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Louisiana levee to use stabilizing fabric
The 1,600-foot earthen levee, which runs south from the Old Estelle Pump Station, has failed twice, once in the early 1990s and again in 2007 when two sections totaling 600 feet long slumped badly; Army Corps of Engineers will use geotextile fabric to stabilize known trouble spots before raising the levee from 10 feet to 14.5 feet
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DHS to boost cybersecurity spending in 2010
Of the $43 billion DHS 2010 budget, about $397 million is aimed at addressing cybersecurity issues; the amount is $84 million, or about 27 percent, higher than the $313 million that was allocated for information security spending in 2009
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Vulnerability identified in Amazon's cloud computing
Researchers show that it is possible to find would-be victims within cloud hardware; cloud technologies use virtual machines — remote versions of traditional onsite computer systems; the number of these virtual machines can be expanded or contracted on the fly to meet demand, creating tremendous efficiencies — but the actual computing is performed within one or more physical data centers, creating troubling vulnerabilities
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How credible -- and serious -- is the cyber threat the U.S. faces?
New report examines recent cyber attacks on South Korea and asks whether whether the attacks constituted an act of war and whether they could have been the work of a terrorist group; the answer is no on both counts; the U.S. dependence on digital technology makes it somewhat more vulnerable to cyber attacks than other nations,
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The brief
General IT spending by the U.S. government will increase by 3.5 percent a year between 2009 and 2014; during the same time, U.S. government spending on cybersecurity will grow at a compound rate of 8.1 percent a year, and spending on vendor-supplied information security products and services will increase from $7.9 billion in 2009 to $11.7 billion
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Despite concerns, development still heads to the coast
Many scientists predict that by 2100, sea levels would rise more than one meter; still, Florida has opened more vulnerable areas along the Atlantic coast to construction — and has done so more than any other state
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Aussies worry about rising sea levels
About 80 percent of Australians live in coastal areas, and a new parliamentary report recommends new laws banning further development in coastal regions
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New material makes buildings more fire resistant
New material, called “liquid granite,” is fire resistant to temperatures in excess of 1,100oC; it reduces the fire risk in buildings because, unlike concrete, it does not explode at high temperatures
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Raytheon buys BBN for $350 million
The latest example of traditional defense contractors expanding into the information systems sector is Raytheon’s acquisition of Massachusetts-based BBN, the company which put the “@” in e-mail addresses
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Obama announces $3.4 billion investment in smart grid
President Barack Obama today announced the largest single energy grid modernization investment in U.S. history, funding a broad range of technologies that will spur the U.S. transition to the smart grid; applicants say investments will create tens of thousands of jobs
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NSA to build $1.5 billion cybersecurity center near Salt Lake City
Facility will support Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative; one goal of the new center will be to help federal agencies reduce government exposure to Internet-based threats by reducing and consolidating the number of external Internet connections across government
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Tech projects to receive big chunk of second wave of stimulus spending
Information technology projects will receive significant funds, implementation director says;
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Obama announces $3.4 billion investment in smart grid
President Barack Obama today announced the largest single energy grid modernization investment in U.S. history, funding a broad range of technologies that will spur the U.S. transition to the smart grid; applicants say investments will create tens of thousands of jobs
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Tensions simmer between India and Bangla Desh over dwindling water sources
The ice and snow caps of the Himalayas are depleted by global warming; as the availability of water in Himalayan-fed river systems that support 1.3 billion people drops, experts expect the border between India and Bangladesh to be the first flashpoint of an intensifying battle across south Asia
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More headlines
The long view
Falling Space Debris: How High Is the Risk I'll Get Hit?
By Zulfikar Abbany, Julia Vergin, and Katja Sterzik
An International Space Station battery fell back to Earth and, luckily, splashed down harmlessly in the Atlantic. Should we have worried? Space debris reenters our atmosphere every week.
Using Drone Swarms to Fight Forest Fires
Forest fires are becoming increasingly catastrophic across the world, accelerated by climate change. Researchers are using multiple swarms of drones to tackle natural disasters like forest fires.
Strengthening the Grid’s ‘Backbone’ with Hydropower
By Michael Matz
Argonne-led studies investigate how hydropower could help add more clean energy to the grid, how it generates value as grids add more renewable energy, and how liner technology can improve hydropower efficiency.
LNG Exports Have Had No Impact on Domestic Energy Costs: Analysis
U.S. liquified natural gas (LNG) exports have not had any sustained and significant direct impact on U.S. natural gas prices and have, in fact, spurred production and productivity gains, which contribute to downward pressure on domestic prices.