The Great Beyond
Brain disease treated by gene therapy
A treatment based on HIV finds first success in humans.
Mars rover plans its escape
Crunch time approaches for a decision on how to free Spirit from a sand trap.
Oldest American artefact unearthed
Oregon caves yield evidence of continent's first inhabitants.
Lisbon Treaty could give research a boost
European Union set to take a bigger role in climate and space policy.
Q+A: Greek research supremo promises drastic reform
Achilleas Mitsos aims to sharpen up Greek science.
Gene-makers put forward security standards
But few companies are willing to sign up yet.
Supernova mystery solved?
Sooty neutron star could lie at the heart of Cassiopeia A.
This week we learn the secrets of a star first spotted in 1680, hear how unrelated animals lend a helping hand, and discover how ecologists are bringing past ecosystems back to life in Pleistocene Parks. Plus, a round-up of what's hot elsewhere in Nature.
Dark-matter test faces obstacles
Access to crystals may hamper bid to repeat experiment.
Initiative targets malaria eradication
Focus shifts to blocking parasite transmission.
US habitat rule threatens species
Conservationists call for change to Bush-era definition of 'endangered'.
Science favoured by German coalition
Budgets set to double as new government backs previous spending commitments.
Aftermath of a tsunami
A natural-hazards expert talks about surveying the destruction in Samoa.
Nature, the international weekly journal of science, is seeking an intern reporter to work full-time in either its Washington, DC, or London offices. (Location will be determined by the nationality and work permit status of the successful candidate.) This six-month, paid position will begin in early January 2010.
Applicants should be self-starting and have a keen news sense. The intern will write news and other journalistic items for Nature’s website and print magazine. Please e-mail a cover letter, resume and three published articles to Alexandra Witze, Nature’s chief of correspondents for America (a.witze@us.nature.com), by November 15. Put “internship application” in the subject line.
Brazil mulls major climate action
If adopted, the move would put the country ahead of other developing nations on emissions curbs.
The melting snows of Kilimanjaro
Glaciers crowning Africa's tallest mountain could disappear within decades.
Native American culture sowed seeds of its own collapse
Floods brought the Nazca to their knees — but they crippled themselves by over-farming first.
California stem-cell grants awarded
First major round of research targeted at therapies takes off.
Satellite launches to track the world's water
Soil moisture and ocean salinity set to be monitored from space.
Lions' taste for human flesh dissected
Two maneaters devoured dozens in the late nineteenth century but one ate the lion's share.
New targets for old drugs
A computer program predicts thousands of previously unknown drug-target associations.
Air tides cause landslides
Pressure fluctuations can set slopes in motion.
Aerosols make methane more potent
Air pollution linked more closely to climate concerns.
Amphibians rarely give earliest warning of pollution
Long-standing 'canary in the coal mine' role questioned.
This week we discover a new type of communication between brain cells, hear some ideas about how the Earth became watery, and question the constancy of the speed of light. Plus, a round-up of what's hot elsewhere in Nature.
Most distant gamma-ray burst spotted
Observations suggest the early Universe is ripe for exploration.
An intergalactic race in space and time
A burst of γ-rays lets scientists test quantum theories of gravity.
Ozone protocol squares up to climate - Premium content
Europeans back efforts to amend the Montreal Protocol to address global warming.
Dark energy rips cosmos and agencies - Premium content
An international space mission to study an astronomical mystery is foundering.
US physicists propose astrophysics goals - Premium content
Dark energy and dark matter prove popular choices for funding.
University tightens oversight of sensitive research
Conviction prompts rethink of data rules.
African science feels the pinch
Recession dampens donors' enthusiasm.
Woo Suk Hwang convicted, but not of fraud
Cloning pioneer gets two years for embezzlement and bioethics breach.
On the show this week, the effects of sleep deprivation on memory, 250 years of London's Kew Gardens, watching evolution in the lab, climate change in the Himalayas, and much more.
HIV vaccine trial under fire
Expert scrutiny casts doubt on 'historic' results.
Probe uncovers Mercury's youthful secret
Latest fly-by reveals planet's recent volcanic activity.
Time running out for climate talks
Rift between developed and developing nations might be too great.
Fossil primate challenges Ida's place
Controversial German specimen is related to lemurs, not humans, analysis of an Egyptian find suggests.
Lazy male spiders avoid dinner date
Trespassing redbacks reap the rewards of reproduction without the costs of courting.
Moon scientist arrested on spy charges
Radar expert worked on US and Indian missions.
Darwin's geological mystery solved
Origin of odd South American boulders may have defeated the Origin's author.
Europe's Galileo project gains ground
Long-troubled satellite-navigation system receives formal backing from European Commission president.
High hopes for Russia's nanotech firms
But an ambitious government initiative has been slow to incubate a domestic high-tech industry.
Major economies meeting struggles with climate
Many hurdles remain on the road to Copenhagen summit in December.
EU research programme weighed up and found wanting
Audit criticizes lack of sustainability of EU-funded projects.
Flies get fright from false memories
Scientists use light activation to pinpoint where learning happens in fruit flies.
Researchers create portable black hole
Mini-hole made of metamaterials ensnares microwave light.
Chemical keeps male sex drive in check
A single pheromone ensures a male fruitfly's urge to mate targets the right sex.
Gene therapy could remedy Parkinson's
Introducing three genes corrects motor defects in monkeys.
Cell invasion caught on camera
Videos show T cells breaching the central nervous system's defences.
Ocean science goes deep
A global mission to wire up sea-floor observatories gets under way.
This week, we're impressed by video game-playing mice, go in search of a magnet with only one pole, meet Nobel Prize-winner Elizabeth Blackburn, and hear how Columbian guerrillas are helping scientists study reading.
EXCLUSIVE: Particle physicist 'falsely accused', claims brother
As Adlène Hicheur is investigated for terrorist links, his brother speaks out.
EXCLUSIVE: Fusion delays sow concern
Construction on ITER won't begin until 2010.
Cancer metastasis scrutinized
Researchers shift focus to catch secondary tumours.
Japan to slash huge grant scheme
Upstart government brings fresh priorities to science.
North America comet theory questioned
No evidence of an extraterrestrial impact 13,000 years ago, studies say.
Protein-design papers challenged
Reanalysis does not find same results as key 2003 study.
Climate talks stumble in Bangkok
UN negotiators clash over how to succeed the Kyoto Protocol.
Physicist working at CERN arrested
Postdoc faces terrorism charges in France.
Row at US journal widens
Three papers caught up in journal probe of review process.
X-ray free-electron lasers fire up
California's project has the lead as its facility goes live, but Europe aims for its own rapid-fire device.
Huge 'ghost' ring discovered around Saturn
Spitzer Space Telescope reveals a supersized dust belt.
Global warming may worsen locust swarms
Ancient records link a hotter climate to more damaging infestations.
Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to light pioneers
Advances in fibre optics and digital imaging are rewarded.
Radical shift proposed for funding European research
Half of EU research budget should be spent on frontier science, say science advisers.
Artificial ionosphere creates bullseye in the sky
Auroral experiments make glowing plasma patch.
Q+A: A Conservative approach to British science
How would research change under a centre-right government?
Future of HIV vaccine unclear
Puzzling hints of success require explanation before trials can move forward.
BRIEFING: US Senate gears up for climate debate
Cap-and-trade bill largely mirrors legislation passed in the House of Representatives.
Oldest hominid skeleton revealed
At 4.4 million years, Ethiopian fossil clarifies human–chimp relationships.
Q+A: The new head of the NIH
Francis Collins talks about his priorities for the agency.
Q+A: Driven out of research - Premium content
A virologist describes how stringent biosecurity regulations caused her to drop one line of work.
Rutherford Building cancers a "coincidence"
Independent inquiry finds cancer connection to historic radiation experiments "unlikely".
Past quakes cause future shocks
Seismic waves from earthquakes might make distant fault lines more slippery.
Cellulosic ethanol hits roadblocks - Premium content
How the financial crisis is slowing efforts to commercialize next-generation ethanol.
Climate change will hit developing world harvests hardest
Report quantifies link between global warming and food security.
Exclusive: Iranian ministers in plagiarism row
Nature investigation reveals duplications in papers by science and transport chiefs.
Chinese dam may be a methane menace
Wetlands around Three Gorges produce tonnes of the greenhouse gas.
US agriculture research gets priority plan - Premium content
Federal restructuring aims to lessen the influence of pork-barrel politics.
Climate sizzle could come soon
UK researchers predict 4 °C rise within decades.
Experts draw up ocean-drilling wish list
Researchers seek deeper understanding of crust formation.
Instant climate model gears up
Simulation tool gives rapid feedback on implications of policy changes.
Physicists shrink X-ray source
Laser accelerator almost fits on a tabletop.
Sex chromosomes linked to evolution of new species
Questions over conflict of the sexes remain.
Battery business boost
University spin-out opens trading as a billion-dollar company.
Butterflies' migrational timekeeper found
Monarchs may navigate using clocks in their antennae.
Strawberry pesticide leaves sour taste
Methyl iodide use by Californian farmers up for review.
Vaccine protects against HIV virus
A two-shot combo reduces the risk of HIV infection.
Publisher retracts paper by Iran's science minister
Iranian scientists press for plagiarism inquiry.
BRIEFING: Climate summit fails to address key challenges
Lack of progress threatens global deal.
Plans for UK research assessment revealed
Peer review remains key for determining the distribution of university cash.
SPECIAL REPORT: German science looks to new political players
Coalition change could affect policies, reports Quirin Schiermeier.
Gold rush for algae
The second of four weekly articles on biofuels describes how oil giants and others are placing their bets on algae.
Climate summit fails to address key challenges
Are the global leaders listening?
Protein burns its evolutionary bridges
Mutations can set genetic change on an irreversible path.
Indian ancestry revealed
The mixing of two distinct lineages led to most modern-day Indians.
Buoy damage blurs El Niño forecasts
Missing data from the eastern Pacific Ocean may hinder predictions of this year's event.
Research chief steps down over fake data
Peter Chen's integrity 'undamaged' by incident, says boss.
The elephant and the neutrino
Conservationists challenge physics observatory in Indian wildlife reserve.
Genomics shifts focus to rare diseases
Disappointing genome-wide studies prompt researchers to tackle single-gene defects.
Q+A: The once-quiet scientist
A former animal researcher decides to speak out.
Nuclear test ban back on the table
United States delegation to international summit reignites hope.
Water on the Moon?
Separate lunar missions indicate evidence of ice and hydrated minerals.
Arctic sea ice levels third-lowest on record
No sign that long-term trend is reversing, scientists caution
Fungus genome boosts fight to save North American forests
DNA sequence could advance efforts to control pine beetle infestations.
High window on the past
Microbiologists find living stromatolites in the Andes.
Volcanoes stirred by climate change
Impact of global warming on geological hazards 'poorly understood', experts warn.
Wanted: a chief scientist for Europe
Commission president pledges to hire top adviser.
North American coalition pushes for refrigerant curb
Greenhouse gases closer to Montreal Protocol regulation
Colour blindness corrected by gene therapy
Treated monkeys can now see in technicolour.
Why opposites don't always attract
A lucky lab accident helps to explain the mystery of bouncing droplets.
Climate change warning from Greenland
Small rise in temperature thousands of years ago caused rapid melting of the Greenland ice sheet.
Obama proposes greenhouse-gas standards for vehicles
US move is the first national regulation on carbon emissions.
Israeli immigrant scientists protest threat to jobs
Budget cuts freeze researchers out of Israel's KAMEA programme.
Q&A: Greenland project drills down to record depths
Researchers read our climate record from a mile-long core of ice.
RIKEN scientist arrested
Japanese researcher allegedly misused institutional funds.
Q+A: Choon Fong Shih
The first president of Saudia Arabia's King Abdullah University of Science and Technology talks.
Atomic agency rescues 'dirty bomb' material
Radioactive cobalt cleared from Lebanese lab.
Publication bias continues despite clinical-trial registration
Fewer than half of registered trials publish their results.
France unveils carbon tax
Nature talks to climatologist Jean Jouzel about the plans.
Italian quake analysis rumbles in
Satellite data pinpoints fault at heart of L'Aquila earthquake.
Physicists propose 'Schrödinger's virus' experiment
Laser technique could put virus in two overlapping quantum states.
Chromium isotopes track oxygen's rise
Early debut for essential gas was followed by an unexpected dip.
Potato blight's gene weaponry revealed
Jumping genes may hold key to defeating mould that caused Irish famine.
How green is your campus?
Universities are working to bring sustainability to their campuses and classrooms, and could serve as a model for other institutions looking to go carbon-neutral. But there's no single way to grade the initiatives.
Export-control laws worry academics
US researchers hope planned reforms will reduce the risk of prosecution.
Darwin Centre takes doors off museum
Scientists are on display at a new Natural History Museum facility.
Stem-cell drug fails crucial trials
Experimental treatment does not halt fatal complication of bone-marrow transplant.
Nations commit to share climate information
But proposed international service will face scientific and political hurdles.
Ethics scrutiny needed for Chinese–European projects
Panel calls for joint advisory body to monitor research.
Cells go fractal
Mathematical patterns rule the behaviour of molecules in the nucleus.
India says no to HIV drug patents
Patent office rejects applications from two US drug companies.
'Overwhelming' evidence for monopoles
Multiple experiments reveal materials with single points of north and south.
Fresh targets give hope for HIV vaccine
Two antibodies that stop the virus in its tracks could hold the key to broad immune protection.
Europe's oldest axes discovered
Sophisticated tool-making skills more widespread than previously thought.
Pandemic flu: from the front lines
Researchers describe the scientific and public-health challenges they face in battling the H1N1 virus.
Q+A: Forging a future for South African science
The country's science minister talks about her priorities in lean times.
Knockout rats made to order
Customized disease models made by deleting rat embryo genes may be on sale soon.
Climate-control plans scrutinized
The Royal Society reviews options for fighting global warming with geoengineering.
Climate change exacts a high price
Costs of adapting to a warming world could be much greater than expected.
Ozone threat is no laughing matter
Nitrous oxide poses a growing atmospheric problem.
Sunspots stir oceans
Variations in the Sun's brightness may have a big role in Pacific precipitation.
We've got a packed show this week, including gene therapy for mitochondrial mutations, a 'hot jupiter' spinning perilously close to its sun, discussion of a new report about testing toxic chemicals, a science-themed record for kids, and your chance to win a ticket to a private screening of Creation.
Renewable technologies increase energy sprawl
Biofuels will have the greatest impact on land use and habitat, study finds.
Frog serenade foiled
Amphibians raise their pitch to counter traffic noise.
Fossil protection law comes under fire
Palaeontologists aim to clamp down on illegal trade.
US plans for science outreach to Muslim world
White House to send scientists as envoys.
Nature’s video channel has put out two new short items for your delight.
The first is a film about Sci Foo, a very unusual conference held each summer at Google's headquarters in California. This gathering of geeks is informal and unstructured; there's no agenda until the first evening when the attendees collectively create one.
Nature's Charlotte Stoddart went along to Sci Foo 2009 to capture its unique spirit on film.
The second is a trailer for the Lindau film series, which details an extraordinary meeting between Nobel Laureates and young scientists takes place on Lindau Island in Germany.
The films will be released one a week from 27 August. Watch them here.
Q+A: The science of Google Wave
How an online application could change research communication.
Canada assumes weighty mantle
Instrument to help redefine the kilogram makes a transatlantic move.
FDA narrows drug label usage
Cancer treatments limited to specific gene variants.
BRIEFING: A question of sex
Nature explains the science behind the latest gender row in sport.
Scientists devise new way to modify organisms
Yeast cell surrogate may help scientists to engineer synthetic life.
The resistant rice of the future
Cross-breeding could create rice varieties that can survive flooding and fungi.
Flu shot guidelines criticized
Mathematical model suggests that US experts got their priorities wrong.
Nanoparticle safety in doubt
Lung damage in Chinese factory workers sparks health fears.
China cuts methane emissions from rice fields
But global warming could raise greenhouse gases produced by paddies elsewhere.
Environmental concerns delay seismic testing
Lawsuit puts research voyage on hold.
Irrigation reform needed in Asia
Farms must feed a growing population with a minimal impact on the environment.
India upgrades its disease surveillance network
Microbiologist Udaiveer Rana talks about the country's revamped disease institute.
World's smallest laser unveiled
The spaser promises ultrafast nanocircuits.
Ugly bats are built to bite
A face that only a mother could love conceals a skull with a surprisingly powerful jaw.
Child DNA donors should have their say
Bioethicists argue for stricter rules at genetic repositories.
A screen for cancer killers
Method identifies drugs that target the cells behind cancer growth.
Hurricane peak not unique
Historical estimates suggest that global warming could boost the number of hurricanes.
Flu database rocked by legal row
Dispute over ownership raises concerns among flu scientists.
Climate data spat intensifies
Growing demands for access to information swamp scientist.
Satellite data show Indian water stocks shrinking
Groundwater depletion raises spectre of shortages.
Ensuring safe landings on Mars
NASA to test inflatable shells for space craft.
Return of the rat
European investment could see knock-out rats catching up with mutant mice in medical research.
Science advisers mull priorities
Climate change and energy are high on the agenda for Obama's panel.
Ice-core researchers hope to chill out
Fresh freezers needed to preserve ancient gas, scientists say.
Mystery of missing carbon cracked
Earth's mantle seems to be depleted in carbon, but chemical processes might explain why.
Nanowires get biological impulses
Primitive hybrid device controls protein ion channels.
How to breathe on the Moon
Moon rock can be processed directly to produce oxygen.
Immortality improves cell reprogramming
Knocking out genes with a role in cancer prevention helps produce stem cells.
Geoengineering schemes under scrutiny
Researchers divided over the wisdom of climate manipulation.
LHC hopes for collisions by Christmas
But particle physicists will have to scale back the energies of their experiments for years.
Staving off ecological disaster in lungs
Protecting the lung's 'ecosystem' may help cystic fibrosis patients.
Cambrian's fiercest hunter defanged
Computer modelling hints that Anomalocaris didn't have the chops to chew up trilobites.
Europe prepares for drugs from GM plants
Guidelines for pharmed medicines compare favourably with US rules.
The itch without the pain
A special set of neurons may be dedicated to sensing itchiness.
New site for Berkeley energy institute
Environmental campaigners force a change of plan for Californian University.
Presidential panel narrows NASA's options
Augustine commission outlines seven key scenarios for space exploration.
Stimulus money unveiled for green cars
But a boost for established manufacturers leaves innovative companies out in the cold, critics say.
Crystals grown in a flash
A nanopulse of laser light is enough to trigger crystallization.
Who speaks for science in Europe? - Premium content
Questions remain over whether researchers have a coherent enough voice to influence European science policy. Natasha Gilbert reports.
Drowned tundra emits more carbon
Work in Alaska looks at life in a warmer, wetter world.
Greek scientists fight research shake-up
Protests greet plans to dismantle multidisciplinary institutions.
Grant scores leave applicants in limbo
Top-rated research must wait until September for NIH funding decision.
Battling scientists reach consensus on health of global fish stocks
Many depleted fisheries are making good progress to recovery.
Editor retracts sperm-creation paper
Plagiarism accusation hits stem-cell research.
Malaria becoming more drug resistant
Artemisinin-based medicines fail a growing number of patients in Cambodia.
Deforestation emissions on the rise
Amazon study suggests denser forest yields will mean more carbon release.
Israel's space industry facing staff cuts
Decline in government funding precipitates cash crisis.
In this episode, we bring you mice made from induced stem cells, the early Earth's disordered insides, jellyfish stirring up the oceans, and Saturn's spinning speed.
DNA barcodes for plants a step closer
Biologists agree on genetic sequences to uniquely identify plant species.
UK universities urged to build more industry links
Business secretary calls for wider commercial interest in British science.
African disease labs to get health check
Rating system for labs could improve diagnosis and lift standards.
Mice made from induced stem cells
Technical feat shows that the different route to stem cells can indeed make a full mammal body.
Heart, heal thyself
A mouse study finds that, surprisingly, heart muscle can be made to proliferate.
Big claims for tiny lenses
Physicists balk at Nature paper saying lenses can see beyond the theoretical limit.
This week, wild chimps show signs of an AIDS-like disease, super-tiny lenses go beyond the limits of light, and we reassess the patterns in the Northern and Southern lights. Plus, the regular news round-up.
Setback for Huntington's disease therapy
Brain-tissue transplants don't last very long in patients.
How raindrops fall
Exploding drops produce miniature showers.
Mystery of HIV vaccine failure deepens
Heightened immune response to cold virus may not be to blame.
Neanderthal census reveals diversity
Sequencing method uses mitochondrial DNA to build up a picture of the species.
Q+A: Weighing up the G8's promises to poor countries
Nature News talks to Namanga Ngongi about the billions of dollars pledged for food security.
Tsunami forecast in real time
Russian tsunami modeller seizes unexpected opportunity after New Zealand earthquake.
California academics face prospect of unpaid leave
University of California makes furlough plans as state budget cuts continue to bite.
The moonwalker
Harrison Schmitt was the first and last scientist to touch the lunar surface.
Asteroid belt's icy fringe explained
'Primordial objects' may have been captured during planetary realignment.
Sequencing unlocks secrets of blood parasites
Possible drug targets revealed in flatworms that cause schistosomiasis.
NIH nominee draws scrutiny
Francis Collins is likely to face funding challenges — and criticism of his Christian evangelism.
Medical isotope shortage reaches crisis level
Robust solutions sought urgently to shore up fragile supply chain.
How brain training makes multitasking easier
Practice speeds up the part of the brain that lets us tackle many jobs at once.
Malaria drug makers ignore WHO ban
Health agency calls for clampdown on artemisinin monotherapy.
Flu furore hits Argentina
Refusal to declare national emergency restricts pandemic measures.
Pandemic flu viruses brew for years before going global
Monitoring more viral genes could provide early warning of dangerous outbreaks.
Swine flu shares some features with 1918 pandemic
Exposure to one pandemic may protect against the other.
Approvals on trial
Researchers demand more harmonization of European rules for approving clinical studies.
Mars rover devours budgets
Ever-growing cost of the planned Mars Science Laboratory threatens other space missions.
Q&A: Taiwan's hopes for a biotech revolution
The president of the country's top research institute on growing the knowledge economy.
G8 leaders fail to agree on carbon cuts before 2050
Summit declaration says 2 °C warming must be avoided.
Q&A: Helping Europe's molecular biologists
The new EMBO director speaks to Nature News about her plans.
This week we're a step closer to an anti-ageing drug for people, we discover how and when our planet turned green, spot the most distant supernovae yet, and it's 20 years since the discovery of the cystic fibrosis gene.
India hikes science budget despite slowdown
Boosts for human space flight and atomic energy.
A pill for longer life?
A drug slows the march of time in middle-aged mice.
Special Report: Developing nations tackle climate - Premium content
Emissions targets, clean-energy projects and calls for justice are multiplying, reports Jeff Tollefson.
Czech researchers angry over government changes
Reform reshuffles budgets for science and industry.
Sperm-like cells made from human embryonic stem cells
But results are only preliminary, researchers caution.
Q&A: Beyond petroleum?
BP's chief chemist talks about balancing the company's commitment to renewable energies with profit.
This week, making stem cells for therapy, how salamanders regrow their limbs, three huge studies of genetic variation and schizophrenia, and how plants keep carbon dioxide above a certain level in the atmosphere.
Funding boost for African science
Wellcome Trust grants £30 million to help build research capacity.
Salamander cells remember their origins in limb regeneration
Cell tracking shows that axolotl cells in a regrowing leg retain distinct roles.
African science drops down G8 agenda
Researchers lament poor progress on commitments to developing nations.
Q&A: Observing the scars of the Arctic thaw
Ecologist Breck Bowdon talks about the consequences of thawing permafrost in Alaska.
Chief scientist quits California stem-cell agency
Departure raises questions over leadership at flagship centre.
Lawsuit puts flu-vaccine contract in doubt
Biotech company sued by creditors.
Vital marine habitat under threat
Destruction of seagrass on a par with loss of rainforests and coral reefs.
A helping hand for addicts
A neuropsychologist talks about the challenges of studying the addicted brain.
Climate refugee fears questioned
Few figures to back up prophecies of mass migration to rich countries.
Female promiscuity may not benefit offspring
'Higher quality' male seed beetles lose post-copulatory battle.
This week's Nature Podcast is a science journalism special. Listen in as we ask whether science journalists are cheerleaders or watchdogs for science, hear how technology is changing reporting from conferences, and get the inside scoop on how science gets turned into front page news. Plus, the produce of the Nature News team in our weekly science news chat.
Sodium traces hint at subsurface ocean on Enceladus
Measurements rule out geysers on Saturn's moon.
US human spacefaring questioned
Review panel takes a hard look at NASA's goal of returning astronauts to the Moon.
New protein structures replace the old
Dutch software to weed out errors in Protein Data Bank.
UK climate effects revealed in finest detail yet
Detailed projections met with caution by climate scientists.
BRIEFING: NASA's Moon goals under review
But work on the first of the agency's new rockets continues.
The virus spy
Yan Li talks about spotting the novel swine flu virus at Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory.
Special: Apollo 40 years on
Exploring the legacy of the first manned lunar missions.
Drug quells anxiety in early trials
Angst-fighting compound lacks side effects of current treatments.
Italy cancels G8 research meeting
Scrapped ministerial summit may jeopardize pressing climate change decisions.
Dinosaur's digits show how birds got wings
A new dinosaur species looks set to solve an old evolutionary puzzle.
Beijing's clean air claims questioned
Environment ministry now plans to monitor ozone and small particles.
Patchy pig monitoring may hide flu threat
Experts call for increased surveillance of animals.
Climate talks snarled up
Two-pronged negotiations fail to bridge divide between nations.
Feather growth limits size of flying birds
Time required for moulting may be a more important factor than weight.
This week, typhoons that trigger earthquakes, worms that refuse to die, and the search for extra terrestrial life starts on Earth.
Glimpse of Earth as seen from afar
Lunar eclipse paints portrait of Earth that could aid hunt for distant habitable planets.
Typhoons trigger gentler tremors
Small quakes may act as a release valve that prevents catastrophic convulsions.
Avian influenza aided readiness for swine flu
Despite gains from threat of bird flu, pandemic preparedness is patchy.
Too few women in clinical trials?
Cancer-drug studies fail to reflect true incidence of disease in the population.
Mars missions get in line
NASA planetary competitions to no longer favour Mars.
UK science pulled back to business
Government reshuffle abolishes short-lived research and education department.
Q&A: Zipping around on the ocean floor
Ocean scientists hunt for Canadian deep-sea corals.
Historic deal for german science
Eleventh-hour deal secures billions of euros for research.
War and migration may have shaped human behaviour
Demographic factors could be behind diverse aspects of social evolution.
Human-ape links heard in laughter
Similarities between laughter of tickled apes and humans mirrors genetic ties between species.
Warning for diplomats over misuse of science
Use science to build partnerships, urge government science advisers.
Open access publishing gains another convert
University College London joins rapidly growing throng.
African ministers lay out climate-change policy
Common vision still lacks specifics.
Role reversal undermines speed-dating theories
Women become less choosy when they, rather than men, move from table to table.
Drug giants unite to develop cancer therapy
Merck and AstraZeneca collaboration could launch a new trend — if their work yields results.
Earliest evidence for pottery making found
Fragments from a Chinese cave push back the dawn of the craft by more than 1,000 years.
Crunch time for German science programmes
Billions of euros in university funding could be delayed or lost.
Boost for conservation of plant gene assets
Financial worries accompany award of first grants under international treaty.
Dark energy particle spotted?
Reported 'chameleon' particle would change its mass to match its environs.
Electrodes spark neuron growth
Deep brain stimulation could help make memories.
Sweden snares neutron facility
Lund will play host to European Spallation Source.
Failure is certainly an option
Conservation scientists plead for better reporting of negative results.
Getting science into policy
New Zealand's first ever chief science adviser talks about how he will make an impact on government decision-making.
Taking a fossil primate on the road
Ida's promoter defends science and showmanship.
Hot times ahead for the Wild West
American west threatened by more heatwaves than past models have predicted.
The nail in the coffin for group selection?
Benefits to an individual and its family may be enough to account for altruistic behaviour.
This week, transgenic monkeys that glow green, quantum states that change as soon as you look at them, and a new approach to the war on cancer.
Former shuttle pilot nominated as NASA head
Charles Bolden lined up to take over space agency.
Draft stem-cell guidelines criticized
Researchers complain that previously approved cell lines would not be covered.
Russia makes major shift in climate policy
Putin emphasizes the need for action on global warming.
Old seasonal flu antibodies target swine flu virus
Lab results could explain why young patients are hardest hit by current H1N1 strain.
GPS signal under threat
A few years of reduced precision might affect scientists worldwide.
Flagship drug-development initiative picks projects
European project awards pharmaceutical research funding.
This week, we investigate the link between cancer and Down's syndrome, find out how life on Earth survived multiple meteorite impacts 3.9 billion years ago, and discover why it's so hard to lose weight by dieting.
Reunion of fossil halves splits scientists
Well-preserved primate suffers identity crisis.
Q&A: Reaping the rewards of health research
The director of the University of Oxford's institute in Vietnam on studying disease in poor countries.
Exploration divides geographers
Campaigners pledge to fight on after Royal Geographical Society rejects resolution to bring back big expeditions.
Public donations to lift research
Website paves way for people power.
Sunny outlook for Australian science
Research programmes win big in budget, but critics say environment is 'overlooked'.
NASA chief nearly named?
President Obama to meet with former astronaut Charles Bolden.
Q+A: Mapping the world's oldest submerged town
Underwater archaeologist Jon Henderson is hoping to reveal the secrets of the ancient Greek town of Pavlopetri.
Q&A: Defending basic research in Israel
The country's science minister speaks out on proposed budget cuts.
Thoughts of money soothe social rejection
Handling cash also eases physical pain.
This week we discover a 35,000 year-old figurine with exaggerated breasts, look back to the origins of RNA, look forward to a new light source that could replace ugly fluorescent strip lights, and we ask: is free will an illusion?
Q&A: Marie-Paule Kieny
The vaccine research director of the World Health Organization, on swine flu.
RNA world easier to make
Ingenious chemistry shows how nucleotides may have formed in the primordial soup.
Ancient Venus rewrites history books
Female figure was carved from a mammoth tusk 35,000 years ago.
Asteroid impact may have gassed Earth
Did dinosaur-killing space rock create enough carbon monoxide to trigger extreme global warming?
Erupting gas may cause lunar flashes
Eyewitness reports of flickering Moon lights stand up to scrutiny.
Q+A: The way forwards for Britain's environment policy
Bob Watson, the UK environment department's chief scientist, discusses research priorities.
Synthetic biology gets ethical
UK centre hopes to blend science, policy and outreach in burgeoning field.
Swine flu spread matches previous flu pandemics
New analysis supports pandemic designation.
How thalidomide makes its mark
Drug's effects on embryonic blood-vessel growth may be the source of malformed limbs.
Making war not love
Fiercest warriors in Amazon tribe left fewer descendants.
Q&A: Bill Chadwick
A volcanologist reveals how undersea eruptions can be a boon for some species.
Austria to quit CERN
Move will end 50-year participation in physics laboratory.
Obama requests US science funding
After a massive stimulus injection in February, requests for research monies level out.
'Hobbit' was a dwarf with large feet
Studies suggest Flores man was a distinct species.
DNA twisted into boxes
Molecular keys can open tiny containers.
China joins world-class synchrotron club
Nation's costliest science facility is unveiled.
This week on the Nature Podcast, we’ve got miniature hippos and even smaller hominids, birds with culture written into their genes, a lockable box made of DNA, and a tale of Two Cultures. Plus we announce the winner of our science haiku competition.
Universities warned about swine flu threat
Government agencies in the US and UK issue advisories over flu on campus.
Age-defying dinosaur collagen
Hadrosaur, dead 80 million years, yields oldest protein yet sequenced.
Q+A: German virologist's race for swine flu test
Christian Drosten talks to Nature about tackling the threat of a pandemic.
This week’s issue of Nature looks in detail at “the coming climate crunch”.
As my colleague Quirin Schiermeier explains on the Climate Feedback blog, “What’s it all about then? Well, Gavin Schmidt and David Archer, in their news and views piece, get to the heart of it: “Dangerous climate change, even loosely defined, is going to be hard to avoid.’”
The Real Climate blog focuses on two papers which look at the chances of staying below 2°C warming. “Both find that the most directly relevant quantity is the total amount of CO2 ultimately released, rather than a target atmospheric CO2 concentration or emission rate,” the blogging team writes. “This is an extremely useful result, giving us a clear statement of how our policy goals should be framed.”
Much of the coverage focuses on the suggestion in one of these papers that once humanity has added a trillion tonnes of carbon to the atmosphere 2°C is inevitable (eg: Wired).
In the Guardian, Myles Allen, author of one of the papers, writes:
Like all scientists, most of what I do is arcane and technical and of very little interest to outsiders. For once, however, I'm involved in a couple of studies (published today in Nature), that my fellow parents might just find interesting. The headline result of both papers is that the risk of dangerous climate change is primarily determined by the total amount of carbon dioxide that we, the human race, release into the atmosphere over all time, not by emissions in any particular year.
Joseph Romm, of the Climate Progress blog, is unimpressed though. He writes that our issue “fails utterly to provide its readers with the two must-haves in any comprehensive coverage of the issue:
-A clear and specific understanding of the plausible worst-case scenario impacts facing the world post-2050 on our current emissions path.
-A clear and specific understanding of the core climate solutions, policies for their rapid deployment, and an understanding of why the total cost of action is so darn low — one tenth of a penny on the dollar.”
Make up your own mind: all the content is here.
Swine flu goes global
New influenza virus tests pandemic emergency preparedness.
California in clean-fuel drive - Premium content
State rule says biofuels aren't so green.
Japan goes for the sun - Premium content
Government pushes to regain national lead in solar-energy research.
This week we've a climate special: Nicholas Stern tells us how the recession could help curb global warming, Nature's climate science editor is in the studio to talk us through the latest research, and we imagine what the world would look like in the worst-case scenario of 1000ppm of CO2. Also on the show, autism genes and how to fix a broken heart.
Research for development
The UK Department for International Development's research chief discusses priorities.
Obama promises spending boost for science
Ambitious target for economically tough times.
Swine flu outbreak sweeps the globe
Genetic code of new influenza strain could contribute to its rapid spread.
Briefing: Swine flu jumps continents
Influenza virus spreads around the world.
Nature.com has been nominated for a Webby Award. You can find us in the Society section under Science.
On this show, a newly discovered fossil reveals clues to the origin of flippered mammals, we get stuck into the glue that holds species together, and mobile phone tracking: is it science or stalking?