Technology & Innovation

Mini sonar for underwater drones

Miniaturised sonar allows underwater drones to detect submarines without large platforms. This widens sensing coverage, cuts cost, and enables persistent monitoring—changing how underwater spaces are watched, protected, and contested.

Strategic Influence

China holds warning exercises around Taiwan

Large-scale drills signal intent through pressure and timing—testing responses, shaping perceptions, and raising regional risk. Meanwhile, economic ties and crisis channels remain strained under competing claims and external arms support.

Military History

Biscotti once fed Roman navies and Christopher Columbus’s expeditions

Hard, twice-baked biscotti once sustained fleets for months at sea—its long shelf life, simple ingredients, and scale of production show how logistics, food preservation, and coordination underpinned exploration, trade, and naval power.

Strategic Influence

Conflicts to Watch in 2026

Surveyed experts expect conflict risks to stay high in 2026. Middle East and Ukraine sit at the top. China–Taiwan and Russia–NATO remain high-consequence risks. The report also flags where early, practical prevention could still work.

Air & Space Power

Autopilot Autonomously Lands Plane After Cabin Loses Pressure, for the First Time Ever

An autonomous landing system safely handled a real emergency after cabin pressurisation failed—showing how trusted automation can reduce risk, manage complexity, and preserve human decision space when seconds matter.

Technology & Innovation

5 incredible aerospace breakthroughs in 2025

Aerospace innovation surged in 2025. New sensors, materials, propulsion, and space missions reshaped how humans observe, travel, and operate above Earth—improving efficiency, speed, and access while accelerating the shift toward commercial and cooperative exploration.

Strategic Influence

The Great Aid Recession: 2025’s Humanitarian Crash in Nine Charts

Global humanitarian aid collapsed in 2025. Funding fell sharply as conflicts and climate shocks grew. Millions lost support. Aid workers faced record danger—showing how political retreat can rapidly turn crisis into catastrophe.

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Technology & Innovation

Mini sonar for underwater drones

Miniaturised sonar allows underwater drones to detect submarines without large platforms. This widens sensing coverage, cuts cost, and enables persistent monitoring—changing how underwater spaces are watched, protected, and contested.

Strategic Influence

China holds warning exercises around Taiwan

Large-scale drills signal intent through pressure and timing—testing responses, shaping perceptions, and raising regional risk. Meanwhile, economic ties and crisis channels remain strained under competing claims and external arms support.

Strategic Influence

Conflicts to Watch in 2026

Surveyed experts expect conflict risks to stay high in 2026. Middle East and Ukraine sit at the top. China–Taiwan and Russia–NATO remain high-consequence risks. The report also flags where early, practical prevention could still work.

Military History

Biscotti once fed Roman navies and Christopher Columbus’s expeditions

Hard, twice-baked biscotti once sustained fleets for months at sea—its long shelf life, simple ingredients, and scale of production show how logistics, food preservation, and coordination underpinned exploration, trade, and naval power.

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