Nature (vol. 432, No. 7015, 18 November 2004)

Vol 432 No 7015 pp257-419 18 November 2004 Editorials News News Feature Correspondence Commentary Books and Arts Essay News and Views Brief Communications Brief Communications Arising Insight Review Article Articles Letters to Nature Naturejobs Editorials Clean, green conferencing 257 Big conferences are good for science. But because many researchers fly in, these events are also bad for the environment. What can be done to redress the balance? A chance for growth 257 With the right safeguards, a national institute could give a much-needed boost to agricultural research in the United States. News Campaign to fight malaria hit by surge in demand for medicine 259 Drug shortfall undermining efforts to reduce death toll. Europe's stem-cell workers pull together 260 Policy changes help to push collaborative network. Grade expectations for German research institutes 260 Rating system set to score all science centres. WHO calls for vaccine boost to prepare for flu pandemic 261 Officials stress need for urgent action. Grant-transfer plan paves the way for European mobility 261 Agreement allows scientists to take funding abroad Molecular biology enjoys double celebration 262 Anniversaries mark European success stories Stalemate over fusion project threatens to provoke split 262 Europe considers going it alone with plans to build ITER. Unanimous vote approves tweak to smallpox genome 263 Virus may soon be made to glow green to ease research. Britain to combat conflicts of interest in drug regulators 263 Tough measures to protect patient interests proposed by UK government. news in brief 264 Correction 264 News Feature Benoit Mandelbrot: Father of fractals 266 Benoit Mandelbrot is one of the twentieth century's best known mathematicians. So why, in the twilight of an extraordinary academic career, is he still angry with many of his colleagues? Jim Giles investigates. I Emi