ADVERTISEMENT
Scientists or veterinary workers doing experiments in lab with experimental animals biological genetic engineering research
Addressing the Problematic Past of Animal Behavior Research
Some of the foundational studies in the field were neither ethical by today’s standards nor replicable. But we can do better.
Addressing the Problematic Past of Animal Behavior Research
Addressing the Problematic Past of Animal Behavior Research

Some of the foundational studies in the field were neither ethical by today’s standards nor replicable. But we can do better.

Some of the foundational studies in the field were neither ethical by today’s standards nor replicable. But we can do better.

Critic at Large

Illustration of woman looking at floating cells through a telescope
Opinion: New Diabetes Drug Signals Shift to Preventing Autoimmunity
Jane Buckner, MD and Carla Greenbaum, MD | Mar 1, 2023 | 4 min read
A therapy for type 1 diabetes is the first to treat patients before symptoms appear, paving the way toward preventing this and other autoimmune diseases.
Illustration of a box opening with money inside
Opinion: A Call for Open Funding Procedures
Serge P. J. M. Horbach, Lex M. Bouter, and Joeri K. Tijdink | Feb 1, 2023 | 5 min read
How funders can improve transparency to foster efficiency and diversity in research
Illustration of two locks; one being unlocked.
Opinion: The Promise and Plight of Open Data
Ilias Berberi and Dominique Roche | Dec 1, 2022 | 4 min read
Open science serves to make the research process more transparent. But we are still waiting to realize the fruits of open-data policies at scientific journals.
Image of Gollum
Opinion: The Problem with Researchers Hoarding Resources
Jose Valdez and Sandeep Sharma | Nov 1, 2022 | 4 min read
For too long, some scientists have acted like Gollums of the ivory tower, guarding precious study sites, model organisms, and even entire fields of inquiry.
Organic food - flat design style colorful illustration. A composition with male, female characters, family, a big plate of vegetables, vegetarian salad, carrot, pepper, greens. Healthy lifestyle
Opinion: Eating Right to Avoid Catastrophe
Giulia Wegner and Kris A. Murray | Oct 3, 2022 | 5 min read
The key to averting cataclysmic events, such as pandemics, climate change, and mass extinction of species, lies partly in what’s on our plates.
Why gut health matters. Your digestion are important. Horizontal poster. Medical infographic. Stomach function. Editable vector illustration in modern style. Healthcare and scientific concept
Opinion: Splashing Cold Water on Poop Transplants for Weight Loss
Simar Bajaj | Sep 1, 2022 | 4 min read
Gut microbiome–based solutions hold promise for addressing obesity, but are they overhyped?
Photo of a clock on a plate with cutlery on either side.
Opinion: Changing When and How Much We Eat May Extend Healthspan
Joseph S. Takahashi and Carla B. Green | Aug 1, 2022 | 4 min read
Fasting, eating only at certain times of day, and restricting overall calorie intake can collectively contribute to lifespan extensions in animals. Could the same hold true in humans?
Tiny diverse scientists are studying the covid-19 virus under a giant microscope. Vaccine development concept
Opinion: Many Clinical Trials Fail to Navigate the Literature
Jacky Sheng, Jonathan Kimmelman, and Deborah Zarin | Jul 5, 2022 | 4 min read
Too often, studies that aim to develop new treatments for patients fail to adequately cite and build upon research that preceded them.
Data protection illustration
Opinion: Is Open Access Worth the Cost?
Jingshan S. Du | Jun 1, 2022 | 6 min read
As we continue to transition out of the print era of scientific publishing, funders and institutions are paying a steep price to have trustworthy publishers certify research outcomes.
Illustration of scientists
Opinion: How Large International Collaborations Have Fared in the Pandemic
Sadye Paez, Giulio Formenti, and Erich D. Jarvis | May 2, 2022 | 5 min read
COVID-19 has challenged the progress of Big Science. Here are the lessons learned.
Illustration of the Earth heating up
Opinion: Climate Change Is Dangerous to Your Health
Mark Kessel and Rick Elbaum | Apr 4, 2022 | 5 min read
In addition to causing more frequent natural disasters, global warming can have long-term health effects, which range from heat stress to mosquito-borne disease.
TK
Opinion: How to Confront Anti-Science Sentiment
Bill Sullivan | Mar 1, 2022 | 5 min read
Reaching a science skeptic is not a matter of credentials; it’s a matter of heart.
Illustration of man receiving a COVID test.
Opinion: What COVID-19 Has Taught Us About the Importance of Testing
Mark Kessel | Feb 1, 2022 | 5 min read
The pandemic has yielded many lessons. One is that adequate and well-distributed diagnostics are key to battling disease outbreaks.
Social media illustration
Opinion: Dismantling Anti-vaccine Rhetoric on Social Media
Federico Germani and Nikola Biller-Andorno | Jan 4, 2022 | 5 min read
Can requiring users of Facebook and other platforms to pass critical thinking tests stem the tide of widely disseminated misinformation?
Illustration of an interview
Opinion: Using Data to Hire High-Impact Faculty
Georges Belfort | Dec 1, 2021 | 3 min read
Selecting researchers who will drive research agendas forward requires a more quantitative approach to interviewing.
Illustration depicting peers reviewing a paper
Opinion: The Problem with Preprints
Michael Mullins | Nov 1, 2021 | 4 min read
Preprints can be valuable additions to the scientific literature. But we must start seeing them as perishable commodities rather than akin to peer-reviewed, published studies.
Illustration showing a laboratory scientist group studying the human brain and psychology
Opinion: Neuroscientists Need to Think about Sex (Bias)
Nora Wolcott | Oct 1, 2021 | 3 min read
The myth of female variability is shaping what we know about our brains.
Image of the microscopic view of an infectious virus cell, RNA.
Opinion: The Pandemic and the RNA Sequencing Gap
Robert Ross | Sep 1, 2021 | 3 min read
RNA sequencing technology lags far behind researchers’ ability to decode and understand DNA. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted this dangerous shortcoming.
Opinion: Treating Infertility as a Disease
Kate O'Neill | Aug 1, 2021 | 4 min read
For too long, a physiological inability to conceive or carry a child through to birth has been seen as a minor medical issue.
ADVERTISEMENT