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Some publishers say they are battling industrialized cheating. A Nature analysis examines the 'paper mill' problem -- and how editors are trying to cope. Some publishers say they are battling industrialized cheating. A Nature analysis examines the 'paper mill' problem -- and how editors are trying to cope., Author(s): Holly Else, Richard Van Noorden Author Affiliations: Illustration by Ana Kova Cartoon of researchers looking at a stack of papers with Western Blots. A magnifying glass shows the blots [...]

Elisabeth Bik quit her job to spot errors in research papers -- and has become the public face of image sleuthing. Elisabeth Bik quit her job to spot errors in research papers -- and has become the public face of image sleuthing., Author(s): Helen Shen Author Affiliations: Credit: Gabriela Hasbun for Nature [see PDF for image] Elisabeth Bik poses for a portrait taken through glass reflecting a garden showing her sitting at [...]

The nonsensical computer-generated articles, spotted years after the problem was first seen, could lead to a wave of retractions. The nonsensical computer-generated articles, spotted years after the problem was first seen, could lead to a wave of retractions., Author(s): Richard Van Noorden Author Affiliations: Hundreds of gibberish papers still lurk in the scientific literature Nonsensical research papers generated by a computer program are still popping up in the [...]

Some researchers have their manuscripts screened for errors before they go to journals. Some researchers have their manuscripts screened for errors before they go to journals., Author(s): Alison Abbott Author Affiliations: Illustration by Ana Kova The science institutions hiring integrity inspectors to vet their papers On 15 June 2017, scientists at a respected biological institute in [...]

Analysis reveals that strange turns of phrase may indicate foul play in science. Analysis reveals that strange turns of phrase may indicate foul play in science., Author(s): Holly Else Author Affiliations: 'Tortured phrases' give away fabricated research papers In April 2021, a series of strange phrases in journal articles piqued the interest of a group of [...]

Make science more reliable by placing the burden of replicability on the community, not on individual laboratories. Make science more reliable by placing the burden of replicability on the community, not on individual laboratories., Author(s): Olavo B. Amaral, Kleber Neves Author Affiliations: Reproducibility: expect less of the scientific paper Credit: David Parkins Illo of a person squashed by pile of papers. In 2018, we [...]

To thwart publishing rackets that undermine scholars and scholarly publishing, legitimate journals should show their workings. To thwart publishing rackets that undermine scholars and scholarly publishing, legitimate journals should show their workings., Author(s): Kyle Siler, Vincent Larivière, Philippe Vincent-Lamarre, Cassidy R. Sugimoto Author Affiliations: Illustration by David Parkins Cartoon of four researchers attacking a many headed hydra with swords Predatory publishers' latest [...]

To highlight uncertain norms in authorship, John P. A. Ioannidis, Richard Klavans and Kevin W. Boyack identified the most prolific scientists of recent years. To highlight uncertain norms in authorship, John P. A. Ioannidis, Richard Klavans and Kevin W. Boyack identified the most prolific scientists of recent years., Author(s): John P. A. Ioannidis, Richard Klavans, Kevin W. Boyack Author Affiliations: Illustration by David Parkins [see PDF for image] Thousands of scientists publish a paper every five days Authorship [...]

Productivity coaches, boot camps and online meet-ups teach researchers to avoid distractions and negative thoughts to get their writing projects done. Productivity coaches, boot camps and online meet-ups teach researchers to avoid distractions and negative thoughts to get their writing projects done., Author(s): Roberta Kwok Author Affiliations: You can get that paper, thesis or grant written -- with a little help Credit: Kristin Lee/Getty [see PDF for image] Pencil on open notebook [...]

Author(s): Nicky Phillips Two scientists have rolled out a program that spots incorrect gene sequences reported in experiments - and have used it to identify flaws in more than 60 [...]

Personality traits help to explain why some people and not others hoarded a humdrum product in the face of a deadly virus. Personality traits help to explain why some people and not others hoarded a humdrum product in the face of a deadly virus., Author Affiliations: Precious commodities: shoppers in Bangkok stock up on toilet paper and kitchen roll. [see PDF for image] Credit: Jack Taylor/AFP/Getty People wearing face masks manoeuvre a shopping trolley [...]

Hundreds of junk-science papers have been retracted from reputable journals after fraudsters used 'special issues' to manipulate the publication process. And the problem is growing. Hundreds of junk-science papers have been retracted from reputable journals after fraudsters used 'special issues' to manipulate the publication process. And the problem is growing., Author(s): Holly Else Author Affiliations: Scammers impersonate guest editors to get sham papers published Scammers have impersonated researchers to gain access to reputable journals and publish special issues filled with [...]

A deep dive into the physical-science literature links the most original research with the most recently formed teams of co-authors. A deep dive into the physical-science literature links the most original research with the most recently formed teams of co-authors., Author Affiliations: Fresh scientific collaborations lead to exciting results. Credit: Getty Scientists in a laboratory having a discussion. Want fresh results? Analysis of thousands of papers suggests trying new teammates [...]

Author(s): Dmitriy A. Dikin [1]; Sasha Stankovich [1]; Eric J. Zimney [1]; Richard D. Piner [1]; Geoffrey H. B. Dommett [1]; Guennadi Evmenenko [2]; SonBinh T. Nguyen [3]; Rodney S. [...]

A giant data store quietly being built in India could free vast swathes of science for computer analysis -- but is it legal? A giant data store quietly being built in India could free vast swathes of science for computer analysis --but is it legal?, Author(s): Priyanka Pulla Author Affiliations: Carl Malamud in front of the data store of 73 million articles that he plans to let scientists text mine. [see PDF for image] Credit: [...]

Four journals also say they are scrutinizing papers coauthored by Cao Xuetao after scientists raise questions about images on Twitter and PubPeer. Four journals also say they are scrutinizing papers coauthored by Cao Xuetao after scientists raise questions about images on Twitter and PubPeer., Author(s): Andrew Silver Author Affiliations: Chinese ministry investigates duplications in papers by university president Articles written by university president Cao Xuetao are being investigated over suggestions that dozens of papers [...]

Author(s): Sara Reardon A storm of criticism has rained down on a paper by genome-sequencing pioneer Craig Venter that claims to predict people's physical traits from their DNA. Reviewers and [...]

The discovery of high-temperature superconductors, the determination of DNA's double-helix structure, the first observations that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating--all of these breakthroughs won Nobel prizes and international [...]

Highlights from News & Views published this year. Highlights from News & Views published this year., Author Affiliations: Robots, hominins and superconductors: 10 remarkable papers from 2019 Credit: Sylvain Cherkaoui/Reuters [see PDF for image] A porter carries fish from a fishing boat to the beach at [...]

Specialized metallic inks make picture-perfect images on rewritable paper. Specialized metallic inks make picture-perfect images on rewritable paper., Author Affiliations: When the paper is dipped in a solvent, the colour image on it will vanish, allowing for reuse. Credit: Y. Ma et al./Nature Commun./CC BY 4.0 Rewritable paper [...]

Letter to the Editor, Author(s): Angela I. N. Obasi, Seye Abimbola, Ndekya Oriyo, Ben Morton, André Vercueil, Refiloe Masekela Author Affiliations: Credit local authors fairly on international research papers As co-signatories on a consensus [...]

Allegations of fabricated data have prompted a university investigation and some soul-searching. Allegations of fabricated data have prompted a university investigation and some soul-searching., Author(s): Giuliana Viglione Author Affiliations: 'Avalanche' of spider-paper retractions shakes behavioural-ecology community Studies of social spiders such as Stegodyphus dumicola (pictured) have come under close scrutiny. Credit: Bernard Dupont (CC [...]

For researchers with limited library resources, literature searches can seem frustratingly hit or miss: sometimes, they find exactly what they need first time, but sometimes, the key reference is hidden [...]

Author(s): Virginia Gewin Manuscripts may have a rigidly defined structure, but there's still room to tell a compelling story -- one that clearly communicates the science and is a pleasure [...]

Author(s): Quirin Schiermeier Ross Mounce knows that when he shares his research papers online, he may be doing something illegal - if he uploads the final version of a paper [...]

Few people have heard of Michele Tobias's research field--and even fewer study it. Tobias is an environmental scientist at California State Parks in Sacramento, but in her spare time she [...]

New policy tackles perverse incentives that drive 'publish or perish' culture and might be encouraging questionable research practices. New policy tackles perverse incentives that drive 'publish or perish' culture and might be encouraging questionable research practices., Author(s): Smriti Mallapaty Author Affiliations: China bans cash rewards for publishing papers Chinese institutions have been told to stop paying researchers bonuses for publishing in journals, as part of a [...]

Emma Rosi-Marshall's trouble started on 9 October 2007, the day her paper was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Rosi-Marshall, a stream ecologist at Loyola University [...]

To mark St Valentine's Day, Nature this week published a and sealed by science. One describes a science writer who was asked to investigate unusual crystals in a particle collider, [...]

The Toolbox 'Need a paper? Get a plug-in' () stated that Éric Archambault is an independent bibliometrician. He is actually chief executive of Science-Metrix in Montreal, Canada. DOI: [...]

The systems of science must reward honesty about mistakes to speed progress. The systems of science must reward honesty about mistakes to speed progress., Author(s): Nicholas P. Holmes Author Affiliations: I critiqued my past papers on social media -- here's what I learnt Every year in June, I discover that the most self-critical scientists [...]

If science's current predicament has taught us one thing, it is that we should beware of perverse incentives (see ). So let us imagine the cascade of woe that could [...]

The Pulitzer prizewinner shares his advice for pleasing readers, editors and yourself. The Pulitzer prizewinner shares his advice for pleasing readers, editors and yourself., Author(s): Van Savage, Pamela Yeh Author Affiliations: Novelist Cormac McCarthy's tips on how to write a great science paper Actor Josh Brolin as Llewelyn Moss in the 2007 film adaptation [...]

[illus. 1] Strips of paper embedded with a conducting polymer can perform a range of movements with electrical stimulation. George Whitesides at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and his colleagues [...]

Author(s): David Cyranoski A heated dispute over gene-editing that began in blogs and social media is now playing out in the scientific literature. Six months ago, Chinese researchers reported that [...]

The Oxford-AstraZeneca partnership is the first major developer to publish detailed data from phase III trials. The Oxford-AstraZeneca partnership is the first major developer to publish detailed data from phase III trials., Author(s): Heidi Ledford Author Affiliations: Oxford COVID-vaccine paper highlights lingering unknowns about results The results suggest that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and effective. Credit: Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty A scientist working [...]

The latest science news, in brief. The latest science news, in brief., Author Affiliations: Thousand-author papers, lab outbreaks and a prisoner exchange White Island, a marine volcano off New Zealand, erupted while tourists were exploring its crater. Credit: Michael Schade/Xinhua News Agency/eyevine [...]

A collection of web-browser plug-ins is making the scholarly literature more discoverable. A collection of web-browser plug-ins is making the scholarly literature more discoverable., Author(s): Dalmeet Singh Chawla Author Affiliations: Illustration by The Project Twins Need a paper? Get a plug-in For researchers with limited library resources, literature searches can seem frustratingly hit or [...]

Three examples show how public participation in research can be extended at every step of the process to generate useful knowledge.Three examples show how public participation in research can be extended at every step of the process to generate useful knowledge., Author(s): Gary Hickey, Tessa Richards, Jeff SheehyAuthor Affiliations:Co-production from proposal to paper Children with artificial limbs and their carers talk to researchers and industry representatives about improving prosthetics. [see PDF [...]

Author(s): Yiqin Alicia Shen; Yuichi Shoda; Ione Fine Our analysis of primary research papers in 15 prestigious multidisciplinary and neuroscience journals in the MEDLINE database indicates that the proportion of [...]

Papers that describe harmful effects to animals fed on genetically modified (GM) crops are under scrutiny for alleged data manipulation. The leaked findings of an ongoing investigation at the University [...]

Just how error-prone and self-correcting is science? We have spent the past 18 months getting a sense of that. We are a group of researchers working on obesity, nutrition and [...]

After half a century of citation indices, several intriguing questions remain. Are the most highly cited papers the most important ones? Does science make progress mostly through evolution or through [...]

An algorithm developed to spot abnormal patterns of citations aims to find scientists who have manipulated reference lists. An algorithm developed to spot abnormal patterns of citations aims to find scientists who have manipulated reference lists., Author(s): Richard Van Noorden Author Affiliations: Signs of 'citation hacking' flagged in scientific papers Scientists who get too many references to their own work inserted in others' papers -- whether [...]

Author(s): Declan Butler Computer software can now quickly detect duplicate images across large swathes of the research literature, three scientists say. In a paper published on 22 February on the [...]

The latest science news, in brief. The latest science news, in brief., Author Affiliations: Devastating fires, Iran nuclear tensions and pirate papers A house is destroyed by wildfire in New South Wales, Australia. Credit: Matthew Abbott/NYT/Redux/eyevine A kangaroo rushes past a burning [...]

Author(s): Chris Woolston Author lists have grown lengthy in many fields of science, but when a Drosophila genomics http://www.g3journal.org/content/early/2015/03/04/g3.114.015966.abstract [1] was published with more than 1,000 authors, it sparked discussion [...]

Author(s): Gabriel José de Carli, Tiago Campos PereiraAuthor Affiliations:Sharp rise in premier papers from Brazilian universities As a rough assessment of Brazil's contribution to high-impact science from 1980 onwards, [...]

A passionate debate has flared up in recent months about who deserves the credit for one of the most profound discoveries of our time: that our Universe is expanding, and [...]

This week, some 27,000 freshly published research articles will pour into the Web of Science, Thomson Reuters' vast online database of scientific publications. Almost all of these papers will stay [...]