Nature (journal)

Nature is one of the oldest and most reputable scientific journals, first published on November 4, 1869. Although most scientific journals are now highly specialized, Nature is almost unique (along with the journal Science) in still publishing original research articles across a wide range of scientific fields. In most fields of scientific research, some of the most important new advances each year are usually published as short articles in Nature.

Related Topics:
Scientific journal - November 4 - 1869 - Science - Scientific

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Research scientists are the primary audience for the journal, but article summaries in the front of the journal make many of the most important articles accessible for the general public. Also toward the front of each issue are editorials and news and feature articles on issues of general interest to scientists, including current affairs, science funding, business, scientific ethics and research breakthroughs. There are also sections on books and arts. The remainder of the journal consists mostly of research articles which are often dense and highly technical.

Related Topics:
Scientists - Editorial - Ethics

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Having an article published in Nature is very prestigious, and invariably the articles are highly cited, leading to promotions, grant funding, and attention from the mainstream media. Because of these benefits, competition among scientists to publish in high-level journals like Nature and its closest competitor, Science, can be very fierce. However, as a professional scientific journal, all articles undergo rigorous peer review before publication, in which other scientists, chosen by the editor for expertise with the subject matter but who have no connection to the research under review, will read and critique the article before publication. The author or authors of the article must then respond to the referees' comments by changing the article or performing additional experiments, or the editor may choose to reject the article entirely.

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