Editorials in 2014

Consensus on reporting principles aims to improve quality control in biomedical research and encourage public trust in science.

The scientific regeneration of central Europe is gathering pace, but needs further help to thrive.

Balancing the needs of development and conservation is difficult — but urgent.

Papers in Nature journals should make computer code accessible where possible.

The Chinese government’s planned overhaul of its core research-funding system is vital if the country is to achieve its potential on the global scientific stage.

Time to ramp up science’s contribution to controlling the Ebola outbreak.

After three years of heated debate, the advocates and critics of gain-of-function research must work to agree on how best to regulate the work.

Social-media fun for medical research bypasses animal sensitivities.

Europe must act to stop livestock drugs from wiping out its vulture populations.

Welcome efforts are being made to recognize academics who give up their time to peer review.

The accelerating pace of change in today’s world means that universities must modify how they fulfil their function of seeking and sharing knowledge.

What lessons can be learned from the presentation of the gravitational-waves story?

The significance of expertise passed on by direct contact— tacit knowledge — is moot.

A mass beaching of walruses in Alaska is a sign of things to come.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa must be shut down now, or the disease will continue to spread.

Prospects for international agreement on combating climate change look brighter.

Cleaning up the literature can be difficult.

A mixture of focus and innovation is the way forward for big neuroscience.

As the Scottish referendum showed, scientists’ views can influence political debate.

German research organizations need to help their workers to defend animal research.