Thermoeconomics

I’ve been following with a bit of interest the "slow-motion crisis" of the European debt.  One of its consequences is some unhealthy shifts in exchange rates – for example the soaring Swiss Franc. That hurts Swiss exporters.  In the last couple of days, Switzerland has decided that this isn’t acceptable and is taking drastic measures […]

Continue reading

Computer modelling of aircraft boarding

I love this article I came across on the BBC website this weekend. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14717695 As someone who’s travelled on a lot of planes, I can fully understand the motivation to study methods of boarding a plane. Traditionally, boarding is done in this sequence: 1. Those needing special assistance (e.g. those for whom walking is difficult) […]

Continue reading

Trouble of enormous magnitude

We have a problem brewing in the lab.  Recently, we (by which I mean a PhD student or two and a researcher) moved into a new lab. As part of our research we are recording electrophysiological signals (electricity produced by living cells). These are pretty small, often in the microvolt region (a millionth of a […]

Continue reading