Comment in 2010

When knowledge is uncertain, experts should avoid pressures to simplify their advice. Render decision-makers accountable for decisions, says Andy Stirling.

This year showed that good communication can make you a leader, and a better scientist, says Nancy Baron.

Hybridization in polar species could hit biodiversity hard, say Brendan Kelly, Andrew Whiteley and David Tallmon.

Biologists and engineers should work together: synthetic biology reveals how organisms develop and function, argue Michael Elowitz and Wendell A. Lim.

Developing countries wanting to boost commercialization of their academic research should learn from the mistakes of US patenting legislation, says Bhaven N. Sampat.

Funders and universities should make the products of research more available — even if today's researchers pay a price, say Jeffrey L. Furman, Fiona Murray and Scott Stern.

What was the impact of the nanotechnology funding boom of the past ten years? Philip Shapira and Jue Wang have scrutinized the literature to find out.

As Canada exploits its oil sands ever faster, David Schindler calls for industry-independent environmental monitoring to back up better water-quality regulation.

A critical mass of female voices changes the tenor of political and corporate decisions — and should be used to galvanize climate policy, says Susan Buckingham.

Our global economy must operate within planetary limits to promote stability, resilience and wellbeing, not rising GDP, argues Peter Victor.

New forecasts suggest that coal reserves will run out faster than many believe. Energy policies relying on cheap coal have no future, say Richard Heinberg and David Fridley.

The stigma of mental illness will be reduced only if region-specific awareness initiatives become a permanent fixture of health and social services, argues Norman Sartorius.

More rigorous studies should be done on the effects of a therapy that seems to improve the everyday functioning of people with schizophrenia, says Til Wykes.

Bernd Pulverer reflects on his experience at The EMBO Journal of publishing referees' reports, authors' responses and editors' comments alongside papers, as other EMBO publications adopt the same policy.

Two months on from the court decision that briefly suspended US federal funding for human embryonic stem-cell research, uncertainty still stalks the field. Here an ethicist, a team of bankers and a lawyer warn of effects of this saga that could be felt for years to come.

As the data deluge swells, statisticians are evolving from contributors to collaborators. Sallie Ann Keller urges funders, universities and associations to encourage this shift.

It is time for a science of how city growth affects society and environment, say Luis Bettencourt and Geoffrey West.

Scientists should do the research to help mayors prepare for a warming world, say Cynthia Rosenzweig, William Solecki, Stephen A. Hammer and Shagun Mehrotra.

Daniel S. Greenberg sets out five things that the White House and Capitol Hill can and should accomplish between now and the 2012 election.

Fundamental research must not be hampered by an international agreement on sharing the benefits from national biodiversity, says David Schindel.