One expert, Dr. John Christy of the University of Alabama in Huntsville, notes that over the last 100 years 35 states experienced record temperatures before 1940, while only 11 have had such temperatures since.

FORBES: Fact and Comment

In April, the previous Nasa chief, Dr Michael Griffin, joined the University of Alabama in Huntsville as a professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering.

BBC: Obama names US space agency chief

In the March 10th issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters, Richard Lieu and Lloyd Hillman of the University of Alabama, in Huntsville, will describe a new method they have used to look at Planck time.

ECONOMIST: Planck-scale physics