Tech
The Endless Aerial Surveillance of the Border
New reports suggest that drone activity at the southern border is spreading to nearby cities, erasing the line between police procedures and immigration enforcement.
Tech
The Exquisite Boredom of Spacewalking
A trip outside the International Space Station is, at its core, a home-improvement project.
Tech
New Tech Promises to Stop Drones from Overflying Stadiums — and Find the People Flying Them
Raytheon says its products helped police nab four flying drones over an outdoor concert.
Defense
The Army’s Next Attack Helicopter Could Look Like This
Bell’s new 360 Invictus is the latest entrant hoping to fill the Army’s vertical-lift gap — and it’s remote-controlled.
Tech
The Pentagon Has Officially Taken Over the Security Clearance Process
The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency is now responsible for conducting 95% of the government’s background investigations.
Tech
NASA Hands Elon Musk a Reality Check
A shared effort to deliver NASA astronauts to space recently got a little awkward.
Tech
Google Says Google Translate Can’t Replace Human Translators. Immigration Officials Have Used It to Vet Refugees.
Documents shared with ProPublica show that immigration officials have been told to vet refugees’ social media posts using Google Translate. Language experts caution even students against using the service.
Tech
A New Joystick For the Brain-Controlled Vehicles Of the Future
An innovative sensor strip promises a far better way to connect human brains to machines.
Defense
The Air Force Will Start Work on Flying Cars This Fall
It’s about replacing the V-22, eventually. But it’s also about finding new ways to harness commercial innovation.
Tech
SpaceX Missed Some Urgent Emails About a Satellite Standoff
Stopping collisions in space starts with good communication.
Tech
Report on Election Security Gains Attention, and a Sharp Rebuke
A Virginia cybersecurity company asserted many states were vulnerable to election system intrusions. Critics called the report flawed and questioned whether the company was looking to exploit legitimate anxiety about election security.
Tech
So Many Innovation Hubs, So Hard to Find Them
It’s still too hard for emerging companies and the agencies looking for them to find each other.
Pay & Benefits
Trump Administration Seeks to Quash Lawsuit Over OPM Hack
Government says feds are not entitled to damages as hackers intended to use the personal information they gathered for spying, not identity theft or fraud.
Tech
Pentagon Shelves Neutral Particle Beam Research
One of the U.S. military’s most ambitious space-based projects has crashed back to Earth.
Tech
Why is the Pentagon Interested in UFOs?
During a military mission, whether in peace or in war, the inability to identify an object within an area of operation represents a significant problem.
Tech
Why Soviets Sent Dogs to Space While Americans Used Primates
Researchers didn’t know how people would react to weightlessness. So they sent animals first.
Tech
TSA Agents to Warn Travelers On Real ID Deadline
Air passengers without Real IDs will hear from TSA agents at the check-in podium.
Tech
How Amazon and Silicon Valley Seduced the Pentagon
Tech moguls like Jeff Bezos and Eric Schmidt have gotten unprecedented access to the Pentagon. And one whistleblower who raised flags has paid the price.
Tech
A Cyberattack Could Wreak Destruction Comparable to a Nuclear Weapon
Nuclear threats are serious – but officials, the media and the public keep a close eye on them. There's less attention to the dangers of cyberattacks, which could cripple key utilities.
Tech