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Scientists gain better understanding of physics behind invisibility cloaks
Perfect invisibility cloaks are difficult to achieve, but for many military, law enforcement, and civilian uses, imperfect cloaks may do; one intriguing use of cloaks: Making cities more beautiful by hiding ugly industrial facilities for aesthetic reasons
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Power amplifier to enhance electronic warfare capabilities
BAE and partners will develop a 160-watt solid-state, gallium nitride (GaN) power amplifier for communications, electronic warfare, and radar applications
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U.S. redesigns currency to add security
$776 billion in U.S. currency —70 percent of which in $100 bills — is in circulation, two-thirds of which is held overseas; to make counterfeiting more difficult, a new security thread is approved for the bill
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New tire deflating device obviates need for police car chases
Car-chasing a fleeing criminal at high speeds is dangerous to the police and to innocent bystanders; a Wisconsin company, with help from NASA, designs a “throwable” tire deflating device allowing law enforcement to force fleeing car to stop without giving chase
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U.S. product imports exceeded exports for the first time in 2002
NSF: “The comparative advantage held by U.S. advanced technology producers has narrowed considerably in a matter of a few short years”; U.S. loses ground to China
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New protective clothing options for U.K. school-bound kids
Back to school: U.K. clothing manufactures offer school uniforms with embedded satellite tracking devices — and stab-proof t-shirts, hooded tops, and school blazers
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Cumbersome federal acquisition rules an obstacle to IT flexibility
Cumbersome acquisition rules designed for building weapons systems and computing platforms are hampering adoption of rapidly evolving information technology networks
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High-school team wins dancing robot competition
Israeli students shine at international robotics dancing competition; RobCup, the Japanese organization behind the competiton, aims to foster artificial intelligence and robotics research
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Poultry farmers protest DHS rules over propane tanks
DHS rules that propane gas is a “chemical of interest” — and, under the stipulations of the new chemical plant safety law, hundreds of thousands of U.S. poultry farmers must now register with the agency
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Bulletproof backpacks in U.S.
What’s the world coming to: Massachusetts company does brisk business in bulletproof backpacks for school-bound kids
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Robot wars are a reality, so we should develop rules to govern them
More and more, armies give power of life-and-death decisions to machines without reason or conscience; we may want to pause and reflect on this trend
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Robot pilots prove adept at refuelling tasks
Mid-air refueling is tricky, but DARPA has been testing robots that perform the mission impressively
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Directed-energy gun maker receives more money
Critics charge that Ionatron’s ray-gun idea is a “pipe dream on a fast track to zero,” but the weapon system perseveres, and receives more research money from the military
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Vestal shows hand-grenade watch
California company offers a Grenade Watch: It gives you that chic, snappy suicide-bomber look without having to undergo demanding training in Pakistan, messy explosions, and painful martyrdom
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U.S. military grapples with UAV control questions
As more and more UAVs are deployed in the theater, and as the military envisions a UAV-dependent future, the armed services are locked in a bitter fight over who will control these systems
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More headlines
The long view
U.S. Should Build Capacity to Rapidly Detect and Respond to AI Developments
It is imperative to improve near real-time observation and tracking of progress in artificial intelligence (AI), its adoption, and its impacts on the workforce, and to widely share this information to better inform and equip workers and policymakers.
China’s Critical Mineral Strategy Goes Beyond Geopolitics
China dominates critical mineral refining but faces its own supply vulnerabilities, highlighting the complexity of global dependencies. A national strategy seeks to balance a focus of robust industrial policy on critical minerals while fostering international cooperation. A balanced approach involving China in global frameworks can reduce geopolitical tensions and foster sustainable supply chain solutions.
Mathematical Models Tackle Covid Infection Dynamics
Even years after the emergence of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the workings of SARS-CoV-2 infection inside the human body, including the early activity of the virus and the role of the body’s immune response, has proved difficult to precisely ascertain.
Calls Grow for Sustainable Governance as Groundwater Resources Become Scarce
The depletion of groundwater resources, driven by unsustainable agricultural practices and increasing demands for food production, is a pressing issue, and it underscores the urgent need for sustainable groundwater governance.
Model Reveals Supply Chain Risks Pose Major Threat to Financial Stability
Supply chain disruptions can magnify financial risks. A new model shows how risks spread from the real economy to the financial sector.
AI Fact Checks Can Increase Belief in False Headlines
Many tech companies and start-ups have touted the potential of automated fact-checking services powered by artificial intelligence to stem the rising tide of online misinformation, but a new study has found that AI-fact checking can, in some cases, actually increase belief in false headlines.