Security, Military

One school of thought in international affairs theorizes that globalization is good for peace and security, and that increased economic interdependency will decrease the likelihood of war. Likewise, some think that the proliferation of democracy makes peace more likely. However, both propositions continue to be debated by academics and foreign policy observers.

Following the destructive 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the United States Tsunami Warning and Education Act was signed December 2006. Among other things, the act called for broadening of the global historical tsunami database to include data on coastal water levels, damage reports and deep-water changes.

The use of nuclear weapons in an urban area, particularly by a terrorist group, remains a palpable threat for many in a post-9/11 world. As populations congregate in ever-larger cities around the globe, scientists are seeking to measure all the likely physical impacts of such an attack on these dense clusters.