Although the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere remains at a concentration of 0.03 percent all over the world, the amount in the air has not always been the same.

FORBES: A Call to Arms on Climate Change

In that sense, the government has "delayed some of the planned adjustment" - though, it must be said, only because the worsened state of the economy means the same amount of spending cuts and tax rises will not do as much to help the public finances in this parliament than they previously hoped.

BBC: IMF: 'Great policies - shame about the economy'

Statistically, that would not matter too much if the amount of epigenesis were the same in identical and fraternal twins, but research published last year by Art Petronis of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and his colleagues, suggests it is not.

ECONOMIST: The biology of business

It may not sound like a big shock but it was: the government announced it would borrow about the same amount in this financial year as it did last year.

BBC: Budget 2013: How has borrowing not risen this year?