New EGU Manuscript Types: Limitations, Errors, Surprises, and Shortcomings as Opportunities for New Science (LESSONS)

Moments or periods of struggle not only propel scientists forward, but sharing these experiences can also provide valuable lessons for others. Indeed, the current bias towards only publishing ‘positive’ results arguably impedes scientific progress as mistakes that are not learnt from are simply repeated. Here we present a new article type in EGU journals covering LESSONS learnt to help overcome this publishing bias. LESSONS articles describe the Limitations, Errors, Surprises, Shortcomings, and Opportunities for New Science emerging from the scientific process, including non-confirmatory and null results. Unforeseen complications in investigations, plausible methods that failed, and technical issues are also in scope. LESSONS thus fit the content of the BUGS session and can provide an outlet for articles based on session contributions. Importantly, a LESSONS Report will offer a substantial, valuable insight. LESSONS Reports are typically short (1,000-2,000 words) to help lower the barrier to journal publication, whilst LESSONS Posts (not peer-reviewed, but with a DOI on EGUsphere) can be as short as 500 words to allow early-stage reporting. LESSONS aim to destigmatise limitations, errors, surprises and shortcomings and to add these to the published literature as opportunities for new science – we invite you to share your LESSONS learnt.

 

Finally, a big thank you from this paper’s ‘core’ writing team to the wider group who have helped shape the LESSONS idea since EGU GA in 2025, including PubCom and in particular its Chair Barbara Ervens.