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Space technology to benefit defense, health care markets
Technology developed for the Mars lander could prove useful in defense and health care applications
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More swine flu cases at U.S. colleges as students return
CDC spokesperson: “I don’t think we’re surprised by the fact influenza is returning to these campuses. What is concerning to us is people becoming complacent about this and not taking the steps we know can protect them”
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U.K. assessing two nuclear reactors designs
The United Kingdom wants to build more nuclear reactors, and the government is assessing two different reactor types — the U.K.-EPR designed by Areva and EDF, and the AP1000 designed by Westinghouse — for their suitability to meet U.K. regulatory standards
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New Orleans storm pumps do not protect city
The Army Corps of Engineers quickly installed new storm control pumps in New Orleans in the months after Katrina; trouble is, these pumps do not protect the city, the the Corps could have saved $430 million in replacement costs by buying proven equipment
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DARPA looking for "Precision Electronic Warfare"
“Surgical jamming” bubble would follow enemy soldiers; the system would be able to lock onto the other side’s soldiers’ cellphones and hold these soldiers within a bubble of jamming no matter how they moved about, denying them any communications or navigation services
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Simulation to help in preparing for wildfires
Increasingly complex systems which combine simulation and monitoring tools could help emergency services prevent future ecological disasters on the scale witnessed in Greece this week
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Cloud computing, social network to help software security
The difference between Immunet’s offering and other companies’ products, say its founders, is the software’s ability to protect digital communities — those users connected together via social networks such as instant messaging, Facebook, or Twitter
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Russia's cyber warfare strategies, I
The August 2008 Georgia-Russia war was accompanied by a sustained, well-integrated, and pre-planned information warfare campaign against Georgia’s Internet structure
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Four-legged robot to help soldiers carry equipment
MIT researchers develop a four-legged robot that stand, squat, crawl, trot, run (its current top speed is 7 mph), and even bound; it can carry a 154 kg load
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Active cloaking offers an alternative to metamaterials
New cloaking method someday might shield submarines from sonar or planes from radar
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TALON robots for Australian forces
Qinetiq awarded AUS$23 million to supply 2,800 TALON robots and replacement parts to support Australian defense forces deployed on operations
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How life will survival in a post-apocalypse blackout
What if asteroid impacts, massive volcanic eruptions, or large-scale wildfires were to plunge our planet into abnormal darkness” It happened several times in the past; life will continue with a little help from organisms that can switch to another source of energy while they wait for sunlight to pierce the darkness once more
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UCSD agile robots catch the eye at national robotics conference
UCSD researchers demonstrate Switchblade, a hopping robot with a sense of balance; the robot can detect when it is about to fall over, and figure out how to shift its weight appropriately so it does not
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Unmanned ground vehicles patrol city streets
Designing air or sea unmanned vehicles is relatively straightforward because at sea, and in the air, there are hardly any obstacles; designing an unmanned ground vehicle, however, is much tougher; the U.S. Army, after decades of trying, has succeeded in building one
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St. Andrews professor working on practical cloaking device
Professor Ulf Leonhardt is working on a blueprint for a practical cloaking device that could even protect coastlines from water waves; a Royal Society’s Theo Murphy Blue Skies award will allow Leonhardt to pursue full time for the next two years “turning science fiction into a reality”
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The long view
Encryption Breakthrough Lays Groundwork for Privacy-Preserving AI Models
In an era where data privacy concerns loom large, a new approach in artificial intelligence (AI) could reshape how sensitive information is processed. New AI framework enables secure neural network computation without sacrificing accuracy.
AI-Controlled Fighter Jets May Be Closer Than We Think — and Would Change the Face of Warfare
Could we be on the verge of an era where fighter jets take flight without pilots – and are controlled by artificial intelligence (AI)? US R Adm Michael Donnelly recently said that an upcoming combat jet could be the navy’s last one with a pilot in the cockpit.
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.
AI and the Future of the U.S. Electric Grid
Despite its age, the U.S. electric grid remains one of the great workhorses of modern life. Whether it can maintain that performance over the next few years may determine how well the U.S. competes in an AI-driven world.
Using Liquid Air for Grid-Scale Energy Storage
New research finds liquid air energy storage could be the lowest-cost option for ensuring a continuous power supply on a future grid dominated by carbon-free but intermittent sources of electricity.
Enhanced Geothermal Systems: A Promising Source of Round-the-Clock Energy
With its capacity to provide 24/7 power, many are warming up to the prospect of geothermal energy. Scientists are currently working to advance human-made reservoirs in Earth’s deep subsurface to stimulate the activity that exists within natural geothermal systems.