That is what happens when a computer gets too hot, or is bombarded with certain kinds of radiation: the electrons pick up enough energy to breach the dam that has been carefully constructed to contain them.

ECONOMIST: Babbage’s last laugh | The

His firm, and others like it, are starting to turn out computer models that can estimate for an insurance company the cost of a storm even before it happens.

ECONOMIST: Eye on the storm | The

And he wants to find out what happens if he pulls a few parts off the wing off the humongous airplane that is the personal computer business.

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