These machines work by separating, then recombining, two beams of precisely synchronised atoms of, say, neon.

ECONOMIST: Planck-scale physics

Even more worryingly, Dr Wolfe has found many examples of viruses recombining in his Cameroonian hunters.

ECONOMIST: The American Association for the Advancement of Science

Huawei, which makes telecoms gear, is a master of recombining existing technologies and bringing them to market at lightning speed.

ECONOMIST: Schumpeter

They act as giant petri dishes, where creative types and entrepreneurs rub up against each other, combining and recombining to spark new ideas, new inventions, new businesses and new industries.

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