are you suggesting that scientists in UK can't say that Nature is a crap journal that publishes mostly errors? Or that Nature Publishing Group would sue an individual scientist for making such a statement?

Don't really see the point to invoke imperial hegemony in your criticism, it just makes you sound petty.

Since Science is published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, it feels reasonable to presume US law on this front.

I will say, I have a strong preference for US libel law, and aversion to UK libel law, but that’s probably mostly my cultural upbringing and familiarity speaking.

Seems to be similar in the UK as of Defamation Act 2013?

TIL "libel tourism" was a motivator for it, precisely because English libel law was too far-reaching.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libel_tourism

> On January 1st, 2014 the Defamation Act 2013 came into force, requiring plaintiffs who bring actions in the courts of England and Wales alleging libel by defendants who do not live in Europe to demonstrate that the court is the most appropriate place to bring the action. Serious harm to an individual's reputation or serious financial harm to a corporation must also be proven. Good faith belief that a disclosure was in the public interest was made a defense.