Browse Articles

A new estimate of the income distribution in the Aztec Empire on the eve of the Spanish conquest suggests that inequality was high before the arrival of the Europeans: the richest 1% held 41.8% of the total income.

Research funding determines the course of science and thus shapes future knowledge. However, funding allocation is inherently biased, non-optimal and costly. We present a Shiny app that simulates the effects of funding scenarios on costs, diversity and quality. We advocate a lottery at the beginning to promote inclusion.

Are social isolation and loneliness associated with an increased risk of mortality? Wang et al. show that both social isolation and loneliness are associated with an increased risk of all-cause and cancer mortality in the general population by a systematic review and meta-analysis of 90 prospective cohort studies.

In a systematic review and meta-analysis of 90 prospective cohort studies, Wang et al. find a significant association of both social isolation and loneliness with increased risk of all-cause mortality.

The spatiotemporal dynamics of the brain have an essential role in how we perceive, decide and behave. Interacting spiral waves are now seen, from functional magnetic resonance imaging brain recordings, to serve as a mechanism for organizing spatiotemporal activity across the whole cortex. Further, these waves enable flexible reconfiguration of task-driven brain activity.

This meta-analysis by Chan and Albarracı́n finds that science-relevant misinformation was, on average, persistent, and corrections fared better when they were detailed, when recipients were likely familiar with both sides of the issue ahead of the study, and when the issue was not politically polarized.

Using concepts mostly familiar to fluid physicists, the authors manage to elegantly tackle the complex problem of describing large-scale brain activity patterns, providing a rich foundation for the future study of their relevance and functional importance.

Antony et al. examine the link between multi-event long-term surprises and memory formation. Combined analysis of basketball fan questionnaires and public NBA data shows that surprising events are associated with better memory across timescales.

Park et al. analyse a large global dataset of GBIF-mediated records, and report survey results from active herbaria (plant collections), to examine how the past assembly of herbaria bears the stamp of the colonial enterprise and how this legacy and behaviour is still with us today.

Data suggest an inverse relationship exists between where plant diversity occurs in nature and where it is housed. This disparity persists across physical and digital botanical collections despite overt colonialism ending over half a century ago.

The current science system is unjust — from the systems that determine its membership to its outputs and outcomes. We advocate for contextually responsive, collective action to build a more just science system that demonstrates a relational duty of care to all its participants. To achieve this, we urge the science community to harness the powerful processes of complexity with deliberate intent.

Early-career researchers in Australia report dissatisfaction, bullying and questionable research practices. We discuss how this may contribute to the replication crisis and suggest local and international strategies to improve the industry.

Liu and coauthors review the major data sources, measures and analysis methods in the science of science, discussing how recent developments in these fields can help researchers to better predict science-making outcomes and design better science policies.

Natural disasters affect a region’s human capital as well as its physical capital, reducing both student achievement and educational attainment. These effects are persistent, and when monetized are of a similar magnitude as property damage.

On 5 May, the World Health Organization lifted its designation of COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern. The abatement of the pandemic represents an extraordinary scientific achievement. However, COVID-19 remains a threat and its effects will continue to be felt for years.

Victims frequently report immobility during rape and sexual assault, often using the term ‘freezing’. Neuroscientific evidence suggests fear and threat can block cortical neural circuits for action control, leading to involuntary immobility. Defence arguments that blame victims for freezing are thus inappropriate and unjust.

This systematic review examines the evidence on whether and how hormone therapy for transgender people influences psychosocial functioning. Overall, the strongest evidence was found for reductions in depressive symptoms and psychological distress after hormone therapy.

Citizens often vote against the democracies they claim to cherish. Braley et al. find that in the United States, voters’ misperceptions about opposing partisans’ commitment to democracy may unintentionally contribute to this democratic backsliding.