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Information about several papers discussed at the SCI meeting: 'Scanning the agricultural horizon to 2050' at agri-giant Syngenta's Jealott's Hill research station in November 2010 in Berlin, Germany is presented. Topics include world agricultural productivity, traditional breeding, and the need for farmer to increase productivity. The meeting featured Harald von Witzke, head of global public affairs crop protection Rainer von Mielecki, and David Turley.

The article reports on the development of Aerographite, the world's lightest material, by researchers at Kiel University and Hamburg University of Technology in Germany.

The article reports that Germany's coalition government is to phase out all of the country's nuclear power plants by 2022. Nuclear power accounted for nearly a quarter of Germany's electricity. The main condition for the exit is that the competitiveness of Germany as a location for industry and jobs is maintained or preferably increased.

The article reports on the move of chemical giant BASF SE to enhance its battery research in Germany. Research executive director Andreas Kreimeyer states that the company will invest millions of dollars in battery research to optimise lithium-ion technology and develop new battery concepts. However, it faces challenges in convincing drivers that electromobility offers long ranges and cost effective solutions.

The article presents the study by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Germany which finds the potential of future food crops not to depend on the seasons. The study highlights the possibility to shorten and prolong the vegetative phase of crops by reducing or increasing the level of microRNA156. Caroline Dean, associate research director at the John Innes Centre, acknowledges researcher's understanding of environmental factors that are involved in flowering.

The article reports on the efficiency of the test from drug cheats used to detect a class of emerging drugs called benzothiazepines. It says the test for benzothiazepines came before the compounds had entered to clinical trials in humans. Mario Thevis, director of the Centre for Preventive Doping Research at the German Sport University of Cologne, Germany, says there was just assumptions that the drugs were being distributed through the black market due to their performance enhancing effects.

The article reports on the sales posted by Badische Anilin und Soda-Fabrik AG (BASF) in 2006. The German chemicals company posted record sales of nearly €53 billion in 2006, up 23% on 2005. The company's earnings before special items rose 18% at €7.2 billion. BASF said its 2006 acquisitions of Engelhard Co., Johnson Polymers Co. and the construction chemicals activities of Degussa Co. contributed €4.2 billion to its overall sales.

Reports on the NovoTim biocatalyst created by scientists in the U.S. and Germany in 2004. Capabilities of the enzyme; Stage of the research to be executed by scientists for the enzyme.