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Bans on Gallium n Germanium Exports Could Cost the U.S. Billions
The disruptions of critical mineral supplies would negatively affect the U.S. economy. Researchers estimate there could be a $3.4 billion decrease in U.S. GDP if China implements a total ban on exports of gallium and germanium, minerals used in some semiconductors and other high-tech manufacturing.
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Preparing our Ports for the Future of Alternative Maritime Fuels
Fuels like ammonia will greatly reduce carbon emissions—better for the environment, but are they safe for our infrastructure? The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently conducted a market research survey to assess hazards associated with alternative fuel production, storage, and transport at U.S. ports. High-risk ports could be the sites for future ammonia release tests that will inform preparedness and response.
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Suspected Chinese Hack of U.S. Telecoms Reveals Broader Plot
A hack of U.S. telecommunications systems linked to China that initially appeared to focus on the American presidential campaigns goes much deeper, according to investigators, and is likely part of a vast effort by Beijing to spy on the United States.
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The Effectiveness of U.S. Economic Policies Regarding China Pursued from 2017 to 2024
Although U.S.-China trade tensions have waxed and waned for decades, they have remained persistently high since 2017. A new report assesses the effectiveness of more-restrictive U.S. economic policies adopted toward China and pursued between 2017 and 2024.
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Startup Turns Mining Waste into Critical Metals for the U.S.
At the heart of the energy transition is a metal transition. Wind farms, solar panels, and electric cars require more exotic metals with unique properties, known as rare earth elements. Phoenix Tailings is creating domestic supply chains for rare earth metals, key to the clean energy transition.
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Can We Live on Our Planet without Destroying It?
With eight billion people, we use a lot of the Earth’s resources in ways that are likely unsustainable. How can we adapt our lifestyle to stay within the limits of what the Earth can give? Klaus Hubacek investigates planetary boundaries.
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High-Tech Methods to Stem the Flow of Fentanyl
Keeping up with illicit labs churning out new forms of fentanyl, nitazenes is the goal.
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Manufacturing Already Has Made a Comeback
After the pandemic, small cities led the first full recession recovery for factory jobs since the ’70s.
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EFF to Court: Reject X’s Effort to Revive a Speech-Chilling Lawsuit Against a Nonprofit
X’s lawsuit against the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate is intended to stifle criticism and punish the organization for its reports criticizing the platform’s content moderation practices, and a previous ruling dismissing the lawsuit should be affirmed.
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New York City to End Controversial Migrant Debit Card Program
New York City is ending its controversial program that gave newly arriving migrants debit cards pre-loaded with money to pay for food, baby supplies and other necessities.
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Scientists Address Risks to Supply Chain in a Connected World
In a world where billions of lines of computer code are intertwined with critical physical systems whose electronic components come from suppliers across the globe, there is a new kind of risk. The combination of a connected world and a complex supply chain creates opportunities—and vulnerabilities.
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What a Trump Presidency Means for Millions of Migrants and Their Families in the U.S.
In the US election, a tough-on-immigration stance from president-elect Donald Trump, including promises of mass deportations, appears to have resonated with voters. History shows that these policies may have initial public support, but raise other issues when executed.
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Amid Hurricane Milton’s Devastation, a Sliver of Good News
Earlier this month Hurricane Milton caused an estimated $50 billion in damage and claimed the lives of at least 14 people, yet didn’t deliver the scale of destruction some had feared. Cellphone data suggest evacuation mandates, warning systems worked.
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Climate-Fueled Extreme Weather Is Hiking Up Car Insurance Rates
As climate change accelerates, hurricanes, wildfires and hail storms pound the U.S. with growing vigor—and the insurance market is struggling to foot the bill of the damages they leave behind for customers. Home insurers have raised premiums after extreme weather events. Now car insurers in the U.S. are doing the same thing.
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Exploiting Meta’s Weaknesses, Deceptive Political Ads Thrived on Facebook and Instagram in Run-Up to Election
Eight deceptive advertising networks have placed over 160,000 election and social issues ads across more than 340 Facebook pages in English and Spanish. Some of the people who clicked on ads were unwittingly signed up for monthly credit card charges or lost health coverage, among other consequences.
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The long view
Need for National Information Clearinghouse for Cybercrime Data, Categorization of Cybercrimes: Report
There is an acute need for the U.S. to address its lack of overall governance and coordination of cybercrime statistics. A new report recommends that relevant federal agencies create or designate a national information clearinghouse to draw information from multiple sources of cybercrime data and establish connections to assist in criminal investigations.
Trying to “Bring Back” Manufacturing Jobs Is a Fool’s Errand
Advocates of recent populist policies like to focus on the supposed demise of manufacturing that occurred after the 1970s, but that focus is misleading. The populists’ bleak economic narrative ignores the truth that the service sector has always been a major driver of America’s success, for decades, even more so than manufacturing. Trying to “bring back” manufacturing jobs, through harmful tariffs or other industrial policies, is destined to end badly for Americans. It makes about as much sense as trying to “bring back” all those farm jobs we had before the 1870s.
The Potential Impact of Seabed Mining on Critical Mineral Supply Chains and Global Geopolitics
The potential emergence of a seabed mining industry has important ramifications for the diversification of critical mineral supply chains, revenues for developing nations with substantial terrestrial mining sectors, and global geopolitics.
Are We Ready for a ‘DeepSeek for Bioweapons’?
Anthropic’s Claude 4 is a warning sign: AI that can help build bioweapons is coming, and could be widely available soon. Steven Adler writes that we need to be prepared for the consequences: “like a freely downloadable ‘DeepSeek for bioweapons,’ available across the internet, loadable to the computer of any amateur scientist who wishes to cause mass harm. With Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4 having finally triggered this level of safety risk, the clock is now ticking.”