MANY of us at New Scientist have specialist areas of weakness. Mine is physics. In the grand scheme of things, they are actually considered a strength: if I can understand an article about, say, quantum theory , then anyone can. But recently, it has dawned on me that I have a more serious weakness in my understanding of the world. One which, as I write about environmental issues, I ought to fill. The subject? Finance.

Ugh. I skim past those pages in the newspaper. As soon as somebody mentions bonds or derivatives, my brain seizes up. Frankly, …