Science & Society
- Psychology
Scientists of a feather flock together
When it comes to major scientific issues such as global warming and GMOs, scientists and the public don’t see eye to eye. It might be because socially, they don’t see each other at all.
- Science & Society
U.S. research workforce lags by some measures
Scientists’ share of total employment is lower in United States than in 16 other countries.
- Science & Society
Steven Weinberg looks back at rise of scientific method
Steven Weinberg’s new book ‘To Explain the World’ illustrates the difficulty of the development of modern science.
- Science & Society
Finalists chosen to compete in the 2015 Intel Science Talent Search
Teens from 18 states will soon face off in the finals of the 2015 Intel Science Talent Search, the nation’s most prestigious science research competition for high school seniors.
By Sid Perkins - Earth
‘Island on Fire’ recounts enormous 18th century eruption
The 18th century eruption of Iceland’s Laki volcano spewed sulfurous gases that briefly cooled the globe and probably contributed to the early deaths of tens of thousands of people.
By Sid Perkins - Science & Society
Smell circuitry, stalled stem cells and more reader feedback
Readers discuss a journal's publishing practices, ask about the human sense of smell and weigh in on their favorite picks from our Top 25 stories of the year.
- Science & Society
Contemplating the coming of the drones
Editor in Chief, Eva Emerson, contemplates the pros and cons of small drones flocking to our skies and the science behind them, discussed in this issue's feature on animal flight research.
By Eva Emerson - Science & Society
Big data studies come with replication challenges
As science moves into big data research — analyzing billions of bits of DNA or other data from thousands of research subjects — concern grows that much of what is discovered is fool’s gold.
- Science & Society
Attitude, not aptitude, may contribute to the gender gap
Does talent or hard work matter most? A new survey suggests an emphasis on genius predicts how many women end up in a field of study.
- Science & Society
Science’s self-criticism makes the enterprise stronger
Editor in Chief, Eva Emerson, considers the the tensions between statistical correctness and headline grabbing research discussed in this issue's part one of a two part feature examining the state of science in the age of publish-or-perish.
By Eva Emerson - Science & Society
12 reasons research goes wrong
Barriers to research replication are based largely in a scientific culture that pits researchers against each other in competition for scarce resources. Here are a few that skew results.
- Science & Society
Is redoing scientific research the best way to find truth?
Researchers don’t even agree on whether it is necessary to duplicate studies exactly or to validate the underlying principles.