Sir

In your Opinion article “Selling science to the young” (Nature 417, 1; 200210.1038/417001b) outlining what should be done to attract young people back to science, you remark that “many graduates do turn their science degrees into decent financial as well as spiritual reward”.

I was shocked to read, on the very next page, the News report (Nature 417, 3; 200210.1038/417003a) about Craig Venter, who, after making a fortune, now, as your headline puts it, “lays foundations for fresh career as ethical philanthropist”. In his own words, he plans to “spend some time examining my own genetic code”.

What kind of image of science does this create? Let's hope that there still exists a pool of young scientists with a passion and vocation for doing basic research, otherwise cash-strapped universities and government research organizations will soon run out of personnel. It's a sad day for science if the criterion of success is measured in purely financial terms.