For Yet Better Science

The "New Statistics" emphasizes effect sizes, confidence intervals, meta-analysis, and the use of Open Science practices. We present 3 specific ways in which a New Statistics approach can help improve scientific practice: by reducing over-confidence in small samples, by reducing confirmation bias, and by fostering more cautious judgments of consistency. We illustrate these points through consideration of the literature on oxytocin and human trust, a research area that typifies some of the endemic problems that arise with poor statistical practice.  

Tools (as well as the research they enable) are not just developed by and for the professional scientific research community, but by a wide range of commercial, academic, nonprofit, and community enterprises operating at a range of scales. Here, we outline 16 tools for science that are causing us to rethink the boundaries of scientific research. Looking across these tools and their individual impact on science and society, we begin to ask questions about their collective impact. How do low-cost tools impact science? Do these tools accelerate scientific progress or expand access, and to what extent? Finally, is the impact, and potential impact, of these tools incremental, or potentially revolutionary?  

Stacey B. Gabriel  is an American geneticist and Senior Director of the  Genomics  Platform at the  Broad Institute . With  Eric Lander , she is also the co-director of the  National Human Genome Research Institute 's  sequencing  center at the Broad Institute.  She was named the "hottest researcher" on  Thomson Reuters ' list of the World's Most Influential Scientific Minds in 2014.

There is a gap between most researchers’ work and what happens in everyday life of clinicians who practise in a sports context or deliver health-related programmes for the community. For example, scientists advocate using Nordic hamstrings exercise for injury prevention, but very few players do it. Why? Do they want to sustain a severe performance-limiting injury? In the public health sector, despite a large amount of research showing the benefits of physical activity in reducing the risk of premature death, little progress has been made in translating the WHO guidelines on physical activity into actions within the communities in most countries. It is unlikely that people prefer the adverse health outcomes of inactivity, and it is more considerate to assume that our messages do not reach and affect those intended. We acknowledge that this is a complex problem,   and we think we can come a long way if we tackle it from our side—the knowledge creators—and those working for knowledge diss

The Commission established an Expert Working Group (EWG) to develop a common education and training framework for the EU to fulfil the requirements under Articles 23, and 24 of Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. All Members States and main stakeholder organisations were invited to nominate experts to participate in the work. The EWG met on 22 - 23  February and 19-20 September 2012, and 3-4 July 2013. The objectives of the EWG were to develop a common framework to facilitate meeting the requirements for competence of all those involved in use and care of animals for scientific purposes and free movement of personnel. This document is the result of the work of the EWG meetings (including those on Project Evaluation/Retrospective Assessment and Inspection and Enforcement), discussions with the Member States as well as legal input from the Commission.  

The impact of data science and AI on science and knowledge production is an important and timely topic. The Frontiers Research Topic entitled “ Data science and artificial intelligence for (better) science ” has collated unique mixes of various contributions from experts, exploring a range of novel approaches to help solving problems facing scientists and advance scientific goals.

Janet Rossant, CC, FRS, FRSC is a developmental biologist well known for her contributions to the understanding of the role of genes in embryo development. She is a world renowned leader in developmental biology. Her current research interests focus on stem cells, molecular genetics, and developmental biology.