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Science Diplomacy and the Rise of Technopoles
During the era of globalization, science diplomacy was a key tool for addressing global challenges. Today, among fracturing alliances, the field must evolve.
Congo Calling
A dearth of local scientists is holding back research on the world’s second largest rainforest.
Science for the People
A growing movement connects scientists with policymakers and the public to shape a better society.
Why CERN Wants to Build a Giant Particle Collider
Scientists want to build a 90km Future Circular Collider to study the Higgs boson particle. At an estimated cost $17 billion, is it worth it?
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.
The More Interdisciplinary Research Is, the More It is Used in Policy Documents
The More Interdisciplinary Research Is, the More It is Used in Policy Documents
More interdisciplinary research may have greater relevance and be more heavily cited in policy documents.
The Benefits of Diamond Are Not Crystal Clear
There remain misconceptions and blindspots in the debate around diamond open access publishing. A realistic assessment of the sustainability this approach needs an agnostic assessment of its total costs and viability as a business model.
'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.
Swiss Students Drive Rocket Research Forward
Swiss students are propelling the future of space travel with innovative reusable rocket technology, putting Switzerland on the map in the global space race.
EU Ministers Lobby Zaharieva to Keep Widening Going in FP10
Well ahead of a proposal by the European Commission for the next framework programme for research member states are haggling between "the friends of excellence" and countries with less-well developed research systems.
Randomisation Can Resolve the Uncertainty at the Heart of Peer Review
Randomisation Can Resolve the Uncertainty at the Heart of Peer Review
Embracing uncertainty could improve peer review processes.
The Value of REF Beyond Academia - From Research to Development Impact
The Research Excellence Framework is primarily a mechanism for assessing the quality of research and allocating research funding. However, REF outputs and in particularly impact case studies hold value for many actors outside of higher education institutions.
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.
Indian knowledge
To distance its science education systems from centurieslong British colonialism, India is leaning into its history and traditions—but at what cost?
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?
How Far Can We Assess the Societal Impact of Open Science?
Drawing on a review of the published research into the societal impact of open science, Nicki Lisa Cole and colleagues find considerable evidence for the benefits of citizen science, but a much thinner evidence base for the impact of other aspects of open science. Their findings suggest that there is a greater need to consider how these impacts are monitored, and an opportunity to address open science as an inclusive practice, rather than simply a method of opening scientific outputs.
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.
Processing Horizon Europe Grants is Taking 23 Days Longer Than Horizon 2020
Horizon Europe is in its third year, and nearing the halfway point, analysis of how the programme is progressing is beginning to roll in.
Harris Vs. Project 2025: Competing Science Visions
Harris and Project 2025 present contrasting visions for U.S. science policy and research priorities. Get the breakdown on how they differ.
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.
Remapping Science - Researchers Reckon with a Colonial Legacy
The scientific enterprise both fueled, and was fueled by, the colonial one. Today, the smudged fingerprints of colonization still linger on the scientific enterprise.
Scientists Uncover Ancient Origin of Cultural and Linguistic Networks of Central African Hunter-Gatherers
Scientists Uncover Ancient Origin of Cultural and Linguistic Networks of Central African Hunter-Gatherers
Extensive social networks among different hunter-gatherer groups in the Congo Basin existed long before the advent of agriculture in the region. This continent-wide exchange helped preserve a rich cultural diversity that evolved over thousands of years, as demonstrated by researchers from the Univer
University of Kansas Study Explores the Transformation of Educational System with the Advent of Artificial Intelligence
University of Kansas Study Explores the Transformation of Educational System with the Advent of Artificial Intelligence
Schools are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence (AI) tools in piecemeal fashion. AI has, however, disrupted traditional job markets, and schooling needs to adapt more radically to prepare students for the challenges of the modern age. By studying the challenges and opportunities that emerged with the advent of AI, new research suggests that schools need to change traditional practices, with an improved focus on personalized and project-based learning.
Science should save all, not just some
Discussions around global equity and justice in science typically emphasize the lack of diversity in the editorial boards of scientific journals, inequities in authorship, “parachute research,” dominance of the English language, or scientific awards garnered predominantly by Global North scientists. These inequities are pervasive and must be redressed. But there is a bigger problem. The legacy of colonialism in scientific research includes an intellectual property system that favors Global North countries and the big corporations they support. This unfairness shows up in who gets access to the fruits of science and raises the question of who science is designed to serve or save.
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