The tragic death of Internet-freedom activist Aaron Swartz, a Taiwanese researcher's findings on trial for libel, and inflated impact factors were some of the most popular stories on our Newsblog in 2013.

1. Experiments reveal that crabs and lobsters feel pain

7 August 2013

2. 66 journals banned for boosting impact factor with self-citations

19 June 2013

3. Another dark-matter sign from a Minnesota mine

15 April 2013

4. White House announces new US open-access policy

22 February 2013

5. Laser images hint at archaeological discoveries

15 May 2013

6. Scientists join journal editors to fight impact-factor abuse

16 May 2013

7. US government researchers barred from scientific conferences

4 October 2013

8. US justice ‘overreach’ blamed in suicide of Internet-freedom activist

14 January 2013

9. Taiwan court set to decide on libel case against scientist

29 August 2013

10. Why has the Yangtze River turned red?

11 September 2013