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European Physical Journal

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The European Physical Journal, often called EPJ, is a major academic publication. It serves as a central hub for sharing research in physics. Physics is the scientific study of matter, energy, and the forces of nature. This journal is a collaborative effort between several organizations. It is a joint publication of EDP Sciences and Springer Science+Business Media. The Società Italiana di Fisica also participates in its publication. By bringing together different researchers, the EPJ helps advance our understanding of the physical world.

EPJ
EPJ

The EPJ functions through a complex system of specialized sections. These sections allow scientists to focus on very specific branches of physics. For example, EPJ A covers hadrons and nuclei, which are tiny building blocks of matter. EPJ B focuses on condensed matter and complex systems. EPJ C is dedicated to particles and fields. EPJ D examines atomic, molecular, optical, and plasma physics, alongside data science. There are even sections for soft matter and biological physics in EPJ E. This organizational structure ensures that every niche of physics has a dedicated home.

EPJ
EPJ

Beyond these primary sections, the journal offers even more specialized topics. EPJ H provides historical perspectives on contemporary physics. It also includes areas like nuclear sciences and technologies. Other topics include nonlinear biomedical physics and photovoltaics, which is the study of light turning into electricity. The journal also covers quantum technology and research infrastructures. Some parts of the journal focus on techniques and instrumentation. There is even a section called Web of Conferences, which serves as a journal of conference proceedings. This variety allows the EPJ to cover the entire spectrum of physical science.

EPJ
EPJ

The history of the EPJ is a story of many scientific journals merging together. In the late 1990s, Springer and EDP Sciences decided to merge two journals. These were Zeitschrift für Physik and Journal de Physique. In January 1998, the EPJ officially commenced publication. It grew by incorporating Il Nuovo Cimento from the Società Italiana di Fisica. The EPJ is actually a continuation of several other established journals. These include Acta Physica Hungarica, Anales de Física, and the Czechoslovak Journal of Physics. It also includes Portugaliae Physica. This merger created a massive, unified resource for the global physics community.

EPJ
EPJ

As the journal evolved, it expanded its reach through new types of access. In 2006, the EPJ began offering an open-access option. Open access means that researchers can read the published work without a subscription fee. This helps spread scientific knowledge more widely. In 2011, another change occurred when a journal family called PhysMath Central merged into the EPJ. PhysMath Central was a short-lived family of open-access journals. This merger helped strengthen the EPJ's position as a leader in accessible science.

EPJ
EPJ

Scientific journals must sometimes deal with difficult situations regarding published work. In 2023, editors had to perform a retraction for an article. A retraction is when a journal officially withdraws a published paper. This specific article was published in 2022 in the European Physical Journal Plus. The article claimed to find no evidence of climate change. This paper became very popular and was widely shared. Article metrics showed it was in the 99th percentile of similar articles. Specifically, it ranked 293rd out of 512,033 tracked articles of a similar age.

EPJ
EPJ

The impact of this retracted article was quite large. Within the European Physical Journal Plus, it ranked 1st among the 41 tracked articles of its age. The article was cited by people who deny climate change. It was also featured in two segments on Sky News Australia. This news outlet is known for sharing climate science misinformation. Interestingly, the retraction note did not list typical reasons like data errors or plagiarism. It did not mention image falsification or other common mistakes. The editors' decision highlights the ongoing process of maintaining scientific accuracy.

EPJ
EPJ
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