China may lag behind the US military on metrics like the number of aircraft carriers it has, but it may be able to seize a “leapfrog opportunity” and invest in newer, cheaper weapons that could make carriers obsolete. That’s one conclusion in a new report about China’s well-funded, ambitious goal of becoming a world leader … Continued

Inside DARPA’s competition to build a better humanitarian-assistance and disaster-relief robot.

Despite the dramatic pace of discoveries in the life sciences, the regulatory systems established for other dual-use risk domains, such as chemical and nuclear research, remain far more mature than those for oversight of the bioeconomy. Developing a well-balanced oversight system will not be easy. Nonetheless, the expanding gaps in national and international governance of dual-use biotechnology dictate that this subject be a core component of national security policies.

The US is sending Phoenix Ghost drones to Ukraine. These loitering munitions could transform ground combat by combining the maneuverability, usability, and flight time of a drone with the lethal effects of a missile.

Digitally-colorized electron microscopic image of an isolate of Ebola virus. (CDC, Frederick Murphy) Matthew Meselson is a true eminence grise of arms control in the realm of biological weaponry. In 1984, he traveled to Thailand to debunk the US assertion that forces backed by the Soviet Union were using “toxin warfare” on Hmong and Cambodian … Continued

Senate Bill 1047 debate shows regulators need to create legislation that protects against the risks of AI models without stifling innovation.

As drones become cheaper and more capable tools for terrorists, the risks they pose to critical infrastructure is growing. Has the US government thought enough about how to defend the electric grid and other important infrastructure from attack?

Transparency in scientific research is undeniably valuable. But it would be a mistake for AI research to be completely transparent. To minimize harm, dual use technologies—especially those like AI that have weapons and biomedical applications—need restrictions on transparency.

In-person, on-site inspections are continuing. And the IAEA also has 1,563 cameras, 866 surveillance systems, and a variety of other, on-site verification technologies installed at facilities around the world, allowing it to monitor nuclear activities remotely.

Through DNA origami, the building blocks of life could be converted into double-helix swarms that wreak cellular havoc. The tricky part is introducing DNA origami structures, intact, into human bodies. But “invisibility cloaking” may soon eliminate this barrier.

Researchers are making progress on developing self-spreading vaccines, which could be used to inoculate animal populations against diseases like rabies that pose a risk to humans. Biosecurity experts are wary of the technology, however, and, as it moves forward, proponents and skeptics need to talk about its potential risks.