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Science 2026-02-24

A feedback loop of rising submissions and overburdened peer reviewers threatens the peer review system of the scientific literature

The process of peer review is vital to contemporary science, but is also under enormous strain. This study uses mathematical models to dissect the threats to the long-term viability of peer review, suggesting paths forward to place peer review on more stable footing.


In your coverage, please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper in PLOS Biology: https://plos.io/3NUgj2X

Article title: Screening, sorting, and the feedback cycles that imperil peer review

Author countries: United States of America

Funding: This work was partially supported by NSF (www.nsf.gov) awards SES-2346645 to CTB and SES-2346644 to KG, by Templeton World Charity Foundation (www.templetonworldcharity.org) Diverse Intelligences frameworks grant 32581 to CTB, and through visitor support at IAST (www.iast.fr) to KG via funding from the French National Research Agency (ANR) under grant ANR-17-EURE-0010 (Investissements d’Avenir program). No funder played any role in the study design, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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