Editorials in 2009

Virtual worlds such as Second Life present an intriguing premise for scientific use. But are the benefits sufficiently clear for widespread uptake?

The future role of NASA in human space exploration remains economically uncertain. Should materials scientists care?

Richard Feynman's talk anticipating nanotechnology was inspirational, but no blueprint.

Organic semiconductors could one day be used in new types of spintronic devices. Before realistic applications can be achieved however, more experimental and theoretical work is needed to understand the mechanism of spin injection and spin transport.

As moves towards open-access schemes gain momentum, the choice between 'author pays' and subscription-based models may come down to fundamental business considerations rather than limits in access to original research.

2009 is turning out to be an interesting year for research funding in the UK. Everyone wants the best science to be funded, but it's not clear that the proposed policy changes will achieve this.

Rapid developments are afoot in the field of biomaterials, and are likely to have major effects on patient care soon. But science isn't the only thing defining the pace of progress.

Although India can capitalize on a long history of scientific excellence, progress in scientific research and science education needs to be implemented across all layers of society.

Strong science education is an important part of any modern education. To ensure scientific progress, however, students need to aspire to academic careers.

Even materials scientists have reason to celebrate the seminal insights of Charles Darwin on his bicentenary.

Drastic measures aimed at reducing carbon emissions must be taken now to avoid the devastating effects of global warming on our future.

The financial crisis teaches us about the consequences of ignoring risks. We cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes for the continuing crises in energy and climate.