Author: Jessica Moore P.E.

Jessica Moore P.E. brings a distinctive engineering perspective to technology journalism, with her professional licensure informing rigorous analysis of industrial computing and automation systems. Her expertise spans the convergence of operational technology and IoT ecosystems, where she deciphers how edge computing architectures are reshaping smart infrastructure. Moore's writing uniquely bridges engineering precision with accessible explanations of emerging technologies, offering readers both technical depth and practical industry insights.
BusinessStartupsTechnology

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 Side Events Reveal Major Networking Opportunities

The side event schedule for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 reveals over 50 networking opportunities throughout the Bay Area tech scene. Major gatherings include SignalFire’s poolside after-party and specialized sessions from MongoDB and women in tech organizations. These events aim to connect thousands of attendees during the October 25-31 conference week.

Beyond the Main Stage

While the official TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 agenda gets most of the attention, industry observers note the real magic often happens in the side events. This year’s lineup, reportedly featuring over 50 gatherings throughout the Bay Area, suggests organizers are leaning heavily into what many call “the unconference within the conference.”

by Jessica Moore P.E.
InnovationScienceTechnology

Brain’s Hidden Nanotube Network Discovered, May Explain Alzheimer’s Spread

Scientists have discovered a previously unknown network of microscopic tubes in the brain that transport toxic substances between neurons. This finding could fundamentally change our understanding of how Alzheimer’s disease spreads through brain tissue.

Brain’s Secret Transport System Revealed

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have uncovered what appears to be a hidden highway system within the brain—microscopic tubes that shuttle toxic substances between neurons. According to their recently published study in Science, these nanotube networks might explain both how brain cells clear waste and how Alzheimer’s-related proteins spread throughout the brain.

by Jessica Moore P.E.
InnovationScienceTechnology

Researchers Map Rural Heat Islands to Protect Farmworkers from Climate Dangers

Researchers from San Diego State University are deploying advanced monitoring technology to map rural heat islands in California’s farming regions. The study aims to develop better protections for farmworkers facing increasingly dangerous temperatures due to climate change.

The Human Cost of Harvesting in Extreme Heat

For farmworkers like Raul Cruz, beating the heat means starting work before dawn in jet-black darkness. By the time most office workers are brewing their first coffee, Cruz and his colleagues have already put in hours chopping sugarcane in California’s Imperial Valley, desperately trying to finish before temperatures become unbearable.

by Jessica Moore P.E.
InnovationScienceTechnology

Electron Irradiation Study Narrows Theories on Nickelate Superconductivity

Researchers have taken an unconventional approach to understanding nickelate superconductors by deliberately introducing atomic defects using high-energy electron irradiation. The systematic study, published in Physical Review Letters, helps eliminate competing theories about how superconductivity emerges in these promising materials. This counterintuitive method of damaging high-quality samples provides crucial insights into the fundamental mechanisms driving superconductivity in nickelates.

A Backward Approach to Forward Progress

In a surprising twist, an international research collaboration has made significant headway in understanding superconducting nickelates by systematically damaging some of the best available samples. According to recently published research, scientists from MPI-CPfS teamed up with Stanford University and Ecole Polytechnique to bombard superconducting nickelate thin films with extremely high-energy electrons, deliberately introducing atomic-scale defects.

by Jessica Moore P.E.
InnovationScienceTechnology

DNA Analysis Rewrites History of Napoleon’s Army Collapse

Revolutionary DNA analysis of Napoleon’s fallen soldiers has overturned two centuries of historical consensus about what destroyed the French army during its 1812 retreat from Russia. Instead of typhus, researchers identified pathogens causing enteric fever and relapsing fever as the likely culprits. The findings demonstrate how modern genomic technology can rewrite medical history.

Historical Assumptions Overturned

For more than two centuries, historians and medical experts largely agreed that typhus delivered the final blow to Napoleon Bonaparte’s devastated army during its catastrophic retreat from Russia in 1812. Contemporary accounts from army doctors, the discovery of body lice on remains, and earlier DNA analysis all pointed toward this conclusion. But according to a groundbreaking study published in Current Biology, that long-standing narrative appears to be wrong.

by Jessica Moore P.E.
InnovationScienceTechnology

ESA Stages Carrington-Level Solar Storm Drill, Testing Satellite Survival Protocols

ESA mission control teams recently faced their worst nightmare scenario: a simulated Carrington-level solar storm disrupting all navigation and communications. The intensive drill, conducted for the upcoming Sentinel-1D mission, revealed critical vulnerabilities in satellite operations during extreme space weather events that could become reality sooner than expected.

The Ultimate Space Weather Stress Test

Mission controllers at the European Space Agency recently confronted what space weather experts consider the “big one”—a solar storm of historical proportions that could potentially cripple modern satellite infrastructure. According to reports from the agency’s operations center in Darmstadt, teams underwent an unprecedented simulation recreating conditions similar to the 1859 Carrington Event, widely regarded as the most powerful geomagnetic storm ever recorded.

by Jessica Moore P.E.
InnovationScienceTechnology

Plastic Waste Transformed Into High-Performance Catalysts in Breakthrough Study

Researchers have demonstrated a scalable process to transform waste plastics into advanced carbon nanomaterials. The resulting single-atom catalysts show exceptional performance in environmental and energy applications, offering a dual solution to plastic pollution and materials scarcity.

In what could represent a major step forward for both waste management and advanced materials science, researchers have developed a method to convert common plastics into high-performance catalysts for clean energy and environmental applications. According to findings published in Nature Communications, the approach addresses two pressing challenges simultaneously: the growing plastic pollution crisis and the need for efficient, cost-effective catalytic materials.

From Environmental Burden to Valuable Resource

by Jessica Moore P.E.
CybersecuritySoftwareTechnology

Microsoft Blocks File Explorer Previews to Stop Hash Leak Attacks

Microsoft is rolling out a security update that automatically disables File Explorer previews for files downloaded from the internet. The change addresses a vulnerability where previewing HTML-tagged files could leak NTLM authentication hashes. Users must now manually unblock files through Properties to restore preview functionality.

Microsoft is taking a more aggressive stance against a sneaky credential-stealing technique by disabling a convenient Windows feature that many users take for granted. According to security reports, the latest Windows updates now automatically block File Explorer previews for files downloaded from the internet, closing what analysts describe as a significant hash leakage vulnerability.

The Hash Leak Problem

by Jessica Moore P.E.
CybersecuritySoftwareTechnology

Angry IP Scanner Emerges as Go-To Tool for Home Network Monitoring

The lightweight Angry IP Scanner tool is reportedly gaining traction among home users seeking to monitor their wireless networks. According to technology analysts, the cross-platform solution offers detailed insights into every connected device without requiring installation.

Network Visibility Tool Gains Home User Adoption

Home network administrators are increasingly turning to a surprisingly powerful open-source tool to monitor their wireless environments, according to recent technology reports. Angry IP Scanner, originally developed for professional network troubleshooting, has found a new audience among residential users concerned about their Wi-Fi security and performance.

by Jessica Moore P.E.