Thought bubbles

Manufacturers of washing-up

liquid are helping to fund a Centre for Computational Science at Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London.Among other things, the centre will use advanced computer modelling to analyse the dynamics of how detergents work.

Researchers are constructing 3D simulations of interactions between complex fluids, such as the action of soap in oil and water or the flow of water and detergents through subterranean rock (relevant to oil exploration).

Details at: www.qmw.ac.uk