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Mobile WiMax to be rolled out in Atlanta in June
Clearwire says it will roll out mobile WiMax in Atlanta next month, with other cities to follow
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U.S. reassesses safe water levels in New Orleans' outfall canals
New Orleans has three outfall canals, the role of which is similar to that of a storm drain under a city street; since Katrina, there have been disagreements among engineers as to how much water would it be safe for each of the three canals to handle during a storm
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Tech giants buying tech security companies
Tech security appears to be recession-resistant industry; tech giants position themselves to benefit from the greater emphasis on IT security in the U.S. 2010 budget by buying smaller cybersecurity companies; the prices are attractive: VCs who, a few years ago, invested in promising security start-ups can no longer count on cashing in by going public
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Funding continues for Yucca Mountain project
Both Senator Harry Reid and President Barack Obama — and also Secretary of Energy Steven Chu — want the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository project — 25 years and $13.5 billion in the making — ended, but funding continues
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IT spending to increase on Obama's watch
New OMB report says that IT spending will increase by 7 percent in fiscal 2010 — to $75.8 billion
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Senate debates federal role in U.S. power grid
Legislators debate whether to allow the federal government to compel states to provide sites for “high-priority” federal transmissions projects; legislators also considering eminent domain provisions, which would allow the government to seize privately owned land that it judged as necessary for new power lines
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Oregon needs to raise Hagg Lake dam for fear of earthquakes
In Oregon they expect the Big One — a massive earthquake — sometime in the next fifty years; one measure of preparation is to raise the height of dams so that earthquake-generated waves in the reservoirs behind the dams would not spill over and flood the neighboring territory
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China deploys secure computer operating system
China has installed a secure operating system known as “Kylin” on government and military computers designed to be impenetrable to U.S. military and intelligence agencies
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Drinking water monitored by CSIRO-developed sensor network
Lake Wivenhoe, which spans an area about the size of the city of Brisbane, supplies water to 1.5 million residents in south-east Queensland; CSIRO deploys its FLECK smart wireless sensor network technology to monitor water quality
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NERC approves strengthened cyber security standards
The North American Electric Reliability Corp.’s (NERC) independent Board of Trustees last week approved eight revised cyber security standards; entities found in violation of the standards can be fined up to $1 million per day, per violation in the United States
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Greece bans Google Street View mapping service
The Greek government bans Google from gathering detailed, street-level images within the country for a planned expansion of the company’s panoramic Street View mapping service; government wants assurances about privacy issues
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Cyber security experts unveil spammer strategies
Computer security experts infiltrated a botnet called Storm and analyzed the way its complex internal communications worked; knowledge gained will help in writing anti-spam software
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Hackers break into UC Berkeley health-services databases
Hackers began breaking into the databases back in October, and continued to steal information until breach was discovered on 9 April; about 160,000 individuals believed to be affected by breach
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More than 950 billion barrels of crude have been extracted since 1850
How much crude oils has been extracted around the world since 1850, the year the first commercial oil-wells were sunk in? Until now, experts calculated that number to be 944 billion barrels; new study suggests a figure that is 35 percent higher than that
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NIST's high-rise fire study highlights deadly wind-driven fires
Fire researchers at NIST have published two reports providing details of how wind affects fires in high-rise buildings
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The long view
Helping Strengthen America’s Critical Infrastructure
Everyday life depends on a robust infrastructure network that provides access to running water, communications technology and electricity, among other basic necessities. The experts who keep our national infrastructure secure and resilient also need a strong network to share their knowledge and train the next generation of professionals capable of solving complex infrastructure challenges.
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.
Experts Discuss Geothermal Potential
Geothermal energy harnesses the heat from within Earth—the term comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat). It is an energy source that has the potential to power all our energy needs for billions of years.