As presidential elections near in Venezuela, Andrea Small Carmona reports on the legacy of Hugo Chávez's socialist approach to science.

There are high hopes that Pope Francis I will usher in an era of health reform and social activism, but doubts remain, finds Imogen Mathers.

Researchers hope to benefit users in developing nations by turning 'feature' phones into virtual smartphones, finds Jan Piotrowski.

Drones could be used to deliver medicines and protect vulnerable people, but major hurdles remain, finds Rodrigo de Oliveira Andrade.

If elected director-general of UNESCO, Rachad Farah will put southern hemisphere science at the heart of its agenda, he tells SciDev.Net.

Facing opposition and funding cuts, what will Barack Obama's science diplomacy efforts look like in the future? Heather Maughan investigates.

Some 'journals' are out for profit, not to carry peer-reviewed science — and researchers in the developing world are targets, reports Yojana Sharma.

SciDev.Net brings you a selection of the best feature articles of 2012 curated by our editors in London.

Lucy Pearson looks at early warning systems for disasters, their uses and limits, and what accounts for the gap between warning and action.

With the growth of online science networks, geography and economics no longer dictate how research is undertaken or published, finds Smriti Mallapaty.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has spawned a series of agreements and technical phrases.

Making access to science a human right is a worthy goal, but how can it be enshrined? And will it really deliver? Jan Piotrowski investigates.

S. Romi Mukherjee outlines human rights-based approaches to science, technology and development, and what they mean for policy and practice.

Innovations in relief technologies are vital in the world's complex conflict zones. But there are barriers to overcome, writes Imogen Mathers.

Scientists in China and the United States are using modern biotechnology to help prove that traditional medicine has a powerful pharmacological value.

Odenildo Sena discusses Brazilian science policy and shares his views on the main challenges for pushing science in the Amazon region.

Using mobile phones in education is a growing trend, but there are challenges to making it sustainable, finds Paula Leighton.

How will science and technology fare at the Rio+20 summit? Aisling Irwin looks at scientists' demands and assesses their chances.

Adrian Smith and colleagues explore grassroots innovations, their potential for development and challenges facing practitioners.