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General Security and Resilience

National Lab Creates Prototype Freeze-Thaw Battery Capable of Long-Term Energy Storage

Scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have announced the development of a prototype battery capable of “freezing” in order to store energy with minimal discharge until it can be “thawed” when the energy is needed once more, which could serve as an important tool for increasing the resilience of the power grid. This capability is a critical step in making intermittent energy sources, such as solar or wind, into a reliable and consistent option for regular households.

Number of Hurricanes Declining Globally, But Their Intensity is Increasing, according to Researchers

Over the past thirty years the number of hurricanes and other tropical storms have been decreasing globally, but the intensity of storms and the damage they cause is increasing, according to a new study titled Trends in Global Tropical Cyclone Activity: 1990–2021. The climate researchers attribute this trend to a shift toward a more La Niña-like basic state in the overall tropical climate. La Niña is a natural cycle climate pattern characterized by cooler-than-average ocean water temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean. It is one of the main drivers of global weather patterns.

Scientists Invent Device to Make Grid More Resilient during EMP Events

Scientists from Sandia National Laboratories have invented a tiny, electronic device that can divert excess electricity within a few billionths of a second while operating at a record-breaking 6,400 volts, an important milestone towards protecting the country’s power grid from an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). The researchers’ ultimate goal is to provide protection from voltage surges, which could take parts of the grid offline for months, with a device that operates at up to 20,000 volts.

Climate Change Could be Shifting Tornado Alley, according to Researchers

Climate researchers believe rising global temperatures have shifted the center of tornadoes in the U.S., from the traditional Great Plains region more towards the Southeast, centered around Alabama. To be sure, the link between climate change and tornado formation is a topic for debate but increasing temperatures does create more favorable conditions for intense thunderstorms to form and thus increase the likelihood of tornadoes.

NOAA Spring Outlook Forecasts Persisting and Expanding Drought in West and Potential Flood Risk

Severe to exceptional drought conditions are expected to persist in the western U.S. and expand to the southern Plains and the Lower Mississippi Valley, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Spring Outlook released last week. With close to 60 percent of the U.S. experiencing minor to exceptional drought conditions, NOAA notes this is the largest drought coverage witnessed in the U.S. since 2013. Over half of the country is projected to experience above-average temperatures this spring.

Researchers Propose Adapting Definition of Drought to Match New Climate Realities

As record-breaking drought conditions persist in the western U.S., climate researchers are reconsidering the definition and implications of droughts as climate change continues to change long-term weather patterns. Indeed, the western U.S. has been experiencing a so-called megadrought since the turn of the twenty-first century and based on modern drought definitions researchers do not believe conditions will reset back to its previous ‘normal’ state.

Islamic State Confirms Leader’s Death, Announces Replacement

The Islamic State has announced a new leader and confirmed the death of its previous chief, who died in a U.S. counterterrorism operation in northern Syria over a month ago. In an audio recording released late last week, the Islamic State’s new spokesman, Abu Omar al-Muhajer, confirmed the death of the group’s leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, as well as that of its former spokesman.

Idaho National Laboratory Researchers Develop Technology for Protecting Electricity Infrastructure following Metcalf Substation Attack

A 2013 sniper attack on the Metcalf electric power substation in Northern California, which caused more than $15 million in damages and destroyed 17 transformers, led Idaho National Laboratory researchers to develop a novel protective solution.

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