Nuclear wasteStudying Spent-Fuel Canister to Support Long-Term Storage Published 18 August 2021 Nuclear waste is stored in more than sixty dry-cask storage sites in thirty-four states. These facilities store the majority of the more than 90,000 metric tons of nuclear waste in the United States, including nearly 80,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel. The receipt of

Extreme weatherArtificial Intelligence Helps Unlock Extreme Weather Mysteries Published 18 August 2021 A new machine learning approach helps scientists understand why extreme precipitation days in the Midwest are becoming more frequent. It could also help scientists better predict how these and other extreme weather events will change in the future. From lake-draining drought in California to

Iran’s nukesIran’s Uranium Metal Production Concerns U.S. Published 17 August 2021 Report issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna to member nations noted inspectors have confirmed Iran produced 200 grams of uranium metal enriched up to 20 percent. Uranium metal can be used to build the core of a nuclear bomb. The United

AfghanistanHow the Afghan Army Collapsed Under the Taliban’s Pressure By Max Boot Published 17 August 2021 Despite having larger numbers and better equipment than the Taliban, Afghan forces were never strong enough to sustain government control in the absence of U.S. firepower. A reporter asked U.S. President Joe Biden in July whether a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan was

Energy securityNew Clean Energy Technology Extracts Twice the Power from Ocean Waves Published 17 August 2021 A prototype technology holds the promise of doubling the power harvested from ocean waves, in an advance that could finally make wave energy a viable renewable alternative. The untapped potential of ocean wave energy is vast—it has been estimated

Nuclear weaponsWith Redesigned “Brains,” W88 Nuclear Warhead Reaches Milestone Published 17 August 2021 The W88 nuclear warhead entered the stockpile in late 1988 and is deployed on the Navy’s Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missile system onboard Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines. The weapon was beyond its original design life, and several updates were required to address

FloodsUrban Development and Greenhouses Gasses Will Fuel Urban Floods Published 17 August 2021 When rain began falling in northern Georgia on September 15, 2009, little did Atlantans know that they would witness epic flooding throughout the city. Researchers are asking whether a combination of urban development and climate change fueled by greenhouse gasses could bring

Climate challengesIt’s Official: July Was Earth’s Hottest Month on Record Published 17 August 2021 New global data show that July was the world’s hottest month ever recorded. The combined land and ocean-surface temperature was 1.67 degrees F (0.93 of a degree C) above the 20th-century average of 60.4 degrees F (15.8 degrees C), making it

FloodsHow Do Floods Become a Disaster? Published 17 August 2021 Since the 1990s, the number of fatalities from river floods has declined worldwide, but the amount of damage has risen sharply. Researchers attribute the decline in casualties to improved flood warning, technical protection measures and heightened hazard awareness. What are the causes, patterns and effects of

AfghanistanHow the Afghan Army Collapsed Under the Taliban’s Pressure By Max Boot Published 17 August 2021 Despite having larger numbers and better equipment than the Taliban, Afghan forces were never strong enough to sustain government control in the absence of U.S. firepower. A reporter asked U.S. President Joe Biden in July whether a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan was