Peer Review: No Improvement With Practice - Science News

VANCOUVER, B.C. Research journals depend on the unpaid labor of experts in their fields to evaluate which of their peers’ manuscripts are good enough to publish. It’s a semi-thankless task and each paper that’s reviewed may require five or more hours of a scientist’s or physician’s time. Considering the pivotal role that these reviewers play, it’s important that they’re up to snuff.

So it’s rather disturbing to learn that a major new study concludes reviewers don’t improve with experience. Actually, they get demonstrably worse. What best distinguishes reviewers is merely how quickly their performance falls, according to Michael Callaham.

Twitter / Stacy__Clark: Luv u @BillMaher but PLS stop ...

[retweeted by Michael Mann] Luv u @BillMaher but PLS stop inviting #climate denial pundits! Invite @MichaelEMann @mckibben @SenatorSanders @JeffDSachs & @jeffgoodell

PlanetSKI | News | Dumping in Oz

2012 looks set to go down as one of the best in Australia for snowfall for a while.

PlanetSKI | News | Whistler awaits

Over the past ten years, Whistler Blackcomb has received an average of 11.9 metres of snow per season. That is the height of almost three double decker busses.

Last winter despite the snowfall being poor in many areas of North America Whistler had a bumper season. It had 13.9m - that's over three double decker busses.

Snow bunnies lap up best conditions in years - New Zealand

Skiers and snowboarders are lapping up the best conditions they've seen for several years.