“…-'Beyond Moore's law' considered the challenges facing computer and communications technologies in the immediate future and the consequent opportunities that arise to deliver improved performance by devising new, non-electronic functions on integrated circuits [1]. -The 'Theo Murphy International Scientific Meeting between the UK and China on the chemistry and physics of functional materials' explored the developments necessary to provide the materials which will be required to realize challenges posed by the potential future applications of electronics, optoelectronics, energy conversion and storage [2]. -'Characterizing exoplanets: detection, formation, interiors, atmospheres and habitability' represented an important contribution to the literature that documents the development of the rapidly expanding field of exoplanetary science and explored a wide variety of the properties of these systems that are being probed [3].…”