Analysis of experiments on bacteria suggests that the dependence of cell size on growth rate is not an adaptation but a causal consequence of a regulatory mechanism that controls DNA replication.

When making decisions about funding and jobs the scientific community should recognise that most of the tools used to evaluate scientific excellence are biased in favour of established disciplines and against interdisciplinary research.

eLife deputy editor Fiona M Watt recounts some of her personal experiences as a senior female academic in a male-dominated environment.

Strategies to improve public trust in biomedical research are being hindered by a scientific mindset that stifles interest in reform.

Science is an essential component of policy-making in most areas of government, but the scientific community does not always understand its role in this process.

To improve the diversity of the scientific workforce, we should not penalize researchers who are unable to move abroad for long periods.

The National Institutes of Health needs to make radical changes to ensure that biomedical research continues to thrive in the United States.

Interviews with senior biomedical researchers reveal a perceived decline in trust in the scientific enterprise, in large part because the quantity of new data exceeds the field's ability to process it appropriately.

Responsible agricultural practices provide a useful lens through which to consider the lives and careers of researchers.

The biomedical research enterprise in the US has become unsustainable and urgent action is needed to address a variety of problems.