Frontiers in Science is Frontiers’ flagship, multidisciplinary, open access journal focused on transformational science accelerating solutions for healthy lives on a healthy planet.

The journal publishes impactful peer-reviewed lead articles, invited from internationally renowned researchers, on scientific and technological advances addressing global challenges in human and planetary health. These are enriched by unique hubs of multi-audience content that create bridges between researchers, decision-makers, innovators, and the public—empowering people across all areas of science, policy, and society to share and build on these advances.

Reflecting its mission, Frontiers in Science has a panoramic scope encompassing human health and well-being, climate change, ecology and biodiversity, urban development, agriculture, food, water, and energy systems, computing, and social and economic sciences. The journal also invites lead articles exploring the many intersections between these fields. 

Articles and multi-audience content

Frontiers in Science lead articles describe transformational advances and important new paradigms in science and technology. Going beyond a state-of-the art review, lead articles add novel and impactful insights to the body of literature. Typically, they offer a roadmap for the future direction of relevant and emerging fields of research, addressing challenges and solutions. We also publish a limited number of articles describing original research or new research tools falling within the mission of the journal.

Lead articles reflect the interdisciplinarity and internationalism necessary to provide scientific solutions to global challenges. Under the leadership of world-renowned researchers, author panels are expected to include all relevant disciplines and to take a global perspective.

Each lead article is enriched by a diverse hub of content that extends its visibility, reach, and impact across multiple audiences—providing further context, connecting communities, and sparking worldwide conversations. Each hub includes:

an editorial by a leading authority from academia, policy, and civil society, placing the lead article in its international scientific and societal context
peer-reviewed viewpoints by influential researchers in relevant fields (including the lead article’s peer reviewers where relevant), providing further scientific commentary
a Frontiers Forum Deep Dive, an online scientific symposium where authors discuss the article and hub content with academic peers and key stakeholders from around the world
policy outlooks from policy experts, published by Frontiers Policy Labs
an explainer, infographics, and video highlighting the lead article’s main concepts to a broad audience
an article version for kids, published by Frontiers for Young Minds
press materials.

Frontiers in Science publishes approximately 15 lead articles and complementary hubs each year.