[NEWS FEATURE] Exclusive: the science papers that patents cite the most

05 August 2026

 

Nature reveals the studies that are mentioned most often in patent filings — and why.

 

By Richard Van Noorden, Heidi Ledford & Edward Chen

 

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02386-8

 

 

Patent citations are one way to examine how academic research flows into commercial innovation. So, with an eye to getting a sense of the most industrially influential work, Nature has charted the scholarly papers that patents cite the most.