By placing interleaved comb-like electrodes on the surface of lithium niobate, a material that is piezoelectric (and so expands or contracts as a current is passed through it), Dr Wixforth was able to fine-tune the waves to do his bidding.

ECONOMIST: Acoustic microfluidics

At each new moon, we wondered whether it would ever appear again (were we hoping that it would simply disappear?), and when it did reappear, looking more and more like a comb that had lost its teeth, we averted our eyes with a shudder.

NEWYORKER: The Daughters of the Moon

Tools like the curry comb got frequent use during the spring.

CNN: Pet grooming tools for a less hairy summer

And the other thing is people know who you are everywhere -- obviously. (Laughter.) So you have to -- you always have to like shave and comb your hair and -- (laughter) -- you can't just roll out of bed and be out there. (Laughter.) So that kind of stuff can be a little tough.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Unveils his Budget to Win the Future

"We'd never seen anything quite like it, " says partner Warren Packard, who helps comb through 5, 000 plans a year.

FORBES: The wild bunch

Short-haired pets like my Lulu benefit from regular grooming sessions with a curry comb, which can help loosen dirt and hair before a bath.

CNN: Pet grooming tools for a less hairy summer

In a presentation at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas on Thursday, Patton explained how a piece of free software he'd created can automatically comb social networking sites, collecting and aggregating data based on keywords or other information like contact information, friends, and personal history.

FORBES: Mining MySpace