This week is Peer Review Week, a global event that celebrates the role of peer review in scientific integrity. Here's what some of our Academic Editors for npj Microgravity had to say about the importance of peer review:

“There is anxiety, even fear about peer review of manuscripts, but if journal review is conducted appropriately and professionally, it is the most useful contributor to improving our basic research.” – Eleanor Blakely

"Peer review is not a simple task. It adds work time to your busy days and is usually not rewarded. But peer review is the essence of verifying and challenging scientific work and should be fair and constructive, and when the manuscript is improved and accepted, the reward is seen when it is published and acknowledged by the readership." – Alexander Chouker

“The publication of scientific articles by researchers is very similar to the work by artists. On the other hand, the big difference is that reproducibility and stepwise accumulation are indispensable, unlike mere creation. In that sense, voluntary peer review by the researchers is important.” – Atsushi Higashitani

“I have continuously believed that objective, unbiased review together with rigorous statistical analyses are our best allies in providing durable science that advances knowledge that becomes the basis our technological achievements.” – Neal Pellis

“The excellence of a journal rests largely on the quality of its referee reports – reports that are knowledgeable, fair and timely.  We are a community that depends on each other.” – Paul Steen

For those who have participated in peer review, thank you so much! You play an integral role in maintaining scientific quality. We are grateful for your time and expertise to review manuscripts for us.  

How well do you know peer review? Test your knowledge in our quiz. http://bit.ly/2CBsVXW