Sir Philip Petrides – known as “Bertie Petrides” – was a senior British colonial figure of the early twentieth century. During a formidable career that took him to half a dozen African countries, he served variously as an attorney general, a chief justice, and governor. He presided over several very controversial legal cases, and some of his judgements had far-reaching ramifications, including becoming important precedents in English Law.

Every day, our wireless networks make life that little bit easier. Unfortunately, they sometimes also make life easier for devious neighbours and serious criminals. It may only be the kid next door piggybacking on our internet access, but it could be a hacker stealing our bank details or using the network for illegal activities. This article explains in detail how to keep both of them at bay.

Meaning Based Computing (MBC) is a new type of technology that’s set to revolutionise data searching both on individual computers and on networks. This software searches for information based on its subject matter – its meaning – rather than on any words or phrases that files may or may not contain. As a result, it can unearth data that existing search technologies would never find. For individuals, this is useful and time saving; for companies, especially large ones, it’s money in the bank.

When it comes to pursuing our dreams, it would be hard to find a more encouraging role model than Harry Bernstein. He had struggled in vain for most of his life to be a successful writer. In 2002, his efforts were rewarded when his first memoir was published to widespread critical acclaim. He was 96. He went on to write three more highly acclaimed books before he died in 2011 at the age of 101. This 569-word article examines his amazing achievement, the part his wife Ruby played in it, and how they both should inspire us to never give up on our dreams.

You’re wrong on both counts, if you believe there aren’t many virus types and that few of those are any more dangerous to us than influenza. Viruses are the most abundant biological entity on earth, some are deadly to humans, and we have no effective countermeasures against many of them. Scientists, however, are on the brink of developing a new kind of vaccine that promises to overcome man’s most dangerous natural predator, once and for all.

This spellbinding story by author Amy Ellis Nutt leaves the reader dumbstruck for two reasons. First, it recounts the extraordinary story of chiropractor John Sarkin, who was transformed into a world-famous artist after suffering massive brain damage. Second, the author cleverly uses the first story to reveal the unfathomable complexity of our brains, each of which has more synapses (nerve connections) than all the stars in the heavens.