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More opposition in Europe to Galileo
Growing opposition in Europe to the Galileo Project, Europe’s response to the U.S. GPS network; behind schedule and over budget, many ask whether the benefits of the system would outweigh its costs
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Octopus inspire new camouflage strategies for military applications
New in personal protection equipment: The remarkable shape- and color-changing abilities of the octopus and its close relatives inspire researchers to attempt to understand one of nature’s most stunning feats of camouflage and self-preservation — and see whether such techniques can be applied in the military
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Plasma antennas are stealthy, versatile, and jam resistant
Soldiers in the field would soon benefit from a new antenna made of plasma — that is, a gas heated to the point at which the electrons are ripped free of atoms and molecules) works just like conventional metal antennas, except that it vanishes when you turn it off
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D-Wave demonstrates quantum computer with Google image search
This week in Reno, Nevada, D-Wave demonstrates the first commercial quantum computer by using Google’s forthcoming search-by-image tool; problems remain
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Chinese intelligence engages in industrial spying in Europe
China may be slowly integrating into the global economy, but its massive disregard of intellectual property laws shows that it has yet to internalize important norms of market conduct; and now this: Chinese intelligence is using its considerable assets to engage in industrial spying on behalf of Chinese companies
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FLIR expanding Gulf presence
FLIR’s sensor technology, used in border protection and perimeter defense, among other applications, has won the company several hefty contracts in the Gulf region; company eager to build on its success
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U.S. gives Israel $155 million for missile defense system
Congressional committee approved $155 million for Israel’s two missile defense systems — the Arrow for high-altitude missile and David’s Sling for short-range rockets; sum more than doubles what the administration had in mind
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Quantum computers near: Scientists rotate electron spin with electric field
Researchers succeed in controlling the spin of a single electron merely by using electric fields; this clears the way for a much simpler realization of the building blocks of a (as yet theoretical) super-fast quantum computer
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Canberra cancelled robot IED detection system in 2004
Aussie soldiers in Afghanistan are just as exposed to IEDs as U.S. soldiers; in 2004 the Australian government canceled a project aimed to detect IEDs, and Australians want to know why
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NIST shows tiny sensor with biomedical, homeland security applications
Tiny sensor can detect magnetic field changes as small as 70 femtoteslas — equivalent to the brain waves of a person daydreaming; in addition to medical uses, sensor may be deployed in airport screening for explosives based on detection of nuclear quadrupole resonance in nitrogen compounds
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Going beyond Moore’s Law
Moore’s law states that the number of transistors in a microchip doubles every two years, but this is just not fast enough for current innovation; European researchers stack several functional chips into a single, extremely small, package
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Ensuring imports' safety offers lucrative business opportunities
Mounting worries about hazardous substances in food, toys, and other consumer goods is creating opportunities for makers of devices which detect such dangers; Bay State businesses seize opportunities
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Private equity firms focus on India's clean technology sector
Several PE firms allocate investments in India’s clean technology sector from their general funds, but others create India-only funds to focus on the sector even more
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Knowledge-based system to aid in suicide bomber detection
Viaspace to apply NASA’s SHINE IA system (the company calls it “real-time inference engine technology”) to develop suicide bomber detection tool
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Phononic computer processes information with heat
In addition to electronic computers and (theoretical) optical computers, we now have heat-based computers; such computers are based on logic gates in which inputs and outputs are represented by different temperatures; in run-of-the-mill electronic computers, inputs and outputs are represented by different voltages
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The long view
Why Nuclear Energy Is Making a Global Comeback
Nuclear energy is gaining momentum as countries seek reliable, low-emission power sources to meet increasing electricity demand and climate goals amid uncertainty in fossil fuel markets. Its revival renews long-standing debates over safety and nuclear proliferation.
East Texas Sits on a Goldmine of Lithium, but Questions Loom Over How the State Will Regulate Mining and Production
As the U.S. pushes to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, Texas companies prepare to capitalize on the state’s emerging lithium industry.