In today’s era of start-ups, spin-offs and university–industry collaborations, it pays to be knowledgeable about patents and how they can help. So starts the Editorial in the new issue of Nature Photonics (1, 355; 2007)

“All too often scientists are deterred from patenting by misconceptions about how expensive or time-consuming the process might be. True, the cost of filing and maintaining a patent has to be considered carefully, but the financial or commercial benefits may be worth it.”

Read on at the Nature Photonics website.

Further information about patents in photonics is provided in the Commentary “Patenting photonics research” by Andrew Fearnside later in the issue (Nature Photonics 1, 357-359; 2007).