New Scientist: Four years after his appointment as part of President Barack Obama's scientific dream team, US energy secretary Steven Chu is about to step down. How well did he perform in office, and who should fill his shoes? With budget cuts and continued attacks by climate sceptics likely to dog Obama's second term, a politician might be a better choice than another scientist, some observers say.
As the first Nobel laureate appointed to a presidential cabinet, Chu ensured that science informed decisions about...