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Thursday, July 29, 2010

U.S. Nuclear Forensic Capabilities Analyzed

Report cover

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.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

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.

Friday, July 23, 2010

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.


Thursday, July 22, 2010

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.

Friday, July 16, 2010

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

"The Blue Marble" is a famous photograph of the Earth taken on December 7, 1972 by the crew of the Apollo 17 spacecraft en route to the Moon at a distance of about 29,000 kilometers (18,000 statute miles). It shows Africa, Antarctica, and the Arabian Peninsula.

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.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Better Data Needed to Assess Sea Turtle Populations

Green Sea Turtle © Pete Faulkner, Mission:awareness/Marine Photobank. Licensed for non-commercial and media purposes.

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.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

NASA Needs Integrated Strategy to Control Mission Costs

Mars Rover shortly before launch. Photo courtesy NASA.

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.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Former Navy Secretary to Head Deepwater Horizon Committee

 Fire boat response crews battle the blazing remnants of the off shore oil rig Deepwater Horizon April 21, 2010. Photo courtesy U.S. Coast Guard.

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.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Draft of Framework for K-12 Science Education Released

© Photo courtesy flickr user Andy Hay. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

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.

More News Alerts

New & Notable
Highlighted News Links

National Council Report Backs Sustainable Food – San Francisco Chronicle, June 30, 2010.

U.S. Regulators Haven't Found Electronic Defects in Toyotas - Dow Jones Newswire, June 30, 2010.

Toyota Acceleration Cases Need Fuller Review, Regulator Says – Bloomberg Business Week, June 30, 2010.

Report: Ag Research Too Focused on Food Production – Associated Press, June 29, 2010.

Scientific Academies: In the best company – Nature, June 23, 2010.

Top Physicist Probes Unintended Acceleration After Recalls – Physorg.com, June 23, 2010.

Govt Panel Chosen to Review Vehicle Electronics – Associated Press, June 15, 2010.

Cost-Conscious Cancer Survivors Skip Care – Bloomberg Businessweek, June 15, 2010.

Shaking Salt Habit a Must for Health: Experts – CTV News, June 14, 2010.

Are They Paying Attention? – The New York Times, May 23, 2010.

As oceans get warmer, Congress is facing heat – San Francisco, May 20, 2010.

National Academy of Sciences urges strong action to cut greenhouse gases – Los Angeles Times, March 20, 2010.

3 climate change reports: Set prices on carbon emissions – USA Today, May 19, 2010.

US Top Scientists Urge Coal, Oil Use Penalties – Associated Press, May 19, 2010.

National Research Council Calls for Climate Action – New York Times, May 19, 2010.

Scientific Panel to Probe Oil Spill – Associated Press, May 11, 2010.

UW Hosts Engineering Summit, Continues Today – The Daily of the University of Washington, May 3, 2010.

Better Monitoring of Teacher-Training Programs Needed - Chronicle of Higher Education, April 29, 2010.

Panel Finds No Favorite in Teacher Prep Pathways - Education Week, April 29, 2010.

Jerry Zucker: Taking Scientists to the Movies – New Scientist, April 28, 2010.

New Study Says Oceans' Chemistry Changing Rapidly – Associated Press, April 22, 2010.

Man-made Carbon Dioxide Making Oceans More Acidic, Study Finds – Los Angeles Times, Aprol 22, 2010.

Acidic Oceans Worsening, Experts Warn – MSNBC, April 22, 2010.

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