SCIENCE IN THE NEWS WEEKLY
Cost of Radiation Detectors Questioned
The Washington Post reported last week that a government assessment of expensive new radiation detectors has found that the statistical evidence doesn't back up claims that they are better than existing technology at identifying radioactive materials that could be used in bombs.
In other technology news, a photon ray gun named Zeus is being used in Iraq to detonate roadside bombs at a safe distance. And the next generation, now in the laboratory, is coming soon.
An image of a common cough captured by schlieren photography attracted much attention last week. The technique "takes an invisible phenomenon and turns it into a visible picture," according to an engineering professor.
A solar thermal power array in the New Mexico desert could make a sun-powered grid a reality. Popular Mechanics looked at the promise of using solar dish engines, an approach that has undergone more than a decade of improvements.
And, finally, the quest for better security is leading to development of devices that can recognize people and objects and also detect suspicious behavior.
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