Opinion

•  

• • Featured article:Waste not, want not

    Philip Ball considers the extents to which we will go in scavenging every last joule of energy from our environment.

    07 February 2008

• • Columns from Nature News
    Personal opinions from our columnists.
  • Editorials from Nature
    The journal's opinions.
  • Commentary from Nature
    Views from the scientific community.

Columns

• Our columnists dig their teeth into everything from US politics to global warming on Pluto. Read their personal opinions - and let us know what you think. Click on an author's name to find more of their writing.

• Most recent

  • Of myths and men

    Worries about an apocalypse unleashed by particle accelerators are not new, says Philip Ball. They have their source in old myths, which are hard to dispel.

    02 May 2008

  • Demonstrably wrong

    Public-private demonstration projects are a good way to test technology in the field. But the driving force is often more political than scientific, argues David Goldston.

    30 April 2008

  • What's Madonna got to do with it?

    The interests of vulnerable children in institutional care are not well served by the latest bout of dodgy statistical reasoning, says Philip Ball.

    22 April 2008

  Most commented

  • The scientist delusion

    Religious resistance to science is often exaggerated, but fresh problems may lie ahead, says David Goldston.

    Wed Mar 05 00:00:00 EST 2008

  • You can't control irrational people

    Many of us who write on scientific issues have our work distorted by others, but that doesn't mean we should retract our words, says Michael Hopkin.

    Fri Oct 26 16:57:43 EDT 2007

  • Of myths and men

    Worries about an apocalypse unleashed by particle accelerators are not new, says Philip Ball. They have their source in old myths, which are hard to dispel.

    Fri May 02 13:59:02 EDT 2008

  • Wise words from the Vatican

    Popes are not noted for enlightened views on science and technology. But the latest papal statements are encouraging, says Philip Ball.

    Thu Dec 20 17:57:50 EST 2007

  • War is not an exact science

    General theories of why we go to war are interesting, says Philip Ball. But they'll never tell the whole story.

    Fri Nov 23 17:41:35 EST 2007

  We recommend

  • Read some of the classic columns from the archive of Nature News.

    • Bring on the money

      Selling space trips and adverts may be the brightest way to keep the space station afloat, suggests Mark Peplow.

      30 September 2005

    • Murder most mysterious

      The death of ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko has highlighted how long it can take to diagnose a poison. Nicola Jones asks how hard can it be?

      27 November 2006

    • Waiting for ET

      Rumours of contact with aliens have been exaggerated (again). Philip Ball asks whether the search for extraterrestrials does anything but fuel paranoia.

      06 September 2004

  • • More columns

Editorials and commentary from Nature

• 14 May 2008
  Opinion pieces from the latest issue of Nature. You will need a subscription to Nature (rather than Nature News) to access some of this content.

• Editorials from the latest issue

  • Opinion from Nature's Editor in Chief and the editorial team, as published in the front of the journal each week. Get clear views on matters of importance to the science community. Go to the Nature editorials

    • All eyes north - premium content

      17 April 2008

    • A ghost of battles past - premium content

      17 April 2008

    • Broken promises - premium content

      17 April 2008

  Most recent commentaries

  • Commentaries are opinion articles that offer stimulating and timely perspectives on issues of international concern to both the scientific community and wider public. These articles are journalistic and persuasive, and are intended to stimulate reader reactions. Commentaries are often critical or controversial, but they also make specific practical proposals to move the debate forward

    • Collaborations: Investigating international misconduct - premium content

      10 April 2008

    • Dangerous assumptions - premium content

      03 April 2008

    • Improving on haves and have-nots - premium content

      20 March 2008