Short Science, June 9, 2013

Genomics and particle physics - offering different perspectives on the fundamental nature of life and the cosmos - are the two hottest areas of scientific research. Eight of the 21 most closely followed scientists last year studied genes and their functions, while the single most-cited paper covered the hunt for the long-sought Higgs boson particle, according to a Thomson Reuters survey. It was the third year in a row in which genomics researchers topped the rankings, in terms of authoring the most highly cited scientific papers, underscoring the central importance of genetics in biological science and medicine. Reuters

China will launch its next manned rocket in the middle of this month, carrying three astronauts to an experimental space module, according to state media. In the latest stage of an ambitious plan to build a space station, the Shenzhou 10 spaceship and its rocket have already been moved to a launch area at a remote site in the Gobi desert. Xinhua