A recent report by three prestigious British scientific institutions reveals that 28% of LGTBIQA+ people in the UK have been on the verge of leaving work because of the discriminatory environment. In Spain, where there are no studies on the subject, the PRISMA association has just been set up to increase the visibility of this group in the country.

In a few days, the Spanish Parliament (Congreso de los Diputados de España) will open its doors to #CienciaenelParlamento, an initiative to ensure that scientific knowledge is taken into account in political decisions. One of its references is POST, the UK’s Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, which, over the last 30 years, has been providing legislators with information on topics such as genomics and micro-plastics. In London, POST consultants tell us how they work.

Last week, in A Coruña, several speeches by activists of the anti-vaccines movement during a fair of organic products and responsible consumption were announced. The public debate made the City Council react, which got the organization to cancel the conferences. Should these activities be considered as a crime against public health?

The publication of scientific articles by Spanish university researchers has grown by 104.24% in the last decade, despite there being no significant increase in the number of professors during the same period. This data comes from the University Research, Development and Innovation annual report, recently published by the Observatorio IUNE, part of Alianza 4U, from the Universitat Autónoma and Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona and Universidad Autónoma and Universidad Carlos III in Madrid, and which is coordinated by Elías Sanz Casado, a professor at UC3M.

Peer reviews in science, in which independent scientists who are experts on the subject assess the paper, is the current strategy for ensuring quality and control in scientific research and, therefore, it is essential for the academic world. However, a study led by the Portuguese, Catarina Ferreira, uncovers why this system frequently receives harsh criticism about its effectiveness and transparency, and she proposes alternatives to improve it.

Spain produces Ph.D.s at levels comparable to other countries in its situation. However, a minimum percentage of these degree holders work in the private sector, which entails problems for funding research. This is one of the conclusions of the study El empleo de los doctores en España y su relación con la I+D+i y los estudios de doctorado (Employment of Ph.D.s in Spain and its relation to R+D+I and doctoral studies),carried out by professors at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) and promoted by the Conference of Social Councils.