The number of science doctorates awarded in the United States has declined for the first time in eight years, according to a report by the US National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF's annual survey, out in late November, revealed that US institutions conferred 25,820 science doctorates in 2009, but only 25,589 in 2010, a decrease of 0.89%. Between 2002 and 2009, the number climbed by 32%. However, 2009–10 saw small drops in agricultural sciences, molecular biology, neuroscience, Earth sciences and chemistry. Report author Mark Fiegener, a statistician at the NSF in Arlington, Virginia, says that the fall might have been caused by the uncertain economy, which is prompting science graduate students to stay in their programmes for longer, rather than claiming their degrees. “They may be staying in school until the economy looks better and they can get a position,” says Fiegener.