The Transmitter’s Perspectives section offers neuroscientists a place to draw attention to what they consider the most important issues in the field, both scientific and practical. Our staff’s favorite scientist-written pieces of 2025 explore how shifting U.S. science policies are reshaping research, how new tools are driving novel approaches to modeling and integrating data, and how artificial intelligence is influencing the scientific enterprise.
Read on for five of our favorite essays of the year.
Keep sex as a biological variable: Don’t let NIH upheaval turn back the clock on scientific rigor
by Rebecca Shansky
Even in the absence of any formal instruction to do so, we should continue to hold our ourselves and our neuroscience colleagues accountable for SABV practices.
Fear and loathing on study section: Reviewing grant proposals while the system is burning
by John Tuthill
As grants are canceled, delayed and subject to general uncertainty, participating in study sections can feel futile. But it’s more important than ever.
Breaking the jar: Why NeuroAI needs embodiment
by Bing Wen Brunton and John Tuthill
Brain function is inexorably shaped by the body. Embracing this fact will benefit computational models of real brain function, as well as the design of artificial neural networks.
From bench to bot: Why AI-powered writing may not deliver on its promise
by Tim Requarth
Efficiency isn’t everything. The cognitive work of struggling with prose may be a crucial part of what drives scientific progress.
