The Mark Rothko Arts Centre has opened its doors for the first time and some of his paintings return to his birthplace in Daugavpils, Latvia. Philip Dodd journeys there to speak to curator, for whom the project has been a labour of love, and Rothko's children about their father's memories of the city. John Beddington is the former chief scientific advisor to the government. He’s represented the interests of the scientific community to Whitehall during an era of massive cutbacks in public spending. He talks to Philip about what role scientists play in the big decisions of public life?