News & Comment

Barack Obama's victory in the US presidential election is good news for researchers.

There is more than enough power available from the Sun to satisfy the world's needs, so why are we not rushing to exploit it?

Despite the absence of consensus on a theory of the transition from supercooled liquids to glasses, the experimental observations suggest that a detail-independent theory should exist.

After over a quarter of a century, the doors of the world's first synchrotron radiation source have closed. Its contribution to materials science in the past and the future should not be underestimated.

Philips has recently changed its focus from electronic components to healthcare innovations. Nature Materials talked to Hans Hofstraat about the reasons behind this choice and how it affected Philips Research scientists.

How can physical scientists contribute to biomedical applications and healthcare?

With some nanomaterial-based medicines having entered the marketplace, and more on the verge of doing so, nanomedicine is expected to become an exciting playground for chemists and material scientists.

Whether we should expand the use of nuclear energy is not the issue. Developing next-generation nuclear technology as part of a clean-energy portfolio is.

Nuclear energy offers a low-carbon footprint and less dependence on fossil fuel, but several materials challenges must be met to advance nuclear technology.

The present revival in nuclear technology is prompting concerns about its safe use. Nature Materials talks to Tomihiro Taniguchi, Deputy Director General at the International Atomic Energy Agency, responsible for nuclear safety and security.

As interest in new generations of nuclear reactors is increasing worldwide, renewed research effort into new materials more tolerant to extreme conditions is crucial.

Do you think there are too many scientific papers coming out of China? Think again. As our special focus on China highlights, improvements in quality over quantity are inevitable.

As economic competition in the region increases, Hong Kong has to reinvent itself as a knowledge-based society.

Nature Materials spoke to Lu Yongxiang, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, on the roles that the academy and its more than 100 research-related institutions have in advancing science and technology in China.

The fast-paced economic development in China needs to be complemented by strong support for fundamental research, particularly in the materials sciences.