BiosecurityImproving Safety in Labs Dealing with Lethal Viruses Published 29 October 2021 Biosafety-Level (BSL) 4 laboratories undertake hazardous research into lethal viruses to improve our understanding of diseases such as Ebola and Lassa Fever and to better prepare the world against new and emerging diseases. But these activities pose significant risks. Surges in the number

VaccinesLess than a Third of U.S. Parents Eager to Vaccinate Young Kids Against COVID-19 By Stephanie Soucheray Published 29 October 2021 The latest poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that only 27 percent of parents said they were eager to get their young children vaccinated against COVID-19. Thirty percent said they would definitely not

BiosecurityPromise and Peril: Dual-Use Research in the Life Sciences Published 29 October 2021 Advances in the life sciences and technology are making important contributions to improving global health. Transformative developments in many fields, however, can also pose risks to global health. It is thus only prudent to assess the potential adverse consequences of choosing particular

Water SecurityManaging Water Resources in a Low-to-No-Snow Future Published 29 October 2021 With mountain snowpacks shrinking in the western U.S., a new Lab study analyzes when a low-to-no-snow future might arrive and implications for water management. Mountain snowpacks around the world are on the decline, and if the planet continues to warm, climate models forecast that snowpacks

Quantum TechnologyCommercial and Military Applications for Quantum Technology Published 29 October 2021 Most of the quantum technologies are still in the laboratory, but we may see quantum-based applications within the next few years. China currently leads the world in the development of quantum communication, while the United States leads in the development of quantum computing. A

Hypersonic WeaponsCan U.S. Missile-Defense Systems Handle China’s New Missiles? By Malcolm Davis Published 28 October 2021 A hypersonic glide vehicle, possibly with a fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS), would enable the Chinese to circumvent existing and likely planned U.S. missile-defense and early warning systems. They would go through the back door, rather than try to

Hypersonic WeaponsChina Hypersonic Test “Has All of Our Attention”: Gen. Milley By Jeff Seldin Published 28 October 2021 A July test by China of a hypersonic weapons system is an indication that China’s efforts to surpass the United States as the world’s foremost military power are making significant progress, military experts say. The test took

BiosecurityExamining the Practically Nonfunctional Federal Biowatch Program Published 28 October 2021 The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense’s new report addresses inadequacies of BioWatch, the DHS environmental biodetection program. The report, released on the 20th anniversary of the anthrax attacks, shows that BioWatch system remains ineffective after nearly two decades of operation. The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense said

Border SecurityNorthern Skies Provide the Backdrop for Testing Border Security Tech Published 28 October 2021 The purpose of demonstrations and tests recently conducted in Montana North Dakota was to evaluate specialized air domain awareness technologies such as radar systems; electro-optical and infrared cameras; radio frequency detection systems; and acoustic devices to see how effectively each

WildfiresHarnessing Science and Technology for Battling Wildfires Published 28 October 2021 Catastrophic wildfires in Europe have become a far too common headline and this year has been no exception as the world once again bore witness to parts of the continent burning. While southern Europe is no stranger to the devastation and loss they leave