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Could 'Science Courts' Help Build Public Trust?
Debating scientific topics in a courtroom setting could be a way to inform and engage citizens in public policy.
The Growing Environmental Footprint Of Generative AI
Did the Battle Against 'Misinformation' Go Too Far?
First GMO Mosquitoes to Be Released In the Florida Keys
The EPA approved Oxitec's mosquitoes for release this spring. Some scientists and locals want to halt the deployment.
Coronavirus Coverage and the Silencing of Female Expertise
With male voices dominating the pandemic narrative, female scientists are lamenting the loss of diverse perspectives.
In the Race to Crack COVID-19, Scientists Bypass Peer Review
To speed information sharing, many scientists are posting paper drafts directly online. What are the potential downsides of that?
A Revolution in Science Publishing, or Business As Usual?
"Open access" was supposed to change scientific publishing. Critics worry that the model is being corrupted by big corporate publishing money anyway.
More Inclusive Science Journalism Is Better Science Journalism
When we expand our pool of storytellers, we produce work that more fully reflects how science is done - and why it matters.
Artificial Intelligence Could Improve Health Care for All - Unless It Doesn't
Artificial Intelligence medical tools could help democratize health care - but some worry they could also worsen inequalities.
Nutrition Science Is Broken. This New Egg Study Shows Why.
At turns lauded and vilified, the humble egg is an example of everything wrong with nutrition studies.
Revisiting the Role of the Science Journalist
In today's ecosystem of online science publications, it can be hard to tell what qualifies as journalism and what doesn't. Does it matter?
In Swiss Academic Science, Charges of Bullying and Gender Bias
Following charges against a female scientist, some faculty at Switzerland's elite universities say the country has a gender equity problem.
It's 2019. Academic Papers Should Be Free.
Libraries and funding agencies are finally flexing their muscles against journal paywalls. Authors should follow suit.
Junk Science or the Real Thing? 'Inference' Publishes Both.
The newish 'quarterly review of science' sometimes muddies the waters between science and political ideology. It is funded by Peter Thiel.
Science's Quality-Control Process Gets a Makeover
Data underlying science’s quality control process is revealing worrying trends — and suggestions are pouring in on how to address the concerns.
The 'Loss of Confidence Project' Offers Scientists a Place to Confess
What are researchers to do when they lose confidence in their previously published work? A new project has an answer. Will it help the replication crisis?
Repeat Offenders: When Scientific Fraudsters Slip Through the Cracks
Balancing due process with the academic community's right to know is no easy task, but critics say more could be done to weed out bad actors. Many universities halt investigations after an accused scientist departs, leaving future employers blind to the researcher’s history of allegations.
In Tackling Gender Inequality in STEM, Considerations of Culture
Study finds that countries ranking higher on measures of gender equality tend to have fewer women pursuing a STEM education than those further down the gender equality ranks. The analysis suggests that there are girls with the grades, confidence, and the enjoyment of science to go into STEM, who still end up pursuing other careers. For the numerous organizations dedicated to addressing the problem of women’s underrepresentation in science, solutions are far from clear.
A Remedy for Broken Science, or an Attempt to Undercut It?
Reproducibility issues pose serious challenges for scientific communities. But what happens when those issues get picked up by political activists? A report from the National Association of Scholars takes on the reproducibility crisis in science. Not everyone views the group’s motives as pure.
Using Software to Fight Cancer Research Fraud
After discovering a pattern of fraudulent papers from China, an Australian oncologist aims to expand her watchdog project and keep the retractions coming.
A Rollback of DACA Would Undercut American Science, Too
Without the extension of the program - or a pathway to citizenship - those who know what it’s like to be undocumented say U.S. science could suffer.
Scientists and Journalists Square Off Over 'Getting it Right'
Some scientists say they should have the right to review stories in which their work or words are covered prior to publication. Journalists disagree.
NASA Should Be Friendly to the Press. Lately, It’s Not.
Why is the one federal agency dedicated to revealing the unknown to humankind so difficult for many journalists to penetrate?
Creating Incentives to Address the Replication Crisis in Science
Scientists have few direct incentives to replicate other researchers’ work, including precious little funding to do replications. Can that change?
In the Age of Trump, Open Science Is Crucial
With funding cuts to major science agencies looming, it is now more important than ever for researchers to embrace transparency and data sharing.
Award-Winning Nautilus Magazine Enters Troubled Waters
Funding shortfalls at the luxe science magazine have left some contributors waiting months to be paid. They may need to wait a little longer.