Background Abstract: The biological warfare (BW) capabilities of state and nonstate actors are growing worldwide. This trend leads us to believe that the risk of an attack against the United States, its interests and allies will increase in the corning years. In addition, the United States would be affected by the use of BW agents anywhere in the world a strong possibility in the years ahead. Washington probably would be called upon to help contain conflicts or deal wit.h a terrorist attack in which biological agents were used–either overtly or covertly-or to provide scientific expertise and humanitarian assistance to deal with their…
Author: John Greenewald
Background The Dugway Sheep Incident, also known as the Skull Valley Sheep Kill, is a notorious event that took place in 1968. On March 13, the U.S. Army’s Dugway Proving Ground in Utah was testing nerve gas when, reportedly due to an accident, a jet sprayed VX, a potent nerve gas, over a large area off-course from its intended target. This incident led to the death of approximately 6,000 sheep grazing in Skull Valley, an area located around 30 miles from the proving grounds. Symptoms such as convulsions suggested nerve gas poisoning, but the Army initially denied any connection with…
Background This instruction implements Air Force Policy Directive (AFPD) 91-4, Directed Energy Weapons. It provides the requirements for Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) safety certification and guidance for establishing an operational DEW safety program. This instruction applies to all acquisition programs and operational organizations that test, evaluate, train, operate, maintain, store, or decommission DEW systems, including the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard (ANG). This instruction also applies to Air Force research and development organizations when research efforts are ready to transition to an end user; this includes Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) programs identified as solutions for rapid…
Background According to NASA: “The NASA Scientific and Technical Information (STI) Program was established to support the objectives of NASA’s missions and research. The Mission of the STI Program is to support the advancement of aerospace knowledge and contribute to U.S. competitiveness in aerospace research and development. This program is essential to help NASA avoid duplication of research by sharing information and to ensure that the U.S. maintains its preeminence in aerospace-related industries and education. The NASA STI Program acquires, processes, archives, announces, and disseminates NASA STI and acquires worldwide STI of critical importance to NASA and the Nation.” In…
Background A collaborative effort has been established formally between SRI International in Menlo Park, California, and ENEA (Frascati) in Italy. In addition to providing a framework for an International replication effort, this collaboration is intended to focus the complementary skills of the two laboratories on carefully selected problems ofPd/D studies. Researchers are attempting to test and demonstrate the cross-laboratory replicability of gas phase Pd/D excess heat, helium and tritium observations. Similar facilities are being established in both countries to allow on-line determination of heat effects correlated with 4He, and ultimately 3He measurements from so called “Case” experiment involving the application…