World View in 2015

The European Commission has abandoned consideration of 'Science 2.0', finding it too ambitious. That was the wrong call, says Colin Macilwain.

To prevent future epidemics, a new international effort must boost West Africa’s scientific and public-health capacity, says Christian Bréchot.

Pope Francis has found a meeting place for those with extreme religious and environmentalist stances, says David M. Lodge.

The escalating encroachment on democratic freedoms undermines the nation's claim of support for science, says Fyodor Kondrashov.

Dyna Rochmyaningsih offers a lesson from Indonesia on what can go wrong when governments use research to make a country look good.

Quantitative indicators of research output can inform decisions but must be supported by robust analysis, argues James Wilsdon.

Mechanisms to help researchers to balance work and home lives have made a positive difference to the gender balance at my institute, says Douglas Hilton.

Sexist comments made by my former boss Tim Hunt are not an indication that he is biased against women, argues Alessia Errico.

The ‘post-normal science’ framework would make regulatory decisions about research in humans more effective, says Frederick Grinnell.

To realize the full potential of large data sets, researchers must agree on better ways to pass data around, says Martin Bobrow.

The public image of chemistry is not as negative as some assume — but many people find it hard to connect the field to the real world, says Chiara Ceci.

Insects are an excellent source of sustainable protein, but people will only be persuaded to eat them if they seem appealing, says Ophelia Deroy.

Precision medicine cannot advance without full disclosure of how commercial genome sequencing and interpretation software works, says Mauno Vihinen.

The use of genome-modification tools in wild species must be properly governed to avoid irreversible damage to ecosystems, says Jeantine Lunshof.

Losing legislation that has animal welfare at its core would not just jeopardize science, it is also likely to lead to a drop in standards, argues Kay Davies.

It is getting harder for scientists in China to obtain the high-quality public data that they need for important research studies, says Zheng Wan.

Encouraging students to challenge ideas is crucial to fostering a generation of Muslim scientists who are free thinkers, says Rana Dajani.

Alan Rusbridger wants researchers to help convince powerful philanthropic organizations to set an example and stop propelling carbon emissions.

To judge the safety of flying during an eruption, the airline industry cannot just rely on advances in volcanic monitoring and prediction, says Matthew Watson.

The 'war on cancer' has run off course. Efforts must refocus on the best interests of patients, says Colin Macilwain.