Engineering complex systems. The emergent properties of complex systems are far removed from the traditional preoccupation of engineers with design and purpose

Nanotechnology: How does a nanofiber grow? Decades of research have failed to decipher the atomic-scale mechanism by which carbon nanofibers grow out of vapour. High-resolution microscopy shows that the carbon atoms have a bumpy ride

Earthquake science: Faults greased at high speed. The dynamics of the tectonic faults that produce earthquakes remain puzzling. An inference from laboratory experiments could help at high rates of slip, friction at the interface may fall dramatically