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FAS Public Interest Report
The Journal of the Federation of American Scientists
Fall 2004
Volume 57, Number 4
FAS Home | Download PDF | PIR Archive

Why Battles Are Won

We excerpt Military Power: Explaining Victory and Defeat in Modern Battle by Stephen Biddle, which asks: What determines the outcomes of battles? Are high technology weapons as decisive as most people now believe? More...


Major Grants Expand FAS Contribution to Learning Science

Four major grants announced this fall will help the FAS Learning Federation develop some of the new approaches to learning called for in its national vision or Roadmap. More...

A Good Defense Won’t Win the Bioterrorism War

The trouble with Project BioShield is it invests in technical solutions to detect known agents and to treat known threats. More...


Advocates Likely to Try for New Nuclear Weapon Funds — Again

The FAS believes it is vital to block attempts to restore funding for nuclear weapons that we do not need and that fuel proliferation pressures around the world. More...

How to Fix a “Dangerously Broken” System of Science Advice

The need for effective science and technology advice continues to increase while the infrastructure for providing such help is in a state of crisis. More...


Poliovirus Synthesis: Case Study of Dual-Use Research

The FAS Biosecurity Project is developing course materials to teach graduate students in life sciences about their responsibility to mitigate the risks that their research could be misappropriated for biological weapons. More...

Congress Funds Steps toward DO IT Learning Technology Entity

The Federation of American Scientists congratulates its partner Digital Promise on a second round of congressional funding for activities leading to creation of the Digital Opportunity Investment Trust or DO IT. More...


Space — FAS Redefines the Threats

This year could finally see a public debate about whether the United States should weaponize space. More...

50 Years Ago, Scientists Clarified the Threat

"We simply cannot afford to defend against all possible threats. We must know accurately where the threat is coming from and concentrate our resources in that direction." More...


Opinion

Why Games?

by Kay Howell

There is a groundswell of interest among veteran game developers and many learning scientists who believe the future of learning may be well served by video games. More...

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