China WatchWill China Surpass the US in Military Air Superiority? By John Xie Published 14 October 2021 The Pentagon’s multibillion-dollar investment in advanced warplanes, weapons systems, satellites and aircraft carriers has made air power a central part of America’s global projection of military might. However, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is rapidly modernizing, and military

Truth DecayEnough with the Quackery, Pinker Says By Colleen Walsh Published 14 October 2021 “Another contributor [to the opposition to vaccines] is the Myside bias, probably the most powerful of all the cognitive biases, namely, if something becomes an article of faith within your own coalition, and if promoting it earns you status, that is

Water SecurityMaking Desalinated Water Safer, Cheaper Published 14 October 2021 Approximately 80 percent of drinking water in Israel is desalinated water, coming from the Mediterranean Sea. Israeli scientists and colleagues develop an effective and low-cost way to remove toxic boron from water in the process of desalination. Approximately 80 percent of drinking water in Israel is

Flash FloodsSeismic Forensics and Its Importance for Early Warning Published 14 October 2021 A February 2021 rockslide and the subsequent flood , in India’s Dhauli Ganga Valley, had killed at least a hundred people and destroyed two hydroelectric power plants. The analysis of this flood disaster in the Himalaya may help establish an early warning

VaccinesVaccination Could Have Prevented at Least 90,000 U.S. Deaths Since June: Kaiser Report Published 13 October 2021 A new analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that at least 90,000 COVID-19 deaths of unvaccinated adults since June could have been prevented with vaccines. Most of the preventable deaths — about 49,000 — occurred in

RansomwareU.S. Leads Global Conference to Combat Ransomware Attacks By Ken Bredemeier Published 13 October 2021 The White House is holding a two-day international conference starting Wednesday to combat ransomware computer attacks on business operations across the globe that cost companies, schools and health services an estimated $74 billion in damages last year. The White House is

Transportation SecurityDeep Learning Helps Predict Traffic Crashes Before They Happen By Rachel Gordon Published 13 October 2021 A deep model was trained on historical crash data, road maps, satellite imagery, and GPS to enable high-resolution crash maps that could lead to safer roads. Today’s world is one big maze, connected by layers of concrete and asphalt

ForensicsForensic Analysis of Lipstick Trace Published 13 October 2021 Forensic scientists find a new way of identifying brands of lipstick at a crime scene without removing evidence from its bag. Forensic scientists, using a technique called Raman spectroscopy, which detects laser light, find a new way of identifying brands of lipstick at a crime scene without

Energy SecurityAssessing Global Electricity Generation Potential from Rooftop Solar Photovoltaics Published 13 October 2021 The first detailed global assessment of the electricity generation potential of rooftop solar photovoltaics (PV) technology has important implications for sustainable development and climate change mitigations efforts. The first detailed global assessment of the electricity generation potential of rooftop solar photovoltaics (PV) technology has

BiolabsReporting All Biosafety Errors Could Improve Labs Worldwide – and Increase Public Trust in Biological Research By David Gillum, Kathleen Vogel, and Rebecca Moritz Published 12 October 2021 Around the world, scientists conduct many kinds of biological research experiments – from basic studies exploring how living systems operate to synthesizing novel organisms. The idea that