News archive

COMMENT: Ignoring evidence when deciding where research funding goes will not lead to high quality research, says Adrian Barnett. 

Several factors can help institutions secure one of these sought-after grants. 

G20 countries dominate global research spending and production, but the mix is changing.

A large computing network that has helped design cancer drug candidates and search for extra-terrestrial life is struggling to maintain its volunteer network.

As Donald Trump’s bid to reinstate his travel ban failed last week, three Iranian scientists speak of their fears amid the uncertainty.

Female researchers in engineering receive fewer citations, despite producing high-quality research.

A social welfare programme for women at risk of HIV has built trust between this vulnerable group and scientists seeking new treatments and a cure.

A large number of professors in Italian universities produce no cited work. 

Size does matter when it comes to research performance.

More scientists could help sustain the country's recent growth in research output.

Applying for ethics approval cost Adrian Barnett's research group $348,000 in staff time, and delayed the research by six months.

A discovery in an ancient Chinese pot would reveal one of the oldest records of beer production.

Tracking the careers of leading scientists reveals maintaining an edge is harder for women in Italy.

Citations don't always reflect the quality or impact of a researcher's work. 

Locating a country in the title of a scientific paper may lower its visibility.

The country has become a renowned destination for the paleoanthropological community.

Writing style and grammar can affect an article’s citations. 

Academics can learn a lot from the corporate world. 

Apportioning author credit in large collaborations is as problematic as the Nobel Prize’s rule of three.

If funding applications were made under open access, science would benefit from more universal scrutiny.