Nature is a British multidisciplinary scientific journal, first published on 4 November 1869. It is one of the most recognisable scientific journals in the world and was ranked the world’s most cited scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports and is ascribed an impact factor of 43.070, making it one of the world’s top academic journals.

Peer-reviewed research is published on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature also provides rapid, authoritative, insightful and arresting news and interpretation of topical and coming trends affecting science, scientists and the wider public. In addition, Nature provides a portal and job postings board for science and technology careers as well as educational and support material for people working in these fields.

In 2011, Nature’s publishers launched Nature Climate Change. This publication publishes research relating to the current and forecast impacts of climate change and related topics such as the impact of greenhouse gas concentrations on the world’s ecosystems. This was the first of the Nature research journals devoted to a theme rather than a discipline, and it was staffed by a multidisciplinary team of editors, including social scientists. Since then, continuing to cater for research that relates to challenges facing humanity, the publishers have launched Nature Energy (2016), Nature Human Behaviour (2017) and Nature Sustainability (2018).

Nature has no external editorial board. Instead, all editorial decisions are made by a team of full-time professional editors.

First, to serve scientists through prompt publication of significant advances in any branch of science, and to provide a forum for the reporting and discussion of news and issues concerning science. Second, to ensure that the results of science are rapidly disseminated to the public throughout the world, in a fashion that conveys their significance for knowledge, culture and daily life.

Nature, part of Nature Research, is owned by Springer Nature. Springer Nature is a merger of Springer Science+Business Media and Holtzbrinck Publishing Group’s Nature Publishing Group, Palgrave Macmillan, and Macmillan Education. Nature is funded through journal subscriptions, advertising and research access fees.