As a diamond open-access journal, our work is free for everyone, but it’s only possible with your support! If you believe in the importance of open science (and learning from errors), please consider donating this Christmas. 🎁 Donate here: trialanderror.org/donate 🎁 Thank you for your support!

Is it time for a revolution in medicine? The drive to reduce ‘waste’ in health research has dominated the research cycle for decades. This special issue of the Journal of Trial and Error focuses on rethinking ‘failure’, and its role in scientific progress: journal.trialanderror.org/pub/embracin...

How does attention shape addiction? The new research reflection published in the Journal of Trial and Error suggests it might not be as straightforward as once thought; it’s a dynamic, context-dependent process. If you are interested, see the article: journal.trialanderror.org/pub/attentio....

Is the foundation of science crumbling? Researchers from Radboud found a lot of articles claiming to reduce brain damage. But on closer inspection, many papers in the field have suspicious errors, caused by a lack of self-correction. Read the paper here: journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...

Does breaking protocol lead to new discoveries? A student researching electricity generation from wood did exactly that. Through a clever analogy, and the courage to challenge models, the student discovered the Popcorn effect. Reflections on the event: journal.trialanderror.org/pub/popcorn-...

Have you checked JOTE's latest article on this potential new method for studying brain health? The article explores a method to detect blood–brain barrier (BBB)-specific extracellular vesicles (EVs) circulating in peripheral blood. Read more here: journal.trialanderror.org/pub/extracel...

Have you read the recent Editorial in Nature regarding disinformation about acetaminophen by American political or “public health” figures? Read more here: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

We had a wonderful day at the Trial & Error Award Symposium! A special thank-you to our co-organizers and sponsors - De Nieuwe Utrechtse School, Utrecht Young Academy, Young Academy Twente, @museumoffailure.bsky.social, Descartes Centre, GKG Impact Grant, and NWO OS Fund.

We are excited to welcome you all tomorrow from 10.00 to 17.30! Just a reminder that the location is Lange Nieuwstraat 106, 3512 PN. If you’d like to type it into your maps, here is the link - www.google.com/maps/place/U.... The livestream can be found here - youtube.com/live/UaCo7O0....

Big News! The Journal of Trial and Error is officially listed on the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)! 🎉  After years of hard work, our mission is now even more accessible to researchers worldwide.  🌟Find us here: doaj.org/toc/2667-120...

Have you reflected on how to combat widespread misinformation in your community? This recently published article may have just the suggestion! The authors of the reflection discuss the gamified ‘inoculation’ game in rural India. Read more here: journal.trialanderror.org/pub/gamified...

Would you like to support and celebrate yours and other ‘failures’ in science that contribute to the advancement of methodological and sound scientific research? Look out for more updates and announcements regarding the symposium! You can register on our website- trialanderror.org/symposium-2025.

Would you like to support and celebrate yours and other ‘failures’ in science that contribute to the advancement of methodological and sound scientific research? Look out for more updates and announcements regarding the symposium! You can register on our website- trialanderror.org/symposium-2025.

Would you still participate in a study if there was no financial reward? This study shows how different incentivization strategies affect participation in Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) studies. You can read more here: journal.trialanderror.org/pub/incentiv....

In an interview with Skepter, our Editor-in-chief @Sarahanne Field discusses the importance of publishing on ‘failures’: null results, flawed experiments, and boring outcomes. Read it (in dutch!) in skepsis.nl/skepter-cove...

Did you know that tomorrow, September 5th, is International Day of Charity? Support our mission to remove financial barriers to the dissemination of open-access science and help us keep our research freely available by donating here: trialanderror.org/donate

Proposal submissions for our Special Issue on the Role of Failure and Uncertainty in Open Education remain open! Read more, including examples of potential contribution topics, and submit your proposal via journal.trialanderror.org/pub/call-fai... before September 30th, 2025, at 17:00 (CET).

Good news - we have extended the deadline for proposal submissions for our Special Issue on the Role of Failure and Uncertainty in Open Education! Read more and submit your proposal via journal.trialanderror.org/pub/call-fai... before September 30th, 2025, at 17:00 (CET).

Reminder to register for the Trial and Error Award Symposium! More is to come regarding the event in later posts. Look out for more updates and announcements regarding the symposium! You can register on our website here: trialanderror.org/symposium-2025

We recently published an article by Moin Syed that examines and reveals gaps in how editors and reviewers check preregistration during the review process. Read more here: journal.trialanderror.org/pub/check-pr...

The last week is approaching for submission in our Special Issue on the Role of Failure and Uncertainty in Open Education! Read more and submit your proposal via journal.trialanderror.org/pub/call-fai... before August 31st, 2025, at 17:00 (CET).

Check out this article written in Science. In science fields where predictions inevitably lean too optimistic, that is where our Journal comes in. We publish unexpected results, which may provide the missing data required for accuracy. Read about NeuralPLexer here: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

We recently published a new reflection on the Horizon 2020 Project! In this reflection article, Martijn van der Meer challenges the adequacy of communication strategies using expert knowledge to increase vaccination uptake. Read the article here: journal.trialanderror.org/pub/signific...

Reminder to register for the Trial and Error Award Symposium! In addition, read our previous and following posts for more updates and announcements regarding the special day. You can register on our website here: trialanderror.org/symposium-2025 @museumoffailure.bsky.social

Check out this article written in Nature, which follows a survey conducted by its publisher, Springer Nature. You can help us by informing others that this journal is a platform where they can publish these works. Read more about the article here: stories.springernature.com/the-state-of...

Registrations are now open for the 2025 Trial and Error Award Symposium! On October 7th, we will gather at the University Museum Utrecht to explore failure in the context of scientific research. We hope you'll join us and register for the event here: trialanderror.org/symposium-20

Deadline approaching for submission in our Special Issue on the Role of Failure and Uncertainty in Open Education! Read more and submit your proposal via journal.trialanderror.org/pub/call-fai... before August 31st, 2025, at 17:00 (CET).

New post! In this Cultures of Trial and Error blog, Anne Clinio explores Open Notebook Science through the work of Jean-Claude Bradley, who imagined a more transparent and collaborative way of doing science, that includes failure, doubt, and revision. blog.trialanderror.org/the_promise_...

Deadline extended! Nominate work on failure or with negative/null results in science for the Trial and Error Award - now open until July 15! Winner will be announced at the symposium on Oct. 7th. Nominate now > trialanderror.org/awards-2025-...

In 2024, a surgical journal published a case study set on Saturn. This thought experiment sparked debate among science sleuths: What counts as a legitimate correction to the scientific record? Read our latest blog post by Mady Barbeitas: blog.trialanderror.org/cultures-of-... JOTE x NanoBubbles

New reflection on the Dutch STRIDER trial! Despite hopes, prenatal sildenafil showed no benefit for fetal growth restriction - and even increased risks. This article looks back at a sub study using RNA sequencing to understand why. Read the article here: journal.trialanderror.org/pub/transcri...

Education reform is difficult, and in constant tension with tradition. For a special issue on Open Education, proposals and submissions are open, read more here: journal.trialanderror.org/pub/call-fai...

Nominations for the 2025 T&E award are closing soon! Celebrating the importance of ‘failed research’, nominations for the Award are open until June 30th! trialanderror.org/awards-2025-...

Does art have a function in a science-dominated world? An artistic project in an elderly care facility resulted in positive outcomes, and valuable lessons: journal.trialanderror.org/pub/function...

Mark your calendars for October 7th! The first Trial and Error Symposium will be held, with presentations, interactive workshops, and the Award Ceremony for the 2025 Trial and Error Award! Hope to see you there!

What fuels metascience? STS-scholar @penders.bsky.social explores how the movement is shaped by Wissenschaftschmerz - a nostalgia for lost modernist ideals - as well as the hope to ‘rebuild’ science Presented by JOTE x @nanobubbles.bsky.social Read it here: blog.trialanderror.org/wissenschaft...

“Peer reviews cause unnecessary delays to breakthroughs.” This idea led to some research being available pre-review during the COVID pandemic. But new perspectives suggest preprinting is a bad idea: journal.trialanderror.org/pub/preprint...

Designing a clinical trial can be hard. The PENTACON trial compared two techniques for eye surgery, but was cancelled due to various reasons. But from its failure, important lessons emerge: journal.trialanderror.org/pub/pentacon...

Save the date! On October 7th, we will hold our very first Symposium on Trial and Error. Here we will hand out the 2025 T&E Award for an article discussing a negative or unexpected outcome. We are accepting nominations until June 30th here: trialanderror.org/awards-2025-...

JOTE's publishing work manifests itself in real life! The University in Transition, a book written by the rectorate of Utrecht University and published (OA) by JOTE, is now featured in a new, colourful mural on the Utrecht Science Park! The books were chosen by students Artist: JanIsDeMan

Off to Vienna for a holiday, he claimed… but of course, JOTE chair Stefan Gaillard couldn’t pass up the chance to preach the importance of publishing null and failed results! Great to hear the European Geosciences Union-crowd was receptive to the gospel! #OpenScience #EGU25 #FailureInScience

JOTE presents at the EGU in Vienna today! Today, co-founder of JOTE Stefan Gaillard will present about the importance of publishing failed studies in the European Geosciences Union general assembly in Vienna. If you’re there, say hi to him! (Session EOS4.8)

Did you—or a colleague—publish a paper about failure, a null or negative result, or research that didn’t go as planned? Nominate it for the 2025 Trial and Error Award—organized w/ the @museumoffailure.bsky.social, Utrecht Young Academy & Young Academy Twente Link: trialanderror.org/awards-2025-...

The Trial and Error Award is back for its 2nd year! We’re looking for published articles on scientific failure / with null result, with the winner drawn in a live lottery at the Trial and Error Symposium (Oct 7, 2025) Know a paper that fits? Nominate now! trialanderror.org/awards-2025-...

Misinformation is spreading and trust in authorities deteriorating. Could art help? In our latest blog post, Professor of Economics Peter van Bergeijk explores how artistic observation fosters curiosity, nuance, and trust in an age of uncertainty. Read more: blog.trialanderror.org/breaking-bub...

We have a new series! > Cultures of Trial & Error < How does science correction really work? What barriers do researchers face when fixing errors? In this 12-part series, we explore self-correction in science—its challenges, practices & impact Read more: blog.trialanderror.org/cultures-of-...

Maarten Derksen considers “Cultures of Trial and Error” in this new peer reviewed blog series on error correction in science hosted by @trialanderror.org Few quotes follow… blog.trialanderror.org/replication-...

For more on this new blog series, sponsored by @trialanderror.org and @nanobubbles.bsky.social, see this Overview 👇

I once proposed this idea while I was a graduate student, a journal of "Negative Results". Faculty shot it down immediately and said it would never be worth reading. I welcome this new way of thinking and reporting data. journal.trialanderror.org #science

Love this! Failure is an integral part of any learning process. Pausing, reassessing and going at it again. Applies to all kind of scenarios, really ,)