I’m sure I’m not the only Cantabrigian who went home last Wednesday (Nov 8) actually feeling happy because of US politics. I never thought politics could make me feel happy, but it did for the first time in a very, very long time (hopefully not the last time…2008??). It’s amazing the change of tone that has swept across Washington. Let’s just hope that with that come changes in how scientists and scientific information are treated by the rulers of this nation and how science is funded.

So that’s why it’s important to keep an eye on Bart Gordon, the new chair of the House Committee on Science. Here’s a Q&A with the Democratic representative from Tennessee, from this week’s Nature.