NIH races to spend its 2025 grant money — but fewer projects win funding
Despite political obstacles, officials are on track to disperse all of the reseach funds allocated to US biomedical behemoth.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov
Articles from: Nature.com
90 articles
This US government shutdown is different: what it means for science
President Trump’s budget office lays out guidelines for mass lay-offs across the federal government.
Nature.com by Dan Garisto
China’s research hospitals push for prominence
The country’s output in quality health research is going from strength to strength, but can it overcome questions about the integrity of its publishing practices?
Nature.com by Brian Owens
Model organism databases face budget cuts and closures
Beyond the crucial data they contain, these digital archives have provided an important space for academic communities to exchange ideas and resources.
Nature.com by Amanda Heidt
Exclusive: ex-CDC director talks about why she was fired
“I would never do that, as a scientist,” Susan Monarez says of being asked to approve changes to vaccine recommendations without knowing the details.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov
Weaponizing uncertainty in science and in public health puts people in harm’s way
Those who cite scientific studies to support policies should take care to tell the whole story, especially when it’s complex.
Nature.com
The cutting-edge medical approaches that could transform ageing
An optimistic take on the state of the longevity field provides hope for treating a range of ageing-related diseases — but feels at odds with the current shape of US research.
Nature.com by Coleen T. Murphy
More than 30% of this century’s science Nobel prizewinners immigrated: see their journeys
The most common destination for eventual Nobel laureates in physics, chemistry and medicine since 2000 is the United States, Nature has found.
Nature.com by Jenna Ahart
Rebuilding Gaza: don't sideline Palestinian scientists, say experts
Researchers warn against ‘top down’ solutions as US President Donald Trump brokers first phase of peace deal.
Nature.com by Michele Catanzaro
Scientists lose jobs and grants as US government shutdown takes a toll
Hundreds of people at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have received layoff notices, and work at many federal laboratories has been suspended.
Nature.com by Jenna Ahart, Dan Garisto, Max Kozlov, Heidi Ledford, Jeff Tollefson, Traci Watson, Alexandra Witze
The US and Europe have cut billions in health aid — can anyone fill the gap?
It's time to radically reimagine global health, leaders tell World Health Summit in Berlin.
Nature.com by Fred Schwaller
The TrumpRx website won’t slash drug prices — but this will
Tighter price regulation would deliver fewer new drugs but improve global health.
Nature.com by Beth Woods
Policed and censored: professors in the southern US feel under siege
Politics trumps salary as the main reason academics are looking for jobs in other states, a survey of university educators shows.
Nature.com by Laurie Udesky
7 basic science discoveries that changed the world
Ozempic, MRI machines and flat screen televisions all emerged out of fundamental research decades earlier — the very types of study being slashed by the US government.
Nature.com by Michael Marshall
From MRI to Ozempic: breakthroughs that show why fundamental research must be protected
In these financially straitened times, funders must recognize that great discoveries often arise from work that was looking for something completely different.
Nature.com
Dismantling of US federal agencies will ‘destroy science’
From NASA to the National Institutes of Health, federal agencies conduct research that universities cannot. Agency scientists speak out about the irreplaceable facilities, institutional knowledge and training opportunities that the country is losing.
Nature.com by Virginia Gewin
Pressure to publish is rising as research time shrinks, finds survey of scientists
Researchers feel that pressures to publish are increasing, but the time and resources available to do research are decreasing, according to a survey by Elsevier.
Nature.com by Chris Simms
Vaccine advice: how a US centre is filling growing gaps in public-health information
Epidemiologist Michael Osterholm talks about efforts by the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy to inform vaccine recommendations and maintain public-health awareness during the Trump administration.
Nature.com by Mariana Lenharo
China’s new scientist visa is a ‘serious bid’ for the world’s top talent
The country is easing migration for young researchers to boost its competitiveness in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and new materials.
Nature.com by Xiaoying You
The US government shutdown is over: what’s next for scientists
Government researchers are heading back to work, but questions about the size of research-budget cuts will extend into next year.
Nature.com by Jeff Tollefson, Alexandra Witze, Dan Garisto
Who will fill the climate-data void left by the Trump administration?
US withdrawal from monitoring projects has sent the world scrambling for alternatives.
Nature.com by Brittany Janis, Cathy Richards
Bill Gates’s climate comments are a dangerous distraction
People do not have to dismiss or exaggerate the climate threat to justify concerted action.
Nature.com by Michael E. Mann
Psychedelics and immortality: Nature went to a health summit starring RFK and JD Vance
The Make America Healthy Again summit, attended by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr and vice-president JD Vance, gave a sense of what’s driving US health policy.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov
‘Anti-woke’ policies blamed for falling attendance at some US conferences
Scientific meetings that support Black, Latino and Indigenous researchers are grappling with funding cuts and other restrictions.
Nature.com by Alexandra Witze
Why the world must wake up to China’s science leadership
The nation’s next generation of scientists and technologists will shape the coming decades.
Nature.com by Kerry Brown
China wants to lead the world on AI regulation — will the plan work?
Having placed artificial intelligence at the centre of its own economic strategy, China is driving efforts to create an international system to govern the technology’s use.
Nature.com by Elizabeth Gibney
China’s scientific clout is growing as US influence wanes: the data show how
An analysis of international research collaborations reveals the growing dominance of Chinese science.
Nature.com by Jeff Tollefson
AI chatbots can sway voters with remarkable ease — is it time to worry?
Experiments involving real-world voters show how talking to a chatbot can shape people’s political opinions.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov
China is leading the world on AI governance: other countries must engage
The nation’s regulators are attempting to match the rapid pace at which AI is evolving. That needs to become a global initiative.
Nature.com
Scientists skip key US meetings — and seize on smaller alternatives
Researchers are devising creative ways to get together as Trump’s policies curb travel to US gatherings.
Nature.com by Alexandra Witze
Trump team plans to break up ‘global mothership’ of climate science
Much of the National Center for Atmospheric Research’s non-climate portfolio will be dispersed, the White House says.
Nature.com by Alexandra Witze
Immunological sin: how a person’s earliest flu infections dictate life-long immunity
Researchers are striving to understand the impact a phenomenon known as original antigenic sin has on immunity to the virus.
Nature.com by Amanda B. Keener
AI and quantum science take centre stage under Trump — but with little new proposed funding
The US administration is banking on public-private partnerships and an expanded workforce to deliver progress, but critics say that this strategy could be offset by other US policies.
Nature.com by Jenna Ahart
Let 2026 be the year the world comes together for AI safety
AI technologies need to be safe and transparent. There are few, if any, benefits from being outside efforts to achieve this.
Nature.com
Science in 2050: the future breakthroughs that will shape our world — and beyond
Nuclear fusion. People on Mars. Artificial general intelligence. These are just some of the advances that could come by the mid-century mark.
Nature.com by David Adam
Science in 2026: what to expect this year
Hear the biggest stories from the world of science | 01/01/2026
Nature.com by Nick Petrić Howe, Miryam Naddaf
NASA won’t bring Mars samples back to Earth: this is the science that will be lost
A Congressional bill restores funding for most NASA space science missions, but there is no money for returning samples already collected on the red planet.
Nature.com by Jenna Ahart
‘Coming out as a transgender scientist made me the best teacher I’ve ever been’
Shannon Bros and Kihana Wilson outline how academia can better support LGBTQ+ researchers, launching a podcast series about workplace topics that are often off limits.
Nature.com by Adam Levy
US scientists push back as Trump eyes Greenland
An open letter organized by US-based researchers working in Greenland opposes any takeover of the territory.
Nature.com by Davide Castelvecchi
‘Greed is the iron cage of our times’ — why nationalism is here to stay
A generation that missed out on economic growth is driving the trends overtaking politics today.
Nature.com by Roberto Patricio Korzeniewicz
US science after a year of Trump: what has been lost and what remains
A series of graphics reveals how the Trump administration has sought historic cuts to science and the research workforce.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov, Jeff Tollefson, Dan Garisto
‘Every aspect of my work life has changed’ — scientists reflect on a year of Trump
From education to pandemic preparedness and public-health cuts, the past year has seen huge stress put on US science.
Nature.com by Amander Clark, Hank Greely, Eric Topol, Salim S. Abdool Karim, Quarraisha Abdool Karim, Ramanan Laxminarayan
‘Shattered’: US scientists speak out about how Trump policies disrupted their careers
Researchers lay bare the human toll of lay-offs, funding cuts and attacks on science one year after the president’s return to the White House.
Nature.com by Virginia Gewin
The US is quitting 66 global agencies: what does it mean for science?
The United States is leaving some of the world’s oldest and most influential scientific networks involved in biodiversity research, climate science and conservation. Affected organizations tell Nature that their work continues.
Nature.com by Davide Castelvecchi, Ehsan Masood
Is paracetamol in pregnancy a risk factor for ADHD?
A common pain reliever taken in pregnancy might raise the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to research in the past decade. But proof of cause and effect remains elusive.
Nature.com by Carolyn Brown
Exclusive: key NIH review panels due to lose all members by the end of 2026
Thirteen of the agency’s advisory councils, which must review grant applications before funding is awarded, are on track to have no voting members.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov
Greenland is important for global research: what's next for the island's science?
Geopolitics made Greenland the unexpected focus of the world’s attention. But the territory has long been a unique region for science.
Nature.com by Alexandra Witze
Funding cuts could put research into emerging threats to lung health at risk
Wildfire smoke, spore-spread fungal diseases and microplastic are all on the rise, even as the US government slashes support for respiratory research and policy.
Nature.com by Rachel Nuwer
China’s relationship with foreign scientific powers is changing rapidly
A study that examines career histories of the country’s elite scholars reveals that the nation is turning inwards in its search for talent.
Nature.com by Laurie Udesky
Dozens of researchers will move to France from US following high-profile bid to lure talent
Large proportion worked at Columbia University, which had its grants cut and frozen by the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Nature.com by Elizabeth Gibney, Max Kozlov
How to rescue the aid industry: focus on conflict prevention, not just relief
In an era of escalating conflict, a development-only approach to aid will yield fleeting results.
Nature.com by Rabah Arezki
What drugs are safe during pregnancy? There’s a shocking lack of data
Drug trials have typically excluded pregnant people for safety reasons. But that’s now starting to change.
Nature.com by Giorgia Guglielmi
Biotech investor set to lead US National Science Foundation
If confirmed by the US Senate, Jim O'Neill would be the first non-scientist or engineer to lead the agency, a big funder of US basic research.
Nature.com by Dan Garisto, Max Kozlov
Scientists must step up to avert a nuclear breakout
The end of the US–Russia treaty to cap the number of nuclear weapons places the world at risk. Here’s what researchers can do.
Nature.com by Karen Hallberg
Nuclear weapons testing is harmful — there’s no case for a restart
Scientific knowledge about the damaging effects of nuclear-weapons testing helped to end such tests. Those findings haven’t changed.
Nature.com
White House stalls release of approved US science budgets
The US Congress rejected sweeping cuts to science agencies. But the NIH, the NSF and NASA have had their spending slowed.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov, Alexandra Witze, Dan Garisto
China pledges billion-dollar spending boost for science
Funding for national laboratories and important research projects would increase under the government’s plans.
Nature.com by Xiaoying You
National statistics are in crisis around the world — and the impacts will be severe
Some researchers are sounding the alarm over the official data sets that track crucial aspects of life in the United States, Argentina, the United Kingdom and India.
Nature.com by Ehsan Masood, Subhra Priyadarshini, Lucila Pinto
NIH pivots away from agency-directed science
US biomedical funding behemoth says the approach will boost innovation, but some researchers worry that understudied areas of science will suffer.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov
How wealthy tech entrepreneurs seek to shape politics, culture and the future — and why we must resist
Silicon Valley’s billionaires have become ideological provocateurs, spreading rage and reshaping the public sphere.
Nature.com by Ramesh Srinivasan
Why the crisis in official statistics matters — and how it can be fixed
Governments that value effective policymaking should be alert to the perils of falling survey-response rates, inadequate funding and increased politicization of official data.
Nature.com
China could be the world’s biggest public funder of science within two years
Forecast by science-policy researchers raises questions about where the epicentre of global research will shift to in the coming decade.
Nature.com by Ben Deighton
Trump’s new science advisers include 12 technology chiefs — and one academic
Sparse academic presence on the US President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology reflects a focus on technology and industry.
Nature.com by Dan Garisto
Trump’s new science panel includes 9 tech billionaires—and just one scientist
There’s a glaring hole in the president’s new science and tech council
Nature.com by Dan Garisto, Nature magazine
Humanity is heading back to the Moon — why aren’t more scientists thrilled?
Some researchers remain underwhelmed by NASA’s upcoming lunar fly-by.
Nature.com by Elizabeth Gibney, Davide Castelvecchi
Massive budget cuts for US science proposed again by Trump administration
Budget proposal would also curb federal payments for scientific publishing.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov, Dan Garisto, Edward Chen
A synthetic angiotensin II/ACE2-based hormone shunt controlling experimental hypertension
Chronic diseases require lifelong maintenance. Here, the authors present ARCH, a closed-loop genetic circuit that autonomously maintains Angiotensin-II homeostasis, demonstrating translational potential against RAS-dependent hypertension.
Nature.com by Gokberk Unal, Maysam Mansouri, Yu-Qing Xie, Christian Mueller, Ghislaine Charpin-El Hamri, Martin Fussenegger
US lawmakers intensify scrutiny of scientific-publishing practices
A congressional hearing covered the rise of paper mills and the costs of open-access publishing — but there was little agreement on what reform would entail.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov
What does the future hold for the thawing Arctic?
Two experts unpack how trends in climate and geopolitics might unfold to shape the far north.
Nature.com by Charlotte Gehrke
US speeds research into mind-altering drugs — including mysterious 'ibogaine'
Some researchers are delighted at an executive order to streamline investigations of psychedelics but also warn that caution is needed.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov
‘Staggering’ number of people believe unproven claims about vaccines, raw milk and more
Survey results suggest a rise in questioning of scientific evidence.
Nature.com by Helen Pearson
Keeping the ‘fairy tale’ of the Marine Biological Laboratory alive
Cell biologist Mark Terasaki will give US$25 million of his own money to preserve the legacy of a pioneering scientific institute in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
Nature.com by Marissa Russo
Delays have kept new NSF grants to a trickle — that could be about to change
The agency is finally ready to distribute a spate of new grants, but it is also preparing substantial cuts to areas such as biological and social sciences.
Nature.com by Dan Garisto
Thousands of Harvard graduate students strike — bringing research to a halt
Workers at the elite US university want higher pay, and ask for better protection for students at risk of deportation.
Nature.com by Humberto Basilio
Entire NSF science advisory board fired by Trump administration
Members of the National Science Board, which the US Congress founded in 1950, were given no explanation for their termination.
Nature.com by Dan Garisto
Data centres are controversial: will launching them into space help?
The massive computing facilities powering the AI boom have drawn ire for soaking up energy and water on Earth.
Nature.com by Jenna Ahart
NIH grant cuts disproportionately hit minority and female scientists
A survey reveals sharp divides in who bore the brunt of last year’s spree of grant cancellations by the Trump administration.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov
TikTok’s algorithm systematically skewed to the right during the 2024 US elections
‘Bot’ accounts were directed mostly towards content aligned with the Republican Party.
Nature.com
Systematic partisan content skews in TikTok during the 2024 US elections
Audit experiments on TikTok show asymmetric partisan exposure that is not explained by observable engagement metrics, with Republican-leaning accounts receiving more aligned content and Democratic-leaning accounts more cross-partisan recommendations.
Nature.com by Hazem Ibrahim, HyunSeok Daniel Jang, Nouar Aldahoul, Aaron R. Kaufman, Talal Rahwan, Yasir Zaki
NIH staffing shortage could slash number of new grants issued this year
Some units at the US funding giant are so understaffed, they are focusing on mandated grant renewals rather than new awards.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov
Exclusive: NIH ousts infectious-disease leaders as COVID scientists face US charges
Eight of the top ten officials at the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have now been pushed out since President Donald Trump took office.
Nature.com by Max Kozlov
US biology lab locked down for more than a week amid smuggling inquiry
The Trump administration has spent months investigating the lab after a Chinese postdoc was charged with smuggling biological material into the country.
Nature.com by Dan Garisto
The political polarization of health outcomes in the USA
Using individual-level medical data and death records, this study finds that conservatives in the USA experienced worse health and higher mortality than liberals during the 2010s. No significant gaps in biomarkers or mortality were present before the 2010s.
Nature.com
Exclusive: NSF puts new research grants to top universities on hold
US science funder once again restricts awards to Harvard University and other research institutions.
Nature.com by Dan Garisto
Ebola can be stopped — but only if world leaders prioritize public health
The deadly disease was identified half a century ago in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is unacceptable that it continues to take lives.
Nature.com
Daily briefing: The proteins that protect us from deadly mutations
Proteins that ‘buffer’ the effects of mutations could help to treat diseases such as cancers. Plus, goats can follow human voices and the battle over a key ocean observatory project in the United States.
Nature.com by Flora Graham
Have people stopped trusting science? The data tell a surprising story
Some say there’s a global crisis of trust — but research reveals where the real problems lie.
Nature.com by Helen Pearson
Incoming US science academy chief vows to ‘double down’ on research
New leader of the National Academy of Sciences Neil Shubin warns: ‘a society that loses science loses the future’.
Nature.com by Jenna Ahart
Nobel-winning chemist leaves US to direct AI materials lab in China
Omar Yaghi’s move comes amid cuts to US science and a campaign in China to recruit top international talent.
Nature.com by Jenna Ahart, Mohana Basu
NSF plans cuts to core science programmes to fund White House initiative
A proposed clawback of already distributed research funds comes as the US agency’s budget is already squeezed and it struggling to clear a backlog of grant applications.
Nature.com by Dan Garisto