From JTA News: House resolution calls for Ahmadinejad genocide charges A bipartisan slate of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives proposed a resolution calling on the Iranian president to face genocide incitement charges. The non-binding resolution brought last week to the House’s Foreign Affairs Committee and initiated by Reps. Steve Rothman (D-N.J.) and Mark… Continue reading More on Mahmoud
U.S. developing nanotech military armor
From United Press International: DAYTON, Calif., Dec. 20 (UPI) — The U.S. Army awarded a $15 million contract for the development of a new type of lightweight composite armor based on nanotechnology. The pact awarded to the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) this week will lead to new materials that can be used in… Continue reading U.S. developing nanotech military armor
Scientists to Move Doomsday Clock Forward
From NewsMax.com: The keepers of the “Doomsday Clock” plan to move its hands forward next Wednesday to reflect what they call worsening nuclear and climate threats to the world. The symbolic clock, maintained by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, currently is set at seven minutes to midnight, with midnight marking global catastrophe. The group did… Continue reading Scientists to Move Doomsday Clock Forward
State of Existential Risk in 2007
An existential risk is a global catastrophic risk that threatens to exterminate humanity or severely curtail its potential. Existential risks are unique because current institutions have little incentive to mitigate them, except as a side effect of pursuing other goals. There is little to no financial return in mitigating existential risk. Bostrom (2001) argues that… Continue reading State of Existential Risk in 2007
Better Virus Detection Device
From MIT’s Technology Review: Researchers at the University of Twente, in the Netherlands, have developed an ultrasensitive sensor that could potentially be used in a handheld device to, within minutes, detect various viruses and measure their concentration. The sensor could be used to quickly screen people at hospitals and emergency clinics to control outbreaks of… Continue reading Better Virus Detection Device
Iranian official: If threatened, we will use nuclear weapons
From Ynet News: Iran’s chief nuclear envoy Ali Larijani said on Friday that Iran is committed to the peaceful use of nuclear technology but warned the situation could change if his country is threatened.” We oppose obtaining nuclear weapons and we will peacefully use nuclear technology under the framework of the Nonproliferation Treaty, but if… Continue reading Iranian official: If threatened, we will use nuclear weapons
Interview with Dr. Alan Goldstein
Over at Accelerating Future, a new interview between Michael Anissimov (a.k.a. me), and Dr. Alan Goldstein, a member of our Scientific Advisory Board who is concerned about the dangers of bionanotechnology. Here is an excerpt from the first part of the interview: Michael Anissimov: How do you define synthetic biology (A-life)? Dr. Alan Goldstein: It… Continue reading Interview with Dr. Alan Goldstein
Egypt’s President Hints at Nuke Development
From Ynet News: SHARM E-SHEIKH – Is Egypt declaring its intentions to develop nuclear weapons? Thus it appeared in a speech delivered by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Thursday on the occasion of meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Sharm e-Sheikh. “We don’t want nuclear weapons,” Mubarak stated, “But since they appear highly present in… Continue reading Egypt’s President Hints at Nuke Development
Hawking hopes to go into space in 2009
From Yahoo News: Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking says he wants to undertake a zero-gravity flight aboard an aircraft this year as a precursor to a journey into space. “This year I’m planning a zero-gravity flight and to go into space in 2009,” he was quoted as saying in The Daily Telegraph newspaper. Hawking, 65, has said… Continue reading Hawking hopes to go into space in 2009
North Korea to Test a Nuke Again?
From ABC News: WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2007 — North Korea appears to have made preparations for another nuclear test, according to U.S. defense officials. “We think they’ve put everything in place to conduct a test without any notice or warning,” a senior U.S. defense official told ABC News. The official cautions that the intelligence is… Continue reading North Korea to Test a Nuke Again?