Stephen Bradforth and colleagues' discussion of what is needed to develop “a science-literate population” (Nature 523, 282–284; 2015) echoes the words of a Nature editorial 50 years ago, entitled 'New thinking in undergraduate teaching' (Nature 205, 835; 1965).

According to the editorial, “the student is in danger of spending too much of his [sic] limited time memorizing facts, and has insufficient time at his disposal to master the principles underlying his subject and to develop his powers of thought”. It continues: “the most important purpose of a university education is to teach the student to think for himself ... it may on occasion demand a re-examination of the whole approach to a subject in undergraduate courses.” Indeed.