News & Comment

Although politics has been defined as the 'science of government', there is little science in government. Recent events in UK politics have highlighted the lack of scientifically literate elected representatives — a situation that must change for the good of society.

Cuts in pharmaceutical R&D jobs might provide short-term improvements to the bottom line, but do not bode well for the industry in the long run.

Is any experiment worth your health — or your life?

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, but when that picture appears on the front cover of a scientific journal, that estimate is probably a little on the low side.

The financial crisis that continued to grip the world in 2009 has brought the question of who should pay for scientific research — and what it should set out to achieve — into sharper focus than ever.

The editorial process at Nature Chemistry differs in some important ways from that employed at other chemistry journals.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2009 was awarded for research into the structure and function of the ribosome, sparking debate about its significance to chemists.

Perceived lapses in the peer-review process often receive a lot of attention, but the majority of researchers declare themselves satisfied with the system. But if it is broken, how do we fix it?

The 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry will soon be awarded amid the usual speculation, angst, disagreement and elation — but is it really worth all the fuss?

Are the days of print journals numbered — and if they are, what will that mean for how we interact with the scientific literature?

Another 'superheavy' element is officially welcomed to the table.

Why Nature Chemistry spells sulfur with an 'f'.

There are many different criteria that can be taken into account when judging the scientific success of individual researchers, but are some more meaningful than others?

The publication of scientific discoveries remained tied to ink and paper for over 300 years, but the rise of the internet over the past few decades has transformed scholarly communication. Just how far this revolution can go depends not just on publishers, but on authors and readers too.

Is the traditional conference format still relevant in today's better-connected world, or should new ways of presenting data and ideas at chemistry meetings be explored?

The continued rise of the internet and so-called 'Web 2.0' developments in particular, offer new opportunities for how chemical information can be stored and shared online — and could transform how the subject is taught and reported.