Order-compactifications of totally ordered spaces were described by Blatter (J Approx Theory 13:56–65, 1975) and by Kent and Richmond (J Math Math Sci 11(4):683–694, 1988). Their results generalize a similar characterization of order-compactifications of linearly ordered spaces, obtained independently by Fedorčuk (Soviet Math Dokl 7:1011–1014, 1966; Sib Math J 10:124–132, 1969) and Kaufman (Col...

In this paper we explore the challenges surrounding searching effectively in problems with preferences. These problems are characterized by a relative abundance of goal states: at one extreme, if every goal is soft, every state is a goal state. We present techniques for planning in such search spaces, managing the sometimes-conflicting aims of intensifying search around states on the open list ...

Organisms should invest more in gathering information when the pay-off from finding a profitable resource is likely to be greater. Here, we ask whether animal societies put more effort in scouting for a new nest when their current one is of low quality. We measured the scouting behaviour of Temnothorax albipennis ant colonies when they inhabit nest-sites with different combinations of desirable...

Two surveys of the thermal environment and thermal sensations were conducted in the indoor and the semi-open spaces of traditional houses, during both summer and winter, in five districts of Nepal: Banke, Bhaktapur, Dhading, Kaski and Solukhumbu. The surveys were carried out for 40 days, gathering a total of 7116 thermal sensations from 103 subjects. The results show that residents are highly s...