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Killer questions at science job interviews and how to ace them
Credit: Getty Nature’s 2024 hiring in science survey This article is the third in a short series discussing the results of Nature’s 2024 global survey of hiring managers in science. The survey, created in partnership with Thinks Insights & Strategy, a research consultancy in London, launched in June and was advertised on nature.com, in Springer…
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Fat cells have a ‘memory’ of obesity — hinting at why it’s hard to keep weight off
Human fat cells (shown here in a coloured scanning electron microscopy image) carry a ‘memory’ of obesity, a study has shown.Credit: Steve Gschmeissner/SPL Even after drastic weight loss, the body’s fat cells carry the ‘memory’ of obesity, research1 shows — a finding that might help to explain why it can be hard to stay trim…
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A career with an eye to the sky
Ahead of his 75th birthday, A. R. (Ravi) Ravishankara, Professor in the Departments of Chemistry and Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University, reflects on his career in atmospheric chemistry as well as his contribution to combatting the depletion of the ozone layer. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution Access options…
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A career with an eye to the sky
Ahead of his 75th birthday, A. R. (Ravi) Ravishankara, Professor in the Departments of Chemistry and Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University, reflects on his career in atmospheric chemistry as well as his contribution to combatting the depletion of the ozone layer. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution Access options…
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Mid-career pitfall of consecutive success in science
Abstract The creativity of scientists often manifests as localized hot streaks of significant success. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of these influential phases can enhance the effectiveness of support systems and funding allocation, fostering groundbreaking discoveries worthy of accolades. Historically, analyses have suggested that hot streaks occur randomly over time. However, our research, through meticulous examination,…
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Major biomedical funder NIH poised for massive reform under Trump 2.0
The US National Institutes of Health, located in Bethesda, Maryland, is composed of 27 institutes and centres.Credit: Duane Lempke (CC0) The world’s largest public funder of biomedical research seems poised for a major overhaul in the next few years. US funders to tighten oversight of controversial ‘gain-of-function’ research Proposals from both chambers of the US…
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The mechanical and sensory signature of plant-based and animal meat
Abstract Eating less meat is associated with a healthier body and planet. Yet, we remain reluctant to switch to a plant-based diet, largely due to the sensory experience of plant-based meat. Food scientists characterize meat using a double compression test, which only probes one-dimensional behavior. Here we use tension, compression, and shear tests–combined with constitutive…
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The journals Science and Nature politicize science over the recent election
It is surely within the ambit of scientific journals to take stands on issues that affect the fields they cover, but endorsing political candidates is a dangerous matter. In 2020, for example, Nature endorsed Joe Biden for President (a first for them). It did not change the readers’ views of Biden, but it eroded the…
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US trust in scientists plunged during the pandemic — but it’s starting to recover
A March for Science rally in Massachusetts. This year, public trust in scientists edged up over 2023 levels, a survey has found. Credit: Brian Snyder/Reuters For the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, trust in scientists has increased in the United States — but just slightly, according to a poll conducted around…
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Venom Helped Create Weight-Loss Drugs. What Else Could It Do For Us?
There are two opposite paths to achievement in science. The first is straightforward: Identify a problem and set about solving it. The second is rather unscientific-sounding and perhaps more faith-based: Study in obscurity and hope serendipity strikes. In 1980, a young gastroenterologist named Jean-Pierre Raufman wound up taking the latter road through the digestive-diseases branch…