• Swedish researchers find vulnerability in quantum encryption technology

    Quantum encryption is supposed to offer air-tight security owing to the laws of quantum mechanics; to send a key over the quantum channel you must simultaneously send additional data over the traditional Internet channel, and then verify that the classical data has not been changed through an authentication process; data traveling though the quantum channel was 100 percent secure, but the combined system showed vulnerabilities

  • Chicago testing Lake Michigan water for drugs

    Lab tests found traces of pharmaceuticals in the water of Lake Michigan, the source of drinking water for millions in the greater Chicago area; city water authorities launch a thorough water testing campaign

  • Energía renovable en Aragón

    Renewable energy in Spain: Iberdola Renewables, one of Spain’s largest alternative energy companies, forms a joint venture with an Aragón bank to develop clean energy installations in the Aragon region of northeastern Spain

  • The (water) war between the states

    Florida governor speaks out against federal water plan

  • Paris airport first in Europe to use geothermal power

    Paris-Orly airport sits on a hot water table where the water temperature reaches 74 degrees C (165 degrees F) at a depth of 5,500 feet; management thought it would be a good idea to build a geothermal station to exploit this source of energy

  • ADT acquires FirstService Security for $187 million

    ADT, a division of Tyco, is acquiring FirstService Security, a commercial security systems integrator providing a full range of integrated security systems services

  • Pennsylvania invests in water infrastructure

    Pennsylvania approves $72 million in low-interest loans and grants for 19 brownfields, drinking water, wastewater, and storm water projects in 15 counties

  • DHS launches massive effort to bolster cyber security

    Last week DHS secretary announced a Manhattan Project-like campaign to bolster federal cyber security; a key element of the project: Federal agencies will cut the number of communication points through which agencies connect to the Internet from 4,000 to less than 100

  • Forecast: The Big One is coming

    Geologists say that there is a 99.7 percent chance a magnitude 6.7 quake or larger will strike by 2037; California is one of the most seismically active regions in the world, where more than 300 faults crisscross the state

  • Ontario invests in harnessing river flow for energy

    New York City already has it: A Free Flow Turbine in the East River which will generate 10 MW when the project is completed; now Ontario wants to place a three-blade, horizontal-axis turbine on the floor of the St. Lawrence River

  • New material shows promise for nuclear waste clean-up

    Nuclear power has advantages, but if this method of generating power is to be viable long term, discovering new solutions to radioactive waste disposal and other problems is important

  • Fines for nuclear operator

    Security guards at a Florida nuclear power plant are found asleep on the job; other guards disable their weapons, making it impossible for them to protect the plant in the event of an incident; the NRC imposes fines

  • Energy from vortices

    When water flows over an underwater obstacle, whirlpools or vortices form alternately above and below it; the vortices create a tugging effect, so the result is an alternating force that yanks the object up and down; Wolverines researchers want to harness the power of vortices to generate energy

  • Water tensions, if not yet water wars, are here

    MI5, in its annual report to the U.K. government, said that one of the threats to world peace are “water wars” between countries left drought-ridden by climate change; water wars may be a while off yet, but water tensions are already here

  • Unusual tremors measured off Oregon

    Tremors measured off the coast of Oregon typically precede volcanic eruptions, but there are no volcanoes in the area; quakes have also not followed the typical pattern of a major shock followed by a series of diminishing aftershocks