We analyse high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys imaging of the nuclear starburst region of M 82, obtained as part of the Hubble Heritage mosaic made of this galaxy, in four filters (Johnson-Cousins equivalent B, V, and I broad bands, and an Hα narrow-band filter), as well as subsequently acquired U-band images. We find a complex system of ∼150 star clusters in the inner few 100 pc of the galaxy. We do not find any conclusive evidence of a cluster-formation epoch associated with the most recent starburst event, believed to have occurred about 4-6 Myr ago. This apparent evidence of decoupling between cluster and field-star formation is consistent with the view that star cluster formation requires special conditions. However, we strongly caution, and provide compelling evidence, that the "standard" simple stellar population analysis method we have used significantly underestimates the true uncertainties in the derived ages due to stochasticity in the stellar initial mass function and the corresponding sampling effects.

A two-stage stochastic programming with recourse model for the problem of determining optimal planting plans for a vegetable crop is presented in this paper.Uncertainty caused by factors such as weather on yields is a major influence on many systems arising in horticulture. Traditional linear programming models are generally unsatisfactory in dealing with the uncertainty and produce solutions that are considered to involve an unacceptable level of risk. The first stage of the model relates to finding a planting plan which is common to all scenarios and the second stage is concerned with deriving a harvesting schedule for each scenario. Solutions are obtained for a range of risk aversion factors that not only result in greater expected profit compared to the corresponding deterministic model but also are more robust.

Last year’s rumblings beneath New Zealand’s Taupō supervolcano, the site of Earth’s most recent supereruption, lend new urgency to research and outreach efforts in the region.

This volume has its roots in two recent developments within mainstream analytic epistemology: a growing recognition over the past two or three decades of the active and social nature of our epistemic lives; and, more recently still, the increasing appreciation of the various ways in which the epistemic practices of individuals and societies can, and often do, go wrong. The theoretical analysis of these breakdowns in epistemic practice, along with the various harms and wrongs that follow as a consequence, constitutes an approach to epistemology that we refer to as non-ideal epistemology. In this introductory chapter we introduce and contextualise the ten essays that comprise this volume, situating them within four broad sub-fields: vice epistemology, epistemic injustice, inter-personal epistemic practices, and applied epistemology. We also provide a brief overview of several other important growth areas in non-ideal epistemology.