experts for their takes.
Robots and AI could soon have feelings, hopes and rights
We have long believed ourselves to be the only intelligent beings on Earth – that may soon change and the consequences will be dramatic for law, politics and society in general.
The Tragic Story of Soviet Genetics Shows the Folly of Political Meddling in Science
The Tragic Story of Soviet Genetics Shows the Folly of Political Meddling in Science
When politics meddles with science, it can lead to tragedy, as was the case with Stalin's favourite agricultural biologist Trofim Lysenko and his rival Nikolai Vavilov.
Why You Should Care About the Rise of Fake Journals and the Bad Science They Publish
Why You Should Care About the Rise of Fake Journals and the Bad Science They Publish
There are more academic publishers out there than ever before. In 2014 there was an estimated 28,100 active scientific journals, but while the large majority of these journals are highly respected, there has also been a sharp rise in the number of predatory journals.