• USGS says Bakken Formation holds large recoverable oil, gas reserves

    U.S. Geological Survey assesses Bakken Formation to Hold 3 to 4.3 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil — 25 times more than 1995 estimate; in addition, assessment also identified 1.85 trillion cubic feet of associated/dissolved natural gas, and 148 million barrels of natural gas liquids

  • Canadian government blocks sale of MDA space division

    For the first time in the 23-year history of the Investment Canada Act, the federal government blocked a foreign takeover because of a failure of the “net benefit” test; during this period, successive governments have approved 1,587 foreign takeovers; another 11,214 foreign acquisitions required notification under the Act, but not a formal review

  • Stolen military items available for sale online

    GAO investigators buy dozens of prohibited military items on eBay and Craigslist; some of the time would be of direct help to terrorists and insurgents

  • UK Biometrics offers new finger print reader

    Newcastle-based biometric company introduces its Evolution product; company says Evolution can scan one million records per second

  • New way to estimate size and frequency of meteorite impacts

    How large was the meteorite which hit Earth 65 million years ago, leading to the extinction of the dinosaurs? Now we know: Four to six kilometers in diameter; scientists offer new methods to measure the size and frequency of meteorite impact

  • Government admits accidents at Plum Island biolab

    The biolab on Plum Island, off the tip of Long Island, is the only lab allowed to do research on the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease; DHS officials admit that since 1978 here have been several accidental releases of the virus into cattle in holding pens

  • New methods for detecting IEDs

    Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have exerted a painful toll on coalition forces in Iraq, and now in Afghanistan; DHS is worried that IEDs will soon make their deadly appearance on U.S. soil; Wolverines researchers offer a novel methods for detecting IEDs

  • Simulating hurricanes to test buildings' resilience

    Researchers built a system of “blower boxes” which exert pressure on buildings similar to the buffeting of winds from gusts exceeding 250 kilometers per hour; the goal is to find ways to construct sturdier, more resilient structures

  • One VC's view: "Water is the next oil"

    VC hopes to capitalize on an increasingly scarce resource

  • Armed robots pulled out of Iraq

    Last August, three gun-totting robots were deployed to Iraq — the first such deployment in military history; the armed robots had a short career as soldiers, though: For reasons yet to be determined, the robots kept training their guns on their operators; no shots were fired, but the military decided more work was required

  • Clean Diesel licenses WMF technology to China's Headway

    The U.S. EPA gave Clean Diesel’s Wire Mesh Filter technology high marks, and China needs it: At the beginning of the year it signed up to the Euro IV PM emission standards for light and medium duty trucks; a clean diesel technology will allow it to meet the treaty’s standards

  • Quota for visas for professionals met on first day; lottery set

    US authorities said Tuesday they had received too many applications for a visa program for skilled workers for the coming year, meaning a random lottery will determine the winners

  • Regional nuclear war would create near-global ozone hole

    A limited nuclear weapons exchange between Pakistan and India using their current arsenals could create a near-global ozone hole, triggering human health problems and wreaking environmental havoc for at least a decade, according to a study led by the University of Colorado at Boulder

  • Cornell robot sets a record for distance walking

    A walking robot developed at Cornell University set a world record for non-stop walking — 5.6 miles; robot aims to advance the study of walking motion and energy efficiency

  • EU selects Symantec for WOMBAT project

    WOMBAT aims to provide new means for understanding the existing and emerging threats which are targeting the Internet economy and its users; EU selects Symantec to do research for the project