Male births have been in decline for decades, while researchers say developmental genital damage from chemical exposure can become hereditable. Endocrine Disruptors Sabotage the Male Fetus In the dark warmth of the womb, a miracle unfolds silently and inexorably. An unrecognizable glom of cells begins to take shape according to a master plan laid down eons ago. The tiny mass that will soon form a priceless treasure burgeons into human form with fingers, toes, and a minuscule nose. It is female, and only nature can read the instructions that determine whether the being remains female or transforms into a male. The evolution of this minute universe parallels that of our immeasurable one, a big bang followed by unceasing organization of shape and form using the impetus of that force. Whether our boundless universe has proceeded according to plan may be a theoretic issue. Whether this tiny universe follows its own plan is a chemical one….Read More
Cyber Warfare? Air Force Kept Silent on Possible Russian Attack Against “Secret Drone Support Network”
Officially, they aren’t admitting anything. Unofficially, the possibility that Russia or some independent hacking group caused the failure is clear to most observers, and a great worry to the military leaders and politicians running the system. It wasn’t just some glitch, and it wasn’t an insignificant system that went offline. The DoD’s secret computer network, SIPRNet, which serves as a support network for classified intelligence on drone targets, as well as target location data, was interrupted. And during the time period when the system interference occurred, a number of drone strikes went wrong. The problem was only noticed after-the-fact, but was later attributed as a possible source of the operational failures throughout the Middle East region – including Syria. But nothing is proven. Read More
‘Drone’ hits British Airways plane approaching Heathrow Airport
A plane approaching Heathrow Airport is believed to have hit a drone before it landed safely, the Metropolitan Police has said. The British Airways flight from Geneva was hit as it approached the London airport at about 12:50 BST with 132 passengers and five crew on board. After landing, the pilot reported an object – believed to be a drone – had struck the front of the Airbus A320. Aviation police based at Heathrow have launched an investigation. Police said no arrests have been made. If confirmed, it is believed to be the first incident of its kind in the UK. Read Article
US prepares to hunt enemy submarines with giant sea drone
Pentagon’s research agency DARPA has beefed up the US underwater warfare capabilities by launching a futuristic autonomous drone, designed to hunt down stealthy, silent enemy submarines. The surface anti-submarine Sea Hunter, part of the ACTUV program, has already completed speed tests where it reached a top speed of 27 knots (50 km/h). A fleet of such drones could join the US Navy by 2018, with engineering company Leidos citing an “underwater arms race” ‒ fueled by low-cost Russian diesel-electric submarines ‒ as one reason for its development. Read Article
Isis plotting to use drones for nuclear attack on West
Isil terrorists are planning to use drones to spray nuclear material over Western cities in a horrific “dirty bomb” attack, David Cameron has warned. World leaders are concerned that jihadists want to buy basic drones that are widely available online to transport radioactive material into the heart of major cities in a strike that could kill thousands. The Prime Minister warned that the dangers of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) getting hold of nuclear material was “only too real”. Mr Cameron on Friday met world leaders, including the presidents of America, France and China, to plan how they would react to such an attack. Read Article
Secret SKYBORG Pentagon Development Includes ‘Avatar’ Fighters, Drone Swarms
High over Alaska last summer, the Pentagon experimented with new, secret prototypes: Micro-drones that can be launched from the flare dispensers of moving F-16s and F/A-18 fighter jets. Canisters containing the tiny aircraft descended from the jets on parachutes before breaking open, allowing wings on each drone to swing out and catch the wind. Inch-wide propellers on the back provided propulsion as they found one another and created a swarm […] And some plans are extremely ambitious: One new project not previously reported is called Avatar, and calls for the Pentagon to pair high-tech “fifth-generation” fighter jets like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with unmanned versions of older jets like the F-16 Fighting Falcon or F/A-18 Hornet, which would be flown without a pilot for the first time. The Avatar effort was previously called SKYBORG …Read More
Pentagon admits it has deployed military spy drones over the U.S.
The Pentagon has deployed drones to spy over U.S. territory for non-military missions over the past decade, but the flights have been rare and lawful, according to a new report. The report by a Pentagon inspector general, made public under a Freedom of Information Act request, said spy drones on non-military missions have occurred fewer than 20 times between 2006 and 2015 and always in compliance with existing law. The report, which did not provide details on any of the domestic spying missions, said the Pentagon takes the issue of military drones used on American soil “very seriously.” A senior policy analyst for the ACLU, Jay Stanley, said it is good news no legal violations were found, yet the technology is so advanced that it’s possible laws may require revision. Read More
