Differences between men and women in intelligence and behaviour have been proposed and disputed for decades. Now, a growing body of scientific evidence shows hundreds of genes act differently in the brains of biologically male or female humans. What this means isn’t yet clear, though some of the genes may be linked to sex-biased brain disorders […] … learn more→

You’re finally sitting down to write your research proposal and you’ve hit that section where you need to outline your aims and objectives. You stare at the page. Aren’t these basically the same thing? Can’t you just write “My aim is to…” and then copy-paste it under “My objective is to…” and call it a […] … learn more→

When we think of spies, we may go to images of people in trench coats and dark glasses, trying to steal government papers. Or someone trying to tap the phone of a senior official. The reality of course can be much more sophisticated. One emerging area of concern is how countries protect their university research from foreign […] … learn more→

If you’re a PhDer, you’ve probably heard these terms thrown around in seminars, thesis committees, and paper reviews: “What’s your contribution?” and “Why is this significant?” At first glance, these might seem like the same question asked in different ways. But they’re not. Understanding the difference between research contribution and significance can be the key […] … learn more→

Research results are not the same as research claims. This is one of those distinctions that sounds simple but can trip researchers up. But understanding the difference can be really helpful. Research results Research results are what you get when you finish your data generation and analysis. They’re the direct outcomes of whatever inquiry you’ve […] … learn more→

Self-correction is fundamental to science. One of its most important forms is peer review, when anonymous experts scrutinise research before it is published. This helps safeguard the accuracy of the written record. Yet problems slip through. A range of grassroots and institutional initiatives work to identify problematic papers, strengthen the peer-review process, and clean up the […] … learn more→

Published in 1987, with over 500,000 copies sold in France, The Little Treatise on Manipulation for the Use of Honest People , by Robert-Vincent Joule and Jean-Léon Beauvois, is a true bookstore phenomenon. Based on research in social psychology, the book offers insight into the manipulation techniques we face daily or which enable us to convince. […] … learn more→

The beautiful, fascinating and often perplexing world around us grows from intricate and convoluted interactions of millions of pieces. As scientists, we work to understand and describe the parts and interactions of these systems. Scientific understanding is only as good as the questions we ask. Observing the world from a variety of viewpoints and asking […] … learn more→

I’m often asked about predatory journals. So I recently went on a hunt for something other than lists and found a 2022 report on predatory journals and conferences from the InterAcademy Partnership.  OK it’s not 2025, but it’s still well worth looking at. The IAP is a global network of over 140 science, engineering, and medical academies that […] … learn more→

Over the past 400 years or so, a set of mostly unwritten guidelines has evolved for how science should be properly done. The assumption in the research community is that science advances most effectively when scientists conduct themselves in certain ways. The first person to write down these attitudes and behaviors was Robert Merton, in 1942. […] … learn more→