In Mr. Frampton's lab, technicians spent several hours this past week rubbing the branches and weighing needle loss from hundreds of Fraser fir samples, to weed out non-needle-holding family lines.

WSJ: Fir Real? Christmas Trees in Crisis as Americans Flock to Fakes

The latest models from Rita Medical and Boston Scientific contain umbrella-like tines that fold out from the main needle once it has been inserted into the tumor.

FORBES: Magazine Article

With a flip of the traction-control switch and a depression of the accelerator, the needle red-lined on the rpm gauge and the car sprang out of the snow with the alacrity of a mountain goat.

FORBES: Overview

Decked out with swooping curves, racing horizontal bands, wraparound windows, needle-like towers and candy-coloured neon, the architecture was designed to remind visitors that they 0 200 400 600 800 1000 were on holiday.

BBC: The perfect trip: Florida

In countries like Britain, which have a large population of asylum-seekers and illegal immigrants, seeking out militants can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

ECONOMIST: The enemy within | The