New research suggests that a tit-for-tat mentality in the workplace can be a strong factor on pay and productivity, writes Neil Baker

Although it can be argued that email has only recently become universally popular, it is already under threat. Social networking sites are now providing a credible, hipper alternative.

Elbot brings scientists closer to artificial intelligence as the winner of the Loebner Prize for 2008 comes tantalisingly close to passing the Turing test.

Can business personalities be characterised as specific types? How useful are such classifications in determining an individual's leadership qualities? Neil Baker investigates.

The world economy will shrink this year for the first time since 1945, and some economists worry that the current crisis could spell the beginning of the end of globalization, writes Joseph S. Nye

Car sales have collapsed since the recession took hold. One way of encouraging customers back into the market is to make the decision to buy easier, writes Neil Baker

The next stage in the evolution of the internet is going to be one of improved communication protocols and wireless connectivity ñ and companies are investing heavily in research.

The Chinese art bubble has burst. Long live Chinese art! Or so seems to be the refrain of artists and galleries in China, where prices are sagging after a decade when the country's contemporary paintings were the hottest segment of a booming global art market. By Simon Rabinovitch

Biofuels have become a focus for worldwide investment recently, but is the market sustainable? We investigate the questions being raised regarding an industry still in its infancy.

A revolving gold statue, pink champagne and a “Pleasure Brigade” of nubile retainers all feature in this list of history's most decadent dictators. While their people suffered, these men – and sometimes their wives and children – agonised over how best to spend their ill-gotten gains...

Two million euros in three months: that's the cost so far for Vienna's Albertina Museum, home to landmark Impressionist works by Monet and Renoir, as the financial crisis pulled some of its most generous sponsors. By Sylvia Westall

An increasing number of companies in Europe and the rest of the world are switching to renewable energy. Those making the leap are reaping economic and other benefits as a result.

The market for RFID or Radio Frequency Identification is already worth billions of dollars, but few people have a full understanding of the technology. We attempt to explain all.