Unenlightened thinking
Steven Pinker may be a talented scientist, but he abuses the humanities, argues Robert P Crease
Take a teacher and a pupil
Clifford V Johnson's graphic-novel The Dialogues presents a new and exciting way to communicate sophisticated ideas, says Philip Ball
A day of light
James McKenzie celebrates the huge commercial success of lasers and light-emitting diodes
Renewables in France – good targets, slow progress
France has some quite ambitious renewable-energy targets, coupled with a partial nuclear phase-out policy, but progress has been a little patchy
A cancer collaboration
A wide breadth of knowledge and expertise is needed to tackle complex issues in cancer research
Renewables in the EU and UK – the state of play
While the EU ought to reach its target of getting 20% of its energy from renewables by 2020, the UK is having problems getting to its 15% by 2020 national target
From dust to dust
Losing the Nobel Prize by Brian Keating is a window into how science is done today, warts and all, writes Tushna Commissariat
Beyond maths to meaning
Beyond Weird is the most original and interesting book on quantum physics for the general public in a long while, writes Brian Clegg
Jacobson’s new 100% renewables model aims to rebut critics
Team from Stanford reckons 100% of all global energy can come from renewable sources (with biomass excluded) by 2050
Circle of influence
Exact Thinking in Demented Times by Karl Sigmund is lively, vividly illustrated and occasionally idiosyncratic, writes Andrew Robinson