Scientists show that cyberattacks not only threaten the technical systems they target but also spark extensive social media discussions that can escalate into broader community crises. Their analysis reveals that public reactions online can be intense, emotional, and wide-ranging. The researchers examine the 2021 cyberattack on the Oldsmar, Florida, water treatment plant as a case study. In that incident, a hacker gained remote access to the facility’s control system in a bid to significantly raise the concentration of sodium hydroxide (lye) in the water supply. Although the intruder initially succeeded in altering the chemical levels, a plant operator noticed the unauthorized changes in real time and quickly reversed them, preventing what could have been a serious public health threat.

A recent study from Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University found that while hydrogen production, storage and fuel cell technologies are advancing rapidly, the hydrogen distribution infrastructure is developing at half the speed, creating a critical bottleneck that could put billions in clean energy at risk.  

The findings, published in the journal Sustainable Futures, are an important milestone in recognising that, while other hydrogen technologies improve and costs fall, distribution expenses could take up a large share of hydrogen system budgets, significantly limiting overall efficiency and growth of the hydrogen sector.

The research team analysed 777,000 patents and 1.3 million citations spanning 182 years of hydrogen technology development, revealing clear differences in progress across the system.