According to Dr Wang, this approach could be used to create strains of bacteria capable of producing whole hosts of odd amino acids.

ECONOMIST: Chemists are trying to synthesise new varieties of life

ScientificMatch attempts to pair people according to their DNA, and claims that this approach leads to a higher rate of female orgasms.

NEWYORKER: Looking for Someone

But this approach, according to two recently published studies, might have its own drawbacks.

ECONOMIST: A test of uncertainty

The results of this more focused approach, according to Crabb: noticeable enthusiasm from the ranks, higher participation rates across all functions, and measurable impact from the learning that is in line with or ahead of various benchmarks that Facebook has set.

FORBES: What Facebook Has to Teach Us About How to Teach

Environmental issues such as clean air and water are major concerns of voters as this year's elections approach, according to a poll conducted for the League of Conservation Voters.

CNN: Environment is crucial issue for voters, poll shows

But, according to researchers who have been meeting in Chicago at a symposium of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, this anthropocentric approach has meant that interactions via vibrations of the ground (a means of communication known as seismic signalling) have been almost entirely overlooked.

ECONOMIST: Extra sensory perception