Research

As his new book on pandemics is published, the UK’s best-known historian tells Matthew Reisz that identity politics is inhibiting history, nationalism only intensifies during global crises, and a refusal to communicate history to the public amounts to mere ‘connoisseurship of the dead’

The idea that humans’ inventiveness will always keep them one step ahead of computers may not turn out to be true, says David Sanders

Economist Nicholas Barr, whose research shaped Labour’s 2006 fee policy, says mixed graduate tax and loan system can fix funding crisis

Australian Research Council promises more work on national security after internal review

Former minister says major reforms to governance and disciplinary rules needed after exit of ex-dean Martyn Percy

As anger mounts over cost of open access deals, moves to finance diamond journals and expand state-run digital platforms have divided opinion

Delaware associate professor of marine science faces sacking after top journals retracted her articles, but she claims a faculty report exonerates her

After brief term leading NIH’s biggest division, former Harvard surgeon embraced as established talent at time of turmoil

With cash, equipment and time on their hands, holidaymakers can add scale to citizen science projects, review finds

‘Census’ of research integrity advisors finds that their role is unknown to many, sometimes including themselves

English regulator’s chair says registration fees will rise as its activities expand

Disparities of wealth are becoming ever more extreme, yet researchers continue to focus their attention on the poor, laments Michael Marinetto

Trudeau administration hardens line on research ties to China, as academics report unsolicited approaches from intelligence agency

Short time horizons and a focus on cost-efficiency are limiting production of truly groundbreaking research, say Moqi Groen-Xu and Peter Coveney

It is vital for librarians to work proactively with tech firms to address the limitations and biases of the likes of ChatGPT, says Leo S. Lo

Raising the visibility of scientific breakthroughs with high-profile awards builds public trust and inspires the innovators of the future, says Richard Friend

Offering payment has risks, but it could expand the pool of willing reviewers beyond those on permanent academic salaries, says Duncan Money 

Even academics, never mind practitioners, will rarely read beyond an underwhelming and uninformative summary, says Maia Chankseliani

At formal inauguration, former Duke provost promises new interdisciplinary push, plus sees room to protect climate while keeping Koch funding

Government-led review of ‘low-performing’ research system will increase pressure to reform the role of France’s biggest scientific agency

Judge papers on a case-by-case basis, says author of study that found most ‘unusually high levels’ of self-citations are explained by legitimate reasons

Biden signalled new approach to scientific engagement with Asian superpower, but scholars say Trump’s China Initiative is continuing under new guises

The technology threatens to impoverish research and destroy humans’ ability to understand the social world, says Dirk Lindebaum

Rare involvement of learned academy in establishing ‘reasonable doubt’ over child murder conviction paves way for mechanisms to forestall future injustices

Success of Turing Scheme should not obscure lost benefits of deeper, reciprocal student exchange initiatives, explains House of Lords review

Alliances with university colleagues can be inspiring and life-affirming but may also be grounded in little more than ambition or survival instinct. Six writers reflect on the joys and challenges of having friends in academia

Clarivate report highlights reliance of US on research collaboration with China in key fields like engineering and technology

Interest in India growing as Washington-Beijing tensions show no indication of waning, scholars say

In high-profile instance of Trump administration crackdown, former Harvard nanoscientist gets leniency as he faces incurable cancer

Farah Karim-Cooper – one of the UK’s few ethnic minority Shakespeare professors – reflects on being an outsider in a discipline not known for its non-white faces and ponders how diversity can be improved

University of Winchester historian Ryan Lavelle reflects on nearly a decade advising on streaming giant’s blockbuster Vikings series

Document disappoints campaigners with lack of detail or targets after major funder promised overhaul during Black Lives Matter protests

Review calls for reduction in ministerial veto powers, highlights ARC’s role as ‘guardian of basic research’, but keeps applied research in the mix

Universities must address ethical questions and bias in AI and ensure students are ‘better than ChatGPT’, says Wei Li

Editorial team at NeuroImage will work with MIT Press to establish new non-profit journal

Ministers’ blueprint for Horizon alternative will be seen by Brussels as a ‘paper tiger’, warns Crick director

Bibliographic databases’ default ‘sort by relevance’ listings perpetuate bias towards white, Western men, says Katy Jordan

Publishing giant announces list of more than 100 nations where open access charges will not apply

The India-born, CUNY-based expert on light-matter interaction discusses his work to help school students share his sense of excitement

Projects that pose no risk to participants are being distorted or prevented by regulations designed for medical interventions, says Martyn Hammersley

While few dispute the need to increase the quantum, opinions differ over how to share the spoils

Assessment needs rethinking, but ChatGPT et al could streamline processes, improve tutoring and highlight collaborations, says Nick Jennings

Universities must lead on social justice and sustainable development, argues Dave Petley

Social scientist sees hand of ChatGPT in list of non-existent papers cited in peer reviewer’s rejection

Montana-based founder of Networked University idea eyes new way to aid students, share resources and, perhaps, bridge societal divides

Scientific community counts nation’s economic losses from two decades of underinvestment but can’t budge Trudeau government

Many such journals are on government-approved lists and indexed in mainstream bibliographic databases, says Emanuel Kulczycki

Imperial president reflects on his institution’s role in UK growth and the importance of collaboration within Horizon Europe 

Britain’s claims to ‘science superpower’ status look shaky as it is being outperformed by smaller nations on top-rated papers, says study lead

When Purdue biologist David Sanders ran for election to Indiana’s senate last autumn, he assumed a commitment to evidence and personal engagement would give him traction. But while his pitch was well received on doorsteps, the system’s dark arts fended him away from the legislature’s threshold

Trailblazing physicist Donna Strickland hopes new institute will tackle waning public trust in science

Hate campaign directed towards America’s chief pandemic scientist makes it harder to find permanent leader for world’s biggest research funder

Attempt to balance interests of employers and researchers pleases no one, and weekend Twitter storm forces the plan ‘back to the assembly hall’

While scores of doctoral students have at long last received permission to travel Down Under, the waiting list is long

Clarivate’s delisting of academic publications will send a message that research integrity is paramount, says campaigner

‘Misinterpretation’ of Research Excellence Framework guidance on staff selection judged not to have materially benefited university

Flaws in reporting health intervention studies mean years of research have ‘limited scientific use’, says University of Cambridge study

Ability of a university to work in flexible, interdisciplinary fashion meant Hopkins researchers could ‘fill gap’ between WHO and governments

Ex-Birmingham v-c and Hefce chief exec tells MPs that England’s regulator lacks skills needed to engage properly with universities

Repeated power outages cause widespread disruption on campuses, with fears that more students will drop out as a result