In effect, the various plates act as an atomic distillation system which sorts the plasma into its constituent elements.

ECONOMIST: Nuclear waste

She takes her visit to the Galapagos, for example, as the starting point for an explanation of plate tectonics (the itchy movements of the various plates that comprise the earth's ever-shifting surface) that created these islands.

ECONOMIST: Island life

He works only on pressed wood lids because he can drill into them and secure various items such as license plates, military medals and computer keyboards.

WSJ: You Can't Keep a Lid on This Kind of Creativity

Instead, they created the illusion of action by spreading the many components of the settlement among various committees--much as kids spread lima beans around their plates to create the illusion of eating them.

CNN: McCain's Big Deal