Column in 2004

Michael Crichton should accept that scientists know more about climate change than he does, charges Philip Ball.

A higher standard of literacy in scientific papers would make them more enjoyable, more publishable and more highly cited, argues Henry Gee.

We should be wary of using modish anti-American sentiment to decry US ambitions in space. The European agenda is hardly snow-white, says Henry Gee.

The nickname for the new hominid Homo floresiensis has its advantages, but will the label obscure the true importance of the find, asks Henry Gee.

The debate over whether to publish scientific results that could compromise national security is nothing new, says Philip Ball.

The discovery of Homo floresiensis raises hopes for yeti hunters and, says Henry Gee, poses thorny questions about the uniqueness of Homo sapiens.

The Human Genome Project, like so many 'big science' efforts, made huge claims. But scientists should be careful about promising more than they can deliver, says Philip Ball.

Philip Ball asks whether a method of persuading people to tell the truth in subjective surveys might give us a more robust way to judge the quality of art.

Taking organs without permission is a practice worthy of medieval times, says Sabine Louët. But creating a consent system that works is far from simple.

The life and work of Jacques Benveniste taught us valuable lessons about how to deal with fringe science, says Philip Ball.

This year's Ig Nobel awards celebrated a glittering cornucopia of silly science. As the laughter fades, Helen Pilcher explains why science shouldn't take itself so seriously.

Behind the populist image of the X prize lies an unsettling agenda.

Politicians will continue to make all sorts of promises, but we will only be able to fight climate change if we address both the benefits and pitfalls of nuclear power, says Philip Ball.

Human cloning claims were causing controversy again last week. Helen Pilcher warns us not to ignore the shadow cast on science publishing amid the media?s ethical frenzy.

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

Couples going through IVF should be allowed to choose what happens to their unwanted embryos, says Helen Pilcher.

Don't feel bad if you often get lost in cities. Network analysis shows their structure is peculiarly difficult to navigate, says Philip Ball.

Why is our Universe so exquisitely tuned to host life? Using the anthropic principle to explain the world might be a tempting alternative to invoking God, but it?s not science, says Philip Ball.

Forget cosmology and quantum mechanics. A list of most important physics papers from the past century reveals condensed matter physics is where it's really at, says Philip Ball.

NASA has just announced plans to do more science on the International Space Station. But that hasn't stopped Philip Ball hating it.