U.S. Nuclear Forensic Capabilities Analyzed

Nuclear Forensics: A Capability at Risk, a new report from the National Research Council, examines how the U.S. can sustain and improve its ability to test intercepted nuclear material and devices, or in a worst-case situation, evaluate the aftermath of a nuclear detonation or radiological dispersal, to determine the origin of nuclear material or devices.

Workshop on Medical Device 510(k) Clearance Process

An Institute of Medicine committee that is assessing the FDA process for clearing and approving certain kinds of medical devices and its ability to protect and promote public health held an information-gathering workshop.

Unintended Acceleration Study Update

The National Research Council has added four new members to its Committee on Electronic Vehicle Controls and Unintended Acceleration, which is reviewing past and current industry and government efforts to identify possible sources of sudden acceleration in motor vehicles. The new committee members are David Gerard, economist, Lawrence University; Pradeep Lall, Thomas Walter Professor, department of mechanical engineering, Auburn University; William A. Radasky, president and managing engineer, Metatech Corp.; and Nadine B. Sarter, associate professor, department of industrial and operations engineering, University of Michigan.

The committee will hold its second meeting on Aug. 2 in Detroit. The committee will also hold a session to receive public input during its October meeting in Washington, D.C.

For committee member's biographies, materials from last meeting, or to make public comments, please visit our resource center for this project at http://www.trb.org/Main/UAStudy.aspx.

U.S. Response to Climate Change Should Be Guided by Coordinated, Reliable Information

A comprehensive national response to climate change should be informed by reliable data coordinated through climate services and a greenhouse gas monitoring and management system to provide timely information tailored to decision makers at all levels, says a new report from the National Research Council.

Near-Term Emissions Choices Could Lock In Climate Changes For Centuries to Millennia

Choices made now about carbon dioxide emissions reductions will affect climate change impacts experienced not just over the next few decades but also in coming centuries and millennia, says a new report from the National Research Council. Because CO2 in the atmosphere is long lived, it can effectively lock the Earth and future generations into a range of impacts, some of which could become very severe.

Better Data Needed to Assess Sea Turtle Populations

Current methods of monitoring sea turtles are inadequate to develop accurate estimates of their populations, which in turn hinders the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of measures to protect these endangered and threatened animals, says a new report from the National Research Council. The report calls for the collection of more detailed information on sea turtle biology, which is essential for understanding and predicting changes in populations and for developing successful conservation and management plans.

NASA Needs Integrated Strategy to Control Mission Costs

Several of NASA's earth and space science missions have been hindered by cost and schedule overruns. A report from the National Research Council says that the agency needs a comprehensive plan to contain costs and ensure more mission opportunities in the future.

Former Navy Secretary to Head Deepwater Horizon Committee

The National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council today named former U.S. Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter to chair an expert committee that will conduct a technical analysis of the causes of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The committee will also recommend measures that could be taken to prevent similar disasters in the future. The names of other committee members appointed to date are available on the Current Projects System.

Draft of Framework for K-12 Science Education Released

The National Research Council today released a draft framework that proposes the science content and concepts students should learn for grades K-12. The Research Council is seeking comment on the draft from the science and education communities and the public. The final framework will serve as the basis for new science education standards to replace those based on documents developed over 10 years ago.

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