In this week’s issue of Nature my colleague Geoff Brumfiel reports on the slide of Bell Laboratories away from fundamental science.

Under the headline ‘Bell Labs bottoms out’ he notes:

Just four scientists are left working in Bell’s fundamental physics department in Murray Hill, New Jersey, Nature has learned. Others have either left or been reassigned to other parts of the company, and a major materials-fabrication facility has been shut down.

Now, piling insult upon injury, a developer is planning to turn Bell’s iconic Holmdel lab site in New Jersey into a mall, some flats and office space, according to the Greater Media Newspapers.

Out with the science; in with the shops…