Swiss science diplomacy
Switzerland utilizes the swissnex and embassy science sections to support science, technology, and innovation networks for its scientific and industrial competitiveness.
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Fake papers a symptom of more serious problems in academia
One of the biggest stories in academia recently was the retraction of more than 120 papers by well-known journal publishers Springer and the IEEE.
Post publication peer review
New scientists have grown up commenting on their friends pictures, their silly comments on Facebook and their favorite YouTube videos. Will this practice carry over into their scientific publishing?
How the Wellcome Trust spends its money
How the Wellcome Trust spends its money
The Wellcome Trust has released new data and infographics to show where it spends out money.
Elsevier admits it has been mis-selling open access and will be contacting mis-sold customers
Elsevier admits it has been mis-selling open access and will be contacting mis-sold customers
Comment of Elsevier's Director of Access and Policy on a blog
The mostly unread world of academic papers
According to one study, which was presumably read by more than three people, half of all academic papers are read by no more than three people.
Stem-cell method faces fresh questions
Papers describing acid-bath technique under more scrutiny after institute’s investigation finds errors in methodology
Women trail men in securing research council grants
Research Councils UK analysis reveals gender difference in success rates
Billionaires with big ideas are privatizing American science
Billionaires with big ideas are privatizing American science
As government financing of basic science research has plunged, private donors have filled the void, raising questions about the future of research for the public good.
Industry-funded academic inventions boost innovation
Brian D. Wright and colleagues present data challenging the assumption that corporate-funded academic research is less accessible and useful to others.
The new dilemma: too many places to post?
The new dilemma: too many places to post?
As online comments on newly published research become widespread, a new dilemma faces scientists wanting to enter the electronic fray: where to comment, and in what format for maximum impact?
Incoming NSF director faces challenges in Congress
Former Purdue University president France Córdova inherits an agency at a crossroads.
Don't hide the decline
US scientists should not be placated by the ‘flat budget’ myth. Funds are decreasing, and the situation will get worse.
We need more scientific mavericks
We need more scientific mavericks
Scientific mavericks once played an essential role in research. We must relearn how to support them and provide new options for an unforeseeable future.
A cross-disciplinary analysis of the presence of 'alternative metrics' in scientific publications
A cross-disciplinary analysis of the presence of 'alternative metrics' in scientific publications
An analysis of the presence and possibilities of altmetrics for bibliometric and performance analysis is carried out.
Cooperative Data Publishing, Management and Discovery
Cooperative Data Publishing, Management and Discovery
Present redistribution of public knowledge offers only the illusion of transparency. For data to truly be free, librarians must look towards their audience as digital collaborators, rather than simply end users.
Budget cuts bite at NIH and NSF
The NIH awarded 750 fewer new research grants in 2013 compared with 2012, an 8.3% drop. The 2013 sequestration also hit the US NSF, which awarded 690 fewer grants.
Public attitudes to science 2014
Public Attitudes to Science (PAS) 2014 is the fifth in a series of studies looking at attitudes to science, scientists and science policy among the UK public.
Budget sees boosts for data science, graphene and cell therapy
George Osborne continued his trend of throwing small crumbs of funding to science and technology while at the same time failing to announce either long-term support for basic science or a strategy to develop UK industrial research
RCUK Impact Report 2013
This reports show that the UK research base is not only at the cutting edge of scientific and academic discovery, but also is doing more to translate this into practical wider benefits. This helps to keep us ahead in the global race.
The parable of Google flu: traps in big data analysis
In February 2013, Google Flu Trends (GFT) made headlines but not for a reason that Google executives or the creators of the flu tracking system would have hoped.
The exploitative economics of academic publishing
Much of research in the US is inaccessible not only to the public, but also to other scientists. Fortunately, cheap open-access alternatives are not only possible, but already beginning to take root
Brain-mapping projects to join forces
US and European research programmes will begin coordinating research
Getting academic research into the public sphere: the rundown on repositories
Getting academic research into the public sphere: the rundown on repositories
List of the different types of current online repositories
WWW born at CERN 25 years ago
In March 1989 Tim Berners-Lee, a scientist working at CERN, submitted a proposal to develop a radical new way of linking and sharing information over the internet. The document was entitled Information Management: A Proposal . And so the web was born.
Science self-corrects - instantly
Science is now able to self-correct instantly. Post-publication peer review is here to stay.
Europe faces up to big pharma over clinical data
Is 2014 the year that Europe gets drug companies to publish all their data on the safety and effectiveness of medicines?
The art of science advice to government
Peter Gluckman, New Zealand's chief science adviser, offers his ten principles for building trust, influence, engagement and independence.
Why faculty members work so much?
As I am writing this article, I should be writing something else: an email to an editor, an email to an author, a letter of recommendation, notes for tomorrow’s classes, comments on students’ papers, comments on manuscripts, an abstract for an upcoming conference, notes for one of the books I’m working on.
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