Latest news with #NationalInstituteofStandardsandTechnology
NDTV
05-08-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Earth Is Mysteriously Moving Faster On August 5: Here's What It Means
The Earth is moving a bit faster today. We might not feel it, but our planet is experiencing a mysterious boost to its spin, which is expected to make August 5 one of the shortest days on record, according to a report by Scientists have observed a slight acceleration in Earth's rotation since 2020, marking the first sustained period of shorter days in recent history. The rotation was faster on July 9 and July 22 as well, and we lost roughly 1.3 and 1.4 milliseconds, respectively. Scientists believe that the increase in Earth's spin speed may require adding a negative leap second to maintain synchronisation with atomic clocks. Judah Levine, a physicist in the time and frequency division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, told Discover Magazine in 2021, "This lack of the need for leap seconds was not predicted." "The assumption was, in fact, that Earth would continue to slow down and leap seconds would continue to be needed. And so this effect, this result, is very surprising." Implementing a negative leap second is challenging as it may cause disruptions to global timekeeping systems. It is also required to make adjustments in computing networks and software. Why is Earth Spinning Faster? The exact reasons for the acceleration are still unknown. However, experts believe that it is related to changes in the Earth's inner core or atmospheric circulation patterns. Some reports claimed that the redistribution of mass from melting glaciers might be responsible for Earth's acceleration. El Nino and La Nina events, which redistribute mass around the globe, could also impact the Earth's rotation. The Moon could also be responsible. According to the report by the Moon will be around its maximum distance from Earth's equator on the three possible dates for the shortest length of day (LOD) in 2025. "Nobody expected this," Leonid Zotov, expert on Earth rotation at Moscow State University, told "The cause of this acceleration is not explained." He added, "Most scientists believe it is something inside the Earth. Ocean and atmospheric models don't explain this huge acceleration." Scientists are closely monitoring the situation to determine the best course of action.
Channel Post MEA
04-08-2025
- Business
- Channel Post MEA
Fortinet Introduces Quantum-Safe Security Features In FortiOS
Fortinet has announced expanded innovations within its unified operating system, FortiOS, that protect against quantum-computing threats to current encryption standards. The latest FortiOS capabilities help organizations with highly sensitive data deploy encryption algorithms and key distribution methods that can withstand quantum-powered attacks, stack algorithms for more robust protection, and easily transition to post-quantum security. 'At Fortinet, we're committed to arming customers with cutting-edge technology to protect against new and emerging threats. As quantum computing advances, organizations can trust Fortinet's technology innovation and leadership to safeguard their critical data and future-proof their infrastructures. Many enterprises are eager to take action to protect their networks from quantum-powered threats. That's why we've made cutting-edge, quantum-safe features available today for FortiGate NGFW and Fortinet Secure SD-WAN customers, so they can confidently transition to post-quantum security,' said Michael Xie, Founder, President, and Chief Technology Officer at Fortinet. Organizations Handling Sensitive Information Need Quantum-Safe Encryption Now Quantum computers can perform complex calculations at unprecedented speeds and can easily break current encryption standards. Cybercriminals are already storing encrypted traffic to decrypt in the future, with a particular focus on industries that handle highly sensitive data that remains relevant over long periods, such as telecommunications, financial services, government, and healthcare. FortiOS: ready for the post-quantum world With FortiOS 7.6, organizations, such as those using FortiGate next-generation firewall (NGFW) and Fortinet Secure SD-WAN, can now leverage built-in quantum-safe features designed to defend against emerging threats, including harvest-now, decrypt-later (HNDL) attacks. These capabilities help secure network traffic, simplify deployment, and support a smooth transition to post-quantum security. Customers have access to the following quantum-safe features at no additional cost: Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) methods, including National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-approved algorithms like ML-KEM and emerging algorithms like BIKE, HQC, and Frodo. Quantum key distribution (QKD), leveraging quantum mechanics to enable the secure exchange of encryption keys, ensures that any eavesdropping attempts are detectable. Fortinet introduced support for QKD integrations starting with FortiOS 7.4, enabling interoperability with leading QKD vendors via standardized interfaces. This capability underscores Fortinet's proactive approach to quantum-resilient network security by integrating quantum-safe key exchange mechanisms into its NGFW architecture. Algorithm stacking, which combines multiple cryptographic algorithms to create a more resilient solution and enhance network infrastructure security. A hybrid mode for gradual transition to post-quantum security that enables seamless integration of traditional public-key cryptography and QKD. An enhanced user interface that simplifies the configuration and management of quantum-safe settings so that network administrators can implement quantum-safe security easily. Proven Innovation You Can Trust Fortinet was founded on the principle of converging networking and security through a single operating system. This unique approach enables Fortinet to deploy cutting-edge updates, such as quantum-safe innovations, across its unified operating system, helping customers future-proof their security postures.
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Clocks fall back earlier this year: When daylight saving time ends
While the air may not be crisp yet and the leaves are still a lush green, the long summer days are already becoming shorter — and that means it's getting closer to the time to change the clocks. According to TimeAndDate, Americans will turn their clocks back from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2 marking the end of daylight saving time. This means the clocks will change a day earlier than last year, when daylight saving time ended on Nov. 3. Twice a year, people throughout the country adjust their clocks, first 'springing forward' to cherish an extra hour of evening daylight during the summer months before 'falling back' to standard time for winter. 'In the United States, this has the effect of creating more sunlit hours in the evening during months when the weather is the warmest,' according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This act of 'falling back,' marks the end of DST in 2025 and the beginning of standard time. Daylight saving time was introduced in the U.S. in 1918 under the term 'Fast Time.' However, it was repealed less than a year later, though cities such as Boston, New York and Pittsburgh continued to use it. Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt reintroduced a clock change in 1942 under the term 'War Time,' which lasted until 1945. But until the Uniform Time Act of 1966 was passed, there were no formal or uniform rules for changing clocks. In 2022, a bill named the Sunshine Protection Act, that would make daylight saving time permanent, was passed by the Senate but died in the House. A new iteration of the bill was introduced to the Senate in January. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., has been a longtime supporter of eliminating the need to change the clocks and making daylight saving time permanent and is a co-sponsor of the bill. 'This head-spinning ritual of falling back and springing forward has gone on long enough,' Markey said in an email to MassLive in October 2024. 'It isn't just a nuisance — changing our clocks also has a very real impact on our economy, our health, and our happiness." President Donald Trump also expressed opposition to changing the clocks, but he said he wanted to eliminate daylight saving time and maintain standard time. 'Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our nation,' the president wrote on X in December 2024. Gallup, a global analytics and advisory firm conducted a poll in January to measure Americans' opinions about daylight saving time and discovered that the majority of Americans (54%) say they are ready to do away with the practice. The survey found that 48% want standard time year round, and that 24% prefer daylight saving time year round. The smallest percentage — 19% — preferred keeping things the way they are now with the clocks changing twice a year. The latest from MassLive MLB Notebook: AL winners and losers at deadline; Alex Bregman's reunion; Red Sox' payroll monitoring Powerball winner: Mass. father wins $2M prize taking kids out for slushies Mass. beach closures: Here's how many beaches are closed on Friday, Aug. 1 Why MLB writer thinks Yankees have 'no credible excuse' to not win World Series Escaped monitor lizard named Goose back in Mass., spotted in Douglas Read the original article on MassLive.
The National
23-07-2025
- Business
- The National
Trump's AI plan seeks to remove regulatory barriers and shuns DEI
President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled a three-pillared strategy that his administration refers to as America's AI Action Plan, after much anticipation from US technology companies. Accelerating artificial intelligence innovation, building AI infrastructure in the US and leading in AI diplomacy are the strategy's three main sections. Mr Trump was expected to speak in greater detail about the AI strategy at an event in Washington later on Wednesday. Like many of Mr Trump's initiatives, his proposal seeks to portray former president Joe Biden's AI strategy as burdensome from a regulatory perspective and full of identity politics and environmental red tape. President Trump's plan directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to 'revise the AI management framework, eliminating references to diversity, equity and inclusion, misinformation and climate change'. The AI push also looks at issues many experts consider more pertinent to the global AI race. It seeks to streamline the construction permit process for data centres, which are becoming critical to AI breakthroughs. The plan also emphasises exporting 'American AI technologies through full-stack deployment packages and international data centre initiatives led by the Department of Commerce'. That sort of data centre deal is similar to what was unveiled during President Trump's visit to the UAE in May. Then, President Sheikh Mohamed and Mr Trump announced plans for a new 5GW UAE-US AI Campus in Abu Dhabi. If more of those deals come to fruition, it could help the US gain influence as other countries seek to join the race to provide computational power for AI. Hypothetically, it could also give the US a competitive edge over China, which also aims to be a dominant AI player. With his AI Action Plan, Mr Trump is attempting to put the kibosh on local regulatory efforts within the US. State legislative bodies have passed laws to put guardrails on AI in an effort to protect workers from labour disruption. 'Prohibit federal AI funds from going to states with restrictive AI regulations,' reads one of the plan descriptions, also insisting that such prohibitive policies 'respect states' legislative rights'. On a technical level, proponents of open-source AI development are likely to take a victory lap after Mr Trump's plan. It throws support behind open-source and open-weight AI models. Supporters of open-source AI models often say they democratise artificial intelligence, whereas closed-source models only allow for those with access to larger computing infrastructures to develop the technology. Neil Chilson, former chief technologist for the Federal Trade Commission and currently head of artificial intelligence policy at the Abundance Institute, called the AI plan a 'course correction' from the previous policies of the Biden White House. 'We're particularly excited to see the emphasis on removing regulatory barriers to AI adoption and deployment and streamlining of infrastructure permitting,' he said. Over at the Competitive Enterprise Institute think tank, reaction to President Trump's plan was more tepid, alleging that the AI plan still exerted too much regulatory control. 'The plan's push for international AI standards is similar to the European Union's stultifying regulatory harmonization, which, among other things, is locking the continent into USB-C technology for years to come, even as better technologies emerge,' said Ryan Young, Senior Economist with the Competitive Enterprise Institute. According to White House officials, President Trump is pushing 90 federal policy actions in the plan, which comes after he sought public input for a comprehensive AI policy in February. Tech companies, academics and advocacy groups submitted ideas. Consumer rights, labour and environmental groups outlined areas of concern within Mr Trump's less restrictive stance on AI. Several organisations, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, were concerned the tech industry would have too much influence in crafting the AI plan. 'While current machine-learning technologies have some positive applications, they are also being adopted in consequential decision-making contexts where these emerging technologies are likely to cause harm and unlikely to deliver the promised benefits,' the EFF wrote in a March letter to the White House. During a conference call with reporters, the White House disagreed with the narrative that tech firms had amassed more influence. 'It was probably one of the most diverse set of individuals from across the country and across different sectors, from civil society to Hollywood to academia to the private sector,' a White House official said. The Trump administration said it had received more than 10,000 responses to the requests for guidance, from which it moulded the AI plan. Early in Mr Trump's second term, he signed an executive order that rescinded Mr Biden's executive order on AI. That order acknowledged the tremendous potential upside of AI and encouraged the acceleration of vital AI standards, but was also geared towards implementing guardrails to protect consumers. 'Developers of the most powerful AI systems [must] share their safety test results and other critical information with the US government,' a portion of Mr Biden's executive order read. That policy is largely absent from President Trump's plan.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Cancer: Toxic air in the kitchen: Gas stoves found to emit "cancer-causing" benzene indoors
Our kitchen, the heart of our homes, might have been harboring a toxic secret all these years. For decades, gas stoves have been a staple in our lives, praised for their performance and precision. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But beneath those glowy blue and orange flames lies a growing public health concern. A New study published, titled ,' reveals that these everyday appliances release Benzene, a well-documented carcinogen, directly into household air during use. As indoor air pollution gains urgent attention, the latest research uncovers just how dangerous this can be. The suspect in question Benzene is a volatile organic compound that is listed as a Group 1 human carcinogen by the World Health Organization. It is an aromatic, colorless, or light-yellow liquid chemical at room temperature and is mainly used as a solvent in chemical and pharmaceutical applications. How are individuals exposed to benzene? Employees in manufacturing industries that handle benzene are exposed to its highest concentrations, even though exposure has been decreased by federal and state laws over the last few decades. If you smoke, be careful! 90% of benzene exposure results from cigarette smoking. It is present in common products like glues, adhesives, and cleaning agents. How was the study conducted Researchers used the National Institute of Standards and Technology's CONTAM model to recreate how benzene emitted from gas and propane stoves disperses in a variety of typical U.S homes, ranging from smaller apartments to larger houses. The team further applied the U.S EPA's health risk assessment framework to estimate incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) and other health impacts. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now And they particularly found that leukemia is associated with benzene exposure. What were the key findings Benzene travels to bedrooms and living rooms Due to high intake relative to body weight, kids face nearly double the cancer risk compared to adults. Ventilation helps but is not enough. Even with good ventilation, modelled benzene levels sometimes remained above safe limits Among 6.3 million U.S residents exposed to the highest-emitting stoves, the study estimates 16-69 additional leukemia cases per year could occur under high-use conditions. Further, this study is the first to quantify these long-term cancer risks using a full risk assessment approach. It highlights that gas stoves emit not only carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides but also carcinogens that can silently accumulate over time. The bigger problem is: What about the people who live in disadvantaged communities where residents may live in small, poorly ventilated spaces with older gas stoves? For decades, gas stoves have been marketed as superior for culinary performance, but the cost may be far steeper than anyone has ever realized. With alternatives now widely available, it may be the time to reconsider what we bring into our kitchen; after all, safety begins at home. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice.
