Imagine if technology could read and react to our emotions

Nov 26, 2015 00:20 am UTC| Technology Insights & Views

Computers have always been good at doing fast calculations, but adapting to the emotional state of the person using the computer now there is a grand challenge! The field is called affective computing, and soon it will be...

Russia, Turkey and the US: between the terrible and the catastrophic

Nov 26, 2015 00:12 am UTC| Insights & Views

The downing of Russias plane by Turkish military forces over the skies of the Syrian-Turkish border has added yet another layer of complexity to the vortex of conflict in the Middle East. Most of the prior concern had...

Why cutting spending on public health is a false economy

Nov 25, 2015 13:41 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

Public health spending is under threat. This despite the fact that increasing investment in prevention is the foundation of a sustainable NHS. Cutting these budgets is alarmingly short-termist and indicates a fundamental...

Right-wing populism is surging on both sides of the Atlantic – here's why

Nov 25, 2015 13:25 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

On both sides of the Atlantic, right-wing populist parties are enjoying another moment in the sun. In Europe, the Austrian Freedom Party (FP) recently doubled its vote in a state election. Fellow travellers are making...

Explainer: what is solar thermal electricity?

Nov 25, 2015 13:06 pm UTC| Insights & Views

A large solar thermal electricity plant will soon begin operating near Ouarzazate, Morocco, which will reportedly bring energy to a million people when fully complete. But what is solar thermal electricity and how does it...

API reports deficit, while WTI awaits EIA report – calls updated

Nov 25, 2015 12:39 pm UTC| Insights & Views

WTI is sharply up this week following Brent, trading at $42.1/barrel at $3.1/barrel discount to Brent. Key factors at play in Crude market - Saudi Arabia signaled this week that it might finally cooperate with both...

Currency War Series

Will the SNB pre-empt its Eurozone colleagues with interventions and rate cuts?

Nov 25, 2015 11:45 am UTC| Insights & Views Central Banks

With the ECB willing to do more, by stepping up its asset purchase program in December and even cutting the deposit rate further, the expectations are running high for the Swiss National Bank to step up its efforts to...