Approved work: Automation in military operations
This POSTnote will provide an overview of current and future military applications of automation and AI, and the technical, legal, ethical and societal issues associated with this.
Approved work: Energy security
This POSTnote will focus on the technical issues that will affect the security of the UK's energy system in the short to medium term.
Approved work: Climate security
The POSTnote will summarise the forecasting and strategic tools needed to identify and measure climate risks and provide early warnings for climate security related tipping points
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Work programme
Approved work: Hypersonic missiles
This POSTnote will explain what hypersonic missiles are, the technical challenges to developing them, and summarise publicly available information about nations’ current capabilities.
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Work programme
Approved work: Cyber warfare
This POSTnote will look at the potential threats that cyber presents to UK national security and the steps being taken by Government, industry and other stakeholders to mitigate these.
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POSTnote
Sharing public sector data
Sharing public sector data can improve public services, facilitate research and innovation, and inform policymaking. However, public sector bodies face challenges when sharing data, both within the public sector and externally. These include cultural and skills barriers, poor data quality, and lack of public trust. Sharing public sector data also raises security and privacy concerns. This POSTnote looks at how public sector data is shared in the UK, discussing the requirements for effective data sharing and the associated benefits, risks, and barriers.
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POSTnote
Smart Cities
"Smart cities" describes places that incorporate a range of technologies (especially those that collect and use data) to address economic, social, and environmental challenges. Projects usually take place in urban areas, but are also deployed in rural settings. This POSTnote looks at smart city innovation in the UK and the technologies involved. It considers the factors driving the adoption of smart city technologies, and the potential benefits, barriers and risks associated with their implementation.
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POSTnote
Defence of space-based assets
Space-based assets (satellites and the terrestrial ground stations that communicate with them) provide critical support to military and civilian operations. They are vulnerable to unintentional damage and disruption, and to deliberate attack. This POSTnote outlines how the UK uses and accesses satellites, potential risks to satellites, and approaches to mitigation.
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Horizon scanning
An introduction to Research for Parliament 2021
Experts have helped us find 30 areas of change to help the UK Parliament prepare for the future.
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Horizon scanning
The future of UK research: structure and funding
In its 2017 Industrial Strategy, the UK Government set out a target of investing 2.4% of GDP on R&D by 2027. How is it planning to reach this target? What are the uncertainties emerging from COVID-19 and the withdrawal from the European Union?
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Horizon scanning
Regulation and state use of social media
The use of social media raises questions around security, state regulation, privacy, and online safety. How can states balance regulation and personal freedom?
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Horizon scanning
AI in policing and security
Artificial intelligence could change policing. But the efficacy of such technologies is not well established. What are the governance and privacy concerns?
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Horizon scanning
Political polarisation and participation
Political polarisation could affect political participation. How do inequality and socioeconomic factors intersect with extremism?
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Horizon scanning
COVID-19 Areas of Research Interest
POST has published 20 COVID-19 Areas of Research Interest (ARIs) for the UK Parliament. ARIs were identified using the input of over 1,000 experts. They were then ranked in order of interest to UK Parliament research and select committee staff, following internal feedback. Each ARI comes with a series of questions aiming to further break down each broad area. The ARIs focus on the impacts of the global pandemic and range from economic recovery and growth, to surveillance and data collection, long-term mental health effects, education, vaccine development, and the NHS.
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POSTnote
Digital sequence information
Evolving life sciences and agricultural research approaches may have a decreasing need to access physical resources in future, such as plant seeds or viral material. Information and genetic data may be all that is required for commercial exploitation of biological resources. This POSTnote summarises the challenge this creates for international discussions on the governance of genetic resources and the possible options for addressing these.
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