Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-GA)
Washington, D.C. (May 30, 2025) | Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) has announced that six students from Georgia’s 11th Congressional District have received appointments to attend a U.S. military service academy. Each year, members of Congress are tasked with nominating students from their own district to attend our nation’s prestigious service academies.
“Being accepted to one of our nation’s service academies is an achievement that requires discipline and determination from an early age, and I am incredibly honored to nominate these outstanding students. The annual nominations process is a responsibility my office takes very seriously, and our esteemed academy selection board chooses only the best and brightest applicants from Georgia’s 11th Congressional District. Congratulations to the Class of 2029 on being selected to represent our state and district at some of the most prestigious institutions in the nation.”
United States Air Force Academy Brady R. Walter, Kennesaw, GA, Allatoona High School
United States Merchant Marine Academy Eva N. Yokley, Woodstock, GA, River Ridge High School
United States Military Academy Rowan Z. Drews, Marietta, GA, George Walton Comprehensive High School Jet C. Kennedy, Woodstock, GA, Etowah High School Addison M. Rice, Powder Springs, GA, Harrison High School
United States Naval Academy Jana E. Macon, Kennesaw, GA, Allatoona High School
From intimate reflections on home and heritage to explorations of urban spaces, migration and belonging, this year’s Graduate Showcase exhibition at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is celebrating the many ways that “place” informs identity and influences creative expression.
The free exhibition, which features work by students graduating from a range of creative courses at ARU this year, is a fantastic opportunity for employers, fellow creatives or members of the public to engage with exciting, thought-provoking content, form valuable connections and gain new perspectives.
The Graduate Showcase features projects by more than 300 students from 15 different undergraduate courses, as well as work in progress from ARU’s Masters courses, and will be on show at ARU’s Cambridge campus from 6-13 June.
Echoes of Home, a Transatlantic Dialogue by BA (Hons) Photography student Betsy Richards-Kemp asks where our sense of belonging comes from as she attempts to understand the impact of the movement and migration of black people, drawing on the intimate story of two sisters separated by the Atlantic.
Based in Suffolk, Betsy uses her camera to tell the untold stories of people’s lives and to understand “shared culture, shared history and shared connections”.
The media used in the exhibition is as diverse as the subject matter – from Alice Hibbert’s handknitted jumper celebrating her Welsh roots and the cockle picking women of Penclawdd, South Wales, to Freyja Finnis’ graphic novel exploring a young person’s journey of self-belief and acceptance set in small rural community.
Fine Art student Zineb Khadraoui’s handmade ceramic tiles map personal and collective histories. Zineb explained:
“The tiles are made using clay from Morocco mixed with soil from my family’s land, and each one features photographic transfers from my travels or family archives.
“The installation takes a circular form, inviting the viewer to walk through the space and reflect on the idea of returning to one’s roots – both physically and emotionally.”
BA (Hons) Graphic Design student Issac Khera examines the ways we experience place through sound. Featuring the town of Hitchin, his auditory map explores the way the sound of rainfall interacts with the environment along a route. It uses a variable typeface to pinpoint the nuances of rainfall on different surfaces, such as trickling into a drain or falling onto cars.
Film and TV Production students Lisa-Marie Soulier and Claudia Vogt have co-produced a documentary, Saturday Night Butch, highlighting the importance of lesbian nightclubs in the celebration of masculine presenting lesbians.
Claudia said: “We travelled across the UK to find and understand the community, visiting venues from nightclubs to barbershops. Bringing Lesbians together has brought a new and long overdue appreciation for masculine presenting Lesbians and a unique perspective to Lesbian documentary.”
“Place is not just a backdrop for these students’ work, it is an active force – something that provokes, inspires, and challenges. Whether it’s a response to local culture, ecological landscapes, or global dislocation, our students are engaging with the world around them in meaningful and original ways.”
Professor Catherine Lee, Deputy Dean within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, Education and Social Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)
ARU’s Graduate Showcase 2025 includes installations, moving image from games, film and animation, digital media, and traditional practices, with each piece offering a lens on how place shapes our experiences and futures. Many of the works also reflect a deep commitment to social and environmental issues.
The free Graduate Showcase is open to the public from Friday, 6 June to Friday, 13 June – including during ARU’s Undergraduate Open Day on Saturday, 7 June – but is closed on Sunday. The exhibition is at ARU’s main East Road campus in Cambridge and further information is available at https://creativeshowcase.aru.ac.uk/showcase/graduate-showcase
Outgoing Mayor Cllr Seenoi Barr reflects on historic year of inclusion, growth and resilience
30 May 2025
As her year as Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council draws to a close, Cllr Lilian Seenoi Barr has reflected on her term in office, highlighting her accomplishments, challenges, and her unwavering commitment to unity and inclusivity.
Speaking ahead of the Council Annual General Meeting (AGM) that takes place on Monday 02 June, to elect a new Mayor – Mayor Barr, said it was an extraordinary privilege to serve as Mayor of Derry and Strabane, to be the North’s first Black Mayor, as well as a Maasai woman and a Derry Girl.
She said her year as Mayor was dedicated to making “not just history—but change –from the outset, my pledge was to be a mayor for everyone—approachable, present, and focused on building a city and district where every voice matters.”
Mayor Barr, who made history last year as the North’s first Black Mayor, expressed her deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve as the district’s First Citizen. She emphasised that her term has been defined by diversity, courage, and a determination to build a more inclusive community despite facing various challenges.
One of the most pivotal achievements during her tenure was the signing of the Financial Deal for the Derry~Strabane City Deal. “This transformational moment confirmed what we’ve always known: that this district is ready to lead, to innovate, and to thrive,” adding that she firmly believed this investment will bring about positive opportunities for everyone.
The Mayor said that community was at the heart of her Mayoral year, exemplified by the “One Big Weekend, One Big Cause” initiative, which saw a series of vibrant fundraising events for the Mayor’s chosen charity, the BUD Club. From the “roar of the Supercar event to the rhythm and joy of Derry Rocks for BUD Club, to the colour and energy of my ‘Feel the Beat’ Afro-inspired music celebration,” each event underscored a strong sense of purpose and community spirit,” she said.
A significant legacy of the Mayor’s term was the Inclusive Youth Hub— ‘Our Guildhall, Our Place’. This initiative provided young voices with a platform and sense of belonging, reflecting a shared commitment to young people and meaningful change.
The Mayor also proudly recalled the joy of hosting the Inclusive Birthday Party at Foyle Arena, tailored for children and young people with additional needs, proving that “inclusion works when we work together” and the Community Christmas Party held at the Guildhall where those who made a significant impact on their community were acknowledged and recognised.
The Mayor spoke of the work she did to actively promote diversity and inclusion across civic life, reaching out to fellow Mayors across the North for “powerful and honest conversations about how we can better include all minority communities.” This commitment extended to representing the city internationally, raising awareness around racial inequality, migration, women’s health, and housing.
The Mayor’s leadership extended to the international stage, welcoming former Taoiseach Simon Harris T.D. and the Lord Mayor of the City of London, cementing Derry~Strabane’s central role in regional growth and global collaboration while a trade and investment mission to the U.S. successfully promoted Derry and Strabane as a hub of innovation and investment.
A deeply personal and profoundly meaningful highlight was the Mayor’s address at the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., leading to the award of an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Howard University. “This honour was not just a personal milestone—it was a recognition of the values we hold dear: inclusion, justice, and meaningful social change.”
Mayor Barr said the visit of a delegation from her homeland of Kenya was another very powerful symbol of unity and support, whilst also further strengthening Derry’s international relations.
The Mayor bravely addressed the “unprecedented levels of online abuse—much of it, racially motivated, and much of it deeply personal.” She said that despite these challenges she refused to be defined by hate, choosing instead to “stay focused, to stay present, and to stay true to my purpose: building a more inclusive, compassionate, and forward-looking district.”
She credited the people of Derry and Strabane for lifting her up, demonstrating that “love is louder. And hope is stronger.”
The Mayor extended profound gratitude to Deputy Mayor Alderman Darren Guy for his support during her Mayoral term, her dedicated Mayoral support staff, the Guildhall and wider Council staff, and fellow councillors.
She also acknowledged the performers and community contributors and sponsors for their continued support with a heartfelt appreciation for her husband Paul and son Brian for their unwavering love and support throughout the year.
As she prepares to pass the chain of office to the new incoming Mayor, the Mayor concluded saying she left office with her “head held high,” confident that “together, we’ve shown what’s possible when leadership is rooted in community, courage, and compassion.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Frederica S Wilson (24th District of Florida)
Wednesday, May 28th, 2025, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., awarded over $1 million to the Divine Nine Organizations in Miami-Dade County.
The purpose of the Divine Nine Congressional Earmark is to upgrade, renovate, and build spaces where Divine Nine Organizations and the community can gather to teach and mentor our youth. It is our hope that these spaces will be used to especially expose our children to our history and our culture. In order to draw down funding, the charitable foundations must prove that they are purchasing, building, upgrading or refurbishing properties.
“I am especially concerned about preserving our history, which is being whitewashed across our nation,” said Congresswoman Frederica Wilson.“African-American history IS American History, and we have a responsibility to protect it from erasure, extinction, and exploitation. We must leave a legacy for our children that must endure for generations.”
Additional notables in attendance included former International President and CEO of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and former President of Tennessee State University Dr. Glenda Glover; Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert, City ofMiami Gardens Councilman Reggie Leon, and City of Miami Gardens Councilwoman Katrina Wilson.
Derek Lightfoot from Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. said, “The funds will be used to improve our existing fraternity house and community center. The improvements will include a new roof, hurricane windows and doors. This funding will further our initiatives to provide critical mentoring to youth in our community.”
Dr. Luvernice Croskey from Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. said, “This award will allow us to expand and update our 8,000 sq ft facilities. These facilities strengthen our community. Thank you again for this opportunity.”
Annette Brantley from Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc said, “These funds will help with our Allene Taylor Memorial Center. It’s a legacy whose refurbishment will offer critical services that directly benefit our community, our new mentorship program, parenting counseling and support, tutoring, house assistance, community support and activities, and finally restore a cornerstone of our community.”
Carolyn Donaldson from Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. said, “Our Zeta Center has served as a cornerstone of service. Over the past 30 years, we have provided a wide range of activities to the community. Youth mentorship, literacy support, maternal help, food distributions. It was in 2022 that we launched a comprehensive initiative to renovate and repurpose our facility.”
Brandon Fennell from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., said, “This grant will allow us to make vital upgrades to the Omega Activity Center, which has been serving the county since 1990. We will be able to transform the center into a safer innovation space where we can continue to educate our youth and create space to connect and thrive together.”
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated said, “Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is 117 years old. It is the first Black sorority in the country and the largest. This sorority was given funds to purchase land to build a sorority house. As we move forward, we will continue to grow and push the limits on how many lives we can impact. We are the heart of our community, and the Alpha Kappa Alpha house will serve as a place for all children to enjoy.”
Approximately 200 people were in attendance. Line dancing, strolling, and stepping were part of the celebration which included a presentation by the ‘Miami Gardens Super Soul Steppers.’
In attendance were the leaders of the following organizations: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Gamma Zeta Omega Chapter, the W.I.S.H. Foundation Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Dade County Alumnae Chapter, the Dade Deltas Foundation Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Beta Tau Zeta Chapter, the Zeta Blue Network, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. Sigma Alpha Chapter, the Omega Activity Center Foundation Inc., Sig Al Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Beta Beta Lambda Chapter, the Beta Beta Lambda AlphaLand Community Development Corporation Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Gamma Delta Sigma Chapter, the Allene V. Taylor Memorial Center Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Miami Alumni Chapter, the Miami Alumni Kappa Foundation Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Rho Sigma Chapter, and the White Dove Community Foundation Inc.
This project was funded through a Congressional Earmark obtained by Congresswoman Wilson for the Fiscal Year 2024 Congressional Appropriations.
The event was held at the Omega Activity Center at Florida Memorial University, 15600 NW 42nd Ave, Opa-locka, FL 33054.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) announced Angela Liu from Westlake High School as the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for California’s 26th Congressional District. Liu’s piece, “Get on the Bus,” will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol complex for one year.
“Every year, I am in awe of the incredible talent of the young artists across our region who participate in the Congressional Art Competition — and this year was no exception. Liu’s artwork is an exceptional example of the creativity and talent that exists throughout our region, and I wholeheartedly extend my sincere congratulations to her and the winning piece that will represent our district in the Halls of Congress,” said Congresswoman Brownley.
“Art is a powerful form of expression that allows students to express their emotions, channel their creativity, and advocate for the causes they care about. Our community is richer for the imagination, insight, and passion these young artists bring to the table. Each student who participated in this competition has contributed something meaningful — a piece of who they are, and a vision of who we can become.”
“I am deeply honored that my artwork has been selected as the first-place winner in the Congressional Art Competition. It’s especially meaningful considering the immense talents among the high school students in our region. I have participated in this competition for the past three years, and was recognized with an honorable mention last year,” said Angela Liu, the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. “Art has been an integral part of my life since childhood. What started as simple explorations has grown into a pursuit of techniques and the nuanced interplay of hues, values, and textures. During challenging times, drawing is my sanctuary, offering a way to calm my anxieties and nurture my spirit. Today, my artwork serves a purpose beyond personal fulfillment. I strive to use it as a medium to amplify my voice, connect with my community, and advocate for social justice.”
“In recent years, I’ve been drawn to the artistic approaches of Rembrandt and Sargent. I find the portrayal of people in art incredibly captivating,” Liu continued. My artistic goal is centered around creating characters that feel alive with their own narratives and distinct personalities that shine through in my work. In my winning piece, “Get on the Bus,” my intention was to offer glimpses into the life of the woman I depicted. I hoped to convey her confidence, her experiences as a witness to history, and the wisdom that comes with age, all within a brief moment captured on a bus.”
“It comes as no surprise to me that Angela has been selected as the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition,” said Scott Holloway, physics teacher at Westlake High School. “As her AP physics teacher for the past two years, I have been lucky to see Angela combine art and science with a passion. Angela is always creating, whether it be a new drawing or redesigning a project for her science classes. I have encouraged my students to put the A (art) in STEM to make STEAM, and Angela has truly embraced that ideology. She creates both informative as well as creative pieces that increase engagement and elicit more emotion. Angela continues to impress me on a regular basis, from 3-D printing an interactive geared heart for Mother’s Day to designing the physics club T-shirt designs for the year. I know her creativity will not only continue to be a passion for her, but will also inspire others to better interact with the world.”
“This year’s group of artists demonstrated their talents in a diverse array of media, exploring topics from observations of everyday life to deeply personal experiences,” said Jeffrey Bowen, Director of Library Programming and Public Affairs at Pepperdine University and judge of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. “Kudos to all the students for experimenting with form and compositions, and even taking some risks in their artistic endeavors. I congratulate the winner and the runners-up for their especially keen artistic eyes and execution of their ideas.”
“Seeing all of the amazing art pieces makes me realize the amount of talent that there is at the youth level and just how much potential they all have. This is a fantastic platform for students to showcase their art and, with it, share with the greater public a small piece of their life and perspectives, along with the expressiveness of their feelings and thought process about various themes through their amazing art,” said Jesus Delgadillo Galindo, judge of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition.
“This has been a valuable experience for me, and it is meaningful to be part of this selection process to ensure our district is well represented,” said Chuy Salgado León, judge of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. “It is also inspiring to see the subject matter that our youth take an interest in. The art I’ve seen through this competition reminds me that effort must match purpose in everything I do.”
Two honorable mentions were also recognized, including “Peaceful Dayspring” by Riley Rohrer from Oak Park Independent School and “La Pescheria” by Sebastian Costuche from Westlake High School. Their artwork will be displayed in Congresswoman Brownley’s district offices in Thousand Oaks and Oxnard.
Started in 1982, the nationwide Congressional Art Competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and is an opportunity to recognize and encourage students’ artistic talent across the country.
Submissions from students in grades 9-12 across the 26th Congressional District were judged by a panel of local judges who work within the arts, academic, and social work fields. This year’s submissions were judged by Jeffrey Bowen, Director of Library Programming and Public Affairs at Pepperdine University; Jesus Delgadillo Galindo, a local artist and graphic designer from Oxnard; and Chuy Salgado Leon, a local graphic designer from Oxnard.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)
May 30, 2025 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) has sent a letter to the Florida Board of Governors urging them to reject Dr. Santa J. Ono as the next president of the University of Florida.Steube’s letter follows Tuesday’s UF Board of Trustees’ vote to advance Dr. Ono’s selection. Final confirmation now sits with the Florida Board of Governors, who is meeting Tuesday, June 3, at 1:00 p.m. in Orlando, Florida.“As a Double Gator, I am appalled and disappointed by the decision of the University of Florida’s Board of Trustees to select Dr. Santa J. Ono as its next president,” said Rep. Steube. “His dubious record throughout his career makes it clear that Dr. Ono is unfit to lead our state’s flagship university. Hollow assurances of an ‘evolved mindset’ cannot erase Dr. Ono’s history of preferential treatment for far-left causes, coupled with his cold indifference to student safety. I call on the Florida Board of Governors to reject this choice and find a suitable replacement who reflects the values and interests of the University of Florida.” Read the letter here.Background:
In May of 2024, after pro-Hamas demonstrators assaulted law enforcement, disrupted classes, and vandalized property on the University of Michigan’s campus, Dr. Santa J. Ono waited nearly three weeks before promising to take action to address the violence. As President of the University of Michigan, Dr. Ono urged both faculty and students to embrace DEI, declaring in 2022 that they should “believe in and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.” During his tenure as President of the University of British Columbia, Dr. Ono made “climate justice” a top priority and promised to integrate these principles across the university. He also promoted radical gender ideology, claiming there are “many great reasons for respecting gender identities and gender expressions.” Dr. Ono has claimed that “systemic racism is embedded in every corner of any institution” in the United States.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Matthew Sturchio, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University; Faculty Afffiliate in Ecology, Colorado State University
Solar panels on grasslands can generate electricity and useful forage or wildlife habitat.Matthew Sturchio, CC BY-ND
Grasses growing in the shade of a solar array were only a little less productive than those growing nearby in open grassland during years of average and above-average rainfall – but in a dry year, the shaded plants grew much better than those growing in full sun. That’s the result of a four-year study we conducted in a semi-arid grassland of northern Colorado.
When choosing a location for generating solar power, consistent sunlight and interconnection to the electric grid are key criteria. In Colorado the combination of new electrical transmission infrastructure, abundant sunlight and short vegetation that is easy to maintain have made grasslands a prime target for solar development.
Grasslands, like those that dominate the eastern plains of Colorado, provide important habitat for wildlife and serve as a critical food source for livestock. Although these grasslands have long been productive despite their normally arid environment, a warmer climate has increased the potential for more frequent and severe drought. For instance, a recent global study found that previous research likely underestimated the threat of extreme drought in grasslands.
Semi-arid grassland near Cheyenne, Wyo., with close-ups of flowers of some of the plants that grow there. Matthew Sturchio, CC BY-ND
At Colorado State University, biology professor Alan Knapp and I started the ecovoltaics research group to study the effects of solar development in grasslands. Our primary goal is to ensure an ecologically informed solar energy future.
Solar panels create microclimates
Strings of solar panels redirect rain to the edge of panels. Because of this, small rain events can provide biologically relevant amounts of water instead of evaporating quickly.
Simultaneously, solar panels shade plants growing beneath them. Some arrays, including the ones used in our study, move the panels to follow the path of the Sun across the sky.
This results in a combination of sun and shade that is very different from the uninterrupted sunlight beating down on plants in a grassland without solar panels. In turn, patterns of plant stress and water loss also differ in grasses under solar arrays.
A time-lapse video shows how a single-axis tracking solar array at Jack’s Solar Garden modifies patterns of sunlight availability.
How grasses respond to a solar panel canopy
To get a handle on how these different conditions affect grasses, we measured plant physiological response during the early stages of our study. More specifically, we tracked leaf carbon and water exchange throughout daylight hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., over 16 weeks in summer 2022 at Jack’s Solar Garden, a solar array over grassland in Longmont, Colorado.
In general, plants that are adapted to full sun conditions, including most grasses, might not be expected to grow as well in partial shade. But we suspected that growth benefits from reduced water stress could outweigh potential reductions in growth from shading. We call this the “aridity mitigation potential” hypothesis.
Sure enough, we found evidence of aridity mitigation across multiple years, with the most pronounced effect during the driest year.
When water is scarce, increases in grassland productivity are more valuable because there isn’t as much around. Therefore, increasing grassland production in dry years could provide more available food for grazing animals and help offset some of the economic harm of drought in rangelands.
Informing sustainable solar development in grasslands
So far, our research has been limited to a grassland dominated by a cool season grass: smooth brome. Although it is a perennial commonly planted for hay, fields dominated by smooth brome lack the diversity of life found in native grasslands.
Future work in native shortgrass prairies would provide new information about how solar panels affect plant water use, soils and grazing management in an ecosystem with 30% less precipitation than Jack’s Solar Garden. We’re beginning that work now at the shortgrass ecovoltaic research facility near Nunn, Colorado. This facility, which will be fully operational later in 2025, was constructed with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the wider SCAPES project.
Testing the effects of solar panels over grasslands in a native ecosystem with even greater aridity will help us develop a clearer picture of ways solar energy can be developed in concert with grassland health.
Matthew Sturchio works for Cornell University and serves as a Faculty Affiliate at Colorado State University. Funding for this work came from US Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Sustainable Agricultural Systems project entitled “Sustainably Co-locating Agricultural and Photovoltaic Electricity Systems,” led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Grant Number: 2021-68012-35898, 2021–2025.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Martin Farr, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary British History, Newcastle University
Labour’s former shadow chancellor John McDonnell has declared that Keir Starmer’s government has driven “a knife into the heart of what I believed Labour stood for” and called for party members, unions and MPs to take back control.
The text was McDonnell’s, but the pretext was Nigel Farage. Earlier in the week, the Reform leader moved his tanks on to Labour’s lawn by promising to reverse the government’s withdrawal of winter fuel payments to pensioners, and remove the two-child benefit limit, a week after Starmer had committed the most perilous of political allusions: evoking the language of Enoch Powell over immigration. Starmer has been singed (as was Tony Benn in 1970) by playing with Powell’s incendiarism. The disingenuousness of denials that so irregular a phrase as “an island of strangers” was not Starmer dog-whistling marked another low.
At the centre of Labour’s dilemma is political mutability; how those most elemental, political categories “right” and “left” have blurred into indistinction. Reform UK were ostensibly of the former – nationalist, individualist, authoritarian – but now parade the sacraments of the latter: nationalisation, collectivism, welfarism.
Betrayal narratives follow Labour leaders as night does day, but Sir Keir Starmer’s inconstancy and inability to offer mitigation by counter-narrative at least demonstrates his fidelity to his political hero Harold Wilson. His ministers in the 1960s and 1970s despaired at their electorally successful prime minister’s apparent lack of defining principle.
Of the many issues Reform UK raises, the most intriguing is also the least answerable: individual agency. It will never be known whether Britain would still be in the EU had Farage not survived his 2010 plane crash, but it’s more probable than not. Similarly, had Farage withdrawn, as he promised, from British politics to more lucrative pursuits across the Atlantic, the existential threat to both the Labour government and the Conservative party would have gone with him.
But Farage stayed – and Reform is now a threat of a different order to his previous vehicles. They were significant – UKIP with Brexit; the Brexit party providing Boris Johnson’s 2019 victory – without being serious. They lacked policies (or even policy processes), professionalism, personnel (UKIP was the only party to ban former members of the BNP because it was the only party to have need to).
Reform is now at the tipping point – both financially and electorally – of seriousness. It runs councils. It has mayors. Its triumph in the Runcorn by-election demonstrated discipline, and the importance of a sound candidate.
In their public personas, Farage and Starmer are antitheses; the one glib, the other grave; the one with too much personality, the other too little. But charismatic politicians who “make the weather” can also break the party: Farage most recently and repeatedly. But before him Joseph Chamberlain split the Liberals in 1886 and the Unionists in 1903 and David Lloyd George again split the Liberals in 1916. Oswald Mosley caused chaos for Labour in 1931 and David Owen left Labour in the 1980s to form the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which he also later split.
In 1981, the SDP achieved (in alliance with the Liberals) a poll surge of the kind currently being enjoyed by Reform. And in the 1983 general election the SDP/Liberal Alliance won only 675,000 fewer votes than Labour. But thanks to the first-past-the-post electoral system, the Alliance won 186 fewer seats. Labour’s geographical concentration saved it; the Alliance came second all over the country.
In 2024, first past the post delivered what its advocates love, and its critics hate: a clear, and unfair, outcome. Labour won two-thirds of the seats on one-third of the votes. It was the most disproportionate result in history.
Britain’s new multi-party politics may deliver a multi-party parliament at the next election, but through an electoral system designed – insofar as it was designed – for two. With Reform set to breach the 30% threshold, safe seats will be fewer and farther between; marginal seats the norm.
This would present a challenge for a Labour leader much more nimble than Starmer. His dilemma is devilish: ape Reform and yield urban voters to the Greens and Liberal Democrats; repudiate and see the rebuilt red wall razed. There are other places for progressives to go. Indeed, there may soon be another: a new party of the left. McDonnell – who already sits as an independent, having had the Labour whip withdrawn last year – may see it as a lifeboat.
Kemi Badenoch – and Robert Jenrick, her most likely usurper – face a strikingly similar problem. Responding to Reform in kind will cede affluent voters to the Liberal Democrats. The Conservative party is the most electorally successful in history in part because it never had a challenger on the right. There’s now another place for conservatives to go. (Or, as it were, to remain.)
This is the historically unique threat of Reform. In warning of Farage – the most consequential politician since Margaret Thatcher – as a serious threat, Starmer and Badenoch may in overstating augment him, but to not do so is to risk acquiescing. Catastrophising and complacency were evident in 2014, when UKIP came first in the European Parliament elections. Two years later, Britain voted for Brexit.
Reform still has somewhat less than fully thought-out, never mind fully-funded, policies. Its talent pool is a puddle. It’s now in office and will have a record to defend. It’s dominated by one person, and one who repels as much as he inspires. It’s still unlikely that in five years’ time Farage will be in government, much less prime minister. But it is less unlikely than it was, and is likely to become less unlikely still.
Martin Farr does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2
News Release Friday, May 30, 2025
NIH-funded project shows that trans-epidermal water loss could indicate if wounds are fully healed. . A research team funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified a diagnostic aid that has the potential to accurately predict the recurrence of diabetic foot ulcers that appear to be fully healed. By measuring the skin’s barrier function through a process known as trans-epidermal water loss, or TEWL, scientists were able to determine which wounds were more likely to reopen. TEWL measurements are a major factor in burn care, where deep layers of the skin are often damaged. The findings suggest that full restoration of skin barrier function should be incorporated into existing wound treatment standards to ensure complete wound closure and to better identify patients at risk of wound recurrence. “This study is an important initial step to give clinicians treating diabetic foot ulcers a reliable diagnostic aid for the first time to assess an individual’s risk of ulcer recurrence,” said Teresa Jones, M.D. program director for the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Metabolic Diseases at NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). “Foot ulcers are such a confounding issue with diabetes and being able to determine which wounds are at highest risk for recurrence could save many lives and limbs.” Scientists, working together through the NIDDK Diabetic Foot Consortium, evaluated over 400 study participants who had a diabetic foot ulcer that visually appeared to be closed or healed. They measured TEWL at the site of the foot ulcer and found that 35% of participants with high TEWL (more water loss) reported a wound recurrence by 16 weeks, compared to just 17% for those with low TEWL (less water loss). Participants with higher TEWL were 2.7 times more likely to experience a wound recurrence than participants with low TEWL. Diabetic foot ulcers are a major complication of diabetes where a break in the skin of the foot is often unnoticed by a patient due to nerve damage, known as neuropathy. They are the leading cause of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations, and untreated or unhealed ulcers significantly increase the risk of death. Wounds that appear to be healed on the surface may not be fully closed below the superficial surface of the skin, hampering the effectiveness of the skin’s barrier function to keep in water and keep out pathogens, such as bacteria. Study results will publish in Diabetes Care, a journal of the American Diabetes Association. The study was funded by NIH/NIDDK grants (U01DK119099, U24DK122927, U01DK119100, U01DK119083, U01DK119094, U01DK119085 and U01DK119102) and carried out by members of NIH’s Diabetic Foot Consortium. About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov. NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®
Reference High Trans-Epidermal Water Loss at the Site of Wound Closure is Associated with Increased Recurrence of Diabetic Foot Ulcers: The NIDDK Diabetic Foot Consortium TEWL Study. Diabetes Care. 2025. DOI: 10.2337/dc25-0300
MANALAPAN, N.J., May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Navicore Solutions, a leading nonprofit credit counseling organization, has seen a 12% increase in participation in its financial literacy workshops, so far this year. The significant increase in workshop attendance reflects a growing awareness of the importance of financial literacy for both teens and adults.
“People are increasingly recognizing that financial education is not just about managing money today, but about building a foundation for lifelong financial success,” said Kim Cole, Navicore’s Community Engagement Manager. As of 2025, 32 states now require some form of personal finance education for high school graduation, up from 25 states in 2017. Despite growing interest in financial education, significant knowledge gaps persist, particularly with adults in underserved communities.
Recent research continues to validate the lasting impact of financial education. According to a comprehensive study by Montana State University, high school students who received personal finance education made significantly better financial decisions when entering college. Furthermore, there is an economic benefit of roughly $100,000 per student from completing a one-semester class in personal finance at the high school level, according to a 2024 report by consulting firm Tyton Partners and Next Gen.
Much of the value in basic financial education comes from learning how to avoid revolving credit card balances and leveraging better credit scores to secure preferential borrowing rates for key expenses, such as insurance, auto loans and home mortgages.
“These findings align with what we’re seeing in our adult and community-based education programs,” noted Cole. “Participants who complete our workshops demonstrate improved ability to compare financial products, understand the true cost of different types of debt, and make more informed borrowing decisions.”
“The statistics underscore the critical need for the work we’re doing,” said Cole. “Our workshops specifically address these knowledge gaps by providing practical, hands-on experience with financial concepts like interest rates, debt management, and saving and budgeting.”
“The data is clear – early financial education pays dividends throughout life,” Cole emphasized. “Our goal is to help provide access to the financial knowledge communities need to make sound financial decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and build long-term financial security.”
Navicore Solutions’ achievements demonstrate the viability of adult-focused financial literacy programs as tools for breaking intergenerational poverty cycles. By combining hands-on education with accessible debt management solutions, the organization equips participants to transform their financial trajectories—one informed decision at a time. As consumer debt reaches record highs and economic uncertainty persists, Navicore’s model offers a replicable blueprint for building financially resilient communities.
About Navicore Solutions
Founded in 1991, Navicore Solutions is a national leader in the field of nonprofit financial counseling with a mission to strengthen the well-being of individuals and families through education, guidance, advocacy, and support.
Navicore counselors provide a wide range of services including credit counseling to consumers in need; education programs through workshops, courses and written material; debt management plan to provide relief for applicable consumers; student loan counseling for those struggling with student loan debt; and housing counseling services in the areas of rental, pre-purchase, default and reverse mortgage. The agency is an advocate of financial education helping communities achieve and maintain financial stability.
Contact: Lori Stratford Digital Marketing Manager Navicore Solutions lstratford@navicoresolution
Student nurses, new graduate nurses, and nurses transitioning to a new clinical area rely on clinical nurse preceptors to help them successfully move into their new roles. Clinical nurse preceptors help train and retain nurses by providing one-to-one oversight and guidance; however, they are in short supply and training and support for the ones already in this role is inconsistent and often lacking.
To address this gap, the Connecticut Area Health Education Network (CT AHEC) based at UConn Health, through its affiliation with the New England Nursing Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academy (Academy), a $4 million Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) project, provided 30 Connecticut nurses with a free one-day conference on clinical nurse precepting skills on May 14.
“The CT AHEC program is grateful for the opportunity to support nursing professionals as a means of addressing health disparities through workforce development. Effective collaboration with key stakeholders is critical for maximizing fiscal resources, expertise, and delivery of continuation for all healthcare disciplines,” said Petra Clark-Dufner, CT AHEC Director.
The Academy’s objective is to develop and support preceptors and clinical faculty to strengthen and grow the nursing workforce at all levels across all settings. Nurse who precept in hospitals, community health, ambulatory care, public health, universities, and corrections were in attendance. UConn Health nurse Deisy Velez, MSN, RN, CMSRN, WCC, participated and said: “On my table we had an LPN, a nurse from Yale whose role was very similar to mine, an in home/ visiting nurse and two APRNs. All from very diverse backgrounds; but sitting together ready to learn the skills to help our peers. The activities given were engaging and allowed us to process and practice the ideas and tools given to us.”
63% of the participants found the content “extremely useful”, and 52% reported that their knowledge regarding roles, responsibilities, and core competencies of clinical nurse precepting increased a “great deal.” UConn Health labor and delivery nurse Diane Fallon, RN, C-HROB, C-EFM, commented that the conference “stocked my toolbox with evidence-based guidelines to use when I want to encompass the many roles of a nurse preceptor.”
The conference presenters included seven nurses from Fairview Hospital (Berkshire, MA) and one nurse from the University of Connecticut. The Fairview Hospital nurses had participated in the Academy’s Teaching of Tomorrow program where they attended two weekend conferences focused on building and refining foundational skills for effective clinical teaching alongside other health professionals. They took their learnings and developed their own nurse-targeted training presentation. Participants earned 6.5 contact hours through the Connecticut Nurses Association.
Minela Jasarevic, LPN, the vaccine coordinator at Charter Oak Health Center (Hartford), commented: “While hands-on experience is key, having a clear framework to follow when precepting is very helpful. A structure system ensures that important teaching steps aren’t missed and that feedback and assessment are consistent. Having tools to guide feedback, track trainee progress, and outline expectation can make the precepting experience smoother and more effective.”
Instructors of the CT AHEC hosted one-day conference on clinical nurse precepting skills.
This activity was jointly provided by The Berkshire Area Health Education Center (AHEC), The Connecticut Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Network, and The UMass Chan Medical School/Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing New England Nursing Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academy with funding by the Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention – Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academies program grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration administered by the UMass Chan Medical School/Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing in Worcester, MA in collaboration with partners across New England and support from the Connecticut Student Loan Repayment Program (CT SLRP), housed at the CT AHEC office at UConn Health.
CT SLRP’s support included current information on federal nurse loans, like the National Health Service Corps, Nurse Corps, as well as local/regional private resources available for refinancing and employer programs, such as CHESLA (Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority) and RISLA (Rhode Island Student Loan Authority).
Krystal Nunziata, RN, from the Cornell Scotte Health Center (New Haven) summed up the value of her day of training by saying: “There is definitely a need to train nurse preceptors. Preceptor training can benefit all nurses by providing them with the tools and confidence to effectively mentor others. It can inspire those who may not have previously felt capable of taking on a leadership or mentorship role and also further develop the skills of those already precepting.”
Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –
Career and development became one of the main blocks of the program. Participants discussed how to build media in our time, when the fashion for podcasts is flourishing, how to promote regions with the help of creativity and why to publish paper art publications in the digital era.
Together with the SKOLKOVO School of Management and experts in the field of art, design and media, we talked about new professions in metaverses – who are builders, scripters and world designers, and how to monetize digital content. We also discussed how to create creative work that wins competitions without losing individuality in the context of the rapid development of AI.
From experts in gastronomic branding (National Association of Chefs, Channel One (Good Morning), MOSCOW CAKE SHOW, WORLDFOOD, CHEFS TEAM FEST, COFFEE TEA CACAO EXPO, Lapochka, ANO “North in the Heart”, MØS (Michelin), Björn, Taste of Moscow, Twins Science, Food Service Forum, Novikov School, SFU, International Enogastronomic Center, etc.) the guests learned how to turn a local product into a brand.
Professionals in the field of management and communications (Alena Kremer, Antonina Priezzheva, Natalia Lebedeva, Roman Bedretdinov) explained why emotional intelligence is becoming a key skill in creative industries and how AI is changing advertising and startups.
In conclusion, there will be a discussion on how an artist can find support outside the system: from grants to private patronage and residencies. Curators and art managers from GES-2, the Winzavod Foundation, the online platform TEO by Cosmoscow and HSE ART GALLERY shared their experiences.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Universities around the world are seeking to offer refuge for students impacted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s crackdown on academic institutions, targeting top talent and a slice of the billions of dollars in academic revenue in the United States.
Osaka University, one of the top ranked in Japan, is offering tuition fee waivers, research grants and help with travel arrangements for students and researchers at U.S. institutions who want to transfer.
Japan’s Kyoto University and Tokyo University are also considering similar schemes, while Hong Kong has instructed its universities to attract top talent from the United States. China’s Xi’an Jiaotong University has appealed for students at Harvard, singled out in Trump’s crackdown, promising “streamlined” admissions and “comprehensive” support.
Trump’s administration has enacted massive funding cuts for academic research, curbed visas for foreign students – especially those from China – and plans to hike taxes on elite schools.
Trump alleges top U.S. universities are cradles of anti-American movements. In a dramatic escalation, his administration last week revoked Harvard’s ability to enrol foreign students, a move later blocked by a federal judge.
Masaru Ishii, dean of the graduate school of medicine at Osaka University, described the impact on U.S. universities as “a loss for all of humanity”.
Japan aims to ramp up its number of foreign students to 400,000 over the next decade, from around 337,000 currently.
Jessica Turner, CEO of Quacquarelli Symonds, a London-based analytics firm that ranks universities globally, said other leading universities around the world were trying to attract students unsure of going to the United States.
Germany, France and Ireland are emerging as particularly attractive alternatives in Europe, she said, while in the Asia-Pacific, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and mainland China are rising in profile.
SWITCHING SCHOOLS
Chinese students have been particularly targeted in Trump’s crackdown, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday pledging to “aggressively” crack down on their visas.
More than 275,000 Chinese students are enrolled in hundreds of U.S. colleges, providing a major source of revenue for the schools and a crucial pipeline of talent for U.S. technology companies.
International students – 54% of them from India and China – contributed more than $50 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Trump’s crackdown comes at a critical period in the international student application process, as many young people prepare to travel to the U.S. in August to find accommodation and settle in before term starts.
Dai, 25, a Chinese student based in Chengdu, had planned to head to the U.S. to complete her master’s but is now seriously considering taking up an offer in Britain instead.
“The various policies (by the U.S. government) were a slap in my face,” she said, requesting to be identified only by her surname for privacy reasons. “I’m thinking about my mental health and it’s possible that I indeed change schools.”
Students from Britain and the European Union are also now more hesitant to apply to U.S. universities, said Tom Moon, deputy head of consultancy at Oxbridge Applications, which helps students in their university applications.
He said many international students currently enrolled at U.S. universities were now contacting the consultancy to discuss transfer options to Canada, the UK and Europe.
According to a survey the consultancy ran earlier this week, 54% of its clients said they were now “less likely” to enrol at an American university than they were at the start of the year.
There has been an uptick in applications to British universities from prospective students in the U.S., said Universities UK, an organisation that promotes British institutions. It cautioned, however, that it was too early to say whether that translates into more students enrolling.
REPUTATIONAL EFFECTS
Ella Ricketts, an 18-year-old first year student at Harvard from Canada, said she receives a generous aid package paid for by the school’s donors and is concerned that she won’t be able to afford other options if forced to transfer.
“Around the time I was applying to schools, the only university across the Atlantic I considered was Oxford… However, I realised that I would not be able to afford the international tuition and there was no sufficient scholarship or financial aid available,” she said.
If Harvard’s ability to enrol foreign students is revoked, she would most likely apply to the University of Toronto, she said.
Analytics firm QS said overall visits to its ‘Study in America’ online guide have declined by 17.6% in the last year — with interest from India alone down over 50%.
“Measurable impacts on enrolment typically emerge within six to 18 months. Reputational effects, however, often linger far longer, particularly where visa uncertainty and shifting work rights play into perceptions of risk versus return,” said QS’ Turner.
That reputational risk, and the ensuing brain drain, could be even more damaging for U.S. institutions than the immediate economic hit from students leaving.
“If America turns these brilliant and talented students away, they will find other places to work and study,” said Caleb Thompson, a 20-year-old U.S. student at Harvard, who lives with eight international scholars.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
Rector of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, head of the St. Petersburg branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Andrei Rudskoy has been elected Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The results of the vote were announced today, on the final day of the general meeting of the Academy members.
During the meeting, the rector of the Polytechnic was solemnly presented with the Dmitry Chernov gold medal. The award is named after the Russian metallurgist and inventor Dmitry Konstantinovich Chernov. Chernov was one of the leading experts in steelmaking of his time. He is the author of a classic course of lectures on steelmaking that has been republished many times. Several generations of Russian artillerymen went through the school under the guidance of this famous metallurgist. D.K. Chernov’s contribution to the theory and practice of metallurgy was highly praised by domestic and foreign scientists.
It is a great honor for me to receive the D.K. Chernov Gold Medal. This award has been given since 1995 by the Department of Physical Chemistry and Technology of Inorganic Materials of the Russian Academy of Sciences for outstanding work in the field of physical and chemical analysis, chemistry and technology. Of course, for metallurgists, this is the highest level of recognition of the results of research and work. I am confident that the developments in the field of new technologies for thermoplastic processing of materials that were awarded the medal will contribute to ensuring technological leadership and security of our country. I serve Russia and Russian science! – said Andrey Ivanovich.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
The history of the Polytechnic University continues in the lives of those who have linked their lives with our university. Vasily Marfin, a 1989 graduate of the Physics and Mechanics Department, is a shining example of how a university can become not just a place to get an education, but a real destiny. Having succeeded in engineering and entrepreneurship, he has always been connected with his alma mater. Together with like-minded people, Vasily Borisovich founded a community of our university graduates and heads the Polybusiness association.
Vasily and Elena Marfin raised five children, most of whom also connected their lives with the Polytechnic University. Their family has become a real dynasty., where everyone remains faithful to the traditions of their native university, making its history alive. In May, the Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov presented the Marfins with an award for their contribution to the upbringing of children.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephen A Murphy, Pratapaditya Pal Senior Lecturer in Curating and Museology of Asian Art, SOAS, University of London
The slick online catalogue entry for “Premium Lot 1, The Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha” on the Sotheby’s Hong Kong website was abruptly replaced on May 7 with a single line notification: “The auction has been postponed.”
Shortly afterwards, the associated webpages went blank. The only evidence remaining on Sotheby’s Hong Kong website was an entry on the Piprahwa gems’ history and a short YouTube promotional clip for the sale (below).
Sotheby’s had first announced its intention to auction the relics on February 6 2025. Discovered in northern India in 1898 and thought to date to the third century BC, it was estimated they would fetch up to HK$100m (£9.7m). The collection was consigned by Chris Peppé on behalf of his family, who had inherited the relics from his great grandfather, William Caxton Peppé – a 19th-century British colonial landowner who owned an estate in India.
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Reaction was muted at first, but as a scholar who researches the early history and archaeology of Buddhism and issues surrounding loot and restitution, I was gravely concerned by this proposed sale. Fortunately, I was not alone, and thanks to detailed research of SOAS colleagues such as Conan Cheong, Ashley Thompson and Thai academic Pipad Krajaejun, as well as protests from Buddhist devotees worldwide, a groundswell of disapproval began to grow.
A letter sent to Sotheby’s by the British Maha Bodhi Society, and shared with me, states:
Millions around the world, whether Buddhist or not, have religious and ethical concerns and believe that the sale of sacred items is morally wrong and offensive … Members of the Buddhist sangha [monkhood], as well as lay followers from all traditions, are appalled that the gems offered in devotional acts by the Buddha’s own clan, have been separated from his corporeal remains and are now being sold to the highest bidder.
This disapproval turned into a tidal wave on May 5, two days before the planned auction, with the intervention of the Indian government – which is now threatening legal action against both Sotheby’s and the Peppé family, demanding that the relics be repatriated to India.
In terms of his rights and those of his relatives to sell the relics, Chris Peppé previously had told the Guardian newspaper: “Legally, the ownership is unchallenged.”
Sotheby’s confirmed to me that it and the Indian government are “currently in discussions regarding the Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha, and are pleased to be working together to find the best possible outcome for all parties”.
How we got here
To understand how we reached this impasse, we must cast our eyes back to 19th-century British colonial India, then forward again to 2018-2023 and a number of high-profile exhibitions at some of the world’s most prestigious museums.
In 1898, the family’s great grandfather, William Caxton Peppé, excavated a Buddhist reliquary monument (known as a stupa) on his estate in Piprahwa, northern India. He uncovered what is now considered by scholars to be the most significant cache of Buddhist relics found in India.
The discovery included five reliquary urns containing gems, ash and bone fragments. An inscription on one suggested the remains could be those of the historical Buddha, who is thought to have been cremated around 200 years prior to their burial.
The Indian Treasure Trove Act of 1878 allowed Peppé to keep a portion referred to as “duplicates” (an art-history term used to justify the dividing up of similar material from a hoard or archaeological site that is very much frowned upon today). The British authorities gifted the bones and ash to King Chulalongkorn of Siam, who enshrined them in Bangkok and distributed portions to other Buddhist nations.
The majority of the 1,800 gems, meanwhile, had been deposited in the Indian Museum in Kolkata. It is a longstanding issue, however, that the bulk of this collection remains locked away in the museum safe, off limits to Buddhists, the wider public and scholars alike. Perhaps the publicity surrounding the Peppé portion of the reliquary contents might prompt that museum to review this policy after 120 years.
About ten years ago, armed with his inherited share of the relics, Chris Peppé began reaching out to museums worldwide, proposing to loan them. This, he recently stated, was to make them accessible to Buddhist devotees and the general public alike. Five museums took him up on the offer and, starting in 2018, duly curated high-profile exhibitions around them or incorporated them into larger shows.
Objects with a history of celebrated exhibitions tend to reach higher prices at auction. Whether the Peppé family intentionally built up the Piprahwa exhibition history with the aim of eventually auctioning the relics is unclear. I contacted Chris Peppé directly and posed this question to him, but he declined to comment.
Tellingly, the Sotheby’s website included a scholarly article from 2023 in Orientations Magazine by John Guy, curator of the Tree and Serpent exhibition. But it was dated to February 2025, which perhaps inadvertently made it appear to have been written as an endorsement of the sale. In fact, the paper had been published to coincide with the exhibition. I contacted Guy about this, and he responded by saying:
I regard the linking of my publication to the Sotheby’s sale as highly inappropriate and this was done without my knowledge or consent. The Met’s lawyers demanded that it be removed immediately, which was done, along with a written apology from Sotheby’s.
When I spoke to Nancy Wong at Sotheby’s, she confirmed this, saying: “We apologised and immediately removed the relevant reference from our website.”
Given the events of the past few weeks, the Peppé family now find themselves in a bind. With the Indian government engaged, and it may not be long before Sotheby’s drops them and the relics altogether. Despite their cultured facades and high-society veneers, auction houses are businesses, designed to make a profit – and any potential buyers may have been thoroughly scared off by recent events.
It is hard, however, for me to have much sympathy for the family who could have prevented this whole affair by donating the relics to a Buddhist community or museum in the first place.
Stephen A Murphy is a Senior Lecturer at SOAS, University of London. Prior to this he was a senior curator at the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore, from July 2014-October 2020 where an exhibition displaying the The Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha took place in November 2022-March 2023.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura Elin Pigott, Senior Lecturer in Neurosciences and Neurorehabilitation, Course Leader in the College of Health and Life Sciences, London South Bank University
Cryptogenic strokes have no obvious cause, but is increasingly being linked to subtle, hidden risk factors – such as oestrogen.Krakenimages.com/ Shutterstock
For millions of women, combined hormonal contraceptives are a part of their daily life – providing a convenient and effective option for preventing pregnancy and managing their menstrual cycle.
But new findings are sounding the alarm on a serious, and often overlooked, risk: stroke.
According to recent findings presented at the European Stroke Organisation Conference, combined oral hormonal contraceptives (which contains both oestrogen and progestogen) may significantly increase the chance of women experiencing a cryptogenic stroke. This is a sudden and serious type of stroke that occurs with no obvious cause.
Surprisingly, in younger adults – particularly women – cryptogenic strokes make up approximately 40% of all strokes. This suggests there may be sex-specific factors which contribute to this risk – such as hormonal contraception use. These recently-presented findings lend themselves to this theory.
At this year’s conference, researchers presented findings from the Secreto study. This is an international investigation that has been conducted into the causes of unexplained strokes in young people aged 18 to 49. The study enrolled 608 patients with cryptogenic ischaemic stroke from 13 different European countries.
One of their most striking discoveries was that women who used combined oral contraceptives were three times more likely to experience a cryptogenic stroke compared to non-users. These results stood, even after researchers adjusted for other factors which may have contributed to stroke risk (such as obesity and history of migraines).
It’s well-documented that hormonal contraceptives, which contain both oestrogen and progestin, come with a small, increased risk of experiencing serious health events, including stroke – particularly ischaemic stroke, which occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked.
But a study published earlier this year, which tracked over two million women, found that combined hormonal contraceptives – including the pill, intrauterine devices (IUD), patches and vaginal rings, which all contain both synthetic oestrogen and progestogen – were linked to higher risks of both stroke and heart attack. The vaginal ring increased stroke risk by 2.4 times and 3.8 times for heart attack. The contraceptive patch was found to increase stroke risk by nearly 3.5 times.
Interestingly, they also looked at a progestin-only contraceptive (the IUD) and found there was no increased risk for either heart attacks or strokes.
Both of these recent findings suggest oestrogen may be the main driver of stroke risk. While absolute risk is still low – meaning fewer than 40 in every 100,000 women using a combined hormonal contraceptive will experience a stroke – the population-level impact is significant considering the number of women worldwide that use a combined hormonal contraceptive.
Oestrogen and stroke risk
Combined hormonal contraceptives contain synthetic versions of the sex hormones oestrogen (usually ethinylestradiol) and a progestin (the synthetic version of progestogen).
Natural oestrogen in the body plays a role in promoting blood clotting, which is important for helping wounds heal and prevents excessive bleeding.
But the synthetic oestrogen in contraceptives is more potent and delivered in higher, steady doses. It stimulates the liver to produce extra clotting proteins and reduces natural anticoagulants — tipping the balance toward easier clot formation. This effect, while helpful in stopping bleeding, can raise the risk of abnormal blood clots that can lead to conditions such as stroke. This risk may be even greater for people who smoke, experience migraines or have a genetic tendency to clot.
If a clot forms in an artery that supplies the brain or breaks off and travels through the bloodstream to the brain, this can block blood flow – causing what’s known as an ischaemic stroke. This is the most common type of stroke. Clots can also form in deep veins (such as those in the legs or around your organs).
In addition to clotting, oestrogen may also slightly raise blood pressure and affect how blood vessels behave over time, which can further increase stroke risk.
The effects of oestrogen on clotting may partly explain why the recent conference findings showed a link between combined contraceptive use and cryptogenic stroke risk. Cryptogenic stroke has no obvious cause, but is increasingly being linked to subtle, hidden risk factors – such as hormone-driven clotting.
Understanding risk
These numbers can sound alarming at first, but it’s important to keep them in perspective. The absolute risk – meaning the actual number of people affected – is still low.
For instance, researchers estimate that there may be one additional stroke per year for every 4,700 women using the combined pill.
That sounds rare, and for most users, it is. But when you consider that millions of women use these contraceptives globally, even a small increase in risk can translate into a significant number of strokes at the population level. Which is relative to what is seen with the high number of cryptogenic strokes in young women.
Despite the risks associated with combined hormonal contraceptives, many women continue to use them – either because they aren’t fully informed of the risks or because the alternatives are either less effective, less accessible or come with their own burdens.
Part of the reason this trade-off has become so normalised is the persistent under-funding and under-prioritisation of women’s health research. Historically, medical research has focused disproportionately on men – with women either excluded from studies or treated as an afterthought.
This has led to a limited understanding of how hormonal contraceptives affect female physiology beyond fertility control. As a result, the side-effects remain poorly understood, under-communicated and under-addressed.
Women have a right to make informed decisions about their health and body. This starts with having access to accurate information about the real risks and benefits of every contraceptive option. It means understanding, for example, that while combined hormonal contraceptives do carry a small risk of blood clots and stroke, pregnancy and the weeks following childbirth come with an even higher risk of those same complications. This context is vital for making truly informed choices.
No method of contraception is perfect. But when women are given the full picture, they can choose the method that best suits them. We also need more research that reflects the diversity and complexity of women’s bodies – not just to improve safety, but to expand options and empower decisions.
Laura Elin Pigott does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dafydd Townley, Teaching Fellow in US politics and international security, University of Portsmouth
The American Revolution was a result of the tyranny experienced by colonists under the British monarchy. Many Americans had fled from Europe where they had been persecuted under the rule of powerful monarchs. The government produced by the revolution was designed to ensure no such tyranny could be reproduced in the newly formed United States.
The framers of the constitution created a checks-and-balances system of government to ensure that no single branch of the federal government (executive, judicial or legislative) could dominate the others. Each branch has powers to curtail or empower the others.
However, some Americans are concerned about a return of absolute rule due to the steps taken by Donald Trump’s second administration. This has sparked around 100 “no kings” protests all over the US, organised to coincide with Trump’s birthday on June 15.
Increasing presidential power
The second Trump administration has made a determined effort to strengthen presidential power and reduce oversight of the executive branch (the presidency). Achieving this could mean the president acting in an arbitrary manner similar to absolute monarchs of the past, free of congressional or judicial interference.
Trump’s “big beautiful bill”, which has been passed in the House of Representatives and now must go to the Senate, contains certain provisions that strengthen the role of the president and undermine the checks-and-balances system.
Previous presidents, such as Franklin D. Roosevelt during the New Deal era of the 1930s, had many of their executive orders cancelled by Supreme Court rulings. Over the last five months, the judiciary has ruled on the constitutionality of Trump’s executive actions, putting at least 180 on hold.
As a consequence, the president has continually questioned the validity of the courts to act. At last week’s West Point graduation ceremony, Trump claimed that last November’s election result “gives us the right to do what we wanna do to make our country great again”.
As Robert Reich, the former US secretary of labor, wrote recently, this “big beautiful bill” will remove the courts’ ability to hold executive officials in contempt and undermine any efforts to stop the administration. Supreme Court rulings could be ignored by the executive branch, and Congress would be unable to enforce its subpoenas and laws. “Trump will have crowned himself king,” Reich concluded.
Just like the judicial branch, the legislative branch (Congress) also has the ability to check the executive branch. Congress can override the presidential veto if both the House and Senate pass legislation with a two-thirds majority. And the executive branch (the president) cannot fund any initiatives without the budget being approved by Congress first.
But Trump and his supporters have minimised the impact that Congress can have on this particular bill by including all of the provisions within a budget reconciliation bill. This is a special legislative procedure that is designed to pass bills through Congress quickly.
Bills usually require 60 votes to bypass a filibuster – a tactic used by senators to delay voting on the bill by refusing to end the debate and speaking for exceptionally long times without a break.
But because this is a budget reconciliation, it only requires a majority – 51 votes – to pass the Senate. And because the Republicans have 53 seats in the Senate, Trump is confident the bill will pass without any Democratic interference.
The House narrowly passed the bill, despite some opposition from Republicans. And some Republican senators have also expressed concerns. But this is the latest move to centralise greater power within the presidency.
Trump makes the commencement speech at the West Point military academy.
Trump v the courts
Trump’s apparent belief that he is above the law has, in part, been supported by last year’s Supreme Court ruling which stated that former presidents had immunity from prosecution for official presidential acts. The Trump v United States decision decided such acts included command of the military, control of the executive branch, and execution of laws.
However, this week’s federal court ruling on the legality of Trump’s economic tariffs represents a setback to the administration’s efforts to strengthen presidential power. The Court of International Trade ruled that the White House’s use of emergency powers did not grant it the authority to impose tariffs on every country, and that the constitution states such power resides within Congress.
The Trump administration immediately said it would be appealing the decision. “It is not for unelected judges to decide how to properly address a national emergency,” Kush Desai, the White House deputy press secretary, said on the ruling, and that Trump would use “every lever of executive power” to “restore American greatness”.
All of which has led Trump to quote another authoritarian leader, Napoleon, on social media. His post – “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law” – was a clear rebuke to those who have tried to limit executive authority while he has been in office, and echoes that of former president Richard Nixon who, in an interview with David Frost about the Watergate scandal, argued that the constitution allowed the president to break the law.
This is an extension of the notion that Article II of the constitution has granted the president the authority to act without checks and balances when dealing with the executive branch. It is a theory much touted within Project 2025, believed to be the blueprint for the Trump presidency.
There are other historical comparisons that could be made of Trump’s authoritarian actions, such as the rule of Charles I of England (1625-49), who believed he could govern without consulting parliament except when he needed to raise taxes to conduct overseas campaigns. Ultimately, this led to a period of civil wars and the execution of the king for treason.
While none of these consequences are likely to be replicated, it is clear the US is currently in a constitutional crisis. The Supreme Court has a number of rulings to make on the judicial challenges to Trump’s executive authority. These will have generational consequences – but it is unclear in which way the court, where conservative judges have a 6-3 majority, will lean.
While Trump may not be seeking a crown for his head, he is certainly arguing that he has the right to control the executive branch in the way he sees fit, without any interference from Congress or the judiciary. This is not the separation of powers as prescribed by the framers of the US constitution, but more like the absolutism of medieval monarchs.
Dafydd Townley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Imagine a future where a diagnosis of untreatable male infertility is no longer the end of the road – because science has found a way to produce human sperm from lab-engineered testicular tissue.
This might sound like science fiction, but I’m leading a team of researchers at the University of Limerick (UL) to work on making the production of human sperm from lab-engineered testicular tissue a reality. If successful, this could redefine fertility treatment and bring hope to the millions of people around the world affected by male infertility.
The precise causes of declining male reproductive health are still being debated. While genetics may play a role, no single genetic factor has been shown to affect male fertility at a population level. Instead, much of the focus has turned to the environment, particularly endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
These chemicals, which can interfere with hormone function, are found in common items such as plastics, pesticides, cosmetics and even painkillers. There is growing evidence that exposure to these substances in the womb can increase the risk of testicular cancer, reduce sperm quality, and lead to male infertility later in life.
SSR involves surgically opening the testicles to search for viable sperm for use in assisted reproductive technologies like IVF. However, success is far from guaranteed. In some cases, the chance of finding even a single usable sperm cell is as low as 40%.
In addition to its physical and emotional toll, SSR places the burden of fertility treatment on the female partner’s reproductive system, meaning women’s bodies are often the target of fertility medications and procedures. It does little to address the underlying health risks associated with male infertility, including higher rates of illness and early mortality.
And if SSR fails, the only option left is to use donor sperm – a difficult and emotional decision for many people.
Root of the problem
To address male infertility, scientists need to get to the root of the problem and develop solutions that restore natural fertility.
So, given the ethical and biological limits on experimenting directly with humans, researchers have turned to preclinical models to study the human testes. These include ex vivo tissue (human or animal tissue studied outside the body), in vitro cell cultures (human testicular cells grown on lab plates), and animal models (typically rodents or primates).
However, human sperm production is vastly different – and much less efficient – than in other mammals, making animal models unreliable. To move forward, researchers need preclinical models that closely mimic human testes and their ability to produce sperm.
This remains one of the biggest scientific hurdles in the field. While researchers have successfully produced sperm in the lab from mouse testicular tissue, the same has never been achieved in humans.
Our research is attempting to overcome this challenge by combining biology with mechanical engineering and materials science. We started by analysing human testicular tissue samples from a range of donors, building a detailed understanding of how the tissue functions.
This data was fed into the design of model systems that replicate human testicular tissue – not just biologically, but mechanically and structurally. The ultimate goal is to create a model that can not only mimic testicular function but produce viable human sperm.
Lab-produced sperm could revolutionise fertility care. It might one day offer a solution to men who have undergone failed SSR procedures, childhood cancer survivors whose fertility was damaged by chemotherapy or radiation, and male patients with severe, unexplained infertility who currently have no treatment options.
This isn’t just a scientific experiment. It’s about restoring hope to those for whom existing medical approaches have run out of answers.
Eoghan Cunnane receives funding from the European Research Council, Research Ireland, and the UL Foundation.
Within hours of a driver ramming into a crowd at Liverpool’s Premier League victory parade, injuring 65 people, Merseyside Police shared in a press release that they had arrested a suspect. Unusually, the announcement included the race and nationality of the person arrested – a 53-year-old white British man.
This was a stark contrast to the previous summer, when speculation about the ethnicity of a 17-year-old arrested for the murder of three young girls in Southport led to public disorder and riots around the country.
The question of what police and the public can say about an ongoing legal case and when is governed by contempt of court laws, which cover a wide range of behaviour in the UK. They prevent conduct which may disrupt legal proceedings, such as shouting out in court or otherwise causing a disturbance. They also prohibit publications which create “a substantial risk” that legal proceedings “will be seriously impeded or prejudiced”, and ensure that court orders are followed.
A recent House of Commons report suggested that the laws of contempt are not fit for the social media age. The report came after the public disorder which followed the murders of three girls by Axel Rudakubana in Southport in July 2024.
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It is widely accepted that in the Southport case, misinformation spread via social media – specifically, that the attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker called Ali-Al-Shakati – helped to fuel the disorder. Merseyside Police’s decision to quickly publish the ethnicity of the man arrested in Liverpool suggests they were acting to prevent a repeat of the August 2024 riots.
The police were restricted in the information they could release after Southport. Separate from the contempt laws, the Children and Young Persons Act prohibits the publication of material that may identify a person under 18 involved in youth court proceedings, and a judge may order anonymity in other criminal proceedings.
Police responded to riots around the country in August 2024 after misinformation spread about the suspect arrested for the murder of three girls in Southport. Ian Hamlett/Shutterstock
The police did try to combat false information about the case in the days following the Southport attack, but it was too late. They shared that the suspect had been born in Cardiff and that the name circulating on social media was incorrect. However, they could have released more information more quickly, even under the current contempt laws, including details such as Rudakubana’s ethnicity.
The Law Commission, an independent statutory body charged with reviewing the law of England and Wales and suggesting reforms, has said it is an “open question” whether the publication of more information could have prevented or mitigated the disorder after Southport.
But the events after Southport are probably why Liverpool was handled differently. Merseyside Police broke from their previous approach of not releasing ethnicity details (except in cases of missing persons or people on the run). Earlier in May, the police inspectorate published a report on the Southport response, saying police forces “need to better appreciate how fast-moving events will require them to counter false narratives online”.
However, simply releasing the race of the man arrested in Liverpool hasn’t fully filled the information void. A man’s photo was circulated on social media, wrongly identifying him as the person arrested.
It also risks setting a precedent for future cases. If police release a suspect’s ethnicity, some people will make assumptions about whether their ethnicity is linked to a motive for an attack, and may spread misinformation that may prejudice a trial or cause disorder. But if they don’t release the ethnicity, some people may still make assumptions about why police have kept it secret. In either case, misinformation is likely to spread.
Fit for the social media age?
Both of these cases raise concerns about whether current laws are fit for purpose, in an age when information spreads quickly – regardless of whether it is true – on social media.
Regardless of what the police make public, the real challenge is that anyone with a smartphone can instantly comment on any event, and may not know they are putting themselves at risk of committing a contempt of court offence.
In 2019, actress Tina Malone received a suspended sentence of eight months for breaching a court order prohibiting the release of information about the murderers of James Bulger. She shared a social media post which claimed to provide the new identity and a picture of Jon Venables. Malone told the court that she was unaware that she was doing anything wrong.
Newspapers have often been the subject of contempt of court cases. But in theory, anyone who shares a post by a publication later found to be in contempt could be implicated too.
Committing contempt can carry a sentence of up to two years’ imprisonment and an unlimited fine. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, was recently released from prison, where he had been serving a sentence for repeatedly breaching a court order.
The attorney general has launched campaigns to educate the public on the risks, but whether they’ve had any effect is questionable. Even politicians, including those in government, have made social media posts which come very close to being in contempt of court.
The laws of contempt, which have developed piecemeal over centuries, are not well known or understood. But they are an important part of the legal system, and they attempt to strike a balance between freedom of expression and the right to a fair trial, and to ensure that both victims and defendants receive justice. In the current climate, they need to be made much clearer.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The Little Engine That Could wasn’t the most powerful train, but she believed in herself. The story goes that, as she set off to climb a steep mountain, she repeated: “I think I can, I think I can.”
That simple phrase from a children’s story still holds a lesson for today’s business world – especially when it comes to artificial intelligence.
AI is no longer a distant promise out of science fiction. It’s here and already beginning to transform industries. But despite the hundreds of billions of dollars spent on developing AI models and platforms, adoption remains slow for many employees, with a recent Pew Research Center survey finding that 63% of U.S. workers use AI minimally or not at all in their jobs.
The reason? It can often come down to what researchers call technological self-efficacy, or, put simply, a person’s belief in their ability to use technology effectively.
In my research on this topic, I found that many people who avoid using new technology aren’t truly against it – instead, they just don’t feel equipped to use it in their specific jobs. So rather than risk getting it wrong, they choose to keep their distance.
And that’s where many organizations derail. They focus on building the engine, but don’t fully fuel the confidence that workers need to get it moving.
What self-efficacy has to do with AI
Albert Bandura, the psychologist who developed the theory of self-efficacy, noted that skill alone doesn’t determine people’s behavior. What matters more is a person’s belief in their ability to use that skill effectively.
In my study of teachers in 1:1 technology environments – classrooms where each student is equipped with a digital device like a laptop or tablet – this was clear. I found that even teachers with access to powerful digital tools don’t always feel confident using them. And when they lack confidence, they may avoid the technology or use it in limited, superficial ways.
The same holds true in today’s AI-equipped workplace. Leaders may be quick to roll out new tools and want fast results. But employees may hesitate, wondering how it applies to their roles, whether they’ll use it correctly, or if they’ll appear less competent – or even unethical – for relying on it.
Beneath that hesitation may also be the all-too-familiar fear of one day being replaced by technology.
Going back to train analogies, think of John Henry, the 19th-century folk hero. As the story goes, Henry was a railroad worker who was famous for his strength. When a steam-powered machine threatened to replace him, he raced it – and won. But the victory came at a cost: He collapsed and died shortly afterward.
Henry’s story is a lesson in how resisting new technology through sheer willpower can be self-defeating. Rather than leaving some employees feeling like they have to outmuscle or outperform AI, organizations should invest in helping them understand how to work with it – so they don’t feel like they need to work against it.
Relevant and role-specific training
Many organizations do offer training related to using AI. But these programs are often too broad, covering topics like how to log into different programs, what the interfaces look like, or what AI “generally” can do.
In my study, participants consistently said they benefited most from training that was “district-specific,” meaning tailored to the devices, software and situations they faced daily with their specific subject areas and grade levels.
Translation for the corporate world? Training needs to be job-specific and user-centered – not one-size-fits-all.
The generational divide
It’s not exactly shocking: Younger workers tend to feel more confident using technology than older ones. Gen Z and millennials are digital natives – they’ve grown up with digital technologies as part of their daily lives.
Gen X and boomers, on the other hand, often had to adapt to using digital technologies mid-career. As a result, they may feel less capable and be more likely to dismiss AI and its possibilities. And if their few forays into AI are frustrating or lead to mistakes, that first impression is likely to stick.
When generative AI tools were first launched commercially, they were more likely to hallucinate and confidently spit out incorrect information. Remember when Google demoed its Bard AI tool in 2023 and its factual error led to its parent company losing US$100 billion in market value? Or when an attorney made headlines for citing fabricated cases courtesy of ChatGPT?
Moments like those likely reinforced skepticism – especially among workers already unsure about AI’s reliability. But the technology has already come a long way in a relatively short period of time.
The solution to getting those who may be slower to embrace AI isn’t to push them harder, but to coach them and consider their backgrounds.
What effective AI training looks like
Bandura identified four key sources that shape a person’s belief in their ability to succeed:
Mastery experiences, or personal success
Vicarious experiences, or seeing others in similar positions succeed
Verbal persuasion, or positive feedback
Physiological and emotional states, or someone’s mood, energy, anxiety and so forth.
In my research on educators, I saw how these concepts made a difference, and the same approach can apply to AI in the corporate world – or in virtually any environment in which a person needs to build self-efficacy.
In the workplace, this could be accomplished with cohort-based trainings that include feedback loops – regular communication between leaders and employees about growth, improvement and more – along with content that can be customized to employees’ needs and roles. Organizations can also experiment with engaging formats like PricewaterhouseCoopers’ prompting parties, which provide low-stakes opportunities for employees to build confidence and try new AI programs.
In “Pokemon Go!,” it’s possible to level up by stacking lots of small, low-stakes wins and gaining experience points along the way. Workplaces could approach AI training the same way, giving employees frequent, simple opportunities tied to their actual work to steadily build confidence and skill.
The curriculum doesn’t have to be revolutionary. It just needs to follow these principles and not fall victim to death by PowerPoint, or end up being generic training that isn’t applicable to specific roles in the workplace.
As organizations continue to invest heavily in developing and accessing AI technologies, it’s also essential that they invest in the people who will use them. AI might change what the workforce looks like, but there’s still going to be a workforce. And when people are well trained, AI can make both them and the outfits they work for significantly more effective.
Greg Edwards does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Matthew Sturchio, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University; Faculty Afffiliate in Ecology, Colorado State University
Solar panels on grasslands can generate electricity and useful forage or wildlife habitat.Matthew Sturchio, CC BY-ND
Grasses growing in the shade of a solar array were only a little less productive than those growing nearby in open grassland during years of average and above-average rainfall – but in a dry year, the shaded plants grew much better than those growing in full sun. That’s the result of a four-year study we conducted in a semi-arid grassland of northern Colorado.
When choosing a location for generating solar power, consistent sunlight and interconnection to the electric grid are key criteria. In Colorado the combination of new electrical transmission infrastructure, abundant sunlight and short vegetation that is easy to maintain have made grasslands a prime target for solar development.
Grasslands, like those that dominate the eastern plains of Colorado, provide important habitat for wildlife and serve as a critical food source for livestock. Although these grasslands have long been productive despite their normally arid environment, a warmer climate has increased the potential for more frequent and severe drought. For instance, a recent global study found that previous research likely underestimated the threat of extreme drought in grasslands.
Semi-arid grassland near the Colorado-Wyoming border. Matthew Sturchio, CC BY-ND Semi-arid grassland near Cheyenne, Wyo., with close-ups of flowers of some of the plants that grow there. Matthew Sturchio, CC BY-ND
At Colorado State University, biology professor Alan Knapp and I started the ecovoltaics research group to study the effects of solar development in grasslands. Our primary goal is to ensure an ecologically informed solar energy future.
Solar panels create microclimates
Strings of solar panels redirect rain to the edge of panels. Because of this, small rain events can provide biologically relevant amounts of water instead of evaporating quickly.
Simultaneously, solar panels shade plants growing beneath them. Some arrays, including the ones used in our study, move the panels to follow the path of the Sun across the sky.
This results in a combination of sun and shade that is very different from the uninterrupted sunlight beating down on plants in a grassland without solar panels. In turn, patterns of plant stress and water loss also differ in grasses under solar arrays.
A time-lapse video shows how a single-axis tracking solar array at Jack’s Solar Garden modifies patterns of sunlight availability.
How grasses respond to a solar panel canopy
To get a handle on how these different conditions affect grasses, we measured plant physiological response during the early stages of our study. More specifically, we tracked leaf carbon and water exchange throughout daylight hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., over 16 weeks in summer 2022 at Jack’s Solar Garden, a solar array over grassland in Longmont, Colorado.
In general, plants that are adapted to full sun conditions, including most grasses, might not be expected to grow as well in partial shade. But we suspected that growth benefits from reduced water stress could outweigh potential reductions in growth from shading. We call this the “aridity mitigation potential” hypothesis.
Sure enough, we found evidence of aridity mitigation across multiple years, with the most pronounced effect during the driest year.
When water is scarce, increases in grassland productivity are more valuable because there isn’t as much around. Therefore, increasing grassland production in dry years could provide more available food for grazing animals and help offset some of the economic harm of drought in rangelands.
Informing sustainable solar development in grasslands
So far, our research has been limited to a grassland dominated by a cool season grass: smooth brome. Although it is a perennial commonly planted for hay, fields dominated by smooth brome lack the diversity of life found in native grasslands.
Future work in native shortgrass prairies would provide new information about how solar panels affect plant water use, soils and grazing management in an ecosystem with 30% less precipitation than Jack’s Solar Garden. We’re beginning that work now at the shortgrass ecovoltaic research facility near Nunn, Colorado. This facility, which will be fully operational later in 2025, was constructed with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the wider SCAPES project.
Testing the effects of solar panels over grasslands in a native ecosystem with even greater aridity will help us develop a clearer picture of ways solar energy can be developed in concert with grassland health.
Matthew Sturchio works for Cornell University and serves as a Faculty Affiliate at Colorado State University. Funding for this work came from US Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Sustainable Agricultural Systems project entitled “Sustainably Co-locating Agricultural and Photovoltaic Electricity Systems,” led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Grant Number: 2021-68012-35898, 2021–2025.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ivis García, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University
Hurricane Harvey inundated the Cottage Grove neighborhood of Houston in 2018.Scott Olson/Getty Images
When powerful storms hit your city, which neighborhoods are most likely to flood? In many cities, they’re typically low-income areas. They may have poor drainage, or they lack protections such as seawalls.
New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, where hundreds of people died when Hurricane Katrina broke a levee in 2005, and Houston’s Kashmere Gardens, flooded by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, are just two among many examples.
Hurricane Irma flooded Immokalee, Fla., in 2017. The community, home to many farmworkers, had infrastructure problems before the storm, and recovery was slow. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
The new guidance required cities to both consider social vulnerability among neighborhoods in their disaster mitigation planning and involve socially vulnerable communities in those discussions in ways they hadn’t before.
However, as the U.S. heads into what forecasters predict will be an active 2025 hurricane season, that guidance has changed again. The Trump administration’s new FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide 2025 talks about public involvement in planning but strips any mention of equity, income or social vulnerability. It mentions using “projections for the future” to plan but removes references to climate change.
In the past, local mitigation plans just focused on fixing roads or protecting property in general from storm damage, without recognizing that socially vulnerable groups, such as low-income or elderly populations, were more likely to be hardest hit and take much longer to recover.
Low-income neighborhoods in Puerto Rico have been slow to recover from 2017’s Hurricane Maria. Ivis Garcia
The FEMA 2023 guidance encouraged communities to consider both the highest risks and which neighborhoods would be least able to respond in a disaster and address their needs.
The equity requirement was designed to ensure that local plans didn’t just protect those with the most wealth or political influence but considered who needs the help most. That might mean providing information in multiple languages in emergency alerts or investing in flood prevention in neighborhoods with aging infrastructure like roads, bridges and flood barriers.
How New York City’s 2024 plan helped
New York City’s 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, for example, included a thorough social vulnerability assessment to identify neighborhoods with high percentages of people who were living in poverty or were older, disabled or weren’t fluent in English.
Knowing where disaster risk and social vulnerability overlapped allowed the city to boost investments in flood protection, emergency communication and cooling centers during summer heat in neighborhoods such as the South Bronx and East Harlem. These neighborhoods historically faced some of the greatest risks from disasters but saw little investment.
The NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice mapped the risk of storm surge flooding in the 2020s (purple) and 2080s (dark blue), and neighborhoods that fall under the city’s ‘disadvantaged communities’ criteria. A 1% risk means a 1% of chance of flooding in any given year, also referred to as a 100-year flood risk. NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice
Further, New York’s plan calls for expanding outreach and early warning systems in multiple languages and enhancing infrastructure in areas with high concentrations of Spanish speakers. These kinds of changes help ensure that vulnerable residents are more likely to be better protected when disaster strikes.
Why is FEMA dropping that emphasis now?
FEMA’s reasoning for the guidance change in 2025: make it quicker and easier to get plans approved and unlock federal funding for projects like flood barriers, storm shelters and buyouts in areas at high risk of damage.
It’s a pragmatic move, but one that raises big questions about whether residents who are least able to help themselves will be overlooked again when the next disaster strikes.
And FEMA isn’t alone — other agencies, like the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and its Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery program, have made similar changes to their own disaster planning rules. Community Development Block Grant funds for disaster recovery are flexible and can be used for things like rebuilding homes and businesses, restoring infrastructure and helping local economies recover.
What this means for low-income areas
Some experts worry that the changes might mean low-income and other at-risk communities will be ignored again when cities develop their next five-year mitigation plans. Research from the Government Accountability Office shows that when something is required by law, it gets done. When it’s just a suggestion, it’s easy to skip, especially in places with fewer resources or less political will to help.
But the short-lived rules may have already helped in one important way: They made cities and states pay attention to social vulnerability, climate change and the needs of all their residents.
Many local leaders have learned the value of using data to understand where socially vulnerable residents face high disaster risks. And they have a model now for involving communities in decision-making. Even if those steps are no longer required, the hope is that these good habits will stick.
Where and how communities invest in disaster protection affects who stays safe and who faces higher risks from flooding, hurricanes and other disasters. When government policy shifts, it’s not just about paperwork – it’s about real people.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
About 1 in 4 U.S. children – nearly 19 million – have at least one parent with substance use disorder. This includes parents who misuse alcohol, marijuana, prescription opioids or illegal drugs. Our estimate reflects an increase of over 2 million children since 2020 and an increase of 10 million from an earlier estimate using data from 2009 to 2014.
To arrive at this estimate, our team used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2023, the most recently released year of data. Nearly 57,000 people ages 12 and up responded.
Why it matters
As a researcher who studies substance use in adolescents and young adults, I know these children are at considerable risk for the disorder, and other mental health issues, such as behavioral problems and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Substance use disorder is a psychiatric condition marked by frequent and heavy substance use. The disorder is characterized by numerous symptoms, including behaviors such as driving while intoxicated and fights with family and friends over substance use.
Despite the new study’s findings, mental health programs for children at risk could be cut.
Of the 19 million children, our study found about 3.5 million live with a parent who has multiple substance use disorders. More than 6 million have a parent with both a substance use disorder and significant symptoms of depression, anxiety or both. Alcohol is by far the most common substance used, with 12.5 million children affected.
Our 19 million estimate is significantly larger than an earlier estimate based on older data. That study, which reviewed data from 2009 to 2014, indicated that 8.7 million U.S. children – or roughly 1 in 8 – lived with a parent, or parents, with substance use disorder. That’s a difference of about 10 million children.
This happened primarily because between the time of the two studies – from 2014 to 2023 – the criteria for diagnosing someone with substance use disorder became broader and more inclusive. That change alone accounted for more than an 80% jump in the estimate of children affected by parental substance use disorder. There was also a further increase of 2 million in the number of affected children since 2020, which reflects the rising number of parents with a substance use disorder.
What’s next
There is a critical need to better identify parents with substance use disorder and the children who are affected by it. In my experience, many pediatric clinicians screen children for substance use, but they are much less likely to screen accompanying parents. So the first step is to make such screenings common and expected for both children and their adult caregivers.
But that is not the case now. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an expert panel that recommends screening and prevention best practices for clinicians, does not yet recommend such a screening for children, although that could help direct those in need to treatment and prevent the worst outcomes from substance use disorder.
Additional intervention, which requires funding, is needed from federal, state and local government. This may seem fanciful in an age of scrutinized government budgets. But the alternative is a bill that comes due later: millions of adults exposed to this disorder at an early age, only to struggle decades later with their own substance use and mental health problems.
The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.
Ty Schepis receives funding from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Any views expressed are those of Dr. Schepis and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIH/NIDA, the FDA, or SAMHSA. These funders had no role in any articles, and there was no editorial direction or censorship from the funders.
Detroit and other former immigrant gateway metro areas such as Buffalo, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and St. Louis, Missouri experienced significant immigration in the early 20th century. These population booms were followed by a period of decline in immigration numbers.
Now these cities are using branding strategies to construct inclusive identities designed to attract and retain immigrants. It may be surprising to think of a city branding itself, but local governments often work with private nonprofits to shape and manage their city’s image. They try to build a unique and desirable identity for the city, differentiate it from competitors, and attract new businesses, residents and tourists this way.
Here are three reasons why Detroit and other cities want to welcome immigrants:
1. Encouraging economic growth and attracting talent
Immigrants also fill labor needs, from high-tech fields such as engineering and research to manual labor sectors such as construction and food service.
This economic impact extends to tourism as well. The region’s marketing campaigns embracing diversity shape how visitors perceive the region. The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau spotlights the unique experiences the city’s diverse neighborhoods offer to tourists.
2. Enhancing community and regional resilience
Regional resilience describes a region’s ability to withstand and adapt to challenges such as economic shocks and natural disasters. Cities like Detroit that are still trying to bounce back from deindustrialization know from experience how critical this is.
Immigration contributes to regional resilience, research shows. In addition to supporting local economies and strengthening the labor force, the arrival of immigrants in Detroit has helped offset native-born population decline, stabilizing the overall population and bolstering local tax bases.
According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the Detroit metro area’s native-born population decreased by 58,693 people during that 13-year period, while the foreign-born population increased by 109,154. The top five countries of origin for immigrants in the metro area are India, Iraq, Mexico, Yemen and Lebanon.
From 2023 to 2024, the metro area’s population gained 40,347 immigrants and lost 11,626 native born residents – resulting in a population gain of 28,721.
Efforts to welcome immigrants in Detroit and its surrounding communities contributed to this trend of immigrant population growth offsetting overall population decline.
3. Promoting social cohesion and enhanced civic engagement
Successful place brands are rooted in inclusion and a strong civil society. Detroit’s rich tapestry of cultures in areas such as Dearborn and Hamtramck creates a vibrant regional identity.
Organizations such as Global Detroit’s Welcoming Michigan actively support local grassroots efforts to build mutual respect and ensure that immigrants are able to participate fully in the social, civic and economic fabric of their hometowns.
Examples include Global Detroit’s Social Cohesion Initiative, Common Bond and Opportunity Neighborhoods. These initiatives help bring neighborhood residents of various backgrounds together to share their cultures, support each other’s small businesses and socialize. Such programs strengthen the region’s democratic foundations and enhance its appeal as a welcoming and inclusive place to live.
Forging a way forward
Detroit has found that welcoming immigrants and integrating them into the life of the city is one way to navigate the economic, political and cultural challenges it faces.
And it is not alone in embracing this strategy. Other cities practicing similar strategies include Baltimore; Boise, Idaho; Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas; Dayton, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; New Orleans; Pittsburgh; Roanoke, Virginia; and Salt Lake City.
Although not all cities choose to pursue such strategies, in those that do, local leaders signal a region ready for a globalized future.
Paul N. McDaniel previously received funding from the National Geographic Society, served on the Content Advisory Board for the Welcoming Standard and on the Steering Committee for Welcoming America’s One Region Initiative, and is a member of the American Association of Geographers.
Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez was co-PI on funding received from the National Geographic Society and served on the national pilot program with Welcoming America One Region Initiative’s Steering Committee and Program Evaluation Team.
Biotech company Colossal Biosciences made headlines in April 2025 after claiming it had “successfully restored … the dire wolf to its rightful place in the ecosystem.” Three wolf pups – Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi – were born through this de-extinction project.
But behind the scenes lies a more complicated reality.
What Colossal actually did was edit a small number of gray wolf genes, aiming to create physical traits that resemble those of the extinct dire wolf. The edited embryos were implanted into surrogate domestic dogs.
Many scientistsand reportersexpressed skepticism about the claim that this amounts to restoring the dire wolf. Experts pointed out that tweaking a handful of genes does not replicate the full biological reality of a long-extinct species. Most of the dire wolf’s genetic makeup remains unknown and unreplicated.
This gap between appearance and biological identity raises a deeper question: What exactly is a species, and how do you decide whether something belongs to one species rather than another?
Biologists call the answer a species concept – a theory about what a species is and how researchers sort organisms into different groups. As a philosopher of science who studies what defines a species, I can say this: Whether de-extinction projects succeed depends on which species concept you think is right – and the truth is, even scientists don’t agree.
How scientists define a species
When scientists talk about biodiversity – the variety of life-forms found in nature – species are the basic building blocks. A species is supposed to reflect a real division between distinct groups of organisms in the natural world, not just a convenient label.
In classifying living things into species, scientists are trying to “carve nature at its joints” to reflect real patterns shaped by evolution. Even so, deciding what counts as a species turns out to be surprisingly difficult and highly controversial. Scientists have proposed dozens of distinct species concepts – some scholars have counted over 32 ways to define a species – and each draws the lines a little differently. These definitions don’t always agree on whether an organism is part of one species rather than another.
Two of the most influential species concepts highlight the challenge. The biological species concept defines a species as a group of organisms that can naturally breed with each other and produce fertile offspring. Under this view, African forest elephants and African savanna elephants were once classified as the same species because they could mate and have young together, even though they lived in different habitats and looked different.
Another approach, the phylogenetic species concept, emphasizes ancestry instead of breeding. A species, in this view, is a group that shares a unique evolutionary history, forming its own distinct branch on the tree of life. By this standard, researchers found that forest and savanna elephants had been genetically evolving separately for millions of years, long enough to be considered different species even if they could still interbreed.
Understanding these different species concepts is crucial for evaluating claims about de-extinction. If Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi could naturally mate with historical dire wolves and produce fertile offspring, then they would be considered true dire wolves under the biological species concept.
But for definitions of species that emphasize evolutionary history, such as the phylogenetic species concept, the lab-created wolves would not qualify as real dire wolves – even if they were indistinguishable from the originals – because they did not descend from historical dire wolves.
Despite differences on how best to define species, there is a surprising degree of consensus among scientists and philosophers on one big idea: What makes something part of a species is not an internal feature, such as a specific set of genes, but a relationship to something else – to its environment, to other organisms, or to a shared evolutionary history.
By this way of thinking – what is often called relationalism – there is no special “lemon gene” that makes a lemon and no hidden genetic marker that automatically makes an animal a dire wolf. Commonly shared across all these theories is the notion that belonging to a particular species depends on connections and context, not on anything inside the organism itself.
But what if that consensus is wrong?
On warblers and mitochondria
At first glance, the standard ways of defining a species seem to work well. But every now and then, nature throws a curveball – and even the most trusted definitions don’t quite fit.
Take the case of the blue-winged and golden-winged warblers. These two songbirds look and sound different. They wear different plumage, sing different songs and prefer different habitats. Birders and organizations such as the American Ornithological Society have always classified them as separate species.
Yet under two of the most common scientific definitions of species, the biological and phylogenetic species concepts, blue-winged and golden-winged warblers are considered the same species. These birds regularly mate and produce young together. They’ve been swapping genes for thousands of years. And when scientists looked at their nuclear DNA – the genetic material tucked inside the nucleus of each cell – they found the two birds are 99.97% identical. This finding suggests that even careful, widely accepted species definitions can miss something important.
The golden-winged warbler, left, and blue-winged warbler are considered two distinct species, but according to many species concepts they would count as the same. Wildreturn, Ken Janes/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
So what if, instead, the key to being part of a species lies deep inside the organism, in the way its basic systems of life fit together?
Recent work in biology and philosophy suggests another way of thinking about species that focuses on a hidden but vital system inside cells: the partnership between two sets of genetic material. I and my colleague Kyle B. Heineexplore this idea by drawing on research in mitonuclear ecology – the study of how different parts of an organism’s genetic material adapt and work together to produce energy.
Virtually every cell contains two kinds of DNA. One set, stored in the nucleus, acts like an instruction manual that guides most of the cell’s activities. The other, found in structures called mitochondria – the cell’s energy centers – contains its own much smaller set of instructions geared toward supporting its unique role in keeping the cell running.
Producing energy depends on precise teamwork between nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA, like two musicians playing in perfect harmony. Over millions of years, the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA of each species have evolved together to form a unique, finely tuned system.
This insight has led to a new way of thinking about species, called the mitonuclear compatibility species concept. According to this idea, an organism belongs to a species if its two sets of genes – those in the nucleus and those in the mitochondria – are optimized to work together to generate life-sustaining energy. If the cellular partnership between these two genetic systems is mismatched, the organism may struggle to produce the energy it needs to survive, grow and reproduce.
By this standard, different species aren’t just defined by how they look or behave, but by whether their nuclear and mitochondrial genes form a uniquely coadapted team. For example, even though blue-winged and golden-winged warblers are nearly identical in their nuclear DNA, they differ by about 3% in their mitochondrial DNA – a clue that their energy systems are distinct. And that’s exactly what the mitonuclear compatibility species concept predicts: They really are two separate species.
Bringing back a species like the dire wolf isn’t just a matter of getting the fur right or tweaking a few visible traits. According to my preferred species concept, even if a recreated animal looks the part, it won’t truly be a dire wolf unless its inner genetic systems – the ones that power its cells – are finely tuned to work together, just as they were in the original species.
That’s a tall order. And without restoring the full inner machinery of the original species, any lab-grown look-alike would fall short.
Understanding how scientists define species – and how those definitions shape the possibilities of de-extinction – offers more than just a lesson in biological bookkeeping. It shows that classification is not just about names or lineages, but about recognizing the deep biological patterns that sustain life, offering a deeper appreciation of what it really means to bring back the past.
Reviving an extinct species isn’t like assembling a model from spare parts. It means recreating a living, breathing system – one whose parts must work in concert, not just look the part.
And that’s why philosophy and science both matter here: To understand what we’re bringing back, we must first understand what was truly lost.
Elay Shech does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Prime numbers are numbers that are not products of smaller whole numbers.Jeremiah Bartz
A shard of smooth bone etched with irregular marks dating back 20,000 years puzzled archaeologists until they noticed something unique – the etchings, lines like tally marks, may have represented prime numbers. Similarly, a clay tablet from 1800 B.C.E. inscribed with Babylonian numbers describes a number system built on prime numbers.
As the Ishango bone, the Plimpton 322 tablet and other artifacts throughout history display, prime numbers have fascinated and captivated people throughout history. Today, prime numbers and their properties are studied in number theory, a branch of mathematics and active area of research today.
Informally, a positive counting number larger than one is prime if that number of dots can be arranged only into a rectangular array with one column or one row. For example, 11 is a prime number since 11 dots form only rectangular arrays of sizes 1 by 11 and 11 by 1. Conversely, 12 is not prime since you can use 12 dots to make an array of 3 by 4 dots, with multiple rows and multiple columns. Math textbooks define a prime number as a whole number greater than one whose only positive divisors are only 1 and itself.
Math historian Peter S. Rudman suggests that Greek mathematicians were likely the first to understand the concept of prime numbers, around 500 B.C.E.
Around 300 B.C.E., the Greek mathematician and logician Euler proved that there are infinitely many prime numbers. Euler began by assuming that there is a finite number of primes. Then he came up with a prime that was not on the original list to create a contradiction. Since a fundamental principle of mathematics is being logically consistent with no contradictions, Euler then concluded that his original assumption must be false. So, there are infinitely many primes.
The argument established the existence of infinitely many primes, however it was not particularly constructive. Euler had no efficient method to list all the primes in an ascending list.
Prime numbers, when expressed as that number of dots, can be arranged only in a single row or column, rather than a square or rectangle. David Eppstein/Wikimedia Commons
In the middle ages, Arab mathematicians advanced the Greeks’ theory of prime numbers, referred to as hasam numbers during this time. The Persian mathematician Kamal al-Din al-Farisi formulated the fundamental theorem of arithmetic, which states that any positive integer larger than one can be expressed uniquely as a product of primes.
From this view, prime numbers are the basic building blocks for constructing any positive whole number using multiplication – akin to atoms combining to make molecules in chemistry.
Today, primes in this form are called Mersenne primes after the French monk Marin Mersenne. Many of the largest known primes follow this format.
Several early mathematicians believed that a number of the form (2p – 1) is prime whenever p is prime. But in 1536, mathematician Hudalricus Regius noticed that 11 is prime but not (211 – 1), which equals 2047. The number 2047 can be expressed as 11 times 89, disproving the conjecture.
While not always true, number theorists realized that the (2p – 1) shortcut often produces primes and gives a systematic way to search for large primes.
The search for large primes
The number (2p – 1) is much larger relative to the value of p and provides opportunities to identify large primes.
When the number (2p – 1) becomes sufficiently large, it is much harder to check whether (2p – 1) is prime – that is, if (2p – 1) dots can be arranged only into a rectangular array with one column or one row.
Fortunately, Édouard Lucas developed a prime number test in 1878, later proved by Derrick Henry Lehmer in 1930. Their work resulted in an efficient algorithm for evaluating potential Mersenne primes. Using this algorithm with hand computations on paper, Lucas showed in 1876 that the 39-digit number (2127 – 1) equals 170,141,183,460,469,231,731,687,303,715,884,105,727, and that value is prime.
Also known as M127, this number remains the largest prime verified by hand computations. It held the record for largest known prime for 75 years.
Researchers began using computers in the 1950s, and the pace of discovering new large primes increased. In 1952, Raphael M. Robinson identified five new Mersenne primes using a Standard Western Automatic Computer to carry out the Lucas-Lehmer prime number tests.
As computers improved, the list of Mersenne primes grew, especially with the Cray supercomputer’s arrival in 1964. Although there are infinitely many primes, researchers are unsure how many fit the type (2p – 1) and are Mersenne primes.
By the early 1980s, researchers had accumulated enough data to confidently believe that infinitely many Mersenne primes exist. They could even guess how often these prime numbers appear, on average. Mathematicians have not found proof so far, but new data continues to support these guesses.
George Woltman, a computer scientist, founded the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search, or GIMPS, in 1996. Through this collaborative program, anyone can download freely available software from the GIMPS website to search for Mersenne prime numbers on their personal computers. The website contains specific instructions on how to participate.
GIMPS has now identified 18 Mersenne primes, primarily on personal computers using Intel chips. The program averages a new discovery about every one to two years.
The largest known prime
Luke Durant, a retired programmer, discovered the current record for the largest known prime, (2136,279,841 – 1), in October 2024.
Referred to as M136279841, this 41,024,320-digit number was the 52nd Mersenne prime identified and was found by running GIMPS on a publicly available cloud-based computing network.
This network used Nvidia chips and ran across 17 countries and 24 data centers. These advanced chips provide faster computing by handling thousands of calculations simultaneously. The result is shorter run times for algorithms such as prime number testing.
New and increasingly powerful computer chips have allowed prime-number hunters to find increasingly larger primes. Fritzchens Fritz/Flickr
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is a civil liberty group that offers cash prizes for identifying large primes. It awarded prizes in 2000 and 2009 for the first verified 1 million-digit and 10 million-digit prime numbers.
Large prime number enthusiasts’ next two challenges are to identify the first 100 million-digit and 1 billion-digit primes. EFF prizes of US$150,000 and $250,000, respectively, await the first successful individual or group.
Eight of the 10 largest known prime numbers are Mersenne primes, so GIMPS and cloud computing are poised to play a prominent role in the search for record-breaking large prime numbers.
Large prime numbers have a vital role in many encryption methods in cybersecurity, so every internet user stands to benefit from the search for large prime numbers. These searches help keep digital communications and sensitive information safe.
In April 2025, the UK’s Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v Scottish Ministers, offering long-awaited clarification on how “sex” should be interpreted under the Equality Act 2010. The court ruled that, for the purposes of this legislation, “woman” refers to biological sex, not gender identity.
The decision sparked intense debate across political, legal, and social spheres. But beyond the controversy, one crucial question remains: what does this mean for employers and employees?
For managers, the implications are significant. Legal obligations must now be understood within a clarified framework that distinguishes between biological sex and gender reassignment.
Employers face legal risks such as unlimited compensation at an employment tribunal. There’s also the potential fallout in terms of their reputation, as well as internal tensions as staff navigate issues of identity, belief and inclusion.
The Supreme Court case centred on whether Scottish legislation could expand the definition of “woman” to include transgender women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC). The court ruled it could not, reaffirming that the Equality Act defines “woman” and “man” by reference to biological sex. While the Act separately protects people with the characteristic of gender reassignment, the two are not interchangeable in law.
This ruling has wide-reaching implications for how single-sex services – such as women-only refuges, sports or changing facilities – can be structured. Under Schedule 3 of the Equality Act, providers may offer single-sex services where it is a “proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim”. The judgement affirms that such services must now be assessed strictly through the lens of biological sex.
For employers, this means they are required to navigate a more tightly defined legal landscape. The Equality Act 2010 recognises both sex and gender reassignment as protected characteristics. While single-sex spaces are lawful in limited, justifiable contexts, the legal bar for exclusion remains high.
In practical terms, employers must ensure that provision of single-sex facilities – such as toilets, showers and changing rooms – complies with the Act.
Any such policies must be rooted in demonstrable need, such as privacy, dignity or safety concerns, and must not cause undue harm to trans employees. Providing gender-neutral or private alternatives is increasingly seen as good practice to minimise legal and reputational risk.
There is a real risk of legal claims on either side. Cisgender women may bring claims where their rights to single-sex spaces are perceived to be undermined. Meanwhile, trans individuals may claim indirect discrimination if reasonable adjustments such as updating internal systems (email or ID badges, for example) or offering a uniform to reflect the employee’s identity are not made.
Employers must ensure that decisions on workplace design or service provision are evidence-based, proportionate and reviewed regularly.
What employers should be offering
Navigating this complex issue demands more than legal compliance. At its core, this is about people – and creating a respectful and inclusive workplace culture that values all employees.
Employers should review and reinforce workplace values through:
• clear dignity and respect policies that ensure staff are aware of lawful protections for both sex-based and gender identity rights
• voluntary and inclusive communication practices, such as the optional use of pronouns in email signatures or profiles
• training for managers and staff on both the legal framework and the lived realities of trans and gender-critical perspectives
• robust mechanisms for resolving disputes that treat all complaints sensitively and without bias.
Such steps will not only mitigate legal risk, they can also foster trust, morale and retention in a diverse workforce.
Employee handbooks and HR policies should be checked and updated if necessary so that all staff know what they are entitled to. Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Shutterstock
Employers must review whether their facilities and HR policies comply with the clarified legal interpretation.
In terms of facilities, where single-sex provisions exist, employers should ensure that they serve a clear and proportionate aim. This might be a female-only changing room in a fitness centre or healthcare setting where staff or service users are required to undress. Or it could be a women-only toilet or shower facility in a refuge for survivors of domestic abuse.
At the same time, gender-neutral or private alternatives should be considered to meet the needs of trans and non-binary employees.
And when it comes to HR and equality policies, employee handbooks, inclusion strategies and grievance procedures should be updated in line with the ruling. Employers should carry out impact assessments to determine whether any group is indirectly disadvantaged. They should then clearly document any steps for mitigation.
One of the most sensitive implications of the ruling is how employers manage conflicting beliefs. Some employees may have gender-critical views, while others consider gender identity as central to inclusion.
Following the decision in the Forstater v CGD Europe case, these views – if expressed respectfully – are protected under the Equality Act’s provisions on religion or belief. Employers must walk a careful line: upholding lawful freedom of belief while enforcing respectful conduct.
Best practice includes things like promoting freedom of expression without tolerating harassment or abuse, avoiding compelled speech (for example, forced pronoun use) while encouraging inclusive language, and offering mediation where tensions arise between staff.
The key is balance. It should be possible to protect all employees’ rights while ensuring that no one feels unsafe or undermined. Some gender-critical employees may feel legally vindicated in expressing sex-based views. Others, particularly trans and non-binary staff, may feel their identities are being questioned or their inclusion diminished.
Workplace dignity policies must ensure that everyone is treated respectfully and fairly. As such, employers must carefully manage interpersonal dynamics and provide clear channels for raising concerns.
The Supreme Court ruling does not strip rights – it clarifies the legal terrain. For employers, the priority should be legal clarity, respectful inclusion and thoughtful leadership. This is not a time for reactive or ideological responses. Rather, it calls for policies that are lawful, proportionate and based on the principles of fairness and dignity.
By updating facilities, reviewing policies, training staff and managing conflict with integrity, employers can ensure that their workplaces uphold the law while building a culture of trust and mutual respect. The law has spoken, and now it’s time for employers to lead.
Jonathan Lord does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) — China’s Ministry of Education is working with the Office of the Central Cyberspace Commission and the Ministry of Public Security to curb the spread of malicious information related to the upcoming national college entrance examination, the ministry said Friday.
The authorities have called on relevant online platforms to identify and eliminate false information about the leakage of examination materials, the sale of “answers” and combat fraud related to university admissions.
Authorities have warned that those who create and spread online rumors, disturb public order or mislead the public will be subject to severe punishment.
They also urged applicants and their parents to refrain from exam-related crimes and remain vigilant against fraud.
The nationwide college entrance exam, also known as the gaokao, will begin on June 7 this year, with a total of 13.35 million applicants taking it. -0-
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
Due to numerous requests from students, additional enrollment has been opened for the free additional professional education program “Organizational, managerial and organizational and methodological foundations of inclusive higher education”, conducted by the State University of Management.
The training will help participants develop and deepen the professional competencies necessary for successful teaching and management activities in the field of inclusive higher education.
The program is designed for:
Management personnel of higher education institutions. Research and teaching staff. Educational and support personnel of educational institutions.
Both persons with higher education and those studying in higher education programs are admitted to training. A certificate of advanced training is issued to students only after receiving the relevant educational document.
The program is designed for 72 academic hours, includes studying modules and completing a final assignment, and will be conducted in a correspondence format using distance learning technologies.
Registration is open until June 10, 2025. Training will run from June 16 to June 30, 2025.
Questions regarding documents can be sent to the email address: ea_vlasova@guu.ru.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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