Tech industry urges adaptation of a ‘Digital Geneva Convention’

Cyber attacks on civilians are becoming increasingly common in our ultra-connected world. There is also a looming threat of cyber-based incidents infringing on physical infrastructure, causing even more tangible damage. As a result, these types of attacks are being weaponized by nations and the increasing gravity of these attacks continues to blur the lines between war, peacetime and diplomacy. A coordinated attack known as "Stuxnet" is perhaps one of the most notable examples of this phenomenon. As part of a joint project between Israel and the United States, multiple iterations of the virus sought to disrupt the nuclear armament process of Iran. The program is famously estimated to have set back the Iranian nuclear program by two years after damaging equipment without detection and frustrating engineers. The idea behind this was, had a nuclear deal with Iran fallen through, the allies would have options to avoid full-on warfare.

Sustained algae blooms in Florida impacting ‘health, economy and ecology’

Both inland and on the coast, Florida is dealing with Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) this summer. Since early June, NOAA satellites have monitored a bloom of blue-green algae (a misnomer, as it is not algae but cyanobacteria) in Lake Okeechobee, Florida’s largest lake. At one point this summer, the bloom covered 90 percent of the lake’s surface. Scientists believe that Hurricane Irma is partly to blame for the massive bloom, as the heavy rains flushed nutrients from the surrounding land into the lake. Other factors that may increase the intensity of blooms include the warmer waters induced by climate change.