David Matthews

International editor at @scibus & freelance writing. Covering science and technology policy and politics, with a focus on Europe.

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

This account is mothballed. You can read my most recent stories for @scibus here: https://t.co/3QfgstEmLF

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

AI and bioscience coming together in potentially scary ways - and yet, very little active interest or action on this issue at the EU level (I would love to be corrected).

https://t.co/uYKYfuKQbr

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

At the last minute, the US extended its science and technology agreement with China, giving it six months to renegotiate. We ask: how should it now be changed?

https://t.co/wFqUrUREcF

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

China’s involvement in Horizon Europe is becoming increasingly restricted to environment-focused and basic research, but is still holding up despite geopolitical headwinds and the disruption to face-to-face contact caused by the pandemic.

https://t.co/HwQG4lkXGy

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

“The noticeable thing here is Germany really waking up"

German private fusion firms multiply as government pledges fresh research money

https://t.co/GCKCOP3m2F

[Science|Business @scibus]

Leading MEP urges Commission not to compromise with UK over Horizon Europe association. Christian Ehler worries about reopening the Brexit deal and jeopardising association negotiations with Japan and Canada https://t.co/SOvteMRtrS

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

If a deal gets done on the Northern Ireland Protocol, the UK will finally join Horizon Europe, right?

I'm afraid it's not that simple - there will be another round of haggling over what the UK pays, which could delay or even derail association.

https://t.co/IHc5r3VFtA

[Paul Triolo @pstAsiatech]

US chip embargos threaten Chinese civilian science | Science|Business https://t.co/2lARpPxviO

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

Featuring @JonasSandbrink @Jackstilgoe @katecrawford and several others who quite sensibly are not on Twitter

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

I've been following the effective altruism movement for nearly two years, and while scientists might only have heard of it because of the Sam Bankman-Fried scandal, they should pay attention - EA has big plans to reshape science and technology:

https://t.co/BhikqyAYDh

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

(a final disclaimer - the EA community is big and diverse, so it's hard, but not impossible, to talk about it having a single view. Not all are longtermists, nor do you have to be an EA, or a longtermist, to worry about runaway AI or engineered pandemics)

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

“It is a big deal...more principal investigators will get their grants awarded.”

The US's Chips and Science bill actually has more money for basic science - $60bn over 5 years - than it does for chips. Plus there's $20bn to commercialise research.

https://t.co/tjUvirHRnM

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

It can happen to entire conference proceedings too. Here's an extract of a report by publishers released last month.

https://t.co/JD0omSzaKo

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

So-called academic paper mills are stealing academics' identities, duping journals into giving them guest editor positions, and then publishing hundreds of fake research articles for profit, Springer Nature's research integrity boss tells me.

https://t.co/W42qz0rIih

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

Sci orgs already getting nervous letters in to the two candidates urging them not to drop the Johnson government focus on R&D: https://t.co/ssgrA2w2Kz

[David Matthews @DavidMJourno]

"Nothing is guaranteed".

The UK has released details of its alternative to Horizon Europe - but the more immediate question is whether a Truss or Sunak government will actually fund it. It's going to be a nerve-wracking leadership campaign for UK unis...

https://t.co/KWb4gbA5w7