The Journal of Young Physicists is now over six years old! The plot above shows the number of articles we have published each year since 2020. It is not a smooth growth curve (life is full of ups and downs, after all), and that is precisely why it tells an interesting story!

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In 2020, the JYP was largely a space for enthusiastic young students to write about science. We were careful not to publish pseudoscience or obviously incorrect work, but many early pieces were explainers and science blogs rather than the more rigorous academic articles we publish today.

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The years that followed were a period of transition. The JYP was trying to answer a difficult question: How do we preserve the curiosity and freedom that make young people want to do science, while building increasingly serious standards of scientific review? How do we find the right balance between gatekeeping and a fully open door? Six years later, these questions remain just as relevant, and we are still learning how to answer them.

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However today, the rise in publication volume is happening alongside much stricter quality control. We have also seen an extraordinary increase in submissions since 2025. That trust means a great deal to us, and it creates new challenges.

 

The rapid spread of generative AI has certainly not made editorial assessment easier.​ While we remain committed to being free and accessible, we cannot accept long, technical-looking documents built from AI-generated material, unfounded assumptions, fabricated references or pseudoscience. Our reviewers are volunteers, and their time matters. We have therefore recently updated our editorial and AI policies once again to encourage genuine independent work and ensure that our limited resources are used responsibly.

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There is something almost counterintuitive about this journey. At a time when producing a scientific-looking article has become easier than ever, we are deliberately trying to move against the gradient: toward more careful reasoning, more independent effort and greater scrutiny of what we publish. Increasing publication numbers mean little if they come at the expense of scientific quality. We would rather publish fewer worthwhile articles than more articles simply to make the statistics look impressive.

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The JYP did not begin with institutional backing, a university, a publisher or funding. It was created by a high-school student who knew what it felt like to have ideas dismissed simply because the person presenting them was young. Even as our standards and infrastructure continue to evolve, that origin still matters. 

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We also think honesty matters. We do not claim to be an indexed, conventional, peer-reviewed academic journal. We say clearly what we are, and we hope the progress is visible in both the work we publish and the submissions we now receive. Young students understandably want to “get published,” and unfortunately, there are many journal-like platforms that exploit that ambition through publication fees, fast-track review fees, superficial review, or the appearance of academic legitimacy. Looking professional is not the same as being trustworthy and legitimate, and young students are often not experienced enough to tell the difference. In a world where scientific-looking material can be generated, polished and circulated more easily than ever, curiosity must increasingly be accompanied by vigilance.

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After six years and 142 published articles, one principle remains unchanged: Science was never supposed to be merely another thing to display on a CV. We do it because understanding something that was previously unknown – even something small – is worth the effort. We want young people to feel free to ask questions, explore unconventional ideas, make mistakes and learn from them. But that freedom also comes with the responsibility to distinguish an interesting idea from a scientifically justified conclusion. 

 

In short: Do science to know, not to show!

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Thank you to every young author, reviewer, reader and mentor who has trusted the JYP along the way. Whether you contributed an article, helped another student improve their work, or simply spent a few minutes reading something published here, you have been part of this journey.

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Six years ago, the Journal of Young Physicists was just an idea. It is remarkable how far that idea has travelled, and even more exciting to imagine where it might go next. Here's to the years ahead, to the questions we haven't yet thought of asking, and to the young minds who will ask them.

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For prospective authors and anyone interested in how we operate, please read our Information for Authors and Join pages. You can also explore our Articles.