Some papers have a profound and obvious influence on future research and industry applications. Patents citing these life science papers indicate their bearing on developments which have widespread health implications.

Charting the influence of science on innovation

18 August 2017

An analysis of the biggest industry influencers in four charts.

Michael Sporn: A legacy of greater knowledge

10 August 2017

Elie Dolgin

For the love of discovery, a biochemist freely shared the research which laid the groundwork for widely-used drugs.

Charting China's rising dominance in science

21 July 2017

Nicky Phillips

The country's research contribution is continuing to overtake other nations.

Transparency is a growth industry

14 July 2017

Joy Zhang

COMMENT: Fierce public debate over GM food has put pressure on Chinese researchers to engage with the public about their work.

The value of nostalgia in a land of upheaval

30 June 2017

Flynn Murphy

Psychology is an increasingly relevant discipline as the destabilizing effects of rapid social change take hold in China.

Kunming's natural advantage

20 June 2017

Flynn Murphy

The region's natural and cultural bounty are making researchers worldwide take notice.

Keeping a lid on open science

15 June 2017

Hepeng Jia

Open science has made progress in China, but there is room for improvement.

Search for industry partners heats up in China's chemistry hotspot

2 June 2017

Peng Tian

The industrial city of Changchun is losing young researchers to more prosperous cities in the south.

China's higher ed reforms are ambitious, but can they address systemic issues?

29 May 2017

Wang Qi

The country is casting a wider net for excellence in higher education.

A close look at China's rise

25 May 2017

Can the country maintain its growth in high-quality science?

Japan's plan to cultivate more entrepreneurial scientists

10 May 2017

Ian Munroe

Although government efforts to encourage innovation face significant obstacles.

Kyoto University is branching out in tough times

18 April 2017

Q&A

The university's president talks about the need for Japanese universities to stay competitive on the international stage.

How Todai is encouraging research spinoffs

11 April 2017

Ian Munroe

It was the first Japanese university to establish a venture capital firm.

Japan university reform 'unrealistic' without proper funding

7 April 2017

Atsushi Sunami

To unleash the potential of universities as engines of economic growth, further investment is necessary.

The rise and rise of a biology superstar

30 March 2017

Tim Hornyak

Nobel laureate Yoshinori Ohsumi’s persistent study of baker’s yeast spawned an exciting new field, and proves the value of supporting scientists in pursuit of their passion.

The slow decline of Japanese research in 5 charts

23 March 2017

Nicky Phillips

The country's research output is falling behind other dominant science nations.

What price will Japanese science pay for austerity?

23 March 2017

Ichiko Fuyuno

Japan’s stagnated research output corresponds with a deteriorating situation for young researchers.

Collaboration trumps competition in city of love

17 November 2016

Barbara Casassus

Paris excels in intra-city collaborations but needs to look beyond its borders to increase research performance.

Top New Zealand research universities in 2015

31 October 2016

Bianca Nogrady

New Zealand universities are building an international reputation for high-quality research.

How Australian universities spent $4.5b on research in four years

27 October 2016

Bianca Nogrady

Assessing the research performance of universities is a difficult pursuit.

Melbourne pips Sydney as Australia's research hotspot

27 October 2016

Annabel McGilvray

Australia's two largest cities strive to attract the best researchers and produce science that makes a difference.

Research investments pay off for Australian city

25 October 2016

Bianca Nogrady

Significant state government investment along with philanthropic largesse has helped drive Brisbane's research performance.

Turkey's geology a boon for scientists

2 September 2016

Annabel McGilvray

The country's output of earth and environment science papers is growing.

Rising stars 2016: 10 countries to watch

26 August 2016

Nicky Phillips and Larissa Kogleck

Nature Index 2016 Rising Stars seeks to pinpoint the ascendant performers of science.

Singaporean research continues to dominate in some fields

23 August 2016

Tim Hornyak

The country has the world's highest per capita investment in science and technology

The right formula: chemistry the key to leaders’ research performance

3 August 2016

Mark Zastrow, James Mitchell Crow

Chemistry research was a significant driver of the performance for several institutions.

Who are the research world's rising stars?

28 July 2016

Annabel McGilvray

Undaunted by the scientific dominance of historic global big-hitters, some of the world's less prominent research nations are carving out a niche and making a strong impact.

Rising stars: Chinese institutions lead the way

26 July 2016

Sarah O'Meara

China is a growing source of the world's top science

Rising stars: Indian researchers have so much chemistry

22 July 2016

Annabel McGilvray

A significant rise in chemistry research makes India a Nature Index 2016 Rising Star.

Rising stars: from zero to national hero

21 July 2016

Mark Zastrow

The institutions to watch.