Sandia National Labs builds mobile high-security vault
The mobile vault was built in response to a request from the National Nuclear Security Administration's Stockpile Responsiveness Program, according to Sandia National Laboratories.
Watch 'Night at the Museum' under the wings at the Nuclear Museum
The vault is housed in a 20-foot shipping container, and an electrical engineer developed the vault's access control, backup power, sensors, and alarm systems.
The fully functional prototype was designed, constructed, and demonstrated in six months.
Sandia's Transportation Safeguards and Surety Program is now in the process of building two additional full-scale prototypes and will participate in Grey Flag 25, a Department of Defense joint exercise that simulates real-world operational challenges to test hardware readiness.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
3 Reasons Stablecoins Are Still a Risky Investment Choice
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They can be held without a bank account, help people protect their savings in countries with currency devaluation issues, and facilitate faster and cheaper cross-border transfers than U.S. dollars. USD stablecoins are also widely used in decentralized finance (DeFi) apps to pay out rewards, establish collateral for loans, and trade assets without a conversion to a fiat currency. They can act as a bridge currency to help crypto traders quickly switch between volatile assets. These stablecoins might initially seem a lot safer than other cryptocurrencies, but they're not risk-free investments. Let's review the three risks for stablecoins you should be aware of. 1. Not all stablecoins are backed by real-world assets Most USD-collateralized stablecoins like Tether and gold-backed stablecoins like Tether Gold (CRYPTO: XAUT) are pegged to physical assets. Tether holds a mix of cash, U.S. Treasuries, precious metals, and other cash equivalents. Tether Gold directly holds gold reserves. But there are two other types of stablecoins that are pegged to much riskier assets: crypto-collateralized coins, which are pegged to other cryptocurrencies; and algorithmic coins, which rely on automated computer programs to control the supply and keep their prices stable. For example, DAI is a crypto-collateralized coin that holds a mix of Ether, Tether, Wrapped Bitcoin, and Lido Staked Ether instead of actual U.S. dollars or Treasuries. By only holding cryptocurrencies, it doesn't rely on any custodian banks to hold fiat currencies. But it's not fully decentralized, since it's still holding a lot of Tether (which is backed by actual U.S. dollars), and a crypto crash could reduce the value of its collateral and weaken its peg to the U.S dollar. Many algorithmic stablecoins, like TerraUSD, crashed when their automated programs couldn't stay pegged to the U.S. dollar. Yet some smaller stablecoins are still trying to stay pegged with their own algorithms. If those opaque algorithms fail, those smaller stablecoins could quickly fizzle out if they're not backed by other assets. Therefore, investors shouldn't assume all stablecoins are "stable" because they've been holding steady at $1. Instead, they should see what these issuers are actually holding as their collateral, and whether they can be trusted to stay firmly pegged to the U.S. dollar. 2. They're exposed to regulatory headwinds Many stablecoins have sprouted up during the past few years, but they could be cut down by much tighter government regulations in the near future. Those regulators could scrutinize their underlying reserves and usage in cross-border remittances. They might even ban the riskier algorithmic stablecoins. Those government regulators could also consider stablecoins to be a threat to central banks, and use tighter licensing, auditing, or reporting requirements to subdue their growth. That oversight would undermine the usefulness of stablecoins as an alternative to U.S. dollars. 3. They aren't designed to beat inflation Most traditional investments, like stocks, are aimed at beating inflation. For example, the S&P 500 has generated an average annual return of 10% since its inception in 1957. In that context, stablecoins aren't good long-term investments because they're designed to merely match the value of the U.S. dollar -- which will inevitably decline over the long term. So for capital preservation, you would be better off parking your cash in a risk-free CD or T-bill that pays a 4% to 5% yield instead. The only way for stablecoins to beat inflation is if they're lent out on other crypto platforms to earn interest. Those platforms still pay double-digit annual percentage yields, but you're taking on a lot of counterparty risk for that yield. Several of those platforms -- including Celsius, Voyager, and BlockFi -- collapsed in 2022 and wiped out their lenders' stablecoins. Should you buy stablecoins right now? Stablecoins might be a viable way to preserve your capital, execute fast and cheap cross-border transfers, and smoothly invest in crypto platforms or apps. But they're not inflation-beating investments and they face a lot of risks that won't affect the U.S. dollar. Investors should clearly evaluate those risks before jumping on the bandwagon. Should you buy stock in Tether right now? Before you buy stock in Tether, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Tether wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $625,254!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,090,257!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,036% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 181% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2025 Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 3 Reasons Stablecoins Are Still a Risky Investment Choice was originally published by The Motley Fool
WIRED
15 minutes ago
- WIRED
Gear News of the Week: Insta360 Debuts a Drone Company, and DJI Surprises With an 8K 360 Camera
Plus: Netgear has an affordable Wi-Fi 7 mesh system, Samsung's latest Galaxy Z Fold series is a hit, and Google's Pixel 10 leaks heat up. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. The 360 camera company Insta360 has entered the drone market with a spin-off brand called Antigravity. This new company hasn't released a drone yet, but it's coming soon and will likely have a slightly different take from current market leaders like DJI. Antigravity's drone is expected to feature 360 cameras with 8K resolution. It will also fall under the 250-gram weight limit, meaning it won't require a license. The 360-degree camera makes sense from the company that makes our favorite 360 camera, though the usefulness of shooting straight up into the drone is questionable. Think of it as a 360 camera with about 260 degrees of usable footage. This isn't a new idea. There are mounts to attach Insta360's X5 camera to drones, but it's awkward to take off and land such pairings, something Antigravity's drone will likely simplify. Antigravity's new drone should arrive later this month. We'll have a full review once we've had time to test it out. — Scott Gilbertson DJI Unveils a 360 Camera Ironically, as Insta360 encroaches on DJI's drone supremacy, DJI is wading into the world of 360 cameras with its first-ever Osmo 360. It can capture 8K video at 50 frames per second, slightly outpacing Insta360's X5 camera, which shoots 8K at 30 fps. The Osmo employs a square 1-inch HDR sensor, can connect directly to DJI's wireless microphones using OsmoAudio, and maintains the Osmo Magnetic Quick-Release system for quick mounting. More interestingly, DJI claims the Osmo 360 can shoot 8K video at 30 fps for 100 minutes, which is a full 20 minutes longer than the Insta360 X5. It also only weighs 183 grams, 17 grams lighter than its top competitor. You can shoot with just a single lens at 4K 120 fps, and you can switch between the front and rear lens without pressing pause. The Osmo 360 isn't launching in the US (yet), but it costs $550 and is available globally. Like DJI's Mavic 4 Pro drone, those in the US can still preorder it from retailers like B&H and Adorama. Netgear Announces Entry-Level Wi-Fi 7 Mesh System The first wave of Wi-Fi 7 mesh systems was seriously expensive, but they've been getting steadily more affordable. Netgear's latest release is the Orbi 370 Series, an entry-level, dual-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh. While you only get the familiar 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands, not the 6-GHz band, you do get some of the other advantages of Wi-Fi 7, including enhanced security, lower latency, and multi-link operation (MLO), enabling you to connect on both bands simultaneously. MLO works for backhaul, too, which is the traffic between the main router and nodes. The 370 has the same vase-like design as the rest of the Orbi line, but these mesh units are a bit smaller. The main Orbi 370 router has two-2.5 Gbps Ethernet ports, while the nodes have a single 2.5-Gbps port apiece. This system is suitable for folks with limited devices and internet connections up to 1 Gbps. I'm a big fan of the next system up, the Netgear Orbi 770 Series, and that's what I recommend for families. Like with every other Orbi system, you can subscribe to Netgear Armor ($100/year) for enhanced security and add VPN and ad-blocking for an extra $50 and Smart Parental Controls ($70/year), but you don't need to. You can pick up an Orbi 370 Series 3-pack for $350, a 2-pack is $250, and you can add extra nodes later for $150 each. — Simon Hill Samsung's Latest Galaxy Z Fold Series Is Popular Photograph: Julian Chokkattu It's been a week since Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 hit the market, and the company has shared some interesting sales figures. Chiefly, Samsung claims the Galaxy Z Fold7 received 'the most preorders in Z Fold history in the US.' Both devices also saw more than a 25 percent increase in preorders over the Galaxy Z Fold6 series, and carrier stores in the US claim a nearly 60 percent jump for both phones over the 2024 models. It's not just preorders either—Samsung says momentum for both Fold and Flip orders are outpacing the prior generation by 25 percent. Interestingly, Samsung says while black is the typical color of choice for its Fold consumers, this time around, its new Blue Shadow color ate up nearly half of all preorders. The Galaxy Z Fold7 and Flip7 series saw some of the biggest changes to the hardware in a few years. The Fold7 debuted an incredibly slim frame, making it lightweight and easy to hold, and the Flip7 bumped the screen size for the cover screen to make it more useful. The primary camera on the Fold7 also sports 200 megapixels, finally matching the quality available on Samsung's flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra. While the market is still small, especially in the US, where there are fewer players, Google is expected to debut its third-gen folding phone at an event in August, and Apple is rumored to be launching a folding iPhone in September 2026. Google Pixel 10 Leaks Heat Up Google will be unwrapping its shiny new Pixel hardware at an event in Brooklyn, New York City, on August 20. But many of the details have already been spoiled. We're expecting four phones—Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold—the Pixel Watch 4, and new Pixel Buds wireless earbuds. The latest leak this week comes from Android Headlines, and there's good news: Prices appear to be the same as last year's Pixel 9 series. The only change is for the Pixel 10 Pro XL at $1,199—Google seems to be getting rid of the 128-GB version, so it'll be more expensive, though technically it'll cost the same as the 256-GB version of its predecessor. There's also potentially confirmation via a leaked image that the Pixel 10 series will feature magnets built into the phone itself, enabling Qi2 wireless charging. The Qi2 standard is akin to Apple's MagSafe system, which uses magnets to align phones to chargers for more efficient and faster wireless charging. The standard has been a bit of a mess, though, as Android phone companies have been slow to adopt Qi2. Samsung's 2025 flagships, for example, are Qi2 Ready, which means there are no magnets baked into the phones, but they can hit Qi2 charging speeds if you use a Qi2 Ready case with magnets. A half-measure. Noted leaker evleaks released several spec details about the phones along with an image of a Pixel 10 and a wireless charging puck attached to it, much like Apple's MagSafe wireless charger. Considering there doesn't seem to be a case on the Pixel 10 in the render, this suggests that magnets are built in. That would make the Pixel 10 series the first mainstream Android phones with MagSafe-like capabilities. (HMD's Skyline was technically the first Qi2 Android phone.)
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
How the crypto treasury craze is creating ‘true scarcity,' says BitMine chairman Tom Lee
Tom Lee reckons investors are overlooking one of the most important trends inside the crypto treasury craze: the aggressiveness with which a handful of companies are buying up Ethereum. 'There's true scarcity in Ethereum right now,' the Wall Street strategist and chairman of BitMine Immersion Technologies said in an interview with DL News. But it's not just the asset — 'it's the velocity at which we're accumulating it,' he said. Michael Saylor kicked off a trend that is only getting bigger — buying cryptocurrencies and holding them on a company's balance sheet. Strategy, the firm he leads, now holds more than 3% of Bitcoin's total supply, and shareholders have enjoyed a tenfold price appreciation in the company's stock price since it started buying the cryptocurrency in August 2020. Now, companies are looking down the risk curve into other cryptocurrencies, like Ethereum. Lee recently became chairman of BitMine, a little-known Bitcoin miner that has quickly become the largest public holder of Ethereum. In just two weeks, the firm has accumulated over $2 billion of Ether. But the firm is just getting started. According to a July investor deck titled The Alchemy of 5%, BitMine plans on acquiring up to 5% of the entire supply of Ether. But Lee did not reply to questions about supposed risk presented by Ethereum treasury companies, instead cutting the interview short. Concerns abound. Famed short seller Jim Chanos has called one of Strategy's financial maneuvers 'complete financial gibberish' and shorted the company's stock. Coinbase analysts warned treasury companies pose 'systemic risk' to the crypto market. Macro analyst Noelle Acheson has called the trend 'alarming.' For Lee, Ethereum presents a bigger opportunity than Bitcoin. 'Ethereum is the biggest macro trade of the decade,' he told DL News. Why? Stablecoins. Indeed, stablecoins have become a killer use-case for crypto, amassing a staggering market valuation of $272 billion. And now that US President Donald Trump signed into law the Genius Act, which opens the floodgates for banks to issue their own stablecoins, the pie could get even bigger. 'Stablecoins are the 'ChatGPT' of crypto,' Lee said. 'And Ethereum is the backbone. It's legally recognised, and has zero downtime.' Mimicking Strategy Popularised by Strategy's Bitcoin-per-share model, BitMine is rolling out its own 'ETH per share.' Investors can now track how much Ethereum the company holds for each share of stock. It's a way to measure value — not by earnings, but by onchain assets. As of July 27, BitMine reported about 600,000 Ether worth around $2.2 billion, along with 192 Bitcoin and over $400 million in cash. With 118 million fully diluted shares, their net asset value per share comes in around $23—up from $4 less than a month earlier. The company plans to grow that figure through market activity, reinvested cash flow, and — ideally — a rising price of Ether. Unlike Bitcoin treasury plays, however, BitMine's thesis doesn't rely on price alone. By staking its Ether, BitMine expects to generate $100 million in net income annually, making it part treasury play, part infrastructure business. The company hasn't disclosed when it will start staking, nor how much it will allocate to staking. Transforming capital markets 'MicroStrategy transformed capital markets,' Lee said, using a former energy giant as an example. ExxonMobil had the largest market capitalisation for long stretches of time between the 1990s and 2010s, often trading places with Apple and other tech giants. Its valuation, however, wasn't just based on quarterly earnings — it was underpinned by its massive reserves of untapped oil and gas, which the market treated as future revenue. According to Lee, Exxon was valued for the resources it controlled, a logic, he said, that now applies to crypto treasury companies. Strategy, for instance, posted a $10 billion profit in the second quarter, propped up mostly by its Bitcoin holdings. 'It's a new world: companies valued purely on their crypto holdings.' Pedro Solimano is DL News' Buenos Aires-based markets correspondent. Got at a tip? Email him at psolimano@ Sign in to access your portfolio
