- Social:
New York Times
Senior writer for the Science section of the New York Times, he's also covered issues related to cyber-security since 1979
PROFILE
John Markoff
Guest
FROM John Markoff
To the Point
Can We Map the Brain? John F. Kennedy's Race to the Moon led to a multi-billion-dollar industry. Mapping the Human Genome returned $140 for every $1 invested. Now President Obama wants to jump-start a "map" of the human brain, to find how each of 100 billion neurons relates to all of the others. It's a task so complex new tools would be needed with consequences nobody can predict. Would it mean understanding Alzheimer's or Parkinson's? Would it be the key to human consciousness — and the alarming ability to control how people think?
To the Point
Cyber Attacks Hit PBS, Sony and Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin , Sony and the Public Broadcasting Service are among the latest targets of computer hackers, but the biggest concern is attacks on security firms that are supposed to protect against hackers. John Markoff is technology reporter for the New York Times .
Which Way, L.A.?
Iran, Stuxnet and International Diplomacy The US and Israel now say Iran is not as far along in developing nuclear technology as they thought just a few months ago. Hillary Rodham Clinton says that's due to international sanctions. The outgoing chief of Israeli intelligence cites what he calls " technical setbacks ." The New York Times is more specific, pointing to the Stuxnet computer virus, tested at Israel's Dimona nuclear complex with assistance from the United States. Segment image: Iran begins to fuel its first nuclear power station on August 21, 2010 in Bushehr. Photo: IIPA via Getty Images
To the Point
Iran, Stuxnet and International Diplomacy US and Israeli estimates of Iran's nuclear timetable are less alarming than they were just months ago. Hillary Rodham Clinton says that's due to international sanctions. The outgoing chief of Israeli intelligence cites what he calls " technical setbacks ." The New York Times reports it's the result of Stuxnet, tested at Israel's Dimona nuclear complex with assistance from the United States. That computer virus reportedly caused Iranian centrifuges to spin out of control while convincing operators all was well. It's also capable of disrupting electrical power grids, air traffic control systems or military networks, including those of its own developers. How vulnerable is the US? What will Stuxnet mean for diplomacy, including upcoming talks about Iran's nuclear program?
To the Point
Google Test Drives Car that Can Drive Itself Reporter John Markoff recently rode in a car that merged into heavy traffic on Interstate 101 in Silicon Valley, left a few exit ramps down the road and then negotiated city traffic through the city of Mountain View, stopping for lights and stop signs. It was no big deal except that nobody was driving. While Silicon Valley's been focusing on social networks and digital movies, Google is busy developing a car that's driven by complex robotics. Markoff wrote about his experience in the New York Times .
Which Way, L.A.?
Cyber Security, Stuxnet and Internet Freedom Stuxnet was first discovered a few months ago, and it's now regarded as a weapon of cyber sabotage -- with the capacity not just to corrupt computer software but to manipulate programs that control machines.
To the Point
Cyber Security, Stuxnet and Internet Freedom Computer experts say Stuxnet is the first known case of cyber sabotage. Discovered just a few months ago, it's a virus that infects not just computer programs but also the machines they operate. It's so sophisticated that it's likely the work of a nation-state targeting Iran's nuclear program. But it's also spread to a number of other countries. Is Stuxnet a cyber-warfare weapon that went wrong? Who launched it? Nobody knows, but the Internet could be used to wreak havoc in the real world. What are the challenges for national security? Will it mean compromising the freedom and privacy now taken for granted in the virtual world?
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