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Turning a scientific lens on the wonderful world of fungi
Close Encounters of the Fungal Kind: In Pursuit of Remarkable Mushrooms Richard Fortey William Collins (2024) Richard Fortey, best known as a palaeontologist, has left the fossils of extinct marine organisms behind in this lovely book about fungi and his long-standing enthusiasm for field mycology. In Close Encounters of the Fungal Kind, Fortey describes his…
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Is COP29 climate deal a historic breakthrough or let-down? Researchers react
Activists protest during at the COP29 climate meeting in Baku.Credit: Dominika Zarzycka/SOPA via ZUMA/Alamy A last-minute deal that rescued the COP29 climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, is a “fragile consensus”, researchers who study climate finance have told Nature. Visibly relieved COP delegates from rich countries applauded in the early hours of 24 November following a…
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Citizen science as an instrument for women’s health research
Abstract Women’s health research is receiving increasing attention globally, but considerable knowledge gaps remain. Across many fields of research, active involvement of citizens in science has emerged as a promising strategy to help align scientific research with societal needs. Citizen science offers researchers the opportunity for large-scale sampling and data acquisition while engaging the public…
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Topological protection of optical skyrmions through complex media
Abstract Optical Skyrmions have many important properties that make them ideal units for high-density data applications, including the ability to carry digital information through a discrete topological number and the independence of spatially varying polarization to other dimensions. More importantly, the topological nature of the optical Skyrmion heuristically suggests a strong degree of robustness to…
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I had three children during my PhD: here’s what I learnt
Cecilie Steenbuch Traberg’s three children were all born while she worked towards her PhD.Credit: Weile’s Foto I’ll never forget when I was sitting in a lecture hall, overhearing fellow students behind me discussing how having a baby during graduate school is “career suicide”. When I stood up, revealing my 30-week bump, their shocked expressions spoke…
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Forensic science is more than a test result
Forensic science is a mixture of specialties, including many chemistry subdisciplines, that focus on the idea of traces — marks that are remnants of past events. The findings should be affected by scene examination, time factors and context rather than an overreliance on the precision of the laboratory results. This is a preview of subscription…
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Learn about elder plants or explore nature-based science at one of these midfall classes or workshops
Events are free unless noted. Please email calendar submissions at least three weeks in advance to [email protected]. ONGOING Walk With a Friend at Tualatin Hills Nature Park: 9 a.m. first Wednesday and third Sunday of the month. Take a guided walk and learn about the plants, wildlife and history of the park. Tualatin Hills Nature…
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Learn about elder plants or explore nature-based science at one of these midfall classes or workshops
Events are free unless noted. Please email calendar submissions at least three weeks in advance to [email protected]. ONGOING Walk With a Friend at Tualatin Hills Nature Park: 9 a.m. first Wednesday and third Sunday of the month. Take a guided walk and learn about the plants, wildlife and history of the park. Tualatin Hills Nature…
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Leading Nature Index science cities in biological sciences: collaboration powers US research
In the biological sciences, the United States has the leading Nature Index science cities. But although New York and Boston continue to dominate the top spots, 2023 has brought a significant shift in other parts of the rankings. Beijing’s impressive growth in the subject, shown by an 18.8% year-on-year increase in adjusted Share, alongside a…
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Should I climb the career ladder as a manager, or will I regret leaving the lab bench behind?
Illustration: David Parkins The problem Dear Nature, I am a chemical engineer with a PhD, working in the food industry. I’m at a point in my career where I need to decide whether I want a managerial career path or should stick with technical, problem-solving work in research and development. My biggest worry is that,…