Life in the lab

Stuck between several lines of research? Here’s how we decide which ones to pursue, say Elizabeth Tenney, Jacqueline Chen and McKenzie Preston.

Andrew Lincowski was a police officer before undertaking a PhD in astronomy and astrobiology. For a while, his career spanned both roles, before he moved into teaching.

Start the new year by sorting out your lab’s cold storage, to simplify purchasing, improve experiment planning and reduce the frequency of lost samples.

Find time to kill tasks that aren’t progressing, and beware taking on ones with unrealistic deadlines or deliverables.

Four researchers offer tips for excelling in interdisciplinary training.

When it comes to large language models, there’s one for every occasion. Find the most appropriate match for you in our AI speed-dating feature.

Christina Termini’s tweet on her do-it-yourself system for managing lab inventory went viral. Here’s how to implement the tool.

Don’t blame yourself if an enthusiastic and productive first encounter goes nowhere, says Aditya Simha.

Researchers describe how listening to music at work can boost (or hamper) productivity, and share the tunes that keep them focused.

Four researchers offer tips on ending, redefining and handing over projects.

It took experience and emotional investment to improve my ability to get close to research participants. Here’s how I did it, says Anna Lena Bercht.

Researchers reflect on past sabbatical breaks and give advice on taking one after the stresses of the pandemic.

Engineer-turned-sociologist Erin Cech describes how she coined the term ‘passion principle’, which challenges the belief that people should love their jobs.

Is a stream of negativity putting people off academia? Let’s acknowledge the good, as well as the bad.

A wave of departures, many of them by mid-career scientists, calls attention to widespread discontent in universities.

A simple framework can help you to identify ‘likeable freeloaders’ and ‘misaligned partners’ — and to self-assess.

Research professionals should not be split into two categories, say Marta Teperek, Maria Cruz and Danny Kingsley.

The impact on careers of a lingering pandemic and industrial unrest were among the challenges faced by working scientists in the past 12 months

Researchers describe what it takes to succeed in a high-profile field at an extraordinary time.

Robin Shattock advises researchers to follow their scientific instincts, and be flexible and resilient.

Far from being inferior, smaller universities can outstrip elite ones in research training and promoting inclusivity.

Taking steps to lower the environmental impact of your research can reduce costs.

Faculty and staff members at Utrecht University will be evaluated by their commitment to open science.

Tinkering with tools in my laboratory has helped me more than I expected.

Gemma Derrick revisits calls for a better research culture.

Beth Penrose describes her experiences starting a lab, recruiting staff and creating a research philosophy.

Standing up to a persecutor is tough, particularly if they are your supervisor. But you can take steps to report abuse and protect yourself.

Scientists whose first language is not English need to speak and write it constantly to gain fluency and become comfortable, says Lia Paola Zambetti.

Scientists with a different first language could benefit from mentoring and support to help them communicate their research clearly for global audiences, argues Roey Elnathan.

Rasha Shraim’s education helped her to think more deeply about ethics, logic and other big questions.

University policies often present barriers to bringing assistance dogs into the lab or on campus.

After his lab shut down, Shubham Tanwar turned to his reading list to banish ‘why doesn’t my experiment work’ frustration.

Anne Charmantier reveals how she has learnt to be vulnerable and to share her experience of her chronic health problem with research colleagues and collaborators.

Lab-equipment manufacturers should consider left-handed researchers when they design products, says Parastoo Mashouri.

Loriana Vitillo collaborated with sociologists, film-makers and game developers to develop an app that simulates her life as a stem-cell researcher.

Her habit of keeping two journals has helped Adeline Williams to develop observation and recording skills she might otherwise lack.

Molecular biologist Christian Happi is working around the clock to get testing available throughout the continent.

Whether for April Fools’ Day or year-round, practical jokes allow scientists to tap into creative thinking while building group camaraderie.

Three researchers who went out on a limb to bridge a gap in their field talk to Nature about how and why they went about designing their own, unique devices — and the challenges involved.

From rugby refereeing to film and television work, a poll reveals scientists’ first jobs and what they learnt from them.

Allowing team members time to reflect, celebrate successes and learn from mistakes is a tried-and-tested way to foster continuous improvement.

Achieving tenure enabled Frances Brodsky to focus on her research, write three novels and launch a journal.

My research area in the biological sciences department has a simple end-of-semester ceremony that helps us to share our successes, writes Ilinca Ciubotariu.

Smaller, often-specialized institutes aren’t for everyone, but they helped me to find satisfaction in my academic career.

Wit can convey important truths about critical thinking and the scientific method, especially when group leaders poke fun at themselves in the process.

Jeffrey Rathmell took to Twitter after encountering negativity on social media about research careers. He was surprised by the experience, and the overwhelmingly positive response.

Volunteering with an organization can improve communication and help you adapt to the unexpected, say Sarah Groover and Ruth Gotian.

Luke Yates discusses how he coped with his wife’s long illness during his PhD programme.

The fastest way to become fluent in the language of a new scientific discipline is to embed yourself inside it and use it regularly, says Sarah Bohndiek.

Preparing for three races in three years at university showed Kathryn Wierenga parallels between running and PhD work.

Working alongside physicists made me a better science communicator, says Ken Kosik, and helped me to clarify knowledge gaps in my own field.

Science offers renewed hope for those still waiting for their moment in the spotlight.

Doctoral students can use writing meet-ups to overcome isolation and depression — and boost their motivation, says Karra Harrington.

Writing sessions with colleagues are a great reminder to PhD students that we’re all in it together.

Good fortune is tricky to plan for, but researchers might be able to encourage it to come their way.

A hobby or passion is an important tool that can help you in your research career, says Manasi Kulkarni-Khasnis.

A regular pastime can ease mental stress, improve work–life balance and help scientists to reach innovative solutions in their work.

A productive lab need not be a negative environment, says Fernando T. Maestre.

A well-crafted set of guidelines and advice can save time, reassure trainees and promote a positive lab culture, argues Mariam Aly.

Science is serious business, but as April Fool’s Day looms, a judicious prank can lighten up life in the lab.

A special issue on how to make lab groups productive, rigorous and happy.

Using freely available software can help to maximize productivity and avoid collaboration pain points.

John Tregoning compares academia to role-playing video games as a way to discuss how the choices we make can affect the paths we take.

Privacy campaigners fear that the devices could be used for disciplinary purposes, and some universities have deactivated them after protests.

Jessica Sacher works to develop tools for phage therapy, with the aim of overcoming antimicrobial resistance.

Earlier this year, Nature co-sponsored a science-fiction essay competition. In Katherine Ember’s winning essay, researchers have an immediate responsibility to the public. They’re asked to act urgently to help society.

Earlier this year, Nature co-sponsored a science-fiction essay competition. Runner-up Evandro Ferrada’s science-fiction piece depicts science and a research culture transformed by limitless energy.

Earlier this year, Nature co-sponsored a science-fiction essay competition. According to runner-up Miles Lizak’s science-fiction essay, an ideal research institution would foster curiosity and collaboration, placing greater value on asking brave questions rather than claiming to know all the answers.

Garry Cooper’s sustainability business has grown to help thousands of people conduct more efficient research.

Learning how to deliver a polite refusal, alongside management training, will help young scholars with leadership ambitions, says Gemma Modinos.

An opportunity to do a visiting fellowship in New Zealand meant Thomas Bennett had to manage his UK research group from afar — and so change his leadership approach.

Distractions are a fundamental aspect of the modern world, but we don’t have to become hermits to avoid them.

Duanduan Han describes how she has made her lab experiments and hobbies complement each other.

Use strategies from the private sector to better manage your graduate project.

Inspired by a Google initiative, Carsten Lund Pedersen describes how he balances personal projects and the demands of a research programme.

The amount and quality of what you achieve are crucially dependent on how effectively you manage your time. Andrew C. Johnson and John Sumpter propose some simple steps that scientists can take to improve their time management.

The ability to persevere through hardship is celebrated in research, but a ‘one size fits all’ approach can perpetuate inequalities, says Caitlin Aamodt.

An emergency helpline and online resource is now available to researchers in the Netherlands.

Matteo Tardelli needed mentoring in his new role after leaving academia, but soon learnt how to prioritize tasks and manage client expectations.

University associations, legislators, students and other stakeholders release a declaration on ways to recruit and retain early-career researchers in academia.

Lab leader roles are proving more elusive as trainees seek opportunities elsewhere, two studies find.

Sometimes it’s best to refuse offers and focus on the right projects to benefit your career.

Research group leaders should learn how to recognize if colleagues are experiencing problems at work, says James Turner.

Question your own point of view first to avoid career-damaging conflict, says Benjamin Tsang.

Learning to handle failure is just part of scientific life, writes Eileen Parkes.

The medical programmes we see in our training as physician-scientists are becoming more progressive and supportive of students. Here’s what academia can learn from them, say Yoo Jung Kim and Erik Faber.

The first international meeting on postgraduate mental health opens this week, but much more is needed to solve academia’s crisis.