To search for a target molecule, then, all that would be needed would be to sprinkle a sample thought to contain it with magnetic nanoparticles coated with the appropriate antibody or DNA and then run it over a spin valve.

ECONOMIST: Labs on a chip

It's hard to get totally excited about a PC hardware peripheral, given the smaller quantity of games (particularly hardware-specific titles) over in desktop land, but with Valve support and what appears to be the perfect control scheme (dual analog sticks, dual fully 3D-sensing motion controllers), we'd say the Hydra has a better shot at winning us over than anything else of its ilk.

ENGADGET: Razer Hydra Sixense motion controller eyes-on

America's growing trade deficit is a safety valve: it has prevented domestic demand from spilling over into inflation.

ECONOMIST: If Japan should crash

He is averaging 13.1 points over his last six games, and he's relishing his role as a safety valve whenever the Knicks' guards encounter obstacles on their way to the hoop.

WSJ: The Knicks Are More Than Just Jeremy Lin

That changed just over a year ago, when Edwards Lifesciences Corp. won approval to sell an artificial aortic valve flexible and small enough to fit into a catheter and wedged inside the bad one.

NPR: Heart Repair Breakthroughs Replace Surgeon's Knife

"On behalf of everyone at Valve, and all of the gamers who have gone with us on this adventure over the last few years - thank you very much, " he said in a short acceptance speech.

BBC: Dishonored wins Best Game Bafta at 2013 video game awards

That's partly because Britain's labour and product markets are more flexible than many of its neighbours': the labour market has a safety valve in the form of the 1m workers who arrived from central and eastern Europe over the past four years and are now beginning to go home.

ECONOMIST: Britain's economy

If Valve does find success with Steam on Linux and gets the messaging right, Microsoft may start looking over its shoulder.

FORBES: Dell Slashes Alienware X51 PC By $100, Adds Ubuntu Linux Option