The criteria for publication of scientific papers (Articles and Letters) in Nature are that they:
-report original scientific research (the main results and conclusions must not have been published or submitted elsewhere)
-are of outstanding scientific importance
-reach a conclusion of interest to an interdisciplinary readership.
"Outstanding scientific importance" screams no boring replication studies that confirm pre-existing work.
The note in the first bullet also forbids replication studies that confirm pre-existing work.
> (the main results and conclusions must not have been published or submitted elsewhere)
I don't know, "couldn't replicate this other major study" seems like it would qualify as outstanding scientific importance. It all depends how you frame "scientific importance". Replication seems like it should be high on the list of scientific goals.
You're missing the other side of it. Here's what's not interesting: Replicating the results of a study already believed to be accurate. Yet it is vitally important.
A while ago I had a manuscript rejected because I used the word "novel"... so hopefully the trend of emphasizing "novel" things [1] is changing.
I'm trying to find the specific manuscript guidelines for that journal, but pretty sure they banned use of the word.
[1] http://www.nature.com/news/novel-amazing-innovative-positive...