MIT Technology Review June 13, 2019 According to an international team of researchers (USA – Stanford University, National Bureau of Economic Research, University of Denver, Peterson Institute for International Economics, UK, Norway, Belgium, Germany, Sweden) climate change has likely played a relatively small role in driving armed conflict so far. Other factors were far more influential in raising conflict risks, including greater levels of poverty, inequality between groups, and a recent history of violent conflict. But if temperatures rise by 2 °C, there is a 13% chance of substantial increase in the risk of armed conflict, the analysis found. That […]
Tag Archives: Science without borders
These Mind-Boggling Images Are a Reminder of How Far Technology Has Come
Science Alert May 18, 2019 Sometimes, while waiting for quantum computers to become a thing, or complaining that your stupid laptop keeps dying on 5 percent battery, it’s easy to forget just how far technology has come over the past 50 years…read more.
12 irreplaceable innovations made possible by NSF
NSF May 22, 2019 Before the internet was commercialized, before your phone was smart, before there was a picture of a black hole, there was an NSF–funded researcher pursuing their curiosity. NSF funded research has laid the foundation for many of the groundbreaking discoveries and game–changing technologies we know today. Here are 12 innovations and discoveries made possible through NSF support…read more.
Earth’s North Magnetic Pole Is Moving Fast, And We Might Finally Know Why
Science Alert April 23, 2019 Anchored by the north and south magnetic poles the magnetic field waxes and wanes in strength, undulating based on what’s going on in the core. The north magnetic pole movement made the World Magnetic Model – which tracks the field and informs compasses, smartphone GPS, and navigation systems on planes and ships. An international team of researchers (France, Denmark) attempted to simulate the physical conditions of Earth’s core by having supercomputers crunch 4 million hours’ worth of calculations. They found that sometimes there are pockets of liquid iron in the core that happen to be […]
In the fight against human trafficking, industrial engineers can help
Phys.org February 8, 2019 An estimated 24.9 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking. Although it is notoriously difficult to track, the industry is thought to be worth $150 billion. Researchers at Northeastern University suggest that the same techniques used to model supply chains or plan media campaigns can be adapted to find ways to disrupt trafficking networks or organize support services for survivors different industrial engineering or operations research techniques can be expanded to address human trafficking issues. They are examining factors contributing to potential trafficking across countries and working with U.S. organizations to model the underground networks […]
Impact through research: applied research for Europe’s future
Fraunhaufer Research News November 6, 2018 How can application-oriented research and technology help solve global challenges? This question will be explored by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and nine other leading European Research and Technology Organisations (RTO) at the “The RTO Innovation Summit“conference on 6–7 November 2018 in Brussels. Representatives from the RTOs will be discussing with delegates from European institutions, industrialists and politicians. They will present their vision and technology roadmap until 2030 and beyond for Europe. Five core issues are – Climate protection, Environment, Resource efficiency and raw materials, Digitalization and industry, Foodstuffs and Natural resources, Inclusive and safe society, and […]
The Rodney Brooks Rules for Predicting a Technology’s Commercial Success
IEEE Spectrum October 25, 2018 Rodney Brooks, Chairman and CTO of Rethink and cofounder of Robotics, presents a short list of technology projects that are now under way or at least under serious discussion. In each case he points out features that tend to make a technology easy or hard to bring to market. In pointing out the differences that make one technology harder than another he is not preaching technological defeatism but suggesting that we properly gauge the difficulty of whatever we are told could be the next big thing… read more.
Impact of AI and Mobile Internet compared to Growth of China and India 2013-2025
Next Big Future July 20, 2018 Applications of the 12 technologies discussed in the report, Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy could have a potential economic impact between $14 trillion and $33 trillion a year in 2025. Technologies detailed in the report have been gestating for years and are familiar. A review in 2018 is that most of these are heading to the high end of the estimated impact. The overall GDP impact is less positive since there is quite a lot impact of technology is taking existing business from other technology. The report […]
35 Innovators Under 35 – 2018
MIT Technology Review June 27, 2018 MIT Technology Review has been presenting the list of innovators under 35 for 18 years, long enough to spot some trends. You won’t find a lot of artificial-intelligence innovation in the early days of the list, but AI now dominates. And the list has grown more gender equitable. It was once male-dominated, but this year, for the first time, it includes more women than men. We hope the list gives you a sense of what’s coming next, and what kinds of people are making it happen… read more.
Shake-up to US graduate education needed, panel warns
Physics World June 01, 2018 A report published on 29 May by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine calls for increased emphasis on teaching and mentoring of students as well as recognition that increasing numbers of graduate students will find careers outside of academia. A panel of 17-strong held focus groups with students, faculty members, university administrators, industry leaders, and policymakers. The report lists characteristics of ideal graduate education and a list of core competencies that all Master’s degree and PhD students should develop. These include developing a broad technical literacy coupled with deep specialization in an area of […]