Scientific American interviewed EVE economist Eyjólfur Guðmundsson in a look at how virtual worlds mirror real world economics, and socioeconomics.

"The players are very specialized," Guðmundsson notes. "All some do is mine, move stuff around and trade, just like any other industrialist. Pilots need bigger and better weapons and people to trade them. They all need information to communicate [about] the economy, just like any community needs to know how interest and inflation affect its wealth. It's important to have a visible economist to analyze events and participate in discussion[s]."

It's a great look at the work that's being done in game, and how it can move into real world applications.