A numerical perspective on Nature authors.

Like many online service providers, Nature keeps a watchful eye on the web traffic at its site. Every month, the articles that have been downloaded most often as PDF files are listed in the Nature Top Ten (http://www.nature.com/nature/topten). Traffic is measured in PDF downloads as these indicate a degree of enduring interest from the reader, and this means that the list is often dominated by original research.

One paper in particular has dominated the top ten in recent months — topping the list since September 2005. Written by Monica Bricelj of the Institute for Marine Biosciences in Halifax, Canada, and her colleagues, the paper shows how genetic mutations of a protein in clams can lead to the accumulation of toxins and increase the risk of poisoning in humans (Nature 434, 763–767; 2005).

60% of the articles in Nature's top ten list of downloads are, on average, papers reporting original research.

8,391 downloads have been made of the paper by Monica Bricelj et al. in the past calendar month.

89% of research papers in the top ten over the past six months have reported findings in the biological sciences.

546 authors of original research have been featured in the top ten over the past six months.