Opinion in 2000

The US Congress has turned the Los Alamos National Laboratory into a political pawn. The damage done will take a long time to rectify. Despite their mistakes, the national defence laboratories need far greater support from their country's leaders.

A declaration about HIV as the cause of AIDS should be accepted and thus bring an end to a tragic debate in South Africa.

Whatever doubts there may be about the timing, public celebrations of genome projects are well deserved. Researchers should now be left to complete significant tasks that remain, and to tidy up troublesome errors in their databases.

When it comes to research, Germany's medical profession may have a lot to answer for.

After languishing in recent years, the vision of a research community operating effectively at a European level is being actively pursued. Larger member states should give it their support.

Next week sees the birth of a new Nature journal.

Researchers who devote themselves to sequencing genomes often lack the time to interpret their results. Others don't. The tensions that can result reflect the need for a rethink of sequencers' priorities or a change in approach to collaboration.

President Clinton's offer to share missile defence with his allies brings to mind his presidency's weaknesses — his fondness of fudge and reluctance to embrace unpopular truths.

One major laboratory has closed because of a clinical trial's tragic outcome. But others need publicly to review their roles.

A review of physics in the United Kingdom highlights the usefulness of external scrutiny and the challenge of getting a part of the community to set itself new standards. Who will take the lead?

US astronomers are getting better at forming a collective view of priorities. Their latest wish list is worth fighting for, but it is the process used to generate it that gives the community the best chance of attracting the necessary funds.

A new set of prizes is an apt celebration of the significance and wonder to be found in pure mathematics.

US research, industries and citizens have something to gain from European experiments in public participation in regulation. So do those in Europe.

As the final polish is given to two versions of the human genome sequence, tensions between the competing camps are inevitably high. But excited banter could be damaging to both if it gets out of hand.

Time will judge a body being set up this week to address the scientific aspects of topics of international concern.

Publicly funded agricultural research continues to languish in the United States, despite attempts for its stronger support.

An open letter to the president of South Africa.

High-energy physicists in the United States need to take time to reach agreement on new goals.

A report from the White House valuably highlights the chronic difficulties in the United States in involving minority groups in science and technology. But it wrongly skirts around a key issue in alleviating a potential crisis.

Power brings unfair criticism, fair scrutiny and a need for transparency.