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Plagues, Cyborgs, and Supersoldiers: The Human Domain of War
How have advancements in biotechnology affected warfighting, and how could they do so in the future? Can the human body itself be a warfighting domain? Can the body itself be an offensive or defensive weapon?
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In Coastal Communities, Sea Level Rise May Leave Some Isolated
Amid the threat of dramatic sea level rise, coastal communities face unprecedented dangers, but a new study reveals that as flooding intensifies, disadvantaged populations will be the ones to experience some of the most severe burdens of climate change.
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Evolution Might Stop Humans from Solving Climate Change
Central features of human evolution may stop our species from resolving global environmental problems like climate change, says a new study. Can humans continue to survive on a limited planet? “We don’t have any solutions for this idea of a long-term evolutionary trap, as we barely understand the problem,” says one expert.
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The Link Between Climate Change and a Spate of Rare Disease Outbreaks in 2023
The temperature-sensitive pathogens that caught U.S. communities off guard are a grim preview of the future. Scientists have warned that climate change would alter the prevalence and spread of disease in the U.S., particularly those caused by pathogens that are sensitive to temperature.
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Seven Moments in December that Changed Nuclear Energy History
December is a big month in the history of nuclear energy. From the first self-sustaining chain reaction to a pivotal breakthrough in nuclear fusion, some of the biggest events that laid the foundation for the nuclear energy sector all happened in the final month of the year.
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Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Explosives, Narcotic Detection
DHS S&T is applying emerging technologies in the development of artificial intelligence / machine learning technologies – and searching for ways to use these technologies to identify dangerous compounds, like those found in explosives and narcotics.
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Enhancing Coastal Cities' Flood Resilience Through Smart City Technologies
In the face of climate change, a suite of advanced technologies can be integrated into urban design to reduce the flood risk posed by rising sea levels, more intense rainfall events, and more powerful storm surges.
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Does AI Enable and Enhance Biorisks?
The diversity of the biorisk landscape highlights the need to clearly identify which scenarios and actors are of concern. It is important to consider AI-enhanced risk within the current biorisk landscape, in which both experts and non-experts can cause biological harm without the need for AI tools, thus highlighting the need for layered safeguards throughout the biorisk chain.
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Generative AI and Weapons of Mass Destruction: Will AI Lead to Proliferation?
Large Language Models (LLMs) caught popular attention in 2023 through their ability to generate text based on prompts entered by the user. Ian J. Stewart writes that “some have raised concerns about the ability of LLMs to contribute to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons proliferation (CBRN). Put simply, could a person learn enough through an interaction with an LLM to produce a weapon? And if so, would this differ from what the individual could learn by scouring the internet?”
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Evaluating the Truthfulness of Fake News Through Online Searches Increases the Chances of Believing Misinformation
Conventional wisdom suggests that searching online to evaluate the veracity of misinformation would reduce belief in it. But a new study by a team of researchers shows the opposite occurs: Searching to evaluate the truthfulness of false news articles actually increases the probability of believing misinformation.
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New Nuclear Deflection Simulations Advance Planetary Defense Against Asteroid Threats
As part of an effort to test different technologies to protect Earth from asteroids, a kinetic impactor was deliberately crashed into an asteroid to alter its trajectory. However, with limitations in the mass that can be lifted to space, scientists continue to explore nuclear deflection as a viable alternative to kinetic impact missions. Nuclear devices have the highest ratio of energy density per unit of mass of any human technology, making them an invaluable tool in mitigating asteroid threats.
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Planning for an Uncertain Future: What Climate-Related Conflict Could Mean for U.S. Central Command
The Middle East and Central Asia are projected to become hotter and drier, with reduced access to fresh water, resulting from climate change. These changes could lead to greater conflict in U.S. Central Command’s (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.
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Artificial Intelligence Systems Excel at Imitation, but Not Innovation
Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are often depicted as sentient agents poised to overshadow the human mind. But AI lacks the crucial human ability of innovation. While children and adults alike can solve problems by finding novel uses for everyday objects, AI systems often lack the ability to view tools in a new way.
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“Energy Droughts” in Wind and Solar Can Last Nearly a Week, Research Shows
Understanding the risk of compound energy droughts—times when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow—will help grid planners understand where energy storage is needed most.
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Taking Illinois’ Center for Digital Agriculture into the Future
The Center for Digital Agriculture (CDA) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a new executive director, John Reid, who plans to support CDA’s growth across all dimensions of use-inspired research, translation of research into practice, and education and workforce development.
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The long view
AI-Powered Massive Deepfake Detector to Safeguard Elections from Deepfake Threats
Israeli startup Revealense has introduced its illuminator Massive Deepfake Detector, an AI-powered solution designed to combat the growing threat of deepfakes in electoral processes. Dov Donin, CEO of Revealense, said: “Our system is already used by several governments globally.”
WHO Updates List of Most Dangerous Viruses and Bacteria
The WHO recently published a report outlining the findings of its global pathogen prioritization process that involved more than 200 scientists who evaluated evidence related to 28 viral families and one core group of bacteria, covering 1,652 pathogens.
Innovating Firefighting Technology with Smart Solutions to Enhance Urban Resilience
The increase in high-rise and densely populated urban development has heightened the demand for safety and resilience solutions against emergencies, such as fires. Researchers have created advanced technological solutions to enhance firefighting and urban resilience.
Where the Public and Private Sectors Converge
DHS S&T recently hosted its annual Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) Demo Week, bringing together federal government and startup communities to exhibit new technologies, talk through ideas and identify opportunities for future collaboration.
Sniff Test for Explosives Detection Extends Its Reach
Scientists have developed a way to detect tiny amounts of hard-to-detect explosives more than eight feet away, reducing the need to swipe clothing, luggage or other materials. The nNew method detects dangerous materials with lower vapor pressure.
No Power, No Operator, No Problem: Simulating Nuclear Reactors to Explore Next-Generation Nuclear Safety Systems
To create safe and efficient nuclear reactors, designers and regulators need reliable data consistent with real-world observation. Data generated at the facility validates computational models and guides the design of nuclear reactors.