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Hardy Transistor Material Could Be Game-Changer for Nuclear Reactor Safety Monitoring
The safety and efficiency of a large, complex nuclear reactor can be enhanced by hardware as simple as a tiny sensor that monitors a cooling system. That’s why researchers are working to make those basic sensors more accurate by pairing them with electronics that can withstand the intense radiation inside a reactor.
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52% Jump in days over 35°C (95 F) in World’s Biggest Capital Cities
New analysis looking at the 20 most populous capital cities shows that there is an overall rise in the number of days of extreme heat. The world’s biggest capital cities have experienced a 52% increase in the number of days reaching 35°C over the past three decades.
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‘Gun Control Is Dead and We Killed It’: Unmasking the ‘Lonely Incel’ Who Designed the World’s Most Popular 3D-printed Firearm
The first 3D-printed firearm emerged in May 2013, but Despite the hype, the reality was that the gun was impractical and unreliable. It was not until spring 2020 that the threat of 3D-printed guns grew significantly with the emergence of the FGC-9. The open-source design was accompanied by a meticulous, step-by-step instructional guide akin to an Ikea assembly booklet. The gun’s mysterious designer boasted in one anonymized interview that, by bringing out these designs and sharing them freely: “We f****d gun control for good; Gun control is dead, and we killed it.”
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Decline of American Students in China Could Mean Fewer Experts
The number of Americans studying in China has dropped dramatically in recent years from around 11,000 in 2019 to 800 this year, and the slump is so bad that some China scholars worry the United States could lose a generation of “China experts” as a result.
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Climate Change Is Increasing Stress on Thousands of Aging Dams Across the U.S.
There are more than 91,000 dams across the U.S., in all 50 states, with diverse designs and purposes. The average dam age is 57 years, and more than 8,000 dams are over 90 years old. The most recent report card of the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that 70% of U.S. dams will be more than 50 years old by 2030. Overall, the report gave U.S. dams a “D” grade and estimates that more than 2,300 are high hazard dams which could cause loss of life or serious property damage if they fail.
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Collaborative Research Effort on Digital Identity to Support Secure Delivery of Public Benefits
NIST has launched a collaborative project to adapt NIST’s digital identity guidelines to support public benefits programs, such as those designed to help beneficiaries pay for food, housing, medical and other basic living expenses.
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Privacy-Enhancing Browser Extensions Fail to Meet User Needs, New Study Finds
Popular web browser extensions designed to protect user privacy and block online ads are falling short, according to researchers, who are proposing new measurement methodologies to better uncover and quantify these shortcomings.
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Boosting Battery Research
Most Americans don’t leave home without at least one lithium battery-powered device, and someday, the house itself may have a battery backup. Scientists are working to make these large backup batteries less expensive, hold more energy and be less prone to bursting into flame.
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Critical Minerals: The Quiet Achievers Gallium and Germanium
Australia produces 14 of the 31 critical minerals essential for modern technology and renewable energy. Gallium and germanium, critical for high-tech applications, are by-products of processing other minerals. Strategic mineral management and advanced processing can significantly boost Australia’s economic and global market position.
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Bringing GPT to the Grid
Much has been discussed about the promise and limitations of large-language models in industries such as education, healthcare and even manufacturing. But what about energy? Could large-language models (LLMs), like those that power ChatGPT, help run and maintain the energy grid?
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Countering Coercion: Australia Must Engage with Allies on Critical Minerals Supply
China’s use of coercion to control critical mineral mining and processing projects, their output and even whole supply chains has motivated several countries to take increasingly strong measures to secure alternative supply chains. Meanwhile, China’s state-linked companies continue to use multiple channels to manipulate markets at scale.
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Beach Erosion Will Make Southern California Coastal Living Five Times More Expensive by 2050: Study
The region’s sandy coastlines are vanishing at an alarming rate. It’s a warning sign for coastal communities worldwide, USC research suggests.
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‘Time for a Reckoning.’ Kansas Farmers Brace for Water Cuts to Save Ogallala Aquifer.
in this region of Kansas where water is everything, they’ll have to overcome entrenched attitudes and practices that led to decades of overpumping. After decades of local inaction, Kansas lawmakers are pushing for big changes in irrigation.
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As Reservoirs Go Dry, Mexico City and Bogotá Are Staring Down ‘Day Zero’
In Mexico City and Bogotá, reservoir levels are falling fast, and the city governments have implemented rotating water shutoffs as residents are watching their taps go dry for hours a day. Droughts in the region have grown more intense thanks to warmer winter temperatures and long-term aridification fueled by climate change. In South Africa in 2018, Cape Town beat a climate-driven water crisis, and the way it did it holds lessons for cities grappling with an El Niño-fueled drought.
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Utah FORGE Achieves Crucial Geothermal Milestone
In $218 million DOE-funded research project, scientists aim to make enhanced geothermal a key part of world’s energy portfolio. “The ability to tap more of the Earth’s natural heat through enhanced geothermal systems will expand access to affordable, secure and resilient clean energy for everyone,” say one expert.
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The long view
World Risk Report: Where Are Natural Disasters Most Common?
The 2024 World Risk Report is out, highlighting which countries are most at risk from natural disasters, and what can be done to prevent catastrophes and mitigate the effects.
WHO Updates List of Most Dangerous Viruses and Bacteria
The WHO recently published a report outlining the findings of its global pathogen prioritization process that involved more than 200 scientists who evaluated evidence related to 28 viral families and one core group of bacteria, covering 1,652 pathogens.
U.S. Needs New Strategy to Recruit and Retain STEM Talent: Report
The United States should adopt a whole-of-government strategy to recruit and retain talent in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Because foreign-born talent makes up a significant portion of the STEM workforce in the U.S., it is of critical importance to fostering and sustaining innovation, economic competitiveness, and national security.
AI Poses No Existential Threat to Humanity, New Study Finds
Large language models like ChatGPT cannot learn independently or acquire new skills, meaning they pose no existential threat to humanity.
Could We Use Volcanoes to Make Electricity?
It is challenging, but tapping into the Earth’s natural heat can create a renewable, reliable and clean source of energy. As technology improves, more places around the world will turn to geothermal energy to light up people’s lives. Volcanoes are reminders of a great powerhouse deep underground that’s waiting to be harnessed.
Tracking Down the Asteroid That Sealed the Fate of the Dinosaurs
Geoscientists have led an international study to determine the origin of the huge piece of rock that hit the Earth around 66 million years ago and permanently changed the climate. The asteroid probably came from the outer solar system.