CELSI Scientific Director Martin Kahanec has co-authored a Comment article in the 5 November 2026 issue of Nature.

CELSI Scientific Director Martin Kahanec has co-authored a Comment article in the 5 November 2026 issue of Nature, the weekly international journal publishing peer-reviewed research across all fields of science and technology.

He wrote it with his fellow members of the European Commission's Group of Chief Scientific Advisors: Naomi Ellemers, Adam Izdebski, Rafal M. Łukasik, Dimitra Simeonidou, Rémy Slama and Mangala Srinivas.

Their message: science is not only a source of expertise, but also "a democratic infrastructure that helps societies to think critically, deliberate openly and act together."

That infrastructure is under pressure. AI and digital platforms are changing how people find information. Disinformation spreads through networks of people connected by identity, grievance or distrust. Scientific advice is being politicised in many countries.

The authors show how science can make democracies more resilient. It can work through better science communication and public participation, and through independent, transparent expert advice. It can also support adaptive governance that tests policies, learns from evidence and corrects mistakes.

Their conclusion is clear: "Every democracy should therefore prioritize protecting academic freedom." That means stable funding for independent research, open science, independent publication and access to reliable information.

🔗 Read the article in Nature at: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-03510-4

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