News & Comment

Nature Special: The rise and fall of STAP

Two papers published in Nature in January described how simply putting mature body cells under stress can 'reprogram' them and make them able to develop into any type of tissue in the body. But errors were found in the papers, attempts to replicate the experiments failed and Haruko Obokata, the lead author, was found guilty of misconduct. In this special collection you can follow a timeline of the controversy through Nature's news coverage of it and read the journal's editorial on the retractions, a feature article on STAP's significance for research integrity and much more.

News

BlogChimps from controversial lab move to retirement home

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Scientific AmericanWastewater pumping ups Oklahoma's seismic activity

Recent surge of small quakes in the state linked to injections at oil-drilling and fracking wells.

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We dislike being alone with our thoughts

Many people would rather endure physical pain than suffer their own wandering cogitations.

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Science joins push to screen statistics in papers

New policy follows efforts by other journals to bolster standards of data analysis.

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Enigmatic foundations of maths put to music

A composition inspired by Kurt Gödel's 'incompleteness theorems' will premiere at the awards ceremony that bear his name.

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Cheap test slashes time taken to diagnose TB

Enzyme-based method could become the fastest tuberculosis test yet.

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FeatureResearch integrity: Cell-induced stress

As a much-hailed breakthrough in stem-cell science unravelled this year, many have been asking: ‘Where were the safeguards?’

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BlogImperial College under renewed pressure over animal research

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Cloned stem cells offer high fidelity

Stem cells made by nuclear transfer seem more faithful to originals than are cells that have been reprogrammed.

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Seven DaysSeven days: 27 June–3 July 2014

The week in science: Retracted GM study republished; Mars landing gear passes first test; and UK public votes for antibiotics research in Longitude Prize.

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Papers on ‘stress-induced’ stem cells are retracted
FeatureStem cells: Hope on the line
FeatureAstronomy: Planets in chaos 6 comments
Electroceuticals spark interest 1 comment
BlogNASA launches carbon-monitoring satellite
Fungi borrowed bacterial gene again and again 1 comment
Images of the month: June 2014
Risks of flu work underrated

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Opinion

CommentWomen in science: A temporary liberation

The First World War ushered women into laboratories and factories. In Britain, it may have won them the vote, argues Patricia Fara, but not the battle for equality.

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CommentEnergy: Consider the global impacts of oil pipelines

Debates over oil-sands infrastructure obscure a broken policy process that overlooks broad climate, energy and environment issues, warn Wendy J. Palen and colleagues.

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Books & ArtsMilitary technology: Science in the trenches

David Edgerton applauds a study of a scientific elite whose impact spanned two world wars.

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Books & ArtsScience of colour: Hue and eye

Barbara Kiser revels in an immersive show revealing the scientific base coat to 700 years of European art.

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EditorialScience and war

As the centenary of its outbreak approaches, Nature looks back on the First World War.

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EditorialAcademic freedom under threat

The human rights of academics in Egypt are being eroded by the military regime that has taken control of the country. The Arab Spring is on hold.

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EditorialSTAP retracted

Two retractions highlight long-standing issues of trust and sloppiness that must be addressed.

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