Editorials in 2011

Researchers should shrug off their fears and welcome the concept of venture philanthropy.

Tales of fake vaccination drives are the least of Pakistan's public-health problems. A disjointed care system and lack of services are doing more damage.

It is time to update decades-old regulation of genetically engineered crops.

Europe's plan for a comprehensive chemical register needs more effort from all involved.

Good news — Australia's politicians have rediscovered climate change.

Screening of newborns for genetic disorders is important, but so is educating parents to ensure that they give the proper consent.

The final mission of the space shuttle heralds difficult days for space science.

Underhand attempts by the US Congress to bypass regulatory decisions made by federal agencies erode science-based policy.

The US Department of Energy must learn from its shoddy response to misconduct allegations.

What can individual researchers do for colleagues in Africa?

A new university on an island outpost looks set to succeed against the odds.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change must implement changes now to regain lost credibility or it will remain an easy target for critics seeking to score cheap points.

A quantitative approach to the humanities enriches research.

An industry approach to greener hydropower is far from perfect, but it does offer a way forwards.

A critique of the work of Stephen Jay Gould should serve as encouragement to scrutinize the celebrated while they are still alive.

Nations should release global nuclear-monitoring data to academics and the public.

If it is to deal effectively with outbreaks of infectious diseases, Germany must streamline its convoluted systems for reporting and communication.

Researchers should contribute to a US analysis of the case for chimpanzee research.