FloodsFlood Risks in Germany Were Clearly Underestimated Published 11 August 2021 Expert say that to better estimate flood risks, risk maps should also consider historical data. The floods which devastated Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia caused 15 confirmed deaths, with more than two dozen people still unaccounted for. The damage is estimated at more than EUR

China watchMembers of Scientific Journal Editorial Board Resign over China Genetics Papers Published 10 August 2021 Eight members of the editorial board of Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine have resigned after the journal published several controversial papers which “critics fear could be used for DNA profiling and persecution of ethnic minorities in China.” Eight members of

EpidemicsFirst Case of Marburg Virus Infection Detected in Guinea Published 10 August 2021 The deadly Marburg disease has claimed its first victim in Guinea. The disease has been reported in Africa before, but the infection in Guinea is the first time the disease has been reported in West Africa. The Marburg virus is part of

SurveillanceWhat is Pegasus? Explaining How the Spyware Invades Phones and What It Does When It Gets In By What is Pegasus? Explaining How the Spyware Invades Phones and What It Does When It Gets In Published 10 August 2021 Pegasus is a spyware that can stealthily enter a smartphone and gain access to everything on

First respondersSensor Detects When Firefighters’ Protective Clothing No Longer Safe Published 10 August 2021 Firefighters risk their lives battling blazes, and aging protective gear can put them at even greater risk. Textiles scientist works with industry to develop a faster, easier way to detect damage from heat, moisture and UV light. Firefighters risk their lives battling

Nuclear powerA First: 3D Printed Nuclear Reactor Components Now Installed at a Nuclear Plant Published 10 August 2021 3D-printed fuel assembly brackets have been installed and are now under routine operating conditions at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 2 in Athens, Alabama. Four first-of-a-kind 3D-printed fuel assembly brackets, produced at the Department

Food securityGlobal Warming Increased U.S. Crop Insurance Losses by $27 Billion in 27 Years Published 10 August 2021 Higher temperatures attributed to climate change caused payouts from the nation’s biggest farm support program to increase by $27 billion between 1991 and 2017, according to new estimates from Stanford researchers. Costs are likely to rise even

Our picksSecret 9/11 Files on Saudi Arabia | Next Physical Attack on Energy Infrastructure | “Havana Syndrome” Attacks, and more Published 10 August 2021 ·  DHS’ Rigid Security Protocols Contributed to Inadequate Jan. 6 Response, GAO Says ·  Election Conspiracies Are Coming to a Head — Again ·  Plutonium Pits Are a Critical Obstacle in U.S. Nuclear Plans

Climate challengesDire Outlook on Global Warming: IPCC Published 9 August 2021 The IPCC warns that in twenty years, the world will likely reach — and even surpass — the 1.5-degree Celsius warming threshold that scientists have predicted will lead to irreversible changes such as melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and devastating floods and droughts around

ARGUMENT: Precautionary principle Ban Use of Affective Computing in Federal Law Enforcement Published 9 August 2021 Affective computing uses algorithms to analyze bodies, faces, and voices to infer human emotion and state of mind. Even though there clearly needs to be more research done on this technology, law enforcement agencies are starting to experiment with