http://www.sciencemag.org Summaries of this week's top stories, from Science Magazine American Association for the Advancement of Science Stewart Wills (mailto:swills@aaas.org) Copyright 2009 American Association for the Advancement of Science 2009-11-12T11:00:06-05:00 en http://www.sciencemag.org/icons/banner/title.gif http://www.sciencemag.org http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/326/5955/920?rss=1 In a surprise announcement, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last week named three prominent scientists as special envoys to assess the potential for scientific partnerships with Muslim-majority countries.<br><br>Author: Robert Koenig Robert Koenig http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/326/5955/921?rss=1 This week, Wellcome Trust officials announced that they are phasing out their biomedical research grants for U.K. scientists, which consists of 3-year to 5-year awards focused on a specific problem, and instead will put that money into a new program called Investigator Awards. The awards will be bigger, more flexible, and longer—up to 7 years.<br><br>Author: Jocelyn Kaiser Jocelyn Kaiser http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/326/5955/922?rss=1 As the H1N1 flu outbreak gathers speed and more vaccine becomes available, some European countries are now telling families that healthy children—or at least infants—are candidates for vaccination after all. The change of mind did not reassure a jittery public.<br><br>Author: Martin Enserink Martin Enserink http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/326/5955/923-a?rss=1 Four of Russia's most prominent physics labs are to be merged into a new national research center. But a different reform aimed at separating basic and applied research at one of the institutes has researchers up in arms.<br><br>Authors: Andrey Allakhverdov, Vladimir Pokrovsky Andrey Allakhverdov http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/326/5955/923-b?rss=1 This week, <i>Science</i>Insider explored why academic biomedical scientists report that they are receiving less corporate support for their research now than in the 1990s and reported on the Dutch House of Representatives' rejection of a motion asking the government to sever all ties with virologist Albert Osterhaus, who had been accused of conflicts of interest in his role as a health adviser, among other stories. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/326/5955/924?rss=1 Himalayan glaciers are beating a rapid retreat in the face of global warming, according to a flurry of recent reports by BBC and other mass media. But the picture is more complex—and poses scientific puzzles, according to a review of satellite and ground measurements released by India's Ministry of Environment and Forests earlier this week.<br><br>Author: Pallava Bagla Pallava Bagla http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/326/5955/925-a?rss=1 Because of lingering tensions over a swath of the Himalayas that is claimed by both China and India, a diplomatic initiative to get Chinese and Indian scientists working together on glaciers has quietly been put on ice.<br><br>Author: Pallava Bagla Pallava Bagla http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/326/5955/925-b?rss=1 <i>Science</i>NOW reported this week on expert criticism of a nanoparticle study, additional support for a human role in China's devastating Wenchuan earthquake, and the findings that prosthetic limbs offer no advantage to sprinters and babies cry in their native language, among other stories. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/326/5955/926?rss=1 As scientists debate whether climate is changing faster than anticipated, some worry that a drumbeat of dire warnings may be helping to erode U.S. public concerns about global warming.<br><br>Author: Richard A. Kerr Richard A. Kerr http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/326/5955/929?rss=1 Newly discovered cytoplasmic defenses called inflammasomes sound the alarm when pathogens penetrate our cells.<br><br>Author: Mitch Leslie Mitch Leslie http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/326/5955/932?rss=1 As staff put finishing touches to the fusion project's final design, member governments mull over the latest cost estimates and prepare to raid piggybanks.<br><br>Author: Daniel Clery Daniel Clery