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Pentagon seeks electropulse blast-ray weapon
The U.S. Air Force is seeking electromagnetic pulse weapon for the purpose of targeting an enemy communications, data, or power grid networks and overloading their circuits with disruptive RF-induced spikes; earlier efforts to develop such a weapon have failed, but the Pentagon believes a terawatt RF zap weapon is feasible
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Purdue researchers turn cell phones into radiation detectors
Boilermaker scientists equip cell phones with radiation sensors able to detect even light residues of radioactive material; many cell phones already contain global positioning locators, so the detector-equipped network of phones would serve as a national radiation tracking system
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Harvesting rain-drop energy
The search for clean and renewable energy led French researchers to experiment with harvesting the energy of falling rain drops; they show it is possible to convert the energy into electricity that can be used to power sensors and other devices
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Quality of new warhead triggers questioned
As the U.S. nuclear weapons age, their triggers need to be replaced; trouble is, owing to the moratorium on nuclear testing, designers of the new triggers have to rely on simulation and other methods to test the triggers; nuclear watch groups say some scientists at Los Alamos lab have doubts about the new devices
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Renault/Nissan to turn Israel into electric car haven
Car makers, with the help of $1 billion investment from Project Better Place, will wire Israel with 500,000 charging points and 150 battery-swap stations where motorists can exchange their depleted batteries for recharged ones within about five minutes
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Plasma propulsion drives tiny drones
The military, law enforcement, and industry turn to ever-smaller surveillance and inspection devices — some the size of insects; trouble is, these miniature drones have a tendency to break down because of the many moving parts required to make them fly; OSU researchers find a solution: Plasma micro thruster
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Animation shows how cities will cope with devastating earthquakes
How do we know what damage will be sustained by a city located in an earthquake-prone region? Purdue University researchers have an ambitious idea: Create a mini satellite city to cope with the aftermath of such a catastrophe; Boilermakers have created a 3D fly-through animation showing what the city would look like
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Idaho geothermal power plant goes online
U.S. Geothermal launches first geothermal power plant in Idaho; plant uses innovative binary cycle technology in which the geothermal fluid is pumped through a heat exchanger to vaporize isopentane, an organic compound that vaporizes at lower temperatures than water
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New consortium to develop tiny sensors to boost energy production
The University of Texas at Austin announces the Advanced Energy Consortium (AEC), a multimillion-dollar research consortium dedicated to the development of micro and nanotechnology applications to increase oil and gas production
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Swiss move on quantum cryptography
Ensuring effective data security is the next challenge for global data networks; quantum cryptography offers such effective security; the Swiss national election in October 2007 provided first real-life test of the technology, and Swiss now move to implement it in security-sensitive sectors of the economy
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New device helps radiation mapping in nuclear power plants
U.K. company develops radiation-mapping device which allows repairs to be carried out in small contaminated areas of nuclear power plants; device is based on technology used for radiation therapy delivery
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Pac-Man-like molecule chews up uranium contamination
Uranium leaches into groundwater from natural deposits of its ore, depleted uranium munitions, nuclear facilities, and the detritus of uranium mining; removing uranium from groundwater is very difficult: Not only does uranium bind very strongly to oxygen — it is also soluble, making dissolved uranium virtually impossible to remove; British scientists find an innovative solution
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Global patent explosion threatens patent regulatory system
Global hunger for inventions and new technologies sparks an explosion in patent applications, threatening to swamp the system responsible for dealing with them; another problem: Massive, systematic Chinese campaign, encouraged by the Chinese government, to steal Western trade secrets and violate intellectual property rules
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Hand-held near-infrared chemical detector developed
Welsh company ZiNIR develops a hand-held near-infrared detector which can identify the chemical content of a substance within a few seconds on a “point, click, read” basis; company sees big opportunity in U.S. security market
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Manchester University leads SPRIng project
University to develop new tools for assessing the sustainability of nuclear power; among the tools to be developed: Methodology and decision-support system for assessing the sustainability of nuclear power and considering energy supply and demand
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More headlines
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.