Energy

The most pressing technological problem facing the world is uncoupling the provision of energy from the net production of carbon dioxide. This collection outlines the promises and pitfalls of new energy technologies. It looks at the potential of biofuels and nuclear power, explores new ways to lock away CO₂, and considers renewables such as solar and wind power.

Year of planet Earth

Supported by the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) and the International Union of Geological Sciences

To celebrate the International Year of Planet Earth, this special supplement explores recent developments and future directions in the Earth sciences. With climate change to the fore, Earth scientists have much to offer society, and these articles explore both our understanding of the planet and how this knowledge can be used to benefit the people who live on it.

Cancer Genomics

Supported by GlaxoSmithKline Oncology

Cancer is driven by multiple genetic and epigenetic changes. In recent years, advanced high-throughput technologies have allowed researchers to survey large numbers of cancer genomes, providing an overview of the landscape of somatic mutations and copy-number alterations in human cancers. It has emerged that human tumours are more heterogeneous and carry alterations in more genes than previously thought. In addition, large-scale association studies have uncovered variations that determine the genetic susceptibility to various types of cancer. This collection highlights some of the recent studies that are shedding light on the mechanisms by which cancer genes function and are informing therapeutic choices.

Gene Targeting Nobel Prize

Supported by March of Dimes

The 2007 Nobel Prize in Medicine went to Mario Capecchi, Oliver Smithies and Martin Evans, who pioneered a technology for disrupting or altering mouse genes at will. Around half of all mouse genes have now been disrupted using this gene-knockout technology. This special collection explores how, in combination with advances in genomics, the technique has led to a revolution in biomedical science by linking genes to processes of disease and development that are, more often than not, similar in both mice and humans.

Ageing

Supported by Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

The world's population is ageing rapidly. The effects of this change in demographics are predicted to touch on many facets of human life. Not least, because the health of older people deteriorates with time. This Nature collection draws together recent articles on the process of ageing, and the connections that exist between growing older and disease.

AIDS -

Supported by Merck & Co., Inc.

Despite global efforts to improve access to treatment, existing HIV/AIDS therapies are still not reaching the majority of those in need. This Nature collection draws together recent molecular and cellular studies on the interplay between HIV and the immune system, which are helping to advance the search for an effective vaccine and new drugs to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Nanotechnology in Cancer

Supported by National Cancer Institute

As cancer treatment shifts from non-specific cytotoxic molecules towards multifunctional targeted therapies, nanotechnology promises new approaches for earlier detection, diagnosis and prevention. With the impressive and rapid progress made in this area, it is hoped that nanotechnology-based applications will safely translate into the clinic to fight cancer. In this collection, a selection of papers present the opportunities, challenges and progress made in imaging, delivery systems, detection and safety of the new materials and approaches. We believe that you will enjoy this collection of papers originally published in Nature Publishing Group journals.

Metagenomics

Supported by Roche Applied Science

Since the late 1990s, sequencing technologies have allowed microbial genomes to be studied directly in samples taken from their natural nvironments, bypassing the need to culture them in the lab. New approaches are now addressing fundamental questions about the diversity of bacteria and how they act in their native environments. In this collection, Nature presents a selection of papers that combine the latest techniques to explore whole microbial communities and track individual species in uncultured samples ranging from seawater to soil.

RNAi Nobel Prize

Supported by Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Small non-coding RNAs will never be viewed the same. In 1998, Fire and Mello published their seminal study explaining how exogenous duplex RNA could be converted into a gene regulatory signal. Since then, the field of RNA interference has radically changed our understanding of many areas of biology. In this collection, Nature recalls how these findings were initially presented, and reports on the recent Nobel prize awarded to this research.

Human Genome

Supported by Applied Biosystems, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Human Genome Research Institute and The Wellcome Trust

It is now more than 15 years since work began sequencing the 2.85 billion nucleotides of the human genome. While the draft sequence was published in Nature in 2001, researchers at the Human Genome Project continued to fill the gaps and subject individual chromosomes to ever more detailed analyses. Nature is proud to present here the complete and comprehensive DNA sequence of the human genome as a freely available resource. Produced with support from our sponsors. Nature carries sole responsibility for all editorial content.

Neuropathic Pain

Supported by Pfizer

Pain is an important physiological process by which we are alerted to danger. But neuropathic pain is long-lasting, has no obvious cause and can be particularly debilitating.

The processes underlying neuropathic pain are poorly understood but this Nature Collection of recent articles illuminates some biological systems involved.

RNAi Therapy

It works in the lab, but will it work in our bodies? When it was realised that short, non-coding RNA molecules can affect protein expression, the message was simple: this normal cellular process, RNA interference, might be exploited therapeutically to fight disease. In this collection, Nature presents primary research, commentary, and news articles on RNAi therapy. An amazing RNAi animation is also included.

Artists on science: scientists on art

Vol. 434, No. 7031 (17 March 2005)

Produced with support from SigmaTau

Greater specialization means the culture gap between art and science has perhaps never been so extreme. It is hard to find today a true artist- scientist like Leonardo da Vinci, as noted for his science and engineering skills as his Mona Lisa and Last Supper. There is just too much to know. But recently there has been an increasing awareness on the part of some artists of the heritage of scientists and vice versa. This supplement aims to reflect, and place in context, some of this awareness.

Year of Physics

Vol. 433, No. 7023 (19 January 2005)

In 1905, Albert Einstein submitted five papers for publication in Annalen der Physik, covering three topics: the photoelectric effect, brownian motion, and the special theory of relativity. Although diverse in subject matter, these contributions are landmarks in their field - and testament to Einstein's genius. To honour their centenary, 2005 has been designated 'World Year of Physics'. Nature joins the celebrations with the publication of this special supplement.

Australia supplement

Vol. 429, No. 6991 (3 June 2004)

Australia has been a quiet player on the international biotech scene, but in recent years it has been taking strides to reinvent itself as tomorrow's young entrepreneur. This supplement to Nature charts that transformation.

China: Views from the West

Vol. 428, No. 6979 (11 March 2004)

Produced with support from China Bridges International and the Rockefeller Foundation

This collection of articles is unprecedented: a Nature supplement that was written for researchers in China and originally published, at the end of last year, in the Chinese language.

The double helix — 50 years

Vol. 421, No. 6921 (23 January 2003)

Produced with support from Roche

As a prelude to the many celebrations around the world saluting the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the DNA double helix, Nature presents a collection of overviews that celebrate the historical, scientific and cultural impacts of a revelatory molecular structure.

Science and technology networks in Scandinavia

Vol. 420, No. 6919 (11 December 2002)

Produced with support from Norway's Ministry of Education and Research

The dominant science hubs in Scandinavia are akin to the open sandwiches favoured throughout the Nordic region — each country has its own name for, and unique approach to preparing, this delicacy. So, too, with science. Each hub has had different motivations and methods for building up local networks, as articles in this supplement reveal.

The Alliance for Cellular Signaling

Vol. 420, No. 6919 (11 December 2002)

The Alliance for Cellular Signaling (AfCS) is a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional consortium designed to answer global questions about cell- signalling networks. By investigating pathways in B lymphocytes and cardiac myocytes, the AfCS aims to facilitate quantitative modelling and catalyse complementary research, as described in this collection of papers. Key facts about signalling proteins will be captured in a database, known as the Molecule Pages, that is freely accessible from the AfCS-Nature Signaling Gateway web site.

Paths to unforeseeable science and technology

Vol. 409, No. 6818 (18 January 2001)

What sorts of visions are driving science towards new discoveries and technologies? Science's unpredictability has not prevented a group of invited scientists from being farsighted about future possibilities, focussing on cutting-edge basic science that might lead to unexpected technologies, and adventurous technologies that should lead to unpredictable, fundamental discoveries.

Regional insight - Taiwan

Vol. 407, No. 6802 (21 September 2000)

By tapping a reservoir of ethnic Chinese scientists in the United States, the tiny island of Taiwan has achieved a global presence in the electronics industry. Substantial investment funds are now available to support new industries such as genomics and biochips. Although lacking the infrastructure to develop these industries, interaction between Chinese scientists in Taiwan, the United States and mainland China could bring Taiwan onto the map in biotechnology.