Nuclear wasteFuture Solutions for Spent Nuclear Fuel Published 4 September 2021 Nuclear technology has been used in the United States for decades for national defense, research and development, and carbon-free electric power generation. Nuclear power is a key element of the U.S. response to climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, nuclear energy, as

Coastal challengesFuture Flooding in Venice: Facing Sea Level Rise Published 4 September 2021 A new assessment of flood risk in Venice indicates that the impact of higher emissions on relative sea level rise during this century will be critical in planning future defense infrastructure for Venice and other coastal cities. A new assessment of flood risk

ARGUMENT: Afghanistan rapid collapseHow the Taliban Exploited Afghanistan’s Human Geography Published 3 September 2021 The Taliban managed to seize power so quickly because it used Afghanistan’s human geography to exploit that state’s fragility: The country’s low population density empowers fast-moving and cohesive attackers, for which the poorly trained, disorganized, corrupt, and unmotivated Afghani army was

Infrastructure protectionA Subway Flood Expert Explains What Needs to Be Done to Stop Underground Station Deluges By Klaus Hans Jacob Published 3 September 2021 Subway stations in New York were inundated with water following heavy rain on 1 September 2021, and other cities around the world have also experienced similar inundations. “Climate change isn’t a

Natural hazardsMitigating Hazards with Vulnerability in Mind By Andrew Logan Published 3 September 2021 From tropical storms to landslides, the form and frequency of natural hazards vary widely. To mitigate natural hazards equitably, an MIT Ph.D. candidate is incorporating social vulnerability into resilience engineering and hazard recovery. From tropical storms to landslides, the form and frequency

Climate challengesMore Weather-Related Disasters Over Past 50 Years, Causing More Damage but Fewer Deaths Published 3 September 2021 A disaster related to a weather, climate, or water hazard occurred every day on average over the past 50 years – killing 115 people and causing $ 202 million in losses daily. But while the number of

Water securityAs Western U.S. Is Experiencing a 1,000 Year Drought, Desalination Could Be a Solution By Renee Cho Published 3 September 2021 The Western United States is currently experiencing what one paleoclimatologist called “potentially the worst drought in 1,200 years.” The region has had many droughts in the past, including “megadroughts” that last decades, but

Our picksHarsh Climate Reality: U.S. Not Ready | Feds’ Facial Recognition Systems | Islamists Struggling for Recruits, and more Published 3 September 2021 ·  Overlapping Disasters Show Harsh Climate Reality: The U.S. Is Not Ready ·  The Storm Warnings Were Dire. Why Couldn’t the City Be Protected? ·  Hurricane Ida: 2 Reasons for Its Record-Shattering Rainfall in

FloodsAt Least 23 Killed in Flooding in New York City, New Jersey Published 2 September 2021 At least 23 people have died across New York City and New Jersey as a result of the historic flash flooding caused by the weather system formerly known as Hurricane Ida. The storm dumped so much rain in New

AfghanistanCalculating the Costs of the Afghanistan War in Lives, Dollars and Years By Neta Crawford Published 2 September 2021 The war in Afghanistan, like many other wars before it, began with optimistic assessments of a quick victory and the promise to rebuild at war’s end. President George W. Bush warned of a lengthy campaign, but