In this entertaining piece originally published in the journal Genome Biology, Gregory Petsko of Brandeis University conjures the plight of explorer Christopher Columbus, in his dealings with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, had their review of his request for funding been based on more modern standards.

Promega Corp.’s Martin Rosenberg writes about what it will take to train future scientists for the jobs that will exist — instead of ones that most likely will not. He writes, in part, "There is a huge disconnect between how we currently train scientists and the actual employment opportunities available for them."