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Cisco release global security report
Security threats and attacks have become more global and sophisticated; as the adoption of more and more IP-connected devices, applications, and communication methods increases, the opportunity emerges for a greater number of attacks
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VT Group acquires British Nuclear Group Project Services
As interest in nuclear power revives, nuclear-power related services enjoy another look from investors and businesses
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LEF invests in wind turbine maker EWT
One problem facing the growth of wind power is the currently limited manufacturing capacity of wind turbines; investors realize the opportunity here
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SSE to develop wind farm in Sutherland, Scotland
The £55 million wind farm will have twenty-three turbines; when Achany is commissioned, SSE will have 275MW of installed wind farm capacity
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Investigation begins into causes of deadly Florida explosion
Jacksonville, Florida massive explosion and fire at the T2 Laboratories facility kill 4 and injure 14; rescue teams describe scene as “hellish inferno”
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700 MHz auction attracts 96 bidders
By February 2009, TV broadcasters will have to vacate the 700 MHz so they can offer digital-only TV, as mandated by Congress; FCC will hold an auction for the coveted vacated spectrum, and 96 bidders — the usual suspects, but also Paul Allen, Chevron, and others — have been accepted (there were also 170 incomplete applications)
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FERC issues conditional licenses for ocean energy projects
New policies allows FERC to issue licenses for new hydrokinetic projects even though certain authorizations required from other entities are outstanding
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Phishing attacks escalated in 2007
Gartner survey finds that $3.2 billion was lost due to phishing attacks in 2007; 3.6 million Americans lost money in phishing attacks in the twelve months ending in August 2007, compared with the 2.3 million who did so the year before
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Existing biotechnology would save energy, cut CO2 by 100 percent
A major — and surprisingly overlooked — contribution to reducing greenhouse gasses: New analysis shows that use of existing biotechnology in the production of bulk chemicals could reduce consumption of nonrenewable energy and carbon emissions by 100 percent
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Extending the life of oil fields and coal mines
Canadian researchers believe tiny underground bacteria may hold promise of extracting methane gas from abandoned oil fields and coal mines; all you have to do is feed the bacteria nutrients such as vitamins and minerals down boreholes
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Senate passes energy bill; mixed news for alternative energy
Senate passed an energy bill which lacks many alternative energy measures which are included in the House’s version; bill may have a chilling effect on investors in clean tech; still, the bill calls for increase in auto fuel efficiency and expands the renewable fuels standard
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Quantum communication over long distance, flawed networks possible
Chinese scientists offer possible breakthrough in quantum communication — overcoming the problem of quantum entanglement between photons at long distances; the scientists show a quantum-communications network in which producing entanglement over a long distance is conceptually possible
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L.A. reservoirs emptied after high levels of contamination discovered
Two of Los Angeles’s beloved landmarks — Silver Lake and Elysian Park — are emptied after tests revealed bromate, a disinfectant byproduct that can form when treated water reacts with naturally occurring mineral bromide in sunlight
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FERC seeks industry cyber-security plans
Earlier this year, government scientists hacked into a simulated power-plant control system and caused an electric generator to destroy itself; as worries about the vulnerability of the U.S. power grid to cyber attacks grow, regulators demand that utilities submit detailed reports about their progress in addressing potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities
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Dutch health insurance database easily accessible
The Dutch Vecozo medical database is used by Dutch health care workers to make payments easier and to check Dutch medical insurance data; trouble is, at least 80,000 people are able to search the database, which contains personal information about nearly every Dutch citizen
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The long view
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.
Two-Way Water Transfers Can Ensure Reliability, Save Money for Urban and Agricultural Users During Drought in Western U.S.
Researchers offer a solution — two-way leasing contracts — to water scarcity during droughts amid the tug of economic development, population growth and climate uncertainty for water users in Western U.S. states.