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Breakthrough: Radiation protection drug developed
American and Israeli researchers developed a drug which offers protection from radioactive radiation; the drug uses proteins produced in bacteria found in the intestines to protect cells against radiation; the FDA is expected to approve the drug within a year or two
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Hair examination can help in tracing terrorists
U.K. researchers devise a test which uses laser to determine the recent whereabouts of an individual by analyzing hair strands
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U.S. military considered developing "gay-bomb" and "'who me?' bomb"
Fifteen years ago the U.S. military planned to use stink bombs, chemicals that cause bad breath, and a so-called “gay-bomb” that would make enemy soldiers irresistible to one another — all as part of a range of non-lethal, but disruptive and morale-damaging weapons
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Middle East peace may be closer as Israel successfully tests Iron Dome
Peace between Israel and the Palestinians depends on Israel feeling secure enough to make deep territorial concessions to the Palestinians in the West Bank; Israel has been reluctant to make such concessions because of the security risks they entail; the successful tests of Iron Dome, a defensive system against short-range rockets, may ease Israel’s security concerns, making concessions more likely
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Glass fibers can make a building sturdier
Conventional means to reinforce concrete involve the use of steel bars; the use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) is emerging as a valuable option, owing to its natural resistance to corrosion, its high strength, light weight, transparency to electrical and magnetic fields and ease of manufacturing and installment
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Scientists work on creating robot-insects
Researchers in the field of insect-machine hybrids believe the day is not far when police could release a swarm of robot-moths to sniff out a distant drug stash, and rescue robot-bees would dodge through earthquake rubble to find survivors
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USAF wants to use dye used by purple bacteria to power UAVs
Purple bacteria use pigment that can convert solar energy to electricity; the USAF wants to use a synthetic version of the pigment to keep UAVs in the air for longer periods
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Inkjet printer technology to be used in biosensors
Researchers describe a method for printing a toxin-detecting biosensor on paper using a FujiFilm Dimatix Materials Printer; the method relies on a “lateral flow” sensing approach similar to that used in a home pregnancy test strip
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DARPA wants "plant-based production system" to help combat flu
DARPA says that “Recent advances funded by DARPA and others have demonstrated the viability of plant-based protein expression technologies for the production and purification of cGMP-compliant medical countermeasures…”
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DHS to start trials of emergency radio
DHS is launching a trial of a software-defined radio handset from Thales which is designed to operate on all the frequencies used by the emergency services
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Robo-bats with metal muscles for surveillance
Researchers envision micro-aerial vehicles (MAVs) which mimic nature’s small flyers — and develop robotic bats that offer increased maneuverability and performance
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Breakthrough: Face recognition computers can see through disguise
Powerful face recognition techniques have so far required powerful computers; researchers have applied a one-dimensional filter to the two-dimensional data from conventional analyses, allowing them to reduce significantly the amount of computer power required without compromising accuracy
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DARPA funds see-through vidspecs, war-graffiti project
Lockheed martin turns to Microvision to develop “daylight-readable, see-through, low-profile, ergonomic” color video specs; in addition, the final device should incorporate “voice and tactile command” interfaces, some sort of location system
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Regina Dugan new director of DARPA
DoD announced the appointment of Regina Dugan as the nineteenth director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
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Using cell phones to predict floods
Researchers show that variations in microwave transmissions, specifically those used to connect up cell towers, can be used to measure humidity and thus predict flooding
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The long view
Nuclear Has Changed. Will the U.S. Change with It?
Fueled by artificial intelligence, cloud service providers, and ambitious new climate regulations, U.S. demand for carbon-free electricity is on the rise. In response, analysts and lawmakers are taking a fresh look at a controversial energy source: nuclear power.
Exploring the New Nuclear Energy Landscape
In the last few years, the U.S. has seen a resurgence of interest in nuclear energy and its potential for helping meet the nation’s growing demands for clean electricity and energy security. Meanwhile, nuclear energy technologies themselves have advanced, opening up new possibilities for their use.