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It is essential to recognize the heterogeneous nature of 'the public' in engagement activities and to treat people as citizens rather than as mere laypersons, consumers or stakeholders.
C60 was discovered in 1985 but it took five years to confirm that this famous molecule was spherical. Chris Toumey revisits a debate that highlighted different approaches to science.
All scientists should find the time to understand the software packages that they use to collect, analyse and display their data, and share this knowledge with new researchers.
The 'climategate' controversy exposed aspects of the peer review process that are normally kept secret, and has prompted a discussion on ways to improve peer review.