Science Should Be Taught Like Art or Music
If we can get our minds around Premier League statistics, we can handle experimental science, writes physics professor Tom McLeish
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Universities Are Broke. So Let’s Cut the Pointless Admin and Get Back to Teaching
The meaningless tasks and faux-business strategies prioritised by British universities have skewed their real role, writes André Spicer
Cambridge University Press Faces Boycott Over China Censorship
Academics pressure publisher as Beijing mouthpiece says western institutions can leave if they don’t like ‘the Chinese way’
Cambridge University Press Accused of 'Selling Its Soul' over Chinese Censorship
Cambridge University Press Accused of 'Selling Its Soul' over Chinese Censorship
Academics and activists decry publisher’s decision to comply with a Chinese request to block more than 300 articles from leading China studies journal.
The Human Cost of the Pressures of Postdoctoral Research
A paper on conformal algebra has recently caused a stir on social media. Not because of the science, but rather the heartfelt plea in the acknowledgements.
Silicon Valley’s Weapon of Choice Against Women: Shoddy Science
Support for the Google ‘manifesto’ on gender difference recalls the rationale of eugenics.
'Tired of medals': new letters reveal how Alfred Russel Wallace shunned Darwin's fame
From declining royal honour to refusing to sit for a portrait, correspondences show co-discoverer of evolutionary theory avoiding publicity.
Pressure to Publish in Journals Drives Too Much Cookie-Cutter Research
Evaluating academic performance on the basis of journal publications is skewing research priorities. This does our public funders a disservice.
‘I Have to Be True To Who I Am as a Scientist’
Crispr inventor Jennifer Doudna talks about discovering the gene-editing tool, the split with her collaborator and the complex ethics of genetic manipulation.
Why I Left Physics for Economics
I recently decided to abandon the rules that govern nature for the rules that govern people and markets: economics. Why would I do such a thing?
'Exaggerations' Threaten Public Trust in Science
David Spiegelhalter, president of Royal Statistical Society, says sloppy attitude to statistics leads to misleading claims and draws parallels to rise of fake news
Is the Staggeringly Profitable Business of Scientific Publishing Bad for Science?
Is the Staggeringly Profitable Business of Scientific Publishing Bad for Science?
It is an industry like no other, with profit margins to rival Google – and it was created by one of Britain’s most notorious tycoons: Robert Maxwell.
In a World Ruled by Rumour, it Is Vital that Scientists Speak with Humility and Clarity
In a World Ruled by Rumour, it Is Vital that Scientists Speak with Humility and Clarity
Facts are the science world’s stock-in-trade, but in an era of fake news it is ever more important to build public trust by avoiding exaggerated claims and jargon.
Why We Can't Trust Academic Journals to Tell the Scientific Truth
Academic journals don’t select the research they publish on scientific rigour alone. So why aren’t academics taking to the streets about this?
Dozens of Recent Clinical Trials May Contain Wrong or Falsified Data, Claims Study
Fresh concerns over reliability of papers published in journals as suspicious statistical patterns prompt investigations into some of the identified trials
Essential to Good Science
Peer review recognition company Publons is set to expand under new owners. Could this boost peer review and stop it being seen as an onerous, thankless task?
It's Time for Academics to Take Back Control of Research Journals
The evolution to a high-profit industry was never planned. Academics need to make the case for lower-cost journals.
The Meaning of Life in a World Without Work
As technology renders jobs obsolete, what will keep us busy? Sapiens author Yuval Noah Harari examines ‘the useless class’ and a new quest for purpose
Why Open Source Pharma Is the Path to Both Cheaper and New Medicines
Breaking the cycle in which only highly profitable drugs reach the market is not just the responsibility of government.
They Will Pay as Much Attention to Us as We Do to Ants
Jürgen Schmidhuber says artificial intelligence will surpass humans’ in 2050, enabling robots to have fun, fall in love – and colonise the galaxy.
Can Pre-School Children Learn to do Science?
Science isn’t just about explosions. But can children as young as 3 understand what it’s really about?
Dear Anonymous Peer-Reviewer, Your Criticism Made Me a Better Researcher
Dear Anonymous Peer-Reviewer, Your Criticism Made Me a Better Researcher
When I first received one of your reports, I lay on the couch hugging a cushion. Then rage set in and I wanted to prove you wrong.
First UK Licence to Create Three-Person Baby Granted by Fertility Regulator
IVF technique uses DNA from three people to prevent genetic diseases being passed on, and could be offered by Newcastle clinic from this summer.
Google’s DeepMind Makes AI Program That Can Learn Like A Human
Program brings artificial general intelligence a step closer by using previous knowledge to solve fresh problems
How Can We Tackle the Thorny Problem of Fraudulent Research?
Misconduct in academia isn’t rampant but should be taken more seriously: let’s consider independent anti-corruption units
Tim Berners-Lee: I Invented the Web. Here Are 3 Things We Need to Change to Save It
It has taken all of us to build the web we have, and now it is up to all of us to build the web we want – for everyone
The History of Women in Science Shows Us the Fight Is Worth It
The ability to participate in science has always been political. On International Women’s Day, scientists must decide how best to defend women’s rights
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