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Robert Manning has no doubts that a convergence of technologies including robotics, 3D printing, synthetic biology and Big Data are bringing about a new economic revolution. By severing the link between productivity and employment, however, they will also introduce dramatic social, political and strategic changes. More
Is 3D printing eventually going to exceed the Internet in its economic impact? Nayef Al-Rodhan thinks so, and in doing so it's also going to transform our societies, our freedoms and our sense of security. More
In 2010, scientists successfully engineered a bacterial cell in a laboratory. According to Laurie Garrett, this breakthrough has provoked a revolution in synthetic biology that is sure to be a great boon to humanity and also one of its greatest security threats. More
'Big data' has the potential to transform lives and how we do business. Banning Garrett warns that it will also compromise our privacy and security. That's why governments must play a leading role in shaping the rules and requirements that will guide the use of this technology. More
Artificial photosynthesis technologies should enable us to address three urgent challenges reducing carbon dioxide emissions, increasing fuel security, and providing a sustainable global economy. Unfortunately, Thomas Faunce and others argue, the technology remains absent from public policy agendas. More
// Security Watch
How Disarmament in Africa Got More Complicated
18 November 2013
The best way to regulate small arms and light weapons in Africa is to limit other countries' export opportunities, right? Wrong, says Robert Muggah. Not only is there a mountain of weapons left over from previous conflicts on the continent, local actors are now more than capable of manufacturing their own. More
The political tug of war over the resource rich and ethnically diverse region of Kirkuk is partly responsible for the recent upsurge in violence across Iraq. Worse still, writes Derek Henry Flood, the tug of war might impact the future integrity of the entire Iraqi state. More
What does Latin America need to do if it wants to revive the economic growth it experienced prior to the 2008 financial crisis? According to Ernesto Talvi and Ignacio Munyo, the region's policymakers need to promote growth from within instead of waiting for assistance from abroad. More
China is the only NPT state that is increasing the size of its nuclear forces. Worse still, writes Richard Weitz, Beijing may be about to change its 'no first use' policy, which may require Washington to adjust its strategic dialogue with this modernizing power. More
The recent visit of three US cabinet secretaries to Malaysia suggests that relations between Washington and Kuala Lumpur are healthy. Prashanth Parameswaran thinks, however, that their ties could be even better. Today, he outlines how both sides can take their partnership to the next level. More
// Blog
Asia's Middle Eastern Shadow
18 November 2013
Do the security landscapes of the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions have anything in common? Shlomo Ben-Ami believes so, which means the US needs to remember an important lesson as it shifts its attention to the East it's going to be just one power among many that will shape Asia's security environment. More
While the 'disease burden' in the developed world remains low, the story is less sanguine elsewhere. But this may soon change. Today, Elain Fu and Barry Lutz outline recent advances in microfluidics, which have the potential to radically transform health care in the developing world. More
Should we regard rising US arms sales to India as proof of the two countries' deepening defense ties? Brahma Chellany is unconvinced. He thinks that the purchases merely underline New Delhi's dependency on arms exports, which suites Washington just fine. More
When it comes to the food security debate, Jeremy Oppenheim and Tristram Stuart argue that focusing on the supply side misses the point. Since there is enough food available, the real challenge is to develop policies and initiatives that fix the demand side of the equation. More
The CFR's Richard Haass believes that there could be two very different 'Asian Centuries'. The first is a region that enjoys robust economic growth and friendly relations. The other is far less palatable it features slow economic growth, increased tensions and rising military budgets. More
// Video
Does Technology Lead to Tyranny?
In this video, three legal experts grapple with what is the question of the day -- i.e., if new technologies have drastically improved the government's ability to gather data on individuals, what is the right balance between preserving privacy and fulfilling the law enforcement requirements of the state? More
Coming Up
Next week, we consider how the Post-China 16 states may impact upon geopolitics and security over the coming years.
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