Novel citation index highlights hot topics.

Are you working on the hottest topic in your field? Many scientists may think so, but it has been a tough assertion to prove — until now, that is. A German physicist has devised a way of answering the ‘Hot or not?’ question for his discipline. If it stands up to scrutiny, it could be used to rate topics across the sciences. In physics, the results show that hotness — measured by a parameter known as m — correlates well with the promise of future wealth… and that promise is greatest in nanotechnology.

Find the physics top five here. (You’ll need a password)

Disagree with the results? Tell us why.

Novel citation index highlights hot topics.

Are you working on the hottest topic in your field? Many scientists may think so, but it has been a tough assertion to prove — until now, that is. A German physicist has devised a way of answering the ‘Hot or not?’ question for his discipline. If it stands up to scrutiny, it could be used to rate topics across the sciences. In physics, the results show that hotness — measured by a parameter known as m — correlates well with the promise of future wealth… and that promise is greatest in nanotechnology.

Find the physics top five here. (You’ll need a password)

Disagree with the results? Tell us why.