Comment in 2012

The debate over publishing potentially dangerous research on flu viruses would benefit from a closer look at history, argue David Kaiser and Jonathan D. Moreno.

Those wishing to maximize the benefits of public research must require more than free access, says Cameron Neylon — they must facilitate reuse.

Experimental biologists, their reviewers and their publishers must grasp basic statistics, urges David L. Vaux, or sloppy science will continue to grow.

Chris Stringer explains why the longest-running whodunnit in palaeontology is still worth solving.

Simple chemical pathways open up proliferation possibilities for the proposed nuclear 'wonder fuel', warn Stephen F. Ashley and colleagues.

Too many US authors of the most innovative and influential papers in the life sciences do not receive NIH funding, contend Joshua M. Nicholson and John P. A. Ioannidis.

An emerging coalition is implementing carbon trading despite political obstacles. It is rewriting the map of climate diplomacy, says Michael Grubb.

Abandon coal, price carbon consumption and look to new technologies for a lasting solution to global emissions, argues Dieter Helm.

A joined-up funding system is needed to enable the United States to make long-term pledges to major international projects, says Barry Barish.

To drive innovation at the nanoscale, the patent thicket must be chopped down, argues Joshua M. Pearce.

Software engineers must close the loophole used to intercept online communications, say Ben Laurie and Cory Doctorow.

The latest furore over GM food highlights the need for good-quality research on highly sensitive topics, says François Houllier.

Joel V. Weinstock explains why several clinical trials are deliberately infecting people with helminths to treat autoimmune diseases.

A century ago this week, physicist Lawrence Bragg announced an equation that revolutionized fields from mineralogy to biology, writes John Meurig Thomas.

The tiny number of model organisms constrains research in ways that must be acknowledged and addressed, warns Jessica Bolker.

Without better regulation, non-invasive prenatal genetic tests will be targeted by US anti-abortion lobbyists, argues Jaime S. King.

Gisbert Glaser urges the United Nations' working group to do their research.

Mario Livio celebrates the guiding light for modern physics.

Moves towards a global water commodities market must be stopped. It will push the price of food far beyond the peaks of the past five years, warns Frederick Kaufman.

New collaboration patterns are changing the global balance of science. Established superpowers need to keep up or be left behind, says Jonathan Adams.