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Allowing authors of research papers to be anonymous to referees has long been recommended. We will offer such an option, as a trial, from 10 June 2013.
Plant–cloud interactions have the potential to both cool and warm the climate. Ascertaining how these processes balance out at the global scale will require close collaboration between climate scientists and plant biologists.
In areas of the developing world that have benefited only marginally from the intensification of agriculture, foreign investments can enhance productivity. This could represent a step towards greater food security, but only if we ensure that malnourished people in the host countries benefit.
The catastrophic Wenchuan earthquake induced an unprecedented number of geohazards. The risk of heightened landslide frequency after a quake, with potential secondary effects such as river damming and subsequent floods, needs more focused attention.
The fault zone that hosted the devastating Wenchuan earthquake in 2008 had been assigned a moderate-to-low seismic hazard rating, because it slips slowly. In hindsight, it seems that this type of fault is not necessarily innocuous.
The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake highlights some of the successes of government-led schemes to mitigate the impact of natural disasters. A stronger focus on individuals and local communities could reduce losses even further in the future.
