Can a new network of African energy researchers lead the way on solar power for the continent? Christine Ottery finds out.

Yojana Sharma analyses the work of a four-day meeting on access to data and information that will feed into next year’s Rio+20 conference on sustainable development.

Smriti Mallapaty looks at an attempt to overcome the difficulties of accessing and understanding environmental and societal information.

Crowdsourced environmental data can be useful, for example in measuring black carbon emissions, but concerns remain about quality, says Yojana Sharma.

The cities account for more than three quarters of emissions of CO2, are home to half the world population and will be 'highly visible' at Rio +20.

New technologies offer the promise of delivering environmental information to anyone who wants it, anywhere in the world. But we are not quite there yet.

A network of mountaintop research stations is being built across Asia to study how large bodies of ice respond to increasing temperatures.

A preparatory meeting for the Rio+20 summit will discuss open access environmental data with a focus on biodiversity, water, oceans, cities and disasters. Yojana Sharma reports.

An organic farmer has invented a mobile phone application called 'iCow', which lets farmers register their herds and receive expert advice.

Martin Sweeting, director of the UK's Surrey Space Centre, outlines why the time is ripe for Africa to harness space technology.

Nuclear power promises clean energy for developing countries. Dave Elliott charts its progress and prospects after the accident at Fukushima.

SciDev.Net reporters from around the world tell us which countries are set on developing nuclear energy despite the Fukushima accident.

Bernie Fanaroff, director of South Africa's Square Kilometre Array project, tells SciDev.Net how hosting the world's most powerful radio telescope would benefit Africa.

Although massive amounts of data from sources such as Landsat have become open access, users face obstacles, says Daniel Schaffer.

Munyaradzi Makoni explains how an economic crisis and a brain drain have created problems for Zimbabwe's science minister, Heneri Dzinotyiweyi.

The fight against counterfeits is deploying scanners, spectrometers and minilabs, but nothing can replace national regulatory systems, says Yojana Sharma.

As Japan's nuclear accidents send shockwaves round the world, Alex Abutu explores whether Africa is ready to provide safe nuclear power.

Innovative, smart approaches to farming that could save time and labour have piqued the interest of farmers from across the globe.

Can developing countries use nanotechnology to improve health? Priya Shetty looks at nanomedicine's promise.

South Africa is using nanotechnology to improve existing tuberculosis drugs. Munyaradzi Makoni looks at a developing country's experience.