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A lobed leaf next to a rounded leaf, both from the same Boquila trifoliolata vine
Can Plants See? In the Wake of a Controversial Study, the Answer’s Still Unclear
A tiny pilot study found that so-called chameleon vines mimicked plastic leaves, but experts say poor study design and conflicts of interest undermine the report.
Can Plants See? In the Wake of a Controversial Study, the Answer’s Still Unclear
Can Plants See? In the Wake of a Controversial Study, the Answer’s Still Unclear

A tiny pilot study found that so-called chameleon vines mimicked plastic leaves, but experts say poor study design and conflicts of interest undermine the report.

A tiny pilot study found that so-called chameleon vines mimicked plastic leaves, but experts say poor study design and conflicts of interest undermine the report.

scientific ethics

In the 1920s, the Institute for Sexual Research in Berlin was a haven for queer people, many of whom came to the institute seeking to express their identities without fear of being imprisoned. This undated photo depicts a costume party at the institute; its founder, Magnus Hirschfeld (second from right, in glasses), can be seen holding hands with his partner, Karl Giese (center).
Trans Medicine, 1919
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Nov 1, 2022 | 3 min read
German physician and sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld founded a revolutionary clinic where transgender people could receive gender-affirming care, but he left behind a complicated medical and scientific legacy.
Paolo Macchiarini stands at a podium with a microphone
Paolo Macchiarini Found Guilty for Botched Surgery
Amanda Heidt | Jun 16, 2022 | 3 min read
The former thoracic surgeon was acquitted on two counts of intentional assault but convicted on a single count of felony bodily injury for a series of fatal procedures in the early 2010s.
Octopus in tank lined with black dots
Do Invertebrates Have Emotions?
Natalia Mesa, PhD | May 26, 2022 | 10+ min read
And how do scientists go about answering that question?
People holding signs
NYU Defends Against Backlash Over Potential Hire
Amanda Heidt | Apr 29, 2022 | 8 min read
Hundreds of the school’s faculty, students, and trainees are protesting its consideration of David Sabatini, who left his previous posts after alleged sexual misconduct.
Smartphone with thumb over twitter icon
UK Funding Agency Apologizes for Role in Researchfish Controversy
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Apr 20, 2022 | 3 min read
Researchfish is a platform commonly used to track the status of grants and the impacts of research. When academics were critical of the company online, Researchfish shared these comments with the largest funding agency in the UK, and the scientists’ comments were sometimes shared with their employers.
The White House
Eric Lander Allegedly Bullied, Disrespected Staff
Amanda Heidt | Feb 7, 2022 | 4 min read
More than a dozen current and former members of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy have shared details of alleged mistreatment, prompting President Biden’s top scientist to issue a formal apology.
A photo of a skeleton on a black background
Ancient DNA Boom Underlines a Need for Ethical Frameworks
Amanda Heidt | Jan 27, 2022 | 10+ min read
The field of ancient DNA, which combines archaeology and anthropology with cutting-edge genetics, is requiring scientists to have frank conversations about when research is justified and who it benefits.
A Theranos sign outside the company's headquarters
Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes Convicted of Fraud
Amanda Heidt | Jan 4, 2022 | 4 min read
After a week of deliberation, a jury returned a guilty verdict on four charges related to wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Illustration of a person confused looking at a computer
When Researchers Sound the Alarm on Problematic Papers
Shawna Williams | Sep 1, 2021 | 10+ min read
Finding and reporting an irregularity in a published study can lead people down an unexpected path.
coral reef, Great barrier reef, parachute science, research
Q&A: Parachute Science in Coral Reef Research
Asher Jones | Feb 24, 2021 | 8 min read
Scientists who study the marine ecosystems have frequently failed to involve local researchers in projects, a study finds.
A Challenge Trial for COVID-19 Would Not Be the First of Its Kind
Jef Akst | Oct 8, 2020 | 9 min read
Although scientists debate the ethics of deliberately infecting volunteers with SARS-CoV-2, plenty of consenting participants have been exposed to all sorts of pathogens in prior trials.
Special Report
Surgisphere Sows Confusion About Another Unproven COVID-19 Drug
Catherine Offord | Jun 16, 2020 | 10+ min read
The company behind a now-discredited study on hydroxychloroquine also posted a report that has been cited by Latin American governments recommending ivermectin as a possible coronavirus treatment. Clinicians there say the effects have been extremely damaging.
Cloning Scientist Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison
Jef Akst | Jan 14, 2020 | 2 min read
More than five years after his arrest, Li Ning of China Agricultural University is convicted of stealing nearly $5 million of grant money.
Fixing the Flaws in Animal Research
Diana Kwon | Sep 1, 2019 | 8 min read
Many preclinical studies carried out in vivo are poorly designed and generate irreproducible data, but efforts to address the problem are on the rise.
sandhill crane and chick
Culling Wildlife for the Sake of Research
Anna Azvolinsky | Aug 27, 2018 | 3 min read
A case in which the University of Florida killed birds to protect crop research raises questions on the ethics of field studies’ potential side effects.
How to Separate the Science From the (Jerk) Scientist
Anna Azvolinsky | May 18, 2018 | 4 min read
A recent toast to James Watson highlights a tolerance for bigotry many want excised from the scientific community.
Image of the Day: Henrietta Lacks
The Scientist Staff | May 12, 2018 | 1 min read
A painting of the woman who was the source of HeLa cells will be on view at the National Portrait Gallery beginning May 15.
Donald Seldin, “Intellectual Father” of UT Southwestern, Dies
Jim Daley | May 8, 2018 | 2 min read
The physician-scientist recruited future Nobel Prize winners to build the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas into a first-rate institution. 
Scientists in Chile Protest Mummy Study
Jim Daley | Mar 29, 2018 | 2 min read
The Chilean government contends that the remains of a mummified fetus, recently sequenced by US researchers, were exhumed illegally.
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