<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c05a5870e2bf854b7387d6c-2400/7090840015459ea95f18o.jpg" border="0" alt="The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97) transit in formation with Indian navy ships during Exercise Malabar 2012." data-mce-source="U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Evans/Released" data-mce-caption="The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97) transit in formation with Indian navy ships during Exercise Malabar 2012." /><p class="source"><span>U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Evans/Released</span></p><p class="caption">The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97) transit in formation with Indian navy ships during Exercise Malabar 2012.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>In age of great power competition in which adversarial powers are closing the gap in the undersea battlespace, the US military is looking to abundant ocean organisms for enhanced <keyword id="6354810" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="defense">defense</keyword>.</li><li>Researchers are looking at the potential military applications of genetically-modified sea creatures.</li><li>By modifying the genes of common ocean organisms to trigger a reaction when they come in contact with unnatural substances left behind by submarines, the US military may be able to use marine life to detect and track enemy subs.</li></ul><p>The US military is supporting research focused on genetically-engineering marine life for the purpose of tracking enemy submarines.</p><p>Research supported by the Naval Research Laboratory indicates that the genetic makeup of a relatively common sea organism could be modified to react in a detectable way to certain non-natural substances, such as metal or fuel, left behind by passing submarines, Defense One <a href="https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2018/12/us-military-genetically-engineering-new-life-forms-detect-enemy-subs/153200/?oref=d-channeltop&amp;utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=ebb%2003.12.18&amp;utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief">reports</a>.</p><p>If the reaction involves the loss of an electron, "<span>you can create an electrical signal when the bacteria encounters some molecule in their environment," Sarah Glaven, an NRL researcher, said at a November event hosted by the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, reportedly noting that the aim is to use this biotechnology to detect and track submarines.</span></p><p><span>"The reason we think we can accomplish this is because we have this vast database of info we've collected from growing these natural systems," she further articulated. "So after experiments where we look at switching gene potential, gene expression, regulatory networks, we are finding these sensors."</span></p><p><span>She said that hard evidence that this sort of biotechnology breakthrough is possible and capable of being used to serve the military is about a year away.</span></p><p><span>Earlier this year, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the research and development arm of the Pentagon, <a href="https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2018-02-02">revealed</a> a desire to harness marine organisms for the monitoring of strategic waterways.</span></p><p><span>"The US Navy's current approach to detecting and monitoring underwater vehicles is hardware-centric and resource intensive. As a result, the capability is mostly used at the tactical level to protect high-value assets like aircraft carriers, and less so at the broader strategic level," Lori Adornato, manager for the Persistent Aquatic Living Sensors (PALS) program, said in a statement.</span></p><p><span>"If we can tap into the innate sensing capabilities of living organisms that are ubiquitous in the oceans, we can extend our ability to track adversary activity and do so discreetly, on a persistent basis, and with enough precision to characterize the size and type of adversary vehicles."</span></p><p><span>As is, there is already a $45 million tri-service effort among Army, Navy, and Air Force researchers to use synthetic biology to advance US defense capabilities. "Our team is looking at ways we can reprogram cells that already exist in the environment to create environmentally friendly platforms for generating molecules and materials beneficial for defense needs," Dr. Claretta Sullivan, a research scientist at the Air Force Research Laboratory's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, <a href="https://www.wpafb.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1326042/tri-service-effort-leverages-synthetic-biology-expertise-to-address-future-warf/">explained</a> in a statement.</span></p><p><span>There are apparently similar programs going on across the branches looking at everything from undewater sensing to living camouflage.</span></p><p><span>The US is once again in an age of great power competition, according to the 2018 National Defense Strategy. It faces new threats from adversarial powers like China and Russia beneath the waves. "In the undersea domain, the margins to victory are razor thin," Adm. James G. Foggo III, the commander of US Naval Forces Europe-Africa, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navys-top-attack-subs-could-soon-launch-new-missiles-drones-2018-11">told</a> Pentagon reporters in October.</span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/serving-military-taught-beauty-youtuber-jackie-aina-2018-10">What serving in the military taught beauty YouTuber Jackie Aina</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/eyXakPOR-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

The US military wants to hunt enemy subs with genetically-engineered sea life

<p>Today's <keyword id="6391802" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="astronomy">Astronomy</keyword> Picture Of The Day, presented by NASA, is a great image of the <keyword id="24879" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Sun">sun</keyword> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hybrid-solar-eclipse-november-2013-2013-11">during the recent solar eclipse</a>.</p>
<p>Nothing really special is happening to the sun during a <keyword id="6699518" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Solar-Eclipse">solar eclipse</keyword>, the moon is just lined up with it, blocking most of the light radiating from our star.</p>
<p>But this composite view shows an image of the sun as it looked behind the moon, combined with the outflow of the <keyword id="45681" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Solar">solar</keyword> corona - the charged particles flowing out of the sun's surface. Those particles are what we can see during the eclipse when the actual mass of the star is obscured:</p>
<p><div class="image-container full"><div class="image"><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/52810308ecad048f6135bc87-1200-1200/eclipsesun_pasachoff_1500.png?maxX=800" border="0" alt="eclipsesun_pasachoff_1500" width="800" /><p class="source"><a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html">D. Seaton (ROB) &amp; J. M. Pasachoff (Williams College Eclipse Expedition), NRL, ESA, NASA, NatGeo</a></p></div></div>The <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html" target="_blank">Astronomy Picture of the Day site</a> says:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">The above resultant image is a picturesque montage of many <a href="http://fusedweb.llnl.gov/cpep/chart_pages/5.plasmas/sunlayers.html">solar layers</a> at once that allows <a href="http://www.soundandvision.com/images/100426-audience.jpg" class="hoverZoomLink">solar astronomers</a> to better match up active areas on or near the Sun's surface with <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap111005.html">outflowing jets</a> in the Sun's corona.</p>

This Is What The Sun Looks Like During A Solar Eclipse

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/4eb347dfecad04043700000c-1200-924/asx.jpg" border="0" alt="ASX Australia Stock Exchange Trader" /><p class="source"><span>AP</span></p><p class="caption">ASX</p></div><p></p></div></div>Good morning! It's a huge week ahead - here's what you need to know…</p>
<p>1. <span><strong>On the global front</strong> </span>it's a four-day week for the US with the July 4th holiday falling on Friday. This means the usual busy first week of the month is squeezed into four days, leading up to the jobs report on Thursday night - meaning the Asian markets will be trading on the data while it's still hot on Friday morning. This and other data this week, including the Chicago PMI tomorrow, should indicate <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com.au/economic-data-week-of-june-30-2014-6" target="_blank">whether the solid leading indicators of recent weeks really are pointing to the big upswing in the US economy </a>that we've been waiting for. Also on Thursday night, there's the ECB rate decision and Mario Draghi's accompanying press conference where we'll get an update on progress in Europe.</p>
<p>2. <span><strong>In Australia and Asia</strong> </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com.au/trader-diary-all-the-key-data-and-event-risks-this-week-v5-2014-6" target="_blank">we are also getting a flood of data</a>, including AiG PMI tomorrow, May retail sales on Thursday, and of course the RBA's decision on interest rates tomorrow. There's no change in the target cash rate expected but as usual the markets will be watching the governor's statement closely for any indications on shifts in the board's thinking on the economy's progress, especially the continuing strength of the dollar. This morning the battler was trading at US94.24c.</p>
<p>3. <strong>The retail sales data for May</strong> will be of particular interest in Australia: the month was an exceptionally warm start to the summer, and it was also the month of the spectacular fall in consumer confidence triggered by the federal budget. Several retailers have sounded warnings about the potential impact of the fiscal tightening on their business. A Bloomberg survey of economists late last week found the market expecting a rise of 0.1% for the month. We'll see on Thursday.</p>
<p>4. <span><strong>To the markets</strong> </span>and ASX futures are pointing to a slight rise on the open, after the US markets clawed their way into the black in Friday trade. The Dow was flat, the S&amp;P up 0.2% and the Nasdaq up 0.4%.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com.au/heres-your-20-second-guide-to-what-aussie-traders-will-be-talking-about-this-morning-v19-2014-6" target="_blank">The big move on Friday was in the Nikkei</a>, which fell almost 1.4% on Friday thanks to a big break in USDJPY triggered by strong May retail trade data and national CPI hitting 3.7%.</p>
<p>5. <span><strong>Tony Abbott's next policy challenge</strong> </span>will be dealing with a huge push from his backbenchers for a change to the Renewable Energy Target, which is currently under a review led by Dick Warburton. <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/coalition-mps-urge-sharp-cut-in-ret/story-e6frg6xf-1226971460917" target="_blank">The Australian reports this morning </a>that 25 Coalition MPs will write to Abbott urging him to consider dramatic revisions to the scheme which would exempt power-intensive industries. The RET current aims to have 20% of Australia's power requirements come from solar and wind by 2020.</p>
<p>6. <strong>Middle East power struggles</strong>. After the "Arab Spring", <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com.au/isis-response-to-the-arab-spring-2014-6" target="_blank">we now have "Jihadi Spring"</a>, with Libya devolving into lawlessness, Egypt reverting to dictatorship, and the conflict in Syria spilling into a sectarian civil war in Iraq. The ISIS militants who have been capturing towns across Iraq and carrying out mass executions have now declared the creation of an Islamic State, or Caliphate, with ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as its leader. It's a direct challenge to the primacy of al-Qaeda, and ISIS is well-funded. There's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com.au/isis-response-to-the-arab-spring-2014-6" target="_blank">more here</a>.</p>
<p>7. <strong>Todd Carney's NRL career is over</strong>. Surely. Please. This prince of football idiots has been released from Cronulla after allowing himself to be photographed " bubbling" at the urinal in Sutherland Shire nightclub Northies. He had three years to run on his $650,000 a year contract. So what is bubbling? WARNING: The thought alone is scarring enough, but <a href="http://bleacheddd.wordpress.com/2014/06/29/todd-carney-in-a-wee-bit-of-trouble-for-piss-take/" target="_blank">the picture</a>cannot be unseen. (Really, you don't need to see it.)</p>
<p>8.<strong> World Cup update</strong>. The Dutch are through to the quarter-finals after beating Mexico 2-1 thanks to a hugely controversial stoppage time penalty. Arjen Robben took a fall in the box after contact with a Mexican defender - <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com.au/arjen-robben-dives-2014-6" target="_blank">he made a bit of a meal of it</a>, but the ref blew the whistle and pointed to the spot. In today's other game, Costa Rica just beat Greece on penalties.</p>
<p>9. <strong>Drones and privacy</strong>. Drones are a booming growth sector, with the technology already delivering huge benefits to the military and film-making, and great promise for delivering industrial-scale wireless internet connectivity as well as delivery systems for everything from books to pizzas. But authorities are grappling with the regulatory requirements and here's a great example of the kinds of issues it raises: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com.au/drone-peeping-tom-spies-on-woman-while-changing-2014-6" target="_blank">a woman in the US who saw a drone hovering outside her apartment while she was getting changed</a>.</p>
<p>10.<strong> Memes that make money</strong>. They're the stars of YouTube who, for the most part unwittingly, have a steady flow of income rolling in from eternally rising view counts. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com.au/memes-make-mega-money-2014-6#grumpy-cat-1" target="_blank">Here's how much money </a>viral stars such as Grumpy Cat, Double Rainbow Guy and Tay Zonday have earned from their brush with fame. Also, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com.au/memes-make-mega-money-2014-6#grumpy-cat-1" target="_blank">Technoviking bonus update</a>.</p>
<p>Have a cracking day. I'm on Twitter:<a href="https://twitter.com/colgo" target="_blank">@colgo</a></p>

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The US military wants to hunt enemy subs with genetically-engineered sea life

Ryan Pickrell

This Is What The Sun Looks Like During A Solar Eclipse

Jennifer Welsh

10 Things You Need To Know As Asia Markets Open

Paul Colgan