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Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI Global: If people stopped having babies, how long would it be before humans were all gone?

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Michael A. Little, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, Binghamton University, State University of New York

    When the population plunges, it can get pretty lonely. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

    Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com.

    If people stopped having babies, how long would it be before humans were all gone? – Jeffrey

    Very few people live beyond a century. So, if no one had babies anymore, there would probably be no humans left on Earth within 100 years. But first, the population would shrink as older folks died and no one was being born.

    Even if all births were to suddenly cease, this decline would start slowly.

    Eventually there would not be enough young people coming of age to do essential work, causing societies throughout the world to quickly fall apart. Some of these breakdowns would be in humanity’s ability to produce food, provide health care and do everything else we all rely on.

    Food would become scarce even though there would be fewer people to feed.

    As an anthropology professor who has spent his career studying human behavior, biology and cultures, I readily admit that this would not be a pretty picture. Eventually, civilization would crumble. It’s likely that there would not be many people left within 70 or 80 years, rather than 100, due to shortages of food, clean water, prescription drugs and everything else that you can easily buy today and need to survive.

    Sudden change could follow a catastrophe

    To be sure, an abrupt halt in births is highly unlikely unless there’s a global catastrophe. Here’s one potential scenario, which writer Kurt Vonnegut explored in his novel “Galapagos”: A highly contagious disease could render all people of reproductive age infertile – meaning that no one would be capable of having babies anymore.

    Another possibility might be a nuclear war that no one survives – a topic that’s been explored in many scary movies and books.

    A lot of these works are science fiction involving a lot of space travel. Others seek to predict a less fanciful Earth-bound future where people can no longer reproduce easily, causing collective despair and the loss of personal freedom for those who are capable of having babies.

    Two of my favorite books along these lines are “The Handmaid’s Tale,” by Canadian writer Margaret Atwood, and “The Children of Men,” by British writer P.D. James. They are dystopian stories, meaning that they take place in an unpleasant future with a great deal of human suffering and disorder. And both have become the basis of television series and movies.

    In the 1960s and 1970s, many people also worried that there would be too many people on Earth, which would cause different kinds of catastrophes. Those scenarios also became the focus of dystopian books and movies.

    ‘The Last Man on Earth’ is an American postapocalyptic comedy television series about what might happen after a deadly virus wipes out most of the people in the world.

    Heading toward 10 billion people

    To be sure, the number of people in the world is still growing, even though the pace of that growth has slowed down. Experts who study population changes predict that the total will peak at 10 billion in the 2080s, up from 8 billion today and 4 billion in 1974.

    The U.S. population currently stands at 342 million. That’s about 200 million more people than were here when I was born in the 1930s. This is a lot of people, but both worldwide and in the U.S. these numbers could gradually fall if more people die than are born.

    About 3.6 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2024, down from 4.1 million in 2004.
    Meanwhile, about 3.3 million people died in 2022, up from 2.4 million 20 years earlier.

    One thing that will be important as these patterns change is whether there’s a manageable balance between young people and older people. That’s because the young often are the engine of society. They tend to be the ones to implement new ideas and produce everything we use.

    Also, many older people need help from younger people with basic activities, like cooking and getting dressed. And a wide range of jobs are more appropriate for people under 65 rather than those who have reached the typical age for retirement.

    Declining birth rates

    In many countries, women are having fewer children throughout their reproductive lives than used to be the case. That reduction is the most stark in several countries, including India and South Korea.

    The declines in birth rates occurring today are largely caused by people choosing not to have any children or as many as their parents did. That kind of population decline can be kept manageable through immigration from other countries, but cultural and political concerns often stop that from happening.

    At the same time, many men are becoming less able to father children due to fertility problems. If that situation gets much worse, it could contribute to a steep decline in population.

    Neanderthals went extinct

    Our species, Homo sapiens, has been around for at least 200,000 years. That’s a long time, but like all animals on Earth we are at risk of becoming extinct.

    Consider what happened to the Neanderthals, a close relative of Homo sapiens. They first appeared at least 400,000 years ago. Our modern human ancestors overlapped for a while with the Neanderthals, who gradually declined to become extinct about 40,000 years ago.

    Some scientists have found evidence that modern humans were more successful at reproducing our numbers than the Neanderthal people. This occurred when Homo sapiens became more successful at providing food for their families and also having more babies than the Neanderthals.

    If humans were to go extinct, it could open up opportunities for other animals to flourish on Earth. On the other hand, it would be sad for humans to go away because we would lose all of the great achievements people have made, including in the arts and science.

    In my view, we need to take certain steps to ensure that we have a long future on our own planet. These include controlling climate change and avoiding wars. Also, we need to appreciate the fact that having a wide array of animals and plants makes the planet healthy for all creatures, including our own species.

    Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.

    And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.

    Michael A. Little 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. If people stopped having babies, how long would it be before humans were all gone? – https://theconversation.com/if-people-stopped-having-babies-how-long-would-it-be-before-humans-were-all-gone-255811

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Your brain learns from rejection − here’s how it becomes your compass for connection

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Begüm Babür, Ph.D. Student in Social Psychology, University of Southern California

    Being excluded isn’t easy, but it does teach you about other people. Alistair Berg/DigitalVision via Getty Images

    Imagine finding out your friends hosted a dinner party and didn’t invite you, or that you were passed over for a job you were excited about. These moments hurt, and people often describe rejection in the language of physical pain.

    While rejection can be emotionally painful, it can also teach us something.

    I am a social psychology researcher, and research my colleagues and I have conducted shows that rejection can serve as a learning signal – shaping how people navigate relationships and decide whom to attempt to connect with in the future.

    What’s known about social rejection

    Researchers have long recognized the emotional toll of social rejection. Studies show that experiences of rejection trigger distress, increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, reduce sense of belonging and can even lead to increased aggression. In the long run, chronic feelings of rejection can harm mental and physical health.

    But why does being excluded hurt so much? From an evolutionary standpoint, our brains likely evolved to treat social rejection as a threat. For our ancestors, losing social bonds meant losing access to protection, resources, and cooperation – making social connection and belonging a fundamental human need. In other words, rejection hurts to alert you that your welfare is in danger.

    Early neuroscience studies seemed to support this idea. When people were left out of a simple virtual ball-tossing game, their brain activity mirrored the response to physical pain, showing activation of a brain region called the anterior cingulate cortex.

    Later studies suggested a different explanation: Perhaps it wasn’t just the pain of rejection that triggered this brain activity, but also the surprise of it. In this view, the brain responded differently to negative feedback and unexpected feedback. What might your brain do with this unexpected feedback?

    Social rejection can provide a learning opportunity.
    fizkes/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Social lives aren’t defined by isolated moments of rejection. You learn through interactions: You get to know people, read their intentions, revise your assumptions and try to make sense of mixed signals. People might turn you down for all sorts of reasons – some understandable, others harder to accept. You then reflect on what these experiences mean, adjust your behavior, and if you cross paths with them again, you get another chance to decide how you want to engage.

    This is where our research takes a next step: We examine how people learn from social rejection and acceptance over time and how they use these past experiences to build future connections, deciding on whom to invest in building relationships with and whom to let go.

    Rejection as an experience to learn from

    My colleagues and I designed a dynamic experiment that mimics the structure of real social decisions. Using behavioral tests, brain imaging and computational modeling, we studied how people learn from repeated social feedback.

    Our college-aged participants played a multi-round economic game while undergoing brain scans. First, they created personal profiles for themselves answering questions about times they were honest and trustworthy, and were told that other players would read these profiles to get to know them better. These other players, who assumed the role of “Deciders,” would then rank participants – “Responders” – in the order they wanted to play with them.

    In each round, Responders were either accepted or rejected by Deciders. This depended on two things: how highly they had been ranked and how many slots the computer had allowed for that round. In reality, Responders weren’t paired with real people; the Deciders’ rankings and number of slots were generated by the computer.

    Participants could receive a high rank but still get rejected if there were not enough slots. That scenario is like not receiving an invitation to a wedding due to a very tight budget – the outcome is disappointing but understandable because you know you were excluded due to circumstances and that your friend still values you. Or participants could receive a poor rank but still get accepted if there were a lot of slots. This would be similar to being picked last for a team – still getting a chance to play despite knowing you were not as desired.

    This unique design allowed us to tease apart how people learn from two types of feedback. When you’re accepted, your brain notes that feeling included results in a rewarding experience. Your brain also calculates relational value, which indicates how much you think others value you. In the case of our study, relational value was indicated by how highly Responders were ranked by the Decider.

    If accepted by a Decider, Responders would receive a pot of money that would triple. Responders would then get to decide whether to give half of the tripled amount back to the Decider or keep all to themselves, putting trust and reciprocity to test.

    We found that Responders were more likely to choose Deciders who had accepted them and rated them highly, learning from both kinds of feedback. With neuroimaging, we identified that these learning mechanisms were distinctly tracked by different regions in the brain.

    Brain areas that researchers previously found to be active in social rejection studies, like the anterior cingulate cortex, were also activated when participants received feedback about how much they were valued. Interestingly, this activity didn’t just reflect pain or surprise; it reflected a recalibration of their perceived social worth, as this brain activity occurred when participants changed their beliefs about how others rank them.

    At the same time, experiences of acceptance were linked with activity in the ventral striatum – a region well known for processing financial and social rewards, such as money, praise or smiles.

    Together, these findings suggest that the brain is doing more than reacting to rejection or reward – it’s in fact learning from it. Each social interaction helps people update internal models of who values them and who doesn’t, shaping future decisions about whom to trust, approach or avoid.

    Being attuned to social rewards can help lead to rewarding connections.
    FG Trade Latin/E+ via Getty Images

    Building stronger connections

    When it comes to social relationships, the two learning systems we studied here – how people respond to rewards and how they track relational value – serve an important role in interpreting social interactions and adjusting behavior. To maintain healthy relationships, you need to disentangle social rewards from how much you think others value you.

    You sometimes need to recognize that your friend still values you even if they might disappoint you, like missing a birthday party for a valid reason. Without this kind of understanding, relationships can become unstable.

    In fact, some mental health conditions reflect problems in these very processes. For example, borderline personality disorder is often marked by volatile relationships and intense reactions to both kindness and perceived slights.

    At the same time, being attuned to social rewards – in the form of smiles, compliments or invites – can encourage you to seek out such connections and strengthen your existing bonds. Other forms of mental health conditions like depression are often associated with social withdrawal and reduced sensitivity to such positive social rewards.

    By unpacking how people learn from acceptance and rejection, our study offers a foundation to better understand both healthy social behavior and the struggle to connect.

    Begüm Babür 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. Your brain learns from rejection − here’s how it becomes your compass for connection – https://theconversation.com/your-brain-learns-from-rejection-heres-how-it-becomes-your-compass-for-connection-249124

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Scientists from China and Russia have agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of organosilicon polymers

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, June 9 (Xinhua) — Chinese and Russian scientists have agreed to step up cooperation in the field of organosilicon polymers, according to the official website of Shandong University, which is located in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province (East China).

    From June 4 to 6, the university hosted a Chinese-Russian symposium on green organosilicon polymers. The ceremony was held by Feng Shengyu, a professor at the university’s Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Industry, and Aziz Muzafarov, an academician at the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).

    The event was attended by more than one hundred people, including academicians and corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences, professors from Zhejiang University, Nankai University, the Institute of Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as representatives of business circles.

    “A favorable foundation for cooperation has been laid between Shandong University and the Russian Academy of Sciences. The two sides should jointly promote innovative development in the field of research on polyorganosiloxanes and high-molecular polyorganosiloxanes,” said Shandong University Rector Li Shucai, speaking at the opening ceremony of the symposium.

    A. Muzafarov called on the parties to deepen exchanges and jointly solve technological problems in order to further expand the application areas of polyorganosiloxanes.

    Research between China and Russia in the field of polyorganosiloxanes is complementary, Feng Shengyu noted, expressing hope that experts from both sides will make important contributions to global innovation in materials science.

    Silicones are widely used in the automotive industry, aerospace, construction, electronics and medicine. The unique and universal set of properties, biological inertness and recyclability of silicones into raw materials allow them to be considered one of the most promising materials of the future. According to data, since the beginning of the 21st century, silicone production has been growing at a rate of 5-7 percent per year. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Horses have a complex repertoire of facial expressions, just like primates

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Kate Lewis, Researcher in Animal Welfare, University of Portsmouth

    KAZLOVA IRYNA/Shutterstock

    When I started horse riding lessons at the age of eight, I was told that if a horse had its ears forward that was a good sign, and if horse had its ears back it wasn’t happy. Those riding lessons sparked a fascination with equine behaviour that is still with me and inspires my research.

    Yet when I carried out my new study into horse facial expressions I was still surprised at how complex equine communication can be.

    Horses are a social species with wild and feral populations living in complex societies. They form relatively stable herds or “bands”, typically made up of a stallion protecting his group of mares. The ranges of these bands overlap, and the need to share space and resources means that effective communication is essential for horses.

    Just like humans and non-human primates, horses have a large number of facial muscles. These allow them to produce a range of facial movements.

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    We also know that facial expressions are an important method of communication for horses. In a 2016 study, equine cognition researcher Jen Wathan and her colleagues demonstrated this when they showed a group of horses images of another horse.

    The horse in the images was displaying one of three different facial expressions: aggression, positive attention and relaxation. Horses were more likely to approach the images of the horse showing positive attention and relaxation. They tended to avoid the horse showing aggression. This shows that horses can use the expression of another horse to infer that animal’s intent.

    Equine facial communication is therefore, understandably, of significant interest to those working with and around horses. Go to any stables, as I did when I was young, and you will hear talk of which signals to look out for. You will quickly learn that the ears are important. However, in recent years, scientists have become interested in the more subtle cues that are often overlooked.

    Research into horse facial expressions began in 2014 with identifying indicators of pain to try and improve horse welfare. More recently, there have been a number of studies that have looked at facial expressions outside of pain contexts. These have, however, been restricted to a small number of usually human-created, contexts.

    For example, in 2024 animal behaviour researchers Romane Phelipon and colleagues examined the facial expressions of horses when they were being led towards a bucket of feed and allowed to eat. They were also shown the bucket of feed and then prevented from eating it.

    In the positive situation, horses had a lower neck position, their ears forward, and their upper lip extended forwards. In the more frustrating situation, horses held their neck higher, with their ears backward or to the side.

    My team wanted to extend what we know about equine facial behaviour into contexts that don’t involve humans, and to identify the expressions that horses use when communicating with each other.

    To do this we used something called the equine facial action coding system (EquiFACS). This involves two types of code: action units, which correspond to the contraction of particular facial muscles; and action descriptors, which correspond to more general facial movements.

    There are already similar codes for a variety of primate and domestic species, including cats and dogs. This makes them useful for making comparisons between species and for studying the evolution of facial behaviour.

    Horses have a lot of facial muscles, like primates.
    Serhii Hromov/Shutterstock

    We observed groups of domestic horses out at pasture. Whenever they interacted with one another we would hit record on our video camera and film the facial expressions they made. This gave us a bank of 805 expressions, which were coded using EquiFACS.

    We categorised the expressions based on the behaviour they were associated with, such as a kick threat or friendly contact. Then we used network analysis techniques to assess how the individual action units and action descriptors work together to create the overall facial expression. Network analysis is a statistical method usually used to study social networks, but which also works well for understanding how the different areas of the face work together.

    This created a catalogue that identified 22 discrete facial expressions. These included expressions from a range of aggressive, friendly, playful and alert interactions. Some movements are used across several contexts, for instance rotated and flattened ears which can indicate aggression or playfulness.

    When making a threat, horses have their ears rotated backwards and flattened downwards. They often lower their head, raise the inner corner of their brow, and/or flare their nostrils.

    Most interesting are facial expressions during play, which are highly dynamic. They involve a range of different facial movements, often in quick succession. Movements include depressed lower lips, raised chins, parted lips, wide-open mouths, rotated and flattened ears, increased visibility of eye whites, and noses pushed forward.

    We also identified similarities between the facial expressions horses make during play and the play faces used by primates and carnivores. Primates and carnivores often use an open-mouthed expression to indicate that an interaction is playful. This can help prevent misunderstandings about the intent of an interaction, and is particularly useful during rough-and-tumble play. The fact that this expression is also used by horses suggests that it evolved much further back than scientists believed.

    Anyone who needs a way to assess a horse’s subjective experience can benefit from our catalogue, from researchers through to those working with horses. I certainly wish I had had it over the many years I spent riding, and later working, at my local riding school.

    Our results also highlight the importance of looking beyond our primate cousins if we are to gain a comprehensive understanding of facial expressions and their evolutionary origins.

    Kate Lewis 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. Horses have a complex repertoire of facial expressions, just like primates – https://theconversation.com/horses-have-a-complex-repertoire-of-facial-expressions-just-like-primates-257996

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s continued attacks on lawyers risks undermining the US legal system. Is that the point?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephen Clear, Lecturer in Constitutional and Administrative Law, and Public Procurement, Bangor University

    Since returning to office, Donald Trump has often called the US legal system into question. He has criticised judges as activists, challenged the role of the courts and insisted some firms do free legal work in support of his administration’s causes to make up for working for some of his political opponents.

    Meanwhile, Vice-President J.D. Vance has advised US Supreme Court chief justice John Roberts that he ought to be “checking the excesses” of the lower courts.

    And Stephen Miller, deputy White House chief of staff, said: “We are living under a judicial tyranny,” after the US Court of International Trade ruled the president didn’t have the power to impose international trade tariffs. Meanwhile, judges are asking for more security to protect them from threats.

    Trump’s federal investigations and volley of executive orders (presidential directives that don’t require legislative approval by Congress) have also put enormous pressure on law firms. And a recent report shows that both trust in law firms’ independence, and even the rule of law itself, is perceived as under threat in the US. But what does this mean, and why is it important?

    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 president has taken action against law firms in two prominent ways:

    First, by federal investigation. Specifically, letters to a group of 20 law firms from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. These demanded information about their diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) policies, based on the proposition that any sort of treatment of underrepresented groups that appeared preferential to them in policy, or practice, was unequal treatment for other groups, and, consequently, discriminatory.

    Second, the president has passed numerous executive orders introducing punitive measures on specific law firms that previously represented clients opposing his administration, or employed attorneys involved in past investigations against him. His administration has also revoked government contracts and suspended security clearance from buildings. In practice, the orders would prevent attorneys from accessing from where they work, such as courthouses and federal agencies.

    In response, some prominent law firms have sought to mitigate the fallout with the Trump administration by entering into agreements with it. These have included pledging US$1 billion (£730,000,000) in pro bono (free) legal services supporting causes aligned with Trump’s agenda.

    For example, support for veterans, representing police officers, and antisemitism prevention. Noteworthy is that law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison have now agreed to discontinue certain DEI policies, in addition to committing US$40 million (£29.4 million) in pro bono work for the president’s causes. In response the Trump administration has now lifted restrictions against them.

    Judges say they are under threat.

    More broadly, it has been reported that 70% of the US Justice Department civil rights division’s attorneys are leaving their posts. The mass exodus is believed to be part of attempts to reshape the division into one focused on enforcing executive orders.

    The consequences of these developments are that the president’s actions have led to a significant realignment in the legal professions. Some US attorneys have reported that law firms are now more hesitant to engage in pro bono work that could be viewed as opposing the administration’s policies.

    By contrast, some lawyers are now trying to establish independent firms aimed at defending civil servants and challenging federal overreach, ensuring at least some, albeit less resourced, support for underrepresented groups.

    Trump criticizes judges and legal activists.

    Other lawyers have sought legal action against the orders as unconstitutional interference. Some of these have led to success. For example, Perkins Coie challenged theirs and got it struck down. The concern here centred around their representation of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. In arriving at the decision, the district judge ruled the president’s actions to be an “overt attempt to suppress and punish certain viewpoints”.

    Why this matters

    These developments call into question the balance between governmental influence and the independence of lawyers in upholding the rule of law. Lawyers must be impartial in representing their clients in order to effectively represent their interests, and allow the judiciary to fulfil their duty of checks and balances on the government’s decisions.

    When unfettered power is wielded by the government, and the law is undermined, scope for monitoring the constitutionality of decision making is compromised.

    The rule of law is a foundational principle of western democracies. It means that everyone is subject to the law, including governments. Laws must be applied equally, fairly and consistently, and no one is above them.

    In essence, laws govern the nation, not arbitrary decisions by individuals in power. In that sense, following the rule of law helps prevent tyranny, protect people’s rights and liberties, and ensures a stable and predictable society.

    In order to deliver these objectives, an independent legal sector is needed. Trump’s actions are a threat to achieving this cornerstone US constitutional principle. Some have gone as far as to suggest that by entering into agreements with Trump, law firms have become subsidiaries of his administration.

    A recent study on trust in the rule of law found that Americans’ trust in lawyers was already undermined, even before the second Trump administration.

    The results, based on public attitudes in 2024, compared public perceptions in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Norway, the UK and the US. Norway and the UK ranked highest in respect of trust in the rule of law (81% and 74% respectively), and Spain and Italy were least trusted (49% and 43%).

    The results for the US are interesting. Around 71% of American respondents stated that they had a high level of trust in the rule of law. Yet the country came third from the bottom under the metric “you feel like you are in good hands in US courts”.

    The reasons for this are implied in the responses to the other questions in the survey. The US performed second worst (just behind Spain) in respect of belief that judges could be biased. The US also performed worst of all in the category where the public were asked if lawyers were impartial (just 41% agreed).

    In interpreting these results it is important to note that the survey was conducted in 2024, prior to Trump’s second term. But anti-elite and anti-judge rhetoric pointing to arguments for more presidential power and less judicial oversight had already been prominent in the first Trump term, and the 2024 campaign.

    The results expose the already fragile nature of trust in the legal sector in the US, and underline how this could be ramped up further after the announcements in recent weeks.

    Stephen Clear 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. Trump’s continued attacks on lawyers risks undermining the US legal system. Is that the point? – https://theconversation.com/trumps-continued-attacks-on-lawyers-risks-undermining-the-us-legal-system-is-that-the-point-256960

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Should you do cardio before or after lifting weights? New research might finally have the answer

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jack McNamara, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology, University of East London

    Weightlifting before cardio had clear benefits when it came to certain aspects of health. LightField Studios/ Shutterstock

    Fitness enthusiasts have debated the question for decades: is it better to do cardio before or after lifting weights? Until recently, the answer has largely been down to preference – with some enjoying a jog to warm up before hitting the weights, while others believe lifting first is better for burning fat.

    But a new study may have finally answered this long disputed question.

    According to the study, the order of your workout does significantly affect how much fat you lose. Participants who performed weight training before cardio lost significantly more fat and became more physically active throughout the day compared to those who did cardio first.

    The researchers recruited 45 young men aged 18-30 years who were classified as obese. The researchers split participants into three groups for 12 weeks. One group was a control group. This meant they stuck to their usual lifestyle habits and didn’t make any changes to their exercise regime.

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    The other two groups exercised for 60 minutes three times weekly. Participants were also given sports watches to objectively track daily movement. This helped the researchers avoid reliance on self-reporting, which can often be inaccurate.

    Both exercise groups followed identical training programmes, differing only in exercise sequence. Strength training involved actual weights, with participants performing exercises such as the bench press, deadlift, bicep curl and squat. The cardio sessions involved 30 minutes of stationary cycling.

    Participants in both groups experienced improvements in their cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength and body composition – specifically, they lost fat mass while gaining lean muscle mass. Interestingly, cardiovascular fitness improvements were similar regardless of sequence – echoing recent findings that exercise order has limited impact on cardiovascular adaptations.

    But the real differences emerged when it came to fat loss and muscle performance. Participants who lifted weights first experienced significantly greater reductions in overall body fat and visceral fat – the type of fat most strongly linked to cardiovascular disease risk.

    They also increased their daily step count by approximately 3,500 steps compared to just 1,600 steps for the cardio-first group. Additionally, the weights-first approach enhanced muscular endurance and explosive strength.

    Why exercise sequence matters

    The reason behind these findings is tied to how your body uses energy.

    Resistance training depletes muscle glycogen stores – the sugar that’s stored in the muscles which acts as your body’s quick-access fuel. Imagine glycogen as petrol in your car’s fuel tank. When you lift weights first, you effectively drain this fuel tank, forcing your body to switch energy sources.

    When you lift weights before cardio, it forces your body to use fat reserves for energy.
    LightField Studios/ Shutterstock

    With glycogen stores already low, when you transition to cardio, your body must rely more heavily on fat reserves for energy. It’s akin to a hybrid car switching to battery power once the petrol runs low. This metabolic shift helps explain the greater fat loss seen in the weights-first group.

    This recent study’s findings align with broader research. A comprehensive systematic review published in 2022 found resistance training alone can significantly reduce body fat and visceral fat, the type linked to chronic diseases. Muscles are metabolically active tissues, continuously burning calories even at rest, which amplifies these effects.

    Conversely, performing cardio first might compromise your strength training effectiveness. Cardio uses up glycogen stores, leaving muscles partially depleted before you even lift a weight. It also induces fatigue and may reduce your muscles’ ability to produce explosive power and strength.

    A recent systematic review on concurrent training (the practice of combining both resistance and aerobic exercise within the same program) supports this – highlighting that explosive strength gains might diminish if aerobic and strength training occur in the same session, especially if cardio is performed first.

    These findings align with other research on concurrent training. A systematic review and meta-analysis examining exercise sequence effects found that resistance-first protocols produced significantly superior strength improvements compared to endurance-first training.

    The American Heart Association’s 2023 statement on resistance training confirmed resistance exercise significantly improves lean body mass and reduces fat, especially when combined with other exercise types. However, resistance training alone was found less effective in improving cardiovascular health. This underscores the importance of including cardio in your exercise routine.

    However, it is worth noting the study’s limitations. As it only involved obese young men, this means we don’t know how the results will apply to women, older adults or those with different body compositions. A 2024 review suggests adaptations may differ by sex, indicating the need for further research involving diverse populations.

    The 12-week duration also may not capture long-term changes. Results also specifically only apply to concurrent training – performing both exercises in the same session.

    Moreover, the study did not account for nutritional intake, sleep patterns or stress levels, all of which can significantly influence body composition outcomes. Future research should incorporate these factors to offer even more comprehensive guidance.

    Workout sequence

    Whether you prefer to do cardio before or after lifting weights, the message is clear: both will improve overall health. The only difference is that weight training before cardio provides advantages for fat loss, abdominal fat reduction and increased daily physical activity.

    Interestingly, resistance training boosts confidence and energy levels, naturally encouraging more movement throughout the day, further aiding fat loss.

    If cardiovascular fitness is your primary goal, the sequence matters less, as both ways equally boost aerobic fitness. However, if fat loss and optimising daily activity are your main objectives, evidence strongly supports placing resistance training first.

    Jack McNamara 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. Should you do cardio before or after lifting weights? New research might finally have the answer – https://theconversation.com/should-you-do-cardio-before-or-after-lifting-weights-new-research-might-finally-have-the-answer-257502

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: PMGC Holdings Inc. Signs Letter of Intent to Acquire Profitable U.S.-Based Electronics Manufacturing Company

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Acquisition Target Specializes in High-Precision Electrical and Mechanical Assembly, Including Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing for Commercial and Industrial Customers Across the U.S.A.
    • PMGC’s second pending acquisition since April, demonstrates that its M&A strategy is well underway, with additional deals expected this year.

    NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PMGC Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: ELAB) (the “Company,” “PMGC,” “we,” or “us”), a diversified public holding company, is pleased to announce the signing of a non-binding Letter of Intent (“LOI”) to acquire a U.S.-based, cash-flow positive electronics contract manufacturing company with over 40 years of operational history.

    About the Target Company

    Established in the 1980s, the Target company (“Target”) is a full-service provider of high-precision electronics manufacturing and assembly services. With core capabilities, including electrical and mechanical assembly, printed circuit card assembly and functional testing, and electronic component testing, the Target serves a range of commercial and industrial clients. It also supports small-batch production and prototyping, offering both consignment and turnkey solutions.

    The Target generated approximately $699,000 in revenue and $173,000 in adjusted EBITDA in 2024.

    Strategic Rationale

    This acquisition aligns with PMGC’s approach of acquiring US based, fundamentally strong businesses with durable cash flow and growth potential. PMGC Management believes the Target stands out for its longstanding customer relationships and strong control over its operations and manufacturing abilities.

    “We are thrilled to partner with a business that embodies the precision and reliability that we believe defines American manufacturing,” said Graydon Bensler, Chief Executive Officer of PMGC Holdings Inc. “This company has built a legacy of excellence, and we believe there is a compelling opportunity to scale operations and enhance customer acquisition through strategic support and platform integration.”

    Industry Tailwinds

    This acquisition comes at a time of renewed national focus on revitalizing domestic manufacturing. With ongoing support from federal initiatives such as the CHIPS and Science Act, the reshoring of electronics supply chains continues to gain momentum. The U.S. electronics manufacturing services (EMS) sector is positioned for growth as industries prioritize secure, localized, and high-quality production partners. PMGC believes this transaction places the company at the intersection of that movement, offering exposure to a high-integrity operator deeply embedded in that ecosystem.

    The closing of this acquisition is subject to customary conditions, including completion of due diligence, certain corporate approvals, and execution and delivery of definitive documentation. We cannot assure that closing of the acquisition will occur.

    About PMGC Holdings Inc.

    PMGC Holdings Inc. is a diversified holding company that manages and grows its portfolio through strategic acquisitions, investments, and development across various industries. Currently, our portfolio consists of three wholly owned subsidiaries: Northstrive Biosciences Inc., PMGC Research Inc., and PMGC Capital LLC. We are committed to exploring opportunities in multiple sectors to maximize growth and value. For more information, please visit https://www.pmgcholdings.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Words such as “believes,” “expects,” “plans,” “potential,” “would” and “future” or similar expressions such as “look forward” are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, activities of regulators and future regulations and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. These and other risks are described more fully in PMGC Holdings’ filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on March 28, 2025, and its other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the SEC. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except to the extent required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

    IR Contact:

    IR@pmgcholdings.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Meet the Researcher: Natale Sciolino, CLAS

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The brain is a marvel of complexity, orchestrating every aspect of our lives. Researchers striving to decode its functions have revealed that biochemical changes in the brain correspond to a diverse range of behaviors. Natale Sciolino, an assistant professor in the Department of Physiology and Neurobiology (PNB) in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has dedicated her career to studying neural circuits — networks of interconnected neurons that regulate various functions — and their profound influence on motivated behaviors, including anxiety and feeding. Her work focuses on the connections between the brain, behavior, and the environment.

    A Surprising Path to Science

    “I never planned to become a scientist,” Sciolino says. “Growing up, I always thought I’d be a teacher.”

    Her initial aspiration led her to SUNY Buffalo State College in New York, which was close to home and hosted a well-regarded teaching program. After taking one transformative course in biological psychology, however, Sciolino was introduced to a whole new realm: neuroscience. This discipline fused her growing interest in psychology with a desire to understand the biological underpinnings of behavior.

    “My professor’s passion for science was contagious,” Sciolino says. “It inspired me to join her lab, and I realized I wanted to pursue a career in research.”

    Sciolino became especially captivated by the question of why some individuals were more vulnerable to addiction than others. Her transition from the desire to become a teacher to a neuroscientist was driven by her perceptiveness to the environment and the people around her.

    “Growing up in a low-income neighborhood, I saw firsthand how addiction and mental health disorders affected so many in my community,” she says. “I wanted to understand how some people seemed resilient while others struggled.”

    As an aspiring neuroscientist, she knew she needed to go to graduate school. She ended up far from home at the University of Georgia, where she worked with the guidance of pioneering cannabinoid researcher Andrea Hohmann.

    Exploring Cannabinoid Systems

    Sciolino delved into the role of the endogenous cannabinoids – chemical compounds produced by the body that bind with the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. These compounds influence critical processes such as emotion regulation, pain perception, appetite, and sleep.

    Sciolino’s research focused on how environmental stressors like social isolation could alter the activity of cannabinoid receptors and endogenous cannabinoids in the brain. Her research on the biochemistry of the cannabinoid system became a cornerstone of her neuroscience career.

    Unlocking the Secrets of the Locus Coeruleus

     Sciolino’s research journey took a pivotal turn when she joined another Georgia research lab and began studying the locus coeruleus (LC), a tiny yet influential brain structure. Despite containing only about 1,200 neurons in each brain hemisphere of the mouse, the LC is the brain’s largest source of noradrenaline, a neurotransmitter crucial for regulating states like anxiety, attention, and arousal.

    “Even though the LC is small, its neurons project to nearly every area of the brain,” Sciolino says. “It has the capacity to influence virtually all behavioral states.”

    Her Ph.D. research continued under the direction of Georgia’s Philip Holmes and Emory University’s David Weinshenker. She focused on understanding how exercise could impact the activity of the LC and reduce stress levels.

    She continued exploring the functions of the LC as a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), under the direction of Patricia Jensen, where she had access to cutting-edge intersectional viral and genetic tools to express molecules to map, monitor, and manipulate neural activity.

    “At the NIH, I was like a kid in a candy store,” Sciolino says. “The tools available there made it possible to tackle questions I had only dreamed of exploring.”

    In 2021, Sciolino joined UConn faculty, where she is continuing her research on the brain and behavior. Specifically, she focuses on defining noradrenaline circuits in aversion, feeding, and taste. Her work has been supported by federal and private grants, including an NIH R00 Pathway to Independence Grant and the Brain Research Foundation Seed Grant. Most recently, she received a two-year, $70,000 NARSAD Young Investigator Grant (formerly known as the NARSAD award) from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation to investigate the role of the LC in obesity-induced anxiety.

     Fostering the Next Generation of Scientists

     Bringing her incredible knowledge and passion for science with her to UConn’s PNB department, Sciolino has made a significant contribution to student success by fostering a collaborative and inclusive lab environment. Her love for teaching remains central to her role at UConn.

    “I prioritize building an internal network with our team,” she says. She adapts her mentoring approach to suit the diverse learning styles of her students, striking a careful balance between providing guidance and encouraging independence.

    By nurturing the next generation of neuroscientists, Sciolino combines her love of teaching with her commitment to advancing our understanding of the brain and behavior.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scientists Develop New Blood-Based Proteomic Score to Predict Healthspan and Disease Risk

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) presents a blood-based proteomic signature that predicts how long people are likely to live in good health—known as healthspan. The Healthspan Proteomic Score (HPS), developed by researchers at the UConn School of Medicine and collaborators at the University of Helsinki and the University of Exeter (UK), provides a powerful tool for understanding biological aging and assessing risks for a wide range of chronic diseases.

    Using proteomic data from over 53,000 UK Biobank participants, the research team identified a panel of proteins that collectively signal a person’s biological health. A lower HPS, determined based on the expression of these proteins, was significantly associated with a higher risk of mortality and age-related diseases, including heart failure, diabetes, dementia, and stroke—even after adjusting for chronological age and other health indicators. The score was validated in an independent Finnish cohort and demonstrated superior performance compared to existing measures of biological aging.

    “Our findings underscore the importance of shifting the focus from lifespan to healthspan,” says Dr. Chia-Ling Kuo, lead author and associate professor of Public Health Sciences at UConn School of Medicine and The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering. “The HPS captures early biological changes in the body and may help inform interventions that promote healthier aging.”

    Dr. Breno S. Diniz, senior author and associate professor of Psychiatry at UConn School of Medicine and UConn Center on Aging, adds, “By integrating proteomic signals of biological aging, HPS offers a promising tool for identifying individuals at risk for age-related diseases and for guiding personalized prevention strategies.”

    Although aging is inevitable, this study team, as well as others, are increasingly learning that the pace of aging and how we each age are highly variable. The theme of the NIA-funded UConn Older Americans Independence Pepper Center is Precision Gerontology. This concept seeks to enhance independence in older adults by studying this heterogeneity. This research adds to growing evidence that aging biology can be measured and potentially modified, with the HPS offering a promising surrogate outcome for clinical trials of anti-aging therapies and preventive strategies aimed at extending years lived in good health; it marks an important step toward better predicting variability in aging trajectories and ultimately developing more targeted and effective interventions.

    The research team is now working to evaluate the HPS in clinical trial settings. While it is not yet available for widespread use, this work lays critical groundwork for future tools that could help individuals and healthcare providers monitor and promote healthier aging.

    This research was supported by the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers (OAIC) program (P30AG067988). Access to UK Biobank data was granted under application no. 92647, “Research to Inform the Field of Precision Gerontology” (PI: Richard H. Fortinsky, Ph.D., study co-author and professor at the UConn Center on Aging). The research team gratefully acknowledges the UK Biobank for providing data access and sincerely thanks the collaborators at the University of Helsinki for their replication efforts, as well as the UK Biobank participants for their invaluable contributions of time, health information, and biological samples that made this research possible.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Top talent backed with master’s funding as Britain’s tech experts called into government

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Top talent backed with master’s funding as Britain’s tech experts called into government

    The Spärck AI scholarships will provide full funding for master’s degrees at nine leading UK universities specialising in AI and STEM subjects

    • Exceptional students to receive fully funded AI master’s degrees at Britain’s top 9 universities, with industry partnerships offering direct routes into UK’s tech sector.
    • New fellowship programme launched for exceptional talent to cement Britain’s reputation a global AI leader.
    • Programmes form key part of the Plan for Change to kickstart economic growth through innovation and deliver highly skilled jobs across the country.

    Young people with exceptional talent in AI will receive unprecedented support to study at Britain’s top universities through a new prestigious scholarship programme announced by the Technology Secretary today (Monday 9 June).

    The Spärck AI scholarships, named after pioneering British computer scientist Karen Spärck Jones, will provide full funding for master’s degrees at nine leading UK universities specialising in artificial intelligence and STEM subjects – from Edinburgh to Manchester, and Newcastle to Bristol.

    Set to rival the likes of globally recognised Rhodes, Marshall and Fulbright scholarships, at least 100 talented undergraduates level students from the UK and abroad will see unparalleled access to industry partnerships, work placements and mentorship opportunities, including in the UK’s AI Security Institute as well as leading tech firms like Darktrace, Faculty and Quantexa.

    This will not only drive forward AI innovation that grows the UK economy but also gives young people a direct route into highly skilled jobs in the UK’s tech sector – furthering our Plan for Change.

    By covering both tuition and living expenses, the scholarship could also be of interest to talent students from low-income backgrounds who might otherwise be unable to afford university – spreading opportunity across the UK.

    Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

    “We are providing unique opportunities for talented young people to take up master’s degrees in AI, with fully funded tuition and unparalleled access to industry.

    “Students will be able to go on to highly skilled jobs, building a workforce fit for the future and boosting economic growth as part of our Plan for Change.

    “We are also expanding our fellowship programme to bring top talent into our leading AI sector and drive forward transformational benefits to the public like new drug discoveries.”

    The government has also announced an expansion of its Turing AI Fellowships with new Pioneer fellowships, providing established professionals from any part of academia, humanities, research, or industry with resources to develop AI skills and knowledge to tackle a specific challenge in their fields. Fellows will receive funding, priority access to the AI Research Resource for compute power, and be connected with AI mentors, experts, and industry leaders.

    This comes as millions of people are set to be upskilled with digital and AI skills in a bold national skills drive announced by the Prime Minister at London Tech Week.

    The new Spärck AI scholarships and expanded Turing Pioneer Fellowship delivers on recommendations of the AI Opportunities Action Plan and helps grow our leading AI sector – a priority industry for our upcoming Digital and Tech Sector Plan under the Industrial Strategy.

    Notes to editors:

    • Spärck AI scholarships: Applications will open in Spring 2026, with the first cohort beginning their studies in October 2026. This is backed by £17.2 million in government funding and delivers on a recommendation of the AI Opportunities Action Plan.
    • Universities participating in the Spärck AI scholarship programme include Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, UCL, Southampton, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Manchester and Bristol, who will co-design and co-fund the initiative.
    • Companies signed up to participate in the scholarship programme include PolyAI, Quantexa, CausaLens, Flok, Beamery, Darktrace and Faculty. 
    • Turing Pioneer Fellowships: Applications will open in mid-July this year, with fellows due to be in-post by Autumn 2026. This is backed by £25.2 million in government funding and delivers on a recommendation of AI Opportunities Action Plan.

    Quotes in support of Spärck AI scholarships:

    Jack Stockdale OBE, Chief Technology Officer at Darktrace:

    “Building AI-powered cybersecurity solutions to defend against next generation threats depends on world-class R&D talent, and we are thrilled to partner with DSIT on this transformative programme. The Spärck AI scholarship will be an important gateway for exceptional global minds to join the frontlines of British innovation, and we’re excited to help develop the next generation of Britain’s world-class AI ecosystem.”

    Co-founder and CEO of Flok Health Finn Stevenson:

    “AI is already generating economic value at unprecedented pace. To put the UK at the forefront of this transformation, its vital that we can attract world’s best talent – not just to study here, but to stay and build future-defining companies of global importance. We’re delighted to be partnering with DSIT on this initiative to do exactly that.”

    PolyAI CEO Nikola Mrkšić:

    “PolyAI was founded in the dialog systems group at the University of Cambridge. Since then, we’ve drawn on our academic backgrounds to bring cutting-edge technology out of the lab and into the real world. I am delighted to join the Spärck AI scholarship programme and work with the next generation of AI pioneers who will help create AI applications that drive real value for real people.”

    Faculty CEO Mark Warner:

    “AI is an epoch-defining technology – yet the UK won’t reap its benefits without having the skills to build and deploy it. 

    “Technical training, education and work placements open the door to highly skilled, well-paid jobs. 

    “Faculty has a decade of experience developing exceptional AI practitioners, and we are delighted to partner with DSIT to further strengthen the UK’s AI talent pipeline.”

    Darko Matovski, Co-founder & CEO of causaLens

    “causaLens is thrilled to collaborate with DSIT on the Spärck AI Scholarships program. We’re proud to champion this vital initiative, which empowers the UK’s brightest AI talent with world-class opportunities at leading AI companies like causaLens, ensuring our nation remains a global leader in the AI race.”

    Beamery CEO Sultan Saidov, CEO

    “Beamery is very proud to support this AI scholarship initiative. The Spärck AI programme is deeply aligned with our mission of creating equal access to work, and to our belief that connecting talent to opportunity — especially in such a pivotal field — is how we build a more innovative, inclusive future. By supporting emerging AI talent, we’re investing in the skills that will shape tomorrow’s breakthroughs.”

    Edinburgh University Vice Chancellor Professor Sir Peter Mathieson:

    “As one of the UK’s original and consistently leading AI universities, we are pleased to be part of the proposed Spärck Scholarships Scheme.  We look forward to working with the UK Government on the precise details and we fully support the potential of the UK to become an AI superpower.”

    Southampton University Vice-President (Research & Enterprise) Mark Spearing:

    “The University of Southampton is excited to be a founding partner in the Spärck AI Scholarship programme.  We view this as a nationally significant opportunity to attract talented students to the UK to take advantage of our world leading expertise and education in artificial intelligence”.

    Bristol University Vice Chancellor Evelyn Welch:

    “As AI University of the Year and the proud host of the UK’s most powerful supercomputer, Isambard-AI, the University of Bristol is thrilled to support this prestigious new scholarship as an anchor partner. 

    “We relish the opportunity to shape the next generation of global AI pioneers – collaborating with our partners to explore bold new ideas, nurture exceptional talent, and advance the future of this transformative technology together.”

    Professor Deborah Prentice, University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor:

    “Cambridge combines academic excellence with a dynamic, interdisciplinary AI community, from foundational research to real-world impact. We are delighted to be a founding partner in this ambitious initiative, which reflects a shared commitment to attracting exceptional talent and reinforcing the UK’s position as a home for world-class AI. We are especially proud that these scholarships are named after Karen Spärck Jones, a brilliant Cambridge computer scientist.”

    Imperial College London Vice Provost for Research and Enterprise Mary Ryan:

    As one of the world’s most international universities, where diverse minds and disciplines are leveraging AI for science and innovation, Imperial is delighted to be an anchor partner in the prestigious new Spärck AI Scholarships. Our global science and technology hubs in Bengaluru, San Francisco, Accra, and Singapore will be well-placed to support outreach efforts to help attract the best and brightest students to the UK, irrespective of their background. Together, we are building a network of future AI leaders who will shape the world through responsible innovation and convergence science.

    Professor Duncan Ivison, Manchester University President and Vice-Chancellor:

    “The University of Manchester welcomes this important scheme to attract and retain leading talent to the UK and AI sector. We look forward to providing Spärck Scholars with the opportunity to excel within our internationally leading environment for AI related learning, research and innovation, and supporting them to flourish as future leaders in this critical technology area”

    Professor Geraint Rees, UCL Vice-Provost:

    “London Tech Week 2025 is a vital forum for shaping the trajectory of global technology, which depends on highly talented people as much as the technology itself. It is critically important that the UK can continue to attract the brightest and best future academics, entrepreneurs and business leaders in AI to study and work here. UCL is proud to be working with DSIT and other leading universities to make this a reality through a bold new AI Scholarships programme.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: International medical technology company praises council support

    Source: City of York

    An international medical technology company which has made York its UK base has praised the business support available in the city.

    Icentia, which was founded in Quebec City, Canada, in 2012, provides wearable ECG (electrocardiogram) devices which monitor the wearer’s heartbeat and can help diagnose irregular cardiac rhythms, in turn helping medical professionals detect and treat cardiac disease early and effectively.

    After being worn for between 24 hours and 14 days, patients return the monitor by post to the Icentia’s offices, in Monks Cross, where a team of Cardiac Physiologists analyse the readings and provide summary reports directly to clinicians.

    Through providing easy to use, discreet devices, the company aims to improve patient experience by reducing the number of hospital appointments required, facilitating faster clinical decisions and reducing waiting times for treatment.

    According to the firm’s UK Managing Director, Darren Macfarlane, the decision over the whereabouts of Icentia’s British HQ was an easy one:

    “In many ways the question for us wasn’t so much ‘Why York?’ as ‘Why not York?’

    “Why wouldn’t we want to situate our business in a city with a fantastic quality of life, a highly skilled workforce and great transport links to the rest of the country?”

    The city’s highly skilled workforce has been of particular benefit to the company, as Darren explained:

    “It’s been wonderful to be able to tap into the talent pool offered by the University of York and York St John University. We’ve had several members of staff come to work for us after graduating, and others who have worked part-time with us while studying in relevant fields, who then progressed to working with us full-time on graduation.”

    Darren and his team have been supported by the council’s Economic Growth Team from the very start of the company’s UK venture, being helped to get established in York and then supported to grow from then on.

    Christine Hogan, an Inward Investment Manager, helped connect Darren to essential regional and local business networks and helping them to identify potential office premises, with the business finally settling in, first at York Science Park in Heslington, then more recently making the move to Monk’s Cross as the business grew.

    Once established in York, Darren worked with Louise Saw, one of the council’s Business Growth Managers, who has provided ongoing advice and guidance, including making introductions to key contacts, signposting to funding sources and programmes like Green Economy, which has helped Icentia develop a bespoke Carbon Reduction Plan to reduce their emissions and make cost savings.

    Darren said:

    “The really great thing about the business support offered by City of York Council is that it’s totally flexible and tailor-made for your specific needs as a business.

    “We’ve received different support at different times across our seven years’ operating so far from York and that’s been really valuable to us as we’ve faced evolving business challenges, from finding office space, navigating the complexities of Brexit, to expanding the business and starting to export our products to Europe.”

    Cllr Pete Kilbane, Executive Member for Economy and Culture at City of York Council, said:

    “The work Icentia are doing is vital and making a real difference to thousands of patients across the world every year, including here in the UK, and it’s fantastic that this life-changing work is taking place right here in York.

    “We’re delighted that we’ve been able to support Icentia at every step along the way, from ensuring that they could set up their York HQ with ease, to connecting them to the funding, talent and networks that they need to thrive and expand.

    “Because no two businesses are the same, the support we offer is tailored to the specific needs and challenges of your business, and changes as your business grows.”

    The council’s Economic Growth team have a wealth of local knowledge, and can help you identify premises and advise on funding, workforce development and much more.

    For free, impartial business support, get in touch at economicgrowth@york.gov.uk to start a conversation with our team.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prime Minister’s remarks at London Tech Week 2025: Monday 9 June

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Prime Minister’s remarks at London Tech Week 2025: Monday 9 June

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s remarks at London Tech Week 2025.

    Thank you so much. It’s really fantastic to stand here and look out and see so many people in this room—to get a real sense of the energy, the commitment, and the professionalism, the entrepreneurial spirit that we have here.

    Let me start by thanking you all for being here. We’re going to have a really good Tech Week. We already kicked off yesterday. We’ve got some major announcements to make, some real partnerships to build together, and I’m just so pleased to have this opportunity—this privilege—of opening this morning. It’s a real pleasure for me.

    My constituency, the area I represent, is London. I’m a London MP, and that means I understand first hand just how important our sector is as we go forward—whether it’s entrepreneurs or the spirit in London, this is hugely, hugely important.

    We have to recognise that for many people, they see AI and tech as transformative—something that’s going to do so much. And every time we say “over five years or ten years,” everybody says to me “it’s going to be more like five years or three years.” We’re going to bring about great change in so many aspects of our lives. Whether that’s in health—where I’ve seen for myself the incredible contribution that tech and AI can make. I was in a hospital up in the Midlands, talking to consultants who deal with strokes. They showed me the equipment and techniques that they are using – using AI to isolate where the clot is in the brain in a micro-second of the time it would have taken otherwise. Brilliantly saving people’s lives. Shortly after that, I had an incident where I was being shown AI and stethoscopes working together to predict any problems someone might have. So whether it’s health or other sectors, it’s hugely transformative what can be done here.

    Last Monday, I was in Scotland launching the Strategic Defence Review of the government. This was a review I commissioned soon after we came into power to tell me what are the risks we face as a country in this new era? What are the challenges? What are our capabilities? And how do we make sure that, as we go forward, our capabilities match the risks and challenges we face as a country.

    In that, tech and AI were absolutely central. Over the last three years or more, during this awful conflict in Ukraine—I’ve been back to Ukraine on a number of occasions in that period to have in-depth conversations with President Zelensky to make sure our support is in the right place. But I was really struck, on the trip before last—probably about six or seven weeks ago—by the extent to which technology and AI are now having a direct impact in that conflict. In three years of conflict, the way that war is being fought has changed profoundly.

    So I wanted that hardwired into our Defence Review—a sense of how AI could be driving change. There are so many examples across government. I’ve set the challenge to all of my teams: show me how they can use AI—not just in the output of government, not just in partnership with yourselves and others in the delivery of services—but also in the very way we do government. How can we transform what we do?

    There are certainly examples of that. I spoke to a social worker in Downing Street at one of our receptions. She explained to me, with a smile on her face, just how AI is slashing her paperwork and her caseload. She talked me through how she’s now doing her work. What she said was that this was helping her transform her work—because she could concentrate on the human element of it. She could use AI and tech to help with the parts that could be done more quickly. And from that, I’ve always said: AI and tech make us more human. It may sound like an odd thing to say, but it’s true—and we need to say it. Because, some people out there are sceptical. They worry about AI taking their jobs. But I know from audiences like this, this debate has been had many times. We need to push past it. But people worry: will it make their lives more comfortable? Even for businesses, the pace of change can feel relentless. I know you all get that. But when it comes to harnessing the power of this technology, I believe the way we work through this together is critical. And that means partnership and partnership is at the heart of everything we do in government—working with you. You are the entrepreneurs who will drive this country forward. Our job as partners is to create the best possible conditions for you to succeed. That’s why events like this—and the conversations we have in the margins—are so important. Because we can only create the right conditions if we’re having that conversation. You’re able to put your fingerprints on what we’re doing.

    Just look at the raw facts. This industry supports over 2 million jobs. That’s incredible. Or take this statistic: in 2023, our AI sector grew 30 times faster than the rest of the economy. That is incredible. So this is about what we’ve achieved. It’s about who we are as a nation. What signal do we want to send to the rest of the world? The signal I want to send is this: a Britain that, after years of chaos, is a stable partner for investment. A Britain that believes the future should be shaped by our values. And that in this volatile world, is proud, unashamed, open for business.

    I think—and hope—you can see that in our approach to trade, in the new deals we’ve done just in the last few months. We’re determined to create new markets—whether that’s in India, the US, or Europe. You can see it in our openness to investment as well. On that front, I’m really pleased to welcome what I see as yet another vote of confidence in Britain today: the announcement that Liquidity will base their European headquarters right here in London. That’s a £1.5 billion investment into our economy. It means better access to finance for entrepreneurs right across the country. It’s a vote of confidence in our AI Opportunities Action Plan as well. We put that plan out at the beginning of the year. We’re really proud of it—50 recommendations, all of them accepted by the government. At the heart of it is partnership in action. It shows our ambition to be the best state partner for tech entrepreneurs anywhere in the world. That’s the bar. That’s the ambition I’ve set.

    So I can also announce today that we’re committing an extra £1 billion of funding to scale up our compute power by a factor of 20. You know how important that is— a huge increase in the size of Britain’s AI engine. It means we can be an AI maker, not just an AI taker. More importantly, it means we have the digital infrastructure we need to make sure AI improves our public services. Because we do have a defining mission in that plan—a responsibility, if you like—to harness this unprecedented opportunity and use it to improve the lives of working people. This is a shared mission. We’re a mission-driven government. But this is a shared mission. Because social fear I was talking about a moment ago—trust me, I think that is the challenge for adoption. It’s a far greater challenge than the regulatory barrier, although that can be a challenge too. But it’s an area where government can help—where we can do our bit in this partnership.

    Take planning, for example, which is a huge priority for this government. We are going to build more labs, more data centres—and we’re going to do it much, much more quickly. Our Planning and Infrastructure Bill going through Parliament right now is a real game-changer. Each of you in this room knows how important it is to change our rules on planning, infrastructure, and the regulatory environment—and how that can drive growth in building homes – what a difference that could make. Again, the human that sits there with the tech and the AI—because the security of having an affordable home is hugely important. I come from a working-class background, and at times we struggled as a family to make ends meet. But we owned our home, and that gave me a sense of security—a base camp, if you like—on which I could build my life, my opportunities, and my aspirations. I want that to be there for everyone in the country—that base camp. And AI can help on this.

    This is how we explain and lead people down this transformative path. And in that way, in pushing forward, we’ve developed a powerful new tool. We’ve done this in-house, and I’m really proud of that—that as a government, we’ve taken on the challenge and developed something in-house, just to prove that governments can innovate. We use that word all the time, and some people don’t associate it with government—but we have. We’ve developed what we call Extract. It’s being trialled in councils in Exeter, Westminster, Nuneaton and Bedworth. It takes old, handwritten planning documents and put them into digital form in seconds. Jobs that would otherwise have taken hours and hours—done in seconds. A hundred planning records per day, and the usual average up till now is five. So, you can see—it’s a huge productivity boost and we want to roll that out. It doesn’t just show that the government can innovate, it also means faster planning decisions, which I think comes as a relief to many people in this room and beyond—both in AI and in British business more broadly. And of course, it’s money-saved for councils, so they can spend their money on other things. It turns into more growth and more opportunity.

    But most of all, it speeds up the future that we need. AI innovation making a difference for working people. The same, of course, is true across the public realm. We’re looking at how AI can speed up discharges from hospitals—hugely important. I’ve looked into this in our hospitals. Getting people out the back door more quickly—AI can help with that. Same with the asylum backlog, how can AI and tech help us deal with that? Or teachers—helping them personalise lessons for their pupils. Again, using their time better, making them more human. Giving them that interaction so that every child gets the best possible chance in life. What a difference personalising what they do can make to so many children.

    In every case, you can show AI innovation making a difference for working people. But to truly succeed in this mission then one of the biggest parts, and you’ll all have heard this many, many times in the conversation about AI, tech, growth and investment and business. It always comes back to this point: skills. It is one of the key concerns in any business in technology—actually, in any business pretty much across the board—one of the great worries for working people, and the same for any parent, is always: What does this mean for my children? What does it mean for their future? So today, I am really delighted to announce what is a step change in how we train homegrown talent in AI. A partnership with 11 major companies to train 7.5 million workers in AI by 2030.

    I would also like to thank NVIDIA for partnering on a new pipeline. Jensen is here with us for the “in conversation” we’re so grateful for that partnership. That allows us to expand their lab in Bristol, and that will make a huge difference to opportunity and jobs in the South West. We’re also going to bring the full powers of government with a new tech-first training programme. That’s up to 1 million young people trained in tech skills—that will be so crucial for their future. That’s a £185 million investment, embedding AI right through our education system, starting in our secondary schools with subjects like computer science. At universities, a new scholarship programme for high-flying students—supporting the best and brightest personally, so they can focus on their research on the next frontier.

    So from school all the way through—and on top of that, extra support for small businesses, along with their student leavers, so they can recruit the technology skills they need. And this—trust me—is a package that should make a massive difference to the aspirations of working people.

    At the end of the day, that is what this must be about. I want young people in the poorer parts of my constituency—and I’m thinking in particular of a place like Somers Town, between Euston and King’s Cross, where there’s so much of that tech and entrepreneurial AI belief—I want the children in Somers Town to look out of their classroom windows and feel “yes, I can be part of that success. This could belong to me.”

    That’s why the work we’re doing in schools, universities and colleges is so important—to make them feel they’ve got a role, they’ve got aspiration, they’ve got a future. They can’t aspire to do something unless they can see it, feel it, and understand what it is. In this country, the technology needs to be built in our brain. Just to give a short example of that—praising tech companies for investing in Somers Town. I’ve thrown this challenge out many, many times: how do we make the children in the poorest part of my constituency aspire to work in your centre? And Google AI opened a campus in Somers Town. They’ve taken up that challenge. It is tremendous. I went there for the opening—it’s right next to the school where I envisage those students who wouldn’t necessarily have seen their future in tech. And now that campus is right next to their school they can see it every day and they can feel it.

    That’s a really good example. Thank you to the tech sector for stepping up to that challenge. But now we need to go further. By the end of this Parliament, we should be able to look every parent the eye, in every region in Britain and say – look what technology can deliver for you. We can put money in your pocket; we can create wealth in your community; we can create good jobs and vastly improve our public services and build a better future for your children. That is the opportunity we must seize, that is what my Plan for Change will deliver. And today, I think we’re taking another big step towards it.

    So thank you very much for being here and thank you for letting me have the privilege of opening today. Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • Piyush Goyal begins official visit to Switzerland and Sweden to strengthen trade ties

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, commenced his official visit to Switzerland today as part of a five-day tour of Switzerland and Sweden from June 9 to 13. The visit aims to deepen India’s strategic and economic engagements with key European partners, with a focus on promoting trade, investment, and sustainable growth.
     
    The Minister’s visit to Switzerland includes high-level meetings with global CEOs, senior government officials, and prominent Swiss industry leaders. Sector-specific engagements are scheduled in key areas such as pharmaceuticals, life sciences, precision engineering, machine tools, and high-tech manufacturing. Goyal is also set to meet Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin to further bolster bilateral trade and diplomatic ties.
     
    During his stay in Switzerland, Goyal will hold one-on-one discussions with representatives of major Swiss companies. Indian industry leaders will also be part of these meetings, facilitating direct interaction and exploring collaboration opportunities. The Minister will participate in the Swissmem Industry Day and a Business Round Table with the Swiss Mechanical and Electrical (MEM) Industry, where deliberations will focus on the potential of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). In addition, he will interact with the ICAI Zurich Chapter and engage with members of the Indian media.
     
    Following his engagements in Switzerland, Shri Goyal will travel to Sweden to co-chair the 21st session of the Indo-Swedish Joint Commission for Economic, Industrial and Scientific Cooperation (JCEISC) alongside Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Benjamin Dousa.
     
    The visit to Sweden includes bilateral meetings with Dousa and Håkan Jevrell, State Secretary to the Minister of Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade. 
     
    In Sweden, Goyal will also participate in the India-Sweden Business Leaders’ Round Table and engage in one-on-one meetings with top Swedish companies across sectors such as innovation, green technologies, sustainable solutions, and advanced manufacturing. Companies with a strong presence in India or ongoing interest, including Ericsson, Volvo Group, IKEA, Sandvik, Alfa Laval, and SAAB, are expected to take part in these interactions.
     
     

  • MIL-OSI USA: YVO’s plan for responding to future geological hazards in Yellowstone National Park

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

    Cover of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory response plan for geological hazards in the Yellowstone region.  The report can be accessed at https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1351/.  Cover features a photograph by Mike Poland and frame captures from a video by Juliet Su.

    As Benjamin Franklin supposedly said, “failing to plan is planning to fail.”  This is why the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) has a plan to guide the observatory’s actions during a response to earthquakes, hydrothermal explosions, or any geological activity that could lead to a volcanic eruption.

    The first YVO response plan was published in 2010 and explained how observatory scientists would collect data, communicate with one another and the public, and interact with emergency managers as part of any incident command system that was organized to deal with a crisis—for example, a major earthquake or volcanic eruption.

    A second version of the YVO response plan was published in 2014 and incorporated changes in the YVO consortium, which expanded in 2013 to include more institutions, as well as lessons learned from a readiness, or “table-top,” exercise that was held in 2011.  Table-top exercises are discussions that simulate a crisis and that are used by emergency responders to practice and evaluate procedures.

    The newest version of the YVO response plan was just published (https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1351/).  This update contains several significant modifications compared to the previous versions.

    First and foremost, the YVO response plan now aligns with a procedures established by the USGS Volcano Science Center—particularly the “OVERT,” or Observatory Volcano Event Response Team, concept. OVERT defines critical functions, like data management, communications, monitoring, science, and logistical support, that can be staffed up during a crisis.  The OVERT team can be implemented in stages to follow the nature of whatever volcanic unrest or eruption may be unfolding and is intended to be flexible and modular.  The concept also establishes clear lines of communication and reporting so that no one person has too many responsibilities, and information is shared quickly and openly.

    As an example, if a major seismic swarm were to begin in Yellowstone National Park, YVO might establish an OVERT organizational structure that has staffing for the monitoring and communications teams.  If that seismicity intensified and led to hydrothermal explosions, those teams would be expanded to take on additional responsibilities, and other branches would also be staffed—like those dealing with data documentation and logistics to support field operations. 

    Organization chart giving the structure of a response by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory to a significant episode of unrest or eruption at the Yellowstone volcanic system. The strategy is scalable (elements are activated as they are needed and deactivated when they are no longer needed) and can be adapted to meet the needs of the event response. Chart follows the Observatory Volcanic Event Response Team structure in the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Science Center Response Plan for Significant Volcanic Events (Moran and others, 2024—https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/cir1518). EOC=Emergency Operations Center; UAS=Unoccupied Aircraft Systems; YVO=Yellowstone Volcano Observatory; YVOCOMS=YVO communications group.

    YVO’s updated response plan also defines two different cases: “events” and “activity with potential.” An “event” is a single and sudden hazardous occurrence, like the 1959 M7.3 Hebgen Lake earthquake or the July 23, 2024, hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin, that would prompt YVO to immediately initiate additional monitoring and to communicate hazards information to emergency managers and the public.  Because some geologic hazards evolve slowly, however, YVO’s response plan also defines “activity with potential” that could eventually build towards a hazard that requires intense monitoring.  The 2003 thermal event at Norris Geyser Basin, when ground heated to boiling temperatures in places and caused some boardwalks to be closed and eventually rerouted, is a good example.

    Also included in the response plan are communications protocols and call-down lists that establish robust methods for ensuring that information is passed along to emergency managers at various institutions, like the area land managers and, in the event of an explosive volcanic eruption, the Federal Aviation Administration and National Weather Service.  Additional guidelines describe how YVO consortium members would collaborate to ensure that the public—especially local residents—are informed of hazards that may develop, and steps that can be taken to lessen the impacts of those hazards.

    By developing this response plan, and also putting it into practice—for instance, as part of a table-top exercise that was held for YVO consortium members in 2022—YVO scientists will be better prepared to deal with any future geologic hazards in the Yellowstone region.  Hopefully there will never need to be put the YVO response protocols into practice in response to a serious geologic hazard.  But we must not fail to plan.

    Scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory meet in Mammoth Hot Springs in May 2022 to discuss the protocols for responding to a geological event in Yellowstone National Park.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Updated regulatory requirements in the field of ecology, forest conservation and biodiversity

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev, work was carried out to update current requirements in the field of ecology and environmental protection, land use, forest conservation and biodiversity.

    In total, several hundred regulatory legal acts are set to cease to be effective on September 1, 2025. As part of the “regulatory guillotine” – in accordance with the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin – they were checked for the need to cancel or update outdated and redundant requirements.

    The documents proposed for re-publication were included in the so-called white list. The Ministry of Agriculture, Rosselkhoznadzor and Rosrybolovstvo adopted 19 regulatory legal acts. They affected the areas of veterinary science, plant growing and fisheries.

    The Ministry of Natural Resources has adopted 41 documents that regulate relations in such socially significant areas as environmental protection, waste management, land reclamation and conservation, forest protection, regulation of timber turnover, protection of endangered forest plants, monitoring of water bodies, development of hydrocarbon deposits, creation and use of artificial islands, work in sea waters and on the continental shelf, prevention of death of wildlife during production processes, conservation of hunting resources.

    To replace the regulatory legal acts in force since 2000, documents have been adopted that approve the maximum permissible concentrations and conditions for the discharge of harmful substances, the discharge of which is permitted, as well as a list of harmful substances, the discharge of which into the waters of the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation is prohibited.

    The updated documents comply with the standards established in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships.

    The procedure for accepting the results of work on the reclamation (conservation) of lands in federal ownership has been clarified. A special commission will deal with this.

    The Ministry of Industry and Trade has adopted two Government resolutions in the area of creating and operating a system for automatic monitoring of pollutant emissions and/or discharges of pollutants.

    “Over the past 25 years, emissions requirements have become much stricter in many industries. Taking into account the new realities, we analyzed regulatory and legal acts and recommended the most important of them for re-publication in an updated form,” Dmitry Patrushev summed up the work.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Letter to the Prime Minister on improving the nation’s health through primary prevention

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    Letter to the Prime Minister on improving the nation’s health through primary prevention

    Advice to the Prime Minister on how government can improve the nation’s health through primary prevention.

    Documents

    CST advice on improving the nation’s health through primary prevention

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    CST advice on improving the nation’s health through primary prevention

    PDF, 222 KB, 8 pages

    Details

    In May 2025, the Council for Science and Technology (CST) provided advice to the Prime Minister on improving the nation’s health through primary prevention. CST recommended action in three key areas:

    • Demonstrate leadership by implementing bold interventions to tackle smoking, alcohol consumption, outdoor air pollution and obesity.
    • Prioritise childhood health to promote the nation’s overall wellbeing and future prosperity.
    • Scope and deliver a modern, personalised disease prevention service.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 June 2025

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic congratulates Peter the Great on his birthday

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    Today, June 9, marks 353 years since the birth of Peter I, the first Emperor of All Russia, the founder of St. Petersburg and a talented engineer, whose name our university proudly bears.

    The indomitable spirit, wisdom and foresight of Peter I forever changed the course of our country’s history. His large-scale reforms covered all aspects of public life in the Russian Empire and had a significant impact on the country’s further development. The Emperor laid the foundation for the modern state structure of Russia, formed a regular army and navy, and introduced a new education system.

    In 2015, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation issued an order to return the name of Peter the Great to our university, which was lost after the October Revolution. A year later, a ceremonial opening of a monument to Peter I took place in front of the main academic building of SPbPU.

    The Polytechnic University proudly continues the great work of the Emperor – to develop science and technology, to prepare personnel for the future of our country. His example inspires polytechnics to be just as purposeful, dedicated to their work and striving for perfection.

    Happy birthday, Peter the Great!

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SPbPU offered Venezuela cooperation in education and science

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    A working meeting with a delegation from the Ministry of Higher Education of Venezuela was held in the Committee for Science and Higher Education of St. Petersburg. The representatives of the friendly Latin American country were met by the Chairman of the Committee for Science and Higher Education Andrey Maksimov. Representatives of six universities of St. Petersburg took part in the meeting. The Polytechnic University was represented by the Head of the International Cooperation Department Vladimir Khizhnyak.

    The Venezuelan delegation was headed by the Minister of People’s Power for Higher Education, Richardo Mujica. The delegation included the Director General of the Directorate of Integration and International Relations, Gasparri Rey, the Director of Bilateral Meetings of the International Relations Department, Jimenez Cubillán, and the First Secretary of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the Russian Federation, Andrés González.

    During the meeting, Andrei Maksimov briefly spoke about St. Petersburg, which is one of the largest scientific and educational centers in Russia. It concentrates over ten percent of the country’s scientific potential, with more than 350 scientific organizations, including about 60 organizations of the Russian Academy of Sciences and other state academies. The human resources potential of science and education in St. Petersburg exceeds 170,000 employees of scientific organizations and universities, including approximately 9,000 doctors of science and 26,000 candidates of science. Andrei Stanislavovich presented the work of KNVS in general and the interaction of St. Petersburg universities with universities in Venezuela, in particular.

    Mr. Mujica began his speech by thanking Russia for supporting Venezuela in its fight against the aggressive policies of Western countries and expressing admiration for the courage and fortitude of the Russian people. He recalled that President Maduro had recently visited Russia, took part in events marking the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, and then visited St. Petersburg. Mr. Mujica also noted that Venezuela had adopted a program to develop cooperation with Russia in science and education. In accordance with this program, the number of students from this country in Russian universities should increase tenfold in the near future, from 200 to at least 2,000. A working group has been created at the Ministry to create an interuniversity university network of Venezuelan and Russian universities. It is planned to create joint programs and double degree programs. Priority areas of training are artificial intelligence, nanotechnology and new materials, agro-biotechnology, mining, etc. The issue of creating cultural and language centers in both Venezuela and Russia is also being worked on. The training of highly qualified personnel is also an urgent issue.

    Vladimir Khizhnyak spoke about the Polytechnic University and suggested areas of cooperation. He noted that the university has students from Venezuela, but there are not many of them, and our institutes are ready to accept many more representatives of this country in numerous training programs, including in English. Summer and winter school programs may also be of interest to students from Venezuela. Joint supervision of postgraduate students, participation of leading professors in dissertation councils and in the “Visiting Professor” program are also a good start for cooperation.

    Mr. Mujica responded positively to the proposal to visit the Polytechnic and conclude a cooperation agreement with the National Scientific University. It was opened recently and enjoys great support from the government of this country. He also noted that there are 25 polytechnic universities in Venezuela and he is ready to assist in establishing contacts with them. The country has adopted a 15-year program to support polytechnic universities.

    Mr. Mujica noted that the people of Venezuela remember that back in 1786, their compatriot, the hero of the national liberation struggle Francisco Miranda arrived in Russia and spent almost a year traveling around it. Catherine II granted him the rank of colonel of the Russian army, and he also received a passport of our country. The Empress allocated Miranda a cash subsidy to fight the Spanish colonizers and ordered a military squadron to be sent to the shores of Venezuela. So the friendship between our countries has deep roots and the Ministry of Higher Education is ready to contribute to its strengthening in every possible way.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Underwater robot could improve pipeline and cable security

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Underwater robot could improve pipeline and cable security

    Dstl has trialled an underwater robot which can prevent adversaries from sabotaging undersea cables and pipelines by disarming or removing threats.

    An underwater robot could soon be saving lives at sea for the Royal Navy and prevent adversaries from sabotaging undersea cables and pipelines.

    A commercially available remotely operated vehicle (ROV) has been adapted by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and industry partners to deal with sabotage threats and clear legacy unexploded ordnance. These present hazards to both vessels and divers deployed to deal with them.

    Dstl has incorporated or developed a number of systems to enable the ROV to detect unexploded ordnance and remotely place explosive charges to enable safe neutralization.

    Dstl explosives engineer John said:

    “This technology would be a valuable toolset for keeping our Armed Forces safe whilst providing the public with value for money.

    This unique capability with its sensors, tools and cameras will give operators a real time ability to deal with these underwater hazards in a safe, effective and efficient way.”

    The robot can operate at depths greater than divers can reach, and it can also work there safely for much longer.

    Underwater Robot Deploys Remote Explosive

    The new technology and systems developed will work in partnership with other robots to scan the seabed for hazards and will be able to deal with them once one is spotted.

    The robot can be launched from a ship or a shoreline and is operated remotely, feeding video and sonar images back to the operators.

    They will then be able to remotely deal with underwater hazards in relative safety.

    The robot is not normally destroyed, which means it can be used multiple times giving the public better value for money in addition to the economic benefits of partnering with industry. This project supports numerous specialist jobs in industry.

    Our specialists work closely with Royal Navy specialists to develop tactics and techniques as well as technology.

    Trials have taken place at:

    • Horsea Island in Portsmouth
    • Portland Harbour
    • South Wales
    • Norway

    Alford Technologies, Atlantas Marine, Sonardyne and ECS Special Projects are among the industry partners involved.

    This Royal Navy funded project has developed a number of cutting-edge technologies that have been tested in successful trials.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Immortality at a price: how the promise of delaying death has become a consumer marketing bonanza

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Amy Errmann, Senior Lecturer, Marketing & International Business, Auckland University of Technology

    Living forever has become the wellness and marketing trend of the 2020s. But cheating death – or at least delaying it – will come at a price.

    What was once the domain of scientists and the uber rich is increasingly becoming a consumer product. Those pushing the idea, spearheaded by tech billionaire Bryan Johnson’s “Don’t Die” movement, believe death isn’t inevitable, but is a solvable problem.

    The global longevity market – spanning gene therapies, anti-ageing drugs, diagnostics and wellness plans – is projected to hit US$610 billion this year. At its core, the marketing of these products feeds off the age-old fear of mortality and the desire to stay young.

    But while the marketing is reaching the masses, this is still very much a luxury product. Immortality is being sold as exclusive, aspirational and symbolic. It’s not just about living longer – it’s about signalling status, controlling biology and being your “best future self”.

    Tapping into long-held fears

    What’s known as “terror management theory” puts forward the idea that humans and other animals have an instinctive drive for self-preservation. But humans are not only self-aware, they are also able to anticipate future outcomes – including the inevitability of death.

    The messaging behind the push to extend life taps into this internal tension between knowledge of our own mortality and the self-preservation instinct. And to be fair, it is not a new phenomenon.

    Cryonics – the preservation of bodies and brains at extremely low temperatures with the hope medical advancements will allow for their revival at some point in the future – was first popularised in Robert Ettinger’s 1962 book The Prospect of Immortality.

    Since then, the super-rich have invested in various companies promising to preserve their bodies for some unknown future date. It now costs US$200,000 to freeze your body, or $80,000 for just your brain.

    What’s truly new is how death is being marketed – not as fate, but as a flaw. Longevity isn’t just about living longer; it’s about turning mortality into a design problem, something to delay, manage and eventually solve.

    “Biohacking” sells the idea that with the right data, tools and discipline, you can upgrade your biology – and become your best, most future-proof self.

    This pitch targets high-income consumers aged 30 to 60, people already fluent in the language of optimisation – a mindset focused on maximising performance, productivity and longevity through data.

    The brands behind the living forever movement sell control, optimisation and elite identity. Ageing becomes a personal failure. Anti-ageing is self-discipline. Consumers are cast as CEOs of their own health – tracking sleep, fixing their gut and taking supplements.

    From biohacks to consumer branding

    There are now more than 700 companies working in the longevity market. Startups such as Elysium Health and Human Longevity Inc. offer DNA testing, supplements and personalised health plans.

    These aren’t medical treatments – they’re sold as tools to age “smarter” or “slower” and are pitched with the language of control over what once might have seemed uncontrollable.

    Don’t Die’s Bryan Johnson spends over US$2 million annually on his personal anti-ageing experiment.

    But the real pitch is to consumers: buy back time, one premium subscription at a time. Johnson’s company Blueprint offers diagnostics, supplements and exercise routines bundled into monthly plans starting at $333 and climbing to over $1,600.

    Longevity products promise more than health. They promise time, control and even immortality. But the quest to live forever, or at least a lot longer, raises moral and ethical questions about who benefits, and what kind of world is being created.

    Without thoughtful oversight, these technologies risk becoming tools of exclusion, not progress. Because if time becomes a product, not everyone will get to check out at the same counter.

    Amy Errmann 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. Immortality at a price: how the promise of delaying death has become a consumer marketing bonanza – https://theconversation.com/immortality-at-a-price-how-the-promise-of-delaying-death-has-become-a-consumer-marketing-bonanza-257009

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 2-million-year-old pitted teeth from our ancient relatives reveal secrets about human evolution

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ian Towle, Research Fellow in Biological Anthropology, Monash University

    Ian Towle / The Conversation

    The enamel that forms the outer layer of our teeth might seem like an unlikely place to find clues about evolution. But it tells us more than you’d think about the relationships between our fossil ancestors and relatives.

    In our new study, published in the Journal of Human Evolution, we highlight a different aspect of enamel. In fact, we highlight its absence.

    Specifically, we show that tiny, shallow pits in fossil teeth may not be signs of malnutrition or disease. Instead, they may carry surprising evolutionary significance.

    You might be wondering why this matters. Well, for people like me who try to figure out how humans evolved and how all our ancestors and relatives were related to each other, teeth are very important. And having a new marker to look out for on fossil teeth could give us a new tool to help fit together our family tree.

    Uniform, circular and shallow

    These pits were first identified in the South African species Paranthropus robustus, a close relative of our own genus Homo. They are highly consistent in shape and size: uniform, circular and shallow.

    Initially, we thought the pits might be unique to P. robustus. But our latest research shows this kind of pitting also occurs in other Paranthropus species in eastern Africa. We even found it in some Australopithecus individuals, a genus that may have given rise to both Homo and Paranthropus.

    Uniform, circular and shallow pitting on teeth may be a previously undetected clue about evolutionary relationships.
    Towle et al. / Journal of Human Evolution

    The enamel pits have commonly been assumed to be defects resulting from stresses such as illness or malnutrition during childhood. However, their remarkable consistency across species, time and geography suggests these enamel pits may be something more interesting.

    The pitting is subtle, regularly spaced, and often clustered in specific regions of the tooth crown. It appears without any other signs of damage or abnormality.

    Two million years of evolution

    We looked at fossil teeth from hominins (humans and our closest extinct relatives) from the Omo Valley in Ethiopia, where we can see traces of more than two million years of human evolution, as well as comparisons with sites in southern Africa (Drimolen, Swartkrans and Kromdraai).

    The Omo collection includes teeth attributed to Paranthropus, Australopithecus and Homo, the three most recent and well-known hominin genera. This allowed us to track the telltale pitting across different branches of our evolutionary tree.

    What we found was unexpected. The uniform pitting appears regularly in both eastern and southern Africa Paranthropus, and also in the earliest eastern African Australopithecus teeth dating back around 3 million years. But among southern Africa Australopithecus and our own genus, Homo, the uniform pitting was notably absent.

    A defect … or just a trait?

    If the uniform pitting were caused by stress or disease, we might expect it to correlate with tooth size and enamel thickness, and to affect both front and back teeth. But it doesn’t.

    What’s more, stress-related defects typically form horizontal bands. They usually affect all teeth developing at the time of the stress, but this is not what we see with this pitting.

    The uniform, even nature of the pitting suggests a genetic origin rather than environmental factors such as malnutrition or disease.
    Towle et al. / Journal of Human Evolution

    We think this pitting probably has a developmental and genetic origin. It may have emerged as a byproduct of changes in how enamel was formed in these species. It might even have some unknown functional purpose.

    In any case, we suggest these uniform, circular pits should be viewed as a trait rather than a defect.

    A modern comparison

    Further support for the idea of a genetic origin comes from comparisons with a rare condition in humans today called amelogenesis imperfecta, which affects enamel formation.

    About one in 1,000 people today have amelogenesis imperfecta. By contrast, the uniform pitting we have seen appears in up to half of Paranthropus individuals.

    Although it likely has a genetic basis, we argue the even pitting is too common to be considered a harmful disorder. What’s more, it persisted at similar frequencies for millions of years.

    A new evolutionary marker

    If this uniform pitting really does have a genetic origin, we may be able to use it to trace evolutionary relationships.

    We already use subtle tooth features such as enamel thickness, cusp shape, and wear patterns to help identify species. The uniform pitting may be an additional diagnostic tool.

    For example, our findings support the idea that Paranthropus is a “monophyletic group”, meaning all its species descend from a (relatively) recent common ancestor, rather than evolving seperatly from different Australopithecus taxa.

    And we did not find this pitting in the southern Africa species Australopithecus africanus, despite a large sample of more than 500 teeth. However, it does appear in the earliest Omo Australopithecus specimens.

    So perhaps the pitting could also help pinpoint from where Paranthropus branched off on its own evolutionary path.

    An intriguing case

    One especially intriguing case is Homo floresiensis, the so-called “hobbit” species from Indonesia. Based on published images, their teeth appear to show similar pitting.

    If confirmed, this could suggest an evolutionary history more closely tied to earlier Australopithecus species than to Homo. However, H. floresiensis also shows potential skeletal and dental pathologies, so more research is needed before drawing such conclusions.

    More research is also needed to fully understand the processes behind the uniform pitting before it can be used routinely in taxonomic work. But our research shows it is likely a heritable characteristic, one not found in any living primates studied to date, nor in our own genus Homo (rare cases of amelogenesis imperfecta aside).

    As such, it offers an exciting new tool for exploring evolutionary relationships among fossil hominins.

    Ian Towle 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. 2-million-year-old pitted teeth from our ancient relatives reveal secrets about human evolution – https://theconversation.com/2-million-year-old-pitted-teeth-from-our-ancient-relatives-reveal-secrets-about-human-evolution-258390

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Curious Kids: Why do dolphins jump out of the water?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Katharina J. Peters, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong

    Will Falcon/Shutterstock

    Why do dolphins jump out of the water?

    Charlize, age 8, Melbourne

    Have you ever seen images of dolphins jumping out of the waves and performing impressive acrobatics in the air? Or maybe you’ve seen it in real life?

    When a dolphin jumps, it can launch its whole body out of the water. While it looks like fun, it must also be hard work!

    So, why do dolphins jump out of the water? There are several possible reasons. Let’s jump in and explore them.

    A dolphin can launch its whole body out of the water.
    Paulphin Photography/Shutterstock

    To stay in touch

    Dolphins are social animals and live in groups. But it’s hard to see long distances underwater. So, they use the power of sound to stay in contact with each other.

    Sound travels much farther underwater than through the air. When dolphins jump, the slap of the landing makes a loud noise, and would be heard some distance away.

    Some species, such as spinner dolphins, use jumping to communicate their location to other group members, especially at night. This helps them keep track of each other.

    As an aside, spinner dolphins are very skilled jumpers. As the name suggests, they spin up to seven times in the air before landing back in the water!

    Spinner dolphins are the acrobats of the sea.

    The need for speed

    Have you ever tried to walk underwater? You will have felt how hard it is. That’s because water is more dense than air, which creates a “drag”, or resistance.

    Dolphins have streamlined bodies to reduce drag, but they still feel it. So, if they want to travel quickly – for example, if they are trying to escape a predator or hunt fish – they sometimes jump.

    While in the air, they travel faster than they would through water, and also save energy.

    To gather food

    Some dolphins weigh less than 50 kilograms, such as the Hector’s dolphin. Others weigh several tonnes, such as an orca.

    Either way, when a dolphin crashes back into the water, you can be sure it makes quite a noisy splash.

    Some dolphin species, such as dusky dolphins, use this noise to herd fish at the surface to make them easier to capture.

    Shaking off hitchhikers

    Fish called remoras can attach themselves to dolphins using a sucker on their head. This is good for the fish, because it can keep them safe and they have plenty to eat, such as small parasites and old bits of dolphin skin.

    While the remoras don’t hurt the dolphin, they probably slow it down. So dolphins may try to get rid of the little hitchhikers by jumping to dislodge them.

    A dolphin calf jumping to remove remoras.

    Fighting and frolicking

    Dolphins are highly intelligent animals. They have big brains and can learn tricks and solve puzzles. With intelligence also come other traits: playfulness and social behaviour.

    Sometimes, that social behaviour can end in a “fight”. Dolphin experts say two dolphins jumping around together might be actually trying to hit each other!

    Dolphins also love to frolic – not just with each other but with other marine mammals such as whales and sea lions, with turtles – or even just a piece of seaweed! So they might jump as some sort of “game”.

    As you can see, dolphins may jump for a range of reasons – sometimes just because it’s really fun!

    Katharina J. Peters 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. Curious Kids: Why do dolphins jump out of the water? – https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-do-dolphins-jump-out-of-the-water-256462

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What can you do if you don’t like your child’s friends?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Rachael Murrihy, Director, The Kidman Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney

    Getty Images/ Wander Woman Collective

    Many parents will be familiar with this situation: your child has a good or even best friend, but you don’t like them.

    Perhaps the friend is bossy, has poor manners or jumps on your furniture. Maybe you don’t like the way your child behaves when they are with this friend.

    For older children, your dislike might relate to the friend’s language, attitude towards school, or risk-taking behaviours. Maybe the friend is hot and cold and elicits more drama than Mean Girls.

    What can parents do?



    Read more:
    How can you help your child make friends?

    You will have a protective instinct

    If you see your child being treated poorly, this can ignite a protective instinct in parents that manifests in a bodily “fight or flight” response.

    This provides a rush of adrenaline, which can spur parents to take actions such as criticising the friend or even attempting to ban the friendship.

    However, this approach can do more harm than good, particularly for adolescents who are hardwired to push back on their parents.

    What can you do for younger kids?

    With younger children, clear boundaries can be set at the outset of a playdate. For example, “my bedroom is off limits for playing” or “we don’t jump on the couch”.

    If kids are using mean or rude language around each other, you can say “we don’t use that word in this house, be kind to each other”.

    Playdates can be moved outside, which can be particularly helpful if a child shows loud, destructive or rude behaviour. And if you can help it, organise fewer plays with that child.

    But parents may also want to reflect on why this child rubs them the wrong way. Is the reaction warranted, or does it comes from your own biases and opinions? Your child’s friends do not have to be the friends you would choose.

    Change your approach for older kids

    To become successful adults, teens need to move through developmental milestones of becoming autonomous and self-reliant. Intervening in their friendships interferes with this vital process of developing independence and identity, which ultimately disempowers them.

    In the 1960s, US psychologist Diana Baumrind published famous research on parenting. She found an authoritarian style – where the parent exerts complete control and does not listen to the child’s needs – results in a child with less confidence and independence than one brought up in a household that has rules but is also responsive to their needs.

    Adopting an authoritarian approach to friends or potential partners also risks the “Romeo and Juliet” effect, whereby disapproval makes the child more attracted to that person.

    So, for teenagers and their friends, the approach should be more nuanced. The primary goal is to encourage the child to see the parent as a person to come to when they have problems. If parents are tempted to be critical, they could ask themself: is it in the best interests of your child to be controlled?

    It is important to let children make mistakes so they can learn from them. Learning about what they do and don’t want in relationships is a crucial life skill.



    Read more:
    ‘How was school today?’ How to help kids open up and say more than ‘fine’

    How can you talk about friendship?

    Fostering an open dialogue about friends and relationships can allow parents to have influence in a subtle and developmentally appropriate way.

    For younger children, you could use a quiet moment to ask questions like “what can you say to Charlotte if you don’t want to play her game anymore?” or “what’s a good way to deal with it if she is being too bossy?”

    For older children, ideally wait until your teen wants to connect, rather than launching into questions. Ask gentle, non-judgmental questions about their friendship, like “what do you like to do together?” or “tell me about what you have in common”.

    If they seem upset or uncomfortable in some way, resist the urge to dismiss or solve the problem. Simply listening is the key to helping the child work it out, so they feel supported but not judged.

    And remember, not all friendships last. As children move through school and grow, most will naturally make new friends and move on from old ones.

    Clearly, one exception to adopting a teen-led approach is when safety is at risk. If they are being bullied or abused in any form – even if the child is opposed – parents should step in and speak to the school or other relevant authorities.



    Read more:
    What can you do if your child is being bullied?

    Rachael Murrihy 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 can you do if you don’t like your child’s friends? – https://theconversation.com/what-can-you-do-if-you-dont-like-your-childs-friends-257353

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Measles cases are surging globally. Should children be vaccinated earlier?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Meru Sheel, Associate Professor, Infectious Diseases, Immunisation and Emergencies (IDIE) Group, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney

    EyeEm Mobile GmbH/Getty Images

    Measles has been rising globally in recent years. There were an estimated 10.3 million cases worldwide in 2023, a 20% increase from 2022.

    Outbreaks are being reported all over the world including in the United States, Europe and the Western Pacific region (which includes Australia). For example, Vietnam has reportedly seen thousands of cases in 2024 and 2025.

    In Australia, 77 cases of measles have been recorded in the first five months of 2025, compared with 57 cases in all of 2024.

    Measles cases in Australia are almost all related to international travel. They occur in travellers returning from overseas, or are contracted locally after mixing with an infected traveller or their contacts.

    Measles most commonly affects children and is preventable with vaccination, given in Australia in two doses at 12 and 18 months old. But in light of current outbreaks globally, is there a case for reviewing the timing of measles vaccinations?

    Some measles basics

    Measles is caused by a virus belonging to the genus Morbillivirus. Symptoms include a fever, cough, runny nose and a rash. While it presents as a mild illness in most cases, measles can lead to severe disease requiring hospitalisation, and even death. Large outbreaks can overwhelm health systems.

    Measles can have serious health consequences, such as in the brain and the immune system, years after the infection.

    Measles spreads from person to person via small respiratory droplets that can remain suspended in the air for two hours. It’s highly contagious – one person with measles can spread the infection to 12–18 people who aren’t immune.

    Because measles is so infectious, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends two-dose vaccination coverage above 95% to stop the spread and achieve “herd immunity”.

    Low and declining vaccine coverage, especially since the COVID pandemic, is driving global outbreaks.



    Read more:
    What are the symptoms of measles? How long does the vaccine last? Experts answer 6 key questions

    When are children vaccinated against measles?

    Newborn babies are generally protected against measles thanks to maternal antibodies. Maternal antibodies get passed from the mother to the baby via the placenta and in breast milk, and provide protection against infections including measles.

    The WHO advises everyone should receive two doses of measles vaccination. In places where there’s a lot of measles circulating, children are generally recommended to have the first dose at around nine months old. This is because it’s expected maternal antibodies would have declined significantly in most infants by that age, leaving them vulnerable to infection.

    If maternal measles antibodies are still present, the vaccine is less likely to produce an immune response.

    Research has also shown a measles vaccine given at less than 8.5 months of age can result in an antibody response which declines more quickly. This might be due to interference with maternal antibodies, but researchers are still trying to understand the reasons for this.

    A second dose of the vaccine is usually given 6–9 months later. A second dose is important because about 10–15% of children don’t develop antibodies after the first vaccine.

    In settings where measles transmission is under better control, a first dose is recommended at 12 months of age. Vaccination at 12 months compared with nine months is considered to generate a stronger, longer-lasting immune response.

    In Australia, children are routinely given the measles-mumps- rubella (MMR) vaccine at 12 months and the measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV, with “varicella” being chickenpox) vaccine at 18 months.

    Babies at higher risk of catching the disease can also be given an additional early dose. In Australia, this is recommended for infants as young as six months when there’s an outbreak or if they’re travelling overseas to a high-risk setting.

    A new study looking at measles antibodies in babies

    A recent review looked at measles antibody data from babies under nine months old living in low- and middle-income countries. The review combined the results from 20 studies, including more than 8,000 babies. The researchers found that while 81% of newborns had maternal antibodies to measles, only 30% of babies aged four months had maternal antibodies.

    This study suggests maternal antibodies to measles decline much earlier than previously thought. It raises the question of whether the first dose of measles vaccine is given too late to maximise infants’ protection, especially when there’s a lot of measles around.

    Should we bring the measles vaccine forward in Australia?

    All of the data in this study comes from low- and middle-income countries, and might not reflect the situation in Australia where we have much higher vaccine coverage for measles, and very few cases.

    Australia’s coverage for two doses of the MMR vaccine at age two is above 92%.

    Although this is lower than the optimal 95%, the overall risk of measles surging in Australia is relatively low.

    Nonetheless, there may be a case for broadening the age at which an early extra dose of the measles vaccine can be given to children at higher risk. In New Zealand, infants as young as four months can receive a measles vaccine before travelling to an endemic country.

    But the current routine immunisation schedule in Australia is unlikely to change.

    Adding an extra dose to the schedule would be costly and logistically difficult. Lowering the age for the first dose may have some advantages in certain settings, and doesn’t pose any safety concerns, but further evidence would be required to support this change. In particular, research is needed to ensure it wouldn’t negatively affect the longer-term protection that vaccination offers from measles.

    Making sure you’re protected

    In the meantime, ensuring high levels of measles vaccine coverage with two doses is a global priority.

    People born after 1966 are recommended to have two doses of measles vaccine. This is because those born before the mid-1960s likely caught measles as children (when the vaccine was not yet available) and would therefore have natural immunity.

    If you’re unsure about your vaccination status, you can check this through the Australian Immunisation Register. If you don’t have a documented record, ask your doctor for advice.

    Catch-up vaccination is available under the National Immunisation Program.

    Meru Sheel receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    Anita Heywood 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. Measles cases are surging globally. Should children be vaccinated earlier? – https://theconversation.com/measles-cases-are-surging-globally-should-children-be-vaccinated-earlier-257942

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: France’s fast fashion bill risks blowback from China, experts warn

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    France’s proposed crackdown on ultra-fast fashion risks derailing billions of euros in trade with China, as experts accuse the bill of targeting Chinese e-commerce giants under the veneer of environmental concern.

    They made the comments as the bill, now under heated debate in the French National Assembly, claims to address the environmental footprint of cheap, disposable clothing. But its wording and intention have sharpened into singling out e-commerce giants like Shein, Temu and AliExpress, all of which are deeply embedded in China’s garment supply chain.

    “This isn’t about sustainability anymore,” said Wang Peng, a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences. “It’s about weaponizing policy to suppress rising Chinese players and destabilize global free trade.”

    The French Trade Council and the Confederation of French Trade are among the most vocal backers. In a joint open letter, supported by 14 federations and over 230 brands, they called for the government to immediately delist the three Chinese platforms, claiming that “85 percent to 95 percent” of their goods fail to meet EU standards.

    But critics argue the legislation is too targeted to be purely environmental. Chen Jin, professor of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said that instead of regulating environmental impact across the board, the bill seems surgically designed to curb China’s growing dominance in fast fashion.

    It also echoed Audrey Millet, a fashion historian and University of Oslo scholar who was nominated for the Renaudot Essay Prize in 2022, who said that the bill is no longer about sustainability and it is possibly aimed at galvanizing votes ahead of the European Parliament elections.

    France has long relied on China as its top clothing supplier. According to the French Institute for Economic Research, the proposed bill could hike clothing prices by 5 to 10 euros per item—costs that would likely fall on French consumers.

    “Hostile policy moves like this won’t just hurt Chinese firms,” Wang warned. “They’ll hit French shoppers and shake the very foundation of bilateral trade”.

    Those foundations are already showing cracks. In February 2025, French cognac exports to China plummeted 72 percent year-on-year, according to Socialist Party lawmaker Fabrice Barusseau, who represents France’s cognac-producing region. China accounts for a quarter of France’s total cognac sales.

    Beyond spirits, Chinese consumers are propping up France’s entire luxury sector. LVMH’s top executive also warned French lawmakers that 80 percent of French cognac exports are sold in just two markets—China and the US—and that continued hostilities could upend the industry.

    Chinese consumers have fueled a historic rally in France’s CAC 40 index, with LVMH, Hermès, Kering and L’Oréal accounting for over a third of the index’s gains in 2023.

    “If Paris insists on pushing forward with a bill that’s seen as discriminatory and politically charged, Beijing won’t stay silent,” said Wang. “And when the response comes, it won’t just be Shein, Temu and Aliexpress that feel the sting—it could be French luxury brands, too.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU Faculty of Information Technology graduates developed a system for monitoring the condition of water intake wells

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Graduates Faculty of Information Technology (FIT) NSU developed a system for monitoring the condition of water intake wells — a hardware and software complex that allows real-time monitoring of key parameters of their operation. The complex includes sensors installed on wells, a server platform for collecting and analyzing data, as well as a user interface — a web version and a mobile application on Android. The development has already been implemented and is used by employees of OJSC Suzunskoye ZhKH in the Novosibirsk Region, where the system collects data on the water level and electricity consumption of pumping equipment at wells.

    The idea for the project emerged two years ago, when the task of developing a comprehensive monitoring system was announced at a meeting of the technical council of the State Institution of the Novosibirsk Region “Project Directorate of the Ministry of Housing and Public Utilities of the Novosibirsk Region”. This initiative was picked up by Alexey Fage, a graduate of the NSU Institute of Information Technologies and a candidate of technical sciences. Over the next year, he studied the requirements of potential users and technical solutions for completing the tasks. Subsequently, the team was joined by Alexander Vlasov, a graduate of the NSU Institute of Information Technologies and a candidate of technical sciences, and Efim Pashko, a third-year student of the NSU Institute of Information Technologies at that time. Alexey managed the project and also developed software for the hardware part of the project, responsible for recording sensor readings at the well. Efim, under the guidance of his scientific advisor Alexander Vlasov, worked on the server part and the user interface, including the web version and mobile application. The development is Efim’s diploma project. This example clearly demonstrates how graduates of the Faculty of Information Technology of NSU continue to actively participate in the life of their university, offering students relevant and interesting projects that can grow into significant developments.

    There are various water well monitoring systems on the Russian market, but the system under review has no complete analogues on the open market. Existing approaches can be divided into 2 types. Thus, the first type collects data on well parameters and automatically sends them to a remote server. However, such solutions are usually part of larger, universal industrial automation systems. For example, these can be water well control systems with a load distribution function. These complex systems are usually much more expensive and often require the customer to independently organize and maintain the server infrastructure. Another approach is represented by simpler systems, where a sensor is installed on the well, which collects data on the internal memory. In this case, manual intervention is required to unload and analyze the data – the operator must come to the site with a laptop, which is extremely inconvenient for remote wells.

    — We are trying to create a specialized, but at the same time extremely easy-to-use system, which can be described as “install and forget”. It is designed with a wide range of consumers in mind, who only need to know how to use a smartphone. In essence, this is a regular user service in the modern sense, — explained Efim Pashko.

    The monitoring system consists of three parts. The first is the one installed directly on the well. These are sensors and a single-board computer that collects readings from the sensors and sends them to the server. The second is the server part, which receives, saves and processes all data coming from the sensors. In the future, the server part will also include a data analysis module. The third part is access to this data, which is carried out either through a computer (web browser) or through a phone (mobile application).

    Currently, a pilot project for the implementation of this system is being implemented with OJSC Suzunskoye ZhKH in the Novosibirsk Region. The developers are collecting feedback from users in order to further refine and improve the system. Thus, with the help of sensors, it is monitored whether the dynamic water level in the well (the water level in the well during pump operation) corresponds to the passport, since operation with a low level can lead to premature failure of the well. The system also records problems with the power supply, for example, phase imbalance – a violation of the uniform distribution of voltage between the phases, which can result in damage to electrical equipment.

    Thus, continuous monitoring of well parameters contributes to a more accurate assessment of the condition of the equipment and the water intake as a whole, which has a positive impact on maintenance planning and operational strategy.

    The relevance of the development is also due to new regulatory requirements. Thus, in May, a new decree of the Government of the Russian Federation was issued, according to which legal entities – owners of wells – must monitor their condition, since in the case of operating wells with a water level below the permissible level, this can not only lead to equipment failure, but also adversely affect the condition of the aquifer and harm the environment. The monitoring system allows you to promptly record the occurrence of such situations and take measures to eliminate them. In addition, the availability of objective data collected by the system reduces the likelihood of conflicts between operating organizations and regulatory authorities (for example, the Ministry of Natural Resources) – due to increased transparency and accountability of actions.

    Currently, the system collects water level data and electrical energy indicators (voltage, current, reactive and active power). However, the hardware is quite versatile, so it allows you to include additional sensors and expand the range of collected data, for example, add parameters such as water temperature, water flow at the well outlet, pressure in the main line, etc. Also, in the future, the developers plan to expand the functionality of the system, in particular, automate the compilation of reports and improve the data processing module using artificial intelligence technologies.

    — Of course, the mathematical method that we are currently using allows us to analyze data quite deeply, but machine learning opens up new horizons. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I will apply for a master’s degree in a field related to machine learning and will continue working on this project. It is quite possible that I will find a new technology that can be applied, — added Efim.

    This solution was recently presented to the Minister of Housing and Public Utilities and Energy of the Novosibirsk Region. The system interested the Minister, who confirmed the relevance of its implementation. Work is currently underway on a feasibility study for subsequent presentation to the Governor of the Novosibirsk Region.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 9, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 9, 2025.

    Israeli forces intercept Gaza freedom aid boat Madleen – cut communications
    Pacific Media Watch Contact has been lost with the Gaza Freedom Flotilla humanitarian aid boat Madleen after Israeli commandos intercepted it in international waters. The commandos demanded that everyone on board turn off their phones, and the boat lost contact with Al Jazeera Mubasher journalist Omar Faiad as well as its live feed, reports the

    NZ homes are notorious for being cold and damp. Here are 4 ways to make yours feel warmer this winter
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Tookey, Professor of Construction Management, Auckland University of Technology New Zealand has just been hit by the first big cold snap of 2025 and, like every year, many New Zealanders will be reaching for an extra jumper, slippers and maybe a blanket to try and keep

    2-million-year-old pitted teeth from our ancient relatives reveal secrets about human evolution
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Towle, Research Fellow in Biological Anthropology, Monash University Ian Towle / The Conversation The enamel that forms the outer layer of our teeth might seem like an unlikely place to find clues about evolution. But it tells us more than you’d think about the relationships between

    Curious Kids: Why do dolphins jump out of the water?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katharina J. Peters, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Will Falcon/Shutterstock Why do dolphins jump out of the water? Charlize, age 8, Melbourne Have you ever seen images of dolphins jumping out of the waves and performing impressive acrobatics in the air? Or maybe you’ve seen

    How Trump’s trade war is supercharging the fast fashion industry
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mona Mashhadi Rajabi, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Technology Sydney Jade Gao/Getty Images When US President Donald Trump introduced sweeping new tariffs on Chinese imports the goal was to bring manufacturing back to American soil and protect local jobs. However, this process of re-shoring is complex and

    Can Israel still claim self-defence to justify its Gaza war? Here’s what the law says
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Donald Rothwell, Professor of International Law, Australian National University On October 7 2023, more than 1,000 Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel and went on a killing spree, murdering 1,200 men, women and children and abducting another 250 people to take back to Gaza. It was the

    Measles cases are surging globally. Should children be vaccinated earlier?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meru Sheel, Associate Professor, Infectious Diseases, Immunisation and Emergencies (IDIE) Group, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney EyeEm Mobile GmbH/Getty Images Measles has been rising globally in recent years. There were an estimated 10.3 million cases worldwide in 2023, a 20% increase from 2022. Outbreaks

    What can you do if you don’t like your child’s friends?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachael Murrihy, Director, The Kidman Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney Getty Images/ Wander Woman Collective Many parents will be familiar with this situation: your child has a good or even best friend, but you don’t like them. Perhaps the friend is bossy, has poor

    Immortality at a price: how the promise of delaying death has become a consumer marketing bonanza
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Errmann, Senior Lecturer, Marketing & International Business, Auckland University of Technology Living forever has become the wellness and marketing trend of the 2020s. But cheating death – or at least delaying it – will come at a price. What was once the domain of scientists and

    Why bystanders defend bad behaviour at work — even when they know it’s wrong
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zhanna Lyubykh, Assistant Professor, Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University Rather than intervening, supporting targets or reporting the misconduct, bystanders may downplay it, withdraw support or even blame the target, which ultimately reinforces the mistreatment. (Shutterstock) “You always mess things up. Why are you even on

    Phil Goff: Israel doesn’t care how many innocent people it’s killing in Gaza
    COMMENTARY: By Phil Goff “What we are doing in Gaza now is a war of devastation: indiscriminate, limitless, cruel and criminal killing of civilians. It’s the result of government policy — knowingly, evilly, maliciously, irresponsibly dictated.” This statement was made not by a foreign or liberal critic of Israel but by the former Prime Minister

    New Zealand’s foreign policy stance on Palestine lacks transparency
    COMMENTARY: By John Hobbs It is difficult to understand what sits behind the New Zealand government’s unwillingness to sanction, or threaten to sanction, the Israeli government for its genocide against the Palestinian people. The United Nations, human rights groups, legal experts and now genocide experts have all agreed it really is “genocide” which is being

    The blow-up between Elon Musk and Donald Trump has been entertaining, but how did things go so bad, so fast?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Maher, Lecturer in Politics, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney A no-holds-barred and very public blow-up between the world’s richest man and the president of the United States has had social media agog in recent days, with each making serious accusations against the

    Gaza plea: RSF, CPJ and 150+ media outlets call on Israel to open Strip to foreign journalists, protect Palestinian reporters
    Pacific Media Watch More than 150 press freedom advocacy groups and international newsrooms have joined Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in issuing a public appeal demanding that Israel grant foreign journalists immediate, independent and unrestricted access to the Gaza Strip. The organisations are also calling for the full protection

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: UN Ocean Conference to focus on biodiversity, subsidies, “30X30 goal”

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Volunteers pick up litter during a beach cleanup campaign at Flamengo Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, March 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), to be held in Nice, France, from June 9 to 13, 2025, will center on three core objectives: conserving marine biodiversity, eliminating harmful fisheries subsidies, and advancing the global “30×30” target.

    Rising ocean temperatures, acidification, and oxygen loss are undermining the ocean’s ability to regulate the climate, according to scientists from the One Ocean Science Congress. These environmental shifts, together with rising sea levels, pose a serious threat to global infrastructure and life on Earth, they warned in a recent statement meant to inform decision-makers gathering in Nice.

    In this context, UNOC3 will convene governments, international financial institutions, non-governmental organizations, researchers, civil society groups, and private sector stakeholders to address challenges and explore opportunities linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14: to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

    The conference will feature ten plenary sessions and ten roundtable discussions, along with numerous side events.

    A top priority will be to secure the 60 ratifications needed to bring into force the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, known as the “BBNJ Agreement.” Adopted in 2023, the accord aims to safeguard marine ecosystems in international waters. So far, only 32 countries have ratified it. The deadline for reaching the 60-country threshold is Sept. 20, 2025.

    “The goal for Nice is to achieve at least 60 ratifications to ensure the agreement’s entry into force. We aren’t there yet… There is still a lot of work to be done,” French President Emmanuel Macron said, as quoted by Le Monde.

    The second objective targets the prohibition of harmful fisheries subsidies, widely seen as a major driver of global fish stock depletion. While the World Trade Organization adopted an agreement on this issue in June 2022, it still requires formal ratification by two-thirds of its members – or 111 countries – with only 101 having done so to date.

    Macron also emphasized the importance of combatting “illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing,” Le Monde reported.

    The third major aim concerns achieving the “30×30” goal – the commitment to protect 30 percent of the oceans by 2030. Currently, only around 8 percent of marine areas enjoy some form of protection.

    To close the financial gap and support ocean conservation, conference participants will discuss innovative funding instruments such as “Blue bonds” and “Blue loans” to advance a sustainable ocean economy. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ homes are notorious for being cold and damp. Here are 4 ways to make yours feel warmer this winter

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Tookey, Professor of Construction Management, Auckland University of Technology

    New Zealand has just been hit by the first big cold snap of 2025 and, like every year, many New Zealanders will be reaching for an extra jumper, slippers and maybe a blanket to try and keep warm.

    New Zealand’s housing stock has long been criticised for being damp, cold and ill-suited to the climate.

    In the 2018 Census, households were asked about the state of their homes. According to Stats NZ, 318,891 homes in New Zealand (21.5%) were affected by dampness and 252,855 (16.9%) had visible mould larger than A4 size at least some of the time.

    While the World Health Organization recommends a minimum indoor temperature of 18˚C, many homes in New Zealand fall below these thresholds, with some experiencing temperatures less than 16°C.

    Even when homes are built to code, there can still be issues and health risks. A lot of New Zealand’s housing is not fit for purpose – particularly at this time of the year.

    While improving heating and standards is a homeowner choice, for landlords it is increasingly a requirement. Over recent years landlords have faced increasing costs to achieve legal heating, ventilation and insulation requirements within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy.

    For everyone else, there are ways to make homes more efficient to heat and comfortable to live in. Here are four ways to keep heat in your home this winter – some simple and affordable, while others are more of an investment.

    Insulation is your friend

    Firstly, insulation is our friend in winter. Double glazing is excellent but expensive (between NZ$450/m2 and $1500/m2) and subject to restrictions in heritage buildings. There are other options.

    Secondary glazing with glass, acrylic or applique plastic sheets can be a significantly more cost-effective option.

    Where possible, home owners should be looking at ways to add to thermal efficiency by increasing insulation.

    Walls can be retrofitted with cavity fillers. If your budget can stretch to it, rigid insulation board is also effective. Under the floor and in the roof spaces are favourites for these upgrades. They are relatively cheap improvements to make and generally pay for themselves.

    Target draughts

    Secondly, a warm and dry home requires finding and eliminating draughts.

    For many years, building scientists have sought to achieve airtight homes. An airtight home substantially reduces heat loss in winter.

    Temporary and permanent improvements can be made by buying or making some draught excluders and door sweeps for doorways. But specialist products such as adhesive-backed foam tape or V-strip weatherstripping around door and window frames are also very effective.

    Even just using masking tape during winter to seal the gaps in unused windows can help keep warmth in the home.

    Windows and a compass

    Third, use your window orientation strategically. Invest in heavier curtains (or blinds) that insulate windows. Then use a compass (you probably have a compass app on your phone) to work out which way is north.

    North-facing windows catch the sun during the day, and contribute to thermal gain in a house. South-facing windows are in shadow all day and tend to act as a heat sink, losing energy throughout the day.

    During the day, ensure curtains and blinds are open on the north side and closed on the south side. As soon as night falls, close the curtains to retain maximum heat. Try to keep unused rooms closed off and stick to the naturally warmer spaces.

    Move heat around

    Fourth, use ceiling fans, heat pumps, and dehumidifiers to maximise the available heat in your house.

    Heat will stratify into layers in your house. It is always going to be warmer near the ceiling of each room. Usually, the loft space is the warmest of all through maximum thermal gain during the day.

    Using a ducted heat pump can recycle that heat to the living spaces. Similarly, if you set the ceiling fan to move air around the room you will make the most of what you have. Ideally, run the ceiling fan backwards (clockwise) if it has that option, to create an updraught rather than a downdraught to aid circulation.

    Dehumidifiers are extremely useful in increasing the feeling of warmth in a house. During operation, they release some latent heat while condensing water. Dry air is easier to heat, making your heating more efficient.

    Your home can make you sick

    Cold damp homes can have significant health impacts, including respiratory issues, rheumatic fever and skin infections – particularly for children and vulnerable people.

    Targeting heat loss and dampness can help improve conditions. Will it ensure every home is warm and toasty? No. But these steps can make their homes just a little bit warmer – and healthier – this winter.

    John Tookey 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. NZ homes are notorious for being cold and damp. Here are 4 ways to make yours feel warmer this winter – https://theconversation.com/nz-homes-are-notorious-for-being-cold-and-damp-here-are-4-ways-to-make-yours-feel-warmer-this-winter-257893

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Prestigious award for experienced brigade captain

    Source:

    Sharon Merritt AFSM has received the prestigious Australian Fire Service Medal in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours for her outstanding service to CFA and the community.

    Sharon has been a CFA member for 28 years, initially as a volunteer firefighter and then a staff member for more than 15 years. Since 2003, Sharon has served as captain of Macclesfield Fire Brigade, showing exceptional leadership in a specialised large animal rescue brigade.  

    Sharon is a qualified sector commander, strike team leader, crew leader, and Level 3 fire behaviour analyst and safety officer. She has responded to many significant incidents at the local level, interstate and overseas deployments. She was a Level 3 incident management team safety officer during the 2019-20 Victorian fires and was a strike team leader and sector commander during the 2009 fires. 

    “I spent most of the 2019-20 fire season away from home,” Sharon said. “I was everywhere and saw all of Gippsland. I was surprised by the scale of the fires. They covered huge areas over a long period of time. It was incredible. 

    “As a safety officer I was in the field and in incident control centres. My role was to look after the safety of firefighters, both physical and psychological. It was a challenge dealing with a wide range of safety issues. A particular challenge was making sure crews could safely get to Mallacoota on a single road that was impacted by hazardous trees.”    

    She recognised the specialist response needed for large animals in distress, including during bushfires and floods, and she was integral in developing the brigade’s large animal rescue unit, one of only two in Victoria. This type of rescue needs specialist knowledge and understanding of large animals as well as considering the needs of the surrounding community.  

    “Our brigade had responded to horse rescues for the past 15 years, as there are a large number of horses in our area and they can get stuck in a lot of places,” Sharon said. “The number of rescues increased over the past 10 years, but we didn’t have the correct equipment to deal with them. Luckily, equipment was donated to the brigade by riding schools.  

    “Brigade members were trained in large animal rescue by overseas’ experts, we did accredited training, and it grew from there.”  

    In addition to large animal rescue, Sharon has been an advocate for educating horse owners about effective management practices during bushfires. Moreover, her work has played a significant role in mitigating the risks associated with the interaction between emergency services and the equine community in the challenging and dynamic conditions of a bushfire.  

    Sharon was the first woman in District 13’s Dandenong Ranges Group to become a captain. Under her leadership, the number of women firefighters in Macclesfield Fire Brigade has doubled. 

    She is passionate about mentoring women in CFA, providing operational training (including one-on-one General Firefighter training) to women staff in District 13.  

    Sharon led the brigade during the planning and construction of the new Macclesfield Fire Station, which was completed in 2010, and was instrumental in acquiring the land for it.  

    As a qualified trainer/assessor, Sharon is endorsed to train members in General Firefighter, Suppress Wildfire, Respond to Isolated Structure Fire (Low Structure), Hazmat Awareness, and Crew Leadership.  

    She is also a volunteer structural and wildfire fire investigator and was recently part of the team that investigated the significant Yering Golf Club fire.  

    “I started investigating fires in 1998 and I have conducted more than 600 investigations as a volunteer. I’m fascinated by the science and determining the cause – I’m interested in why things happen. I’ve also been to court several times as a witness.” 

    For 12 years, she worked as a CFA staff member as a vegetation management officer, focusing on bushfire risk management through prevention and mitigation efforts. Her expertise in developing and implementing fuel management plans across District 13 included cultural and ecological fire management. As a qualified Level 3 burns controller, she played a crucial role in community preparedness. 

    “I conducted burns every year for 12 years in District 13,” Sharon said. “I remember a planned burn near Silvan Reservoir that was particularly effective. About two years after the burn there was a lightning strike on the burnt ground. Although it caused a fire, it was brought under control quickly. Also, if the area hadn’t been previously burned, the fire would have showered Monbulk with embers and caused more fires. The planned burn worked and there were no embers.”      

    Submitted by CFA media

    MIL OSI News –