Ars Technica: Researchers find bug in Python script may have affected hundreds of studies. “In a paper published October 8, researchers at the University of Hawaii found that a programming error in a set of Python scripts commonly used for computational analysis of chemistry data returned varying results based on which operating system they were run on—throwing doubt on the results of more than 150 published chemistry studies.”
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Carnegie Mellon University: Archives Digitize Decades of Mellon Institute Records
Carnegie Mellon University: Archives Digitize Decades of Mellon Institute Records. “Carnegie Mellon’s University Libraries have organized and preserved 347 boxes of records from the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research, one of the nation’s premier independent research centers, making the records more widely discoverable and available to researchers…. Since its inception in 1913, the Mellon Institute engaged the brightest scientific minds of its time to develop, test, and refine new chemical, biological, and materials science innovations on behalf of its corporate partners. In the process, the institute defined the profession of sponsored research, spun off successful companies such as the Dow Corning and Union Carbide corporations, and developed industry-changing technologies.”
Techdirt: It’s Time For The Academic World To See The Positive Side Of Negative Results
Techdirt: It’s Time For The Academic World To See The Positive Side Of Negative Results. “Techdirt has written many times about the need to move from traditional academic publishing to open access. There are many benefits, including increasing the reach and impact of research, and allowing members of the public to read work that they have often funded, without needing to pay again. But open access is not a panacea; it does not solve all the problems of today’s approach to spreading knowledge. In particular, it suffers from the same serious flaw that afflicts traditional titles: a tendency to focus on success, and to draw a veil of silence over failure.”
The Conversation: Science needs myths to thrive
The Conversation: Science needs myths to thrive. “What helped me develop as a researcher was reading stories about those who came before me. For scientific research to be successful in the long term, I think researchers need a strong set of values, including an unwavering commitment to the truth, and a drive to test any idea to destruction. Though they may seem opposed to the ideals of the rigorous scientific method, the best way of instilling these values is, as ever, through the stories and myths that we tell ourselves.”
Phys .org: Scientists use machine-learning algorithms to help automate plant studies
Phys .org: Scientists use machine-learning algorithms to help automate plant studies. “Father of genetics Gregor Mendel spent years tediously observing and measuring pea plant traits by hand in the 1800s to uncover the basics of genetic inheritance. Today, botanists can track the traits, or phenotypes, of hundreds or thousands of plants much more quickly, with automated camera systems. Now, Salk researchers have helped speed up plant phenotyping even more, with machine-learning algorithms that teach a computer system to analyze three-dimensional shapes of the branches and leaves of a plant.”
Phys .org: US government research in ‘crisis,’ warns think tank
Phys .org: US government research in ‘crisis,’ warns think tank. “Interference in government research by US President Donald Trump’s administration has reached a ‘crisis point’ with almost weekly violations of previously respected safeguards, a report by a think tank said Thursday, warning that ignoring science has led to ineffective and costly policy.”
International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education: Use of Twitter across educational settings: a review of the literature
International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education: Use of Twitter across educational settings: a review of the literature. “The use of social media across the educational landscape is on the rise. Subsequently, the body of research on this topic is vibrant and growing. In this article, we present findings from a review of 103 peer-reviewed scientific studies published over the last decade (2007–2017) that address the use of Twitter for educational purposes across formal and informal settings.”
