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  • Sustaining Jordan’s water sector

    Jordan’s water scarcity is among the most severe in the world, but it has one of the lowest water service tariffs. Iyad Dahiyat1 , a former secretary-general of the Water Authority of Jordan, suggests solutions for a more cost-effective water sector.

    14 June 2022; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2022.31

  • Sowing a secure future beyond seed banks

    Gene banks play a vital role in safeguarding critical plant biodiversity, but boosting regional food security ultimately requires improving farmers’ access to seeds.

    24 May 2022; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2022.28

  • The future of mRNA

    Researchers say the COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity to boost a technology that may hold great promise for a new era of medicine.

    8 March 2022; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2022.9

  • Studying the Middle East’s sky rivers

    Atmospheric rivers carry huge volumes of water from low to higher latitudes. The impacts of these ‘rivers in the sky’ on the coastal regions have been studied extensively, but little is known about how they affect land far from the oceans, such as in the Middle East. Amin Dezfuli, a hydrometeorologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, explains what we currently know and why it is important we learn more.

    23 February 2022; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2022.8

  • MENA corporate sustainability and the climate disclosure gap

    With the next two Conference of the Parties (COP) climate summits coming to Egypt and the UAE, businesses in the MENA region are under the spotlight to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Mahmoud Abouelnaga1, Solutions Fellow at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, explains that they have some catching up to do.

    2 December 2021; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2021.99

  • Modelling climate change for MENA

    Climate models paint an alarming picture of a warming Middle East and North Africa, with mitigation strategies urgently required.

    19 November 2021; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2021.96

  • Exporting MENA sunshine to the world

    Researchers demonstrate the feasibility of linking abundant solar energy sources into an international export grid.

    8 November 2021; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2021.89

  • North Africa’s wildfires are a grim warning

    This summer’s wildfires in Algeria and Tunisia are a warning of the global warming effects predicted by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report if the world doesn’t soon switch direction.

    26 August 2021; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2021.75

  • The cost of vaccine inequality

    Vast economic gaps and conflicts are behind large inequities in vaccine distribution among Arab populations.

    3 March 2021; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2021.21

  • Safaa Kumari: Nurturing seeds of hope

    The BBC has recognized the work of a Syrian plant virologist, whose research is saving the fava bean from a deadly virus.

    3 December 2020; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2020.126

  • COVID-19 exposes deep inequalities

    The pandemic is developing into a human rights crisis for minorities, migrant workers, refugees and internally displaced persons in the Middle East and across the globe.

    1 December 2020; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2020.124

  • Discovery, against all odds

    Nathalie Khoueiry-Zgheib from Lebanon is recognized for her research studying the links between genetics and drug reactions.

    17 November 2020; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2020.121

  • Saving Syria’s seed bank

    International collaborations rescue a seed heritage from the ravages of war.

    10 November 2020; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2020.118

  • Charting the UAE’s battle against COVID-19

    Muriel T. Zaatar, assistant professor of biology at University of Balamand Dubai, outlines the UAE’s efforts to protect its population against the spread of COVID-19, and how to gauge its success.

    7 August 2020; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2020.84

  • Women in STEM: Challenging the challenge narrative

    UK-based Egyptian computer science lecturer Mai Elshehaly1  considers the need for a more inclusive narrative that recognizes the diversity of women in STEM.

    24 June 2020; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2020.67

  • A look at Arab regional responses to COVID-19

    The unique context of the Middle East and North Africa provides challenges and opportunities in the battle against COVID-19, explains US-based infectious disease epidemiologist, Amira Roess1 .

    19 June 2020; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2020.64

  • Arab healthcare innovation responds to pandemic

    Arab entrepreneurs are tackling the pandemic head-on with artificial intelligence, telehealth, 3D-printed ventilator parts, and contact tracing apps.

    12 June 2020; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2020.62

  • Arab institutions ramp up COVID-19 research

    Researchers in Arab institutions have joined the global effort to understand, monitor, test and control the spread of COVID-19.

    4 June 2020; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2020.61

  • Arab countries brace against COVID-19

    Across the region, an increasing number of COVID-19 cases are being confirmed as the region takes measures to curb the spread of the virus.

    17 March 2020; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2020.36

  • Arab country resources on COVID-19

    Residents in Arab countries can find local instructions and guidance regarding COVID-19 on the following websites.

    17 March 2020; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2020.37

  • Egypt’s reef economy under threat

    Egypt’s coral reef economy could be hit hard through climate change and local mismanagement.

    17 January 2020; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2020.6

  • Finding solutions for cities on the frontline of climate change

    Participants at the COP25 in Madrid need to demonstrate a strong commitment to ensuring that the world’s cities become part of the solution, instead of the problem, for climate change, say IDRC’s Dominique Charron and Barbara Shenstone1 .

    5 December 2019; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2019.160

  • Leading a female research team

    Science needs more female role models, says Saudi geneticist Malak Abdelalthagafi1 .

    26 November 2019; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2019.154

  • Protecting nature’s waste managers

    Arabian Gulf countries are a vulture stronghold. Efforts are needed to keep it that way, say conservationists.1  

    28 May 2019; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2019.80

  • Feeding the Anthropocene: A Q&A with Rami Zurayk

    A report calls for the reshuffle of food production and diets to improve people and planetary health. Rami Zurayk, a Lebanese soil scientist involved in drafting the report, tells us what it means for the Middle East’s diet and food production.

    28 January 2019; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2019.11

  • Warning on desalination's risks to marine life 

    UN-led research highlights flood of brine discharge from Middle Eastern desalination plants, but some experts claim there’s a bigger picture.

    28 January 2019; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2019.12

  • From black gold to light

    How did Middle Eastern solar power become so cheap, and what can we learn from it?

    15 October 2018; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.127

  • Using Bitcoin technology to combat climate change

    Paris Agreement success could benefit from blockchain solutions, says Jon Truby1 , director of Qatar University’s Centre for Law and Development.

    19 September 2018; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.111

  • Why the right questions make the biggest impact

    Drawing on her experience establishing a state-of-the art lab in Jordan using minimal resources, Rana Dajani discusses her role in world-class research.

    31 July 2018; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.88

  • Making medicine personal in the Middle East

    Habiba Al Safar and Guan K Tay discuss the rising tide of precision medicine in the Middle East and how the West can be used as a model.

    30 July 2018; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.87

  • Alive in the Universe

    Sarah Hiddleston looks at a Syrian artist’s work at the intersection of science and art.

    25 July 2018; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.82

  • Wildlife declines in conflict hotspots

    The escalation of armed conflicts has caused dramatic population declines of endangered local species, ultimately putting humans at risk.

    30 June 2018; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.63

  • Behind the creation of “Ocean One”

    How a KAUST marine biologist teamed up with a Stanford robotics expert to design the world's first humanoid submarine robotic diver.

    19 February 2018; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.18

  • Arab space odyssey

    Tracing a renaissance of space science in the Arab region.

    31 January 2018; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.9

  • Qatar joins the star search

    Returning researcher brings home a quest for cosmic understanding.

    31 January 2018; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.10

  • The UAE sees red

    The UAE’s is aiming for Mars, with a programme to catalyse high-tech innovation, inspire youth, and diversify the nation’s economy.

    31 January 2018; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.11

  • Astronomy among Arabs

    Sedeer el-Showk on a history of modern space science in the Arab world.

    31 January 2018; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.13

  • Space and beyond

    Jörg Matthias Determann talks astronauts, observatories and nationalism in the Arab Middle East.

    31 January 2018; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.14

  • A ministry for change

    This is how the UAE is managing its scarce natural resources in the face of harsh environmental conditions.

    21 January 2018; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.6

  • Making every drop count

    In a dry region, scientists are investigating sustainable ways water can be treated and used to grow food.

    20 December 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.169

  • Navigating water shortage in the Arab Middle East

    Peter Rogers, Gordon McKay research professor of environmental engineering and professor of city and regional planning at Harvard University, entertains the scenario of a region without freshwater. 

    20 December 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.171

  • Water scarcity predicted to worsen

    Changing weather patterns in the Middle Eastern region will impact the availability of fresh water.

    20 December 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.172

  • From Crisis to Opportunity

    Producing enough freshwater in today’s Middle East and North Africa can be a difficult, energy-intensive task, which makes it difficult to grow enough food to supply the burgeoning population.

    20 December 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.173

  • Return to the sea

    Seawater and saltwater ecosystems offer promise for a region running out of freshwater supplies.

    20 December 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.174

  • Mangrove warriors

    Mangroves are saltwater-tolerant, natural carbon reservoirs; this Arab visual artist is trying to save them.

    20 December 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.175

  • Dividing the Nile

    Conflict over Nile water is rooted in population growth and poor soil productivity.

    30 November 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.165

  • In support of a science visionary

    Ismail Serageldin, former director of the Alexandria library and renowned international figure, is sentenced to prison following retirement.

    31 August 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.133

  • Light up: SESAME open for business

    The Middle East’s synchrotron opens today in Jordan, signaling the start of one of the region’s top collaborative research projects.

    16 May 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.85

  • Ore and wonder

    Ancient metal holds new clues to copper mining in ancient Arabia.

    16 May 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.86

  • Arctic garbage patch

    Trillions of small pieces of floating plastic are coagulating in remote waters near the frozen north.

    25 April 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.75

  • Mapping dengue fever in the Middle East

    An underreported mosquito-borne disease is wreaking havoc across Egypt and the region but few are paying attention.

    27 March 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.53

  • Watching the brain walk London

    New techniques in experimental psychology show complex brain interactions behind memory and strategy when we navigate.

    26 March 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.51

  • Microbes help corals take the heat

    New study sheds light on bacterial community dynamics and patterns of corals' heat-resilience.

    6 March 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.42

  • More than a grain of truth

    Geophysics and geoarchaeology uncovers sacred landscape of the Nile.

    28 February 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.39

  • Save and grow

    Water scarcity and depleted soils are forcing the region to find sustainable ways to make use of its vast wastelands and water from the sea.

    9 February 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.28

  • Making best use of a tolerant crop

    The complexity of quinoa’s genome brings the promise of improving and expanding crops in hostile environments previously unfit for agriculture.

    9 February 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.29

  • Urban living is starving the fertile land

    Increased urbanization of Egypt’s agricultural lands is damaging agricultural production, a new study warns.

    9 February 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.30

  • Solutions in salt

    Off the the western coast of the United Arab Emirates is a unique facility that aims to find new ways to help address the region’s food and energy demands.

    9 February 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.31

  • A bittersweet crop

    Quinoa is a promising crop packed in a bitter shell, but can this super food become a staple in this region?

    9 February 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.32

  • Wind, sand and speculation

    The shamal of 2015 was down to hot dry weather and unusual easterly wind patterns, not war in Syria. But is this a sign of things to come?

    28 January 2017; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2017.25

  • A collision of the best of East and West

    Award-winning Moroccan nuclear physicist Rajaâ El Moursli talks to Nature Middle East about her pursuit of excellence in her home country and the elusive “God particle” abroad.

    13 December 2016; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2016.217

  • Bridging the gap between academia and business

    Hoping to build a bridge between academia and business, a professor of chemistry at the American University in Cairo (AUC) has created a spin-off company specialized in novel diagnostics, the first of its kind in Egypt.

    13 December 2016; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2016.218

  • Turning tradition on its head

    Ramy Karam Aziz is causing ripples in his circles through unorthodox mentorship methods. But is bucking the trend bearing fruit?

    13 December 2016; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2016.219

  • World AIDS Day: The fight is still on

    On this World AIDS Day, the Arab world has to remember that despite having a low prevalence of HIV and AIDS, prevention efforts need to be dramatically scaled up.

    1 December 2016; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2016.215

  • Death of a science icon

    Nobel laureate and laser femtochemistry pioneer Ahmed Zewail dies at age of 70 leaving behind many science breakthroughs and an enduring legacy.

    3 August 2016; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2016.117

  • The twilight zone

    Shrouded in a haze of artificial light at night, not only do we lose the capacity to gaze at the stars but our health and the ecology suffer too.

    26 June 2016; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2016.103

  • Uncertainty for Egypt research collaborations

    The death of an Italian PhD student in Egypt plus documented impingements on academic freedoms may compromise research collaborations with international peers.

    29 February 2016; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2016.21

  • Science for disenfranchised youth

    Six years after President Obama’s inspiring Cairo speech, scientist Navid Madani reflects on what changes his words have generated, and what still needs to be done. 

    28 October 2015; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2015.199

  • Science revolution via social media

    Nature Middle East speaks to the region’s most prominent science communicators about their efforts to spread knowledge and debunk myths in the Arab world.

    3 August 2015; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2015.129

  • Overcoming the lab gender gap

    Budding women researchers can learn a thing or two from these prominent scientists.

    23 June 2015; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2015.105

  • The quiet return of bacteriophages

    Researchers in the Arab region are turning to an old adversary of bacteria in the hope of finding an alternative for antibiotics.

    22 June 2015; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2015.102

  • Yemen’s failing healthcare system 

    Scarce medical supplies, water and fuel shortages and thousands of wasted vaccines are a looming catastrophe for conflict-ravaged Yemen.

    4 May 2015; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2015.80

  • Traumatic brain injury research woefully ignored

    The Middle East is a prime candidate for benefit from research into traumatic brain injury, but such study lacks academic and political support.

    23 April 2015; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2015.72

  • Will Egypt unleash another flu pandemic? 

    Avian flu cases have soared in Egypt, and now experts say bad practices, lack of information and lax policies could lead to an H5N1 pandemic.

    12 March 2015; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2015.48

  • Could Syria really be polio free? 

    With no new cases recently reported, the WHO says its efforts to contain Syria’s polio outbreak are working, but experts are reluctant to declare it has been wiped out.

    25 February 2015; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2015.38

  • Saudi Arabia should turn to the sun

    Jean-Luc Bredas and Marc Vermeersch believe that a concerted move in Saudi Arabia toward renewable energy sources, including solar, is essential. 

    5 January 2015; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2015.1

  • Plugging into the sun: Masdar's solar dream

    Despite year-round sunshine, UAE’s solar energy ambitions have always faced challenges. In 2008, Abu Dhabi launched an ambitious project to establish one of the world’s most sustainable eco-cities. 

    5 January 2015; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2015.2

  • Desertec: An aborted project or just a change of direction?

    Desertec's ambitions of meeting regional demand and providing 15% of Europe's electricity needs by 2050 through a super grid were dashed only five years into the project. Here's why. 

    5 January 2015; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2015.4

  • 2014: The year in science

    Despite it being a year of unrest in the region, investment in science in the Middle East has paid off in 2014.

    30 December 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.288

  • The future of desalination research in the Middle East

    Ensuring access to clean, fresh water is among the major problems faced by the world’s growing population. As global water resources dwindle, the abundance of available seawater becomes an obvious option to fulfill water requirements through desalination.

    26 November 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.273

  • Biomedical research in the Arab region

    In the not-too-distant past, biomedical research was conducted almost exclusively in North America and Western Europe. While Asia and South America have made impressive strides in contributing to scientific output over the past two decades, the Arab world is still lagging.

    20 November 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.263

  • A science education that matters

    The aim of science education in the Middle East should be to develop a bold generation who are armed with skills to make a difference – who will build progressive communities and nations – and confidently take us into the 21st century.

    20 November 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.268

  • Diabetes in the Arab world: A soaring epidemic

    The rapid change of lifestyle in the Middle East over the past few decades have led to soaring rates of diabetes across the whole region.

    14 November 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.265

  • The rising tide of type 1 diabetes

    Doctors and researchers say that type 1 diabetes is rapidly on the rise in the Middle East and call for intervention to stop it from spiraling out of control.

    14 November 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.266

  • The future of Arab astronomy

    In glaring contrast to its rich history, Arab astronomy today is in a miserable state, by all indicators. There is good potential, however, and a number of steps can and must be taken now to reverse the decline, say astrophysicist Nidhal Guessoum. 

    22 October 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.258

  • The toll of war on learning for a generation

    The Syrian civil war is creating an uneducated generation — burdening social systems in countries of refuge, and forcing children into illegal labour.

    7 September 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.215

  • Special: Children of War 

    Conflicts in the region are robbing children of education, healthcare, sanctuary, innocence and peace of mind, and this dark legacy will most likely span generations. 

    7 September 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.216

  • How fear has stolen the childhood of a generation

    Across the Arab world many children are showing signs of severe psychological distress and support efforts are often futile in the face of continuing raging conflicts.

    7 September 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.217

  • Once proud, Iraq’s schools reel from decades of setbacks

    Schools in Iraq continue to struggle, limiting learning opportunities for the country’s youth. Educational indicators show a marked decline as wars, sanctions and sectarian strife have stripped Iraq’s education system of resources.

    7 September 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.218

  • Iraqi children endure a crippled healthcare system

    Thirty years of conflict, sanctions and a mass exodus of medical professionals has severely compromised the health of Iraqi children. And there’s no respite on the horizon.

    7 September 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.219

  • Is the Middle East ready to fight off an Ebola attack?

    The threat of an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the Middle East is very real. The region must improve its preparedness to fight off the disease, and in the worst-case scenario, to respond to it.

    6 August 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.197

  • Syria’s crumbling healthcare system

    As the impact of war brings terrible injury and disease, Syria’s few remaining medical workers are battling against the odds to care for a desperate population.

    18 June 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.153

  • MERS epidemic “unlikely” in Egypt

    Egypt's recent record of uncontrolled epidemics has brought fears of a widespread outbreak of the MERS-CoV virus, but experts say the virus in its current form is unlikely to become an epidemic in the country. 

    2 June 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.133

  • The story of the first MERS patient

    How did a small laboratory attached to a private hospital in Saudi Arabia isolate and identify what later came to be known as the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)?

    2 June 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.134

  • The global reach of the MERS coronavirus

    First discovered in Saudi Arabia in September 2012, the MERS-CoV has recently spread further from the Middle East across most continents of the world.

    2 June 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.135

  • Can we win the battle of MERS?

    With the number of reported cases of MERS sharply increasing and doubling in just one month, is there reason for concern, or can we still stop the spread of the disease?

    1 June 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.132

  • Call for improved genetic services in Arab countries

    An estimate of congenital birth defect rates shows a higher incidence of anomalies among live births in Arab countries compared to those in Europe, North America and Australia. The problem is compounded by a lack of reliable genetic services in all but a handful of Arab countries.

    21 May 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.122

  • Changing attitudes in Saudi Arabia

    Jean M. J. Fréchet, vice-president for research at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), talked to Nature Materials about the achievements of this institution since its foundation in 2009 and its contribution to shaping research attitudes in Saudi Arabia.

    2 April 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.85

  • Dire need for a Middle Eastern science spring

    The Middle East is rich in human and natural resources, but many of its countries need a cultural and scientific transformation to reach worldwide recognition in education, research and economic productivity. Several institutions are making a positive impact, kindling hope for a successful 'science spring'.

    2 April 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.86

  • Science in Arab renaissance

    While recent events in the Arab world have focused on political upheaval, the region is now in dire need of a new revolution to reform the cultures of education and research, says Nobel laureate Ahmed Zewail and Sherif Sedky.

    9 January 2014; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.5

  • What lies at the root of extremism?

    Amid speculation over the basis of religion, some are asking if religious fundamentalism is a sign of a deep disorder, rather than deep faith.

    22 December 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.245

  • A regional picture: MENA's HIV map

    More Arab states are acknowledging the presence of HIV/AIDS epidemics among certain groups, but there are many pieces of the puzzle missing.

    1 December 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.229

  • Managing HIV risk in the Arab world

    While drug taking and prostitution are harshly judged in the region, efforts to reduce exposure to HIV are hampered by fears that harm reduction programmes offer tacit approval for risky behaviour.

    1 December 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.231

  • A regional need for healthy growth

    The potential for Middle Eastern stem cell research is great, but there are problems at the roots of a burgeoning field, according to Samia J. Khoury & Ali Bazarbachi.

    13 November 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.214

  • Fighting a growing enemy

    Cancer is the fastest growing killer in the Middle East and a united front is needed to tackle a looming health crisis.

    15 October 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.146

  • Syria's vanishing history

    The war in Syria is laying waste to ancient monuments and artefacts, while archaeologists and citizens scramble to protect what they can.

    5 September 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.149

  • Relocating: Middle Eastern promise

    Countries on the Arabian Peninsula are vying to attract young scientists to their universities.

    8 August 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.124

  • Silicon Valley on the Red Sea

    The founding father of a coastal resort wants it to be Egypt's science and research hub.

    5 August 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.120

  • The youngest Arab doctor

    Graduating from Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q), 20-year-old Iqbal El-Assaad is possibly the youngest Arab doctor ever.

    16 May 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.73

  • Empowering Arab female scientists

    The number of women embracing scientific careers in the Arab world is growing fast, but opportunities to thrive are still limited.

    7 May 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.67

  • The nuclear players in the Arab world

    Four Arab countries have their eyes set on using nuclear energy to generate electricity, but various hurdles may slow their programmes.

    23 April 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.60

  • Putting prevention above cure: HVC in Egypt

    As Egypt's Hepatitis C epidemic continues, health officials are calling for an overhaul of hospital practices and a public education programme to control its spread. Others say that, while a renewed focus on prevention is laudable, improved treatment is also needed.

    18 April 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.58

  • A health crisis without borders

    The desperate plight of Syrians fleeing conflict does not end when they escape to Lebanon.

    10 April 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.54

  • A geneticist with a unifying message

    Nature Middle East speaks to a renowned geneticist who hopes his work tracing Lebanon's heritage will help build bridges between divided communities.

    31 March 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.46

  • Report assesses state of Egyptian science

    Opportunities to boost science exist in Egypt, but will not be enough alone to transform the country's research landscape, according to a new prestigious report.

    21 January 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.10

  • Palestinian refugees struggle to survive

    Scientific surveys raise concerns about the living conditions of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip and their access to healthcare and food.

    20 January 2013; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.8

  • NASA maps groundwater beneath Arabian deserts

    Mars subsurface exploration technology brings new hopes of better characterizing groundwater in the hyper-arid deserts of the Middle East.

    13 December 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.177

  • A constitution not at peace with science

    Egypt's courts are today scheduled to rule on the legality of the committee which produced a new draft constitution. Mohamed Abdel-Mottaleb believes adopting this draft would be a setback for education and science and calls for the committee to be replaced.

    23 October 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.151

  • Reversing the brain drain: a Lebanese model

    A country's efforts to keep doctors and biomedical scientists after they qualify often fail owing to a lack of a clear strategy. Mohamed H. Sayegh and Kamal F. Badr argue they have developed a model in Lebanon, one which could be scaled up and implemented elsewhere.

    4 October 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.143

  • Arab liberals must stay in the game

    Islamist academics are gaining power in the Middle East and North Africa. But to build science needs liberal input, argues Ehsan Masood.

    9 August 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.112

  • Dealing with mental illness in the Middle East

    Physicians in the Middle East should develop bespoke methods to treat psychiatric illness which address the region's cultural, ethical and genetic peculiarities.

    24 July 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.103

  • A university professor becomes Egypt's president

    Egypt's scientific community is hoping for a renaissance based on engineering and technology, ushered in by the election as president of an engineer with an academic background in material science.

    25 June 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.90

  • Affordable fossil fuel: a human right?

    While fossil fuel subsidies in Egypt are now making energy affordable to people, the large expenditure cost makes them unsustainable, and it is time for them to go, argues Lama El Hatow. The Egyptian government does not need to look afar for examples on how best to do it.

    22 June 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.89

  • Save the deserts

    As governments and conservationist gather for the Rio Earth summit 2012, desert conservationists are calling on governments to stop neglecting desert ecosystems. Sarah Durant, a conservation biologist at the Zoological Society of London working to save the Saharan cheetah, explains what she found in the deserts of Africa and what needs to be done to help save them.

    14 June 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.85

  • A roadmap for science-led policymaking

    Scientific research can be a driving force for development, but proper processes need to be implemented to ensure policymakers get the best scientific advice.

    20 May 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.76

  • Egyptian presidential candidates talk science

    With the first presidential elections in Egypt ever less than two months away, presidential hopefuls discuss how they will give education and scientific research a central role in their programmes to develop the country. But can they fulfill these ambitious promises?

    6 May 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.67

  • Quiet please

    Nature Editorial, Nature 485, 6 (03 May 2012)

    3 May 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.65

  • Does the Arab world (not) need basic science?

    The Arab world cannot afford to ignore curiousity-driven basic research in favour of applied research, if the different states hope to produce an enlightened science culture at home.

    8 April 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.52

  • Archaeology: From ploughs to pyramids

    Andrew Robinson discovers gems in a grand overview of ancient Egypt and the life of a pioneer in Egyptology.

    4 April 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.50

  • On the up

    This editorial appeared in Nature on 15 February 2012.

    15 February 2012; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2012.18

  • Essam Sharaf: Science revolutionary

    An engineer was catapulted from Tahrir Square to Egypt's cabinet and fought to rebuild science.

    22 December 2011; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2011.170

  • Turning tides of autism

    Arab children with autism are beginning to receive the latest education methods developed in the West at new specialized institutes, but the region also has something to offer autism researchers in the rest of the world — consanguineous marriages.

    1 November 2011; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2011.148

  • Guardian of the Pharoahs

    Zahi Hawass was fired as Egypt's antiquities minister in mid-July. Before being ousted, Hawass discussed the looting of Egypt's treasures during the revolution, his quest for Cleopatra's tomb and that hat with Scientific American.

    15 August 2011; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2011.106

  • How to handle wheat rust epidemics

    Researchers must always keep the race on to find new resistance varieties of wheat to stay one step ahead of wheat rust, which threatens the staple food crop that billions around the world depend on.

    20 July 2011; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2011.92

  • Sudan splits and science community divides

    As South Sudan prepares to become Africa's newest nation, government plans to build an independent higher education system are in disarray and universities remain closed.

    8 July 2011; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2011.86

  • Global health: A uniquely Egyptian epidemic

    Egypt has the highest prevalence of hepatitis C worldwide. And the epidemic will soon peak. Prevention demands political will, ample funding and a change in mindset.

    7 July 2011; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2011.83

  • The woes of Egyptian PhD students

    The challenges students in Egypt face while pursuing their PhD's is deterring many, as they question whether it is worth all the trouble and the costs.

    20 April 2011; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2011.48

  • A unifying cause

    Nature Editorial,  Nature 471 , 410 (24 March 2011)

    24 March 2011; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2011.38

  • A pyramid of science out of the sands of Saudi Arabia

    A drive in Saudi Arabia to open up local universities to cutting edge research at reputed science centers worldwide has King Saud University "twinned" with a Max Planck physics laboratory. How successful can such efforts be?

    10 October 2010; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2010.210

  • Tackling the drought in Syria

    Syria experienced a serious drought from 2006 until 2009. The severity of the effects of the drought has now reached a level which is forcing people to change their coping techniques or to leave the affected region. Mahmoud Solh, director general of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), headquartered in Syria, explains the current situation.

    27 September 2010; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2010.206

  • Gaza software through hard times

    If necessity is the mother of invention, she is hard at work in Gaza, thanks to the Internet and cloud computing.

    29 July 2010; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2010.182

  • Towards a science-led climate policy in the Arab region

    If Arab scientists want to play a role in climate change policy in the Arab world, then they desperately need to offer better-informed science, argues Ibrahim Abdel Gelil.

    9 June 2010; | doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2010.160

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