Technology

Why blackouts are dangerous to Ukraine’s nuclear sites

Published

3 years ago

March 11, 2022

Why blackouts are dangerous to Ukraine’s nuclear sites

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is more and more threatening the very important connections between Ukraine’s nuclear energy vegetation and the electrical grid. The nuclear websites depend on exterior electrical energy to maintain vital security programs working — however these hyperlinks are fraying as reviews are available in about energy strains broken through the battle.

Gas at nuclear websites generates great warmth. With out cooling programs, which usually depend on an exterior energy supply to run, that gasoline might soften down and catastrophically launch radioactive supplies. There are a number of layers of backup programs that would wish to fail for such a worst-case situation to go down. However preventing and energy losses in Ukraine have specialists more and more anxious concerning the nation’s nuclear websites in the long term. The continued battle has additionally affected radiation monitoring, communications, and long-term upkeep and cleanup efforts at nuclear energy vegetation throughout Ukraine.

“Though the hazard will not be acute proper now, the regular degradation of security assist programs [at Chernobyl] is a rising concern,” Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear energy security on the Union of Involved Scientists, wrote in an e-mail to The Verge.

Chernobyl, the location of the worst nuclear energy plant catastrophe in historical past, misplaced energy yesterday after transmission strains failed. Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine’s largest working energy plant and the location of an alarming hearth final week, has additionally suffered harm to 2 of 4 energy strains that offer energy to the station.

Fortunately, up to now, the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company (IAEA) reported that it “sees no vital affect on security” on account of the facility loss to Chernobyl. Zaporizhzhia has not misplaced energy, however circumstances there have grown extra worrisome within the six days because it was seized by Russian troops.

Disruption to any nuclear website’s energy provide is trigger for concern. Electrical energy from the grid is without doubt one of the “indispensable pillars of nuclear security” that the IAEA outlined for Ukraine final week. Electrical energy retains gasoline at secure temperatures, stopping a meltdown. And it powers key upkeep and monitoring programs for radioactive supplies. Listed here are three main parts at Ukraine’s nuclear websites that want to remain powered up:

Cooling Swimming pools

Russian forces seized Chernobyl quickly after it started its invasion of Ukraine in late February. The websites’ largest vulnerability since then, specialists inform The Verge, is a cooling pool for spent gasoline. It holds a lot of the gasoline from three shuttered reactors that stored working lengthy after the fourth reactor on the plant exploded in 1986.

Even spent gasoline can generate sufficient warmth to set off a disastrous meltdown, so it’s normally stored in cooling swimming pools for years. Such swimming pools usually depend on an out of doors energy supply to pump water forwards and backwards from the pool — protecting the water surrounding the spent gasoline cool and clear. That additionally prevents the water from evaporating and exposing the gasoline it’s supposed to guard.

Fortunately, Chernobyl’s cooling pool is probably going secure for now whatever the energy outage, specialists say, as a result of the gasoline it holds has had lots of time to chill down. “The warmth load of the spent gasoline storage pool and the amount of cooling water contained within the pool is ample to take care of efficient warmth removing with out the necessity for electrical provide,” the IAEA mentioned in an announcement on March third after Chernobyl misplaced partial energy.

Zaporizhzhia additionally has cooling ponds. A hearth broke out on the plant on March 4th after the nuclear energy plant was shelled, in what some officers described as the primary time a functioning nuclear energy plant has ever been attacked. The fireplace was ultimately put out, and there was no harm to the nuclear reactors’ security programs, in accordance with the IAEA. However IAEA Director Basic Rafael Mariano Grossi mentioned it was a “shut name.” Both shelling or an uncontrolled hearth might sever the plant’s connections to the grid.

Chernobyl’s Sarcophagus

The stays of the reactor that blew up at Chernobyl is one other concern. It’s encased by an enormous metal dome that was accomplished in 2017. That $1.7 billion construction was constructed to exchange a decaying “sarcophagus” that was swiftly constructed after the 1986 catastrophe to sequester 200 metric tons of radioactive materials that is still. A air flow system contained in the dome, which wants electrical energy, prevents the sort of corrosion that ate away at what’s left of the reactor and outdated sarcophagus, according to Claire Corkhill, chair in nuclear materials degradation at The College of Sheffield.

Ukraine’s nationwide energy grid operator, Ukrenergo, has referred to as for a ceasefire round Chernobyl in order that it will probably restore transmission strains and restore energy from the grid. The location has diesel turbines with sufficient gasoline for the location’s operations to final for 48 hours, however that point is starting to expire.

“From each day, we’re seeing a worsening scenario on the Chernobyl NPP, particularly for radiation security, and for the employees managing the power beneath extraordinarily troublesome and difficult circumstances,” Grossi mentioned in a March ninth assertion. “I repeat my pressing enchantment to the forces in efficient management of the plant to respect inner radiation safety procedures, to facilitate the secure rotation of employees and to take different essential steps to make sure security.”

Lively reactors

Grossi additionally referred to as consideration to worsening circumstances at Zaporizhzhia. “That is one other instance of the place the security pillar to safe off-site energy provide from the grid for all nuclear websites has been compromised,” he mentioned. As an energetic energy plant, the gasoline there — each in its reactors and cooling ponds for spent supplies — is hotter than at Chernobyl. That makes it much more essential for its cooling programs to be linked to the grid.

There are nonetheless two remaining excessive voltage energy strains, plus one other standby line, that join Zaporizhzhia to the grid. Zaporizhzhia normally provides about 20 % of Ukraine’s electrical energy. Now, simply two of the plant’s six nuclear reactors are producing energy. Different reactors have been shut down as a security measure — they’ll require much less water for cooling however nonetheless want some exterior energy supply to run their cooling programs. That’s one more reason why a dependable grid is essential for nuclear energy vegetation — they will’t depend on their very own energy when their reactors shut down.

Wrangling nuclear energy in a battle zone was all the time going to be difficult, however to make issues even trickier, Ukraine usually will get about half of its electrical energy from nuclear energy vegetation. That raises the stakes of protecting Ukraine’s nuclear energy vegetation secure and operational.

That is the primary time battle has damaged out in a spot with an influence grid so reliant on nuclear power, in accordance with the IAEA.

Technology

Trump asks the Supreme Court to let him rescue TikTok

Published

7 hours ago

December 27, 2024

Press Room

Trump asks the Supreme Court to let him rescue TikTok

President-elect Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to let him negotiate a deal to save TikTok from an imminent US ban.

In an amicus brief filed to the court, Trump says he “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office,” and that he “alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform.”

Last week, the Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments that a bill passed by Congress banning TikTok on national security grounds violates the First Amendment. The bill gives wide latitude to the president to delay its enforcement if there’s progress being made towards a deal that ensures TikTok isn’t fully controlled by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.

But the deadline for that determination is January 19th, which is one day before Trump is set to be sworn in.

In his Supreme Court filing, Trump asks for the bill’s January 19th deadline to be stayed, arguing that the deal he’d negotiate “would obviate the need for this Court to decide the historically challenging First Amendment question presented here on the current, highly expedited basis.”

He offers no details on what said deal would look like, though it would likely have to involve ByteDance selling a signification portion of its ownership in TikTok to an American company.

Trump argues that having over 14 million followers on TikTok, along with his ownership of Truth Social, gives him unique ability to “evaluate TikTok’s importance as a unique medium for freedom of expression, including core political speech.” He also cites Brazil’s temporary ban of Elon Musk’s X as an example of “the historic dangers presented” by a government banning a social media platform.

There’s still plenty of political pressure to enforce a TikTok ban, however. A group of senators and congressmen, including Mitch McConnell and Ro Khanna, filed petitions on Friday, joined by 22 U.S. states and former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, urging the Supreme Court to reject TikTok’s appeal.

Technology

Scammers are targeting teens with these nasty tricks

Published

7 hours ago

December 27, 2024

Press Room

Scammers are targeting teens with these nasty tricks

A 14-year-old committed suicide after following the advice of an AI chatbot. Another family is suing the same one — Character AI — after it told an autistic 14-year-old to kill his parents. It also exposed an 11-year-old to sexual content.

These stories are heavy reminders that young people are especially vulnerable on the internet, but AI isn’t the only thing targeting them.

HOW TO (KINDLY) ASK PEOPLE NOT TO POST YOUR KIDS’ PHOTOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The fine folks at the FBI’s crime division say teens lost 2,500% more money to scams over a recent five-year stretch. Compare that to an 805% increase for seniors, which is still not great, but at least it’s not 2,500%.

So, why teens? Because thieves have more ways than ever to target them. Talk to anyone in your circle born between 1996 and 2010 about this. It’s a big deal.

I share smart tech news and tips you can use every single day. Join 600K readers who get The Current.

The most prevalent scams and tricks

Under the influence: Say a kiddo in your family idolizes an online influencer. That person is so easy to impersonate. All a fraudster has to do is set up a phony account that looks real, run a contest and trick “winners” into handing over their personal details (or more) to claim their (nonexistent) prizes. Done and done.

This file photo shows someone checking his smartphone in Glenview, Ill. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

Pro tip: Stick to “official” influencer accounts with substantial follower counts. A smaller account is almost always a scammer, not some secret one. And never give financial info or money to someone via DM.

‘Hey there, handsome’: This is a classic for a reason. Scammers grab pictures of an attractive teen or 20-something and play digital Casanovas. All too soon, they profess their love — then comes the request for money, gifts or info.

Pro tip: Try a reverse image search to see if those pics pop up elsewhere online. If the person refuses to video call or meet you in person, it’s a bad sign.

RELATED: Deepfakes are so easy to make. Talk to your kids.

‘Send me a photo’: This is the dangerous intersection of smartphones, sexting and scammers. Someone shares sexy pictures and asks for some in return. As soon as the victim sends a pic or video, everything changes.

AI EXPERT: CHATGPT PROMPTS YOU’LL WISH YOU KNEW SOONER

The person on the other end is now blackmailing them. Pay up or they’ll share the content with everyone the victim knows. Think about how horrifying that would be at any age, but especially as a teenager. I spoke to a family that lost their son to suicide after this happened to him. Such a heartbreaking story, and they’re not alone; this is way too common.

Pro tip: Talk to your kids about sending pictures to others online. Urge them to never share anything explicit, even with someone they know in person and trust. It’s just not worth it.

‘You won!’ … Not”: This one targets younger teens. A thief tricks them into revealing credit card details or downloading malware under the guise of rewards in their favorite game.

Social media apps are pictured on a smartphone. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Pro tip: This one’s easy. Only ever buy apps or make in-app purchases through an official app store — no trades and nothing “private.”

So, what can you do?

The internet is an incredible resource for learning, creativity and fun, but let’s not sugarcoat it: there are dangers out there. Scammers and predators have become experts at manipulation, and kids can easily fall victim. The most important thing you can do as a parent? Foster open, honest communication.

When my son was younger, I shared age-appropriate stories about what he might encounter online. We talked about the risks in a way he could understand. He knew that if anything or anyone made him feel uncomfortable, he should come to me immediately, no questions asked.

DO THIS WITH YOUR FAMILY VIDEOS BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

That’s the foundation: trust. Kids need to know that they won’t get in trouble for being fooled. Today’s online predators are sneaky, and scammers know exactly how to win a child’s trust. If your child is targeted, it’s never their fault.

Here’s my free tech safety contract you both can sign if you’re not sure where to start the conversation around tech limits.

Action plan for parents

Remember when you had a fake driver’s license or told a little white lie to get what you wanted? Kids have ways around parental controls and are smart enough to spin the birth year wheel when signing up to get around age restrictions.

A mother and teenage daughter are seen using a smartphone. (iStock)

RELATED: Best apps and gadgets to monitor your kid (from preschool to teens)

Set clear ground rules for screen time and device use, and keep the conversation going as they grow. A few simple steps to take:

Have the passcode to their phone: You need access to everything at any time. Even if you don’t pop in much, they need to know you can.
Set limits: Use built-in app controls to monitor their time spent in the apps and tools like content filters to limit their exposure to inappropriate material.
“Friend” or “Follow” them: Stay connected on social media to see their circle and interactions. Without open dialogue, they’ll find ways around you.
Know the special settings: On Snapchat, Instagram and YouTube, you can connect to your child’s account.

The best protection is being your child’s go-to resource for help and guidance. Let your kids know you’re there, ready to listen, no matter what. That’s the real safety net.

Get tech-smarter on your schedule

Award-winning host Kim Komando is your secret weapon for navigating tech.

Technology

2024’s best games channeled the heart and soul of the ‘90s

Published

17 hours ago

December 27, 2024

Press Room

2024’s best games channeled the heart and soul of the ‘90s

In 2024, we gamed like it was 1997. Games like Metaphor: ReFantazio, Astro Bot, and the solo-developed Balatro remixed genres of console generations past (or, in Balatro’s case, remixed the very old game of poker itself) to critical and commercial success, while Capcom was one of the most successful companies of the year supported by a healthy mix of titles across different genres. With the industry’s biggest publishers increasingly chasing massive, broadly appealing games meant to be played forever, it was heartening to see old formats come back with some new tricks. And these successes could provide the blueprint needed to pull the video game industry out of its current tailspin.

Persona developer Atlus has once again innovated on the turn-based RPG with Metaphor: ReFantazio. What makes Metaphor’s combat interesting in a way that’s hard to replicate with traditional turn-based RPGs is that Atlus has built a unique ability system powered by anticipation and anxiety. Characters have access to powerful summons, each with their own abilities, along with strengths and weaknesses that enemies also share. Hitting an enemy’s weakness or having your own exploited results in monumental shifts in the momentum of battle. Every attack becomes consequential, as you don’t know what will work against your foes or what they have to work against you.

Atlus has built a unique ability system powered by anticipation and anxiety.

Despite dominating with games like Final Fantasy in the late ’80s and through the ’90s, turn-based RPGs have largely been left behind. (With the notable exception of the Dragon Quest series, which consistently sells beaucoup copies in Japan.) Modern tastes have evolved to prefer the active, frenetic, and combo-dependent combat of the action RPG over the passive, implied action of turn-based games. But through the Persona series, and now with Metaphor, Atlus has proven it is uniquely equipped to make turn-based RPGs feel just as kinetic and engaging as their action-based cousins.

The poker roguelike Balatro is perhaps the game that best represents the success that can be had by melding old genres with new features. Roguelikes can be a difficult sell, especially to players unfamiliar with the genre. To get them to stick, players not only have to be okay with the idea of failure as progression but also have to be invested enough in the game’s wider world to want to keep playing through it multiple times. For every Hades, there are hundreds of games on digital storefronts that blur together into smears of generic fantasy dungeon crawlers.

[Balatro is] catnip for the players who can’t resist “number go up.”

One of the reasons Balatro became an instant success was because it didn’t have that hurdle. Poker is known all over the world and hasn’t really changed much in the centuries since its invention. Balatro took advantage of that familiarity and combined it with great humor and an ingenious progression system that made it catnip for the players who can’t resist “number go up.” More than that, Balatro feels more permissive than its roguelike cousins. The best runs in Hades are typically the result of lucking into specific boons or items, whereas Balatro is lousy with jokers, card modifiers, perks, and more that make scores get stupid fast. Balatro took home a slew of Game Awards, and it probably would have won Game of the Year if not for that one meddling robot.

Speaking of… perhaps the biggest example of 2024’s Return trend is Astro Bot. Developed by Team Asobi, Astro Bot is a full-sized, standalone expansion of the PS5 pack-in game Astro’s Playroom that takes the little robot’s adventures beyond the confines of the PS5 console and into the wider universe. At its core, though, Astro Bot is a mascot platformer reminiscent of the games from PlayStation’s earliest days like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon. Indeed, Astro Bot pays homage to those very characters, featuring them as robots to rescue along with other characters from PlayStation’s 30-year history.

Astro Bot is stuffed with so many items and secrets to collect. That kind of mechanic can get tedious in games suited to “modern” tastes like Assassin’s Creed, as finding things feels no better than ticking off a box in the slow march to 100 percent completion. But each of Astro’s powers — like the dog jetpack or the shrinking mouse — inject whimsy into the act of collecting. And when I do find a secret, I’m rewarded with a little celebration of cheering bots that somehow never gets old.

Mascot platformers fell out of favor, especially with PlayStation studios, despite initial success. Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch have transitioned away from the lightheartedness of Crash Bandicoot and Sly Cooper to make “serious” games for “mature” audiences, and PlayStation’s recent catalog reflects that overall trend. Astro Bot is an outlier in form and tone and parlayed that uniqueness into a shower of accolades. It would be such a missed opportunity if Sony didn’t respond to that success with similar projects.

When I do find a secret, I’m rewarded with a little celebration of cheering bots that somehow never gets old.

Over the last two years, prolific layoffs and studio closures have left tens of thousands of developers unemployed, in large part because companies spent too much money on getting bigger or developing huge, expensive games that may have made sense years ago but no longer do. Companies dumped hundreds of millions of dollars and considerable development resources into the next live-service shooter in hopes of replicating Fortnite and Call of Duty’s runaway success and profits. But as those games continue to top the monthly video game spending charts, refreshed by a steady cadence of new content, the idea that a newcomer like XDefiant could compete at that same level becomes increasingly remote. This leaves studios with an expensive product nobody wants to play, along with a pipeline of upcoming games too sparse to make up the difference.

But the way out of this precipitous (and avoidable) decline doesn’t necessarily mean giving up on the big multiplayer or open-world projects. Capcom, for example, has proven that “por qué no los dos” can be a winning strategy. The company has boasted record profits the last seven years with a diverse catalog composed of heavy hitters like Monster Hunter, Resident Evil remakes, and Street Fighter, along with smaller, weirder games like Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Kunitsu-gami: Path of The Goddess. Contrast that with Square Enix reporting less-than-expected profits after it failed to make Foamstars happen on top of releasing three different AAA Final Fantasy titles in a 12-month period. Capcom has the right idea and is doubling down on it, stating that it plans on “re-activating dormant IPs that haven’t had a new title launch recently” after revealing new entries in its Okami and Onimusha series.

But more than just appealing to gamer nostalgia, these success stories — which also extend to survival horror and Metroidvanias — offer a healthier alternative to the trends the big publishers and studios are pursuing. (Nintendo, of course, is always exempt from these generalizations.) While there will always be an appetite for big online shooters or bespoke open-world games with hours of Hollywood-acted voice and motion performance, these breakout releases of 2024 prove (or should at least remind decision-makers) that there is so much worth to also be found in smaller, quirkier, and most importantly, cheaper projects. If the big publishers want to staunch the bleeding of the last two miserable years, they could take the lessons Capcom, Balatro, Metaphor, and Astro Bot provide.