Science and technology strategy
The U.S. Department of Defense Officially Launched the Defense Industrial Base Vulnerability Disclosure Program (DIB-VDP)
According to the U.S. Department of Defense Cybercrime Center (DC3) on April 19, DC3 and the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) announced a strategic partnership to fully operate the vulnerability disclosure program in the defense industrial base to improve the cybersecurity status of defense enterprises. Under the program, approximately 12,500 defense contractors across the defense industrial base can voluntarily and no-cost their assets and platforms for independent "ethical hackers" to find and assess their cyber vulnerabilities so they can mitigate and remediate them in a timely manner. It is reported that in order to ensure the credible implementation of the plan, DC3 and DCSA conducted a one-year pilot work before the full launch.
The White House Environmental Quality Committee announced that it will raise product procurement standards and build a product supply chain that aligns with sustainability goals
According to the White House Committee on Environmental Quality (CEQ) on April 19, CEQ announced that it would adopt higher standards to promote the development of U.S. manufacturing and build a federal product supply chain that meets the Sustainable Development Goals. The standard was issued by the Federal Procurement Regulatory Commission and adopted the recommendations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Federal Acquisition Codes, Standards, and Ecolabels", covering more than 40 environmental standards and ecolabels for 34 categories of products. The establishment of this standard will facilitate the federal procurement of domestically produced products that meet sustainable standards. This standard covers a variety of types of energy-saving, water-saving, per- or polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals.
Information
For the first time, researchers in Britain and Germany have achieved a critical connection to the quantum internet
According to China Science and Technology Network on April 19, a joint research team from Imperial College London, the University of Southampton, the University of Stuttgart and the University of Würzburg in Germany realized the key connection of the quantum Internet for the first time. Sharing entanglement over long distances in a quantum network requires two devices: one to create entangled photons, and one to store and allow later retrieval. For the first time, the research team has created a system in which the two devices use the same wavelength, connecting two key devices and using conventional optical fibers to transmit quantum data. Dr. Sarah Thomas, from the Department of Physics at Imperial College London, said that connecting the two key devices together is a key step in realizing a quantum network. The study was published in the journal Science Advances.
Stanford University in the United States reports that AI outperforms humans on almost all performance benchmarks
According to NewAtlas on April 19, the "Human-Oriented" Artificial Intelligence Institute (HAI) of Stanford University released the "AI Index Report: Measuring Trends in AI" (The AI Index Report: Measuring Trends in AI). Written by an interdisciplinary team of academic and industrial experts, the report tracks, collates, refines, and visualizes AI-related data. The report, the seventh edition of the AI Index published by HAI, expands the scope of research from the previous edition to cover broader fundamental trends such as the technological advancement of AI, the public's perception of the technology, and the geopolitical dynamics surrounding its development, reflecting the rapid development of AI and its growing importance in our daily lives. The report notes that AI outperforms humans on benchmarks such as image classification, basic reading comprehension, visual reasoning, and natural language reasoning, but still struggles to cope with complex cognitive tasks, such as advanced math problem solving and visual common-sense reasoning. The report suggests that AI will continue to evolve and close the gap with humans.
Chung-Ang University in South Korea uses metasurface technology to achieve precise control of wireless signals
According to TechXplore on April 22, researchers at Chung-Ang University in South Korea have developed a reconfigurable projection metasurface technology that can achieve precise control of wireless signals. The researchers used a scissor mechanism and a rotary motor to drive a planar array to manage beam scanning and polarization state conversion. This approach enhances the ability to control electromagnetic waves, which can improve signal strength and efficiency in wireless networks. The technology has been tested to be able to scan beams in the 28° range at 10.5GHz operating frequency. This technology is expected to improve applications in radar systems, wireless communications, high-resolution imaging, and environmental monitoring.
creature
WHO initiates pre-qualification of a new oral simplified cholera vaccine
According to the WHO official website on April 18, the WHO is pre-qualified for the new oral cholera vaccine Euvichol-S. The efficacy of the Euvichol-S inactivated oral vaccine is similar to that of existing vaccines, but the formulation is simplified, which is expected to rapidly increase production capacity. This is the third cholera vaccine product to be added to WHO's prequalification list, and the new prequalification is expected to rapidly ramp up production and supply.
The U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is soliciting experts to host a series of workshops on biothreats in the age of the bioeconomy
According to the official website of NASEM on April 21, the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) will convene an ad hoc planning committee composed of international scientists to develop a series of workshops to discuss the adaptability of the existing framework to assess and reduce the potential of biological research and development related to bioeconomy-related research and development. The first is to understand the interaction between dual-use risks and scientific advances in bioeconomy-related research, second, to explore the potential of knowledge, technologies and equipment and materials for bioeconomy-related research and development, third, to review existing frameworks and guidelines for assessing and mitigating the potential of bioeconomy-related dual-use research, and fourth, to discuss established steps for assessing and reducing the use of bioeconomy-related R&D activities in order to achieve positive and peaceful scientific progress. The call for experts will close on April 28, 2024.
The National Institutes of Health revises guidelines for research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules
According to the official website of the NIH on April 19, the National Institutes of Health issued a revision to the "National Institutes of Health Guidelines", outlining biosafety practices for studies involving gene drive modified organisms (GDMOs) in a controlled research environment. The revisions include setting out minimum containment requirements for studies involving GDMOs, clarifying considerations for risk assessment and additional responsibilities for institutional biosafety committees and biosafety officers.
Merck debuts a new all-in-one genetic stability assay to accelerate biopharmaceutical testing
According to the news on April 22, Merck launched the first verified new integrated genetic stability analysis Aptegra CHO, the first of its kind, which will change biomedical safety testing through the use of digital solutions for next-generation sequencing. The Aptegra platform leverages whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics to reduce assay time by 66% and cost by 43%, and meets all regulatory requirements for genetic stability assurance, including copy number assessment.
The American research team cracked the neuronal development clock in the human brain to accelerate the study of neurological diseases
According to the official account of the biological world on April 22, the research team of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the United States found that there is an epigenetic development clock in human neuronal stem cells, which sets the time for human neurons to mature. Based on this, the research team designed a high-content imaging assay based on morphological and functional readouts of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived cortical neurons, and identified four compounds that can promote neuronal maturation and accelerate the development of therapeutics for neurological diseases.
A Chinese research team has created a "new generation of base editors" for microorganisms to achieve efficient and large-scale base editing
According to the news on April 22 on the official account of gene editing application, the research team of Jiangnan University has developed a CRISPRi system based on dCas12b through CRISPR-Cas12b engineering transformation. On the basis of dCas12b, a new generation of base editors with extended editing windows was established, and the new base editors were used to achieve efficient and large-scale base editing of microbial cells (Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli). The research results were published in the journal Advanced Science.
energy
Franco-German institutions will cooperate on research on uranium-molybdenum alloy research reactor fuel production technology
According to the China Nuclear Think Tank on April 22, the French company Framatome (Framatome) and the University of Munich in Germany signed a four-year cooperation agreement, and the two sides will continue to jointly optimize the uranium-molybdenum alloy high-density monolithic research reactor fuel production technology, laying the foundation for the future construction of Europe's first uranium-molybdenum alloy production facility. The University of Munich in Germany is currently operating a high-throughput research reactor FRM II with a thermal power of 20,000 kilowatts. The reactor currently uses highly enriched uranium fuel. In view of the proliferation risk of HEU fuel, the University of Munich in Germany has been working on the reactor in recent years to carry out fuel low-enrichment modification, and in 2019, it began to cooperate with Framatome to research uranium-molybdenum alloy high-density low-enriched uranium fuel. An experimental production line has been built and the first batch of fuel plates are being produced, with the first irradiation tests planned for 2024.
The German government supports the second phase of the hydrogen network development plan with amendments to the Energy Industry Act
According to the double carbon intelligence on April 23, the German Bundestag passed an amendment to the "Energy Industry Act". The bill provides the legal framework for the expansion of the second phase of the hydrogen network development plan and provides for measures for the integrated development of existing gas and future hydrogen networks. The first phase of the hydrogen network development plan focuses on planning the hydrogen core network and ensuring that it is connected to key hydrogen sites on both the supply and demand sides, such as large process centers, storage facilities, power plants and import corridors. In the second phase, the hydrogen core network will be included in the integrated network development plan. It is expected that from 2025 to 2032, the hydrogen core network will gradually become operational.
In addition, the amendment clarifies the necessary provisions for the financing of hydrogen core networks.
ocean
Chile's new icebreaker completes its first sea tests
According to the Navy News Network on April 22, Chile's new polar icebreaker AGB-46 "Almirante Viel" completed the first week of sea tests. The new icebreaker, with a reported displacement of 10,500 tons, is equipped with oceanographic, hydrology, microbiology and chemistry laboratories and a multi-beam echo sounder for seabed exploration, and has a flight deck and hangar that can accommodate two Airbus AS332L transport helicopters, the construction of which cost a total of $210 million.
South Korea's Hanwha Marine designs an unmanned maritime system for the South Korean Navy
According to the Navy News Network on April 22, South Korea's Hanwha Marine announced that it was selected as the concept designer of the South Korean Navy's "Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) and Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV)" project. The project is part of the South Korean Navy's Sea Ghost project, announced in 2022, and the unmanned platform developed by it is primarily used to perform continuous surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Hanwha Marine has been at the forefront of unmanned systems development in South Korea, and has developed energy systems for unmanned offshore platforms and a mission-reconfigurable ultra-large unmanned underwater vehicle prototype (MRXUUV).
The fourth Type 218SG submarine built by Germany for the Singapore Navy was launched
According to the Navy News Network on April 22, the fourth Type 218SG submarine built by the German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Naval Shipyard (TKMS) for the Singapore Navy was launched. This type of submarine has a displacement of 2,200 tons, adopts diesel-electric power and AIP system, has a maximum underwater speed of 15 knots, underwater self-sustaining force of 28~42 days, and is equipped with 8 533 mm torpedo tubes at the bow, which can launch torpedoes and anti-ship missiles, and can also be used to deploy mines. According to reports, the Singapore Navy ordered a total of 4 Type 218SG submarines, the first three of which were delivered.
aviation
The US Air Force F-15E intercepted 70 Iranian drones
According to the Army Cognitive website on April 23, the F-15E Strike Eagle fighters of the 494th and 335th fighter squadrons of the US Air Force intercepted 70 drones during Iran's attack on Israel. The F-15E Strike Eagle is an advanced dual-role fighter designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. The aircraft is equipped with a radar system, powered by two Pratt & Whitney F100 engines, which enhance its maneuverability and speed. It is equipped with air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120AMRAAM, as well as a variety of air-to-surface munitions, allowing it to target a wide range of enemy equipment.
The US Army plans to use the improved MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAV as a potential alternative to future attack reconnaissance aircraft
According to the Foreign Defense Front on April 23, the U.S. Army plans to use the improved MQ-1C "Gray Eagle" UAV as a potential alternative to the future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA). The plan is designed to deal with potential future wars between major powers, with the early deployment of low-cost, highly reliable and fast-delivery UAVs. The improved MQ-1C UAV is developed by General Atomics, with a range of up to 25 hours, a speed of about 309 kilometers per hour, equipped with payloads such as optoelectronic / infrared systems, synthetic aperture radar, and three redundant avionics system architectures, and can carry up to 4 "Hellfire" air-to-surface missiles, which will perform armed reconnaissance and other missions. At present, General Atomics has planned to develop a short take-off and landing (STOL) model of the drone.
space flight
The US Department of Defense announced the priorities of the United States' integrated air defense and anti-missile work
According to the news of national defense science and technology on 22 April, John Plum, assistant secretary of space policy of the US Department of Defense, announced four priorities for the US anti-integrated air defense and anti-missile work. Priorities include: First, the Department of Defense will invest in new areas such as hypersonic defense, directed energy, and space-based missile warning and tracking. The second is that the Ministry of Defense is developing a future hypersonic defense capability of the "glide stage interceptor". The third is to prevent and defeat the adversary's missiles in all combat domains and in all time periods through a mix of kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities such as passive defense and electronic warfare. Fourth, we will continue to prioritize the development of relationships with allies and partners, and build collective air and missile defense capabilities to counter regional missile threats and enhance extended deterrence.
South Korea's Samsung Corporation has released the Exynos 5400 5G modem to support two-way satellite communication services
According to Sina.com on April 21, South Korea's Samsung Electronics released its first 5G modem that supports two-way satellite communication, Exynos 5400. Samsung says the modem is already available in the Exynos processor-based versions of the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ smartphones, and will also be available in next-generation Pixel devices to be released later this year, such as Google's Pixel 9 series (Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro Fold). The Exynos 5400 is the fastest Exynos modem to date, with a maximum download rate of 14.79Gbps.
Materials
China's first Wancurie-class lutetium-177 and 1,000-grade gallium-68 production lines were completed and put into operation, which can alleviate foreign dependence
According to the Science and Technology Daily on April 23, CNNC Qualcomm, a subordinate unit of China National Nuclear Corporation, announced that China's first annual output of 10,000-level carrier-free lutetium-177 production line and annual production capacity of 1,000-level germanium gallium generator production line have been fully completed and put into operation, marking that the mainland officially has the large-scale commercial production and supply capacity of Wancurie-level lutetium-177 and gallium-68 medical nuclides, effectively alleviating the problem of insufficient supply of domestic two nuclides and dependence on imports. Lutetium-177 has excellent radiophysical properties and coordination chemistry, and can be used for radionuclide-targeted therapy of monoclonal antibodies, peptides and other small molecule compounds. Gallium-68 is a highly attractive positron-emitting radionuclide that can be used to prepare radiopharmaceuticals through coordination labeling, which has the advantages of convenience, simplicity, mild conditions and low cost compared with traditional small molecules such as non-metal nuclide labeled peptides such as fluorine-18 and carbon-11. In addition, CNNC Qualcomm can also officially supply two emerging nuclides, terbium-161 and scandium-47, in the Curie class.
Eliminate external dependence
According to the double carbon intelligence on April 22, researchers from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom proposed a new way to use semiconductors as light absorbers and enzymes as redox catalysts to combine them to produce light-driven chemical hydrogen. The researchers synthesized NCNCNX photocatalysts using melamine and potassium thiocyanate, and used electrostatic interactions to link negatively charged cyanamide-modified graphitride carbon NCNCCNX to positively charged [FeFe]-hydrogenase around the distal FeS cluster, which is responsible for the uptake of electrons into the enzyme. The strong electrostatic attraction enables the efficient production of solar hydrogen (H2) through direct interfacial electron transfer (DET), achieving a conversion frequency (TOF) of 18669 h−1 in 4 hours and a conversion number (TON) of 198125 (7.9±0.6 mmol) in 24 hours. This study provides a deep insight into the dynamics of carrier dynamics at the interface of biomaterials, and provides a comprehensive understanding for the development of photocatalytic hybrid components in the future. The research results were published in the journal Chemical Science.
Advanced manufacturing
Researchers in the Netherlands have developed a novel dual-wavelength volume microlithography technology to enable the rapid production of 4D microstructures
According to the news on the pubs.acs.org website on April 22, the research team of Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands (Eindhoven University of Technology) applied dual-wavelength volumetric microlithography (DWVML) to 4D printing for the first time, improving printing speed and efficiency. This new technology can print accurate 3D microstructures in seconds at speeds of 0.24 cubic millimeters per hour, nearly 100 times faster than traditional liquid crystal network (LCNs) additive manufacturing technology. The research team has also developed a new liquid crystal photoresist suitable for this technology, which can quickly print 3D microstructures in 2D, 2.5D and high aspect ratio layer by layer over a large area. This technology not only speeds up production, but also significantly improves material efficiency and production accuracy, with potential applications including smart tactile surfaces, microrobotics, and advanced microfluidic devices. In addition, this technological breakthrough opens up new avenues for the large-scale production of stimuli-responsive polymer material microstructures and devices in the future, which is expected to have a profound impact in the field of materials science and engineering. The research results were published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
Singapore's National Robotics Program received US$44 million in funding to boost the development of industrial robots
According to the Straits Times on April 18, Singapore's National Robotics Program (NRP) announced that it will invest S$60 million (about US$44 million) to develop robotics technology and promote wider adoption of robots by companies in manufacturing, logistics and healthcare industries. The program is funded by Singapore's National Research Foundation (NRF) and administered by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research. The funding is intended to help Singapore gain a foothold in the growing global robotics market. Currently, the global robotics market is valued at approximately $50 billion and is expected to grow to more than $60 billion by 2028.
-END-
Consolidated by the International Institute of Technical Economics
Please indicate
About the Institute
Founded in November 1985, the International Institute of Technology and Economics (IITE) is a non-profit research institute affiliated to the Development Research Center of the State Council, whose main functions are to study major policy, strategic and forward-looking issues in the economic, scientific and technological and social development of the mainland, track and analyze the development trend of the world's science and technology and economic development, and provide decision-making consulting services for the central government and relevant ministries and commissions. The "Global Technology Map" is the official WeChat account of the International Institute of Technology and Economics, which is dedicated to conveying cutting-edge technology information and technological innovation insights to the public.
Address: Block A, Building 20, Xiaonanzhuang, Haidian District, Beijing
Phone: 010-82635522
WeChat: iite_er