Integrating critical infrastructure systems more and more tightly by making them all digital and dependent on digital infrastructure increases the risk of catastrophic failure cascades. The risk profile has a phase transition with respect to increasing interconnectivity that, once crossed, makes such failure cascades comparatively highly likely.
The effect is not unlike nuclear fission reactions, which require a certain density of fissile material before they'll be self-sustaining. An event that'd just sputter out at one density might become an out-of-control explosion at a slightly higher density. Likewise, what might be a small and isolated component fault at one level of connectivity could be a catastrophic cascading critical infrastructure failure at a slightly higher level of connectivity.
The possibility of cascading failures in the nuclear power system seems like something we should be putting considerable resources into avoiding, rather than actively courting.
In response to ‘Atoms for Algorithms:’ The Trump Administration’s Top Nuclear Scientists Think AI Can Replace Humans in Power Plants at 404 Media.
#IAEA #NuclearEnergy #AtomicEnergy #USEnergy #USDOE #nuclear #energy #AI #CriticalInfrastructure #FailureCascade
#USDOE
US Dept. of Energy (DoE) recently re-up'd a $625M investment to support the five National QIS Research Centers. These centers will now expand to include collaborations with over 50 academic institutions and 18 industry partners. The goal is to overcome key challenges in quantum computing, scale systems, and apply quantum technologies to real-world scientific problems.
Center renewals include: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Funds will be provided over the next five years, with an initial disbursement of $125M in Fiscal Year 2025 funding, contingent on congressional appropriations. https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-announces-625-million-advance-next-phase-national-quantum-information #USDoE #Quantum #QuantumComputing #QuantumTechnologies #DepartmentofEnergy #USGov #QIS #Funding
An email I received from Seminole County Public Schools (Seminole County, FL).
This administration can't end soon enough. 😠
Bộ Năng lượng Hoa Kỳ đã hủy bỏ 223 dự án năng lượng sạch, trong bối cảnh chính trị căng thẳng. Điều này gợi nhớ cho các chuyên gia trẻ về cách ngân sách và chính trị có thể ảnh hưởng đến năng lượng tái tạo. Liệu tương lai năng lượng sạch của Mỹ sẽ ra sao? #NăngLượngSạch #TáiTạo #NgânSách #ChínhTrị #USDOE https://ift.tt/XFx9EaW
Watertown School District Awaits Federal Funds, Superintendent Cites Delays
#KXLGNews #KXLGRadio991 #LiveandLocal #LocalNews #WatertownSD
#SouthDakota #USDOE #TitleFunds #news
Admit it, though - it's going to be funny when Trump releases the oil the same way he did the 2.2bil gallons of water from California's reservoirs. Half of Texas and Louisiana's land will just be covered in oil, and Trump will celebrate it as a win in "keeping the oil flowing".
https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2025/04/the-strategic-petroleum-reserve
"The Donald Trump administration has taken down the online application form for several popular student debt repayment plans, causing confusion among borrowers and likely creating complications for millions of Americans with outstanding loans.
"Those seeking payment plans are unable to access the applications for income-driven repayment plans (IDR), which cap what borrowers must pay each month at a percent of their earnings, as well as the online application to consolidate their loans on the US Department of Education website."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/27/trump-student-debt-save-program
Nanette Asimov: UC students sue feds over Elon Musk’s access to student loan data
"The University of California’s student government sued the U.S. Department of Education on Friday, accusing the office of illegally sharing the personal financial information of millions of student loan borrowers with Elon Musk and other private individuals who are not authorized to see the data."
#elonmusk #privacy #DOGE #USDOE #ucberkeley #berkeley #california
https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/uc-lawsuit-elon-musk-20154087.php
Well that’s a terse cancellation notice. 😄
I wonder if it signals anything for the initiative.
National School Safety Task Force School Safety Security Audit only system that meets the USDOE ‘Climate Assessment’ requirement https://buff.ly/4662wLD #schoolsafety #USDOE #securityaudit #safetyaudit
El Capitan, the world’s most powerful supercomputer, is here! Built by HPE & AMD under a $600M US DOE contract, it’s now dedicated to handling classified tasks. A game-changer for tech and national security. 🚀💻 #Supercomputing #ElCapitan #HPE #AMD #TechInnovation #NationalSecurity #AI #USDOE
The U.S. Department of Energy has allocated $428M to strengthen the nation's energy supply chain, with projects focusing on battery tech, low-carbon materials and more. #EnergyEfficiency #USDOE
https://supplychain360.io/energy-supply-chain-vulnerabilities-investment-american-technologies-workforce/
National School Safety Task Force School Safety Security Audit only system that meets the USDOE ‘Climate Assessment’ requirement https://buff.ly/4662wLD #schoolsafety #USDOE #securityaudit #safetyaudit
National School Safety Task Force School Safety Security Audit only system that meets the USDOE ‘Climate Assessment’ requirement https://buff.ly/4662wLD #schoolsafety #USDOE #securityaudit #safetyaudit
National School Safety Task Force School Safety Security Audit only system that meets the USDOE ‘Climate Assessment’ requirement https://buff.ly/4662wLD #schoolsafety #USDOE #securityaudit #safetyaudit
National School Safety Task Force School Safety Security Audit only system that meets the USDOE ‘Climate Assessment’ requirement https://buff.ly/4662wLD #schoolsafety #USDOE #securityaudit #safetyaudit
National School Safety Task Force School Safety Security Audit only system that meets the USDOE ‘Climate Assessment’ requirement https://buff.ly/4662wLD #schoolsafety #USDOE #securityaudit #safetyaudit
https://news.wisc.edu/first-plasma-marks-major-milestone-in-uw-madison-fusion-energy-research/
…@uwmadisonphysics…constructing and testing fusion energy device known as #WHAM (Wisconsin HTS Axisymmetric Mirror)…transitioned to operations mode, a major milestone for the yearslong #research project that’s received support from #USDoE.
“The outlook for #decarbonizing our energy sector is just much higher with fusion than anything else,” so Cary Forest, @UWMadisonphysics prof… “#FirstPlasma is a crucial first step for us in that direction.”
National School Safety Task Force School Safety Security Audit only system that meets the USDOE ‘Climate Assessment’ requirement https://buff.ly/4662wLD #schoolsafety #USDOE #securityaudit #safetyaudit
National School Safety Task Force School Safety Security Audit only system that meets the USDOE ‘Climate Assessment’ requirement https://buff.ly/4662wLD #schoolsafety #USDOE #securityaudit #safetyaudit
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