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A look at the publications, policies, and regulations that have got researchers talking across the field.
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A large-scale replication study in Brazil examined whether published biomedical research findings could be reproduced across multiple laboratories. The Brazilian Reproducibility Initiative recruited 56 labs to replicate 56 published experiments using three common methods: MTT assay, RT-PCR, and elevated plus maze testing. Of the 143 replication attempts, 97 met quality standards for analysis. Depending on the criteria used, 15–45% of experiments were successfully replicated. Original studies reported effects 60% larger and variability 60% smaller than the replication attempts. Researchers demonstrated some ability to predict which studies would replicate successfully. The study found that labs frequently deviated from original protocols due to practical constraints like equipment differences or model limitations. This effort provides evidence about reproducibility rates in Brazilian biomedical research and identifies factors affecting replication success.
The Brazilian Reproducibility Initiative. Estimating the replicability of Brazilian biomedical science. bioRxiv 2025.04.02.645026
“Proof: The Art and Science of Certainty” by Adam Kucharski, a mathematician and epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, explores how mathematical proof establishes certainty across various domains. Kucharski traces proof’s evolution from ancient geometric demonstrations to modern computational methods, examining different types including direct proof, proof by contradiction, and mathematical induction. The book investigates how proof extends beyond mathematics into scientific methodology and decision-making, while addressing the relationship between proof and certainty, limitations of proof systems, and contemporary challenges like computer-assisted proofs. Through accessible explanations and examples from number theory, geometry, and logic, Kucharski demonstrates how mathematical proofs provide unique knowledge that differs from empirical evidence, while examining instances where proven statements contained errors and the philosophical challenges facing proof itself.
Kucharski, Adam. Proof: The Art and Science of Certainty. New York: Basic Books, 2025.
A recently signed Executive Order establishes “Gold Standard Science” as the foundation for federal research and decision-making in the US. It defines such science as reproducible, transparent, falsifiable, collaborative, interdisciplinary, skeptical of assumptions, communicative of uncertainty, peer-reviewed, accepting of negative results, and free from conflicts of interest. The Order requires federal agencies to align scientific activities and integrity policies with these principles, share data and models used in influential decisions, transparently document uncertainties, and apply a “weight of scientific evidence” approach. Agencies must revise any policies from 2021 to 2025 that conflict with the Order and report on implementation. Each agency is also required to designate a senior official to oversee compliance and evaluate alleged violations.
The White House. Restoring Gold Standard Science. May 23, 2025.
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