The many lives of an (associate) editor.

The role of editor of a journal attracts the vision of a scholar isolated in an ivory tower selecting "la crème" of the submitted papers, with no other preoccupations that the scientific rigour. This, is of course, only one of the many roles - or, as this editorial calls them, lives--of an editor. The essential skills are many and more complex, and an editor will encounter many problems that are related to such diverse issues as anticipating scientific trends, investigating misbehaviours, settling ethical disputes, and interfacing with the lay press. It is exciting and rewarding, and never predictable.