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Category: Reportage

  • MIL-OSI Global: How redefining just one word could strip the Endangered Species Act’s ability to protect vital habitat

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mariah Meek, Associate Professor of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University

    Green sea turtles, like this hatchling in Florida, are endangered due in part to habitat destruction and fishing nets. Keenan Adams/USFWS

    It wouldn’t make much sense to prohibit people from shooting a threatened woodpecker while allowing its forest to be cut down, or to bar killing endangered salmon while allowing a dam to dry out their habitat.

    But that’s exactly what the Trump administration is proposing to do by changing how one word in the Endangered Species Act is interpreted.

    For 50 years, the U.S. government has interpreted the Endangered Species Act as protecting threatened and endangered species from actions that either directly kill them or eliminate their habitat.

    Most species on the brink of extinction are on the list because there is almost no place left for them to live. Their habitats have been paved over, burned or transformed. Habitat protection is essential for their survival.

    The golden-cheeked warbler breeds only in Texas, primarily in Texas Hill Country. It has been losing habitat as development expands in the region.
    Steve Maslowski/USFWS, CC BY

    As an ecologist and a law professor, we have spent our entire careers working to understand the law and science of helping imperiled species thrive. We recognize that the rule change the Trump administration quietly proposed could green-light the destruction of protected species’ habitats, making it nearly impossible to protect those endangered species.

    The public, which has long supported the Endangered Species Act, has until May 19, 2025, to comment on the proposal.

    The legal gambit

    The Endangered Species Act, passed in 1973, bans the “take” of “any endangered species of fish or wildlife,” which includes harming protected species.

    Since 1975, regulations have defined “harm” to include habitat destruction that kills or injures wildlife. Developers and logging interests challenged that definition in 1995 in a Supreme Court case, Babbitt v. Sweet Home Chapter of Communities for a Great Oregon. However, the court ruled that the definition was reasonable and allowed federal agencies to continue using it.

    In short, the law says “take” includes harm, and under the existing regulatory definition, harm includes indirect harm through habitat destruction.

    Critical habitat throughout the U.S., including many coastlines and mountain areas. Note: Alaska is not to scale.
    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

    The Trump administration is seeking to change that definition of “harm” in a way that leaves out habitat modification.

    This narrowed definition would undo the most significant protections granted by the Endangered Species Act.

    Why habitat protection matters

    Habitat protection is the single most important factor in the recovery of endangered species in the United States – far more consequential than curbing direct killing alone.

    A 2019 study examining the reasons species were listed as endangered between 1975 and 2017 found that only 17% were primarily threatened by direct killing, such as hunting or poaching. That 17% includes iconic species such as the red wolf, American crocodile, Florida panther and grizzly bear.

    In contrast, a staggering 81% were listed because of habitat loss and degradation. The Chinook salmon, island fox, southwestern willow flycatcher, desert tortoise and likely extinct ivory-billed woodpecker are just a few examples. Globally, a 2022 study found that habitat loss threatened more species than all other causes combined.

    As natural landscapes are converted to agriculture or taken over by urban sprawl, logging operations and oil and gas exploration, ecosystems become fragmented and the space that species need to survive and reproduce disappears. Currently, more than 107 million acres of land in the U.S. are designated as critical habitat for Endangered Species Act-listed species. Industries and developers have called for changes to the rules for years, arguing it has been weaponized to stop development. However, research shows species worldwide are facing an unprecedented threat from human activities that destroy natural habitat.

    Under the proposed change, development could be accelerated in endangered species’ habitats.

    Gutting the Endangered Species Act

    The definition change is a quiet way to gut the Endangered Species Act.

    It is also fundamentally incompatible with the purpose Congress wrote into the act: “to provide a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species depend may be conserved [and] to provide a program for the conservation of such endangered species and threatened species.” It contradicts the Supreme Court precedent, and it would destroy the act’s habitat protections.

    Northern spotted owls, like these fledglings, living in old growth forests in the Pacific Northwest are listed as threatened species because of habitat loss.
    Tom Kogut/USFS, CC BY

    Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has argued that the recent “de-extinction” of dire wolves by changing 14 genes in the gray wolf genome means that America need not worry about species protection because technology “can help forge a future where populations are never at risk.”

    But altering an existing species to look like an extinct one is both wildly expensive and a paltry substitute for protecting existing species.

    The Catalina Island fox is endemic to Catalina Island. Habitat loss, diseases introduced by domestic dogs, and predators have diminished the population of these small foxes to threatened status.
    Catalina Island Conservancy/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    The administration has also refused to conduct the required analysis of the environmental impact that changing the definition could have. That means the American people won’t even know the significance of this change to threatened and endangered species until it’s too late, though if approved it will certainly end up in court.

    The ESA is saving species

    Surveys have found the Endangered Species Act is popular with the public, including Republicans. The Center for Biological Diversity estimates that the Endangered Species Act has saved 99% of protected species from extinction since it was created, not just from bullets but also from bulldozers. This regulatory rollback seeks to undermine the law’s greatest strength: protecting the habitats species need to survive.

    Congress knew the importance of habitat when it passed the law, and it wrote a definition of “take” that allows the agencies to protect it.

    Mariah Meek has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and several state agencies. In addition to being a professor, she is also the Director of Research for The Wilderness Society.

    Karrigan Börk receives grant funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and several California state agencies. He is on the Advisory Board of Water Audit California, an organization that works to protect California’s public trust resources.

    – ref. How redefining just one word could strip the Endangered Species Act’s ability to protect vital habitat – https://theconversation.com/how-redefining-just-one-word-could-strip-the-endangered-species-acts-ability-to-protect-vital-habitat-256424

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Russia-China ties on full display on Victory Day – but all is not as well as Putin is making out

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

    Chinese troops participating in Russia’s Victory Day parade in Red Square, Moscow, on May 9 is a clear indication that President Xi Jinping is fully committed to his “no-limits” partnership with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

    Xi’s own attendance of the parade, which came as part of a state visit to Russia, underlines that China is not only supporting Russia. It signified that Beijing wants this support to be understood clearly in Kyiv, Washington and European capitals.

    Travelling to Moscow and having his troops goose-step down Red Square was not a last-minute decision by Xi. Nor was the multitude of agreements signed by the two leaders and their joint declaration anything but part of a well established pattern of deepening relations between Russia and China.

    This trend has accelerated since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. But the breadth and depth of China’s commitment to Russia at this particular moment is undoubtedly related to the broader upheaval in the international order that has been worsened since Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    The Trump administration, possibly spooked by market wobbles, has taken steps to restore stability. China and the US have agreed a deal to slash the import tariffs they have imposed on each other. But uncertainty remains – above all about how the complex relationships in the triangle of Washington, Beijing and Moscow will work out and where this will leave the rest of the world.



    Read more:
    Trump, Xi and Putin: a dysfunctional love triangle with stakes of global significance

    On May 8, in the wake of Xi and Putin’s meetings in Moscow, Russia and China released a joint statement. It stressed the intention of the two leaders to “enhance the coordination of their approaches and to deepen the practical cooperation on maintaining and strengthening global strategic stability, as well as to jointly address common challenges and threats in this sphere”.

    They reiterated this determination in their press statements afterwards. Putin emphasised that he and Xi “personally control all aspects of [the] Russia-China partnership and do all we can to expand the cooperation on bilateral issues and the international agenda alike”.

    A Chinese read-out from the talks was similarly clear on the alignment between the countries. Xi reportedly said that “in the face of unilateralist countercurrents, bullying and acts of power politics, China is working with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities of major countries and permanent members of the UN Security Council”.

    This unequivocal display of how close Moscow and Beijing are – as well as Putin and Xi personally – is important for both nations. For Russia, it remains important to demonstrate that western attempts at international isolation have not succeeded.

    For China, the very public consolidation of ties with Russia is above all a signal to the US. China is keen to stress that Trump’s efforts to engineer a split between Moscow and Beijing, which the American president described as necessary to “un-unite” the two nations during an interview with US talk show host Tucker Carlson in November 2024, have largely failed.

    However, beyond the glossy surface of the celebrations in Moscow, all is not as well for Russia as Putin is trying to make out. For all the public displays of friendship between Xi and Putin, the relationship between the two countries remains highly asymmetrical.

    Russia would not be able to continue to wage its war against Ukraine without Chinese support. Trade between Russia and China is critical to propping up the Russian war economy, reaching a record high of nearly US$250 billion (£190 billion) in 2024. Their trade has increased by more than 60% since 2021, yet it is only marginally up since 2023.

    China’s diplomatic clout is also helpful for Russia. If Beijing had taken an unequivocal stance opposing Moscow’s aggression, fewer leaders in the developing world would have sided with Putin.

    In this case, Russia would probably have lost organisations like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Brics group of emerging economies as platforms to further its broader agenda of restoring its erstwhile status as a great power.

    In that agenda, Putin has been moderately successful. But with South Africa and India’s leaders absent from Russia’s Victory Day commemorations, the list of attendees was shorter than at the Brics summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024.

    A doubled-edged sword

    Notably absent from the celebrations in Moscow was high-level representation from North Korea and Iran. These are two key allies of Russia with whom Moscow signed strategic partnership agreements in June 2024 and January 2025, respectively.

    Tehran simply sent its ambassador to Moscow to attend. However, it may have compensated Putin in a different and materially more significant way.

    According to reports, Iran is readying a delivery of launchers to enable Russia to use the short-range ballistic missiles already delivered last year. This would further add to Russia’s reliance on Iranian hardware in Ukraine, which has so far been most visible in the use of Iranian-made Shahed drones.

    North Korea dispatched a military delegation led by three-star general Kim Yong-bok. Kim is widely considered the commander of North Korean forces fighting alongside Russian troops in the Kursk region of western Russia, where Ukrainian forces seized territory in August 2024 as a possible bargaining chip in future negotiations with Russia.

    Putin officially acknowledged the participation of North Korean troops in this operation in a statement on April 28. This acknowledgment came two days after he had announced the defeat of Ukrainian forces there in a highly choreographed and televised meeting with his chief of general staff, Valery Gerasimov.

    The demonstration of Russia’s close relationships with its three core allies – China, Iran and North Korea – is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it clearly indicates that Putin is far from isolated on the international stage.

    But it also signals that Russia has become a lot more dependent on these relationships than would befit Putin’s dreams of restoring Russia’s great-power status. Neither can be much comfort to Ukraine and its allies, unfortunately.

    Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    – ref. Russia-China ties on full display on Victory Day – but all is not as well as Putin is making out – https://theconversation.com/russia-china-ties-on-full-display-on-victory-day-but-all-is-not-as-well-as-putin-is-making-out-256385

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Arctic ice is vanishing – our bold experiment is trying to protect it

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Shaun Fitzgerald, Director, Centre for Climate Repair, University of Cambridge

    The author and colleagues exploring in the Canadian Arctic. Real Ice

    Like ice in a drink, Arctic sea ice keeps things cold – until it melts. Using the same principle, some scientists are investigating whether they can make sea ice thicker and better able to cool the planet. I recently returned from Cambridge Bay in the far north of Canada, where I saw some early experiments in practice.

    Over the winter months, the build-up of sea ice around Cambridge Bay and across the Arctic helps keep the sea water underneath close to the freezing temperature, which for saltwater is around -1.8°C.

    These conditions are broadly maintained even through the early summer until the ice begins to melt and break up. The white ice cover, which reflects a large portion of the sun’s energy, is then replaced by dark blue water, which has the opposite effect. Now absorbing more sunlight, the water warms up.

    Such has been the balanced perennial cycle of sea ice in the Arctic, but recent decades of global warming might be putting it in jeopardy.

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    Over the past 30 years, sea ice in the Arctic has decreased. Rising air temperatures coupled with warmer water flowing in from further south have meant the ice starts to form later in the year and melt earlier.

    With less sea ice, there are longer periods in summer where more of the sun’s energy is absorbed rather than reflected into space. This creates a feedback loop – the warmer the water, the less sea ice is formed; the less sea ice there is, the warmer it gets.

    The author (in blue) and colleagues on the ice near Cambridge Bay in March 2025.
    Real Ice

    My trip to Cambridge Bay was as part of a team of scientists and engineers who have gathered together with local communities in the Arctic and two umbrella projects: Real Ice and Arctic Reflections. These groups want to research whether anything can be done to temporarily slow down or even reverse the loss of sea ice.

    The ultimate solution is, undoubtedly, deep and rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. But with slow progress over the past few decades, additional measures may buy us time.

    Buying time

    Several big ideas are currently being explored. The first involves pumping seawater on top of existing ice to try and promote ice growth on top of the sea ice.

    Usually, any new sea ice that forms naturally does so on the underside of the ice. The process of freezing gives off some energy, which must escape through the ice above – a good insulator.

    The idea of pumping on top of the ice is that by bypassing the insulating effect, more sea ice might form – and the heat it gives off can be transferred to the cold winter Arctic air or directly radiated out to space.

    The author, pumping water onto ice.
    Real Ice

    The second idea stems from the realisation that snow is an even better insulator than ice. The proposal is therefore to pump just enough water onto the snow to flood it.

    As it freezes and turns into solid ice, it becomes much more conductive than snow. In turn, this will enable more sea ice to form naturally on the underside of sea ice.

    A third idea is derived from the observation that as sea ice melts in the early summer, melt ponds form on the surface. These melt ponds are much darker and absorb more heat than the original ice.

    So the idea is to explore whether it might be possible to drill small holes in the ice to drain them, exposing reflective ice and slowing the melt.

    These ideas might sound fanciful, but the dramatic changes in the Arctic warrant investigation into interventions that could have an impact sooner than cutting emissions or removing greenhouse gases.

    Can we really save sea ice?

    Crucially, the research is focused on developing our understanding of these potential ideas. The research could show that they are impractical, unfeasible or would potentially make things worse.

    For example, if pumping sea water onto sea ice leads to thicker ice at the end of the winter, that may not be much use if the ice is so much saltier that it melts more quickly.

    Therefore, researchers are using a combination of mathematical modelling, laboratory experiments, and limited-scale field experiments to address fundamental questions. A research project funded by the UK government has just been launched which includes modelling of thickening of sea ice.

    A further one including additional outdoor experiments will be starting soon funded by the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria) as part of its Exploring Climate Cooling programme.

    These experiments will be conducted in close collaboration with local communities and under Aria’s stringent governance framework, prioritising safety and environmental monitoring. The goal is to gather essential real-world data to rigorously assess if this intervention warrants further consideration.

    The initial results and observations from preliminary field experiments are inconclusive but encouraging. For example, the ice formed by pumping sea water onto sea ice appears to become less salty (and therefore less prone to melting) over a few weeks.

    The brine which forms as seawater freezes on the surface is more dense than the ice and appears to migrate downwards through the ice. This seems theoretically plausible, but it is too early in the experiments to be confident in the results.

    If this research suggests that thickening sea ice works, then the next step will be to engage with more Arctic locals and various policymakers, and determine whether scaled-up testing of some of these approaches would be appropriate.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Shaun Fitzgerald currently receives funding from NERC on a project which includes modelling of Rethickening of Arctic Sea Ice. Shaun will also shortly be receiving funding from ARIA on a further project on Rethickening of Arctic Sea Ice.

    – ref. Arctic ice is vanishing – our bold experiment is trying to protect it – https://theconversation.com/arctic-ice-is-vanishing-our-bold-experiment-is-trying-to-protect-it-254534

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Amazon’s new robot has a sense of touch, but it’s not here to replace humans

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Kartikeya Walia, Lecturer, Department of Engineering, Nottingham Trent University

    Amazon has just unveiled its newest warehouse robot called Vulcan, which has a “sense of touch”. Designed to gently stow items using pressure-sensitive gripping and artificial intelligence (AI), Vulcan is now being tested in two Amazon facilities, in Spokane, Washington state, US, and Hamburg, Germany.

    The robot is part of Amazon’s long-term investment in warehouse automation. The inevitable question that always comes up is: will robots like this replace human workers? In short: not yet, and probably not completely. In fact, Vulcan is a good example of how robotics are being designed to work with people, not against them.

    Vulcan is designed to assist warehouse workers in stowing – the process of placing items into storage bins (called pods) before they’re picked, packed and shipped. Human pickers often work at different height levels when they’re stowing, with repetitive bending, reaching or climbing of steps.

    Amazon has divided the workspace into zones: the “kneel and lunge” zone (low height), the “power” zone (mid height), and the “ladder” zone (high height). Vulcan is designed to operate in the lowest and highest zones – the most physically demanding areas for humans – to reduce the risk of injury and improve efficiency.

    Amazon’s new Vulcan robot.

    The “sense of touch” comes from Vulcan’s force-sensitive gripper. This adjusts how firmly it should hold each item. Using AI, Vulcan can predict the right amount of force to use, squeezing gently for soft, squishy items, and more firmly for flat or rigid ones.

    It also uses a clever flat prong to make space inside the bins, packing things more
    efficiently, almost like playing a game of Tetris.

    Right now, Vulcan can match the speed of a human worker and operate for around 20 hours a day. The movements are fast, hence it still works behind a protective safety fence. However, it’s not flawless – it can only handle objects up to about 8lbs (3.6kg) and struggles with round items.

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    The human factor

    So, does this mean fewer jobs for humans? New technologies often raise concerns about job losses – and in some cases, with good reason. Some roles will inevitably disappear as robots become more commonplace, especially those that are dull, dirty, or dangerous. But that’s only part of the picture.

    From what I’ve seen in my own research and experience with robotics, automation
    doesn’t usually eliminate jobs entirely – it changes them. Amazon insists that
    Vulcan is being introduced not to replace staff, but to reduce the physical strain of repetitive tasks and support faster, safer warehouse operations.

    Importantly, Amazon also runs a Mechatronics and Robotics Apprenticeship Program – a free course for workers to upskill and move into more technical roles,
    often with a pay increase of up to 40%. The company also runs other upskilling programmes.

    Though it’s also worth repeating here that Amazon has been the subject of criticism and complaints from employees about its intensive working conditions (Amazon says its employees’ safety and health is its top priority and that some inaccurate information has gone around), these kinds of upskilling initiatives are key to the future of work in environments that use robots. As machines take over the repetitive tasks, humans will move into roles involving assembly, commissioning, maintenance, quick repair, and eventually, system reconfiguration.

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    In theory, a fully automated, 24/7 “lights-out” warehouse sounds like a dream for
    business – no breaks, no injuries, no wages. But in practice, completely removing
    humans from the shop floor is incredibly risky. Robots and automation systems,
    especially those that are used in an environment as complex as Amazon’s logistics and warehouse management chain, can break down.

    If even one component in the workflow fails – a sensor, a motor, or a software module – and there are no humans around to spot it or fix it quickly, the entire operation could grind to a halt. In high-volume environments like Amazon warehouses, even an hour of downtime could cost a fortune.

    Keeping humans in the loop provides the flexibility and quick thinking that complex
    systems still depend on. It’s a safety net no algorithm can yet replace. It’s also a way to adapt to changes quickly, something that rigid automation often can’t do.

    Vulcan isn’t Amazon’s first robot, and it won’t be the last. Earlier systems like Sparrow could handle about 60% of the company’s inventory. With Vulcan, that number jumps to 75%. That’s certainly progress, but it also shows the limits of automation.

    There’s still a long way to go before a robot can match the flexibility, judgement and care of a human worker. The future of robotics in warehouses won’t be about replacing people, it will be about working alongside them, easing physical strain, increasing efficiency, and creating new types of jobs.

    We’re already seeing shifts in the industry. Modular robots are built using a core set of hardware “modules” that can be combined and recombined to form a customised machine. These are making it easier to tailor automation.

    An example of a reconfigurable modular robot.

    At the same time, vendor lock-in – where companies rely on proprietary hardware and software from a single supplier – is becoming less common. Instead, firms like Amazon are increasingly developing their own bespoke components to better suit their operational needs. A shift towards in-house, self-deployable robotics would mean that companies will need more technically skilled workers who can assemble, modify, and maintain these systems.

    For now, Vulcan is a glimpse of what’s coming: smarter robots, safer work and
    hopefully, a future where technology supports people, not the other way around.

    Kartikeya Walia receives funding from the EPSRC and UKRI.

    – ref. Amazon’s new robot has a sense of touch, but it’s not here to replace humans – https://theconversation.com/amazons-new-robot-has-a-sense-of-touch-but-its-not-here-to-replace-humans-256273

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The trend for ‘quiet’ and ‘soft’ quitting is a symptom of our deteriorating relationship with work

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By John-Paul Byrne, Lecturer, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

    shutterstock Hananeko_Studio/Shutterstock

    How do you feel about your work? Do its daily demands leave you burned out and drained of energy?

    Do you find yourself reducing how much effort you make to engage in some “quiet” or “soft” quitting? Or maybe you dream of taking a more decisive step and joining the “great resignation”.

    The prevalence – and popularity – of these responses suggests that there has been quite a change in many people’s attitude to the way they earn a living. Some think that this change stems from a post-COVID evaluation of work-life balance. Others say it’s an individual form of industrial action.

    However, these explanations keep the spotlight firmly on workers rather than the work itself. Perhaps the truth lies in a fundamental deterioriation in people’s relationship with their work and maybe the work needs to shoulder some of the responsibility.

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    Our experience of working, and its impact on our lives, is about more than what goes on within the office or school or hospital or factory which pays our wages. Even something as simple (yet important) as the number of hours someone works might be the result of a complex combination of national law, professional expectations and an organisation’s resources.

    This is where something known as the “psychosocial work environment” comes in – an approach (especially popular in Scandinavia) which examines the various structures, conditions and experiences that effect an employee’s psychological and emotional wellbeing.

    Research in this field suggests that there are three conditions vital to the modern work experience: autonomy, boundary management and “precarity”.

    Autonomy is about how much control and influence you have when it comes to doing your job and is key to how most employees feel about their work.

    Low levels of autonomy can leave people feeling overwhelmed and powerless. But high levels can also be detrimental, leading to excessive levels of individual responsibility and overwhelming hours.

    Ideally, you should have enough autonomy to feel a sense of flexibility and self-determination – but not so much that you feel you need to always be available and constantly on the clock.

    Setting boundaries

    Boundary management is the ability to manage the physical and mental boundaries between work and non-work lives. Achieving a suitable work-life balance has become even more important in a world of hybrid working.

    But in jobs with high levels of autonomy and responsibility, boundaries can become blurred and unpredictable. Phones ping with work related notifications, and leisure becomes work at the swipe of a screen.

    All of this can lead to feelings of anxiety and exhaustion. The goal here is to set clear boundaries that bring predictability and clarity around work time and demands. This provides flexibility which is empowering rather than exploitative.

    Finally, “precarity” refers to a lack of stability and security in life. It refers specifically to a harmful state of uncertainty which is typically associated with job insecurity (zero hours contracts for example).

    This uncertainty and insecurity can dominate daily work time (and free time), leading to feelings of stress and anxiety. It can also have a negative impact on personal finances and career plans.

    Looking for a way out.
    Aleutie/Shutterstock

    Income and contract security can help here, although people working in insecure jobs often have little power when it comes to persuading their employers to make the necessary changes.

    But addressing the deteriorating relationship between employees and their work means confronting certain core conditions. Reflecting on the psychosocial elements of employment can help to identify the gap between expectation and actual experience.

    Before experiencing burnout or resorting to quitting (in any of its forms), this approach encourages employees and employers to reflect on two key questions. How does work make you feel? And what are the things that cause those feelings?

    Research on psychosocial work environments provides some guidance. It suggests that workers are more likely to thrive when they have autonomy that feels like control rather than abandonment, and flexibility and clarity that allows for a good work-life balance. They also need security that offers certainty in the present – and confidence in the future.

    John-Paul Byrne 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.

    – ref. The trend for ‘quiet’ and ‘soft’ quitting is a symptom of our deteriorating relationship with work – https://theconversation.com/the-trend-for-quiet-and-soft-quitting-is-a-symptom-of-our-deteriorating-relationship-with-work-248787

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘The red Welsh way’: Welsh Labour attempts to distance itself from the UK party

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nye Davies, Lecturer in Politics, Cardiff University

    David Michael Bellis/Shutterstock

    More than two decades ago, Rhodri Morgan, then first minister of Wales, put “clear red water” between Welsh Labour and the UK party. It’s a phrase that became one of the most enduring cliches in Welsh politics.

    Now, his successor Eluned Morgan is trying to chart a fresh course with a new slogan: “the red Welsh way”. In a recent speech, Morgan set out Welsh Labour’s core values ahead of the 2026 Senedd (Welsh parliament) election: “Solidarity, equality, sustainability and justice.” These, she argued, are progressive principles rooted in Wales’ political traditions.

    But the speech also had a clear strategic purpose: to reassert Welsh Labour’s distinct identity at a time when its dominance in devolved politics is under pressure.

    Morgan pledged to stand up for Wales whenever she believed it was being neglected by Westminster or when UK government policies disproportionately harmed the nation. Deploying nationalistic language, while insisting she is not a nationalist, Morgan invoked a history of exploitation in Wales and vowed that such injustices would not be tolerated under Welsh Labour’s watch.

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    It was also a notable shift in rhetoric. During the 2024 general election, Welsh Labour leaned heavily on the idea of “two governments at both ends of the M4” working together. Morgan’s speech also represents her most forthright attempt yet to replenish the red waters between the Welsh government and Keir Starmer’s leadership, and her most passionate defence of Welsh Labour as a distinct entity.

    Poll pressure

    On the very same day, a new poll placed Welsh Labour in third place, behind Plaid Cymru and Reform UK. The polling comes with the familiar caveats. It is only one poll, a lot can change in the course of a year and it would be unwise to underestimate the strength of Welsh Labour’s electoral machine.

    Nevertheless, while the Senedd is expanding from 60 to 96 members, Welsh Labour’s presence within it is at risk of shrinking.

    Morgan’s speech implicitly recognises that the Labour brand is tainted. With the UK government chasing Reform UK’s voter base in light of recent election results, the red Welsh way feels like an effort to reclaim ground from Plaid Cymru, to which Welsh Labour appears to be losing support, particularly from left-leaning and Welsh-identifying voters.

    Morgan will hope that formulating a new image (or, rather, resurrecting an old one) can revive the party’s fortunes and allow it to continue its over 100 years dominance of Welsh politics.

    There is logic to this strategy. I have argued before that Welsh Labour thrives when it articulates a clear, values-driven Welsh identity. But there are now formidable obstacles in Morgan’s path.

    First, trying to position a party that has been in government for 26 years as an insurgent force is challenging. The clear red water rhetoric, rooted in progressive principles, has not always been matched in reality.
    Strained public services and entrenched poverty in Wales undermine Welsh Labour’s claims to achieving social justice. While constitutional constraints and funding limitations from Westminster are real, slogans alone do not shield people from hardship.



    Read more:
    Devolving justice and policing to Wales would put it on par with Scotland and Northern Ireland – so what’s holding it back?

    Ultimately, after years of austerity, people in Wales are looking for a party that will offer them hope of a brighter future. Instead of slogans, Welsh Labour will need to show the electorate that it is making a tangible difference to people’s lives. As Morgan herself insisted in the speech: “Less chat, and more do.”

    Second, Morgan faces a further challenge from an emboldened Welsh parliamentary Labour party (PLP). A recent Politico article documents the various ways in which the central Labour party is attempting to have a greater say in Welsh Labour’s affairs, from manifesto writing to candidate selection. One Labour figure was quoted as stating: “The Welsh PLP hate the Senedd group.”

    Amid reports that Morgan accused Welsh MPs of not standing up for Wales, a Labour Senedd member has warned of “simmering discontent” with Westminster.

    A party at a crossroads

    Among these challenges, Welsh Labour will struggle with its claim to be standing up for Wales when judged against outcomes. Repeated failures to secure rail funding, further devolution and even consideration for the effects of policy changes on Wales, suggest that Welsh Labour’s voice in Westminster still struggles to carry weight. That’s even under a Labour-led UK government.

    In truth, the red Welsh way reflects a party caught in a strategic bind. It’s eager to differentiate itself, but hamstrung by its own long-term incumbency, internal divisions and limited power.

    As the 2026 Senedd election draws closer, Welsh Labour will throw everything at shifting the narrative. But as things stand, the clear red water that once symbolised distance from Westminster has become muddied.

    Nye Davies 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.

    – ref. ‘The red Welsh way’: Welsh Labour attempts to distance itself from the UK party – https://theconversation.com/the-red-welsh-way-welsh-labour-attempts-to-distance-itself-from-the-uk-party-256496

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How breast tissue density affects your risk of breast cancer

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Justin Stebbing, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University

    Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

    Breast density is a significant yet often overlooked factor in breast cancer awareness, risk assessment and screening practices. Understanding what breast density is, how it affects breast cancer risk and what it means for screening can help women make informed decisions about their health.

    Breast density refers to the proportions of glandular and connective tissue compared to fatty tissue in the breast, as seen on a mammogram. Simply put, dense breasts have more glandular and fibrous tissue and less fat.

    On a mammogram, both dense tissue and tumours appear white, making it harder to detect abnormalities in women with dense breasts. This masking effect can lead to cancers being missed during routine screening, which is why breast density is not just a risk factor for developing breast cancer, but also for having it go undetected until it is more advanced.

    Recent large-scale studies have confirmed that women with dense breasts face a higher risk of developing breast cancer compared to women with less dense, fattier breasts. For example, a major study involving more than 33,000 women found that those with dense breasts were nearly twice as likely to develop breast cancer than those with low breast density.

    This increased risk is seen across both pre-menopausal younger women and post-menopausal older women, although the proportion of women with high breast density tends to decrease with age.

    In practical terms, women with the lowest breast density have about a 6% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer after age 50, while those with the highest density face a risk closer to 15%.

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    The impact of breast density on cancer detection is also significant. Mammography, the standard screening tool, is less sensitive in women with dense breasts. While mammograms can detect about at least nine out of ten cancers in women with mostly fatty breasts, the sensitivity drops to about seven out of ten in women with extremely dense breasts.

    This means that tumors can be missed, leading to what are known as “interval cancers”, cancers that are diagnosed between regular screenings, often at a more advanced stage.

    Supplemental screening methods, such as MRI scanning, can help detect cancers that mammography might miss in women with dense breasts, and some pilot studies have shown that additional cancers are found this way.

    Breast density is now recognised as one of the most important risk factors for breast cancer, even as much as family history or other commonly discussed risk factors.

    About 40% of women fall into the higher density categories, and dense breasts are common in younger women, those taking hormone replacement therapy, and those with certain genetic backgrounds and ethnicities. However, breast density can also be influenced by lifestyle and hormonal factors, and it tends to decrease with age and higher body mass index and obesity.

    Given the importance of breast density, there has been a growing movement to ensure women are informed about their own breast density after mammograms, and to address this appropriately. A recent UK survey showed that most women aren’t aware of their breast density.

    In the US, new regulations require that all women undergoing mammography be notified if they have dense breasts and be advised about the associated risks. This aims to empower women to have more informed discussions with their healthcare providers about their personal risk and the potential need for additional screening.

    Despite the increased risk, it is important to remember that the majority of women with dense breasts will not develop breast cancer. Breast density is just one factor among many, and decisions about screening and risk reduction should be made on an individual basis.

    For women with dense breasts, discussing options for supplemental screening with their doctor is recommended. While there is currently no widely accepted intervention to reduce breast density, in my own research, I’m exploring new ways to address this risk factor.

    In summary, breast density is both a common and significant risk factor for breast cancer, and it can complicate the detection of cancer through standard mammography.

    Women should be aware of their breast density status, understand its implications for both risk and screening, and work with their doctors to determine the best approach for their individual situation. As awareness grows and screening practices evolve, the hope is that more cancers will be detected earlier, improving outcomes for all women.

    Justin Stebbing 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.

    – ref. How breast tissue density affects your risk of breast cancer – https://theconversation.com/how-breast-tissue-density-affects-your-risk-of-breast-cancer-256028

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Everyone isn’t ‘a little bit autistic’ – here’s why this notion is harmful

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Aimee Grant, Senior Lecturer in Public Health and Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellow, Swansea University

    MDV Edwards/Shutterstock

    I recently had a medical appointment and explained that I’m autistic. It affects how I communicate and understand information, and sometimes I’m misinterpreted as being rude. The person nodded and replied: “Well, everyone’s a little bit autistic.” They then shared something they struggle with, sometimes, when they haven’t had enough sleep.

    It wasn’t the first time I’ve heard that line, and I doubt it’ll be the last. It happens often – not only in doctors’ surgeries but in social situations, on social media and many other places besides. And it’s not just me. Online spaces are full of autistic adults and the parents of autistic children expressing frustration at this phrase.

    So where does the idea come from, that autistic traits are merely universal human behaviour, just to an exaggerated degree in autistic people?

    To answer that, we need to understand what autism is. Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental difference. You’re either born autistic, or you’re not. It’s not something you develop over time.

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    Historically, autism has been underdiagnosed among many groups of people, although least affecting white boys. That isn’t because other people are less likely to be autistic.

    It’s because diagnostic practices and clinical assumptions have been based on a narrow idea of what autism “looks like”. It fails to recognise that many autistic people – but especially girls and women – “mask” their autism. This means they suppress their natural autistic behaviour to reduce the chance of a negative response from those around them. Fortunately recognition of masking is changing, albeit slowly.

    Challenges

    The challenges an autistic person faces, and the distress we may experience, arise from our interactions with other people or the environment around us as a result of our neurological differences.

    Autism affects how we experience the world, how we communicate and how we process sensory information. Communication can be challenging for us, especially in settings where social expectations aren’t clearly defined.

    We may also struggle with certain lights, sounds or textures. These experiences can fluctuate depending on how many difficult things have already happened to us that day, our hormone levels, and consequently how overwhelmed we already are.

    Autistic people often find comfort in familiarity and routine, and can become overwhelmed by unexpected change. To manage that, many autistic people “stim”, which is short for self-stimulatory behaviour, and can include doing things like rocking or tapping, or fidgeting with an object. These repetitive movements can help calm us down or regulate sensory overload.

    When I teach about autism, I sometimes ask students to think about how they react to sensory discomfort or disruption. There’s usually a long list of things. For instance, being irritated by roadworks, bothered by scratchy clothes or stressed out by a house move. These are all human traits. But they don’t mean you’re autistic.

    Life is often stressful, so cortisol levels rise accordingly. That doesn’t mean you’re autistic. It means your nervous system is working as it should. Likewise, noticing loud noises or being anxious about change is perfectly normal. But it doesn’t mean your brain is wired the same way as someone who is autistic.

    There are clear differences between autistic and non-autistic people, not just in the kinds of challenges they experience, but in how often and how intensely those challenges occur. Research shows that autistic people have significantly higher rates of sensory sensitivity, communication differences, repetitive behaviour and social difficulties than non-autistic people. For most autistic people, these aren’t things that happen once in a while. They are constant features of life.

    If you think this sounds like you, there is a chance that you could be autistic. While we expect around 3% of people to be autistic, only around 1% of adults are diagnosed.

    So, when someone says “everyone is a little bit autistic”, they’re relying on a myth that flattens those differences. It suggests a spectrum from “not autistic” to “very autistic”, with everyone fitting somewhere on that line.

    That’s understandable, because we don’t have a biological test for autism, to give a clear yes or no answer. Instead, questionnaires are often used to initially assess the likelihood of being autistic. But you can’t be a “little bit” autistic.

    The term “autism spectrum disorder” was first used in 1994 in diagnostic manuals, to bring together people diagnosed with autism and Asperger’s syndrome, a contentious name linked to Nazi genocide.

    Many autism researchers argue that we shouldn’t be dividing autistic people into different groups, as support needs can vary from day to day. Others dislike the term “autism spectrum” because it can be misleading. It’s too often misunderstood as a fixed linear scale. In reality, autism is multidimensional. Different people have different combinations of strengths, needs and experiences. Two autistic people may have little in common apart from their diagnosis.



    Read more:
    Why the autism jigsaw puzzle piece is such a problematic symbol

    The “everyone’s a bit autistic” myth can be actively harmful. It’s often used to dismiss the challenges we face or to argue that autistic people don’t really need support. It also contributes to a culture where autism becomes the punchline. Non-autistic people do something like parking in the same space each day, but attribute it to being “a little bit autistic”.

    For decades, autistic people weren’t given a platform to share our experiences. The stories told about us, especially in the media, were often created by non-autistic people, and were full of stereotypes. That’s starting to change, but those outdated ideas persist.

    Use empathy

    So, the next time an autistic person tells you what they’re struggling with, please don’t respond by comparing it to your own mild discomfort. Try empathising instead: “I’m sorry” or “that sounds really hard”. And if you can, ask if there’s anything you could do to help. Even small accommodations can make a big difference to someone’s comfort and wellbeing.

    Because no, not everyone is “a little bit autistic”. And saying that doesn’t help us – it makes it harder for us to be seen, heard and supported.

    Aimee Grant receives funding from the Wellcome Trust and UKRI. She is a non-executive director of Disability Wales.

    – ref. Everyone isn’t ‘a little bit autistic’ – here’s why this notion is harmful – https://theconversation.com/everyone-isnt-a-little-bit-autistic-heres-why-this-notion-is-harmful-256129

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Could the assisted dying bill fall at the next hurdle?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Daniel Gover, Senior Lecturer in British Politics, Queen Mary University of London

    Almost six months after MPs backed the principle of assisted dying, the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill – sponsored by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater – is set to return to the House of Commons chamber on May 16 to undergo further debate.

    This is the report stage of the bill’s passage, during which MPs will consider whether to make further amendments to the bill, followed by a third reading, when MPs vote on the bill in its final form. After this, the bill would then need to complete a similar process in the House of Lords.

    There had been fears that because this is a backbench private member’s bill, the assisted dying bill would not be subjected to meaningful scrutiny. But these fears have not been borne out in practice.

    Between January and March, a committee of MPs considered the bill over 29 separate sittings, heard evidence from around 50 expert witnesses, and received hundreds of written submissions from the public – all unheard of on backbench bills. The committee made many detailed amendments to the bill, informed partly by this evidence. It is the amended version of the bill that is now being put to MPs.

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    When MPs debated the bill’s second reading in November, an absolute majority supported the legislation – by 330 to 275. But second reading is a vote only on the bill’s principle.

    Several MPs indicated that they could vote the other way next time if changes were not made to the specifics of the legislation. So it is not certain that the bill will pass so easily at third reading – or indeed that it will pass at all.

    During the bill’s committee scrutiny, over 150 amendments were made. Although the majority of these were put forward by Leadbeater herself – for instance to improve the bill’s operability after discussions with civil servants – around 40 of them were proposed by other MPs – including many led by MPs who voted against the bill at second reading.

    They cover a range of topics, including the training for medical staff involved in assisted dying to identifying domestic abuse and coercive control, and a requirement that those considering an assisted death should be given information about palliative care alternatives.

    Concerns raised by some disability groups have also led to a new requirement for a disability advisory board that will feed into the implementation of the law and report on its impact on disabled people. Such changes may provide some reassurance to wavering MPs.

    But other issues remain unresolved. One example is the question of whether medical practitioners may raise assisted dying with a patient rather than leaving it to them. This is now the subject of a change proposed by Meg Hillier, the senior Labour MP who chairs the high-profile Liaison Committee and a vocal opponent of the bill.

    A bumpy road ahead?

    Even if MPs can agree on the text of the bill itself, it nonetheless faces significant procedural hurdles. This is because there is very little House of Commons time for private members’ bills – typically just 13 Fridays per annual session for all bills. This in practice means they must usually complete their report stage in a single five-hour sitting to stand any chance of passing.

    The key challenge is that MPs could table large numbers of amendments, and speak at length, meaning that the bill runs out of time. The bill’s supporters can counter this by attempting to move the “closure” – which if successful brings that part of the debate to a close – but this requires at least 100 MPs to vote in support. This is a high threshold on most Fridays, though may be possible in this case.

    Even then, it may not be enough. Much will depend on key decisions by the Speaker – in particular, how he groups the amendments up for debate. In recent years, the trend has been towards all amendments being discussed together in a single group.

    But if he splits them up into more than one group, this would likely mean “closure” is required multiple times – creating a high risk that the debate overruns the available five hours.

    If the bill does not complete report stage in a single day, it would then drop down the queue behind any other bills awaiting report on the next available Friday. This is usually fatal to a bill’s passage.

    Yet something unusual may be about to occur in this case. As things stand, the next bill in line is scheduled to begin its committee stage only this week, after a long – and quite possibly tactical – delay. It is therefore possible that the assisted dying bill could secure a second day for report.

    To the Lords…and back?

    Yet any delay in the bill’s Commons passage would present further complications down the line. If the bill requires two days for report, this would push the final third reading vote to June 13 or 20. If it passed, the bill would then need to go through an equivalent series of stages in the House of Lords.

    Lords scrutiny is likely to be rigorous on the bill. The chamber contains many members with expertise directly relevant to this bill – including medical, legal, disability advocacy and health. They are likely to want to scrutinise the bill in depth and to make their own amendments. Yet if peers make any changes, these would then need to be approved by the Commons.

    As things stand, the last available sitting Friday for private members’ bills in the Commons is scheduled for July 11, potentially leaving less than a month for Lords scrutiny. This is a very tight timetable, and it is very possible the bill could run out of time.

    One way of addressing this would be for the Lords to expedite its scrutiny of this bill. If not, ministers would need to provide additional time for any final Lords amendments to the bill to be considered – something for which there is recent precedent. Since 2010, two regular private members’ bills have had stages for MPs to approve Lords amendments (in 2019 and 2023); in both cases these required ministers to make available additional Fridays.

    Daniel Gover 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.

    – ref. Could the assisted dying bill fall at the next hurdle? – https://theconversation.com/could-the-assisted-dying-bill-fall-at-the-next-hurdle-256512

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Closing off social care jobs to migrant workers will only harm a sector that’s already in crisis

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Majella Kilkey, Professor of Social Policy, University of Sheffield

    shurkin_son/Shutterstock

    One big talking point to emerge from the UK government’s recently announced plans to reform the immigration system was the proposal to end recruitment of social care workers from overseas. Anyone who has experienced the sector recently will know that it is hugely dependent on workers from abroad. So the move – laid out in a new white paper which went further than many expected – will have huge implications.

    For those international workers already sponsored to work in the sector, a transition period will allow them to extend their visa until 2028. Other overseas nationals already in the UK with the right to work will be able to switch to a job in social care.

    Critics have argued for overhauling the visa system that allows employers to recruit care workers from overseas amid evidence of widespread and systemic exploitation of workers. But the plan to completely axe the health and care visa, without any proposed alternative, was unexpected.

    In fact, a 2024 strategy for adult social care, published by industry body Skills for Care, acknowledged that international workers are “crucial” for the sector. It also recommended that the UK’s immigration policy recognise the sector’s need to recruit care workers from abroad.

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    The government’s decision to make reducing net migration the central plank of its immigration policy explains its apparent disregard of the care sector’s recommendation. This is based on the belief, contradicted by research, that becoming even tougher on migration will fight off the electoral threat posed by the rightwing Reform party.

    In fact, the share of net migration taken up by the care worker visa has been falling. This is not least because of the previous government’s decision to ban those on the visa from bringing their dependants.

    Care work was categorised as “low-skilled” work by the previous Conservative government when it introduced its new global points-based immigration system in January 2021. This categorisation made the sector particularly vulnerable in the context of the white paper’s preference for migration into “higher-skilled” jobs because of its purported economic benefits.

    This approach privileges particular sectors over others, leaving the care sector facing huge labour gaps. Yet, in contrast to the white paper’s position, evidence shows that 54% of people in the UK favour making it easier for people to come to the UK to do care work, implying that the public recognise the value of this sector.

    In contrast, while only 27% favour making it easier for people to come to work in the financial sector, the white paper proposes to give preferential treatment to this sector.

    The government’s vision is that “British workers” will replace migrants in the care sector. The white paper, however, presents no evidence that migrant workers have been displacing “British workers” in the industry. Instead, it acknowledges that low rates of domestic recruitment and retention are “largely driven by historic levels of poor pay and poor terms and conditions”.

    This is a systemic issue. Despite care being crucial to human survival and society’s functioning, the work that it requires is either unpaid or hugely underpaid.

    Labour unions and research evidence highlight the the key barriers to recruitment and retention: low rates of pay in the sector, the prevalence of zero-hours contracts (21% in March 2024), the limited opportunities for training and career progression, as well as the low status of care work.

    The government has defended its white paper by pointing to its plans to address these recruitment and retention challenges, most notably through measures like the fair pay agreement, the employment rights bill and the care workforce pathway, which aim to improve pay and conditions in the sector. But Care England has said these initiatives are “years away from delivery” and underfunded.

    The proposed fair pay agreement, through which the government hopes to tackle the staffing crisis in social care, would give care workers stronger collective bargaining powers and provide stricter enforcement of agreements on pay, terms and conditions. The government’s impact assessment suggests, however, that the agreement will increase costs to councils, as well as those funding their own care. Higher costs to councils would need to be mitigated by increased investment from central government.

    Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, and Christina McAnea, general secretary of trade union Unison, have said that the white paper’s depiction of care work as “low-skilled” adds to its low social status. It also runs contrary to the professionalisation agenda set out in the government-endorsed care workforce pathway. And, of course, it undermines efforts to attract “British workers” into the sector.

    A crisis in staffing

    In the meantime, the latest data from industry body Skills for Care show that the sector has 131,000 vacancies in England alone. Its vacancy rate at 8.3% is higher than the 6.9% for the NHS, and significantly higher than the 2.8% for the economy as a whole.

    The same data source estimates that 540,000 new social care posts will be needed by 2040 to meet rising demand, as more people live longer with major illnesses and disabilities. Relatives are put under immense pressure to fill these care gaps, without the pay or resources to do so.

    Without the international care workers who have helped the social care sector keep its head above water since Brexit, the prospects look unimaginably bleak for the health and wellbeing of workers in the sector. And this is before we consider the impact on some of society’s most vulnerable people who need their care and support, as well as their families and kin.

    Majella Kilkey receives funding from UKRI-ESRC.

    Jayanthi T. Lingham receives funding from the Independent Social Research Foundation (ISRF).

    – ref. Closing off social care jobs to migrant workers will only harm a sector that’s already in crisis – https://theconversation.com/closing-off-social-care-jobs-to-migrant-workers-will-only-harm-a-sector-thats-already-in-crisis-256626

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Threat of enslavement hangs over reported plans to deport migrants from US to Libya

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Martin Plaut, Senior Research Fellow, Horn of Africa and Southern Africa, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London

    Human rights organisations have expressed alarm at possible US plans to send a group of migrants from Vietnam, Laos and the Philippines to Libya on a military flight. They have pointed to the appalling conditions migrants face there, which the US State Department described as “harsh and life-threatening” in its 2023 Libya review.

    The review quoted the UN support mission in Libya and civil society groups as saying they had “numerous reports of women subjected to forced prostitution in prisons or detention facilities”. A UN fact-finding mission to Libya, also in 2023, made similarly shocking allegations about conditions in Libya’s network of official migrant detention centres.

    Such centres are run by the Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration, an official entity of the Libyan interior ministry. But, in reality, it is Libya’s complex patchwork of militias that is in control.

    Based on interviews with more than 100 migrants, the report concluded that it had “reasonable grounds to believe that migrants were enslaved in detention centres … in Abu Salim, Zawiyah and Mabani, as well as in places of detention in al-Shwarif, Bani Walid, Sabratah, Zuwarah and Sabha”.

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    There is no evidence that the proposed US scheme is in any way connected to the Libyan organisations involved in slavery. Trump has also denied any knowledge of the Libya deportations, referring journalists questioning him about it to the US Department of Homeland Security.

    But the situation is dire for the tens of thousands of refugees and migrants who wind up in Libya each year in an attempt to cross into Europe. The threat of enslavement poses a real threat to anyone sent there.

    Concern about slavery in Libya was perhaps most visibly highlighted in a CNN report from 2017. After receiving grainy footage of a slave sale, CNN sent journalists to Libya to gather evidence. They reported uncovering nine migrant slave auction sites.

    In their report, which gained widespread international attention, the journalists wrote:

    Carrying concealed cameras into a property outside the capital of Tripoli last month, we witness[ed] a dozen people go ‘under the hammer’ in the space of six or seven minutes.

    ‘Does anybody need a digger? This is a digger, a big strong man, he’ll dig,’ the salesman, dressed in camouflage gear, says. ‘What am I bid, what am I bid?’ Buyers raise their hands as the price rises, ‘500, 550, 600, 650 …’ Within minutes it is all over and the men, utterly resigned to their fate, are being handed over to their new ‘masters’.

    After the auction, we met two of the men who had been sold. They were so traumatised by what they’d been through that they could not speak, and so scared that they were suspicious of everyone they met.

    Unlike the Libyan media, which questioned the credibility of the CNN report, Libya’s authorities denounced the migrant slave auctions and said they would launch a formal investigation. But there is no indication that the proposed investigation has changed the operation of the detention centres.

    CNN journalists witnessed migrants being sold at auctions in 2017.

    CNN’s findings were replicated by other investigations. Shamsuddin Jibril, a Cameroonian migrant who saw men traded publicly in the streets of the Libyan town of Sabha, told the Guardian in 2017: “[The slave traders] took people and put them in the street under a sign that said ‘for sale’. They tied their hands just like in the former slave trade, and drove them … in the back of a Toyota Hilux”.

    These practices are still happening. David Yambio, who himself experienced enslavement in Libya, is now the president of the Refugees in Libya movement. I spoke to Yambio while writing my book, Unbroken Chains: A 5,000 year history of African enslavement. He told me:

    From my own experience, and through my daily work with Refugees in Libya, I can confirm that slavery is taking place inside Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration detention facilities.

    I was held in places in such conditions between 2019 and 2022. To this day, people are still being enslaved inside these centres: Tariq al-Sikka, Ain Zara, Abu Salim, Al-Nasr in Zawiya, Al-Mabani, Bir Al-Ghanam, Al-Assah, Al-Maya, Ganfouda and Ajdabiya. The list goes on.

    Just hours ago, I was in contact with around 130 women still enduring the same conditions inside Al-Nasr detention centre (known as Osama Prison) in Zawiya. It is concerning and it is an indisputable fact.

    The Libyan route

    Libya is one of the leading destinations for migrants attempting to reach Europe through Africa. In April 2025 alone, the European border force, Frontex, recorded 15,718 migrants from across the world making what they term “illegal border crossings” by traversing the central Mediterranean from Libya.

    One of the largest groups seeking to reach Europe via Libya are Eritreans. Work led by Mirjam van Reisen of Leiden University has provided firsthand accounts of Eritreans describing the situation in the Tajoura detention centre, where Libyans come to select people to work.

    The labourers are often referred to as slaves. One interviewee said: “Every morning when someone comes there, he says: ‘We need five eubayd, which means five slaves. I need five slaves.’ Everybody that is hearing that one, they are feeling angry.” Their forced labour ranges from farm and construction work to road work and garbage collecting.

    Some refugees manage to raise funds from friends and family members to escape captivity. They are held in detention centres until they are deported or traffickers receive fees for taking them across the Mediterranean. Research by the UN suggests this ranges between US$850 (£644) and US$4,500 (£3,400) per crossing.

    US officials say the military could start flying migrants to Libya imminently. However, authorities in Tripoli have rejected the use of Libyan territory as a destination for deporting migrants without its knowledge or consent.

    There are also judicial hurdles. On May 7, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled that the deportation of immigrants to Libya would be in violation of a court order he issued in March.

    However, the Trump administration’s record suggests it does not always follow such rulings. This leaves the migrants in considerable jeopardy.

    Martin Plaut 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.

    – ref. Threat of enslavement hangs over reported plans to deport migrants from US to Libya – https://theconversation.com/threat-of-enslavement-hangs-over-reported-plans-to-deport-migrants-from-us-to-libya-256145

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: From blood clots to rare cancers, a plastic surgeon explains the risks to consider before going under the knife – or the needle

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By James D. Frame, Professor of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Anglia Ruskin University

    RomarioIen/Shutterstock

    A series of ads for Brazilian butt lifts (BBL) on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook were recently banned by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). These ads were found to be misleading and irresponsible, often downplaying serious health risks and pressuring consumers with time-limited offers.

    This move highlights growing concerns over how cosmetic surgery is marketed online and the safety of BBL procedures. But BBLs are not the only cosmetic surgeries under scrutiny.

    Liposuction has a high rate of post-operative complications, and even non-surgical procedures like lip fillers and liquid BBLs have raised health concerns among experts.

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    According to recent data from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), there were 27,462 cosmetic procedures performed in 2024 – a 5% rise from 2023. More than nine out of ten (93.5%) of these procedures were performed on women.

    Body contouring – including liposuction, abdominoplasty and thigh lifts – are the most popular surgeries, while facial rejuvenation procedures, particularly face and neck lifts, brow lifts and eyelid surgery have all increased in popularity since 2023.

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    Risk factors

    Many of these popular procedures are also among the riskiest. Body contouring surgeries like liposuction, tummy tucks and fat grafting, for example, are major operations that typically take hours and involve general anesthesia.

    And the aesthetic outcomes are not always as expected either. Fat removal can sometimes lead to uneven body contours, lumps, or skin irregularities, which may worsen as the body continues to age.

    All surgeries carry risks, but complications from cosmetic procedures are often downplayed or misunderstood. These risks can manifest immediately after surgery or even weeks later, ranging from minor issues like infection and scarring to life-threatening conditions such as blood clots or organ failure.

    One of the most dangerous risks is pulmonary embolism, which occurs when a blood clot travels to the lungs. In the US, around 18,000 cases of venous thromboembolism (VTE) occur annually among plastic surgery patients, with about 10% resulting in death within just one hour of symptoms appearing.

    This already serious threat has become even more pressing in the post-COVID era, as VTE cases are rising. COVID is known to increase the body’s tendency to form blood clots – even in those with mild or no symptoms.

    These lingering effects can persist for weeks or months and, when combined with the usual surgical risks like immobility, tissue trauma and inflammation, they significantly increase the likelihood of a life-threatening event like a pulmonary embolism. As a result, people undergoing plastic surgery today may face a higher baseline risk than before the pandemic.

    Fat embolism is another potentially deadly complication, often associated with procedures like liposuction or BBLs. This occurs when fat particles enter the bloodstream and travel to vital organs, leading to serious medical emergencies.



    Read more:
    Brazilian butt lifts are the deadliest of all aesthetic procedures – the risks explained

    After surgery, some patients may wake up disoriented, confused, or with lingering neurological symptoms – signs of a serious medical emergency. Fat embolism can have immediate, life-threatening effects and, in severe cases, can cause permanent brain damage, organ failure, or sudden death.

    Procedures like rhinoplasty (nose reshaping) or breast augmentation can come with relatively high rates of dissatisfaction. Implants, in particular, can cause issues like rupture, deflation, capsular contracture (hardening around the implant), or asymmetry. There is also some concern about a rare form of cancer – breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) – linked to certain types of implants.

    Even if surgery doesn’t result in major complications, many patients still walk away unhappy. A common issue is that procedures don’t account for how the body continues to age. A facelift or tummy tuck might look great initially, but the natural ageing process can quickly undo or distort those results.

    The problem is that many cosmetic procedures fail to account for the inevitable changes our bodies undergo with age. Our bodies change over time – skin loses elasticity, fat distribution shifts and trends evolve. What feels like a good decision in your 20s might look very different in your 40s.

    Non-surgical treatments

    One of the most troubling issues in the cosmetic industry is the lack of consistent regulation. This is particularly true for non-surgical treatments, where injectable products can be administered by anyone, from trained doctors to self-taught beauty influencers. Cosmetic tourism adds another layer of complexity. Many people travel abroad for cheaper procedures, only to face complications once they return home – with limited recourse or support.

    Non-surgical treatments like dermal fillers and Botox have become increasingly popular due to their quick results and minimal downtime. However, they are not without risk.



    Read more:
    The hidden health risks of lip fillers

    Modern fillers like hyaluronic acid are generally safer than older materials such as silicone. They’re less likely to cause issues like granulomas – as long as they don’t become infected – and they can even be reversed if needed. However, when injected incorrectly, especially into a blood vessel, fillers can cause serious complications like tissue death, permanent scarring, or even blindness.

    Botox injections also carry risks, including muscle paralysis, nerve damage, and uneven facial results – particularly when performed by unqualified practitioners.

    Before undergoing any cosmetic procedure – whether surgical or non-surgical – it’s essential to research a qualified practitioner, understand the risks and set realistic expectations.

    Cosmetic surgery can be empowering for many people, helping them feel more confident in their own skin. But the decision to alter your appearance permanently should never be taken lightly. Behind the glamour and glossy Instagram stories lies a more serious picture – one where the risks are real and the consequences, sometimes irreversible.

    James D. Frame 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.

    – ref. From blood clots to rare cancers, a plastic surgeon explains the risks to consider before going under the knife – or the needle – https://theconversation.com/from-blood-clots-to-rare-cancers-a-plastic-surgeon-explains-the-risks-to-consider-before-going-under-the-knife-or-the-needle-229093

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Can AI help prevent suicide? How real-time monitoring may be the next big step in mental health care

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ruth Melia, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology, University of Limerick

    Nan_Got/Shutterstock

    Suicide represents one of the most complex and heartbreaking challenges in public health. One major difficulty in preventing suicide is knowing when someone is struggling.

    Suicidal thoughts and behaviour can come and go quickly, and they’re not always present when someone sees a doctor or therapist, making them hard to detect with standard checklists.

    Today, many of us use digital devices to track our physical health: counting steps, monitoring sleep, or checking screen time. Researchers are now starting to use similar tools to better understand mental health.

    One method, called ecological momentary assessment (EMA), collects real-time information about a person’s mood, thoughts, behaviour and surroundings using a smartphone or wearable device. It does this by prompting the person to input information (active EMA) or collecting it automatically using sensors (passive EMA).

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    Research has shown EMA can be safe for monitoring suicide risk, which includes a range of experiences from suicidal thoughts to attempts and completed suicide.

    Studies with adults show that this kind of monitoring doesn’t increase risk. Instead, it gives us a more detailed and personal view of what someone is going through, moment by moment. So how can this information actually help someone at risk?

    Adaptive interventions

    One exciting use is the creation of adaptive interventions: real-time, personalised responses delivered right through a person’s phone or device. For example, if someone’s data shows signs of distress, their device might gently prompt them to follow a step on their personal safety plan, which they created earlier with a mental health professional.

    Safety plans are proven tools in suicide prevention, but they’re most helpful when people can access and use them when they’re needed most. These digital interventions can offer support right when it matters, in the person’s own environment.

    There are still important questions: what kind of changes in a person’s data should trigger an alert? When is the best time to offer help? And what form should that help take?

    These are the kinds of questions that artificial intelligence (AI) – and specifically machine learning – is helping us answer.

    Machine learning is already being used to build models that can predict suicide risk by noticing subtle changes in a person’s feelings, thoughts, or behaviour. It’s also been used to predict suicide rates across larger populations.

    These models have performed well on the data they were trained on. But there are still concerns. Privacy is a big one, especially when social media or personal data is involved.

    There’s also a lack of diversity in the data used to train these models, which means they might not work equally well for everyone. And it’s challenging to apply models developed in one country or setting to another.

    Still, research shows that machine learning models can predict suicide risk more accurately than traditional tools used by clinicians. That’s why mental health guidelines now recommend moving away from using simple risk scores to decide who gets care.

    Instead, they suggest a more flexible, person-centred approach – one that’s built around open conversations and planning with the person at risk.

    Person viewing real-time mobile phone data.
    Ruth Melia, CC BY-SA

    Predictions, accuracy and trust

    In my research, I looked at how AI is being used with EMA in suicide studies. Most of the studies involved people getting care in hospitals or mental health clinics. In those settings, EMA was able to predict things like suicidal thoughts after discharge.

    While many studies we looked at reported how accurate their models were, fewer looked at how often the models made mistakes, like predicting someone is at risk when they’re not (false positives), or missing someone who is at risk (false negatives). To help improve this, we developed a reporting guide to make sure future research is clearer and more complete.

    Another promising area is using AI as a support tool for mental health professionals. By analysing large sets of data from health services, AI could help predict how someone is doing and which treatments might work best for them.

    But for this to work, professionals need to trust the technology. That’s where explainable AI comes in: systems that not only give a result but also explain how they got there. This makes it easier for clinicians to understand and use AI insights, much like how they use questionnaires and other tools today.

    Suicide is a devastating global issue, but advances in AI and real-time monitoring offer new hope. These tools aren’t a cure all, but they may help provide the right support at the right time, in ways we’ve never been able to before.

    Ruth Melia received funding from the Fulbright Commission as part of a Health Research Board Fulbright HealthImpact Award. This award supported a visiting scholarship at Florida State University to facilitate international collaboration in the area of suicide research.

    – ref. Can AI help prevent suicide? How real-time monitoring may be the next big step in mental health care – https://theconversation.com/can-ai-help-prevent-suicide-how-real-time-monitoring-may-be-the-next-big-step-in-mental-health-care-255993

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How optical fibres are transforming cancer care

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sinead O’Keeffe, Senior Research Fellow, Limerick Digital Cancer Research Centre, University of Limerick

    asharkyu/Shutterstock

    In rural areas, the arrival of high-speed internet is often a game-changer. Homes are more connected, businesses have new opportunities and telehealth becomes more accessible.

    At the heart of this transformation is a tiny but mighty piece of technology: the optical fibre. Known for transmitting data at incredible speeds, these hair-thin strands of glass or plastic have become symbols of modern digital life. But what many don’t realise is that the same fibres helping us stream movies and connect with loved ones are also quietly transforming cancer care.

    Optical fibres are being repurposed in the medical world in fascinating ways. One particularly exciting application lies in radiation therapy, the treatment of cancer using targeted radiation to destroy cancerous cells. Because precision is vital in these treatments, optical fibres provide a powerful way to monitor, in real time, the exact amount of radiation reaching the tumour and surrounding organs.

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    Traditionally, it has been difficult to measure radiation doses inside the body as the treatment is happening. Radiation therapy, particularly brachytherapy, where radioactive sources are placed inside or very near the tumour, is generally safe and effective.

    But things can shift. The tumour or surrounding organs like the bladder, bowel, or urethra can move slightly during treatment. Even a small change in position can result in radiation hitting healthy tissue instead of the tumour, leading to side effects such as urinary and bowel problems, erectile dysfunction, or fertility issues.

    This is where optical fibres come in. I’m part of a research team at the University of Limerick that has developed special fibre optic sensors capable of being inserted into the body to measure radiation levels in real time. These fibres are tipped with a special material that lights up when exposed to radiation.

    The light then travels through the fibre to an external detector, providing instant feedback on the radiation dose being delivered inside the body. This allows doctors to adjust the treatment on the fly, delivering the maximum dose to the cancer while sparing healthy tissues.

    Optical fibres are ideal for this role because they are biocompatible, non-toxic, flexible, and do not conduct electricity. They’re safe to use inside the body and don’t interfere with other medical equipment. Their small size, comparable to a strand of hair, means they can be inserted with minimal discomfort to the patient.

    This innovative technology is particularly valuable for treating pelvic cancers, such as prostate and cervical cancers, where nearby organs are at high risk of accidental radiation exposure. With real-time monitoring, side effects can be significantly reduced, improving the patient’s comfort, outcomes, and overall quality of life.

    Not just sensors

    But this is only part of the story. Optical fibres are not just passive sensors, they can be active diagnostic tools too. Researchers in Italy have pioneered a technique called lab-on-fibre, which integrates various sensors at the tip of a fibre.

    This essentially transforms a single optical fibre into a tiny, high-tech lab that can assess tissue properties, detect cancerous changes, and even help predict how a tumour will respond to treatment.

    Lab-on-fibre technology has the potential to replace larger, more invasive diagnostic tools. Imagine being able to detect cancer or track treatment progress through a tiny sensor embedded in a needle, without the need for bulky machines or repeated invasive biopsies. That’s the future these technologies are making possible.

    In addition to cancer care, optical fibres have been used in other areas of medicine too, from monitoring blood pressure and glucose levels to checking for signs of infection. The possibilities are growing rapidly as researchers continue to develop new fibre-based sensors and integrate them into clinical practice.

    As we marvel at how high-speed broadband is connecting our world, it’s worth pausing to appreciate the dual role of this technology. While we stream our favourite shows or take Zoom calls from the countryside, optical fibres are also quietly saving lives, helping doctors deliver safer, smarter, and more personalised cancer treatments.

    These tiny strands are doing far more than connecting us to the internet. They’re helping connect us to a healthier future.

    Sinead O’Keeffe receives funding from The Royal Society – Research Ireland University Research Fellowship Award, and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement n° 871324.

    – ref. How optical fibres are transforming cancer care – https://theconversation.com/how-optical-fibres-are-transforming-cancer-care-255378

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What to look out for from the music of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Samuel Murray, Lecturer in Music Management, University of Leeds

    I’m in Basel, Switzerland – host city of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest – to present research about treatment of songwriters in the contest. While I’m here, I’ll be conducting field research and attending one of the shows. Here’s what I’ll be looking out for during this year’s competition.

    One of the joys of Eurovision is hearing songs in different languages and different musical styles. Of the 37 entries in this year’s contest, 23 songs include languages other than English (13% more than in 2024), and 17 of those are entirely sung in languages other than English (14% more than in 2024).

    With more than half of the entries now featuring languages other than English, the chances of a non-English song winning have increased. Among these entries, there are some particularly interesting language choices.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    One of the biggest controversies regarding language this year has been the Maltese entry Serving, performed by Miriana Conte. The song was originally titled Serving Kant. Kant is the Maltese word for singing but is pronounced in the same way as the English swear word “cunt”.

    It is a knowing reference to the phrase “serving cunt”. Drawn from black queer ballroom culture, popularised through shows like Rupaul’s Drag Race, it means to do something in a powerfully feminine manner.



    Read more:
    They’re serving what?! How the c-word went from camp to internet mainstream

    Despite therefore provocatively sounding as though it includes a word many viewers will find offensive, the Maltese broadcaster PBS has robustly defended Conte’s right to sing in her native Maltese.

    This was deemed within the rules, but then the BBC complained that it couldn’t broadcast the song. Subsequently the European Broadcasting Union have made Malta change the lyrics – although don’t be surprised if you hear fans in audience fill in the missing word.

    The controversy around the song has provided it with priceless PR and firmly placed it in contention for the win. I rather suspect this may have been the plan all along.

    Another interesting linguistic choice has been this year’s entry from The Netherlands. C’est La Vie, sung by Claude Kiambe, is in the French language, not Dutch, as a tribute to his Congolese roots.

    C’est La Vie by Claude.

    In an interview for the official Eurovision website Kiambe explained: “C’est La Vie is a tribute to a parent and for me that’s my mother. As a little boy and throughout my youth, she taught me to see the positive in the things you experience in life, even when you experience setbacks.”

    French allows Kiambe to authentically express his identity and personal story. This song is significant as it becomes the first from The Netherlands to be sung in French.

    Unusual song topics

    It wouldn’t be Eurovision without songs that cover unusual subject matters. The current favourite to win the contest is the Swedish entry Bara Bada Bastu, or Let’s Just Sauna, by the group KAJ. KAJ are from Finland where sauna is a core fundamental of culture.

    Bara Bada Bastu by KAJ.

    Ireland’s entry Laika Party, meanwhile, takes the unusual approach of creative lyrical speculative fiction. The song ponders what would happen if Laika, the first dog in space, was still alive and partying above Earth.

    Another unusual offering is Tommy Cash’s Espresso Macchiato, representing Estonia. Some viewers have interpreted the song as mocking Italian culture. It has attracted criticism from Italian politicians including senator Gian Marco Sentinaio who produced a flyer in response with the message: “Whoever insults Italy must stay out of Eurovision.”

    The songwriters

    Quite often in Eurovision, songwriters are overlooked for their role in the contest. As you read this article, many writers are already locked away at songwriting camps working away on entries for next year. In fact the Norwegian songwriting camp has already taken place for next year’s Eurovision.

    This year 134 songwriters are behind the 37 songs performed across the contest.

    In popular music songwriting it is now quite commonplace for writers to work in large groups, with each team member making contributions to creating the melody, harmony or the production of the track. This year the Armenian song Survivor, performed by Parg, has the most writers. Ten people were involved in its creation, including Parg himself. The UK comes a close second with seven writers contributing to the entry What the Hell Just Happened?, performed by Remember Monday.

    Survivor by Parg has ten songwriters.

    Another notable statistic this year is that in 30 out of 37 songs, the singer has a songwriting credit. This makes it very likely that we will see a songwriter lift the Eurovision trophy. This year many artists share personal stories in their songs, including France’s Louane who pays tribute to her mother with Maman and Italy’s Luca Corsi, who reflects on his childhood in Volevo Essere un Duro.

    Many of this year’s songwriters have competed in the contest before. Swedish songwriters Peter Boström and Thomas G:Son, who are no strangers to Eurovision having won the contest twice writing Loreen’s entries Euphoria (2012) and Tattoo (2023), are back once again, this time co-writing Survivor for Armenia.

    Another winning Swedish songwriter returning is Linnea Deb. She wrote Sweden’s winning song Heroes in 2015. This time she has co-written Hallucination for Denmark. Alongside the returning Swedes are fellow serial contest writers Dimitris Kontopoulos and Darko Dimitrov, who between them have over 20 contest entries under their belt but are yet to have a victory.

    There will also be a return to the contest for Teodora Špirić, better known a Teya, who alongside Salena, performed Who the Hell is Edgar? for Austria in 2023. This year she is the songwriter for Austrian entry Wasted Love performed by JJ. It’s currently the bookies favourite.

    There are also many new British writers in the contest to keep an eye on, including Emma Gale who has co-written the Croatian entry Poison Cake.

    This year’s contest brings a diversity of languages, subject matter and songwriters together to present 37 unique offerings from which the juries and voters of Europe will choose a winner. While the bookies and fans may have favourites, at this stage a clear winner is not a given – all can change when the songs are performed live.

    Samuel Murray is affiliated with the Musicians’ Union and a writer member of PRS for Music.

    – ref. What to look out for from the music of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest – https://theconversation.com/what-to-look-out-for-from-the-music-of-the-2025-eurovision-song-contest-256388

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: HBC’s artworks and collections help us understand Canada’s origins — and can be auctioned off

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Norman Vorano, Associate Professor of Art History and Head of the Department of Art History and Art Conservation, Queen’s University, Ontario

    The proposed liquidation of many of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s (HBC) collections that together trace over three centuries of Indigenous and European interaction across this continent represents a profound threat to Canada’s collective memory and identity.

    An Ontario Superior Court judge ruled that the company could move forward with an auction of 4,400 items — including historic artifacts and artworks.

    Several government and non-government cultural agencies, including the Manitoba Museum and the Indigenous Council of the Canadian Museums Association, have expressed concern to HBC and the financial advisory firm it’s working with.

    First Nations leaders and scholars say many of the objects likely have profound significance to Indigenous Peoples and are calling for repatriaton.

    As an art history professor who has researched curatorial and museum practices, I can attest to the cultural and scholarly value of keeping documentary and cultural collections intact, rather than being scattered across the globe or disappearing into private hands.

    This situation exposes the reach and limits of Canada’s Cultural Property Export and Import Act (CPEIA). The act has provisions to delay or block export of cultural property, defined broadly as “any cultural or heritage object, regardless of its place of origin, which may be important from an archaeological, historical, artistic or scientific perspective.” Yet, this legislation offers no guarantees that the objects will end up in Canadian museums or under Indigenous stewardship.

    Importance for memory

    After moving its head office from London to Canada in 1970, HBC first loaned records to the Archives of Manitoba in 1974 and then donated them in 1994 to the province. The vast collection includes about 130,000 images and all minute books from meetings of HBC’s governor and committee from 1671 to 1970.

    The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated a substantial part of that collection as part of the Memory of the World Register. Items with this designation are recognized as showcasing and preserving the most significant documents of human heritage.

    If the items heading to auction are similar, they, too, would be embedded with stories of political negotiation, cultural exchange and economic transformation that helped forge Canada over three centuries.

    Some HBC records have provided a window into Canada’s climate history and ecology, offering valuable long-term data to environmental researchers. Others show evidence of Indigenous trade, land occupation and cultural presence relevant to genealogical research, band membership documentation and land claims.

    The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, citing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, has called for transparency and consultation in any discussion concerning the disposition of HBC items and stopping any sale or transfer of artifacts that “may belong to or be linked with First Nations.”

    1977 legislation

    Prior to Parliament passing the CPEIA legislation in 1977, the federal government had few legal mechanisms to safeguard cultural heritage at home or abroad.

    The 1951 Massey Report into the development of Canadian arts and culture acknowledged the sale and export of important collections, including Indigenous cultural belongings. It noted that some Canadian museums had been requesting “an embargo on the sale abroad of objects of particular national significance as well as for suitable grants to the museums which should preserve these objects ….”

    Global concern for cultural property

    An emerging global consensus on the need for a stronger cross-border regulatory system also shaped CPEIA’s development. The 1954 UNESCO Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict was the first international legal framework for the protection of moveable “cultural property.” This was created in response to the Nazi looting of private and public collections.

    By the 1960s, Canada was studying British and French laws, particularly the U.K.’s 1952 Waverly Report, as models for export controls.
    Borrowing from the Waverly Report, CPEIA relied upon, in the words of Canadian diplomat Ian Christie Clark, a “co-operation of the collector-dealer fraternity” working together with the government to ensure compliance.

    The final push to develop national policies flowed from the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. This obliged signatory states to develop their own laws to protect cultural heritage and facilitate the return of illegally exported property. To claim the reciprocal benefits of the convention, Canada had to act.

    Relevance of the CPEIA

    An independent committee of specialists, established through the CPEIA, can designate parts, or the entirety, of the HBC collection as “of outstanding significance and national importance” if the HBC proposed to donate or sell items to a designated Canadian institution.



    Read more:
    More than a department store: The long, complicated legacy behind Hudson’s Bay Company

    In such a circumstance, the HBC, in tandem with a collecting institution, can request a review to unlock generous tax incentives if certified.

    This designation could also arise if the owner — either the HBC or a successful buyer — applied for an export permit to move the collection out of Canada. This application would be screened against CPEIA’s export control list, which covers everything from archaeological and scientific specimens to documentary records and artworks that exceed age and value thresholds.

    If those thresholds were met, and an export permit is denied, the works would be referred to an expert examiner for a full Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board assessment. A private sale within Canada would not alone prompt the review.

    Receiving a cultural property designation would, at least temporarily, restrict the possibility of exporting items.

    Importantly, the delay would give federally designated institutions like public museums or archives, as well as Indigenous-led organization with the mandate to preserve and support Indigenous heritage, an opportunity to purchase cultural property that has been denied an export permit. For this, CPEIA offers grants and loans for designated institutions to match the appraised value. Those grants and loans can also be used to repatriate collections that are abroad.

    HBC’s historic archive is a prism through which we view Canada’s origins.

    Dispersing or exporting this collection would significantly diminish our understanding of Canada. While CPEIA may play a role in retaining it, it offers no certainties.

    Norman Vorano received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.

    – ref. HBC’s artworks and collections help us understand Canada’s origins — and can be auctioned off – https://theconversation.com/hbcs-artworks-and-collections-help-us-understand-canadas-origins-and-can-be-auctioned-off-256044

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why the future of workplace mental health support may be self-guided online tools

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ehsan Etezad, PhD Candidate in Applied Organizational Psychology, Saint Mary’s University

    As the gap between what employees need and what is available to them, businesses are recognizing that conventional methods are no longer cutting it. (Shutterstock)

    Employee mental health, once a silent and often overlooked issue, has now become an urgent workplace concern. In Canada, the rate of depression and anxiety has doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The Mental Health Commission of Canada reports that one in five adults experiences mental illness, but stigma remains a significant barrier, with 60 per cent of those affected choosing not to seek help.

    These mental health challenges directly translate to workforce challenges: 7.5 per cent of employees have taken time off because of stress or mental health concerns, leading to an average loss of 2.4 work days per employee.

    With 77 per cent of employees acknowledging that work-related stress adversely affects their physical health, the demand for innovative wellness solutions has never been greater.

    Traditional mental health support is falling short

    For decades, employers have relied on employee assistance programs to address the mental health needs of their employees.

    These programs typically refer individuals to short-term counselling, which can be effective for immediate concerns. However, their overall impact remains limited, with usage rates hovering around five per cent across industries.

    Traditional counselling is also expensive, with waitlists that can stretch for weeks, and may require employees to take time off during work hours, which many avoid due to fear of stigma or judgment.

    One in five adults experiences mental illness.
    (Shutterstock)

    Stigma associated with seeking traditional counselling has left many mental health challenges unaddressed until they escalate to burnout, presenteeism, absenteeism, turnover or mental health disability leave.

    As the gap between what employees need and what is available to them widens, businesses are recognizing that conventional methods are no longer providing the accessible and responsive care that today’s workforce demands.

    Single-session digital interventions

    Many mental health interventions have demonstrated remarkable success with just a single, well-designed session. This offers intriguing evidence and sets the stage for an innovative advancement in mental-health care. The research has shown that, when carefully crafted, single-session interventions may serve as an efficient and scalable alternative to multi-week commitments, especially when access to therapy is limited.

    Self-guided single-session digital interventions (SSDIs) are carefully crafted, evidence-based programs designed to require only one focused interaction with a digital platform.

    Unlike the traditional one-size-fits-all model, SSDIs are personalized and can adapt content based on individual responses and needs.

    For instance, an employee struggling with insomnia might receive cognitive-behavioral techniques specifically aimed at improving sleep, while a manager experiencing burnout could access modules for building resilience and managing work stress.

    The strength of SSDIs lies in their accessibility, adaptability, immediacy, affordability, scalability and confidentiality. They offer practical strategies without the prolonged wait times of traditional therapy.

    A growing body of research supports the effectiveness of single-session digital interventions as effective tools for initiating meaningful change.

    Research into single-session digital interventions is still in its early stages, but the available evidence suggests they can be both effective and highly scalable. This is particularly important at a time when access to traditional therapy is often limited by a lack of resources.

    Real-world examples of digital tools

    The growing success of SSDIs can be seen in a number of real-world programs that translate these principles into practical, measurable outcomes. Although these initiatives are not yet publicly available, they were successful in demonstrating early positive results during the initial research phases:

    1. Happy@Work

    Happy@Work is an online, guided self-help intervention designed for employees experiencing symptoms of depression. Drawing on both problem-solving therapy and cognitive therapy, it addresses areas ranging from learning problem-solving methods and identifying maladaptive thoughts to managing work-related challenges and preventing relapse.

    Each lesson combines psychoeducation, structured exercises and personalized feedback. The program also incorporates stress management and burnout prevention techniques with the goal of bolstering employees’ psychological wellness.

    In a randomized controlled trial, Happy@Work showed small but statistically significant benefits in reducing anxiety and exhaustion among the participants.

    2. Three Good Things

    Three Good Things is a digital gratitude-based intervention designed to enhance well-being among healthcare workers.

    Participants receive three text messages each week that prompt them to record and reflect on three positive experiences from their day. This structured reflection is intended to amplify positive emotions and nurture a sense of gratitude.

    A randomized controlled trial found that Three Good Things produced small and short-term increases in positive emotions among participants.

    77 per cent of employees acknowledging that work-related stress adversely affects their physical health.
    (Shutterstock)

    3. Beating the Blues

    Beating the Blues is a structured cognitive behavioural therapy program targeted at employees dealing with stress-related absenteeism.

    It guides participants through techniques like cognitive restructuring to challenge unhelpful thoughts, problem-solving skills, relaxation training and behavioural activation to organize daily activities. It also addresses sleep management and introduces graded exposure to reduce anxiety.

    A randomized controlled trial found that Beating the Blues successfully reduced depression symptoms and negative attributional styles immediately following the treatment, with lower anxiety scores noted one month post-treatment.

    Why these digital interventions work

    Digital mental health interventions are proving to be effective for a number of reasons:

    1. They break the stigma cycle

    Digital self-help tools offer a discreet and accessible way for employees to address mental challenges, allowing individuals to engage anonymously and at any time, on their own schedule.

    And, since these tools are available online and can be used anonymously, they offer an added layer of privacy and comfort. This flexibility helps minimize the stigma often linked to taking time off for traditional counselling sessions.

    2. They are cost-effective and scalable

    Traditional employee mental health programs, which often rely on therapist-centred models, can be prohibitively expensive and difficult to scale. By contrast, SSDIs provide an accessible solution that significantly reduces the financial burden on businesses and employees. Their digital format ensures support is available 24/7, providing employees with immediate access to help at a fraction of the cost of conventional approaches.

    3. They deliver rapid and measurable results

    When it comes to addressing burnout and other workplace mental health challenges. SSDIs provide quick access to coping strategies and stress relief techniques, helping employees strengthen their psychological well-being before issues escalate as an effective preventive tool.

    The future of workplace mental health is digital. Self-guided single-session digital mental health interventions offer a pragmatic and immediate way to reduce stigma, cut costs and foster resilience. These tools can complement and integrate with traditional therapy to provide employees with an accessible and immediate resource to help them cope with stress and build resilience.

    Ehsan Etezad provides private consulting at MEUS Science with a focus on Workplace Wellness & Psychological Health & Safety.

    John Fiset 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.

    – ref. Why the future of workplace mental health support may be self-guided online tools – https://theconversation.com/why-the-future-of-workplace-mental-health-support-may-be-self-guided-online-tools-254271

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What will the Antichrist look like? According to Western thought, an authoritarian king – or the pope

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Philip C. Almond, Emeritus Professor in the History of Religious Thought, The University of Queensland

    Composite image by The Conversation. Images courtesy of TruthSocial/@realDonaldTrump and Wikimedia Commons

    The US presidency and the papacy came together on May 3 when Donald Trump posted an AI-generated photograph of himself dressed as the pope to Truth Social. The image was then shared by the White House’s accounts.

    Seated in an ornate (Mar-a-Lago-style) golden chair, he was wearing a white cassock and a bishop’s hat, with his right forefinger raised.

    Trump has since told reporters he “had nothing to do with it […] somebody did it in fun”.

    This image of “Pope Donald I” is of historical significance, for reasons of which, no doubt, the White House and Trump were blissfully unaware. It is the first ever image to combine the two most important understandings of the figure of the Antichrist in Western thought: on the one hand, that of the pope, and on the other, that of the authoritarian, despotic world emperor.

    On April 22, the day after Pope Francis’ death, Trump declared “I’d like to be pope. That would be my number one choice”. On April 28, Trump told The Atlantic “I run the country and the world”.

    So, both pope and world emperor.

    The Imperial Antichrist

    In the New Testament, the First Letter of John says, before Christ came again, the Antichrist will appear: the most conspicuous sign the end of the world was near.

    The Antichrist would be the archetypal evil human being who would persecute the Christian faithful. He would be finally defeated by the forces of good. As Sir Isaac Newton suggested, “searching the Prophecies which [God] hath given us to know Antichrist by” is a Christian obligation.

    The first life of the Antichrist was written by a Benedictine monk, Adso of Montier-en-der, around 1,100 years ago. According to Adso, the Antichrist would be a tyrannical evil king who would corrupt all those around him with gold and silver. He would be brought up in all forms of wickedness. Evil spirits would be his instructors and his constant companions.

    The Antichrist, left, is depicted as a king, in this image from a 12th century manuscript.
    Wikimedia Commons

    Seeking his own glory, as Adso put it, this king “will call himself Almighty God”.

    The Antichrist was opposite to everything Christ-like. According to the Christian tradition, Christ was fully human yet absolutely “sin free”. The Antichrist too was fully human, but completely “sin full”. The Antichrist was not so much a supernatural being who became flesh, as a human being who became fully demonised.

    Influenced by Christian stories of the Antichrist, Islam and Judaism constructed their own Antichrists – al-Dajjal, the Antichrist of the Muslims, and Armilus, the Antichrist of the Jews. Both al-Dajjal and Armilus are king-like messiahs.

    Over the centuries, many world leaders have been labelled “the Antichrist” – the Roman emperors Nero and Domitian were Antichrist figures, and the French emperor Napoleon was named the Antichrist in his own time.

    There have been more recent leaders who have been likened to the Antichrist, among them former president of Iraq Saddam Hussein, King Charles III, former Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev, al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, and Trump.

    The Papal Antichrist

    In the year 1190, King Richard I of England, on his way to the Holy Land, was informed by the Italian theologian Joachim of Fiore (c.1135–1202) the next pope would be the Antichrist.

    In the history of the Antichrist, this was a momentous occasion. From this time on, the tyrannical Antichrist outside of the Church would be juxtaposed with the papal deceiver within it.

    That the Catholic pope was the Antichrist was the common reading of the pope in the 16th-century Protestant Reformation.

    Martin Luther (1483–1546), the founder of the Protestant revolution, declared the pope “is the true […] Antichrist who has raised himself over and set himself against Christ”.

    Just as all Christians would not worship the Devil as God, he went on to say, “so we cannot allow his apostle the pope or Antichrist, to govern as our head or lord”.

    This 1877 painting depicts Martin Luther summoned by the Catholic Church in 1521, to renounce or reaffirm his views criticising Pope Leo X.
    Wikimedia Commons

    As he was about to be burned by the Catholic Queen Mary for his Protestant beliefs, the Anglican bishop Thomas Cranmer (1489–1556) declared, “as for the pope, I refuse him, as Christ’s enemy and antichrist with all his false doctrine”.

    Even in 1988, as Pope John Paul II addressed the European Parliament, the Northern Ireland hardline Protestant leader Ian Paisley roared, “Antichrist! I renounce you and all your cults and creeds” – to which, we are told, the pope gave a slight bemused smile.

    Except among the most extreme of Protestant conservatives, the idea of the papal Antichrist no longer has any purchase. The papal Antichrist has vacated the Western stage for the imperial Antichrist.

    The Antichrist and the end of the world

    In the history of Christianity, the idea of the Antichrist was a key part of Christian expectations about the return of Christ and the end of the world.

    In the final battle between the forces of good and evil, the Antichrist would be defeated by the forces of Christ. In short, the rise of the world emperor who was the Antichrist was a sign that the end of the world was at hand.

    In the light of the Western history of “the Antichrist”, the image of the imperial and papal US president is a powerful sign that the global order – at least as we have known it for the last 80 years – may be at an end.



    Read more:
    Five things to know about the Antichrist

    Philip C. Almond 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.

    – ref. What will the Antichrist look like? According to Western thought, an authoritarian king – or the pope – https://theconversation.com/what-will-the-antichrist-look-like-according-to-western-thought-an-authoritarian-king-or-the-pope-256205

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What or where is the Indo-Pacific? How a foreign policy pivot redefined the global map

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Andrew Latham, Professor of Political Science, Macalester College

    Is the Indo-Pacific concept about international dialogue … or just containing China? Tetra images/Getty Images

    Open a book of maps and look for the “Indo-Pacific” region – it likely won’t be there.

    Yet the Indo-Pacific is now central to how many countries think about strategy and security. It describes a region spanning two oceans and dozens of countries, encompassing much of the world’s trade routes.

    The Indo-Pacific did not emerge from the patterns of ancient trade, nor from long-standing cultural or civilizational ties.

    Instead, the concept comes from the realms of political science and international relations. The term can be traced back to the work of German political scientist and geographer Karl Haushofer – a favorite of Adolf Hitler – in the 1920s. But it only really began to take hold in the think tanks and foreign policy-setting departments of Washington and other Western capitals in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

    It coincided with a shift in the global balance of power from unipolarity – that is, dominated by one superpower – to multipolarity over the past decade or so.

    ‘Confluence of the two seas’

    For much of the Cold War, the United States treated the Pacific and Indian oceans as separate theaters of operation. Its military forces in the area, known as U.S. Pacific Command, focused on East Asia and the western Pacific, while the Indian Ocean figured mainly in energy security discussions, tied to the Middle East and the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.

    Strategic maps during that era divided the world into distinct zones of interest. But China’s economic rise, India’s growing influence and the increasing strategic significance of sea lanes across both oceans since the end of the Cold War blurred those old dividing lines.

    The Indian Ocean could no longer be treated as a secondary concern. Nor could the Pacific be thought of in isolation from what was happening further west.

    Japan helped give political voice to this emerging reality. In 2007, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stood before India’s parliament and spoke of the “confluence of the two seas” − an image that deliberately linked the Indian and Pacific oceans as a single geopolitical space.

    Abe’s message was clear: The fate of the Pacific and Indian oceans would be increasingly intertwined, and democratic states would need to work together to preserve stability. His vision resonated in Washington, Canberra and New Delhi, and it helped set the stage for the revival of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad.

    In 2018, the United States made the shift official, renaming U.S. Pacific Command as U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

    What might have seemed like a bureaucratic rebranding was in fact a serious strategic move. It reflected the growing recognition that the rise of China − and Beijing’s growing influence from East Africa to the South Pacific − required an integrated regional approach.

    Framing the challenge in Indo-Pacific terms allowed Washington to strengthen its ties with India, deepen cooperation with Australia and Japan, and reposition itself as a maritime balancer across a vast strategic arc.

    The phrase “free and open Indo-Pacific” quickly became the centerpiece of American regional diplomacy. It emphasized freedom of navigation, respect for international law, and democratic solidarity.

    But while the rhetoric stressed inclusivity and shared values, the driving force behind the concept was clear: managing China’s expanding power. The Indo-Pacific framework allowed Washington to draw together a range of initiatives under a single banner, all aimed at reinforcing a rules-based order at a time when Beijing was testing its limits.

    Rejecting zero-sum thinking

    Not every country has enthusiastically embraced this vision. Many Southeast Asian states, wary of being drawn into a competition between the United States and China, have approached the Indo-Pacific concept with caution. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ document titled Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, released in 2019, deliberately avoided framing the region in confrontational terms. Instead, it stressed dialogue and the centrality of Southeast Asia − a subtle rebuke to visions that seemed to pit democracy against authoritarianism in stark, zero-sum terms.

    The breadth of the Indo-Pacific concept also raises difficult questions. It covers an enormous range of political, economic and security realities. The priorities of small island states in the Pacific differ sharply from those of major continental powers such as India or Australia. Treating the Indo-Pacific as a single strategic space risks flattening these differences and could alienate smaller nations whose concerns do not always align with those of the major players.

    The Indo-Pacific today

    Recent shifts in Washington’s foreign policy also complicate matters. The Trump administration’s skepticism toward alliances created doubts among regional partners about the reliability of U.S. commitments. Even as the Indo-Pacific idea gained traction, questions remained about whether it represented a long-term strategy or a short-term tactical adjustment.

    The Biden administration maintained the Indo-Pacific framework, launching the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity to provide an economic counterpart to the security-heavy focus of earlier years. But the central strategic challenge remains the same: how to manage China’s rise without forcing the region into a rigid geopolitical divide.

    For now, the Indo-Pacific framing has reshaped how policymakers, military planners and diplomats think about Asia’s future. It provides a vocabulary for coordinating alliances, building new partnerships and addressing the challenges posed by China’s expanding influence.

    Yet its long-term success will depend on whether the framework can genuinely accommodate the region’s diversity − and whether it can be seen as something more than just a mechanism for great power competition and a thinly veiled strategy to contain China.

    This article is part of a series explaining foreign policy terms commonly used but rarely explained.

    Andrew Latham 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.

    – ref. What or where is the Indo-Pacific? How a foreign policy pivot redefined the global map – https://theconversation.com/what-or-where-is-the-indo-pacific-how-a-foreign-policy-pivot-redefined-the-global-map-256406

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tax Canadian movies? Why culture has always been at the centre of trade wars

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Sarah E.K. Smith, Canada Research Chair in Art, Culture & Global Relations and Associate Professor, Faculty of Information & Media Studies, Western University

    The United States government recently announced a plan to leverage a 100 per cent tariff on “foreign” films. President Donald Trump explained it was because he wanted to protect the U.S. film industry. He said other reasons include “national security” and “propaganda.”

    The current announcement may seem out of place in trade talks about steel and automobiles. But culture has long been a key part of North American trade relations.

    In my book, Trading on Art: Cultural Diplomacy and Free Trade in North America, I examine how culture became a vital tool for shaping relationships among Canada, Mexico and the United States. I focus on visual art — including exhibitions and museum initiatives — to show how culture is intertwined with the negotiation of free trade in North America.

    A history of cultural negotiations

    In the late 20th century, when Canada negotiated the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement (later expanded into NAFTA), culture was central to free-trade debates.

    The period was charged with anxiety over American cultural imperialism and concerns about protecting Canadian cultural production. Ultimately, at Canada’s urging, culture was formally exempted from free-trade agreements, with limited provisions focused on cultural industries. But even though the cultural exemption in trade agreements may give the impression that culture has nothing to do with the histories of free trade, my research shows otherwise.

    This exemption isn’t just about protecting markets. Political scientist Patricia Goff says it also comes from a “desire to uphold …a distinct cultural identity.” Culture held a key place in the discussions about the impact of free trade. And it served as a means to construct new geopolitical identities, helping to introduce and reinforce the trade alliance.

    Culture was mobilized in different ways. It functioned as a unifying tool, but also a venue for critique.

    For example, following the creation of NAFTA, the online exhibition Panoramas: The North American Landscape in Art brought together art from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. The show offered a new transnational approach and explored landscapes across the continent.

    Other artworks such as Free Expression by Canadian activist-artists Carole Condé and Karl Beveridge articulated a critical response to impending free trade. Their piece depicts apprehension about the danger of U.S. cultural domination and speaks to the need to protect Canada’s cultural producers.

    Art as a diplomatic tool

    All three governments — of Canada, Mexico and the United States — used art exhibitions as a way to create and share stories about North American unity. While art has long been used for national narratives, this collaboration and these new stories about the North American region were a departure.

    For most of the 20th century, people did not think of North America as a unified or shared cultural entity. Most people saw the Americas as divided between Anglo and Latin America.

    Art was seen as a means to overcome this. It provided a way to support and depict the new alliance between Canada, Mexico and the United States under free trade. Exhibitions offered a way to depict North America in a new perspective. They presented concepts about continental unity to the public.

    During a trip to Canada, President Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mila Mulroney sing during a gala performance at Grand Théâtre de Québec in March 1985.
    (Ronald Reagan Library), CC BY

    How could Canada, Mexico and the United States understand themselves as part of a regional group? These art shows worked on many levels. They brought together work that helped make visual, thematic connections. They helped cultural professionals meet and make connections. They helped museums forge relationships.

    On top of that, the exhibitions also provided diplomatic spaces. Many openings celebrated specific moments in bi- and trilateral relationships, creating and facilitating social spaces for diplomatic and government connections.

    In this way, these exhibitions functioned as a form of cultural diplomacy. Some were initiated by governments to mark the economic integration of the continent. Others picked up on new understandings of the continent that were circulating. It was a process, according to American historian Nicholas Cull, by which international relationships became managed through the circulation of “cultural resources and achievements.”

    Art and cultural exchange gave people a meaningful and accessible way to see and understand the growing ties between the three countries. Art also offered a powerful and engaging way to tell the public about North American connections.

    Artistic resistance, critiques of free trade

    These were not the only messages circulating in this period. A body of contemporary art questioned and challenged free trade.

    For many Canadian artists, their work offered a means to question and critique increasing economic integration under free trade. In the 1980s and ‘90s, video art was a particularly active site for such work.

    An affordable medium that was easily disseminated, video art critiqued the media coverage of free trade, reflected on cultural nationalism and advanced experimental narratives about North America. Video art was also deeply tied to the anti-globalization protests that began at the start of the economic integration of North America under free trade.

    Video offered a space for creative expression and documentation of the protests. Video also enhanced protection for activists who were safer because they were recording their encounters with law enforcement. Beyond producing artworks, many artists joined other cultural producers, community and labour organizations to advocate against free trade.

    A behind-the-scenes image from the film shoot for ‘Acknowledgment’ (2020) by Jonathan Elliott.
    (Andrew Williamson for the City of Toronto/Toronto History Museums), CC BY-NC

    The role of culture

    Free-trade agreements radically reshaped the economies and public understandings of the western hemisphere in the late 20th century. Political scientist Guy Poitras argues that North America as a region was invented at this time.

    Culture is often overlooked when considering free-trade histories and dismissed as a form of “soft power.” But the cultural sphere does not sit apart from daily life and political economic concerns. Art and exhibitions from this period offer a rich vantage point on how free trade was perceived and contested. Examination of culture also reveals how it was used to construct a North American identity.

    Culture is not simply an entity to be instrumentalized for international relations, but a key venue in which these relations always play out. In the lead up to the renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement and amid the current tariff war, the ties between Canada, Mexico and the United States seem fragile. We should pay attention to how culture will be used as a tool to support or fracture these connections.

    Sarah E.K. Smith receives funding from the Canada Research Chairs program, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and Western University. She is affiliated with the North American Cultural Diplomacy Initiative and the International Cultural Relations Research Alliance.

    – ref. Tax Canadian movies? Why culture has always been at the centre of trade wars – https://theconversation.com/tax-canadian-movies-why-culture-has-always-been-at-the-centre-of-trade-wars-256022

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Staying socially connected can help maintain healthy eating with age, especially for older women

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Annalijn I. Conklin, Associate Professor, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia

    Older people who are socially isolated have poor diet quality compared to those with frequent friend contact.
     (Shutterstock)

    Healthy eating supports healthy aging: Canada’s Food Guide recommends daily intake of fruits and vegetables as a way to help prevent multiple chronic conditions that typically affect older adults.

    We know that healthy eating is strongly influenced by our social connections and different settings. But aging often brings losses to different social connections that can put healthy eating at risk.

    As researchers who study the interaction of nutrition, age and social issues, we were curious to know if adverse changes in an older person’s social connections matter for maintaining a good diet, and who is most affected?

    Social isolation and social diversity change with age

    There is broad health research focused on social isolation that measures this concept at one point in time using a combination of different types of social contexts such as living alone, infrequent social contact, no social participation and not married.

    About one in five aging adults reduces the variety of their social engagement.
    (Shutterstock)

    Social isolation, however, is not a static experience as aging adults frequently go through changes in different types of social relationships, often reducing their social contacts and activities over time.

    Our recent research shows that the number of different social activities decreases over time for middle-age and older adults.

    About one in five aging adults reduces the variety of their social engagement (for example, seeing friends and family, volunteering, sports, religious and educational activities, etc.), with greater declines seen among older women.

    In addition, about 14 per cent of aging Canadians either became socially isolated or stayed socially isolated over time. Canadians in the oldest age group and in more socio-economically disadvantaged groups appear most vulnerable to staying or becoming either socially isolated or less socially diverse over time.

    It is important, then, for research on nutrition and healthy aging to better capture distinct alterations in social engagement over time, not only in terms of a lack of regular social interaction but also in terms of a diversity of social interactions.

    Dietary risks of changing social connections

    Both the quantity and the quality of the foods we eat can be affected by our meal setting, and eating alone is correlated with poor diet quality.

    Eating alone is correlated with poor diet quality.
    (Shutterstock)

    Among older adults, being socially isolated is linked to inadequate intakes of fruits and vegetables — a marker of diet quality that is associated with chronic disease. More specifically, both older men and women with no or rare friend contact have poor diet quality compared to those with frequent friend contact.

    It has been unclear whether staying or becoming socially isolated is a problem for maintaining healthy eating habits as people age. It is also unknown whether reducing the variety of social activities puts diet quality at risk of declining.

    The handful of nutrition studies that do consider changes in social connections all focus on marital transitions, leaving a critical gap in knowledge for healthy aging policy and practice.

    Our new study with collaborators is filling this knowledge gap by using multiple waves from a nationally representative cohort of middle-aged and older Canadians.

    The first important finding is that older women who stayed socially isolated — meaning one or no monthly activity — reduced their diet quality over time compared to women who stayed engaged in two or more monthly social activities.

    The second notable finding is the older women who reduced their diversity of social activities also had declines in diet quality over time. And finally, both older women and older men who had a small number of social activities that stayed the same over time were also at risk of declining diet quality.

    These results were not explained by other social or behavioural factors that were included in the study’s analysis.

    Social interventions to support healthy eating

    Canada’s healthy aging strategy and Food Guide both emphasize the important role of social connections for maintaining health and healthy eating. There have long been programs, such as Meals on Wheels, that support health and well-being by providing hot, nutritious meals to individuals, especially older adults, who are home-bound.

    Both older women and older men who had low social diversity over time were also at risk of declining diet quality.
    (Shutterstock)

    Maintaining regular and diverse social activities is vital for promoting health and well-being as people transition from mid to later life. Everybody can benefit from not just being connected, but also from staying connected across a range of social settings.

    We want to call attention to the significance of both persistent isolation and losses of social diversity for women’s nutrition and health in Canada. Different types of social connections may matter for women than for men, and their maintenance over time can show different effects on diet and health that need more research and policy action.

    Understanding the social determinants of diet for women is key to addressing health inequities and to tailoring more effective social interventions for aging Canadians, such as social prescribing and other social relational models of care.

    Annalijn I. Conklin receives funding from The Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and Michael Smith Health Research BC. Dr. Conklin is affiliated with Obesity Canada.

    Gilciane Ceolin and Sanaz Mehranfar 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.

    – ref. Staying socially connected can help maintain healthy eating with age, especially for older women – https://theconversation.com/staying-socially-connected-can-help-maintain-healthy-eating-with-age-especially-for-older-women-254585

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Have journalists skipped the ethics conversation when it comes to using AI?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Angela Misri, Assistant professor, Toronto Metropolitan University

    It’s become clear that many news organizations are still operating in the ethical equivalent of the Wild West when it comes to how they use artificial intelligence. (Shutterstock)

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used in journalistic work for everything from transcribing interviews and translating articles to writing and publishing local weather, economic reports and water quality stories.

    It’s even being used to identify story ideas from the minutes of municipal council meetings in cases where time-strapped reporters don’t have time to do so.

    What’s lagging behind all this experimentation are the important conversations about the ethics of using these tools. This disconnect was evident when we interviewed journalists in a mix of newsrooms across Canada from July 2022 to July 2023, and it remains a problem today.

    We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 journalists from 11 Canadian newsrooms. Many of the people we spoke to told us that they had worked at multiple media organizations throughout their careers.

    The key findings from our recently published research:

    • AI literacy varies within the same newsroom and certainly within the industry as a whole.

    • There’s agreement that humans play an important role in supervising the use of AI, but there’s no agreement on where human journalists must be involved in the process — at the AI tool coding level? Before a piece is published?

    • Journalists believe professional practice and industry standards are being followed when using AI in journalism, but there is no agreed-upon “rule book” for how AI should be used.

    • There are issues with transparency about how and when AI is being used, both among journalists working in the same newsroom and in terms of what is revealed to audiences about whether the content they are consuming was created using AI tools.



    Read more:
    Transparency and trust: How news consumers in Canada want AI to be used in journalism

    What journalists told us

    Some of what we heard was reassuring. One journalist told us:

    “The one thing that we are very particular about when we use this technology is that our editors always have the ability to override what the machine is doing.”

    At the same time, however, it became clear that many news organizations are still operating in the ethical equivalent of the Wild West.

    In many cases, journalists we spoke to talked about just following their gut when it came to deciding if using that AI tool to do that task was ethical. As one of our interviewees put it: “There’s a rule book in my head.”

    When we asked interviewees how they knew their colleagues at the same publication followed the same ethical code they did when using AI, most could not answer except to imply that their co-workers wouldn’t have been hired if they didn’t share the same principles. One journalist said:

    “I’ve worked there for 14 years now …I can’t think of anyone whose ethics I would disagree with.”

    Getting the ethics of AI right and being seen to be doing so is important because journalism has a growing trust problem and needs to do everything possible to reverse the trend.

    Multiple studies have shown that Canadian audiences want to know if AI tools are being used in newsrooms, and they aren’t sure if they want to pay for journalism created using AI.



    Read more:
    How audience data is shaping Canadian journalism

    AI and news

    Audiences, meanwhile, are being fed a steady diet of examples that illustrate how using AI tools to create journalistic work can go very wrong. For instance:

    Journalists and news organizations are still struggling to arrive at a shared understanding of how to use AI tools.
    (Shutterstock)

    News organizations might think they’re being transparent with audiences about how much content is being created using AI, but our research finds the evidence is mixed at best, especially in circumstances where AI generates the content and an editor approves it in the content management system before it is published.

    In one memorable Zoom interview, an editor walked us through the AI-generated content in an article posted online, saying that it was clearly identified as AI on the webpage.

    However, upon sharing the page, they were shocked to discover there was no information about the article being AI-generated anywhere. They said it would be fixed immediately, but when we last checked, the article still said nothing about the AI tool used to generate it.

    While we gathered data from interviews, newsrooms in Canada started releasing guidance through internal emails and public blog posts. It is hard to find any language in publicly accessible policies that refers explicitly to how AI is being used or the ethics surrounding such use. It’s also unclear who is involved in conversations about ethical AI use in newsrooms, and who is not.

    As one journalist we interviewed put it:

    “I think my frustration personally comes from again the lack of openness to have this conversation about AI, and the urgency of it, because I think … we’re so busy trying to survive, we don’t realize that having this conversation about AI will help us survive.”

    Our research suggests journalists and news organizations are still struggling in the midst of rapid technological change to arrive at a shared understanding of AI tools, their usage, the limitations of programming and best practices that build rather than erode trust.

    Angela Misri receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University.

    April Lindgren receives funding from the School of Journalism and the Journalism Research Centre at Toronto Metropolitan University, the Rossy Foundation and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. She has received funding previously from MITACS, CTV News, the Ken and Debbie Rubin Public Interest Advocacy Fund and CWA Canada, the Media Union.

    Nicole Blanchett receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University, and the School of Journalism at Toronto Metropolitan University. She has received funding previously from Centre d’études sur les médias and Mitacs.

    – ref. Have journalists skipped the ethics conversation when it comes to using AI? – https://theconversation.com/have-journalists-skipped-the-ethics-conversation-when-it-comes-to-using-ai-255485

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Could gravity be evidence that the universe is a computer simulation? My new study suggests why this might be so

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Melvin M. Vopson, Associate Professor of Physics, University of Portsmouth

    A star cluster in the constellation Sagittarius seen by the James Webb Space Telescope. NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope

    We have long taken it for granted that gravity is one of the basic forces of nature – one of the invisible threads that keeps the universe stitched together. But suppose that this is not true. Suppose the law of gravity is simply an echo of something more fundamental: a byproduct of the universe operating under a computer-like code.

    That is the premise of my latest research, published in the journal AIP Advances. It suggests that gravity is not a mysterious force that attracts objects towards one another, but the product of an informational law of nature that I call the second law of infodynamics.

    It is a notion that seems like science fiction – but one that is based in physics and evidence that the universe appears to be operating suspiciously like a computer simulation.

    In digital technologies, right down to the apps in your phone and the world of cyberspace, efficiency is the key. Computers compact and restructure their data all the time to save memory and computer power. Maybe the same is taking place all over the universe?

    Information theory, the mathematical study of the quantification, storage and communication of information, may help us understand what’s going on. Originally developed by mathematician Claude Shannon, it has become increasingly popular in physics and is used in a growing range of research areas.

    In a 2023 paper, I used information theory to propose my second law of infodynamics.

    This stipulates that information “entropy”, or the level of information disorganisation, will have to reduce or stay static within any given closed information system. This is the opposite of the popular second law of thermodynamics, which dictates that physical entropy, or disorder, always increases.

    Take a cooling cup of coffee. Energy flows from hot to cold until the temperature of the coffee is the same as the temperature of the room and its energy is minimum – a state called thermal equilibrium. The entropy of the system is a maximum at this point – with all the molecules maximally spread out, having the same energy. What that means is that the spread of energies per molecule in the liquid is reduced.

    If one considers the information content of each molecule based on its energy, then at the start, in the hot cup of coffee, the information entropy is maximum and at equilibrium the information entropy is minimum. That’s because almost all molecules are at the same energy level, becoming identical characters in an informational message. So the spread of different energies available is reduced when there’s thermal equilibrium.

    But if we consider just location rather than energy, then there’s lots of information disorder when particles are distributed randomly in space – the information required to keep pace with them is considerable. When they consolidate themselves together under gravitational attraction, however, the way planets, stars and galaxies do, the information gets compacted and more manageable.

    In simulations, that’s exactly what occurs when a system tries to function more efficiently. So, matter flowing under the influence of gravity need not be a result of a force at all. Perhaps it is a function of the way the universe compacts the information that it has to work with.

    Here, space is not continuous and smooth. Space is made up of tiny “cells” of information, similar to pixels in a photo or squares on the screen of a computer game. In each cell is basic information about the universe – where, say, a particle is – and all are gathered together to make the fabric of the universe.

    If you place items within this space, the system gets more complex. But when all of those items come together to be one item instead of many, the information is simple again.

    The universe, under this view, tends to naturally seek to be in those states of minimal information entropy. The real kicker is that if you do the numbers, the entropic “informational force” created by this tendency toward simplicity is exactly equivalent to Newton’s law of gravitation, as shown in my paper.

    This theory builds on earlier studies of “entropic gravity” but goes a step further. In connecting information dynamics with gravity, we are led to the interesting conclusion that the universe could be running on some kind of cosmic software. In an artificial universe, maximum-efficiency rules would be expected. Symmetries would be expected. Compression would be expected.

    And law – that is, gravity – would be expected to emerge from these computational rules.

    We may not yet have definitive evidence that we live in a simulation. But the deeper we look, the more our universe seems to behave like a computational process.

    Melvin M. Vopson is affiliated with the University of Portsmouth and the Information Physics Institute.

    – ref. Could gravity be evidence that the universe is a computer simulation? My new study suggests why this might be so – https://theconversation.com/could-gravity-be-evidence-that-the-universe-is-a-computer-simulation-my-new-study-suggests-why-this-might-be-so-255913

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: AI methods help predict the emergence of ‘gazelles’ and other high-growth firms, but challenges remain

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Tatiana Beliaeva, Enseignante–chercheuse en entrepreneuriat, UCLy (Lyon Catholic University)

    Predicting whether or not companies will be successful is crucial for guiding investment decisions and designing effective economic policies. However, past research on high-growth firms – enterprises thought to be key for driving economic development – has typically shown low predictive accuracy, suggesting that growth may be largely random. Does this assumption still hold in the AI era, in which vast amounts of data and advanced analytical methods are now available? Can AI techniques overcome difficulties in predicting high-growth firms? These questions were raised in a chapter I co-authored in the De Gruyter Handbook of SME Entrepreneurship, which reviewed scientific contributions on firm growth prediction with AI methods.

    According to the Eurostat-OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) definition, high-growth firms are businesses with at least 10 employees in the initial growth period and “average annualised growth greater than 20% per annum, over a three year period”. Growth can be measured by the firm’s number of employees or by its turnover. A subset of high-growth firms, known as “gazelles”, are young businesses – typically start-ups – that are up to five years old and experience fast growth.


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    High-growth firms drive development, innovation and job creation. Identifying firms with high-growth potential enables investors, start-up incubators, accelerators, large companies and policymakers to spot potential opportunities for investment, strategic partnerships and resource allocation at an early stage. Forecasting outcomes for start-ups is more challenging than doing so for large companies due to limited historical data, high uncertainty, and reliance on qualitative factors like founder experience and market fit.

    How random is firm growth?

    Accurate growth forecasting is especially crucial given the high failure rate of start-ups. One in five start-ups fail in their first year, and two thirds fail within 10 years. Some start-ups can also contribute significantly to job creation: research analysing data from Spanish and Russian firms between 2010 and 2018 has shown that while “gazelles” represented only about 1-2% of all businesses in both countries, they were responsible for approximately 14% of employment growth in Russia and 9% in Spain.

    High-growth firms are “widely considered essential for stimulating economic growth and employment” but are difficult to identify. Stakeholders need accurate growth predictions to help optimize decision-making and minimize risks by identifying firms with the highest potential for success.

    In an effort to understand why some firms grow faster than others, researchers have looked into various factors including the personality of entrepreneurs, competitive strategy, available resources, market conditions and macroeconomic environment. These factors, however, only explained a small portion of the variation in firm growth and were limited in their practical application. This led to the suggestion that predicting the growth of new businesses is like playing a game of chance. Another viewpoint argued that the problem of growth prediction might stem from the methods employed, suggesting an “illusion of randomness”.

    As firm growth is a complex, diverse, dynamic and non-linear process, adopting a new set of methods and approaches, such as those driven by big data and AI, can shed new light on the growth debate and forecasting.

    AI offers new opportunities for predicting high-growth firms

    AI methods are being increasingly adopted to forecast firm growth. For example, 70% of venture capital firms are adopting AI to increase internal productivity and facilitate and speed up sourcing, screening, classifying and monitoring start-ups with high potential. Crunchbase, a company data platform, claims that internal testing has shown that its AI models can predict start-up success with “95% precision” by analysing thousands of signals. These developments promise to fundamentally change how investors and businesses approach decision-making in private markets.

    The advantages of AI techniques lie in their ability to process a far greater volume, variety and velocity of data about businesses and their environments compared to traditional statistical methods. For example, machine learning methods such as random forest (RF) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) help identify key variables affecting business outcomes in datasets with a large number of predictors. A “fused” large language model has been shown to predict start-up success using both structured (organized in tables) fundamental information and unstructured (unorganized and more complex) textual descriptions. AI techniques help enhance the accuracy of firm growth predictions, identify the most important growth factors and minimize human biases. As some scholars have noted, the improved prediction indicates that perhaps firm growth is less random than previously thought. Furthermore, the ability to capture data in real time is especially valuable in fast-paced, dynamic environments, such as high-technology industries.

    Challenges remain

    Despite AI’s rapid progress, there is still considerable potential for advancement. Although the prediction of high-growth firms has been improved with modern AI techniques, studies indicate that it continues to be a challenge. For instance, start-up success often depends on rapidly changing and intangible factors that are not easily captured by data. Further methodological advances, such as incorporating a broader range of predictors, diverse data sources and more sophisticated algorithms, are recommended.

    One of the main challenges for AI methods is their ability to offer explanations for the predictions they make. Predictions generated by complex deep learning models resemble a “black box”, with the causal mechanisms that transform input into output remaining unclear. Producing more explainable AI has become one of the key objectives set by the research community. Understanding what is explainable and what is not (yet) explainable with the use of AI methods can better guide practitioners in identifying and supporting high-growth firms.

    While start-ups offer the potential for significant investment returns, they carry considerable risks, making careful selection and accurate prediction crucial. As AI models evolve, they will increasingly integrate diverse and unstructured data sources and real-time market signals to detect early indicators of potential success. Advancements are expected to further enhance the scalability, accuracy, speed and transparency of AI-driven predictions, reshaping how high-growth firms are identified and supported.

    Tatiana Beliaeva ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.

    – ref. AI methods help predict the emergence of ‘gazelles’ and other high-growth firms, but challenges remain – https://theconversation.com/ai-methods-help-predict-the-emergence-of-gazelles-and-other-high-growth-firms-but-challenges-remain-255907

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: AI can be a danger to students – 3 things universities must do

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Sioux McKenna, Professor of Higher Education, Rhodes University, South Africa, Rhodes University

    Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is trained on enormous bodies of text, video and images to identify patterns. It then creates new texts, videos and images on the basis of this pattern identification. Thanks to machine learning, it improves its ability to do so every time it is used.

    As AI becomes embedded in academic life, a troubling reality has emerged: students are extremely vulnerable to its use. They don’t know enough about what AI is to be alert to its shortcomings. And they don’t know enough about their subject content to make judgements on this anyway. Most importantly, they don’t know what they don’t know.

    As two academics involved in higher education teaching, we argue that there are four key dangers facing students in today’s world of AI. They are:

    • blind trust in its abilities

    • using it to side-step actual learning

    • not knowing how it works

    • perpetuating the gap between expertise and uncritical yet confident noise.

    Given our experiences as academics who have developed curricula for students and who research generative AI, we think there are three things universities can do. They should teach critical AI literacy, emphasise why developing knowledge is important, and teach students why being an expert matters if they’re going to engage meaningfully with AI.

    The four dangers

    Blind trust in AI’s false confidence. A recent Microsoft report showed that those who know the least about a topic are the most likely to accept AI outputs as correct. Generative AI programs like ChatGPT and Claude produce text with remarkable confidence. Students lacking domain expertise can’t identify when these systems are completely wrong.

    Headlines already demonstrate the consequences of this in the workplace: lawyers submitting fabricated case citations generated by AI, and hospitals using AI transcription tools that invent statements never actually made.

    Generative AI can get it wrong because it doesn’t understand anything in the human sense of the word. But it can identify and replicate patterns with remarkable sophistication. These patterns include not only words and ideas but also tone and style.

    Missing the power of education. A core purpose of higher education is to give students a new way of understanding the world and their place in it. When students use AI in ways that sidestep intellectual challenges, they miss this essential transformation.

    When students simply outsource their thinking to AI, they’re getting credentials without competence. They might graduate with degrees but without knowledge and expertise.

    The false confidence trap. Even students who develop critical awareness about AI’s limitations face what Punya Mishra, a learning engineer professor at Arizona State University, calls “the false confidence trap”. They might recognise that AI can produce errors but lack sufficient subject knowledge to correct those errors.

    As Mishra puts it:

    It’s like having a generic BS detector but no way to separate truth from fiction.

    This creates a dangerous half-measure where students recognise AI isn’t perfect but can’t effectively evaluate its outputs.

    Perpetuating the knowledge gap. As AI becomes ubiquitous in workplaces, the gap between those with genuine expertise and those relying solely on AI will widen. Students who haven’t developed their own knowledge foundations will be increasingly marginalised in a world that paradoxically values human expertise more, not less, as AI advances.

    Answers

    There are three steps universities can take.

    Integrate critical AI literacy. Students need to understand how generative AI works – how AI is trained on massive databases of human-created texts and images to identify patterns by which to craft new outputs.

    It’s not enough to have an “Intro to AI” course. Every discipline needs to show students how AI intersects with their field and, most significantly, empower them to reflect on the ethical implications of its use. This includes engaging in questions around the use of copyrighted materials for the training of generative AI, the biases inherent in AI generated texts and images, and the enormous environmental cost of AI use.

    Emphasise knowledge development. Higher education institutions must actively counter the view that university is merely about the provision of credentials. We need to help students see the value of acquiring domain expertise. This is not always self-evident to those students who understand higher education only as a means to a job, which encourages them to engage with knowledge in an instrumentalist way – and thus to use AI in ways that prevent engagement with complex ideas. It is a personal relationship with knowledge that will prepare them for a future where AI is everywhere. Advocating for the power of knowledge needs to be a central part of every academic’s job description.

    Model dual expertise. Academics should model what Mishra calls “the dual expertise challenge” — combining domain knowledge with critical AI literacy. This means demonstrating to students how experts engage with AI: analysing its outputs against established knowledge, identifying biases or gaps, and using AI as a tool to enhance human expertise rather than replace it.

    As AI becomes increasingly sophisticated, the value of human expertise only grows. Universities that prepare students to critically engage with AI while developing deep domain knowledge will graduate the experts that society needs in this rapidly evolving technological landscape.

    We have our work cut out for us, but expertise remains highly valued.

    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.

    – ref. AI can be a danger to students – 3 things universities must do – https://theconversation.com/ai-can-be-a-danger-to-students-3-things-universities-must-do-255652

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What do bacon and faeces have in common? They can produce the same feeling of disgust

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Elisa Becker, Postdoctoral Researcher, Behaviour Change Interventions, University of Oxford

    Friends Stock/Shutterstock

    What do crispy bacon, a juicy beef steak, human flesh and faeces have in common? They’re all foods that trigger a powerful emotional reaction in people – disgust. And according to new research, for vegetarians, meat sits in the same psychological category as some of the most revolting substances imaginable.

    In our recent study, we explored how vegetarians and omnivores respond emotionally to different types of food. We asked vegetarians to look at images of commonly eaten meats – roast chicken, beef steak and bacon – alongside a selection of unpopular vegetables like raw onions, aubergine, olives and brussels sprouts.

    For omnivores, we swapped out the familiar meats for extreme examples: meat made from human or dog flesh – and faeces.

    Participants answered a series of questions about how they would feel eating each food, focusing especially on foods they said they’d refuse. We gathered 896 such “food rejections” from more than 300 people in the UK, and from these, we could dig into the psychology behind why people reject certain foods.

    Here’s what we found.

    Offending vegetables were usually rejected due to distaste – a reaction based on sensory experience: taste, smell, or texture. This was true for both vegetarians and omnivores. Whether it’s the bitterness of brussels sprouts or the sponginess of raw aubergine, the dislike came down to flavour or texture.

    Meat, however, was a different story. For vegetarians, it wasn’t the flavour of meat that made it unappealing, but the very idea of it. Their responses were driven by disgust – a reaction not to how something tastes, but to what it is.

    Those who rejected meat felt discomfort at the idea of meat being inside their body, or of it touching other food. That kind of deep, intuitive rejection mirrors how omnivores in our study reacted to images of human flesh, dog meat, or faeces – things we avoid not because of how they taste, but because of what they represent.

    To feel this distinction yourself, try this mental exercise. Imagine your favourite soup. Now, picture a tiny amount of a vegetable you dislike – let’s say beetroot – blended into it. You can’t see it, taste it, or smell it. Would you still eat the soup?

    If yes, you’re experiencing distaste to the beetroot. Distaste only kicks in when your senses are affronted. No taste, no problem.

    Now try the same scenario, but instead of beetroot, imagine the soup contains a minuscule amount of dog meat. Still invisible, undetectable – but you know it’s there. Would you eat it?

    Most people in western countries wouldn’t – not because of the flavour, but because of an almost primal aversion. That’s disgust.

    This distinction has been known in psychology for decades. Earlier studies showed that animal products like blood, bush meat and faeces are usually rejected because they evoke disgust, while plant-based foods are disliked due to distaste. But until now, it wasn’t clear just how closely vegetarians’ aversion to everyday meat mirrors reactions to the most revolting substances imaginable. This excludes reasoned, non-emotional choices like avoiding meat for environmental reasons or peanuts due to allergy.

    Distaste and disgust evolved to protect us from different threats. Plants often defend themselves with bitter or sour toxins, prompting a distaste response that’s shared across many species. The threat in meat comes from pathogens and parasites that can’t usually be detected by taste, so distaste is useless here. Disgust gives us way to respond to the idea of contamination, one that makes us recoil not just from the food itself, but from anything it touches.

    Disgust toward meat is more common than you might think. Around 74% of vegetarians and even 15% of flexitarians report robust levels of disgust when it comes to meat. And many omnivores experience it too – especially when confronted with unfamiliar meats. Think of the famous “Bushtucker Trials” on the reality show I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here. Few of us could stomach insects, animal brains, or offal – even if told they’re safe and nutritious.

    This emotional reaction isn’t just a quirk. It may help us reduce meat consumption overall. Recent research shows that during challenges like Veganuary, when people go a month without meat, they often become more disgusted by meat afterward. This makes it easier to keep reducing their intake.

    That could have benefits not only for personal health and animal welfare, but also for the environment, as livestock farming is a major contributor to climate change.

    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.

    – ref. What do bacon and faeces have in common? They can produce the same feeling of disgust – https://theconversation.com/what-do-bacon-and-faeces-have-in-common-they-can-produce-the-same-feeling-of-disgust-255194

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Lim Cosmic Rhapsody: this orchestral journey to outer space aims to deliver hope amid global crisis – but falls short

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gavin Williams, Lecturer in Music, King’s College London

    On the evening of May 5, I took my seat in London’s Barbican Centre to experience a programme of interplanetary music. The concert began with the world premiere of Lim Cosmic Rhapsody, a piece by composer Manu Martin, and ended with Gustav Holst’s The Planets (completed in 1916 and first performed in 1920). Athwart these large orchestral works, lasting about 50 minutes each, lay a century’s worth of knowledge about space and music.

    Lim Cosmic Rhapsody is a piano concerto, which aspires to tell, according to the work’s creative director Susan Lim, a “compelling story of climate change and humanity’s search for solutions beyond Earth”. Following the premiere, the piece has been released as an album.

    Its first performance saw celebrated pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet command the stage in an iridescent dark-blue jacket and crystal-encrusted black slippers. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, led by conductor Robert Ziegler, was excellent and extended for the occasion by a huge choir drawn from the City of London Choir and London Voices, together with duduk (a type of flute), theremin (an electronic instrument), a drum kit and electric guitar and bass.

    Additional vocal stylings were supplied by Matthieu Eymard and Britain’s Got Talent 2023 finalist Tom Ball. They jointly closed the concerto with a rock-inspired number celebrating human-alien hybrids.

    But it began, with stern minor blows from the piano and an orchestral flurry reminiscent of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg. They were intended to conjure up, as the programme notes explained, a “futuristic space lab in California in 2035”.

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    The notes told us to expect the “arrival of a Humanimate” – an apparently friendly alien with an “expanded genetic code” containing human and “inanimate” elements. Cue oohs and aahs from the choir. The overall effect was that of a Hollywood soundtrack by James Horner, the composer for Titanic and Avatar.

    Using the orchestra to tell stories is an established practice in contemporary film music, and in an earlier tradition of 19th-century programme music. The idea of using orchestral music to narrate global, environmental stories is, however, relatively new — an early example being Michael Abel’s Global Warming (1990), which juxtaposes musical idioms from across the world.

    More recent orchestral works in this area, by contrast, tend to avoid “symphonising” the climate crisis – melding together musical differences into optimistic stories about “humanity” overcoming Earth – by sounding out specific ecologies under threat.

    In Lim Cosmic Rhapsody, music and story are tightly woven, as in film music. But without the visual dimension, the story is hard to follow. I have reconstructed the following from the album pre-recorded by the record label Decca and released to coincide with the premiere.

    The story of the concert follows a purple alpaca named Lavvy, brought back to life by a 3D printer, who guides a delegation from Earth to her homeland on a far-off planet, known as Purple Cave. A Song of a Lost Tribe pays tribute to the indigene-alpaca and her kind. Composed by Indian songwriter Joi Barua and orchestrated by Manu, it sets a melody in the shakuhachi, a Japanese bamboo flute (here expertly played by Andrew Findon), against slow-burn motor rhythms and faux-ethnic chanting.

    We arrive at the Purple Cave. A martial beat recalls Darth Vader but soon dissolves into an uplifting riff, as Lavvy the resurrected alpaca prepares for her immortalisation. At the work’s peak, she obligingly blows herself up, becoming Star Among the Cosmic Clouds (a twinkling piano Alberti bass paints the scene) and releasing life-saving purple dust to rescue the Earthlings.

    Star Among Cosmic Clouds from Lim Cosmic Rhapsody.

    The work was conceived by Singaporean composer and surgeon Susan Lim in the early days of lockdown from the ski slopes of Courchevel, France. In this moment of global crisis, she found hope in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon flight, that delivered Nasa astronauts to the International Space Station in May 2020.

    Lim prepared for the event by releasing a carefully timed animated tweet that caught the attention of SpaceX’s owner Elon Musk. He replied with a quote from Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody: “Open your eyes, look up to the skies.”

    From this digital acorn, the Alan trilogy, of which Lim Cosmic Rhapsody is the second instalment, was born and continues to grow. A third part, Lim Symphony of the Oceans, is on the way.

    Creativity and privilege

    The series’ large creative team includes distinguished artists but is clearly led by Lim and other medics who have “never created art before” (according to the album’s liner notes). This speaks to the money and the power behind the project, together with the ego and eccentricity of its creative director.

    Beyond this work’s neocolonial fantasy of an exploding alpaca, it also speaks to the privilege of those who can afford to indulge in implausibly optimistic stories of technocratic overcoming. I was reminded of Indian writer Amitav Ghosh’s argument for the need for new ways to narrate the climate crisis as an urgent problem of human understanding. The combination of music and story on offer here was a serious misstep in this regard.

    It was a relief to step back a hundred years in music history and listen with fresh ears, in the second half of the concert, to Gustav Holst’s orchestral take on the galaxy, produced during another time of global crisis, the first world war, albeit on more slender means. Holst’s astrology-inspired suite felt imaginative, fresh and crisp in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s thoroughly committed performance.

    As I transitioned from the cosmic clouds and back into the city fumes, ecological questions hung in the air. But not the questions the creators of Lim Cosmic Rhapsody might have hoped (how to save humanity? will science save the day? where to start space mining?) but rather that of the music’s own ecological footprint.

    Conspicuous in this last respect was the mindless printing of hundreds of 33rpm records of the work, given away as party favours during a champagne reception before the concert and during the interval. How many times will these records, pressed from fresh plastics derived from oil, be played? Given the large stack left on the table at the end of the evening, I suspect some may never be played even once.

    Gavin Williams 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.

    – ref. Lim Cosmic Rhapsody: this orchestral journey to outer space aims to deliver hope amid global crisis – but falls short – https://theconversation.com/lim-cosmic-rhapsody-this-orchestral-journey-to-outer-space-aims-to-deliver-hope-amid-global-crisis-but-falls-short-256384

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Could gravity be evidence that the universe is a computer simulation? My new study suggests so

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Melvin M. Vopson, Associate Professor of Physics, University of Portsmouth

    A star cluster in the constellation Sagittarius seen by the James Webb Space Telescope. NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope

    We have long taken it for granted that gravity is one of the basic forces of nature – one of the invisible threads that keeps the universe stitched together. But suppose that this is not true. Suppose the law of gravity is simply an echo of something more fundamental: a byproduct of the universe operating under a computer-like code.

    That is the premise of my latest research, published in the journal AIP Advances. It suggests that gravity is not a mysterious force that attracts objects towards one another, but the product of an informational law of nature that I call the second law of infodynamics.

    It is a notion that seems like science fiction – but one that is based in physics and evidence that the universe appears to be operating suspiciously like a computer simulation.

    In digital technologies, right down to the apps in your phone and the world of cyberspace, efficiency is the key. Computers compact and restructure their data all the time to save memory and computer power. Maybe the same is taking place all over the universe?

    Information theory, the mathematical study of the quantification, storage and communication of information, may help us understand what’s going on. Originally developed by mathematician Claude Shannon, it has become increasingly popular in physics and is used in a growing range of research areas.

    In a 2023 paper, I used information theory to propose my second law of infodynamics.

    This stipulates that information “entropy”, or the level of information disorganisation, will have to reduce or stay static within any given closed information system. This is the opposite of the popular second law of thermodynamics, which dictates that physical entropy, or disorder, always increases.

    Take a cooling cup of coffee. Energy flows from hot to cold until the temperature of the coffee is the same as the temperature of the room and its energy is minimum – a state called thermal equilibrium. The entropy of the system is a maximum at this point – with all the molecules maximally spread out, having the same energy. What that means is that the spread of energies per molecule in the liquid is reduced.

    If one considers the information content of each molecule based on its energy, then at the start, in the hot cup of coffee, the information entropy is maximum and at equilibrium the information entropy is minimum. That’s because almost all molecules are at the same energy level, becoming identical characters in an informational message. So the spread of different energies available is reduced when there’s thermal equilibrium.

    But if we consider just location rather than energy, then there’s lots of information disorder when particles are distributed randomly in space – the information required to keep pace with them is considerable. When they consolidate themselves together under gravitational attraction, however, the way planets, stars and galaxies do, the information gets compacted and more manageable.

    In simulations, that’s exactly what occurs when a system tries to function more efficiently. So, matter flowing under the influence of gravity need not be a result of a force at all. Perhaps it is a function of the way the universe compacts the information that it has to work with.

    Here, space is not continuous and smooth. Space is made up of tiny “cells” of information, similar to pixels in a photo or squares on the screen of a computer game. In each cell is basic information about the universe – where, say, a particle is – and all are gathered together to make the fabric of the universe.

    If you place items within this space, the system gets more complex. But when all of those items come together to be one item instead of many, the information is simple again.

    The universe, under this view, tends to naturally seek to be in those states of minimal information entropy. The real kicker is that if you do the numbers, the entropic “informational force” created by this tendency toward simplicity is exactly equivalent to Newton’s law of gravitation, as shown in my paper.

    This theory builds on earlier studies of “entropic gravity” but goes a step further. In connecting information dynamics with gravity, we are led to the interesting conclusion that the universe could be running on some kind of cosmic software. In an artificial universe, maximum-efficiency rules would be expected. Symmetries would be expected. Compression would be expected.

    And law – that is, gravity – would be expected to emerge from these computational rules.

    We may not yet have definitive evidence that we live in a simulation. But the deeper we look, the more our universe seems to behave like a computational process.

    Melvin M. Vopson is affiliated with the University of Portsmouth and the Information Physics Institute.

    – ref. Could gravity be evidence that the universe is a computer simulation? My new study suggests so – https://theconversation.com/could-gravity-be-evidence-that-the-universe-is-a-computer-simulation-my-new-study-suggests-so-255913

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Type 5 diabetes is a newly recognised disease – here are all the types of diabetes you need to know about

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Craig Beall, Senior Lecturer in the Neuroscience of Energy Homeostasis, University of Exeter

    Suriyawut Suriya/Shutterstock.com

    Type 5 diabetes has just been recognised as a distinct form of diabetes by the International Diabetes Federation. Despite the name, there are more than a dozen different types of diabetes. The classification isn’t quite as tidy as the numbering suggests.

    Here’s a clear guide to the different types, including some that you may not have heard of, along with information about what causes them and how they are treated.

    Type 1

    Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body’s immune system mistakenly attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This autoimmune reaction can occur at any age, from infancy through to old age.

    It is not linked to diet or lifestyle. Instead, it probably results from a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental triggers, such as viral infections.

    Treatment involves lifelong insulin therapy, delivered through injections or pumps.

    A small number of people who struggle with low blood sugars, called hypoglycaemia, can receive new cells in the pancreas that produce insulin from deceased donors. For many, this reduces the number of insulin injections needed. Some can stop taking their insulin altogether.

    What’s more, dozens of people have now received stem-cell-derived transplants to effectively “cure” their diabetes, although people still need to take strong immune-suppressing drugs. This treatment is not yet widely available.

    Type 2

    Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the condition and is often linked to having a high BMI (body mass index). However, it can also affect people of normal weight, particularly those with a strong genetic predisposition.

    Certain ethnic groups, including south Asians and people of African and Caribbean descent, are at higher risk – even at lower body weights.

    Boosting the body’s production of insulin can help to control blood sugar levels. Some drugs boost insulin production from the pancreas, while others improve insulin sensitivity.

    Metformin, for example, is taken by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. This drug improves insulin sensitivity and switches off sugar production by the liver.

    There are dozens of different drugs to help control blood sugar in type 2 diabetes. Tailoring treatment to the individual has been shown to improve health outcomes significantly.

    Lifestyle changes can also reverse diabetes. This can be done by keeping a low-calorie diet of 800 calories a day. In a research trial maintaining this diet for 12 months reversed diabetes in 46% of people.

    Gestational diabetes

    This type of diabetes develops during pregnancy, typically between weeks 24 and 28. It is triggered by hormonal changes that reduce the body’s sensitivity to insulin.

    Risk factors include being overweight or obese, a family history of diabetes, and giving birth to a large baby in a previous pregnancy.

    Those from Middle Eastern, south Asian, black and African Caribbean backgrounds are also at higher risk of gestational diabetes. Age is also a factor, as insulin sensitivity declines with age. This can be treated with diet and exercise, tablets or insulin injections.

    Gestational diabetes usually develops during the second or third trimester of pregnancy.
    Just Life/Shutterstock.com

    Rarer forms of diabetes

    There are at least nine sub-types of diabetes that include rare genetic forms, sometimes caused by a single genetic change. Others can be caused by treatment, such as surgery or drugs, such as steroids.

    • Neonatal diabetes appears early in life. Some of the genetic changes affect how insulin is released from the pancreas. Some people still make their own insulin, so can be treated with tablets that help pancreas cells to push out insulin.

    • Maturity onset diabetes of the young, or Mody, occurs later in life and is linked to genetic changes. There are several gene changes, with some affecting how pancreas cells sense sugar and others affecting how the pancreas develops.

    • Type 3c diabetes is different. It is caused by damage to the pancreas. People with pancreatic cancer, for example, can develop diabetes after parts of the pancreas are removed. It can also develop after pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).

    • Those with cystic fibrosis are also at a higher risk of developing diabetes. This is called cystic fibrosis-related diabetes. The risk increases with age and is very common, with around a third of people with cystic fibrosis developing diabetes by the age of 40.

    Type 5

    This newly designated form is linked to malnutrition during early life. Type 5 diabetes is more common in poorer countries. It affects around 20-25 million people worldwide.

    People have low body weight and lack insulin. But the lack of insulin is not caused by the immune system. Instead, the body may not have received the correct nutrition during childhood to help the pancreas develop normally.

    Studies with rodents have shown that a low-protein diet during pregnancy or adolescence leads to poor pancreas development. This has been known for many years. Having a smaller pancreas is a risk factor for different forms of diabetes. Essentially, having fewer reserves of insulin-producing cells.

    Diabetes is an umbrella term for a range of conditions that result in raised blood sugar levels, but the underlying causes vary widely. Understanding the specific types of diabetes someone has is crucial to providing the right treatment.

    As medical science evolves, so does the classification of diabetes. Recognising malnutrition-related diabetes as type 5 will stimulate discussion. This is a step towards better global understanding and care – especially in low-income countries.

    Craig Beall currently receives funding from Diabetes UK, Breakthrough T1D, Steve Morgan Foundation Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge, Medical Research Council, NC3Rs, Society for Endocrinology and British Society for Neuroendocrinology.

    – ref. Type 5 diabetes is a newly recognised disease – here are all the types of diabetes you need to know about – https://theconversation.com/type-5-diabetes-is-a-newly-recognised-disease-here-are-all-the-types-of-diabetes-you-need-to-know-about-256262

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Where tomorrow’s scientists prefer to live − and where they’d rather not

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Christopher P. Scheitle, Associate Professor of Sociology, West Virginia University

    Many students have strong feelings about where they want to move after graduation. Tony Garcia/Stone via Getty Images

    Graduate students interested in an academic career after graduation day have often been told they need to be open to moving somewhere they may not want to live. This advice is because of how hard it is to get a tenure-track professor position.

    These days, this advice may be less relevant as graduate students are increasingly pursuing and ending up in careers outside of academia.

    Where graduate students want to settle post-graduation has potential consequences for communities and states across the country that depend more and more on a steady stream of skilled workers to power their economies. Locations seen as undesirable may struggle to attract and retain the next generation of scientists, engineers, professors and other professions filled by today’s graduate students.

    We are sociologists who are examining some of the factors that influence graduate students’ educational and career paths as part of a research project supported by the National Science Foundation. In March 2025 we distributed a survey to a sample of U.S.-based graduate students in five natural and social science disciplines: physics, chemistry, biology, psychology and sociology.

    As part of our survey, we asked students to identify states they would prefer to live in and places where they would be unwilling to go. To some extent, our findings match some past anecdotes and evidence about the varying number of applications received for academic positions across different states or regions.

    But little data has directly assessed students’ preferences, and our survey also provides some evidence that some states’ policies are having a negative impact on their ability to attract highly educated people.

    Most preferred, most unwilling

    For our study, we built our sample from the top 60 graduate programs for each of the five disciplines based on rankings from U.S. News and World Report. We received responses from nearly 2,000 students. Almost all of these students – 98%, specifically – are pursuing Ph.D.s in their respective fields.

    As part of our survey, we asked students to identify locations where they would “prefer” to live and also those where they would be “unwilling” to live after finishing their graduate program. For each of these questions, we presented students with a list of all states along with the option of “outside of the United States.”

    Just looking at the overall percentages, California tops the list of preferred places, with 49% of all survey-takers stating a preference to live there, followed by New York at 45% and Massachusetts with 41%.

    On the other hand, Alabama was selected most often as a state students said they’d be unwilling to move to, with 58% declaring they wouldn’t want to live there. This was followed by Mississippi and Arkansas, both with just above 50% saying they’d be unwilling to move to either state.

    Clusters of preference

    While the two lists in many respects appear like inversions of one another, there are some exceptions to that. Looking beyond the overall percentages for each survey question, we used statistical analysis to identify underlying groups or clusters of states that are more similar to each other across both the “prefer” and “unwilling” questions.

    One cluster, represented by California, New York and Massachusetts, is characterized by a very high level of preference and a low level of unwillingness. About 35% to 50% of students expressed a preference for living in these places, while only 5% to 10% said they would be unwilling to live in them. The response of “outside of the United States” is also in this category, which is noteworthy given recent concerns about the current generation of Ph.D. students looking to leave the country and efforts by other nations to recruit them.

    A second cluster represents states where the preference levels are a bit lower, 20% to 30%, and the unwillingness levels are a bit higher, 7% to 15%. Still, these are states for which graduate students hold generally favorable opinions about living in after finishing their programs. This cluster includes states such as Colorado, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey.

    A third group of states represents locations for which the rate of preference is similar to the rate of unwillingness, in the range of 10% to 20%. This cluster includes states such as Minnesota, Delaware and Virginia.

    The fourth and fifth clusters consist of states where the rate of unwillingness exceeds the rate of preference, with the size of the gap distinguishing the two clusters. In the fourth cluster, at least some students – 5% to 10% – express a preference for living in them, while around 30% to 40% say they are unwilling to live in them. This cluster includes Florida, Montana, South Carolina and Utah.

    Almost no students express a preference for living in the states contained in the fifth cluster, while the highest percentages – 40% to 60% – express an unwillingness to live in them. This cluster includes Alabama, Kansas, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

    Signs of current politics

    Many factors influence our preferences for where we want to live, including family, weather and how urban, rural or suburban it is. The politics of a community can also influence our perceptions of a place’s desirability.

    Indeed, political factors may be of particular concern to graduate students. In recent years, some states have taken a more hostile stance toward specific academic disciplines, institutions of higher education in general, or professions that are of interest to graduate students. While states such as Florida and Texas have been leading such efforts, many others have followed.

    Interestingly, our statistical grouping of states finds that students’ unwillingness to live in states such as Texas, Florida, Georgia and Ohio is higher than we would expect given those states’ corresponding preference levels. For example, about 10% of students selected Texas as a place they would prefer to live in after graduation. Looking at other states with similar preference levels, we would expect about 10% to 20% of students to say they are unwilling to live in Texas. Instead, this percentage is actually 37%. Similarly, 5% of students say they would prefer to live in Florida. Other states with this preference rate have an unwillingness rate of around 35%, but Florida’s is 45%.

    Although our data does not tell us for sure, these gaps could be a function of these states’ own policies or alignment with federal policies seen as hostile to graduate students and their future employers.

    These findings suggest that communities and employers in some states might continue to face particularly steep hurdles in recruiting graduate students for employment once they finish their degrees.

    Christopher P. Scheitle receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. This article is based on a study supported by the National Science Foundation (Award #2344563).

    Katie Corcoran receives funding from the National Science Foundation, the John Templeton Foundation, and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

    Taylor Remsburg receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation as a research assistant. This article is based on a study supported by the National Science Foundation (Award #2344563).

    – ref. Where tomorrow’s scientists prefer to live − and where they’d rather not – https://theconversation.com/where-tomorrows-scientists-prefer-to-live-and-where-theyd-rather-not-254431

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –