Science & Tech

How a National Lab in Charge of Nuclear Safety Optimized Its Systems

It went from having 63 data centers to 18 across a square-mile campus, reducing facility costs and repurposing staff.

Policy

Trump Wants to Overhaul Federal IT, But He’s Missing the People Who Could Help

Trump’s prepping big plans to modernize and secure government technology, but he’ll need government’s buy in to get it done.

Science & Tech

US Army Exploring 'Devastating' New Weapon for Use In War with Russia

The Kinetic Energy Projectile would be a tungsten warhead that moves at three times the speed of sound, destroying anything in its path.

Threats

The Stockholm Attack Is a Stark Reminder We Have No Way to Fight Low-Tech Terror

As terror attacks become less sophisticated, they are also becoming more difficult to prevent.

Science & Tech

Why You Can’t Shoot Terrorists With Lasers, Yet

Military leaders are eager to have the precision of a directed-energy weapon — yet plenty of legal and practical obstacles remain.

Science & Tech

Border-Guard Dogs to Get Health-Monitoring Collars

K-9 units will test out high-tech sensors that keep tabs on dogs’ vital signs in hot working conditions.

Science & Tech

Facial-Recognition Tech May Turn Life into a Perpetual Police Lineup

Combined with policy body cameras, it could redefine the nature of public spaces.

Science & Tech

Software Used to Predict Crime Can Now Be Scoured for Bias

Predictive-policing startup CivicScape published its code online, allowing anyone to help ensure that the algorithm doesn’t unfairly target certain groups of people.

Threats

How the Rise of Electronics Has Made Smuggling Bombs Easier

New restrictions on flights from the Middle East reflect how just about anything with power can be turned into an explosive.

Ideas

Watch: Future of War Conference 2017

Defense One partners with New America to bring you the Future of War Conference 2017 in Washington, D.C.

Ideas

What Will Replace the Third Offset? Lessons from Past Innovation Strategies

Whatever the name, it’s crucial to have a framework for directing and harnessing advancements in defense technology.

Science & Tech

The Government’s Intelligence Wiki Might Be a Lockbox for Russian-Hacking Secrets

Analysts reportedly tucked classified information about Russian election meddling inside Intellipedia for safekeeping.

Science & Tech

Air Force Wants to Test a Laser on an Attack Plane Within A Year

But the U.S. Special Operations Command still needs money for the test and policymakers need to figure out the rules of engagement.

Science & Tech

DARPA Tests Dirty-Bomb Hunting Ambulances

You may not have known it, but some D.C. ambulances were searching for radiation while they drove.

Science & Tech

The Man who led the Syrian Train-and-Equip Effort Wants A Cultural Translation App

The complex, delicate missions of today and tomorrow need a better way to bring fused intelligence to operators.

Science & Tech

Military-Grade Spy Gear Is Flooding into Local Police Departments

Major U.S. cities are spending millions of dollars on tools that track and extract data from people’s cellphones — but almost nothing on rules to guide their use.

Ideas

Four Ways to Automate Cyber Defense

Humans aren’t fast enough to respond to network attacks and breaches. Machines can help us, if we help them.

Science & Tech

IARPA Wants Autonomous Fingerprint Tech

The intelligence research arm is offering up cash for cutting-edge ideas on capturing complete scans.