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A century and a half of research and discovery This week is a really special one for all of us at Nature: it’s 150 years since our first issue, published in November 1869. (That makes it our sesquicentenary, by the way.) We’ve been working for well over a year on our anniversary issue, which is published today. There was a buzz in the London office when the print issue landed on our desks this morning, and we’re just as excited about what you’ll find online. It’s been humbling and rewarding to look back at the amazing research that we’ve helped to communicate over that time. It reminded us all why we love science and work as hard as we do. We really hope you find some surprises in the issue. And we’re already planning how we can do better, and do even more for science, scientists and society, next year — when we’re 151. Helen Pearson, Chief Magazine Editor

150 years of Nature

The multidisciplinary scope of Nature is revealed by an analysis of more than 88,000 papers Nature has published since 1900, and their co-citations in other articles. Take a journey through a 3D network of Nature’s archive in an interactive graphic.

Or, let us fly you through it in this spectacular 5-minute video.

Nature | Interactive infographic

Dig deeper into what scientists learnt from analysing tens of millions of scientific articles for this project. (10 min read)

Download our 150th anniversary issue cover and infographic as a free PDF.

Scientific discoveries build on previous research and inspirefuture studies. This interactive graphic looks at six prominent articles from Nature’s 150-year history — including a certain 1953 paper on the double-helix structure of DNA and the influential 1958 paper on cloning of frogs that went almost uncited until 2000. Each colourful ‘reference tree’ lets you explore the diversity of disciplines that inspired the featured article and the citations that were spawned by it.

Nature | Interactive infographic

A century and a half has seen momentous changes in science, and Nature has changed along with it in many ways, says an Editorial in today’s anniversary edition. But in other respects, Nature now is just the same as it was at the start: it will continue in its mission to stand up for research, serve the global research community and communicate the results of science around the world.

Nature would also like to hear from you about how we can improve — please tell us your thoughts in the poll included at the end of the Editorial.

Nature | 5 min read

Ever wonder what a manuscript editor, a news reporter or the editor-in-chief of Nature actually does? In this collection of day-in-the-life posts, staff at Nature explain what it’s like working for the journal.

Nature | 12 short articles

News

Science adviser Kelvin Droegemeier has kicked off a listening tour to learn how researchers would bolster and protect science in the United States. Droegemeier’s first major project since taking on his role in February comes amid government investigations into sexual harassment in academia, conflicts of interest and foreign influence in research. “I am hopeful that their efforts to go through this process reflect serious attempts to listen, and are not just theatre,” says chief scientific officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges, Ross McKinney.

Nature | 3 min read

South Korea’s government wants to stop academics from participating in conferences that have little academic value. Universities will have to vet academics’ plans to travel overseas for conferences to “prevent researchers from engaging in poor academic activities”. The order comes after a government report found that 574 professors from 90 universities around the country had participated in conferences that the ministry called “weak”.

Nature | 2 min read

The former scientific director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Antonello Bonci, resigned following a sexual misconduct investigation, reports Science. NIDA’s parent organization, the National Institutes of Health, declined to comment, and Science was not able to reach Bonci for a response.

Science | 5 min read

Features & opinion

We absolutely need to improve reproducibility in science, says Paul Smaldino — but it’s all pointless if we aren’t testing meaningful hypotheses. Strong theories, formal models and sound measurements will allow us to create the next great scientific questions.

Nature | 4 min read

There were female scientists 150 years ago, but to read Nature’s early issues, you would hardly have known it. Historian Claire Jones looks at how women, including those who aren’t lauded today like Curie or Lovelace, carved out scientific careers in a time when learned societies, journals and universities were often hostile or closed to them.

Nature | 12 min read