Seven days: 17–23 February 2012

Nature 482, 444 22022012 doi: 10.1038/482444a

The week in science: Animals saved from chemical safety tests; fund launched to clean up methane and black-carbon emissions; and excitement over nanopore DNA sequencing.

Flu meeting opts for openness

Nature 482, 447 21022012 doi: 10.1038/482447a

Declan Butler

Controversial virus studies should be published and oversight of such work strengthened, conference concludes.

Editor’s move sparks backlash

Nature 482, 449 21022012 doi: 10.1038/482449a

David Cyranoski

Bioethicists are forced to consider their purpose as leading practitioner joins controversial stem-cell company.

Wild flower blooms again after 30,000 years on ice

Nature 482, 454 21022012 doi: 10.1038/482454a

Sharon Levy

Fruits hoarded by ancient ground squirrels give new life to prehistoric plants.

Souped-up cyclotrons offer isotope remedy

Nature News , 21022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10064

Nicola Jones

Approach could avert shortage of valuable tracers for medical imaging.

Five-in-one vaccine carries small risk of seizure

Nature News , 21022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10070

Zoë Corbyn

But absolute risk is low and there are no lasting health problems, experts emphasize.

Parrot's posthumous paper shows his mathematical genius

Nature News , 21022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10071

Ewen Callaway

Alex's final experiments reveal a talent for numbers that was on a par with chimpanzees.

Extra scrutiny for ‘grandee grantees’

Nature 482, 450 20022012 doi: 10.1038/482450a

Eric Hand

An analysis by Nature reveals who holds the most grants from the US National Institutes of Health.

Squid can fly to save energy

Nature News , 20022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10060

Jessica Marshall

Photographic study shows that cephalopods travel faster in air than in water.

Ash-covered forest is 'Permian Pompeii'

Nature News , 20022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10061

Sid Perkins

Scientists reconstruct ancient ecosystem from plants preserved in volcanic eruption.

Mystery US outbreak prompts further tests

Nature News , 20022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10052

Alison Motluk

Tourette’s-like disorder in New York school confounds experts.

Nanopore genome sequencer makes its debut

Nature News , 17022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10051

Erika Check Hayden

Technique promises it will produce a human genome in 15 minutes.

Equal prospects for both sexes in science

Nature News , 17022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10053

Natasha Gilbert

Women as likely as men to be promoted, but fewer apply for jobs.

Citizen science goes 'extreme'

Nature News , 17022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10054

Katherine Rowland

Researchers push for wider use of community-generated data in science and policy-making.

UPDATED: Avian flu controversy comes to roost at WHO

Nature News , 17022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10055

Declan Butler

International meeting seeks to chart a way forward for mutant flu research.

Wireless drug implant takes the trouble out of treatment

Nature News , 16022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10045

Duncan Graham-Rowe

Microchip releases doses automatically, removing need for injections.

Field narrows in hunt for devil tumour genes

Nature News , 16022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10046

Ewen Callaway

Genome sequences of the Tasmanian devil's infectious cancer stir hopes for a vaccine.

DNA robot could kill cancer cells

Nature News , 16022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10047

Alla Katsnelson

Device identifies target then releases deadly payload.

How the first plant came to be

Nature News , 16022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10048

David Biello

A genetic analysis reveals the ancient, complex — and symbiotic — roots of photosynthesis in plants.

New twists in Italian seismology trial

Nature News , 16022012 doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.10049

Nicola Nosengo

Californian scientist testifies against defendants in quake manslaughter case.