According to a database of author connections, China contributed the most research articles to prominent science publications last year, surpassing the US.
According to preliminary statistics given by Nature in a news story, China also overtook the US in Earth and environmental sciences in 2022, although it still behind in life sciences.
The Nature Index measures contributions to 82 journals in chemistry, Earth and environmental sciences, biological sciences, and physical sciences.
Cell, Nature, Science, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences are among its top peer-reviewed periodicals. Next month will get the whole 2022 dataset.
Nature Index data shows that in 2022, nation overtook US.
Since 2014, China has contributed more to the index, according to Nature. It also led physical sciences and chemistry in 2021.
The index considers each paper’s national authorship. China would have a “share” of 1 for a work written by Chinese researchers. In 2022, China possessed 19,400 shares and the US 17,610.
China had 186 articles in Nature and Science, whereas the US had approximately 790.
China has fewer papers by Chinese authors than the US. In 2022, China had 23,500 pieces and the US approximately 25,200.
Beijing wants China to dominate science and technology. President Xi Jinping said in February that solid fundamental research, various financing sources, international engagement, and training will drive tech independence.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China spent 3 trillion yuan (US$426.6 billion) on R&D in 2022, making it the second-largest spender.
Chinese contributions to the index have expanded.
China and the US are the world’s major bilateral research collaborators, delivering 20% of the world’s academic output between 2017 and 2021, according to Elsevier.
According to an August survey, China now has the most-cited articles, a major sign of scientific impact, surpassing the US for the first time.
According to the “Japanese Science and Technology Indicators” report, China provided 27.2 percent of the world’s most-cited articles (those in the top 1 percent) between 2018 and 2020, while the US supplied 24.9 percent.
Science magazine said that China published more scientific articles than the US in 2016.