NewzIntel.com

Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tickets Now on Sale for Maritime and Regional History Symposium at Historic Edenton State Historic Site

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Tickets Now on Sale for Maritime and Regional History Symposium at Historic Edenton State Historic Site

    Tickets Now on Sale for Maritime and Regional History Symposium at Historic Edenton State Historic Site
    jejohnson6

    Historic Edenton State Historic Site will host “Devil to Pay and No Pitch Hot,” an engaging, day-long symposium highlighting maritime, regional, and Edenton history on Saturday, June 7. This unique event will feature expert presentations, followed by a special guided tour of the iconic 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse.

    Beginning at 10 a.m., the symposium will feature presentations from archaeologists, curators, and historians, who will discuss various topics related to maritime history and the local heritage of Edenton and the surrounding region. A full schedule will be posted on Historic Edenton’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Tickets for the event are $10 each and can be purchased in advance. Day-of tickets are not guaranteed, as seats are limited. To secure your spot, contact the Historic Edenton Visitor Center at (252) 632-5020. Tickets are non-refundable and payment is accepted by cash or check only.

    A highlight of the day will be a tour of the Roanoke River Lighthouse, the last surviving intact 19th-century screw-pile lighthouse in North Carolina. Constructed in 1886, this unique historic structure has been restored to reflect the life and work of a lighthouse keeper in the late 1800s. This is an exceptional opportunity to explore the rich maritime history of the region.

    About Historic Edenton
    Historic Edenton State Historic Site offers a glimpse into life in one of North Carolina’s earliest colonial capitals. Located along the picturesque Edenton Bay, the site interprets the area’s rich maritime and political history through guided tours, special programs, and engaging exhibits. Visitors can explore several preserved and restored structures, including the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse, the James Iredell House, and the Roanoke River Lighthouse, set amidst the charm of Edenton’s renowned historic district. The visitor center is located at 108 N. Broad Street and is open Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The site is administered by the Division of State Historic Sites within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Apr 30, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Questions Commerce Deputy Sec Nominee on Drastic NOAA Cuts: “We Are Going to Hold This Administration Accountable.”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    05.01.25

    Cantwell Questions Commerce Deputy Sec Nominee on Drastic NOAA Cuts: “We Are Going to Hold This Administration Accountable.”

    At committee hearing, Cantwell takes Dabbar to task over admin’s decision to slash 2.5K employees from NOAA NOAA’s core functions like weather forecasting, predicting climate change impacts, and fishery stock assessments are crucial to the PNW

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, grilled Paul Dabbar – President Trump’s nominee to serve as Deputy Secretary of Commerce – on the administration’s plans to gut the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) during a hearing before the Commerce committee.

    “The Department continues to slash essential workers at NOAA, with approximately 2,500 employees of the 12,000-person workforce fired or otherwise departing since the start of this administration. These staffing shortages are already impacting NOAA’s core functions, including reduced and suspended weather balloon launches at many of our weather forecast offices — and I can’t tell you how important this is for us, particularly related to fire season, these NOAA weather activities are giving us essential data about how best to prepare for fire season — and further cuts are expected in the coming weeks.

    “On top of that, the Trump administration is pursuing a 2026 budget proposal that would reduce NOAA’s budget by more than 27%, including a 75% cut to the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, the closures of all its weather climate labs, and an 85% cut to the Office of Space Commerce.

    “I can tell you this, Mr. Dabbar, as somebody who ran a science organization, that we are going to hold this administration accountable for the cuts in science. It is not acceptable. Innovation is the way we’re going to grow our economy. It is the way we are going to protect our industries that exist today.

    “At the same time, the administration is calling for major reorganizations of NOAA, including moving part of the National [Marine Fisheries] Service to the Department of Interior. I’m not sure why the most important management resource we have for our fisheries, having our science management system, we would give up to the Department of Interior.

    “I’m particularly shocked to see this proposal, given that Mr. Lutnick promised to me during this confirmation hearing that ‘I have no interest in separating NOAA.’ And that breaking up NOAA ‘is not on my agenda.’ What changed?” Sen. Cantwell said.

    In February, Sen. Cantwell voted against confirming Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, citing – among other issues – his “tepid support” for NOAA. She then sent a letter to Lutnick directly following his confirmation calling on him to exempt the National Weather Service (NWS) from the federal hiring freeze, and protect all NOAA workers from firings “that would jeopardize the safety of the American public.”

    NOAA provides critical services to the nation including weather forecasts, extreme storm tracking and monitoring, tools to enable communities to adapt to sea level rise and climate change, supporting fisheries management, and conserving marine mammals and other protected species.

    Sen. Cantwell is a champion of NOAA and helped secure $3.3 billion in NOAA investments in the Inflation Reduction Act to help communities prepare for and adapt to climate change, boost science needed to understand changing weather and climate patterns, and invest in advanced computer technologies that are critical for extreme weather prediction and emergency response. Her Fire Ready Nation Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen NOAA’s ability to help forecast, prevent, and fight wildfires, passed the Commerce committee unanimously earlier this year and now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

    Video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks in the hearing today can be watched HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Commerce Committee Unanimously Passes Sullivan-Whitehouse FISH Act to Combat Illegal Foreign Seafood Harvest

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    05.01.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) thanked their colleagues on the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee for unanimously passing their Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvest (FISH) Act yesterday. The FISH Act would combat foreign illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by blacklisting offending vessels from U.S. ports and waters, bolstering the U.S. Coast Guard’s enforcement capabilities and partnerships, and advancing international and bilateral negotiations to achieve enforceable agreements and treaties. The legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

    [embedded content]

    “The geopolitics of the North Pacific and the Arctic are changing dramatically, with Russia and China increasing their aggression and ruinous activities near Alaska’s waters,” said Sen. Sullivan. “One particularly insidious threat is Chinese and Russian fishing fleets that ignore basic seafood harvest rules and best practices, and ravage fish stocks without regard for any other users or future generations. These grey fleets, which literally utilize slave labor in many cases, are a cancer on fisheries throughout the world and undercut our fishermen, who fish sustainably. I want to thank my Commerce Committee colleagues for unanimously passing our FISH Act and fighting back against IUU fishing on behalf of our fishermen and coastal communities.”

    “I thank Senator Sullivan, my longtime partner on oceans issues, for his leadership in shepherding the bipartisan FISH Act through the Commerce Committee. Our bill cracks down on illegal pirate fishing operations to level the playing field for Rhode Island fishermen and processors who play by the rules, and will help nurture the fisheries that keep our oceans and coastal communities so healthy and vibrant,” said Sen. Whitehouse, co-founder of the Senate Oceans Caucus.

    The FISH Act builds on prior landmark legislation against IUU fishing, including the Maritime SAFE Act, authored by Senators Wicker and Chris Coons (D-Del.) and signed into law in December 2019 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.

    Key provisions of the FISH Act: 

    • Direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a blacklist of foreign vessels and owners that have engaged in IUU fishing.
    • Direct the administration to address IUU fishing in any relevant international agreement.
    • Direct the U.S. Coast Guard to increase its work with partner countries and increase at-sea inspection of foreign vessels suspected of IUU fishing.
    • Direct the administration to report to Congress on how new technologies can aid in the fight against IUU fishing, the complexities of the seafood trade relationship between Russia and China, and the economic costs of IUU fishing to the U.S.

    On April 17, President Trump signed an executive order, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness,” directing the Secretary of Commerce, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), and Interagency Seafood Trade Task Force to assess seafood competitiveness issues and collectively develop a comprehensive seafood trade strategy. Among these strategies, the USTR will examine the relevant trade practices of major seafood-producing nations, including IUU fishing and the use of forced labor in the seafood supply chain.

    Senators Sullivan and Whitehouse have worked together extensively on ocean sustainability issues, most notably on the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act, the most comprehensive legislation ever to address the global marine debris crisis, which became law in 2020.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Freedom in an age of climate crisis and trade wars: Lessons from philosopher Immanuel Kant

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Rafael Ziegler, Professor, Department of Managment, HEC Montréal

    A decade ago, the majority of nations committed to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, pledging to “leave no one behind” by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions globally by 2050.

    Ten years on, the sentiment regarding such aspirations is skeptical and the mood gloomy. With the rise of autocracies and the influence of libertarian tech-billionaires on politics, goals such as development for all and climate neutrality seem to be relics of the past.

    The United States, the most powerful country in the world, is at the heart of this shift. In 1776, the U.S. declared independence and was founded on the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. Today, however, it is increasingly known for its disregard of life, legislative attacks on civil liberties and creating global insecurity through tariffs.

    In the midst of all this, it’s important to remember ours is not the first generation to face dark times. As my recent research argues, Immanuel Kant’s philosophy can offer us valuable tools for navigating today’s challenges.

    Kant’s vision of possible progress

    A painted portrait of German philosopher and Enlightenment thinker Immanuel Kant circa 1790.
    (Wikimedia Commons)

    In 1776, the same year the U.S. was founded, Kant was preparing his breakthrough critical philosophy and lecturing on freedom and pragmatic anthropology, all while living in the absolutist monarchy of Prussia.

    At the time, Prussia was using its military to expand its territory and enforce internal colonization over land and peoples.

    Amid this, Kant observed the contradictions of human nature — people who acted both good and bad, cruel and respectful of others — and described humanity as “crooked timber.” Yet Kant insisted on viewing this “crooked timber” through the lens of freedom.

    At the centre of Kant’s universalist, freedom-focused vision for the future was the idea of a world where all people lived in dignity. It is focused on autonomy as the capacity to self-legislate. Freedom served as his North Star for what is today called “backcasting,” or thinking backward from a desired future to identify possible paths toward achieving it.



    Read more:
    Explainer: the ideas of Kant

    In this spirit, Kant observed the rise of competitive markets that rewarded selfishness and greed, and argued that law and international co-operation — what he called a federation of republics — could turn antagonism into springs of progress. In other words, he analyzed the discord and conflict of his present for signs of possible progress.

    Crucial for the identification of such possibilities was the freedom of public reason: people thinking for themselves and contributing to public debate.

    Thinking long-term about freedom

    What can we learn from Kant about navigating today’s multiple crises?

    First, focus on freedom from a long-term perspective. The current trade war will likely reduce economic growth, but they may also advance the re-regionalization of economies — an idea long supported by post-growth economists seeking sustainable prosperity.

    However, regional production is not inherently good. Rather, we need a public discussion about which essential goods — food, for example — are best mostly supplied regionally, by whom and where international co-operation is called for.

    The climate crisis requires plans not fixes

    Second, Kant’s insights remind us that freedom must be pursued within the reality of a shared, finite planet. Climate change is not a problem that can be solved overnight. Emissions don’t care about the threats and angry fits of autocrats. It’s a global, complex challenge that requires long-term planning processes.

    There are signs of progress in this regard: in 2024, the United Kingdom reported greenhouse gas emissions to be at their lowest levels since 1872 thanks to long-term planning. Canada, after opting out of the Kyoto Protocol in 2011, finally saw emissions start to fall in 2025 following a renewed commitment to international climate goals and planning.

    But this progress is fragile. The chaos of Trump’s tariff wars must not lead our politicians and policymakers to prioritize short-term economic and political gains over long-term climate strategies.

    Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s support for pipelines, for instance, is at odds with evidence that fossil fuel expansion will lock in emissions.

    It also diverts public money away from cheaper sources of renewable energy and supporting citizens through a just energy transition. With trade wars and economic insecurity, inflation will likely increase costs of living. This will hit poorer households harder, making this a matter of both environmental and social justice.

    Rebuilding the public sphere

    Third, for Kant, current lifestyle expectations are no guide for the core of future freedom. So if the American treasury secretary asserts that “cheap goods are not part of the American dream,” can we, paradoxically, detect an unexpected sign of possible progress?

    The answer is yes — if we take that example as evidence that worthwhile aspirations cannot be captured by consumerism but call for a more sustained effort.

    While modern consumers are willing to make big efforts — such as for daily gym and running routines — can similar energy be released to collective dreams of progress and saving the planet? For Kant, future freedom requires seeing beyond individual to collective aspirations. This relies on shared goals that can be articulated through foresight and supported by a vibrant, critical public sphere.

    In Kant’s time, the public sphere mainly consisted of the Republic of Letters, a network made of intellectuals and writers in the late 17th and 18th centuries engaging in open debate.

    Today, by contrast, much of our communication takes place on social media platforms that prioritize short-form formats, reward anger over analysis and are owned by a few global corporations structured to maximize profits rather than the quality of public deliberation. To counter this trend, regionally diverse, independent news providers are needed along with decentralized, open source social media.

    But above all, in an era of climate crisis, political polarization and economic instability, Kant reminds us of what he called a “Denkungsart:” an “art of thinking” or mindset based on freedom and possibility in a long-term perspective.

    Rafael Ziegler 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. Freedom in an age of climate crisis and trade wars: Lessons from philosopher Immanuel Kant – https://theconversation.com/freedom-in-an-age-of-climate-crisis-and-trade-wars-lessons-from-philosopher-immanuel-kant-254442

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In extreme conditions, heat does not flow between materials. It bounces off.

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Results reveal how heat transfer works in dense super-hot plasmas, providing new insights for laser-driven fusion ignition research

    A new study supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation shows, for the first time, how heat moves — or rather, doesn’t — between materials in a high-energy-density plasma state. The work is expected to provide a better understanding of inertial confinement fusion experiments, which aim to reliably achieve fusion ignition on Earth using lasers. How heat flows between a hot plasma and a material’s surface is also important in other technologies, including semiconductor etching and vehicles that fly at hypersonic speeds.

    High-energy-density plasmas are produced only at extreme pressures and temperatures. The study shows that interfacial thermal resistance, a phenomenon known to impede heat transfer in less extreme conditions, also prevents heat flow between different materials in a dense, super-hot plasma state. The research is published in Nature Communications and was led by Thomas White, a physicist at the University of Nevada, Reno, and his former doctoral student, Cameron Allen. White is a recipient of an NSF Faculty Early Career Development grant.

    “Understanding how energy flows across a boundary is a fundamental question, and this work provides us with new insights into how this happens in the exceptionally energy-dense environments that one finds inside of stars and planetary cores,” says Jeremiah Williams, a program director for the NSF Plasma Physics program.

    Visualization of interfacial thermal resistance

    Credit: Thomas White

    A computer-generated visualization of electron scattering at the interface between a hot, high-energy-density material on the left and a colder, high-energy-density material on the right. This visualization highlights the role of electron scattering in moderating heat transport across interfaces, even in materials at extreme temperatures and pressures.

    White and Allen’s experiment focused on how heat moves between metal and plastic heated to extreme temperatures and pressures. To do this, they used the high-powered Omega-60 laser at the University of Rochester in New York to heat copper foils and emit X-rays, which uniformly heat a metal tungsten wire next to a plastic coating. In their experiment, the tungsten wire was heated to about 180,000 degrees Fahrenheit while its plastic coating remained relatively cool at “only” 20,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a series of laser shots with progressively delayed timing, the researchers were able to see if the heat was moving between the tungsten and plastic.

    “When we looked at the data, we were totally shocked because the heat was not flowing between these materials,” White said. “It was getting stuck at the interface between the materials, and we spent a long time trying to work out why.”

    The reason was interfacial thermal resistance. The electrons in the hotter material arrive at the interface between the materials carrying thermal energy but then scatter off and move back into the hotter material, explains White.

    “High energy laser labs provide an essential tool for developing a precise understanding of these extreme environments — and this has implications for a wide variety of important technologies, from medical diagnostics to national security applications,” adds Williams.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Can Quantum Computers Handle Energy’s Hardest Problems?

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    NREL Scientists Team With Local Companies To Benchmark the Benefits of Quantum Computers

    Caleb Rotello sketches out the thinking that led him and fellow researchers to devise algorithms that benchmark quantum computing’s importance to energy research. Photo by Gregory Cooper, NREL

    Every week quantum computing hits a new milestone: more qubits, less errors, better readout of results.

    But will these breakthroughs help solve the advanced computational problems facing energy, like how to model energy storage catalysts or ensure power grid reliability? That is what scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) want to know.

    Working with local quantum companies, an NREL team is developing benchmarks for quantum computers on the problems that are important to energy science. The pursuit of benchmarks will allow NREL and industry to prioritize practical utility for the next generation of quantum software and hardware.

    When the Qubits Are Ready, NREL Will Be Too

    Advanced computing has a growing role in energy research. This is clear at NREL—where the new 44 petaflop supercomputer, Kestrel, renders solutions all day, every day—and it is clear in the eight-year-long U.S. Department of Energy Exascale Computing Project, which achieved 1 quintillion calculations per second.

    But for the most complex problems, quintillions will not cut it: Those problems might have to be solved differently, and the prevailing hope is that quantum computers can take on the task.

    “There are a lot of claims being made about quantum computing, but unless you have a computer that’s ready, many of these claims can’t be asserted with certainty,” said Caleb Rotello, a researcher at NREL.

    Before NREL invests additional time and effort into next-gen quantum research, Rotello and team need more certainty: If they could know that a quantum algorithm has an advantage, then NREL and fellow labs could gauge when to get serious.

    “The idea is to create application-oriented benchmarks that can test claims that are particularly useful to energy. Then, as the computers start to grow and become more trustworthy, we can test those programs,” Rotello said.

    At NREL’s Energy Systems Integration Facility, researchers Wesley Jones, James Winkleblack, and Caleb Rotello (left to right) leverage the capabilities of the Kestrel supercomputer to explore the rarefied domain of quantum computing algorithms. Photo by Gregory Cooper, NREL

    With its strange methods of superimposed and entangled states, quantum computing has theoretically been shown to provide potential speedups on valuable problems. For example, NREL emulated quantum calculations of molecular energies using a classical supercomputer. While NREL does not have a quantum computer of its own to test the benchmark algorithms, several computers are being developed nearby.

    Help From a Quantum Hub

    NREL is not alone in readying for quantum computing. Over 100 quantum companies and organizations are based in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming, many within 30 minutes of NREL’s campus, and they have formed a collaborative network that elevates the region to “Tech Hub” status according to the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

    In July of 2024, combined federal and state funds of $127.5 million were announced for the hub, activating regional coordination to develop the next phase of quantum computing.

    “Engagement with quantum computing companies and industry is valuable because we get to interface with the computers while they’re being developed and learn about how they process information, which is incredibly unintuitive,” Rotello explained. “And it’s valuable for the companies to see how people will use a computer when it’s ready.”

    Quantum computers come in a variety of types, just like NREL’s research areas. Some use light, others use atoms, and those differences might suit them to certain applications. NREL’s back-and-forth with the computer makers could help to identify the best applications for each computer type. 

    But in these early days of error-prone quantum computers, when the simplest calculations barely rise above random noise, companies are still working on the fundamentals. Only once their computers are physically ready to run NREL’s benchmark problems, a wide range of energy research areas can then be transformed.

    A quantum computer created by Atom Computing uses light to trap and control atoms. NREL researchers are developing benchmark problems that could reveal whether certain computing types are better suited for certain problems. Photo from Atom Computing

    Two Famous Problems for Quantum Benchmarking

    At the core of energy research, a handful of essential formulas are used widely and often. Perhaps quantum hardware could solve them faster.

    “Quantum computers are only now beginning to emerge that are capable of providing key insights into phenomena relevant to energy technologies and their use,” said Wesley Jones, NREL’s principal scientist and group manager of complex systems simulation and optimization.

    Given the limited size and level of noise in current machines, achievements are modest, characteristic of an early industry. Much work has been spent proving that basic calculations are even possible, but not much about whether and when the quantum hardware will be useful for applied applications.

    With future improvements, quantum’s presumed superiority on certain problems could finally be proven in earnest.

    “The idea of benchmark applications is to formulate the kernel of problems we care about, ideally in a way that won’t be reliant on specific quantum architectures,” Jones said.

    The NREL researchers are reducing famous problems down to their computational core, beginning with well-known models that pervade energy research. They published their work to the open-access scholarly repository arXiv in two papers in early 2024.

    Stochastic Optimization

    The first paper targeted stochastic optimization problems, which are effective for modeling decision-making in systems with a degree of uncertainty. For example, which energy resources should a grid operator plan to use given uncertainty in forecasts? It’s computationally difficult, and classical computers usually approximate solutions through heuristics and simplifications.

    In their paper titled “Calculating the expected value function of a two-stage stochastic optimization program with a quantum algorithm,” the authors formulate a quantum algorithm for stochastic optimization and show that it would theoretically have a computational advantage over classical computers—i.e., it would run faster.

    Anderson Impurity Model

    The next paper covers another model that is famously difficult for computers, the Anderson impurity model, which was first formulated in 1961 and has been used ever since to model the electronic structures of materials. It is useful for studying the effects of correlated electrons in batteries and other material systems.

    The authors show a novel method for preparing the model with a quantum processor and suggest that this method supports the notion that the quantum solver “constitutes a promising path forward to practical quantum advantage.” Their paper is titled “Dynamic, Symmetry-Preserving, and Hardware-Adaptable Circuits for Quantum Computing Many-Body States and Correlators of the Anderson Impurity Model.”

    These two papers guide readers in how to test quantum computing’s advantage on a set of valuable problems, thereby tracking its readiness for energy research and preparing computers for useful applications.

    “Benchmarks are a step closer to enabling quantum utility,” Jones said. “They’ll allow for greater innovation and flexibility for how we use quantum computers to meet energy objectives.”

    Learn more about computational science at NREL.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hammocks Beach State Park Ferry Service to Bear Island to Resume May 14

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Hammocks Beach State Park Ferry Service to Bear Island to Resume May 14

    Hammocks Beach State Park Ferry Service to Bear Island to Resume May 14
    jejohnson6

    The seasonal ferry service to Bear Island from the mainland access of Hammocks Beach State Park will begin May 14, 2025, the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Division of Parks and Recreation announced. The ferry service has been suspended since April 2024 due to a major water and sewer construction project at the island.

    Primitive tent and group campsites at Bear Island are now open for reservations beginning the evening of May 14.

    The ferry will run on an hourly basis Wednesday, May 14 through Sunday, May 18. There will be no ferry service Monday, May 19, and Tuesday, May 20. Hourly service will be offered Wednesday, May 21, and Thursday, May 22. Beginning Friday, May 23, the ferry will run every 30 minutes through Memorial Day. Beginning May 27, hourly service will be offered Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, and every 30 minutes Thursdays through Sundays and holidays, until Labor Day. The ferry service starts at 9:30 a.m. daily and ends on 6 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend and 5 p.m. all other dates. The full schedule is available at ncparks.gov/habe/ferry.

    All passengers will need a ticket to ride the ferry. A roundtrip ride is $10 for adult passengers (13 to 61 years old), $5 for children and seniors (3 to 12 years old; and 62 years and older). Children 2 years and younger can obtain a free ticket.

    The 2025 NC State Parks Annual Pass and the 2025 NC State Parks Annual Pass with 4WD Beach Access cover up to four ferry tickets daily.

    Camping fees are $20 per night (including a $3 nonrefundable reservation fee) for tent sites and $50 for group camping. All campers will also need to pay for one set of roundtrip tickets to use the ferry. Those who are staying multiple nights and have purchased one set of roundtrip tickets are allowed one free ferry roundtrip ride per day during the days in between their arrival and departure.

    Pets are not allowed on the ferry. Carts or wagons are also not allowed, unless they are collapsible.

    About North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation
    The Division of Parks and Recreation manages more than 264,000 acres of iconic landscape within North Carolina’s state parks, state recreation areas and state natural areas. It administers the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, including its local grants program, as well as a state trails program, North Carolina Natural and Scenic Rivers and more, all with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomes more than 19 million visitors annually.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    May 1, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Meet our new Director for BC!

    Source: – Press Release/Statement:

    Headline: Meet our new Director for BC!

    As British Columbia Director, Patricia Lightburn will represent CanREA members and help advance policy outcomes in the province.

    Ottawa, May 1, 2025—The Canadian Renewable Energy Association CanREA) is excited to welcome Patricia Lightburn as our new Director, British Columbia. She will represent CanREA members in BC, lead the BC Network, engage with stakeholders and work with members to advance CanREA’s strategic policy priorities in the BC market.  

    “We are thrilled to welcome Patricia to CanREA, especially at this critical time for renewable energy and energy storage industry in BC,” said Vittoria Bellissimo, CanREA’s President and CEO. 

    Prior to joining CanREA, Lightburn was a managing consultant at Dunsky Energy and Climate Advisors. She has also held roles at Innergex Renewable Energy, the David Suzuki Foundation and the Ontario Power Authority (now the IESO).  

    “BC has embarked on a once-in-a-generation energy transition and I couldn’t be more excited to join the CanREA team, to support a thriving and sustainable renewable energy and storage industry in this province,” she said.   

    Lightburn holds a master’s degree from Sciences Politiques in Paris, France. She is based in Squamish, British Columbia.   

    To see CanREA’s growing roster of professionals serving Canada’s renewable energy industry, visit the “Our team” webpage.
    The post Meet our new Director for BC! appeared first on Canadian Renewable Energy Association.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Tenney Introduces Legislation to Stimulate Investments into American Manufacturing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22)

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today lead 19 of her colleagues in introducing the Building Advanced Semiconductors Investment Credit (BASIC) Act to increase and extend the advanced manufacturing investment credit. 

    This legislation increases the advanced manufacturing investment credit from 25% to 35% and extends its availability through December 31, 2030. Semiconductors are essential to nearly every modern technology and producing these domestically is foundational to both America’s economy and its national security. Extending this tax credit will promote further investment in establishing new production facilities to manufacture semiconductors, which will spur job growth in advanced science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing, as well as ensure that the United States can compete globally and maintain its technological dominance over adversaries like China. Extending this critical tax incentive signals long-term U.S. commitment to tech leadership and levels the playing field for American companies ensuring the United States does not fall behind in this critical strategic sector.

    Additional original cosponsors of this legislation include Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mike Carey (R-OH), Joe Morelle (D-NY), John Mannion (D-NY), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Tim Kennedy (D-NY), Josh Riley (D-NY), Mike Simpson (R-ID), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Young Kim (R-CA), Becca Balint (D-VT), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Ro Khanna (D-CA), and Suhas Subramanyan (D-VA).  

    “To restore America as a manufacturing powerhouse, we must empower American companies with the tools they need to succeed. The BASIC Act extends and expands the manufacturing investment credit, encouraging investment in the U.S. economy and enabling companies like Micron to build factories right here in New York. This legislation works hand in hand with the Trump administration to revitalize American manufacturing and bring jobs back to the United States,” said Congresswoman Tenney.

    “Bringing semiconductor manufacturing to the United States is both a critical national security priority and massive economic opportunity for the next generation of American workers,” said Congressman Carey. “Increasing and extending this tax credit will help our economy grow and create a reliable supply chain for critical semiconductors. I am proud to join with my colleagues on this legislation and look forward to it passing.” 

    “Bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States is critical not only for our national security but also to ensure we no longer rely on adversaries like Communist China for this vital industry that powers nearly every modern technology. Extending and enhancing this tax credit will strengthen our domestic supply chain, create good-paying American jobs, and help our nation remain competitive on the global stage. I thank my friend Rep. Claudia Tenney for leading this important effort,” said Congresswoman Malliotakis. 

    “Securing America’s economic and national security starts with rebuilding our domestic supply chains. By strengthening and extending the semiconductor investment credit, the BASIC Act will empower American innovators, bolster advanced manufacturing, and help ensure the United States—not China—leads the future of technology,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick.

    “The Building Advanced Semiconductors Investment Credit (BASIC) is critical legislation to advance semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. BASIC will generate additional economic activity across the semiconductor ecosystem in the U.S. over the next four years to meet economic and national security goals,” said Sanjay Mehrotra, Micron Chairman, President and CEO. “Micron is appreciative of the leadership from Rep. Tenney and Members of Congress to ensure semiconductor companies can make cost-competitive, long-term investments in advanced U.S. manufacturing.

    “As the historic investment being made by Micron moves forward, partners at every level of government must continue to work together to do everything we can to expedite this critical investment – especially for our national security. The Building Advanced Semiconductors Investment Credit (BASIC) is vital for semiconductor manufacturers like Micron in order to maintain global competitiveness and create certainty in their construction timelines. I want to thank Congresswoman Tenney for her leadership in advocating for the expansion of BASIC and passionate advocacy to help Central New York and Upstate New York become the hub for memory technology manufacturing in the world,” said Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon.  

    “Extending and expanding the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit is crucial for growth of U.S. semiconductor manufacturing to strengthen national and economic security. The Building Advanced Semiconductors Investment Credit legislation will help GlobalFoundries continue to expand and modernize our facilities in Upstate New York and Vermont, as well as to ensure that the U.S. semiconductor industry maintains global competitiveness. GlobalFoundries is proud to be making chips in America and we would like to thank Congresswoman Tenney and the co-sponsors of this legislation for their continued support for domestic semiconductor manufacturing,” said Dr. Thomas Caulfield, Executive Chairman of GlobalFoundries.

    “The statutory extension of IRC §48D past its December 31, 2026 expiration is an essential factor that supports TSMC’s continued expansion in Arizona, specifically our recently announced plans to build three additional chip fabrication plants, two back-end packaging facilities, and a major semiconductor R&D center. TSMC’s overall U.S. investment now stands at $165 billion. The company is deeply grateful to Representative Tenney and her cosponsors for leading this important legislation,” said Peter Cleveland, SVP, Global Government Affairs, TSMC.

     “This legislation is a timely and essential measure to secure long-term investment in the U.S. semiconductor sector and ensure our domestic industry remains competitive in an increasingly aggressive global marketplace. By increasing the investment tax credit to 35% and prolonging the eligibility period, this bill addresses the structural cost disadvantages that U.S.-based manufacturers face—especially compared to Asia—where faster permitting, cheaper labor, and state-backed subsidies give foreign competitors an unfair edge. BASIC directly offsets these imbalances and provides semiconductor manufacturers the financial certainty needed to move forward with building new fabrication facilities here in the United States over the next four years. I commend Representative Tenney and the co-sponsors of this legislation for their leadership and foresight,” said Jason Hsu, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute.

    “To win the chip race, the U.S. must continue to reinforce domestic chip production and advance innovation. The BASIC Act is a welcome effort to strengthen this proven driver of investment by increasing the credit’s rate and extending its duration, spurring continued investment in America’s growing ecosystem. This proposal, along with the expansion of the credit to include chip R&D and design, is critical to America’s competitiveness and sustained technology leadership,” said John Neuffer, President and CEO of the Semiconductor Industry Association.

    “The CHIPS Act has spurred a massive resurgence in American semiconductor production. We lost our global leadership in chips, a technology we invented, because other countries pursued effective industrial strategies while we did nothing. The United States has finally woken up to the fact that we can fight back, and we have hundreds of billions of dollars in new domestic semiconductor investment to show for it. Rep. Tenney and her colleagues deserve tremendous credit for their continued focus on smart public policy that strengthens American industry,” said Chris Griswold, Policy Director, American Compass.

    “The advanced manufacturing investment credit is a vital tool to support domestic manufacturing and growth of key industries like semiconductors, microelectronics and more,” said Robert M. Simpson, president of CenterState CEO, in Syracuse. “This legislation to increase the tax credit to 35% and extend its availability through 2030 will further support Central New York’s ability to lead in the domestic production of chips that we rely on every day, making the region an essential hub for advanced manufacturing and innovation, while supporting national and economic security.” 

    “This bi-partisan legislation is a home run for New York and its goal of being the leader is semiconductor manufacturing. We applaud Congresswoman Tenney for getting the support of 17 colleagues behind the bill. We urge all of congress to support this legislation that will undoubtedly create jobs and grow New York’s economy for years to come,” said Heather Mulligan, President & CEO, The Business Council of New York State Inc.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Introduces Andrea Travnicek at Senate ENR Committee Confirmation Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    05.01.25
    Senator, Nominees Discuss Advancing Water Supply Projects, Ensuring Access to Taxpayer-Owned Energy Resources
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven this week introduced Dr. Andrea Travnicek at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee hearing on her nomination as Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the U.S. Department of the Interior. Hoeven outlined Travnicek’s depth of experience and qualifications for the role, which covers a range of issues relevant to agriculture, energy and water development in North Dakota. During his remarks, Hoeven discussed with Travnicek, as well as Leslie Beyer, the nominee to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Interior, Lands and Minerals Management, the importance of:
    Ensuring access to reliable water supplies for North Dakota’s communities.
    Hoeven continues working to advance his legislation to increase authorizations under the Dakota Water Resources Act (DWRA).
    The increased funding from the Municipal, Rural, and Industrial (MR&I) program is needed to complete water supply projects like the Northwest Area Water Supply (NAWS) and the Eastern North Dakota Alternate Water Supply (ENDAWS).

    Keeping U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) surveys of oil and gas reserves updated, reflecting the latest technologies and industry practices.
    Maximizing access to taxpayer-owned energy resources, including the abundant oil, gas and coal reserves that fall under federal control.
    The senator highlighted his North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act, which would allow equal-value exchanges to reduce fragmentation of state and tribally-owned lands and minerals, while supporting greater development of these resources.
    Hoeven also stressed the need to provide regulatory relief and streamline federal permitting.

    “Dr. Travnicek has a stellar background for the position of Assistant Secretary for Water and Science. Not only does she have a depth of technical knowledge, but she has a record of collaboration across all levels of government, with tribes and private stakeholders,” said Senator Hoeven. “We look forward to working with her to advance critical priorities for North Dakota, including completing more drought-resistant water supply projects. At the same time, her role overseeing the USGS is essential in unlocking our nation’s energy potential, helping to identify the vast recoverable, taxpayer-owned energy resources. Through updated USGS surveys, as well as needed regulatory relief and streamlined permitting, we can maximize the benefit of our oil, gas and coal reserves and truly make the U.S. energy dominant.” 
    Dr. Travnicek holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resources Management/Communication from North Dakota State University. During President Trump’s first term, she served as a deputy assistant secretary at Interior. Most recently, she was Director of the North Dakota Department of Water Resources. As governor, Hoeven appointed her as a senior policy advisor in his office following her service with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Sacramento, California.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Establishes the Religious Liberty Commission

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    ESTABLISHING THE RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the Religious Liberty Commission to safeguard and promote America’s founding principle of religious freedom.
    The Religious Liberty Commission will be comprised of a Chairman and Vice Chairman designated by the President, ex officio government officials, and additional members from diverse religious and professional backgrounds, including clergy, legal experts, academics, and public advocates.
    The Commission is tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, strategies to increase awareness of and celebrate America’s peaceful religious pluralism, current threats to religious liberty, and strategies to preserve and enhance protections for future generations.
    Key focus areas include parental rights in religious education, school choice, conscience protections, attacks on houses of worship, free speech for religious entities, and institutional autonomy.

    The Commission will advise the White House Faith Office and the Domestic Policy Council on religious-liberty policies and recommend executive or legislative actions to protect these freedoms.
    Advisory boards of religious leaders, lay leaders, and legal experts will provide specialized guidance as subcomponents of the commission.
    PROTECTING AMERICA’S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT: President Trump is addressing emerging threats to religious liberty to ensure Americans can freely practice their faith without government interference.
    The United States Constitution enshrines the fundamental right to religious liberty in the First Amendment.
    Recent Federal and State policies have undermined this right by targeting conscience protections, preventing parents from sending their children to religious schools, threatening funding and non-profit status for faith-based entities, and excluding religious groups from government programs.
    The previous administration’s Department of Justice targeted peaceful Christians while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses.
    This Commission will investigate and recommend policies to restore and safeguard religious liberty for all Americans.
    STANDING UP FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: President Trump has a proven record of defending religious liberty and is committed to preserving this cornerstone of American democracy.
    In his first term, President Trump signed an Executive Order on “Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty.”
    He also protected conscience rights, ensured equal access to funding for religious institutions, and defended faith communities against government overreach.

    On the campaign trail, President Trump reaffirmed his commitment to protecting America’s religious freedoms.
    Since returning to office, President Trump has signed several executive actions to strengthen religious liberty, including:
    Marshalling all Federal resources to combat the explosion of anti-Semitism on our campuses and in our streets since October 7, 2023.  
    Establishing a White House Faith Office to bring faith leaders from across the nation to the table and ensure their voices are heard at the highest levels of our government.
    Creating the “Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias” at the Department of Justice to end the anti-Christian weaponization of government and unlawful targeting of Christians.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Speaker Johnson Outlines Roadmap for America’s Industrial Comeback

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

    WASHINGTON — Today, Speaker Johnson delivered closing remarks at the Hill and Valley Forum that detailed how President Trump and Republicans in Congress are laying the groundwork for America’s industrial renewal.

    Click here to watch the full speech

    Read Speaker Johnson’s remarks below:

    I want to talk to you about an important issue that I know is top of mind for all of you and that’s about some long-held assumptions. There’s a long-held assumption out there that government and innovation must be at odds. We don’t believe that. You don’t believe that.

    But I think today’s thoughtful and insightful conversations – and most of American history for that matter – actually tell a different story. Many of our most consequential innovations have emerged from a healthy interplay between private ingenuity and public engagement.  

    Today, America is eager to get back to the days of making and building things again. And rightly so. For the better part of this century, we’ve actually been moving in the opposite direction. From the steel towns of Pennsylvania to the textile mills of the Carolinas, American communities watched as their factories shut down and main streets emptied out. We were told that we could simply innovate here and build elsewhere. The result was a gradual erosion of our industrial strength, which was part of the great strength of America.

    In recent years, we’ve seen the consequences of allowing the industrial backbone of our economy to atrophy, whether it’s strategic vulnerabilities in semiconductors, rare earths, and pharmaceuticals, or the regulations that smother businesses and jobs far too often.

    Our economy is coming back. We are doing the right things right now. We are making the right decisions to get this going. And that’s after the very damaging effects of Bidenomics the last four years, but we also see warning signs below the surface.

    I think we owe it to ourselves to be frank about this because we’re the ones that have to figure this out. Company profits are up, but the productivity of key American industries of course is down. Unemployment is low, but the number of Americans in job market still stagnates still below pre-pandemic levels. And our industrial capacity – the real engine of a resilient economy – has barely begun to recover from decades of neglect.

    What we are slowly learning is that our technological and our industrial strength is inextricably linked to our national prosperity and security. People in this room understand that, but others are taking notice.

    This situation didn’t happen by accident, it didn’t happen overnight. Decades worth of policymakers made it too easy to offshore entire industries, while providing few incentives to reinvest here in the USA. And it happened because government forgot that its role is not to control the markets, but to cultivate the conditions in which innovation can not only survive, but thrive.

    We saw this failure play out in real time under the last administration. I mean this is just objective fact, I don’t want to give you a partisan speech, but we need to look at reality. President Biden put the full weight of government behind clean energy, EVs, and broadband as a way to implement his green new economy. What we got instead was billions in spending with very little to show for it, if anything at all.

    The EV charger program has to be one of the worst boondoggles ever.  There were fewer than 10 functioning stations built in the first three years. Billions went into these failed programs, while burdensome permitting processes and red tape worked against the very innovation the Administration hoped to spur.

    And while Joe Biden paused America’s LNG exports, his Administration enriched adversaries like Russia, who were all too willing to fill this void in the market. Our European allies quite literally had to go get their natural gas and get their energy needs met by Vladimir Putin. It fueled his war machine and caused so much of the chaos we’re still dealing with.

    These policies don’t just handicap America and American technology; they fundamentally misunderstood the role of government in our system of free enterprise.

    Republicans, and especially President Trump, see things very differently. We believe government’s job is not to pick winners and losers. It’s to set the rules of the road, clear the obstacles, and get out of the way so American capital and ingenuity can get to work.

    We have to allow the job creators, and the risk takers, and the entrepreneurs, and the economy to do what they do. government can’t have a boot on the neck of those people and expect them to perform today.

    We’ve got an opportunity to reckon with all these failures, to recalibrate appropriately and get America back to being an industrial powerhouse once again. Our survival as a nation, I think, depends upon this. So what role should government actually play? Let me just outline three quick, broad policies that Republicans in Congress are pursuing right now to accomplish all this in concert with the White House, because this is a – we’re trying to operate as a seamless team. You’ll see that we’re working day to day, hand in hand with the administration, and that Republicans who control now both chambers of Congress, because we have unified government, you’ll see the Senate and House Republicans working together in tandem. That’s very deliberate, I think, very, very important.

    But three broad policies that we’re pursuing: number one, unleashing abundant American energy. I don’t have to tell the people in this auditorium why that’s so important. Artificial intelligence and data centers are consuming enormous amounts of energy, and this demand is growing exponentially. They come in and show us the charts where the demand goes like this on a chart, and we’re behind the eight ball already, as we know, if we’re to support these innovations and build the jobs and factories of tomorrow, we need reliable, affordable, abundant energy. And that means that unleashing the full potential of American energy and cutting red tape and tapping into every energy source, like commercial nuclear and liquefied natural gas, is just critically important. 

    Our second priority that we’re trying to pursue here is keeping taxes low and keeping competition in the marketplace. The 2017 Trump tax cuts sparked a real resurgence in American industry. The year after they passed, business investment jumped by roughly 10% real wages grew and companies began to reinvest in US manufacturing again. I mean, quite literally, all boats were rising. We say in these big forums as going around the country to a campaign and say, look, President Trump is a known entity. The first Trump Administration, look at what he did and what he was able to do prior to COVID, we had the greatest economy in the history of the world since we cut taxes and cut regulations. It’s not rocket science. We aspire to get back to that at that time, every boat was rising. I mean literally, every demographic in the country and every region in the country was doing better because these policies were implemented.

    Right now, we’re working to make these tax cuts, the tax cuts of the first administration, permanent, not just for families, but also to ensure that American innovators have the confidence to take risks and to reinvest boldly in expanding our industrial base. 

    The third big priority I wanted to mention today is reducing the size and scope of government. We get two important levers to do that. One is reining in wasteful spending. Number two, it’s cutting back regulations again. Under President Biden, we cross the dangerous threshold of $35 trillion in national debt. This is a dire situation. I know the people in this room understand it. A lot of people back home don’t have a full scope of the threat that this is. When we bring in leaders in the Pentagon or the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the last several years, I served on the House Armed Services Committee, among other assignments. We would ask them, “what is the greatest national threat to  our country? What is our top national security concern?” And you would expect them to say, China, Russia, Iran, North Korea. They don’t. They say the debt. And it’s true that our interest payments alone are on track to outpace our entire defense fund. It’s not a sustainable situation, and everybody knows that. Our adversaries know it as well.

    So we’re working right now on the one big, beautiful bill is the reconciliation process, and we’re going through that. We’re taking an honest look at every corner of the budget, including programs along considered to be “untouchable.” We know that when we work to root out wasteful and abuse, just like any smart business, we make our system and these vital programs more effective and efficient the people who really need and deserve them. And we’ve got all hands on deck to do this at the same time. We need to cut harmful regulations that smother innovation.

    All of you run into this, I’m sure at some point or another, may be dealing with it today, but I hope to tell you, in good faith that help is on the way. America’s industrial comeback can’t wait on government bureaucracy. We need to clear the runway for capital to move swiftly into new factories and robotics and advanced automation. Just before COVID, Tesla built its giga factory in Shanghai. They did it in under one year. If you did that same thing here, it would take just as long to pull together the darn permits just to get started building. We can and we must do better. We cannot allow other countries to exceed our performance in that way. 

    Nowhere is it more necessary for Congress to move with caution than AI. If we over regulate here, which you know, Washington tends to do, we don’t just risk regulating American AI out of existence. We would cede critical grounded China and this fateful race to dominate this new technology, and it’s a race that we cannot afford to lose.

    Our priority with AI and technology more broadly, is create an environment that’s competitive and open to new and emerging players, and not just one that benefits the big guys, right?

    Let me talk about tariffs briefly, and I know I’m the last speaker today, so I don’t want to give you a long policy speech, but I think some of this is important, and I’m sure it’s timely for you, and it’s probably one of the questions you would ask if we opened it up.

    President Trump is taking a serious look at our trade relationships, and it’s something I think that we should applaud. We have been mistreated. We have unfair trade partners around the globe, and this has been going on for quite some time. We’re living in the relic of really, what happened after World War II. Think about it, the historical terms I mean, we emerged as a great superpower, and Europe largely had to be rebuilt. So all these trade agreements were made with America as the new great nation, and the emerging superpower, and they sort of rationalized, “well, Americans can afford it, and we need a break.”

    Well, I mean, we’re a long time past World War II. President Trump’s right to point it out. He said, reciprocal trade means it’s got to be fair. He said, every time I talk to him “Mr. President, we’re free traders, free market guys.” He goes “yeah, free and fair trade.” Well, that’s a good point. So tariffs are one tool among many that he’s using to try to do a rebalancing there. He’s trying to rebalance trade and restore a level playing field for American workers and businesses. We’re in uncharted waters on this. This hasn’t been done, so there’s bound to be some market disruption. That’s what we’ve all kind of lived through the last several weeks.

    But I trust the President’s instincts here, and I know that American business leaders are tired of tactics from China. They just constantly undercut and outmaneuver American firms. They’ve stolen our IP, everybody here knows it. People are tired of competing with Chinese firms that are propped up by state subsidies and use actual slave labor to produce their products and they steal our intellectual property.

    But tariffs are just one part of the equation securing our long-term security and the competitive edge that will depend that we’ll need all that’s going to depend on leaning into innovations like AI and advanced robotics and automation. I really empathize with Americans who feel uneasy about the rapid pace of technology advancement.  I get that, but history gives us reason to be optimistic about this. From the automobile to the aircraft to the internet, each new breakthrough has unlocked entirely new industries and professions and forms of prosperity that have worked in our favor. They’ve transformed the way we live. We should always invite and celebrate those advances, because we know the better technology makes our workers more productive, and when our workers are more productive, they earn more, they build more and we see more human flourishing. 

    At the end of the day, that is our objective. We are trying to bring about human flourishing. That’s the goal of all this. It should be the goal of all of our public policy. Not everybody thinks about it that way, but we’re trying to, we’re trying to change things that they do. We should invite new ideas to reinvigorate our industrial base, not just to decouple from China, although that’s critical, but to give the American people a renewed sense of pride in what we make and what we build and what we export to the world, I have to say I’m incredibly bullish on America, not just because of the talent and ingenuity in this room and across the country, but because of what I’ve seen with my own eyes around the country. 

    I’ll just leave you with this quick anecdote. Two weeks ago, I was down in south Texas. I visited Saronic. You’ll probably know some of you guys know company. Y’all heard about it earlier on the stage, I think, but its headquarters sit in an unassuming lot right outside downtown Austin. I drove up and I was like, we’re here, but what I saw inside this building was truly extraordinary. What they’re doing is incredible work to bring back American shipbuilding, essentially from the ashes. We’re blessed where I’m from because Saronic is soon expanding manufacturing operation in my home state, Louisiana, and we’re going to welcome them with open arms, because it’s really exciting stuff.

    I’m telling this story because that is what American renewal looks like. It’s not just about Silicon Valley or Washington or bringing back the smokestacks of the 50’s. This is about expanding the pool of opportunity for every American in every community, in every corner of this great country. It’s about pioneering innovation. It’s about taking risks and betting big on America. Once again, it can happen anywhere in the country, and we want to bring about the conditions to allow that to happen. And that’s why I’m more confident than ever that our best days still lie ahead of us.

    Last thought, because I know you want to go. In July of next year, we’ll celebrate our 250th anniversary as a nation. This grand experiment in self-governance has lasted two and a half centuries. We have already exceeded the expiration date, the lifespan of a nation like ours, a republic, and we’ve done something totally different that no one had ever done before. America was truly revolutionary. The very concept was and we’re built upon these very firm foundations, these ideas, some of the things I’ve articulated today are made us who we are.

    Sometimes in this job, I take the opportunity to go and speak to university and college students, and I’m often alarmed my friends, because I will ask at the beginning, I’ll get on a stage like this, and I’ll say, “would you raise your hand if you agree that you live in the greatest nation in the history of the world?” And sadly, sometimes you get 10-15% of the hands raised in an auditorium like this, I’ll say, “gee, well, you don’t believe in the live in the greatest nation? Would you at least concede you live in a great nation?” Get a few more hands, and then I spend the rest of time explaining to them. I’m a constitutional law attorney. I can put on my case. I need several hours, but I try to convince it, and in 20 minutes or so I say “look, you live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. It’s not even close by any objective measure.” We’re the most successful, most powerful, most free, most benevolent nation that has ever been on the earth.

    But there’s a reason that we are, and it’s incumbent upon us as stewards of this great Republic if we are going to keep this grand experiment in self-governance, it is incumbent upon us to understand what those foundations are and to nurture them, to get back to those foundations, because we can’t allow them to be destroyed.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McClellan Announces Launch of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for Virginia’s Fourth

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (Virginia 4th District)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) announced the launch of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Virginia’s Fourth District, which encourages middle and high school students across the district to design an original software application.

    The winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge designed MelanomAI, an application that scans images for melanoma skin cancer with a 92.28% testing accuracy.

    “These days, technology is rapidly evolving, and STEM education is critical to help foster future leaders that are excited to be a part of this change,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “The 2025 Congressional App Challenge gives young people a platform to improve their existing coding knowledge and address longstanding problems with innovative solutions. I encourage all middle and high schoolers in the district with an interest in coding to participate!”

    Students may compete as individuals or in teams of up to four. Submissions will be chosen by a panel of expert judges, and the winning app will be featured on the Congressional App Challenge’s website, Congresswoman McClellan’s website and social media platforms, and may be displayed in the U.S. Capitol building. The winning students will be invited to Washington, D.C. to meet Congresswoman McClellan and attend the annual #HouseOfCode science fair.

    Submission deadline: October 30, 2025 at 12 PM ET. Pre-registration link can be found here. Full rules, eligibility requirements, and submission guidelines are here. 

    For more information, visit Congresswoman McClellan’s website. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Stuck in a creativity slump at work? Here are some surprising ways to get your spark back

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Poornika Ananth, Assistant Professor in Strategy and Organisations, School of Management, University of Bath

    GaudiLab/Shutterstock

    The latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s movie slate, Captain America: Brave New World, arrived earlier this year with the hopes of continuing the legacy of the beloved sub-franchise. But the film struggled to hit the heights of the three earlier instalments. Critics hit out at its messy plot, unremarkable characters, tired visuals – and an overall absence of creativity.

    This raises an interesting and broader question about creativity at work. Most advice on this focuses on having one creative idea. But what does it take to stay creative over time? After all, creativity at work isn’t just about having great ideas – it’s about having them consistently.

    Yet over time, even the most innovative minds and organisations like the Marvel Cinematic Universe can hit a creative slump that they struggle to recover from.

    Long-term creativity is often hindered by two broad factors. The first is the “expertise trap”. Expertise can initially be great for creativity. After all, as a person develops greater knowledge and skills, they can combine different elements of that knowledge to develop unique ideas and solutions to problems.

    Over time however, expertise can actually limit flexibility and creativity. When people become exceptionally skilled or knowledgeable in a particular field, they tend to experience “cognitive entrenchment”, a fixation where deeply ingrained knowledge of a topic leads to rigid ways of thinking.

    This might work well in familiar situations, but it can also make it harder for people to see things in a new light.

    The second factor is the “success trap”. Research suggests that success – and receiving recognition for a creative idea or outcome – can affect creativity in unexpected ways.

    Creative success can motivate people to come up with more ideas, increasing the quantity and pace of their output. But on the other hand, it can also encourage creators to focus on the things that worked well in the past. They often try to replicate or tweak them instead of coming up with something genuinely new.

    Of course all is not lost. There are inspiring examples of people and organisations who break out of a creative slump. Taylor Swift faced being pigeonholed after her initial country-pop success, but came back even stronger with her shift to synth-pop in 2014.

    It’s hard to believe Danish firm LEGO ever struggled – but it built back better.
    olrat/Shutterstock

    And Danish firm LEGO, which was on the brink of bankruptcy in 2003, regained its supremacy in the toy sector by coming up with new ways of making their core products – LEGO bricks – popular again. This even included taking the creative leap into movies based on their bricks.

    Get your creative spark back

    Research indicates that if you want to be consistently creative, it is important to break away from the things that helped you achieve creative success in the past.

    This can mean moving away from familiar environments as your career advances. Or it could be adding to your knowledge sources so that you are not merely reliant on the depth of your knowledge but also on the breadth. You may also benefit from collaborating with people who already have that additional knowledge so you can combine your brainpower.

    Second, if you have had a recent success this can often come with expectations to replicate it and chase more opportunities. While this may have some short-term benefits, in the long run insulating yourself from those expectations – and the rapid increase in opportunities – can give you the time and space to come up with new ideas instead of retreading old ground.

    My own research suggests that sustaining creativity over time is not just about generating ideas repeatedly, it is also about managing a portfolio of developing ideas. This is a better approach than merely focusing on one central idea.

    It involves putting aside (or stockpiling) ideas that have limited use or value right now and turning your attention to other ideas in the portfolio. Stockpiled ideas can exist and develop in the background, but you can return to them in the future and use them flexibly to learn from, seek inspiration or develop new projects.

    For people who work in the knowledge economy, ideas can be their primary currency. But beyond that, creativity can also improve wellbeing and so is a fundamental part of being human. By following these tips to reignite your creative spark, you can reap those benefits of continued creativity over a long period of time.

    Poornika Ananth 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. Stuck in a creativity slump at work? Here are some surprising ways to get your spark back – https://theconversation.com/stuck-in-a-creativity-slump-at-work-here-are-some-surprising-ways-to-get-your-spark-back-253888

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How can Mark Carney reduce violent crime in Canada? Through prevention and youth outreach

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jeffrey Bradley, Ph.D. Candidate, Legal Studies, Carleton University

    Newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney and the governing federal Liberals must work to reverse the trends in rising violent crime. Canada needs a federal minister with clear responsibility for the prevention of violent crime, supported by a deputy minister with no other responsibilities than stopping violence before it happens.

    The evidence and successes in other countries suggest this approach could reduce violent and serious crime by 50 per cent in the next five years.

    Canadian homicide rates have increased by 50 per cent in the past 10 years, returning to levels from the early 2000s. Black and Indigenous Canadians are victimized at rates several times higher than the national rate. Intimate partner and sexual violence are at epidemic levels, with one in three women experiencing some form in their lifetime.

    Recent federal and provincial election campaigns left the impression that spending more on prisons and policing is enough to stop violent and serious crime.

    But if long prison sentences reduced violent crime, then American cities would be the safest in the world — they are not. If higher police salaries resulted in less violence in Canada, then Edmonton and Winnipeg would be Canada’s safest cities — they are not.



    Read more:
    Two years after the defund the police movement, police budgets increase across Canada

    How to truly reduce violent crime

    Current crime-fighting proposals lack concrete, evidence-based actions and proven public health strategies that are known to significantly and cost-effectively reduce violent crime.

    Over the last 50 years, research in Canada and internationally has identified a short list of programs proven to reduce violent crime by as much as 50 per cent within three years.

    These initiatives are promoted by prestigious organizations such as the World Health Organization and the United Kingdom’s Youth Endowment Fund. The non-partisan Washington State Institute for Public Policy has also demonstrated the cost-effectiveness of many of these programs compared to the dominant systems of policing and incarceration. These initiatives include:

    • Community violence interveners who build trust with the young men most involved in violence and help them go back to school, get job training and gain control over the emotions that lead to senseless violence.

    • Stop Now and Plan, developed in Toronto, reaches young men as they enter adolescence to problem-solve instead of resorting to violence.

    • The Black-led Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education puts this science to work to tackle the high rates of deaths and injuries involving young Black men.

    • Participation in courses that prevent sexual violence by shifting societal norms about consent and encouraging students to take action as bystanders.

    The scene in the U.K. and the U.S.

    Public health strategies that diagnose the risk factors that contribute to crime and implement effective solutions have cut crime in half in other countries.

    In the 2000s, the Scottish city of Glasgow established a small violence reduction unit and organized community outreach to young men most involved in a violent lifestyle. The results were a 50 per cent reduction within three years.

    By 2020, the U.K. replicated the violence reduction unit model across more than half the country, where independent evaluations have demonstrated a 25 per cent reduction in violent crime in areas with a unit. While some areas are still facing problems with youth violence, experts point to multi-agency work as most effective when partners prioritized youth violence.

    Not satisfied with this rate of progress, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised in 2024 to halve knife crime in 10 years in addition to dramatically reducing the rates of violence against women in the same time period.

    In 2023 in the United States, Joe Biden’s administration established the White House Office on Gun Violence Prevention and provided funding for cities to implement proven solutions, including community violence interveners.

    Stakeholders said these efforts were helping to reduce homicides. After Donald Trump’s administration shuttered the office earlier this year, a Democratic senator tabled a bill to establish it permanently.

    The mayor of Boston based her public health strategy on convening citywide departments, community organizations and experts in violence prevention. By increasing outreach workers and teaching problem-solving skills, Mayor Michelle Wu promised to reduce violence by 20 per cent within three years — only to overachieve by cutting it by 50 per cent in two years

    What Canadian officials should do

    The Ontario Police Act calls for public health strategies called community safety and well-being plans to tackle the risk factors that contribute to crime and monitor results.

    When she was elected in 2023, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow called for strategies to combat gun violence and violence against women. She called for “a scientific public health approach, like the one exemplified by Glasgow’s efforts to address violence as a public health issue (that) has proven effective in reducing violence.”

    Chow emphasized targeted interventions and monitoring results. But her funding has not yet followed the vision. In 2025, only $5 million was earmarked for prevention efforts, while $48 million was needed for more police and emergency services to respond to the increase in violence in Toronto.

    No Canadian officials are doing the smart planning or making the affordable and smart investments to reduce violent and serious crime significantly.

    Carney can and should lead by example. The federal government can invest in stopping violence before it happens by:

    • Developing the human capacity nationally for smart community safety planning;

    • Establishing a knowledge centre on violence prevention;

    • Shifting from its current funding model of short-term projects to partnering with the provinces via sustained and adequate funding of effective violence prevention programs.

    Prevention saves money

    Parliamentary committees have recommended an annual investment equivalent to five per cent of spending on police and corrections, or about $400 million federally, and $900 million from other orders of government.

    Research, results and best practices make clear that a 25 per cent reduction in violent and serious crime could be achieved within five years, and a 50 per cent reduction in a decade.

    That would mean 200 fewer lives lost and more than 500,000 fewer victims of violence in the next five years, and significantly less money — as much as $1.5 billion — spent annually on police and prisons.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How can Mark Carney reduce violent crime in Canada? Through prevention and youth outreach – https://theconversation.com/how-can-mark-carney-reduce-violent-crime-in-canada-through-prevention-and-youth-outreach-254978

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How your mouth could be killing your heart

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Steven W. Kerrigan, Professor of Precision Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

    shutterstock FotoDuets/Shutterstock

    The mouth is often described as a window to overall health – and for good reason. A growing body of research reveals a significant link between poor dental hygiene and cardiovascular disease. While these two areas of health may seem unrelated, the condition of your oral health can have far-reaching effects on the heart.

    Gum disease and oral infections can trigger inflammation, allow harmful bacteria into the bloodstream, and, in severe cases, even lead to direct infection of heart tissue. Together, these effects can contribute to serious, sometimes life-threatening, cardiovascular conditions.

    At the centre of this connection lies periodontitis – a severe form of gum disease caused by long-term plaque buildup and inadequate oral hygiene. Left untreated, plaque irritates and inflames gum tissue, eventually causing it to recede and deteriorate.

    This breakdown gives oral bacteria easier access to the bloodstream. Everyday actions like brushing, flossing, or chewing – and especially dental procedures – can provide a pathway for these microbes to travel through the body.

    Once in the bloodstream, certain bacteria can attach to the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels. This disrupts the vascular barrier, making it easier for infection to spread throughout the body, including to vital organs. In extreme cases, this can lead to organ failure – or even death.

    Inflammation and infection

    Systemic inflammation is one of the main ways oral health affects heart health. Chronic periodontitis triggers a prolonged immune response, increasing levels of key inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein and cytokines.

    These molecules can damage blood vessel linings and contribute to the development of atherosclerosis – a condition that narrows arteries, raises blood pressure and dramatically increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

    Inflammation is now recognised not only as a symptom of cardiovascular disease but also as a driving force behind it. This insight elevates oral care from a cosmetic concern to a critical aspect of heart disease prevention.

    Poor oral hygiene can also increase the risk of infective endocarditis (IE), a serious infection of the heart’s inner lining or valves. This condition typically occurs when oral bacteria – especially from the streptococcus viridans group –enter the bloodstream and colonise damaged areas of the heart.

    People with pre-existing valve abnormalities, prosthetic valves, or congenital heart defects are particularly vulnerable. For patients with prosthetic valves or certain heart conditions, dentists may even recommend antibiotics before specific procedures to minimise the risk of infective endocarditis. IE is a medical emergency requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment or, in some cases, surgery.

    Epidemiological studies support this oral-cardiac link. People with gum disease are significantly more likely to suffer from heart disease. While these studies can’t always prove direct causation, the correlations are strong – even after accounting for shared risk factors like smoking, diabetes and poor diet.

    One study found that people with periodontitis were up to twice as likely to develop coronary artery disease compared to those with healthy gums. Other studies point to a “dose-response” effect: the more severe the gum disease, the greater the cardiovascular risk.

    Oral microbiome

    Smoking, unhealthy diets, excessive alcohol consumption and diabetes all contribute to both poor oral health and heart disease. Tobacco weakens gum tissue and suppresses immune function. Alcohol can dry out the mouth and disrupt the oral microbiome. And poorly controlled diabetes impairs circulation and slows healing, worsening both periodontal and cardiovascular conditions.

    This overlap doesn’t make the research less meaningful – in fact, it strengthens the case for addressing health holistically. Healthy habits benefit the whole body, not just isolated systems.

    Emerging research also suggests that oral hygiene may influence heart health through changes in the body’s microbiome. A poorly maintained mouth allows harmful bacteria to overtake beneficial microbes, causing an imbalance known as dysbiosis. This can disrupt immune function and contribute to chronic inflammation and atherosclerosis.

    To be clear, good dental hygiene alone won’t eliminate heart disease risk. Genetics, diet, exercise and underlying conditions all play crucial roles. But maintaining oral health is a simple, effective and often overlooked part of preventive health care. Regular brushing and flossing, routine dental visits and prompt treatment of gum disease can all reduce the risk of systemic complications.

    Increasingly, health professionals are recognising the importance of collaboration. Cardiologists are being encouraged to ask about oral health, and dentists are urged to consider cardiovascular risk factors during checkups. This integrated approach can lead to earlier detection, more personalised care, and better long-term outcomes.

    The mouth is far more than just the beginning of the digestive system – it plays a vital role in overall wellbeing. The connection between oral health and heart disease underscores the need to treat oral care as a foundational part of preventive medicine. By brushing up on good habits, individuals can protect not only their smile – but their heart, too

    Steven W. Kerrigan receives funding from Science Foundation Ireland, Health Research Board of Ireland, Irish Research Council and Enterprise Ireland .

    – ref. How your mouth could be killing your heart – https://theconversation.com/how-your-mouth-could-be-killing-your-heart-254860

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Thirty years on, our research linking viral infections with Alzheimer’s is finally getting the attention it deserves

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ruth Itzhaki, Professor Emeritus of Molecular Neurobiology at the University of Manchester and a Visiting Professorial Fellow, University of Oxford

    meeboonstudio/Shutterstock

    The common cold sore virus, which is often caught in childhood, usually stays in the body for life – quietly dormant in the nerves. Now and then, things like stress, illness or injury can trigger it, bringing on a cold sore in some people. But this same virus – called herpes simplex virus type 1 – may also play an important role in something far more serious: Alzheimer’s disease.

    Over 30 years ago, my colleagues and I made a surprising discovery. We found that this cold sore virus can be present in the brains of older people. It was the first clear sign that a virus could be quietly living in the brain, which was long thought to be completely germ-free – protected by the so-called “blood-brain barrier”.

    Then we discovered something even more striking. People who have a certain version of a gene (called APOE-e4) that increases their risk of Alzheimer’s, and who have been infected with this virus, have a risk that is many times greater.

    To investigate further, we studied brain cells that we infected with the virus. They produced the same abnormal proteins (amyloid and tau) found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.

    We believe that the virus stays mainly dormant in the body for years – possibly decades. But later in life, as the immune system gets weaker, it can enter the brain and reactivate there. When it does, it will damage brain cells and trigger inflammation. Over time, repeated flare-ups could gradually cause the kind of damage that leads to Alzheimer’s in some people.

    We later found the virus’s DNA inside the sticky clumps of these proteins, which are found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Even more encouragingly, antiviral treatments reduced this damage in the lab, suggesting that drugs might one day help to slow or even prevent the disease.

    Large population studies by others found that severe infections, specifically with the cold sore virus, was a strong predictor of Alzheimer’s, and that specific antiviral treatment reduced the risk.

    Our research didn’t stop there. We wondered if other viruses that lie dormant in the body might have similar effects – such as the one responsible for chickenpox and shingles.

    Herpes hides out in our body from childhood – occasionally erupting as cold sores.
    Domaskina/Shutterstock

    Shingles vaccine offers another clue

    When we studied health records from hundreds of thousands of people in the UK, we saw something interesting. People who had shingles had only a slightly higher risk of developing dementia. Yet those who had the shingles vaccine were less likely to develop dementia at all.

    A new Stanford University-led study gave similar results.

    This supported our long-held proposal that preventing common infections could lower the risk of Alzheimer’s. Consistently, studies by others showed that infections were indeed a risk and that some other vaccines were protective against Alzheimer’s.

    We then explored how risk factors for Alzheimer’s such as infections and head injuries could trigger the hidden virus in the brain.

    Using an advanced 3D model of the brain with a dormant herpes infection, we found that when we introduced other infections or simulated a brain injury, the cold sore virus reactivated and caused damage similar to that seen in Alzheimer’s. But when we used a treatment to reduce inflammation, the virus stayed inactive, and the damage didn’t happen.

    All of this suggests that the virus that causes cold sores could be an important contributor to Alzheimer’s, especially in people with certain genetic risk factors. It also opens the door to possible new ways of preventing the disease, such as vaccines or antiviral treatments that stop the virus from waking up and harming the brain.

    What began as a link between cold sores and memory loss has grown into a much bigger story – one that may help us understand, and eventually reduce, the risk of one of the most feared diseases of our time.

    Ruth Itzhaki 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. Thirty years on, our research linking viral infections with Alzheimer’s is finally getting the attention it deserves – https://theconversation.com/thirty-years-on-our-research-linking-viral-infections-with-alzheimers-is-finally-getting-the-attention-it-deserves-254656

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How we discovered specific brain cells that enable intelligent behaviour

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Mohamady El-Gaby, Postdoctoral Neuroscientist, University of Oxford

    Just Life/Shutterstock

    For decades, neuroscientists have developed mathematical frameworks to explain how brain activity drives behaviour in predictable, repetitive scenarios, such as while playing a game. These algorithms have not only described brain cell activity with remarkable precision but also helped develop artificial intelligence with superhuman achievements in specific tasks, such as playing Atari or Go.

    Yet these frameworks fall short of capturing the essence of human and animal behaviour: our extraordinary ability to generalise, infer and adapt. Our study, published in Nature late last year, provides insights into how brain cells in mice enable this more complex, intelligent behaviour.

    Unlike machines, humans and animals can flexibly navigate new challenges. Every day, we solve new problems by generalising from our knowledge or drawing from our experiences. We cook new recipes, meet new people, take a new path – and we can imagine the aftermath of entirely novel choices.

    It was in the mid-20th century that psychologist Edward Tolman described the concept of “cognitive maps”. These are internal, mental representations of the world that organise our experiences and allow us to predict what we’ll see next.

    Starting in the 1970s, researchers identified a beautiful system of specialised cells in the hippocampus (the brain’s memory centre) and entorhinal cortex (an area that deals with memory, navigation, and time perception) in rodents that form a literal map of our environments.

    These include “place cells”, which fire at specific locations, and “grid cells” that create a spatial framework. Together, these and a host of other neurons encode distances, goals and locations, forming a precise mental map of the physical world and where we are within it.

    Section of mouse hippocampus.
    Alexandros A Lavdas/Shutterstock

    And now our attention has turned to other areas of cognition beyond finding our way around generalisation, inference, imagination, social cognition and memory. The same areas of the brain that help us navigate in space are also involved in these functions.

    Cells for generalising?

    We wanted to know if there are cells that organise the knowledge of our behaviour, rather than the outside world, and how they work. Specifically, what are the algorithms that underlie the activity of brain cells as we generalise from past experience? How do we rustle up that new pasta dish?

    And we did find such cells. There are neurons that tell us “where we are” in a sequence of behaviour (we haven’t named the cells).

    To uncover the brain cells, networks and algorithms that perform these roles, we studied mice, training the animals to complete a task. The task had a sequence of actions with a repeating structure. Mice moved through four locations, or “goals”, containing a water reward (A, B, C and D) in loops.

    When we moved the location of the goals, the mice were able to infer what came next in the sequence – even when they had never experienced that exact scenario before.

    When mice reached goal D in a new location for the first time, they immediately knew to return to goal A. This wasn’t memory, because they’d never encountered it. Instead, it shows that the mice understood the general structure of the task and tracked their position within it.

    The mice had electrodes implanted into the brain, which allowed us to capture neural activity during the task. We found that specific cells in the cortex (the outermost layer of the brain) collectively mapped the animal’s goal progress. For example, one cell could fire when the animal was 70% of the way to its goal, regardless of where the goal was or how far away.

    Some cells tracked progress towards immediate subgoals – like chopping vegetables in our cooking analogy – while others mapped progress towards the overall goal, such as finishing the meal.

    Together, these goal progress cells created a system that gave our location in behavioural space rather than a physical space. Crucially, the system is flexible and can be updated if the task changes. This encoding allows the brain to predict the upcoming sequence of actions without relying on simple associative memories.

    Common experiences

    Why should the brain bother to learn general structural representations of tasks? Why not create a new representation for each one? For generalisation to be worthwhile, the tasks we complete must contain regularities that can be exploited — and they do.

    The behaviour we compose to reach our goals is replete with repetition. Generalisation allows knowledge to extend beyond individual instances. Throughout life, we encounter a highly structured distribution of tasks. And each day we solve new problems by generalising from past experiences.

    A previous encounter with making bolognese can inform a new ragu recipe, because the same general steps apply to both (such as starting with frying onions and adding fresh herbs at the end). We propose that the goal-progress cells in the cortex serve as the building blocks – internal frameworks that organise abstract relationships between events, actions and outcomes. While we’ve only shown this in mice, it is plausible that the same thing happens in the human brain.

    By documenting these cellular networks and the algorithms that underlie them, we are building new bridges between human and animal neuroscience, and between biological and artificial intelligence. And pasta.

    Special thanks to Alison Cranage for her support in writing this article.

    Mohamady El-Gaby receives funding from the Wellcome Trust.

    – ref. How we discovered specific brain cells that enable intelligent behaviour – https://theconversation.com/how-we-discovered-specific-brain-cells-that-enable-intelligent-behaviour-254233

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New funding supports fight against invasive plants

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    May is Invasive Species Action Month and 33 organizations throughout B.C. will be able to continue their work fighting invasive plants, due in part to a funding boost from the Province.

    “B.C. has some of the most amazing ecosystems in the world, with many that are unique, fragile and in danger from invasive plants,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “No one person, group, agency or government can effectively control invasive plant species alone, and collaboration is critical to everyone’s success. The work these groups do is crucial in our fight together to ensure B.C.’s unique environments remain healthy and vibrant.”

    Invasive plants can disrupt ecosystems, reduce biodiversity, increase soil erosion, alter soil chemistry and adversely affect agriculture production and water quality, causing substantial economic and environmental damage. They may also pose a health risk to people and animals. 

    Nearly $3 million will go toward groups, such as regional invasive species committees, local governments, environmental groups, researchers and the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia, to continue collaboration and support of invasive plant programs and management actions.

    “In Canada and B.C., invasive plants are spreading and taking over critical lands, especially sensitive ecosystems such as grasslands and riparian areas,” said Gail Wallin, executive director, Invasive Species Council of British Columbia. “They are estimated to cost us over $2 billion in losses annually. As many invasive species are intentionally introduced through activities, such as gardening or moved by tires, it is critical to stop the spread of invasive plants through increased awareness and adopting responsible practices, including PlantWise and Play Clean Go.”

    The work of these groups supports B.C.’s Invasive Plant Program in identifying and reporting where invasive plant species have been found, encouraging landowners and managers to control invasive plants and managing high-risk infestations to limit further spread throughout the province. 

    Some of the targeted invasive plant species in B.C. are: Japanese, Bohemian and giant knotweed; marsh plume thistle; common tansy; wild chervil; garlic mustard; poison hemlock; spotted knapweed; common bugloss; orange and yellow (non-native) hawkweeds; giant hogweed; blueweed; tansy ragwort; spartina species; hoary alyssum; purple loosestrife; field scabious; leafy spurge; yellow flag iris; and Scotch broom.

    People can report invasive plant species sightings from anywhere in B.C. by using the Report Invasives BC smartphone app or through the online reporting tool:  
    https://www.gov.bc.ca/invasive-specieshttp://www.gov.bc.ca/invasive-species

    Quotes:

    Philip Weyl, head of weed biocontrol, Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) –

    “Invasive plant (weed) biological control is a long-term sustainable tool for managing invasive plants that is safe and effective, but it does take time in terms research to ensure safety. The partnership between the B.C. Ministry of Forests and CABI provides support that forms an integral part in developing biological control options for invasive plant species of concern for B.C. and Canada as a whole.” 

    Kathy Ma Green, executive director, Fraser Valley Invasive Species Society –

    “Invasive plants cause long-lasting harm by altering our ecosystems, damaging our infrastructure and impacting our crops, livestock and natural resources. Due to landscape-level flooding, the Fraser Valley faces an ongoing challenge in managing the resulting increased spread of invasive plants like knotweed and wild chervil. The Province’s continued support and invasive plant funding are critical in order to protect our region’s important industries, natural areas and the quality of life of residents.”

    Quick Facts:

    • The Invasive Species Council of B.C. assists with invasive species program communications and co-ordination.
    • The council develops best-management practices in collaboration with regional organizations and invasive plant specialists that help increase public awareness and reporting of invasive species throughout the province.
    • Regional invasive species committees are non-profit societies that provide a forum for land managers and other stakeholders to co-ordinate invasive plant treatments and participate in outreach and educational opportunities.
    • Some regional groups also deliver invasive plant control actions.

    Learn More:

    Invasive Plant Management:
    https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/plants-animals-ecosystems/invasive-species/management/plants

    Invasives BC Database:
    https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/plants-animals-ecosystems/invasive-species/invasivesbc

    Invasive Species Council of British Columbia:
    https://www.bcinvasives.ca

    A backgrounder follows.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Manadon Interchange set for major investment

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Plymouth’s busy Manadon Interchange is set for a major overhaul thanks to new government funding.

    The Department for Transport has given a green light to an outline plan for a variety of improvements and awarded just over £133 million in development funding to take this scheme onto detailed design.

    The Manadon Interchange, which connects the A38 Devon Expressway with the A386 Tavistock Road, is one of Plymouth’s busiest and most critical junctions.

    It plays a vital role in linking different parts of the city and providing access to key employment and healthcare sites, including Derriford Hospital, Plymouth Science Park, and the Dockyard.

    Originally designed for far lower traffic volumes, the interchange now struggles to cope with demand.

    With the planned growth of Plymouth, including over 29,000 new homes and the creation of more than 13,000 skilled jobs, the city’s road infrastructure must be improved to support this expansion.

    Without these upgrades, congestion will continue to worsen, impacting local businesses, emergency services, and people’s daily lives. This investment is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve Plymouth’s road network for the future.

    The outline plans for the scheme will be launched next month when a six week period of public engagement will begin, allowing residents to attend information sessions and feedback on a number of areas in an initial design, which focuses on:

    Safer roads – New junctions, crossings, and layouts to reduce accident risks and improve conditions for all road users.

    Better walking and cycling routes – Safer, segregated cycle lanes and improved pedestrian paths to encourage more people to walk and cycle where possible.

    A new community space at Treveneague Gardens – Transforming an underused area into a new park with footpaths, biodiversity enhancements and recreational space for local residents.

    Councillor Mark Coker, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Improvements to Manadon are well overdue so I’m delighted that we have got to this crucial stage of the process.

    “Our city needs to grow to respond to the rising population and be economically viable. We need more jobs and homes.

    “That means that junctions like Manadon have to be able to cope, which is why it is so important to that we invest in the infrastructure of the future.”

    The total cost of the scheme, from design right through to construction is £156 million, with £133 from government funding and the remaining £23 million from other transport grant funding, developer contributions and the Council’s own investment.

    It is estimated that construction on the scheme would not begin before 2028.

    More information can be found on the scheme website www.plymouth.gov.uk/a38manadoninterchange

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2025 IAM Scholarship Winners

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    The IAM is pleased to announce the 2025 Scholarship winners. An impartial committee of educators selected 16 recipients for this year’s awards. We congratulate the winners and thank all those who participated in the competition.

    Kendall Alexander Jackson, Local 2198Beatrice Richer, Member, Local 712Matthew Morgani, Local 2323Carson Poe, Local 1943Skylar Wiley, Local 804Cynthia Benzel, Local 1947Alexander Urban, Local 701Makena Blalock, Local 709Jaycee Williams, Local 2003MilesJacob Wood (Vo-Tech), Local 2003Steven Sergenti (Member), Local 2766Boni Jo Boser (Member), Local 463Noah Jimenez – ROMAN MAYFIELD WINNER, Local 1930Kaylee Henry, Local 289Conner Wilson, Local T491Honorable Mentions


    Kendall Alexander Jackson
    College: Sam Houston State University
    Major: Criminal Justice/Forensic Science
    Parent: Stacey Jackson
    Lodge: 2198 Company: United Airlines
    Territory: Air Transport

     Beatrice Richer
    College: McGill University
    Major: Physics/Mathematics
    Parent: Frederic Richer
    Lodge: 712 Company: Bombardier
    Territory: Canada

    Matthew Morgani
    Parent: Francesco Morgani
    College: University of Toronto
    Major: Engineering
    Lodge: 2323 Company: Air Canada
    Territory: Canada
    Carson Poe
    Parent: William Poe
    College: The Ohio State University
    Major: Biomedical Engineering
    Lodge: 1943 Company: Cleveland Cliffs
    Territory: Eastern

     Skylar Wiley
    College: University of Louisville
    Major: Biomedical Sciences/Pre-Med
    Parent: Jason Wiley
    Lodge: 804 Company: UPS
    Territory: Eastern

     Cynthia Benzel
    College: Moraine Park Technical College
    Major: Registered Nurse
    Parent: Benjamin Benzel
    Lodge: 1947 Company: Mercury Marine
    Territory: Midwest

     Alexander Urban
    College: Marquette University
    Major: Finance/Economics
    Parent: Russell Urban
    Lodge: 701 Company: Arnie Bauer Buick Cadillac HMC
    Territory: Midwest

     Makena Blalock
    College: University of Georgia
    Major: Agriculture Communications
    Parent: Chris Blalock
    Lodge: 709 Company: Lockheed Martin
    Territory: Southern

     Jaycee Williams
    College: Troy University
    Major: Exercise Physiology Pre-Health
    Parent: Chad Williams
    Lodge: 2003 Company: M1 Support Services
    Territory: Southern

     Miles Bailess (Vo-Tech)
    College: Hallmark University
    Certificate: Aircraft Mechanic
    Parent: Katie Gamez
    Lodge: 2916 Company: Amentum
    Territory: Southern

     Jacob Wood (Vo-Tech)
    Parent: Thomas Wood
    College: Alabama Aviation College
    Certificate: Airframe and Powerplant Certification
    Lodge: 2003 Company: M1 Support Services
    Territory: Southern

     Steven Sergenti (Member)
    Lodge: 2766 Company: Boeing
    College: University of Alabama – Huntsville
    Major: Aerospace Engineering
    Territory: Southern

     Boni Jo Boser (Member)
    Lodge: 463 Company: Nova Technologies
    Trade School: Nutritional Therapy Association
    Major: Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
    Territory: Southern

     Noah Jimenez – ROMAN MAYFIELD WINNER
    College: University of Oregon
    Major: Political Science/Latino Studies
    Parent : Ana Jimenez
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    Territory: Western

     Kaylee Henry
    College: Graceland University-Lamoni
    Major: Forensic Psychology
    Parent: Nathan Henry
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     Conner Wilson
    College: Alfred State
    Major: Welding Technology
    Parent: Scott Wilson
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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Making every visit count: How Federal agencies estimate visitation to our public lands and waters

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Camping at Thousand Island Lake, within the Sierra and Inyo National Forests.

    Federal lands and waters received almost a billion recreational visits per year in recent years, the equivalent of each person in the United States visiting federal lands and waters almost three times a year. Each year, agencies that manage federal lands and waters estimate how many people visited their recreation sites because visitation data are crucial for outdoor recreation planning, decision-making, and managing resources effectively. For example, visitation estimates can inform what visitor services are offered (like, interpretive programs, emergency services, facilities and bathrooms), where staffing is needed, and where investments to improve infrastructure are most warranted. 

    Social scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center partnered with researchers from the University of Washington and Department of the Interior to document the approaches agencies commonly use to estimate visitation and review approaches that are less commonly used. 

    Estimating visitation can be a challenging task; it may be straightforward to count visitors to places like museums where every visitor pays an entrance fee, but many public lands and waters are free to visit and have numerous entrance and exit points. Agencies use a variety of different methods to navigate this challenge based on the characteristics and context of different locations. Common methods to estimating visitation across agencies include using sensors that count traffic on roads or trails, direct observation of visitors, visitor surveys, and administrative data such as entrance fees, permits, or trail registers. Often, multiple sources of data are combined to generate the most accurate estimates. 

    This report also reviews recent research into new and emerging data and approaches for estimating visitation. Digital mobility data based on locations of mobile devices and geolocated social media are the most studied new source of information on visitation. While these data have underlying biases, they can be effective for measuring visitation when calibrated using on-the-ground counts. 

    E-biking in Montana’s Acton Recreation Area.

    The Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act calls for Federal agencies to: report accurate annual visitation data in a consistent manner for each unit of Federal recreational lands and waters in a single reporting system; develop a pilot program for using real-time or predictive data; and advance modeling of recreation use patterns not effectively measured by existing data collection methods. This report is intended to support the implementation of provisions in the EXPLORE Act related to recreation visitation data, as well as provide opportunities to enhance visitation estimation and coordination across federal agencies. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Some ‘Star Wars’ stories have already become reality

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Daniel B. Oerther, Professor of Environmental Health Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology

    Tatooine’s moisture farming equipment stands in the desert of Tunisia, where parts of the ‘Star Wars’ movie series were filmed. Véronique Debord-Lazaro via Flickr, CC BY-SA

    Just 48 short years ago, movie director George Lucas used the phrase “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” as the opening to the first “Star Wars” movie, later labeled “Episode IV: A New Hope.” But at least four important aspects of the “Star Wars” saga are much closer – both in time and space – than Lucas was letting on.

    One, the ability to add blue food coloring to milk, was possible even at the time the first film came out. But in 2024, “Star Wars”-themed blue milk became periodically available in grocery stores.

    And we, an environmental health engineer and a civil engineer, know there are at least three more elements of these ancient, distant Lucas stories that might seem like science fiction but are, in fact, science reality.

    Moisture farming

    In that first movie, “Episode IV,” Luke Skywalker’s Uncle Owen was a farmer on the planet of Tatooine. He farmed water from air in the middle of a desert.

    It might sound impossible, but it’s exactly what experts discussed at the second International Atmospheric Water Harvesting Summit hosted by Arizona State University in March 2025.

    Each day, a human needs to consume about the equivalent of 0.8 gallons of water (3 liters). With more than 8 billion people living on the planet, that means engineers need to produce nearly 2.6 trillion gallons (10 trillion liters) of clean drinking water every year. Taken globally, rainfall would be enough, but it’s distributed very unevenly – including landing in the oceans, where it immediately becomes too salty to drink safely.

    Deserts, which cover about one-fifth of the Earth’s land area, are home to about 1 billion people.

    Researchers at places such as Berkeley have developed solar-powered systems that can produce clean drinking water from thin air. In general, they use a material that traps water molecules from the air within its structure and then use sunlight to condense that water out of the material and into drinkable liquid. But there is still a ways to go before they are ready for commercial distribution and available to help large numbers of people.

    Researchers can harvest water from air in the desert, in a process powered only by the Sun.

    Space debris

    When the second Death Star was destroyed in “Return of the Jedi,” it made a huge mess, as you would expect when blowing to smithereens an object at least 87 miles across (140 kilometers). But the movie’s mythology helpfully explains a hyperspace wormhole briefly opened, scattering much of the falling debris across the galaxy.

    As best as anyone can tell, a hyperspace wormhole has never appeared near Earth. And even if such a thing existed or happened, humans might not have the technology to chuck all our trash in there anyway. So we’re left with a whole lot of stuff all around us, including in space.

    According to the website Orbiting Now, in late April 2025 there were just over 12,000 active satellites orbiting the planet. All in all, the United States and other space-faring nations are trying to keep track of nearly 50,000 objects orbiting Earth. And there are millions of fragments of space debris too small to be observed or tracked.

    Just as on Earth’s roads, space vehicles crash into each other if traffic gets too congested. But unlike the debris that falls to the road after an Earth crash, all the bits and pieces that break off in a space crash fly away at speeds of several thousand miles per hour (10,000 to 30,000 kph) and can then hit other satellites or spacecraft that cross their paths.

    This accumulation of space debris is creating an increasing problem. With more satellites and spacecraft heading to orbit, and more stuff up there moving around that might hit them, space travel is becoming more like flying the Millennium Falcon through an asteroid field every day.

    Engineers at NASA, the European Space Agency and other space programs are exploring a variety of technologies – including a net, a harpoon and a laser – to remove the more dangerous pieces of space junk and clean up the space environment.

    Dodging obstacles in space is no picnic.

    The Force itself

    To most Earth audiences, the Force was a mysterious energy field created by life that binds the galaxy together. That is until 1999, when “Episode I: The Phantom Menace” revealed that the Force came from midi-chlorians, a microscopic, sentient life form that lives within every living cell.

    To biologists, midi-chlorians sound suspiciously similar to mitochondria, the powerhouse of our cells.
    The current working hypothesis is that mitochondria emerged from bacteria that lived within cells of other living things. And mitochondria can communicate with other life forms, including bacteria.

    There are many different kinds of mitochondria, and medical professionals are learning how to transplant mitochondria from one cell to another just like they transplant organs from one person’s body to another. Maybe one day a transplant procedure could help people find the light side of the Force and turn away from the dark side.

    May the Fourth – and the Force – be with you.

    Daniel B. Oerther is affiliated with the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists.

    William Schonberg occasionally receives funding from NASA.

    – ref. Some ‘Star Wars’ stories have already become reality – https://theconversation.com/some-star-wars-stories-have-already-become-reality-255563

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: April 30th, 2025 VIDEO: Heinrich Questions Trump Administration Nominees on Protecting Public Lands, Upholding the Law, Ensuring Tribal Consultation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON — During a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Committee, questioned Trump Administration nominees on upholding the law, protecting public lands from large scale sales, and ensuring Tribal nations are consulted during the permitting process. The nominees considered by the Committee today include Mr. Tristan Abbey for Energy Department Administrator of the Energy Information Agency, Ms. Leslie Beyer for Interior Department Assistant Secretary for Lands and Mineral Management, Mr. Theodore J. Garrish for Energy Department Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, and Dr. Andrea Travnicek for Interior Department Assistant Secretary for Water and Science.
    During his opening remarks, Heinrich sought commitments from the nominees to follow the law as enacted by Congress and support and defend — rather than demolish — the offices and programs entrusted to their oversight, especially amid unprecedented attacks on career federal workers.

    VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) Demands Answers from Pending Trump Administration Nominees on Protecting Public Lands, Upholding the Law, and Ensuring Tribal Nations Are Consulted in Permitting Reform, April 30, 2025.
    Heinrich began his line of questioning by asking Leslie Beyer, nominee for Interior Department Assistant Secretary for Lands and Mineral Management, about her support of divesting from public lands, “As Assistant Secretary you will oversee management of more than 245 million acres of public land. This land belongs to all Americans— including every single one of my constituents. Americans highly value their ability to access these lands for hunting, fishing, and other recreational uses. Do you support the large-scale divestment of our public lands?”
    Ms. Beyer avoided directly answering whether or not she supports public lands divestment, “Sir, only Congress has the ability to dispose of any public lands. But I believe that our public lands have multiple use mandates, and they can be used for energy production, recreation, any number of other uses, for the benefit of all Americans.”
    Heinrich turned to Dr. Andrea Travnicek to clarify the Trump Administration’s intentions with recent actions decreasing the timeline of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews, which will inevitably harm meaningful consultations with Tribal nations, “Dr. Travnicek, you’ve been on staff for several months now and I appreciate many of our conversations, but [your role] gives you specific insights in the decisions that have already been made in the Department. The new guidance for NEPA projects that the Secretary announced for energy projects does not make any mention of Tribal consultation. However, it requires all reviews to be done within 14-28 days. I have personally never seen meaningful Tribal consultation completed in that time frame. My question is: Is the Administration proposing to eliminate Tribal consultation for these projects?”
    Dr. Travnicek responded, “Thank you Senator Heinrich and I appreciate the conversations that we have had already. So, we know that there’s been a lot of conversations for a long tome related to trying to streamline the permitting processes, right? I think we’ve all been frustrated by that. We’ve seen some of these discussions here within this Committee as well. So, we are really just trying to figure out how we can move forward while still meeting the different requirements as well. We know that the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was mentioned in there, and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Also, we know that we will have to engage with Tribes. So, at the same time, how do we get permits out the door, get the infrastructure in place, develop the resources we need? So, it’s going to be trying to work on all the above, working with ESA, NHPA, and also engaging with the Tribes.”
    Heinrich pushed back, “As someone who strongly supported permitting reform, and a majority of members on this Committee did— I think we largely support getting to yes or no faster. I really want to urge you to make sure that the Tribal consultation process is not a ‘check the box’ exercise, and that it is meaningful.”
    Heinrich returned to questioning Beyer to address arbitrary stop work orders on permitted projects and the job losses it is creating, “Let me quote back something that you said a few minutes ago: ‘If our companies can’t get permits, we will be behind.’ I agree with that sentiment. Two weeks ago, Secretary Burgum sent a letter to the Acting Director of OEM, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, ordering an unprecedented stop work order to Equinor’s empire wind project off the coast of New York. That’s a fully permitted project. It has undergone rigorous review. It’s already under construction. And it would power half a million homes. Cancelling this project is a job killer for the skilled trades. And my concern is that it will squash any faith that the private sector has in the federal permitting process. If we do this to one project of one energy type, you can do it to another of a different energy type. So, if fully permitted projects are subjected to arbitrary stop work orders, how can we expect the private sector to commit capital to permit those large, expensive projects?”
    Beyer replied, “Senator, thank you for that question. As you know, I have not been confirmed so I did not participate in that decision making-”
    Heinrich redirected her answer, “Speak to the larger issue. Not to the specificity of that issue.”
    Beyer answered, “Right. We need all forms of energy that we can get our hands on. There is a premium to secure, reliable, and affordable energy. I’m from Texas; we have a lot of wind energy there. I appreciate that it’s additive. But there is a premium to secure, affordable, and reliable energy that is not weather dependent in my view. And I will adhere to the guidance of the Secretary if I am confirmed.”
    Heinrich clarified her answer, “In your view, should permitting be transparent and predictable?”
    Beyer responded, “Yes sir.”
    Heinrich wrapped his questions, “Thank you.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: One year of Phi: Small language models making big leaps in AI

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: One year of Phi: Small language models making big leaps in AI

    Microsoft continues to add to the conversation by unveiling its newest models, Phi-4-reasoning, Phi-4-reasoning-plus, and Phi-4-mini-reasoning. 

    A new era of AI 

    One year ago, Microsoft introduced small language models (SLMs) to customers with the release of Phi-3 on Azure AI Foundry, leveraging research on SLMs to expand the range of efficient AI models and tools available to customers. 

    Today, we are excited to introduce Phi-4-reasoning, Phi-4-reasoning-plus, and Phi-4-mini-reasoning—marking a new era for small language models and once again redefining what is possible with small and efficient AI. 

    Reasoning models, the next step forward

    Reasoning models are trained to leverage inference-time scaling to perform complex tasks that demand multi-step decomposition and internal reflection. They excel in mathematical reasoning and are emerging as the backbone of agentic applications with complex, multi-faceted tasks. Such capabilities are typically found only in large frontier models. Phi-reasoning models introduce a new category of small language models. Using distillation, reinforcement learning, and high-quality data, these models balance size and performance. They are small enough for low-latency environments yet maintain strong reasoning capabilities that rival much bigger models. This blend allows even resource-limited devices to perform complex reasoning tasks efficiently.

    Phi-4-reasoning and Phi-4-reasoning-plus 

    Phi-4-reasoning is a 14-billion parameter open-weight reasoning model that rivals much larger models on complex reasoning tasks. Trained via supervised fine-tuning of Phi-4 on carefully curated reasoning demonstrations from OpenAI o3-mini, Phi-4-reasoning generates detailed reasoning chains that effectively leverage additional inference-time compute. The model demonstrates that meticulous data curation and high-quality synthetic datasets allow smaller models to compete with larger counterparts.

    Phi-4-reasoning-plus builds upon Phi-4-reasoning capabilities, further trained with reinforcement learning to utilize more inference-time compute, using 1.5x more tokens than Phi-4-reasoning, to deliver higher accuracy.

    Despite their significantly smaller size, both models achieve better performance than OpenAI o1-mini and DeepSeek-R1-Distill-Llama-70B at most benchmarks, including mathematical reasoning and Ph.D. level science questions. They achieve performance better than the full DeepSeek-R1 model (with 671-billion parameters) on the AIME 2025 test, the 2025 qualifier for the USA Math Olympiad. Both models are available on Azure AI Foundry and HuggingFace.

    Figure 1. Phi-4-reasoning performance across representative reasoning benchmarks spanning mathematical and scientific reasoning. We illustrate the performance gains from reasoning-focused post-training of Phi-4 via Phi-4-reasoning (SFT) and Phi-4-reasoning-plus (SFT+RL), alongside a representative set of baselines from two model families: open-weight models from DeepSeek including DeepSeek R1 (671B Mixture-of-Experts) and its distilled dense variant DeepSeek-R1 Distill Llama 70B, and OpenAI’s proprietary frontier models o1-mini and o3-mini. Phi-4-reasoning and Phi-4-reasoning-plus consistently outperform the base model Phi-4 by significant margins, exceed DeepSeek-R1 Distill Llama 70B (5x larger) and demonstrate competitive performance against significantly larger models such as Deepseek-R1.
    Figure 2. Accuracy of models across general-purpose benchmarks for: long input context QA (FlenQA), instruction following (IFEval), Coding (HumanEvalPlus), knowledge & language understanding (MMLUPro), safety detection (ToxiGen), and other general skills (ArenaHard and PhiBench). 

    Phi-4-reasoning models introduce a major improvement over Phi-4, surpass larger models like DeepSeek-R1-Distill-70B and approach Deep-Seek-R1 across various reasoning and general capabilities, including math, coding, algorithmic problem solving, and planning. The technical report provides extensive quantitative evidence of these improvements through diverse reasoning tasks.

    Phi-4-mini-reasoning

    Phi-4-mini-reasoning is designed to meet the demand for a compact reasoning model. This transformer-based language model is optimized for mathematical reasoning, providing high-quality, step-by-step problem solving in environments with constrained computing or latency. Fine-tuned with synthetic data generated by Deepseek-R1 model, Phi-4-mini-reasoning balances efficiency with advanced reasoning ability. It’s ideal for educational applications, embedded tutoring, and lightweight deployment on edge or mobile systems, and is trained on over one million diverse math problems spanning multiple levels of difficulty from middle school to Ph.D. level. Try out the model on Azure AI Foundry or HuggingFace today.

    Figure 3. The graph compares the performance of various models on popular math benchmarks for long sentence generation. Phi-4-mini-reasoning outperforms its base model on long sentence generation across each evaluation, as well as larger models like OpenThinker-7B, Llama-3.2-3B-instruct, DeepSeek-R1-Distill-Qwen-7B, DeepSeek-R1-Distill-Llama-8B, and Bespoke-Stratos-7B. Phi-4-mini-reasoning is comparable to OpenAI o1-mini across math benchmarks, surpassing the model’s performance during Math-500 and GPQA Diamond evaluations. As seen above, Phi-4-mini-reasoning with 3.8B parameters outperforms models of over twice its size. 

    For more information about the model, read the technical report that provides additional quantitative insights.

    Phi’s evolution over the last year has continually pushed this envelope of quality vs. size, expanding the family with new features to address diverse needs. Across the scale of Windows 11 devices, these models are available to run locally on CPUs and GPUs.

    As Windows works towards creating a new type of PC, Phi models have become an integral part of Copilot+ PCs with the NPU-optimized Phi Silica variant. This highly efficient and OS-managed version of Phi is designed to be preloaded in memory, and available with blazing fast time to first token responses, and power efficient token throughput so it can be concurrently invoked with other applications running on your PC.

    It is used in core experiences like Click to Do, providing useful text intelligence tools for any content on your screen, and is available as developer APIs to be readily integrated into applications—already being used in several productivity applications like Outlook, offering its Copilot summary features offline. These small but mighty models have already been optimized and integrated to be used across several applications across the breadth of our PC ecosystem. The Phi-4-reasoning and Phi-4-mini-reasoning models leverage the low-bit optimizations for Phi Silica and will be available to run soon on Copilot+ PC NPUs.

    Safety and Microsoft’s approach to responsible AI 

    At Microsoft, responsible AI is a fundamental principle guiding the development and deployment of AI systems, including our Phi models. Phi models are developed in accordance with Microsoft AI principles: accountability, transparency, fairness, reliability and safety, privacy and security, and inclusiveness. 

    The Phi family of models has adopted a robust safety post-training approach, leveraging a combination of Supervised Fine-Tuning (SFT), Direct Preference Optimization (DPO), and Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF) techniques. These methods utilize various datasets, including publicly available datasets focused on helpfulness and harmlessness, as well as various safety-related questions and answers. While the Phi family of models is designed to perform a wide range of tasks effectively, it is important to acknowledge that all AI models may exhibit limitations. To better understand these limitations and the measures in place to address them, please refer to the model cards below, which provide detailed information on responsible AI practices and guidelines.

    Responsible AI at Microsoft

    Learn more here: 

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Province Proclaims May as Jewish Heritage Month in Saskatchewan

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 1, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan is proud to proclaim May as Jewish Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the rich culture, history and significant contributions of Jewish communities in Saskatchewan.  

    Jewish Heritage Month provides the province with an opportunity to reflect on the resilience, traditions and diverse achievements of Jewish Canadians – past and present. From arts to business, science and public services, Jewish Canadians have played an essential role in shaping the social, economic and cultural fabric of both Saskatchewan and Canada as a whole.  

    “Jewish Heritage month is a time to honour the many ways Jewish Canadians have enriched our communities,” Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport Alana Ross said. “It is also a time to promote understanding and inclusion while recognizing the strength found in unity.”

    Jewish Heritage Month is an opportunity for all Canadians to learn more about Jewish heritage and celebrate the enduring legacy of Jewish life in Canada.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: HHS, NIH launch next-generation universal vaccine platform for pandemic-prone viruses

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    News Release
    Thursday, May 1, 2025

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institutes for Health (NIH) today announced the development of the next-generation, universal vaccine platform, Generation Gold Standard, using a beta-propiolactone (BPL)-inactivated, whole-virus platform.
    This initiative represents a decisive shift toward transparency, effectiveness, and comprehensive preparedness, funding the NIH’s in-house development of universal influenza and coronavirus vaccines, including candidates BPL-1357 and BPL-24910. These vaccines aim to provide broad-spectrum protection against multiple strains of pandemic-prone viruses such as H5N1 avian influenza and coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1, and MERS-CoV.
    “Our commitment is clear: every innovation in vaccine development must be grounded in gold standard science and transparency, and subjected to the highest standards of safety and efficacy testing,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
    The program realigns BARDA’s operations with its statutory mission under the Public Health Service Act—to prepare for all influenza viral threats, not just those currently circulating.
    “Generation Gold Standard is a paradigm shift,” said NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya. “It extends vaccine protection beyond strain-specific limits and prepares for flu viral threats – not just today’s, but tomorrow’s as well – using traditional vaccine technology brought into the 21st century.”
    Generation Gold Standard, developed exclusively by NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID):

    Recalibrates America’s pandemic preparedness. Unlike traditional vaccines that target specific strains, BPL-inactivated whole-virus vaccines preserve the virus’s structural integrity while eliminating infectivity. This approach induces robust B and T cell immune responses and offers long-lasting protection across diverse viral families. Moreover, the intranasal formulation of BPL-1357 is currently in Phase Ib and II/III trials and is designed to block virus transmission—an innovation absent from current flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
    Embodies efficient, transparent, and government-led research. The BPL platform is fully government-owned and NIH-developed. This approach ensures radical transparency, public accountability, and freedom from commercial conflicts of interest.
    Marks the future of vaccine development. In addition to influenza and coronavirus, the BPL platform is adaptable for future use against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), metapneumovirus, and parainfluenza. It also offers the unprecedented capability to protect against avian influenza without inducing antigenic drift—a major step forward in proactive pandemic prevention.

    Clinical trials for universal influenza vaccines are scheduled to begin in 2026, with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval targeted for 2029. The intranasal BPL-1357 flu vaccine, currently in advanced trials, is also on track for FDA review by 2029.
    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®
    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cliff Bentz Joins Oversight Hearing on the Importance of Protecting and Advancing Hydropower

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-Ontario)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-R) joined the Natural Resources Subcommittee on the Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries which held a hearing yesterday. 

    During the hearing, it was noted that while actual dam removal may not proceed directly, there remains fear that dams will be functionally disabled in the name of fish conservation. Congressman Bentz attacked this narrative, emphasizing: dams on Snake and Columbia are not the primary obstacle to fish recovery. The greatest threat lies in the ocean, because fewer than 2% of the fish that reach the ocean return to spawn upstream. His comments serve as a strong reminder of the need for science-based policy that protects both hydropower energy production and rural communities that rely on these resources.

    Watch Congressman Cliff Bentz Statement, here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch, Britt Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Refocus National Hydrology Research, Boost Flood Resiliency Bill would make permanent the hydrology research center at UVM

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) this week reintroduced the bipartisan Water Research Optimization Act of 2025, legislation to streamline hydrological forecast modeling within the National Weather Service. The Senators’ legislation would place America’s 13 River Forecast Centers under the supervision and oversight of the Office of Water Protection and solidify existing hydrology work conducted through the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH), the United States’ first-ever center for water forecast operations.  
    CIROH has evolved into a revolutionary, collaborative hub between the public and private sector for research and development. The Water Research Optimization Act of 2025 would make CIROH’s research center at the University of Vermont (UVM) permanent and align UVM’s hydrology work with the National Weather Service to boost flood resiliency research.  
    “Investing in hydrology modeling and prediction is crucial to boosting flood resilience across the country, from Vermont to Alabama. That includes supporting important hydrology research and programs at the University of Vermont that improve hydrologic forecasting, such as the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology,” said Senator Welch. “Our bipartisan bill will strengthen and align current hydrology research at the National Weather Service with vital research at UVM to foster flood resilience and help communities rebuild better after natural disasters.”  
    “The National Water Center has been instrumental to NOAA’s efforts to strengthen America’s water forecasting capabilities, improve weather-preparedness, and modernize water research technologies,” said Senator Britt. “I’m proud of the Center’s world-class capabilities, and I have no doubt this legislation will further enhance critical research and applied sciences that benefit our entire nation. I’m grateful to Senator Welch for his support and leadership through our bipartisan bill.” 
    “We are grateful to Senators Welch and Britt for their leadership in introducing pivotal legislation to support CIROH. Funding for these efforts allows the University of Vermont to continue vital research on water that impacts the quality of life of Vermonters and communities across the country. We are proud to be able to contribute to this work,” said Kirk Dombrowski, Vice President for Research and Economic Development, University of Vermont. 
    CIROH’s national coalition of academic, industry, and non-profit partners includes the University of Vermont, which functions closely alongside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Water Center to support stakeholders with hydrological data and important weather-related forecasts and warnings. This legislation would place CIROH Centers under the supervision and oversight of the National Weather Service’s Office of Water Protection and codify the National Water Center’s authority to lead the transition of water resources research.  
    Read and download the full text of the bill. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine minerals deal: the idea that natural resource extraction can build peace has been around for decades

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Bridget Storrie, Teaching Fellow, Institute for Global Prosperity, UCL

    Ukraine has finally signed its minerals agreement with the US. The deal states that Washington will eventually receive a share of the profits from the sale of Ukrainian natural resources, providing an economic incentive to continue investing in Ukraine’s defence and reconstruction.

    The US treasury secretary, Scott Bessant, says the deal demonstrates the Donald Trump administration’s commitment to peace in Ukraine.

    On the surface, there is nothing surprising about the deal. The idea that natural resource extraction can play a role in building peace has been around for a decade or two, and has been promoted by the World Bank, the UN and the mining industry itself.

    But what is surprising is how the conversation about mining and peace has changed. It used to be about increasing prosperity in war-torn countries, rather than the “who gets what” that has been associated with this deal.



    Read more:
    US-Ukraine minerals deal looks better for Kyiv than expected – but Trump is an unpredictable partner

    The idea that mining can contribute to peace emerged somewhat paradoxically from the demonstrated capacity of natural resources to drive conflict in places like Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sierra Leone. The theory is that mining can also lead to development – and therefore peace – if it is managed properly.

    If local communities are consulted, revenues are shared fairly, harms are minimised, and if there is transparency and accountability, a mine can play a role in lifting countries out of the economic, environmental and social mess war brings.

    In reality, things are more complicated. The idea that mining can bring about positive change suffers from the same top-down and externally led approach to building peace as the wider peacebuilding model in which it sits. It doesn’t necessarily take local realities and aspirations into account.

    But over the past two decades, natural resources in conflict-affected areas have attracted an enormous amount of attention from UN agencies. The United Nations Environmental Programme (Unep), for example, established an initiative in 2008 aimed at understanding the risks and opportunities presented by high-value natural resources.

    It developed policies and practices related to mining intended to be part of the UN’s peace and security architecture. These included guidance for UN staff working in post-conflict countries that are rich in resources.

    In Sierra Leone, Unep identified the inability of the Environmental Protection Agency to monitor environmental performance and force compliance as a significant risk to the sustainable development of the mining industry. The agency had become overwhelmed by the number of environmental impact assessments submitted for review as the sector expanded after the end of the civil war in 2002.

    A dedicated project to build capacity in Sierra Leone was set up by the UN to remedy this. The project team report that the environmental impact assessment process itself provided an opportunity for dialogue and trust-building between those involved.

    Around the same time, a raft of initiatives were was developed for the extractive sector itself to encourage responsible mining. These included the Kimberley Process, a UN-mandated certification scheme designed to eliminate the trade in conflict diamonds. Sierra Leone has been a member since it was launched in 2003.

    The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), an Oslo-based organisation of government, industry and civil society representatives was also established in 2003. Its aim is to promote the good governance of oil, gas and mineral extraction through the reporting of revenues and payments.

    The concept of good governance has been expanded to include promoting the participation of women, as well as the disclosure of information relating to the environmental impact of a mine. Over 50 countries now implement the EITI Standard.

    All these initiatives and processes can be criticised. But the point is that natural resources in conflict zones have, to a degree at least, been understood as sites for negotiation and dialogue for some time.

    Lowering the bar

    The natural resources beneath Ukraine have become sites for something else – a conflict-riven back-and-forth over their control. And it’s not just in Ukraine. The US is reportedly considering a minerals-for-security deal in the DRC, where Rwandan-backed rebels are currently seizing resource-rich territory in the east.

    The bar appears to have dropped substantially where mining and peacebuilding is concerned. In the heyday of the liberal peacebuilding project, metal and mineral deposits in war-torn countries, like the copper beneath Afghanistan, promised a more positive future, albeit with caution. That optimism now seems misplaced.

    In Afghanistan, this is because the country has fallen back under the control of the Taliban. Mines are quickly being developed to take advantage of the country’s mineral wealth. But the technical, financial and environmental checks associated with mining are reportedly being bypassed. There are concerns that any revenues won’t benefit the population in the way they should.

    In Ukraine, it’s something different. The mineral deposits there are being used to prop up geopolitical ambitions that reflect the dangerous, transactional and increasingly extractive world we now seem to live in. Specifically, the Ukrainian mineral deposits are bringing an authoritarian, Trumpian version of peace to life.

    It is a peace that comes through the geopolitical expression of power by the operation of mines, the acquisition of territory, the expulsion of citizens from certain places, and the top-down transformation of other people’s space.

    This has already expressed itself in Trump’s vision for the US to take over the Gaza Strip, which prompted the UN’s secretary-general, António Guterres, to warn against ethnic cleansing.

    An opencast manganese ore mine in Ukraine.
    Romeo Rum / Shutterstock

    I have written about the problem of natural resource-related peacebuilding before. Whether liberal or illiberal, this problem is the same: geological resources are non-renewable.

    There is a profound paradox here. Whatever we want these resources to do for us, they can’t do it indefinitely. And we are heading for even more trouble if we think they can.

    Expecting a voracious Trump administration or a beleagured Ukrainian one to think about this is expecting too much. But therein lies the tragedy of current peacebuilding endeavours.

    They are fixated on the here-and-now, in the hope that the social, environmental, ecological and geological future will take care of itself. Unfortunately, it won’t.

    Bridget Storrie 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. Ukraine minerals deal: the idea that natural resource extraction can build peace has been around for decades – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-minerals-deal-the-idea-that-natural-resource-extraction-can-build-peace-has-been-around-for-decades-252090

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –