As a material highly sensitive to the environment, graphene could act as a sensor with a single device measuring strain, gas, magnetism or pressure.

BBC: Is graphene really a wonder-material?

Whether such currents could act as earthquake predictors depends on whether there are changes in the strain on a fault before it slips.

ECONOMIST: Predicting earthquakes

This means that Dr Meredith's method can reach back into the distant past, and catch a glimpse of the act of cross-fertilisation between two different varieties of grapevine that created the strain that the cuttings have perpetuated.

ECONOMIST: Genetics

At the same time, they argue that some new taxes set to go into effect, most particularly some taxes created by the Affordable Care Act, should be repealed in the belief that that these new taxes will put a further strain on business and, therefore, the economy.

FORBES: The Fiscal Cliff Explained