Nature (vol. 431, No. 7012, 28 October 2004)

Vol 431 No 7012 pp1023-1128 Editorials News News Feature Correspondence Books and Arts Essay News and Views Brief Communications Articles Letters to Nature Naturejobs 28 October 2004 Editorials Struggling with the flu 1023 The shortages of flu vaccine in the United States this autumn have laid bare some troubling weaknesses in the nation's public-health system. Fishing for excuses 1023 The message from researchers about the state of European fish stocks is consistent, but its delivery could be improved. News Science shares the limelight as election battle enters final phase 1025 US presidential candidates cover everything from nuclear waste to the flu vaccine. Ultrasound scans accused of disrupting brain development 1026 $3 million study to test effects of scans on monkeys. Geneticists struggle towards consensus on place for 'race' 1026 Meeting will look at importance of ethnicity in medical research. Comet impact theory faces repeat analysis 1027 Study starts to investigate cause of mass extinction 250 million years ago. Spain's budget fails basic science, researchers charge 1027 New government accused of breaking funding promises. Deluge of typhoons may aid forecast models 1028 Japan's 'super-abnormal' storms bring buckets of data. Generic drugs allowed in global trial of AIDS therapy 1028 US National Institutes of Health accepts generics into giant drug trial. Little lady of Flores forces rethink of human evolution 1029 Novartis goes public with DNA data in bid to tackle diabetes 1029 Private-public partnership should help hunt for disease genes. news in brief 1030 News Feature Earthquake prediction: A seismic shift in thinking 1032 Earthquake researchers in the United States have long shunned the word 'prediction'. But, thanks to improved data and a change in public perception, cracks are beginning to appear in their resolve. David Cyranoski tracks the debate. Astronomy: Bagging burst