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Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI USA: Raising Awareness, Changing Lives: Transforming Endometriosis Education and Care in Connecticut

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The University Tower at UConn Health campus  lit up in yellow for Endometriosis Awareness Month on March 3, 2025 (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health Photo)

    Those driving by the hospital the past two weeks may have noted the signs lit up in yellow to honor Endometriosis Awareness Month.

    Endometriosis is a systemic disease, causing chronic pain, severe menstrual cramps, and other symptoms ranging from gastro-intestinal problems to anxiety and depression, which can result from experiencing a chronic medical issue. This complicated disease affects 1 in 10 women with many experiencing a diagnostic delay of 7-10 years.

    EndoRISE, a state-supported initiative led by researchers at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) and healthcare providers at UConn Health, aims to improve outcomes for those with this debilitating condition. And the first steps are awareness and education.

    Dr. Danielle Luciano interim chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UConn Health launched EndoRISE with Elise Courtois, Ph.D., the director of the single-cell biology lab at JAX, where the CT Data and Biorepository is located. Together, with Jasmina Kuljancic, program manager for EndoRISE they work with State of Connecticut legislators to promote endometriosis research, education, and awareness, and to advocate for increased funding to combat this systemic disease.

    As part of this initiative, a team of doctors and researchers, including Luciano, Dr. Alexis Newmark, Kuljancic, and Kayceety Mullaj EndoRISE research coordinator, have begun engaging with the community to educate school nurses. These nurses play a vital role in identifying and supporting students who may be experiencing endometriosis. They are also encouraged to conduct in-service training sessions for school staff, particularly athletic trainers, on key topics covered in the program.

    When speaking to a group in Meriden last fall, Luciano asked those in the room “who knows what endometriosis is?” Only a few hands were raised.

    Jerica Leary (photo provided by Jerica Leary)

    This type of training is especially important for students like Jerica Leary, a 17-year-old from East Hampton who began experiencing painful symptoms six years ago. Her condition caused her to miss school and extracurricular activities, ultimately leading her to lose her spot on the cheerleading team due to frequent absences from school and practice.

    School nurses and staff often misunderstand the disease, dismissing students’ pain as mere menstrual cramps and underestimating its severity. In Jerica’s case, she was frequently given ibuprofen and ice and sent back to class, despite the intensity of her symptoms.

    “Treating endometriosis is a team sport and takes a multidisciplinary approach,” said Luciano. “School nurses can play a crucial role in recognizing symptoms early, potentially transforming the lives of students who might otherwise suffer in silence. If endometriosis patients miss school due to period pain, just think of the opportunities they may miss down the line, from college acceptances to internships and more.”

    Research shows that teens with endometriosis are 10 times more likely to miss school than healthy teens. This results in academic difficulties, social isolation, anxiety and depression and low self-esteem. People with endometriosis often face a lack of understanding from those around them. It is also very common for them to have their symptoms dismissed by friends, family, and healthcare providers. They may be told that the severe pain they are experiencing is normal or that they are just being dramatic.

    Jerica began with seeing an OB/GYN and was told that her symptoms were normal, and she should go on birth control to alleviate the symptoms. She was determined to find the cause of her pain rather than simply masking it with birth control. Her pain was so severe that it often caused her to vomit or became so intense and sharp that she couldn’t move or walk. Searching for answers, she consulted a gastroenterologist, but tests revealed that her gastrointestinal tract was healthy.

    She decided to find a new gynecologist and came to UConn Health where she was seen by OBGYN APRN Christine Biolo who referred her to Luciano.

    “Dr. Luciano asked my family history and knew right away to look for endometriosis,” says Jerica whose mother and grandmother both had the disease.

    Last August, Dr. Luciano performed a laparoscopy to accurately diagnose Jerica’s endometriosis and successfully removed the affected tissue. Since then, she has been pain-free. While she understands that the condition may return, she is exploring preventive options, including birth control. With a clear diagnosis and relief from her symptoms, Jerica can now focus on enjoying her senior year of high school and preparing for her future studies in political science at the University of Tampa.

    Based on the feedback the from the events held with school nurses in Meriden, Stamford and the Connecticut Association of Nurses, the education is making a difference.  At a recent training the survey results found:

    • Comfort level with recognizing endometriosis went from 13% comfortable pre lecture to 40% comfortable and 20% very comfortable after the lecture.
    • Prior to the lecture, 53% felt they did NOT have the appropriate resources to help their students, which dropped down to 20% post lecture.
    • 80% were likely to change their practice after the presentation.

    These trainings are a powerful reminder of the importance of education and collaboration in tackling this often-misunderstood disease. By empowering school nurses with knowledge and resources, EndoRISE is actively working for better diagnosis, treatment and ultimately, better lives for those affected by endometriosis.

    If you are concerned about endometriosis you can visit our website or call 1-844-388-2666. If you would like to learn more about education for your school system you can email contact@ctendorise.org.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Parliamentary Secretary Romanado to announce support for the biomanufacturing sector in Quebec

    Source: Government of Canada News

    March 17, 2025 – Boucherville, Quebec

    Sherry Romanado, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, on behalf of the Honourable Anita Anand Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, will announce an investment to increase Canada’s capacity to manufacture essential medicines.

    Date: March 18, 2025

    Time: 10:00 am (ET)

    Location: Boucherville, Quebec

    Members of the media are asked to contact ISED Media Relations at media@ised-isde.gc.ca to receive event location details and confirm their attendance. Media representatives are asked to arrive 15 minutes before the start of the event.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Cells lining your skin and organs can generate electricity when injured − potentially opening new doors to treating wounds

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Sun-Min Yu, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Polymer Science and Engineering, UMass Amherst

    Your skin cells can generate electricity when wounded. Torsten Wittmann, University of California, San Francisco/NIH via Flickr, CC BY-NC

    Your cells constantly generate and conduct electricity that runs through your body to perform various functions. One such example of this bioelectricity is the nerve signals that power thoughts in your brain. Others include the cardiac signals that control the beating of your heart, along with other signals that tell your muscles to contract.

    As bioengineers, we became interested in the epithelial cells that make up human skin and the outer layer of people’s intestinal tissues. These cells aren’t known to be able to generate bioelectricity. Textbooks state that they primarily act as a barrier against pathogens and poisons; epithelial cells are thought to do their jobs passively, like how plastic wrapping protects food against spoilage.

    To our surprise, however, we found that wounded epithelial cells can propagate electrical signals across dozens of cells that persist for several hours. In this newly published research, we were able to show that even epithelial cells use bioelectricity to coordinate with their neighbors when the emergency of an injury demands it. Understanding this unexpected twist in how the body operates may lead to improved treatments for wounds.

    Discovering a new source of bioelectricity

    Don’t laugh: Our interest in this topic began with a gut feeling. Think of how your skin heals itself after a scratch. Epithelial cells may look silent and calm, but they’re busy coordinating with each other to extrude damaged cells and replace them with new ones. We thought bioelectric signals might orchestrate this, so our intuition told us to search for them.

    Almost all the vendors we contacted to obtain the instrument we needed to test our idea warned us not to try these experiments. Only one company agreed with reluctance. “Your experiment won’t work,” they insisted. If we made the attempt and found nothing worthwhile to study, they feared it would make their product look bad.

    But we did our experiments anyway – with tantalizing results.

    We grew a layer of epithelial cells on a chip patterned with what’s called a microelectrode array – dozens of tiny electric wires that measure where bioelectric signals appear, how strong the signals are and how fast they travel from spot to spot. Then, we used a laser to zap a wound in one location and searched for electric signals on a different part of the cell layer.

    Microelectrode arrays detect electrical signals in cells.
    Kwayyy/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    Several hours of recording confirmed our intuition: When faced with the emergency need to repair themselves, bioelectrical signals appear when epithelial cells need a quick way to communicate over long distances.

    We found that wounded epithelial cells can send bioelectric signals to neighboring cells over distances more than 40 times their body length with voltages similar to those of neurons. The shapes of these voltage spikes are also like those of neurons except about 1,000 times slower, indicating they might be a more primitive form of intercellular communication over long distances.

    Powering the bioelectric generator

    But how do epithelial cells generate bioelectricity?

    We hypothesized that calcium ions might play a key role. Calcium ions show up prominently in any good biology textbook’s list of major molecules that help cells function. Since calcium ions regulate the forces that contract cells, a function necessary to remove damaged cells after wounding, we hypothesized that calcium ions ought to be critical to bioelectricity.

    To test our theory, we used a molecule called EDTA that tightly binds to calcium ions. When we added EDTA to the epithelial cells and so removed the calcium ions, we found that the voltage spikes were no longer present. This meant that calcium ions were likely necessary for epithelial cells to generate the bioelectric signals that guide wound healing.

    We then blocked the ion channels that allow calcium and other positively charged ions to enter epithelial cells. As a result, the frequency and strength of the electrical signals that epithelial cells produce were reduced. These findings suggest that while calcium ions may play a particularly crucial role in allowing epithelial cells to produce bioelectricity, other molecules may also matter.

    Further research can help identify those other ion channels and pathways that allow epithelial cells to generate bioelectricity.

    Epithelial cells line your large intestine.
    Choksawatdikorn/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

    Improving wound healing

    Our discovery that epithelial cells can electrically speak up during a crisis without compromising their primary role as a barrier opens doors for new ways to treat wounds.

    Previous work from other researchers had demonstrated that it’s possible to enhance wound healing in skin and intestinal tissues by electrically stimulating them. But these studies used electrical frequencies many times higher than what we’ve found epithelial cells naturally produce. We wonder whether reevaluating and refining optimal electric stimulation conditions may help improve biomedical devices for wound healing.

    Further down the road of possibility, we wonder whether electrically stimulating individual cells might offer even more healing potential. Currently, researchers have been electrically stimulating the whole tissue to treat injury. If we could direct these electrical signals to go specifically to where a remedy is needed, would stimulating individual cells be even more effective at treating wounds?

    Our hope is that these findings could become a classic case of curiosity-driven science that leads to useful discovery. While our dream may carry a high risk of failure, it also offers potentially high rewards.

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

    – ref. Cells lining your skin and organs can generate electricity when injured − potentially opening new doors to treating wounds – https://theconversation.com/cells-lining-your-skin-and-organs-can-generate-electricity-when-injured-potentially-opening-new-doors-to-treating-wounds-252255

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Netcapital Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Management to Host Earnings Call on March 19, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. ET

    BOSTON, MA, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Netcapital Inc. (Nasdaq: NCPL, NCPLW) (the “Company”), a digital private capital markets ecosystem, today announced financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 ended January 31, 2025.

    “During the fiscal year, management shifted its focus to establishing the company’s wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary, Netcapital Securities Inc., which was approved by FINRA in November. We believe this major milestone will provide additional sources of revenue going forward,” said Martin Kay, CEO of Netcapital Inc. “We did face a tough quarter during an uncertain market environment. Looking forward, however, we are pleased that Algernon NeuroScience Inc. recently engaged Netcapital Securities for a planned Regulation A (Reg A) offering and to provide broker-dealer and administrative services.”

    Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results

    • Revenue decreased approximately 85% year-over-year to $152,682, compared to revenue of $1,042,793 million in the third quarter of fiscal year 2024
    • Operating loss was ($1,687,692) in the third quarter fiscal 2025, compared to ($1,205,157) for the third quarter fiscal 2024
    • Net loss was ($3,006,537) in the third quarter fiscal 2025, compared to net loss of ($2,227,542) for the same period in the prior year
    • Loss per share was ($1.57) in the third quarter fiscal 2025, compared to loss per share of ($13.60) for the same period in the prior year
    • As of January 31, 2025, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $614,304

    Conference Call Information

    The Company will host an investor conference call on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 10 a.m. ET.

    Participant access: 844-985-2012 or 973-528-0138
    Conference entry code: 165756

    For additional disclosure regarding Netcapital’s operating results, please refer to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three-month period ended January 31, 2025, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    About Netcapital Inc.

    Netcapital Inc. is a fintech company with a scalable technology platform that allows private companies to raise capital online and provides private equity investment opportunities to investors. The Company’s consulting group, Netcapital Advisors, provides marketing and strategic advice and takes equity positions in select companies. The Company’s funding portal, Netcapital Funding Portal, Inc. is registered with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a registered national securities association. The Company’s broker-dealer, Netcapital Securities Inc., is also registered with the SEC and is a member of FINRA.

    Forward Looking Statements

    The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

    Investor Contact

    800-460-0815 
    ir@netcapital.com

    NETCAPITAL INC.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

        January 31, 2025
    (Unaudited)    		     April 30, 2024
    (Audited)    		  
    Assets:                
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 614,304     $ 863,182  
    Accounts receivable net     –       134,849  
    Other receivables     2,400       1,200  
    Note receivable     20,000       20,000  
    Prepaid expenses     36,115       23,304  
    Total current assets     672,819       1,042,535  
                     
    Deposits     6,300       6,300  
    Notes receivable – related parties     202,000       202,000  
    Purchased technology, net     14,706,398       14,733,005  
    Investment in affiliate     240,080       240,080  
    Equity securities     24,073,080       25,333,386  
    Total assets   $ 39,900,677     $ 41,557,306  
                     
    Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity                
    Current liabilities:                
    Accounts payable   $ 2,160,727     $ 793,325  
    Accrued expenses     250,983       310,300  
    Deferred revenue     360       466  
    Interest payable     98,218       92,483  
    Current portion of SBA loans     1,885,800       1,885,800  
    Loan payable – bank     34,324       34,324  
    Total current liabilities     4,430,412       3,116,698  
                     
    Long-term liabilities:                
    Long-term SBA loans, less current portion     500,000       500,000  
    Total liabilities     4,930,412       3,616,698  
                     
    Commitments and contingencies     –       –  
                     
    Stockholders’ equity:                
    Common stock, $.001 par value; 900,000,000 shares authorized, 2,112,488 and 326,867 shares issued and outstanding     2,113       327  
    Shares to be issued     122,124       122,124  
    Capital in excess of par value     42,120,673       37,338,594  
    Retained earnings (deficit)     (7,274,645 )     479,563  
    Total stockholders’ equity     34,970,265       37,940,608  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 39,900,677     $ 41,557,306  

    NETCAPITAL INC.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
    (UNAUDITED)
       

        Three Months Ended     Three Months Ended     Nine Months Ended     Nine Months Ended  
        January 31, 2025     January 31, 2024     January 31, 2025     January 31, 2024  
                             
    Revenues   $ 152,682     $ 1,042,793     $ 465,437     $ 4,604,260  
    Costs of services     7,155       58,875       37,156       97,062  
    Gross profit     145,527       983,918       428,281       4,507,198  
                                     
    Costs and expenses:                                
    Consulting expense     63,555       175,357       240,581       544,033  
    Marketing     12,887       32,198       31,993       320,817  
    Rent     20,178       19,544       58,736       57,533  
    Payroll and payroll related expenses     815,024       869,517       2,701,318       2,957,394  
    General and administrative costs     921,575       1,092,459       3,794,013       2,529,378  
    Total costs and expenses     1,833,219       2,189,075       6,826,641       6,409,155  
    Operating income (loss)     (1,687,692 )     (1,205,157 )     (6,398,360 )     (1,901,957 )
                                     
    Other income (expense):                                
    Interest expense     (10,376 )     (11,918 )     (30,441 )     (35,784 )
    Interest income     400       –       1,200       –  
    Impairment expense     (1,300,000 )     –       (1,300,000 )     –  
    Amortization of intangible assets     (8,869 )     (28,331 )     (26,607 )     (84,993 )
    Unrealized loss on equity securities     –       (2,696,135 )     –       (2,696,135 )
    Total other income (expense)     (1,318,845 )     (2,736,384 )     (1,355,848 )     (2,816,912 )
    Net income (loss) before taxes     (3,006,537 )     (3,941,541 )     (7,754,208 )     (4,718,869 )
    Income tax expense (benefit)     –       (1,713,999 )     –       (2,339,288 )
    Net income (loss)   $ (3,006,537 )   $ (2,227,542 )   $ (7,754,208 )   $ (2,379,581 )
                                     
    Basic earnings (loss) per share   $ (1.57 )   $ (13.60 )   $ (6.93 )   $ (17.61 )
    Diluted earnings (loss) per share   $ (1.57 )   $ (13.60 )   $ (6.93 )   $ (17.61 )
                                     
    Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:                                
    Basic     1,915,367       163,807       1,119,479       135,111  
    Diluted     1,915,367       163,807       1,119,479       135,111  

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: National Quantum Mission: India’s Quantum Leap

    Source: Government of India

    National Quantum Mission: India’s Quantum Leap

    Unleashing the power of quantum technology and creating jobs of tomorrow

    Posted On: 17 MAR 2025 6:42PM by PIB Delhi

    Introduction

    With technology taking over the world, India is stepping into the future with the National Quantum Mission (NQM), a major initiative by the Government of India to propel the nation to the forefront of quantum technology research and development. Approved on 19th April 2023 by the Union Cabinet, the mission the mission is set to span from 2023–24 to 2030–31, with a budget allocation of ₹6,003.65 crore.

    National Quantum mission, is not just a mission, but it is a bold step through which India aims to harness the power of quantum technology to drive innovation, strengthen security, and boost various industries, positioning itself as a global leader in this cutting-edge field.

    What is Quantum Computing

    Quantum computers use special units called qubits to store and process information. Unlike regular computers, where bits can only be 0 or 1, qubits can be both 0 and 1 at the same time. This ability to be in multiple states at once makes quantum computers different and potentially much more powerful than traditional ones.

    Many countries are actively working on quantum computing and other quantum technologies, and India has a great opportunity to make significant contributions. The national quantum mission offers India a chance to play a key role, especially with favourable conditions right now. The outcomes of this mission could impact healthcare, clean energy, climate change, job creation, and much more, affecting every citizen’s life.

    Objectives of the National Quantum Mission

    With the broader aim to harness quantum technologies in India to bolster sectors like communication, cryptography, and computing, National Quantum Mission has outlined specific objectives to advance India’s capabilities in the quantum realm:

    • Quantum Computing Evolution: Develop intermediate-scale quantum computers with 20-50 physical qubits (3 years), 50-100 physical qubits (5 years), and 50-1000 physical qubits (8 years) across platforms like superconducting and photonic technologies to advance computational capabilities.
    • Satellite-Based Quantum Communication: Establish satellite-enabled quantum-secured communication between two ground stations over 2000 km within India and extend this technology for long-distance secure quantum communication with other countries.
    • Inter-City Quantum Key Distribution (QKD): Implement quantum-secured communication spanning 2000 km using trusted nodes and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) on existing optical fiber infrastructure, enhancing secure data transmission.
    • Multi-Node Quantum Networks: Develop a multi-node quantum network incorporating quantum memories, entanglement swapping, and synchronized quantum repeaters at each node, enabling scalable and robust quantum communication (2-3 nodes).
    • Advanced Quantum Sensing & Clocks: Design highly sensitive quantum devices including magnetometers with 1 femto-Tesla/sqrt(Hz) sensitivity in atomic systems and better than 1 pico-Tesla/sqrt(Hz) in Nitrogen Vacancy centers, gravity sensors with better than 100 nano-meter/second² sensitivity, and atomic clocks with 10⁻¹⁹ fractional instability for precision timing, navigation, and secure communication.
    • Quantum Materials & Devices: Develop and synthesize next-generation quantum materials such as superconductors, novel semiconductor structures, and topological materials for the fabrication of qubits, single-photon sources/detectors, entangled photon sources, and quantum sensing/metrological devices for applications in computing and communication.

    The National Quantum Mission (NQM) is one of the nine initiatives under the Prime Minister’s Science Technology Innovation Advisory Council (PMSTIAC), aimed at positioning India as a global leader in quantum technology. By fostering advancements in secure quantum communication, quantum computing, and precision sensing, the mission is poised to transform sectors such as telecommunications, defense, finance, and healthcare, delivering a profound societal impact.

    Implementation Strategy: Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs)

    The National Quantum Mission is a nationwide initiative driving cutting-edge advancements in quantum technology. As part of this mission, four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) have been set up, bringing together 14 Technical Groups across 17 states and 2 Union Territories. These hubs focus on technology innovation, skill development, entrepreneurship, industry partnerships, and global collaborations, ensuring a truly national impact. Women scientists from every corner of the country are actively encouraged to participate and benefit from the mission’s exciting programs.

    The four T-Hubs have been established across leading institutions in India:

    1. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru
    2. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras along with the Centre for Development of Telematics, New Delhi
    3. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay
    4. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi.

    These hubs were selected through a rigorous competitive process and each hub focuses on a specific quantum domain, driving advancements in Quantum Computing, Quantum Communication, Quantum Sensing & Metrology, and Quantum Materials & Devices.

    Quantum Domains of Four Thematic Hubs

    Hub-Spoke-Spike Model

    Each T-Hub will follow the Hub-Spoke-Spike model, fostering a cluster-based network where research projects (Spokes) and individual research groups (Spikes) operate alongside central hubs. This structure enhances collaboration among research institutions, allowing them to share resources and expertise more effectively.

    State-wise Funds Allocation

    The four T-Hubs selected under NQM collectively involve 152 researchers from 43 institutions nationwide, fostering a collaborative ecosystem to drive research and innovation in quantum technologies. The activities carried out by these hubs include Technology Development, Human Resource Development, Entrepreneurship Development, Industry Collaborations, and International Collaborations.

    State-wise Funds Released During 2024-2025

    Initiatives under National Quantum Mission

    Under NQM, dedicated efforts are underway to develop quantum-resilient encryption techniques and post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) frameworks, ensuring India’s critical database systems remain secure in the quantum era. Key initiatives include:

    • Quantum-Safe Ecosystem Framework: A concept paper has been developed to outline a strategic roadmap for securing and strengthening India’s digital infrastructure against quantum threats.
    • DRDO Initiatives: The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is leading projects focused on designing and testing quantum-resilient security schemes, along with quantum-safe symmetric and asymmetric key cryptographic algorithms.
    • Advancements by SETS: The Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS), under the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), is accelerating Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) research. It has implemented PQC algorithms for applications such as Fast IDentity Online (FIDO) authentication tokens and Internet of Things (IoT) security.
    • C-DoT Innovations: The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has developed cutting-edge solutions, including Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), and Quantum Secure Video IP Phones.

    These initiatives are crucial for safeguarding India’s digital infrastructure against emerging quantum-era cybersecurity threats.

    Global Competitiveness and Strategic Impact

    The NQM has the potential to transform the country’s technology development ecosystem, making it globally competitive. It will drive advancements across key sectors such as communication, healthcare, finance, and energy, with applications in drug discovery, space exploration, banking, and security. Moreover, the mission will play a crucial role in advancing national initiatives like Digital India, Make in India, Skill India, Stand-up India, Start-up India, Self-Reliant India, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Conclusion

    The National Quantum Mission (NQM) is more than just a technological initiative—it is a strategic step towards securing India’s future in the quantum era. With significant investments, world-class research collaborations, and dedicated innovation hubs, the mission is set to propel India to the forefront of the global quantum revolution.

    This initiative underscores India’s commitment to scientific excellence, economic resilience, and national security in a world where quantum technologies are poised to reshape industries and societies.

    References:

    Kindly find the pdf file 

    ****

    Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Priya Nagar

    (Release ID: 2111953) Visitor Counter : 44

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ‘India 2047: Building a Climate Resilient Future’ Conference to be organized by MoEFCC in collaboration with Two Institutes at Harvard University USA, in New Delhi from 19th – 22nd March 2025

    Source: Government of India

    ‘India 2047: Building a Climate Resilient Future’ Conference to be organized by MoEFCC in collaboration with Two Institutes at Harvard University USA, in New Delhi from 19th – 22nd March 2025

    Four days Conference to focus on Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change 

    Posted On: 17 MAR 2025 6:06PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), in collaboration with two institutes at the Harvard University, USA, is organizing a Conference on ‘India 2047: Building a Climate-Resilient Future’, from 19th – 22nd March 2025, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute and the Salata Institute For Climate and Sustainability at the Harvard University, USA are the organising partners for the event. This event will serve to identify the key challenges in adaptation and fine tune India’s response in terms of policies, programmes and action at the field level geared towards a climate-resilient India@2047.

    Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog and Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh will grace the inaugural session of this conference. The event would also be addressed by distinguished speakers from Government of India, academia, research institutions, private sector and the Harvard University. Notable amongst these are Prof. Tarun Khanna, Director, The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute and Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor at the Harvard Business School; Prof. Jim Stock, Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability at Harvard University, Prof. Daniel P. Schrag, Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at Harvard University, amongst others.

    The Conference will be organized over a period of four days, where multiple breakout sessions with several technical sessions focusing on adaptation and resilience under the following themes: (i) Climate Science and its implications on Water & Agriculture, (ii) Health, (iii) Work, and (iv) Built Environment.

    1. The theme on Climate Science and its implications on Agriculture and Water will explore the scientific, policy, and practical dimensions of adapting to heatwaves, changing monsoon patterns, and water distribution issues.
    2. The theme on Health convenes leading health professionals and health system experts, from India and the world to address essential questions on the impact of heat.
    3. The theme on Work will focus on impact of climate change on labour productivity.
    4. The theme on Built Environment seeks to examine how built environment should be prepared for rising temperatures over the coming decades.

    There will be several crosscutting issues across these themes, such as governance, traditional knowledge, livelihood and skilling, gender, and financing. The workshops aim to generate tangible outputs such as research papers, technical documents, and policy briefs, as agreed upon by participants to contribute scientific evidence to global initiatives. This event will be a special opportunity to discuss adaptation and resilience to climate change amongst a receptive and influential audience in a location where this issue is an immediate concern.

    This Conference will bring together government, academia, civil society, private sector, and other relevant stakeholders to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration to address the pressing challenges posed by climate change. It will enable stakeholders to develop strategies for a sustainable and climate-resilient future for India, which will require multipronged interdisciplinary planning.

    With a focus on policy integration, scientific advancements, and localized adaptation strategies, the Conference aims to bridge critical knowledge gaps that hinder effective climate planning. This is not just another Conference —it is a crucial opportunity to engage with influential stakeholders in the region where climate adaptation is an urgent priority. The insights gathered here will directly contribute to shaping India’s upcoming National Adaptation Plan, ensuring that it is evidence-based, inclusive, and aligned with India’s broader development goals.

    As India approaches its centenary of independence in 2047, this upcoming Conference will be a significant step toward ensuring a climate-resilient future, backed by innovation, collaboration, and actionable policy insights.

    About The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute

    The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute is a university-wide research institute at Harvard that engages in interdisciplinary research to advance and deepen the understanding of critical issues in South Asia and its relationship with the world.

    About The Salata Institute For Climate and Sustainability

    Established in 2022, The Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability is an interdisciplinary hub dedicated to accelerating climate research, education, and action. Since 2023, the Salata Institute has supported the South Asia Adaptation Research Cluster, which comprises leading climate scientists, epidemiologists, planners, and experts. The cluster is dedicated to advancing climate adaptation research in the Indian subcontinent, focusing on the impacts of extreme heat and changing weather patterns. It aims to identify at-risk populations and inform targeted intervention strategies. The cluster collaborates with regional and international partners to ensure that adaptation strategies are both scientifically robust and aligned with local needs.

    *****

    VM

    (Release ID: 2111922) Visitor Counter : 179

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Cuba Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Dr. Eduardo Martínez Díaz Calls on Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh: Focus on Biomanufacturing and Strengthening Science Collaboration

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Cuba Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Dr. Eduardo Martínez Díaz Calls on Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh: Focus on Biomanufacturing and Strengthening Science Collaboration

    Strengthening Science Diplomacy: India, Cuba Eye Collaboration in Vaccine Development, Bioeconomy

    Cuba Deputy PM Invites Dr. Jitendra Singh to Bio-Habana 2026 at Havana; Talks Focus on Biotech, Ayurveda, and R&D

    Posted On: 17 MAR 2025 6:07PM by PIB Delhi

    India and Cuba reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation in science and technology, particularly in biotechnology and biomanufacturing, as Cuba Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Dr. Eduardo Martínez Díaz called on the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh here today.

    The meeting, held on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, explored avenues to deepen collaboration in medical research, vaccine development, and sustainable biomanufacturing.

    During the discussions, Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized that collaborative research is indispensable for a science-driven society to have a global influence at scale. He noted that joining hands with the best in the world and pursuing complementary, targeted research will propel India’s scientific community to the next level of innovation, transformation, and skill development.

    The Indian Minister also stressed that the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is increasingly focusing on collaborative research to tackle socio-economic and environmental challenges with long-term benefits.

    Highlighting India’s progress in biotechnology, Dr. Jitendra Singh spoke about DBT’s initiatives, including its role as the nodal agency for the G20 Initiative on Bioeconomy (GIB). He noted that DBT played a key role in defining the bioeconomy framework within the GIB, contributing policy measures such as Lifestyles for Sustainable Development (LiFE), the BioE3 Policy, and the National Biofuels Policy.

    These initiatives align with India’s vision of Green Growth and a Net-Zero carbon economy, underscoring India’s commitment to sustainable development, said Dr Jitendra Singh.

    The Indian side also highlighted the country’s achievements in biomanufacturing, with the BioE3 Policy aiming to revolutionize the production of bio-based high-value products. The bioeconomy, which currently contributes 4.25% to India’s GDP, has grown from $10 billion in 2014 to $151 billion in 2023, achieving this milestone two years ahead of the 2025 target.

    Dr. Eduardo Martínez Díaz provided insights into Cuba’s success in biotechnology, particularly its achievements in developing low-cost vaccines and pioneering cancer treatments. He highlighted Cuba’s focus on biomanufacturing and expressed interest in partnering with India to advance research and production capabilities.

    Both sides discussed strengthening existing agreements in health, medicine, and biotechnology, building upon previous MoUs on traditional medicine, homeopathy, and scientific collaboration. Given Cuba’s growing interest in Ayurveda and Indian naturopathy, both nations expressed optimism about expanding engagement in this sector.

    The Department of Biotechnology also emphasized its role in accelerating vaccine development and manufacturing through initiatives such as “Mission COVID Suraksha,” launched under Atma Nirbhar Bharat 3.0. Additionally, DBT’s Public Sector Enterprise, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), continues to promote and nurture India’s biotech startup ecosystem, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the sector.

    Cuba extended an invitation to Dr. Jitendra Singh to visit Havana and lead an Indian delegation to Bio-Habana 2026, a global biotechnology conference.

    The meeting was attended by senior officials from both countries. From the Cuban side, the delegation included Ambassador H.E. Mr. Juan Carlos Marsán Aguilera, First Deputy Minister of Health H.E. Mrs. Tania Margarita Cruz Hernández, and key officials from Cuba’s biotechnology and research sectors. From the Indian side, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, and other senior officials participated in the discussions.

    ***

    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2111926) Visitor Counter : 16

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ‘India 2047: Building a Climate Resilient Future’ Conference to be organized by MoEFCC in collaboration with the Harvard University USA, in New Delhi from 19th – 22nd March 2025

    Source: Government of India (2)

    ‘India 2047: Building a Climate Resilient Future’ Conference to be organized by MoEFCC in collaboration with the Harvard University USA, in New Delhi from 19th – 22nd March 2025

    Four days Conference to focus on Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change 

    Posted On: 17 MAR 2025 6:06PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), in collaboration with the Harvard University, USA, is organizing a Conference on ‘India 2047: Building a Climate-Resilient Future’, from 19th – 22nd March 2025, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. This event will serve to identify the key challenges in adaptation and fine tune India’s response in terms of policies, programmes and action at the field level geared towards a climate-resilient India@2047. The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute and the Salata Institute For Climate and Sustainability at the Harvard University, USA are the organising partners for the event.

    Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog and Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh will grace the inaugural session of this conference. The event would also be addressed by distinguished speakers from Government of India, academia, research institutions, private sector and the Harvard University. Notable amongst these are Prof. Tarun Khanna, Director, The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute and Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor at the Harvard Business School; Prof. Jim Stock, Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability at Harvard University, Prof. Daniel P. Schrag, Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at Harvard University, amongst others.

    The Conference will be organized over a period of four days, where multiple breakout sessions with several technical sessions focusing on adaptation and resilience under the following themes: (i) Climate Science and its implications on Water & Agriculture, (ii) Health, (iii) Work, and (iv) Built Environment.

    1. The theme on Climate Science and its implications on Agriculture and Water will explore the scientific, policy, and practical dimensions of adapting to heatwaves, changing monsoon patterns, and water distribution issues.
    2. The theme on Health convenes leading health professionals and health system experts, from India and the world to address essential questions on the impact of heat.
    3. The theme on Work will focus on impact of climate change on labour productivity.
    4. The theme on Built Environment seeks to examine how built environment should be prepared for rising temperatures over the coming decades.

    There will be several crosscutting issues across these themes, such as governance, traditional knowledge, livelihood and skilling, gender, and financing. The workshops aim to generate tangible outputs such as research papers, technical documents, and policy briefs, as agreed upon by participants to contribute scientific evidence to global initiatives. This event will be a special opportunity to discuss adaptation and resilience to climate change amongst a receptive and influential audience in a location where this issue is an immediate concern.

    This Conference will bring together government, academia, civil society, private sector, and other relevant stakeholders to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration to address the pressing challenges posed by climate change. It will enable stakeholders to develop strategies for a sustainable and climate-resilient future for India, which will require multipronged interdisciplinary planning.

    With a focus on policy integration, scientific advancements, and localized adaptation strategies, the Conference aims to bridge critical knowledge gaps that hinder effective climate planning. This is not just another Conference —it is a crucial opportunity to engage with influential stakeholders in the region where climate adaptation is an urgent priority. The insights gathered here will directly contribute to shaping India’s upcoming National Adaptation Plan, ensuring that it is evidence-based, inclusive, and aligned with India’s broader development goals.

    As India approaches its centenary of independence in 2047, this upcoming Conference will be a significant step toward ensuring a climate-resilient future, backed by innovation, collaboration, and actionable policy insights.

    About The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute

    The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute is a university-wide research institute at Harvard that engages in interdisciplinary research to advance and deepen the understanding of critical issues in South Asia and its relationship with the world.

    About The Salata Institute For Climate and Sustainability

    Established in 2022, The Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability is an interdisciplinary hub dedicated to accelerating climate research, education, and action. Since 2023, the Salata Institute has supported the South Asia Adaptation Research Cluster, which comprises leading climate scientists, epidemiologists, planners, and experts. The cluster is dedicated to advancing climate adaptation research in the Indian subcontinent, focusing on the impacts of extreme heat and changing weather patterns. It aims to identify at-risk populations and inform targeted intervention strategies. The cluster collaborates with regional and international partners to ensure that adaptation strategies are both scientifically robust and aligned with local needs.

    *****

    VM

    (Release ID: 2111922) Visitor Counter : 33

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Digitization of Cultural Heritage in India

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 17 MAR 2025 5:28PM by PIB Delhi

    “It shall be the Duty of Every Citizen of India to Value and Preserve the Rich Heritage of Our Composite Culture”

     — Constitution of India

     

    Introduction

    India is one of the largest repositories of tangible heritage, with monuments, sites, and antiquities spanning from prehistoric times to the colonial era. While various organizations like the ASI, State Archaeology Departments, and INTACH have documented parts of this heritage, much remains scattered or undocumented. The absence of a unified database makes research, conservation, and management challenging. To address this, the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) was launched to systematically document and digitize built heritage, sites, and antiquities. Through standardized documentation, training programs, and public awareness, NMMA aims to create a comprehensive national database, ensuring the preservation of India’s rich cultural legacy.

    National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA)

    Established in 2007, the NMMA is responsible for the digitization and documentation of India’s built heritage and antiquities. It has made significant progress in compiling national registers for monuments and antiquities.

    Achievements of NMMA:

    • Digitization of Antiquities: 12,34,937 antiquities have been digitized, including 4,46,068 from ASI Museums/Circles/Branches and 7,88,869 from other institutions.
    • Built Heritage & Sites: 11,406 sites and monuments have been documented.
    • Budget Allocation: Rs. 20 lakh were allocated for NMMA in the FY 2024-25.

    Objectives of NMMA:

    • Documenting and creating a national database of built heritage, monuments, and antiquities for better management and research.
    • Ensuring uniform documentation of antiquities across central, state, private institutions, and universities.
    • Raising awareness about cultural heritage preservation.
    • Providing training and capacity building for state departments, local bodies, museums, NGOs, and universities.
    • Enhancing collaboration between the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), state departments, and other stakeholders.
    • Publication and Research

    Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958

    The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 (AMASR Act 1958) was enacted by the Parliament with an aim “to provide for the preservation of ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance, for the regulation of archaeological excavations and for the protection of sculptures, carvings, and other like objects.

    As per the AMASR Act 1958, the following are the definitions of ancient monuments:

    “Ancient monument” means any structure, erection, or monument, or any tumulus or place of internment, or any cave, rock sculpture, inscription, or monolith, which is of historical, archaeological, or artistic interest and which has been in existence for not less than one hundred years, and includes:

    · The remains of an ancient monument

    · The site of an ancient monument

    · Such portion of land adjoining the site of an ancient monument as may be required for fencing, covering, or otherwise preserving such monument

    · The means of access to, and convenient inspection of, an ancient monument

     

    The scope of documentation of Built Heritage by the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) has been enhanced by defining any structure that belongs to the pre-independence period, and the year 1950 has been considered as the cut-off date keeping in view of historical importance.

     

    Antiquity & Art treasure

    As per the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972, the following are the definitions of antiquity and art treasure:

    (a) “antiquity” includes
    i) Any coin, sculpture, painting, epigraph, or artistic/craftsmanship work.
    (ii) Any object detached from a building or cave.
    (iii) Any item reflecting science, art, literature, religion, customs, or politics of bygone eras.
    (iv) Any historically significant object.
    (v) Any item declared an antiquity by the Central Government, existing for at least 100 years.
    (b) any manuscript, record, or other document which is of scientific, historical, literary, or aesthetic value and which has been in existence for not less than seventy-five years;

    (c) “art treasure” means any human work of art, not being an antiquity, declared by the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette, to be an art treasure for the purposes of this Act having regard to its artistic or aesthetic value.

    Digitization Guidelines

    To create a national digital database, NMMA has set standards for uniform documentation:

    • Photographs of built heritage/sites (from secondary sources) should be in uncompressed TIFF format (300 dpi resolution).
    • Antiquities should be photographed in uncompressed TIFF (300 dpi). If taken in NEF/RAW format, they must be converted to TIFF without alterations.
    • Miniature paintings can be either photographed or scanned in TIFF (300 dpi) with a suitable background.
    • All documentation should be stored in MS Excel format with separate sheets for each antiquity, heritage site, or built structure.
    • Photographs should be included in the documentation sheet and also stored separately as master images.

    Indian Heritage in Digital Space (IHDS) Research

    The IHDS initiative focuses on utilizing modern digital technologies to preserve and share India’s heritage beyond mere documentation. It aims to create immersive experiences and analytical tools for scholars and the general public.

    Objectives of IHDS:

    1. Promoting research in digital heritage technologies with an emphasis on Indian cultural assets.
    2. Developing a crowdsourcing framework to engage the public in building digital heritage collections.
    3. Establishing a storage, curation, and distribution mechanism for multimedia heritage resources to support interdisciplinary research.

     

    The Role of Digital Technologies in Heritage Preservation

    Digital tools such as 3D scanning, virtual reality, computer vision, and artificial intelligence have transformed heritage preservation. These technologies allow for:

    • The creation of high-resolution digital archives of manuscripts, monuments, and artifacts.
    • Virtual reconstructions of lost or damaged heritage structures.
    • Interactive experiences for education and tourism.
    • Enhanced research capabilities for historians, architects, and scientists.

    Conclusion

    The digitization and documentation of India’s cultural heritage are crucial for its preservation and accessibility. The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) plays a vital role in this effort by standardizing records, training stakeholders, and promoting public awareness. By leveraging technology and collaboration, NMMA ensures that India’s vast heritage is systematically documented, protected, and made available for research and education. A unified and comprehensive database will not only aid in conservation but also strengthen cultural identity for future generations.

     

    References

    Digitization of Cultural Heritage in India

    ****

    Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Anchal Patiyal

    (Release ID: 2111884) Visitor Counter : 59

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CSC Academy collaborates with Shoolini University to offer quality online higher education to aspiring students across India

    Source: Government of India

    CSC Academy collaborates with Shoolini University to offer quality online higher education to aspiring students across India

    CSC Academy leverages operators (Village Level Entrepreneurs -VLEs) to boost student registrations, strengthening India’s workforce and economy

    From business to literature, CSC Academy Offers BBA, BCA, MBA, MCA, and MA (English) for aspiring students

    Posted On: 17 MAR 2025 5:24PM by PIB Delhi

    CSC Academy partners with Shoolini University, Himachal Pradesh, one of the top ranked universities in India to enhance the access to quality higher education in India.  The collaboration aims to offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs through online mode to students across country. This initiative of CSC Academy will bridge the education gap, providing industry-relevant skills and better career prospects, particularly for first-generation learners, especially in rural and disconnected areas.

    Through this initiative, Common Services Centre (CSC) operators (Village Level Entrepreneurs -VLEs) will facilitate student registrations, ensuring higher education is more accessible to aspiring students, even in remote areas. The objective of this program is to empower thousands of learners, strengthening India’s workforce and economy.

    Programs Offered:

    1. BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration)
    2. BCA (Bachelor of Computer Applications)
    3. MBA (Master of Business Administration)
    4. MCA (Master of Computer Applications)
    5. MA (English Literature)

    Students can visit their nearest CSC Centre to enroll and take the first step towards a brighter future.

    Empowering students with affordable quality education nationwide

    Sanjay Kumar Rakesh, MD & CEO, CSC SPV, expressed his enthusiasm about the initiative:
    “This collaboration between CSC Academy and Shoolini University is a significant milestone in democratizing higher education. By leveraging the CSC network, we are making affordable quality learning opportunities accessible to students in every corner of the country.”

    Ashish Khosla, President, Shoolini University, added:
    “At Shoolini University, we are committed to academic excellence and innovation. Through this partnership, we aim to provide top-quality online education at affordable fees and equip students with the necessary skills to excel in their careers.”

    This partnership underscores a shared vision of expanding educational access and nurturing future-ready professionals. Together, Shoolini University and CSC Academy are set to redefine online higher education in India.

    About Shoolini University

    Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, located in Solan, is one of India’s top-ranked universities. It is featured in the top 500 global universities in the Prestigious THE 2025 World University Rankings and in the top 251 to 500 in several subjects in the QS World Subjects Rankings 2024 and 2025 and has consistently featured in top 100 Universities and Institutions in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). With over 500 patents granted and an H-Index of 150 Shoolini University is a leader in research and innovation, boasting a research quality that matches some of World’s best-known institutions.

    ****

    Dharmendra Tewari/ Navin Sreejith

    (Release ID: 2111882) Visitor Counter : 61

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Research Milestones: M.Sc. and M.Tech. Postgraduate Presentations at ICAR-IARI’s 63rd Convocation in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Research Milestones: M.Sc. and M.Tech. Postgraduate Presentations at ICAR-IARI’s 63rd Convocation in New Delhi

    63rd Convocation of Indian Agricultural Research Institute-ICAR, New Delhi starts today

    Posted On: 17 MAR 2025 6:00PM by PIB Delhi

    The 63rd Convocation of Indian Agricultural Research Institute-ICAR, New Delhi today started with academic fervor. Today, the presentations of the Post Graduate Students Research (M.Sc./M. Tech.) representing various discipline (Agricultural Chemicals, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Physics, Agronomy, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Entomology, Environmental Sciences, Floriculture & Landscaping, Fruit Science, Genetics and Plant Breeding, Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Plant Genetic Resources, Plant Pathology, Plant Pathology, Plant Physiology, Seed Science & Technology, Soil Science and Vegetable Science) were held about the significant achievements for IARI Merit Medals and Best student of the year Award.

     In this session the shortlisted students presented the achievements and salient features of the research. The major thematic areas of the research includes status of glyphosate residues in waters of NCR region and its sorption behavior in soil; gender-based study on varietal adoption, trait preference and value addition by paddy farmers: A case of selected stress prone districts of Odisha; Ergonomic assessment of powered cylindrical lawn mower; Rural women leadership in climate change adaptation and sustainable livelihood; Drone-based water stress monitoring under different irrigation and nitrogen levels in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.); Analyzing the yield gap of rice in a hilly-ecosystem using bio-physical modelling for different nitrogen levels; Development and validation of glucose nano sensor for predicting inherent glycemic response; Integrating Genome Wide Association Studies-module with HtP-DAP for SNP-trait associations mining; Identification of agriculturally important insects associated with cruciferous crops (Brassicaceae) using artificial intelligence; Isolation, characterization of biosurfactant and their effect on hydrocarbons’ degradation in different soils; Screening of marigold genotypes (Tagetes spp.)  against Alternaria leaf spot under in vitro and in vivo conditions; Insights into the nut and food qualities of selected walnut (Juglans regia L.) genotypes; Genetic variability and molecular analysis of folate accumulation in maize kernels; Prospecting bacterial exopolysaccharides for plant growth stimulation; Exploring biocontrol potential by unraveling presence of chitinase genes and antifungal activity in Bacillus thuringiensis isolates representing diverse agroclimatic zones of India; Deciphering nutritional and molecular diversity in Luffa acutangula L. Roxb.; Characterization of virus associated with shoe-string disease affected tomato plant and management through exogenous application of dsRNA; Characterization of Tilletia indica, assessment of bioagents and identification of resistant sources for Karnal bunt of wheat; Physiological and biochemical characterization of common bean genotypes in reproductive stage under drought and heat stress; Prediction of seed vigour in rapeseed and mustard using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS); Impact of natural farming on carbon fractions and properties in an alfisol under rice-rabi maize system; Assessing genetic diversity in brinjal genotypes for resistance against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Melongenae.

    The Chairman and jury members complimented the quality of post-graduate research and motivated to generate quality information for the advancement of agricultural sciences.

    The sessions were convened by Dr. Anil Dahuja, Professor, Division of Biochemistry and the co-convener was Dr. Atul Kumar, Associate Dean (PG) ICAR-IARI.

    The session was Chaired by Dr. B.M. Prasanna, Distinguished Scientist, CIMMYT and Regional Director, CIMMYT-Asia, NASC Complex, New Delhi. The esteemed Jury Members includes Dr. J.P.  Sharma, Former Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-J, Jammu & Former Joint Director (Ext.), ICAR-IARI, New Delhi; Dr. R.K. Jain, Former Dean & Joint Director (Edn.), ICAR-IARI, New Delhi; Dr. Bimlesh Mann, ADG (EP & HS), ICAR, New Delhi; Dr. V.B. Patel, ADG (Fruits & Plantation Crops), ICAR, New Delhi; Dr. S.K. Sharma, ADG (HRM), ICAR, New Delhi.

    ******

    MG/RN/KSR

    (Release ID: 2111913) Visitor Counter : 56

    Read this release in: Hindi

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Students Dive Into Robotics at Competition Supported by NASA JPL

    Source: NASA

    Robots built by high schoolers vied for points in a fast-moving game inspired by complex ocean ecosystems at the FIRST Robotics Los Angeles regional competition.
    High school students who spent weeks designing, assembling, and testing 125-pound rolling robots put their fast-moving creations into the ring over the weekend, facing off at the annual Los Angeles regional FIRST Robotics Competition, an event supported by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
    Four of the 43 participating teams earned a chance to compete in April at the FIRST international championship tournament in Houston, which draws winning teams from across the country.
    Held March 14 to 16 at the Da Vinci Schools campus in El Segundo, the event is one of many supported by the nonprofit FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), which pairs students with STEM professionals. Teams receive the game rules, which change every year, in January and sprint toward competition, assembling their robot based on FIRST’s specifications. The global competition not only gives students engineering experience but also helps them develop business skills with a range of activities, from fundraising for their team to marketing.
    For this year’s game, called “Reefscape,” two alliances of three teams competed for points during each 2½-minute match. That meant six robots at a time sped across the floor, knocking into each other and angling to seed “coral” (pieces of PVC pipe) on “reefs” and harvesting “algae” (rubber balls). In the final seconds of each round, teams could earn extra points if their robots were able to hoist themselves into the air and dangle from hanging cages, as though they were ascending to the ocean surface.
    The action was set to a bouncy soundtrack that reverberated through the gym, while in the bleachers there were choreographed dancing, loud cheers, pom-poms, and even some tears.
    The winning alliance was composed of Warbots from Downey’s Warren High School, TorBots from Torrance’s South High School, and West Torrance Robotics from Torrance’s West High School. The Robo-Nerds of Benjamin Franklin High in Los Angeles’ Highland Park and Robo’Lyon from Notre Dame de Bellegarde outside Lyon, France, won awards that mean they’ll also get to compete in Houston, alongside the Warbots and the TorBots.
    NASA and its Robotics Alliance Project provide grants for high school teams across the country and support FIRST Robotics competitions to encourage students to pursue STEM careers in aerospace. For the L.A. regional competition, JPL has coordinated volunteers — and provided coaching and mentoring to teams, judges, and other competition support — for 25 years.
    For more information about the FIRST Los Angeles regional, visit:

    Los Angeles Regional

    News Media Contact
    Melissa PamerJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-314-4928melissa.pamer@jpl.nasa.gov
    2025-037

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Webb Images Young, Giant Exoplanets, Detects Carbon Dioxide

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured direct images of multiple gas giant planets within an iconic planetary system. HR 8799, a young system 130 light-years away, has long been a key target for planet formation studies.
    The observations indicate that the well-studied planets of HR 8799 are rich in carbon dioxide gas. This provides strong evidence that the system’s four giant planets formed much like Jupiter and Saturn, by slowly building solid cores that attract gas from within a protoplanetary disk, a process known as core accretion.
    The results also confirm that Webb can infer the chemistry of exoplanet atmospheres through imaging. This technique complements Webb’s powerful spectroscopic instruments, which can resolve the atmospheric composition.
    “By spotting these strong carbon dioxide features, we have shown there is a sizable fraction of heavier elements, like carbon, oxygen, and iron, in these planets’ atmospheres,” said William Balmer, of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. “Given what we know about the star they orbit, that likely indicates they formed via core accretion, which is an exciting conclusion for planets that we can directly see.”
    Balmer is the lead author of the study announcing the results published today in The Astrophysical Journal. Balmer and their team’s analysis also includes Webb’s observation of a system 97 light-years away called 51 Eridani.

    HR 8799 is a young system about 30 million years old, a fraction of our solar system’s 4.6 billion years. Still hot from their tumultuous formation, the planets within HR 8799 emit large amounts of infrared light that give scientists valuable data on how they formed.
    Giant planets can take shape in two ways: by slowly building solid cores with heavier elements that attract gas, just like the giants in our solar system, or when particles of gas rapidly coalesce into massive objects from a young star’s cooling disk, which is made mostly of the same kind of material as the star. The first process is called core accretion, and the second is called disk instability. Knowing which formation model is more common can give scientists clues to distinguish between the types of planets they find in other systems.
    “Our hope with this kind of research is to understand our own solar system, life, and ourselves in the comparison to other exoplanetary systems, so we can contextualize our existence,” Balmer said. “We want to take pictures of other solar systems and see how they’re similar or different when compared to ours. From there, we can try to get a sense of how weird our solar system really is—or how normal.”

    Of the nearly 6,000 exoplanets discovered, few have been directly imaged, as even giant planets are many thousands of times fainter than their stars. The images of HR 8799 and 51 Eridani were made possible by Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) coronagraph, which blocks light from bright stars to reveal otherwise hidden worlds.
    This technology allowed the team to look for infrared light emitted by the planets in wavelengths that are absorbed by specific gases. The team found that the four HR 8799 planets contain more heavy elements than previously thought.
    The team is paving the way for more detailed observations to determine whether objects they see orbiting other stars are truly giant planets or objects such as brown dwarfs, which form like stars but don’t accumulate enough mass to ignite nuclear fusion.
    “We have other lines of evidence that hint at these four HR 8799 planets forming using this bottom-up approach” said Laurent Pueyo, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, who co-led the work. “How common is this for planets we can directly image? We don’t know yet, but we’re proposing more Webb observations to answer that question.”
    “We knew Webb could measure colors of the outer planets in directly imaged systems,” added Rémi Soummer, director of STScI’s Russell B. Makidon Optics Lab and former lead for Webb coronagraph operations. “We have been waiting for 10 years to confirm that our finely tuned operations of the telescope would also allow us to access the inner planets. Now the results are in and we can do interesting science with it.”
    The NIRCam observations of HR 8799 and 51 Eridani were conducted as part of Guaranteed Time Observations programs 1194 and 1412 respectively.
    The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s premier space science observatory. Webb will solve mysteries in our solar system, look beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probe the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.
    Downloads
    Click any image to open a larger version.
    View/Download all image products at all resolutions for this article from the Space Telescope Science Institute.
    View/Download the research results from The Astrophysical Journal.

    Laura Betz – laura.e.betz@nasa.govNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
    Hannah Braun – hbraun@stsci.eduSpace Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md.
    Roberto Molar CandanosaJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.

    More Webb News
    More Webb Images
    Webb Science Themes
    Webb Mission Page
    Webb Blog: How Webb’s Coronagraphs Reveal Exoplanets in the Infrared
    Video: Eclipse/Coronagraph Animation
    Video: Exploring Star and Planet Formation
    Learn more about gas giants

    What is the Webb Telescope?
    SpacePlace for Kids
    En Español
    Ciencia de la NASA
    NASA en español 
    Space Place para niños

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA, Firefly Invite Media to Discuss End of Blue Ghost Moon Mission

    Source: NASA

    NASA and Firefly Aerospace will host a news conference at 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday, March 18, from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the company’s successful Blue Ghost Mission 1 on the Moon’s surface.
    Watch the news conference on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
    U.S. media interested in participating in person or remotely must request accreditation by 5 p.m., Monday, March 17, by contacting the NASA Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is online. To ask questions via phone, media must dial into the news conference no later than 15 minutes prior to the start of the call.
    Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander touched down March 2, on the Moon’s Mare Crisium basin. The lander’s NASA payloads were activated, collected science data, and performed operations as part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign to establish a long-term lunar presence. The mission is not designed to survive through the lunar night; however, Blue Ghost continued operations for five hours after lunar sunset on March 16.
    Participants will include:

    Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington 
    Jason Kim, CEO, Firefly Aerospace
    Ray Allensworth, spacecraft program director, Firefly
    Adam Schlesinger, CLPS project manager, NASA Johnson

    The Blue Ghost Mission 1 mission launched at 1:11 a.m., Jan. 15, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The lander delivered 10 NASA science investigations and technology demonstrations including testing and demonstrating lunar drilling technology, regolith (lunar rocks and soil) sample collection capabilities, global navigation satellite system abilities, radiation tolerant computing, and lunar dust mitigation. The data captured will benefit humans on Earth in many ways, providing insights into how space weather and other cosmic forces impact our home planet. 
    NASA continues to work with multiple American companies to deliver science and technology to the lunar surface through the agency’s CLPS initiative. This pool of companies may bid on NASA contracts for end-to-end lunar surface delivery services, including all payload integration and operations, launching from Earth and landing on the surface of the Moon.
    Through the Artemis campaign, commercial robotic deliveries will perform science experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities on and around the Moon to help NASA explore in advance of Artemis Generation astronaut missions to the lunar surface, and ultimately crewed missions to Mars.
    For more information about the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative: 
    https://www.nasa.gov/clps
    -end-
    Karen Fox / Alise FisherHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600  karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
    Natalia Riusech / Nilufar RamjiJohnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 natalia.s.riusech@nasa.gov / nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Modeling Assesses Age of Next Target Asteroid for NASA’s Lucy

    Source: NASA

    Although NASA’s Lucy spacecraft’s upcoming encounter with the asteroid Donaldjohanson is primarily a mission rehearsal for later asteroid encounters, a new paper suggests that this small, main belt asteroid may have some surprises of its own. New modeling indicates that Donaldjohanson may have been formed about 150 million years ago when a larger parent asteroid broke apart; its orbit and spin properties have undergone significant evolution since.

    When the Lucy spacecraft flies by this approximately three-mile-wide space rock on April 20, 2025, the data collected could provide independent insights on such processes based on its shape, surface geology and cratering history.
    “Based on ground-based observations, Donaldjohanson appears to be a peculiar object,” said Simone Marchi, deputy principal investigator for Lucy of Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado and lead author of the research published in The Planetary Science Journal. “Understanding the formation of Donaldjohanson could help explain its peculiarities.”
    “Data indicates that it could be quite elongated and a slow rotator, possibly due to thermal torques that have slowed its spin over time,” added David Vokrouhlický, a professor at the Charles University, Prague, and co-author of the research.
    Lucy’s target is a common type of asteroid, composed of silicate rocks and perhaps containing clays and organic matter. The new paper indicates that Donaldjohanson is a likely member of the Erigone collisional asteroid family, a group of asteroids on similar orbits that was created when a larger parent asteroid broke apart. The family originated in the inner main belt not very far from the source regions of the near-Earth asteroids Bennu and Ryugu, recently visited respectively by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx and JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s) Hayabusa2 missions.
    “We can hardly wait for the flyby because, as of now, Donaldjohanson’s characteristics appear very distinct from Bennu and Ryugu. Yet, we may uncover unexpected connections,” added Marchi.
    “It’s exciting to put together what we’ve been able to glean about this asteroid,” said Keith Noll, Lucy project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “But Earth-based observing and theoretical models can only take us so far – to validate these models and get to the next level of detail we need close-up data. Lucy’s upcoming flyby will give us that.”
    Donaldjohanson is named for the paleontologist who discovered Lucy, the fossilized skeleton of an early hominin found in Ethiopia in 1974, which is how the Lucy mission got its name. Just as the Lucy fossil provided unique insights into the origin of humanity, the Lucy mission promises to revolutionize our knowledge of the origin of humanity’s home world. Donaldjohanson is the only named asteroid so far to be visited while its namesake is still living.
    “Lucy is an ambitious NASA mission, with plans to visit 11 asteroids in its 12-year mission to tour the Trojan asteroids that are located in two swarms leading and trailing Jupiter,” said SwRI’s Dr. Hal Levison, mission principal investigator at the Boulder, Colorado branch of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. “Encounters with main belt asteroids not only provide a close-up view of those bodies but also allow us to perform engineering tests of the spacecraft’s innovative navigation system before the main event to study the Trojans. These relics are effectively fossils of the planet formation process, holding vital clues to deciphering the history of our solar system.”
    Lucy’s principal investigator is based out of the Boulder, Colorado, branch of Southwest Research Institute, headquartered in San Antonio. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, provides overall mission management, systems engineering, and safety and mission assurance. Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, built the spacecraft. Lucy is the 13th mission in NASA’s Discovery Program. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Discovery Program for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
    By Deb Schmid and Katherine Kretke, Southwest Research Institute
    Media Contact:Karen Fox / Molly WasserHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
    Nancy N. JonesNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: September 2024

    Source: NASA

    Fall back to school with this edition of the NASA eClips newsletter! Educators are provided with a host of resources to help engineer a great school year! Videos and activities focus on comparing science and engineering practices. Two new Spotlite Design Challenges are launched on climate change and Earth-observing satellites! And a fun activity for learners to work in groups to design their own mission patches.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Failure of Turkish authorities to give written permission to the Ecumenical Patriarchate to celebrate the Feast of the Dormition on 15 August at the historic Panagia Soumela Monastery – E-001530/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Freedom of religion, tolerance and respect for fundamental rights are core values of the EU and, as such, a crucial element of the EU accession process. Türkiye as a candidate country needs to adhere to those values as well.

    The freedom of thought, conscience and religion is monitored under Chapter 23 (Judiciary and fundamental rights) of the annual country report on Türkiye[1].

    While the last report from 2024 notes that freedom of worship is generally respected in Türkiye, it also underlines that the situation of freedom of thought, conscience and religion needs to be improved.

    In particular, the Venice Commission’s recommendations[2] on the legal status of non-Muslim religions and the right of the Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate to use the title ‘Ecumenical’ have yet to be implemented.

    The EU is committed to the preservation of cultural heritage in Türkiye. The Sümela Monastery is inscribed in the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s tentative World Heritage list[3].

    Once inscribed as a World Heritage site, Türkiye has the obligation to ensure that the outstanding universal value of the inscribed site on its territory is not impacted.

    The Commission will continue reporting on the rights of non-Muslim religious communities. It takes note of the mutual agreement between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Turkish authorities on the celebration of the Feast of the Dormition on 23 August 2024.

    • [1] https://neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/document/download/8010c4db-6ef8-4c85-aa06-814408921c89_en?filename=T%C3%BCrkiye%20Report%202024.pdf, p. 31.
    • [2] https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL-AD%282010%29005-e
    • [3] https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/?action=listtentative&state=tr&order=states
    Last updated: 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CCI approves acquisition of Uprising Science Private Limited by Hindustan Unilever Limited

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 17 MAR 2025 8:33PM by PIB Delhi

    The Competition Commission of India has approved acquisition of Uprising Science Private Limited by Hindustan Unilever Limited.

    The proposed transaction involves the acquisition by Hindustan Unilever Limited (Acquirer/HUL), of 90.5% shareholding of Uprising Science Private Limited (Target), with eventual acquisition of the remaining 9.5% shareholding of the Target in about two years from the completion date as per the terms set out in the Share Purchase & Subscription Agreement executed by and between HUL and the Target.

    The Acquirer is involved in the business of manufacture and sale of: (a) home care products; (b) beauty & personal care products; (c) food products and refreshments. The Acquirer has over 50+ brands spanning distinct categories and includes Lux, Surf Excel, Fair & Lovely, Lakme, Knorr, Kwality Wall’s, Brooke Bond, BRU among others.

    The Target is engaged in the manufacture and sale of beauty and personal care products such as skin care & body care products, baby care products and hair care products.

    Detailed order of the Commission will follow.

    *****

     NB/AD

    (Release ID: 2112019) Visitor Counter : 28

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: English Translation of Press Statement by Prime Minister during India-New Zealand Joint Press Statement

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 17 MAR 2025 7:26PM by PIB Delhi

    Your Excellency, Prime Minister Luxon,
    Delegates from both the countries,
    Friends from Media,
    Namaskar!
    Kia Ora!

    I warmly welcome Prime Minister Luxon and his delegation to India. Prime Minister Luxon has had a long relationship with India. We all witnessed, how a few days ago, he celebrated the joyous festival of Holi in Auckland! Prime Minister Luxon’s affection towards the people of Indian origin living in New Zealand can also be seen from the fact that a large community delegation has accompanied him to India. It is a matter of great pleasure for us to have a young, energetic and talented leader like him as the Chief Guest of the Raisina Dialogue this year.

    Friends,

    Today we held in-depth discussions on various areas of our bilateral relations. We’ve decided to strengthen and institutionalise our defense and security collaboration. In addition to joint exercises, training, and port visits, a roadmap for bilateral defense industry collaboration will be developed. Our navies are working together in the Combined Task Force-150 for maritime security in the Indian Ocean. And, we are happy that a New Zealand naval ship is making a port call in Mumbai in two days.

    Friends,

    We have decided to begin discussions for a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement between the two countries. This shall increase the potential for bilateral trade and investment. Mutual cooperation and investment shall be encouraged in fields such as Dairy, Food Processing, and Pharma. We have given priority to mutual cooperation in the areas of Renewable Energy and Critical Minerals. Joint work shall be done in Forestry and Horticulture. I am confident that the large business delegation accompanying the Prime Minister shall get an opportunity to explore and understand the new possibilities in India.

    Friends,

    Whether it is cricket, hockey, or mountaineering, the two countries share a long-standing bond in sports. We have agreed to strengthen cooperation in sports coaching, player exchange, and areas such as sports science, psychology, and medicine. We have decided to celebrate 100 years of sports relations between our two nations in 2026.

    Friends,

    The Indian community living in New Zealand is making a valuable contribution to the country’s social and economic development. We have agreed to work swiftly on an agreement to simplify the mobility of skilled workers and address issues related to illegal migration. We shall also focus on enhancing UPI connectivity, promoting digital transactions, and boosting tourism. Our ties in the field of education are long-standing, and we invite universities from New Zealand to establish campuses in India.

    Friends,

    We stand united against terrorism. Whether it is the Christchurch terrorist attack of March 15, 2019 or the Mumbai attack of November 26, 2008, terrorism in any form is unacceptable. Strict action must be taken against those responsible for such attacks. We will continue to cooperate in combating terrorism, separatist, and extremist elements. In this regard, we have also shared our concerns about anti-India activities by certain illegal elements in New Zealand. We’re confident that we will continue to receive the full cooperation of the New Zealand Government against such illegal elements.

    Friends,

    We both support a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. We believe in the policy of development, not expansionism. We welcome New Zealand joining the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative. Following its membership in the International Solar Alliance, we also congratulate New Zealand for joining the CDRI.

    Friends,

    Finally, in the language of Rugby, I would say – both of us are ready to “Front up” for a bright future in our relationship. We are ready to step up together and take responsibility for a bright partnership! And, I am confident that our partnership will prove to be a match-winning partnership for the people of both countries.

    Thank you very much!

    DISCLAIMER – This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister’s remarks. Original remarks were delivered

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Researchers created sound that can bend itself through space, reaching only your ear in a crowd

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jiaxin Zhong, Postdoctoral Researcher in Acoustics, Penn State

    For your ears only. Cinefootage Visuals/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    What if you could listen to music or a podcast without headphones or earbuds and without disturbing anyone around you? Or have a private conversation in public without other people hearing you?

    Our newly published research introduces a way to create audible enclaves – localized pockets of sound that are isolated from their surroundings. In other words, we’ve developed a technology that could create sound exactly where it needs to be.

    The ability to send sound that becomes audible only at a specific location could transform entertainment, communication and spatial audio experiences.

    What is sound?

    Sound is a vibration that travels through air as a wave. These waves are created when an object moves back and forth, compressing and decompressing air molecules.

    The frequency of these vibrations is what determines pitch. Low frequencies correspond to deep sounds, like a bass drum; high frequencies correspond to sharp sounds, like a whistle.

    Sound is composed of particles moving in a continuous wave.
    Daniel A. Russell, CC BY-NC-ND

    Controlling where sound goes is difficult because of a phenomenon called diffraction – the tendency of sound waves to spread out as they travel. This effect is particularly strong for low-frequency sounds because of their longer wavelengths, making it nearly impossible to keep sound confined to a specific area.

    Certain audio technologies, such as parametric array loudspeakers, can create focused sound beams aimed in a specific direction. However, these technologies will still emit sound that is audible along its entire path as it travels through space.

    The science of audible enclaves

    We found a new way to send sound to one specific listener: through self-bending ultrasound beams and a concept called nonlinear acoustics.

    Ultrasound refers to sound waves with frequencies above the human hearing range, or above 20 kHz. These waves travel through the air like normal sound waves but are inaudible to people. Because ultrasound can penetrate through many materials and interact with objects in unique ways, it’s widely used for medical imaging and many industrial applications.

    In our work, we used ultrasound as a carrier for audible sound. It can transport sound through space silently – becoming audible only when desired. How did we do this?

    Normally, sound waves combine linearly, meaning they just proportionally add up into a bigger wave. However, when sound waves are intense enough, they can interact nonlinearly, generating new frequencies that were not present before.

    This is the key to our technique: We use two ultrasound beams at different frequencies that are completely silent on their own. But when they intersect in space, nonlinear effects cause them to generate a new sound wave at an audible frequency that would be heard only in that specific region.

    Audible enclaves are created at the intersection of two ultrasound beams.
    Jiaxin Zhong et al./PNAS, CC BY-NC-ND

    Crucially, we designed ultrasonic beams that can bend on their own. Normally, sound waves travel in straight lines unless something blocks or reflects them. However, by using acoustic metasurfaces – specialized materials that manipulate sound waves – we can shape ultrasound beams to bend as they travel. Similar to how an optical lens bends light, acoustic metasurfaces change the shape of the path of sound waves. By precisely controlling the phase of the ultrasound waves, we create curved sound paths that can navigate around obstacles and meet at a specific target location.

    The key phenomenon at play is what’s called difference frequency generation. When two ultrasonic beams of slightly different frequencies, such as 40 kHz and 39.5 kHz, overlap, they create a new sound wave at the difference between their frequencies – in this case 0.5 kHz, or 500 Hz, which is well within the human hearing range. Sound can be heard only where the beams cross. Outside of that intersection, the ultrasound waves remain silent.

    This means you can deliver audio to a specific location or person without disturbing other people as the sound travels.

    Advancing sound control

    The ability to create audio enclaves has many potential applications.

    Audio enclaves could enable personalized audio in public spaces. For example, museums could provide different audio guides to visitors without headphones, and libraries could allow students to study with audio lessons without disturbing others.

    In a car, passengers could listen to music without distracting the driver from hearing navigation instructions. Offices and military settings could also benefit from localized speech zones for confidential conversations. Audio enclaves could also be adapted to cancel out noise in designated areas, creating quiet zones to improve focus in workplaces or reduce noise pollution in cities.

    A sound only you can hear.
    Daly and Newton/The Image Bank via Getty Images

    This isn’t something that’s going to be on the shelf in the immediate future. For instance, challenges remain for our technology. Nonlinear distortion can affect sound quality. And power efficiency is another issue – converting ultrasound to audible sound requires high-intensity fields that can be energy intensive to generate.

    Despite these hurdles, audio enclaves present a fundamental shift in sound control. By redefining how sound interacts with space, we open up new possibilities for immersive, efficient and personalized audio experiences.

    Yun Jing receives funding from NSF.

    Jiaxin Zhong does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Researchers created sound that can bend itself through space, reaching only your ear in a crowd – https://theconversation.com/researchers-created-sound-that-can-bend-itself-through-space-reaching-only-your-ear-in-a-crowd-252266

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Plans to link electricity bills to where you live are unlikely to bring down prices – and that’s a big problem for net zero

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nicholas Harrington, Research Associate in Electricity Market Reform, University of Glasgow

    Diana Mower/Shutterstock

    A proposed reform to the way electricity is priced in Britain could see households pay a different bill based on their postcode.

    Presently, Britain’s electricity system operates as a single market across England, Wales and Scotland. Around 30% of electricity is traded through half-hourly auctions, known as the spot market, while the remaining 70% is traded in forward markets via contracts covering weeks, months, or even years of demand in advance.

    The price of electricity is, broadly speaking, determined by the spot market, as forward market contracts are hedged on the basis of current and expected future spot market prices.

    “Zonal pricing” would divide the British market into multiple separate zones instead, each with its own spot and forward markets to serve demand within it. In effect, zonal pricing would split one large market into a series of smaller, interconnected markets.

    Whether it is the right approach depends on what you expect it to achieve, and where your interests lie. The UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, tasked with the decision, has three main objectives: decarbonising the country’s power sector, securing the supply of power and lowering the prices consumers pay.

    I’m an academic investigating the factors that influence the UK’s ability to decarbonise the housing sector, in particular, the way people heat their homes. I’m most concerned with the affordability of electricity, since I take the view that the lower the price of electricity, the easier our journey to net zero emissions will be – and vice versa.

    A lower electricity price would make clean heating systems (such as heat pumps, which run on electricity) more attractive to consumers and reduce the scale of insulation and draughtproofing required to make the running cost of these systems competitive with gas boilers. My research suggests that the UK’s high electricity price is behind the country’s comparably low rate of heat pump adoption.

    Zonal pricing, as an electricity market reform, seems unlikely to lower electricity prices and drive decarbonisation on its own. Closer scrutiny of the electricity system and its mechanisms suggests it may only make things more complicated.

    The root cause of high bills

    At €0.321 (£0.27) per kilowatt-hour (kWh), the UK has the second-highest electricity price when compared to European Union countries. The EU average is €0.218 per kWh, meaning UK electricity costs around 47% more than it does for most of our EU neighbours.

    Despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (which triggered a spike in energy prices) starting more than three years ago now, electricity prices across the UK remain about 53% higher than pre-crisis levels. If the UK is generating more electricity from renewables each year — and renewable electricity is the cheapest on the market — why do prices keep rising instead of falling, as one might expect?

    The UK’s high electricity prices are the result of system marginal pricing, which lies at the heart of the spot market. At the end of each half-hourly auction, all electricity that is bid into the market is purchased at the price of the last unit required to meet demand.

    Since total demand is rarely met by renewables, the much more expensive gas generators typically set the price. It’s like going to a fruit market to buy ten apples, finding the first nine for £1 each, the last one for £3, and then having to pay £30 for the lot, rather than the expected £13.

    Because forward markets follow the spot market, and the spot market operates under system marginal pricing, UK consumers end up paying gas-generated electricity prices 98% of the time.



    Read more:
    How gas keeps the UK’s electricity bills so high – despite lots of cheap wind power

    Will zonal pricing lower these prices? On its own, no. This is because all zones under the scheme will still have spot markets operating under the marginal pricing model. Zonal pricing doesn’t address the fundamental problem that’s keeping electricity prices in Britain so high.

    Advocates of zonal pricing argue that it will encourage investment in the infrastructure required to lower electricity prices – namely, storage and transmission.

    Grid-scale and home batteries, pumped hydro and thermal energy storage help reduce final electricity prices by storing excess renewable energy for use when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining, so grid operators don’t have to rely on expensive gas-generated electricity to fill supply gaps. Meanwhile, transmission lines and cables ensure that renewable electricity is delivered where it is needed.

    By creating price differences between zones, so the argument goes, the market receives clear signals about where such investments would be most profitable.

    Would zonal pricing help build more of these?
    EOSMan/Shutterstock

    This argument, however, assumes that electricity prices will fall in some zones, and that the market has a strong incentive to invest in high-price areas.

    I’m compelled to ask two questions. What prevents zones that generate a lot of renewable electricity from selling their supply at higher prices in other zones, which could prevent renewables from meeting total demand and lead to the same price distortions currently seen due to marginal pricing?

    And if investments in storage and transmission are underwhelming when electricity prices are high everywhere, why would they suddenly become more likely when prices are only high in specific areas?

    Overall, I think the argument in favour of zonal pricing is unconvincing as it doesn’t address the structural issue underlying the UK’s high electricity prices: spot markets that operate according to system marginal pricing.

    If zonal pricing neither lowers consumer electricity prices nor significantly stimulates investment in storage and transmission on its own — and does not alter the geographic and planning factors that determine wind and solar farm locations — then it is unclear what it would achieve beyond adding complexity to an already complex electricity system.

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

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Nicholas Harrington receives funding from the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSCR).

    – ref. Plans to link electricity bills to where you live are unlikely to bring down prices – and that’s a big problem for net zero – https://theconversation.com/plans-to-link-electricity-bills-to-where-you-live-are-unlikely-to-bring-down-prices-and-thats-a-big-problem-for-net-zero-251922

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why we are so scared of space – and how this fear can drive conspiracy theories

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tony Milligan, Research Fellow in the Philosophy of Ethics, King’s College London

    klyaksun/Shutterstock

    There are many home-grown problems on Earth, but there’s still time to worry about bad things arriving from above. The most recent is the asteroid 2024 YR4, which could be a “city killer” if it hits a heavily populated area of our planet in the early years of the next decade.

    The chances of that happening are now estimated to be around 0.001%. But there was a brief moment after the asteroid’s discovery last year when the estimated danger of a direct hit crossed the 1% threshold of comfortable risk.

    There’s a need to worry about planetary defence if we are to avoid going the way of the dinosaurs. But there are many other things that could kill us, including climate change and wars. So what is it about space that grabs our attention? And how do these fears affect us – individually and as a society?

    In the long run, something big will hit us, unless we can redirect it. The responsibility for preparation begins with us.

    Yet preparation also carries risks. Daniel Deudney, a professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University in the US, has warned that the technologies used for planetary defence can not only guide asteroids away from Earth – they can also guide them towards it as a tool in a military conflict.

    As explained in his book Dark Skies, Deudney’s solution is to reverse, regulate and relinquish most of our human activities in space for several centuries to come. The more we do in space, he believes, the greater the likelihood that states will end up in catastrophic conflict. “The avoidance of civilisation’s disaster and species extinction now depends on discerning what not to do, and then making sure it is not done,” he writes.

    He ultimately argues space expansion has come too soon, and we must reverse the process until we are ready. That said, he thinks we may still need some form of planetary defence, but that it can be limited.

    Holding off for centuries is an unlikely option though. The chances of an asteroid strike may well be too high. And the political interest in space expansion is, at this point, irreversible.

    Fear of space has grown alongside space programs. Worries about asteroid strikes and over-militarisation lean into deeper fears about space as the unknown. Yet they also lean into worries about the self-destructive side of humanity.

    Both fears are very old. One of our earliest traceable human tales, the story of the Cosmic Hunt dating back at least 15,000 years, combines the two.

    An indigenous Sami version, surviving in Scandinavia, describes how a great hunt in the skies would go wrong if the hunter is impatient and fires an arrow which misses its target and accidentally strikes the pole star. This would bring the canopy of the night sky crashing down to Earth. Again, fears about misguided human actions and the threat from above fuse.

    We can see this in modern technologically driven fears such as UFOlogy. Some hard-core believers in UFOs are not only concerned about hostile visitors, but about secret collaborations among scientists on Earth, or, an entire conspiracy to keep the truth from the public.

    Without belief in a conspiracy to suppress the evidence, the whole idea falls apart. But without belief that there is actually something to fear from space, there is nothing for the conspiracy to be about. Fear of space is a necessary part of this picture.

    This is an idea neatly captured in recent times by the Chinese science fiction author Cixin Liu, who compares space to a “dark forest” in which alien civilisations are trying to hide from each other.

    All of this presupposes something of a bunker mentality, an over-separation of Earth and space, or sky and ground. This is something I have referred to as ground bias. The bias allows space to appear as a threatening outside, rather than something that we, too, are part of.

    Alien viruses

    The rationalisation for such fear shifts about and is not restricted to asteroids, aliens, meteors and runaway military conflict. There is even a theory that viruses come from space.

    When COVID sceptics went looking for an idea to explain why mask wearing was pointless, what many of them struck upon was an obscure theory put together by the astrophysicists Fred Hoyle and Chandra Wickramsinghe in 1979.

    Some believe Covid came from space.
    Viacheslav Lopatin

    The duo ultimately had a good idea which they followed up with a bad idea. The good idea was that the components for the emergence of life may have come from space. The bad idea was that they came ready formed, as viruses and bacteria, and that they are still coming.

    According this theory, well known pandemics of the past (such as the lethal 1918 flu pandemic and even epidemics in antiquity) were apparently the result of viruses from space and could not be the result of person-to-person transmission – least of all from asymptomatic carriers.

    The COVID version involved a meteor exploding over China. In an interview, Wickramsinghe claimed “a piece of this bolide containing trillions of the COVID-19 virus broke off from the bolide as it was entering the stratosphere” releasing viral particles which were then carried by prevailing winds.

    The idea illustrates the way in which fears about space are used to drive anxiety about human failings or wrongdoing. COVID scepticism has since gone all the way into the White House.

    But fears about space can also be used to critique those in power. In our own times, they are used to fuel narratives about billionaires with private space agendas and presidential access, wealthy space tourists and even wealthier prospective colonisers of Mars and beyond. It is a tempting narrative, but one that sees Earth as closed system, which should not be opened to the outside.

    We may, at some level, be afraid of space itself. We certainly have an exaggerated sense our our Earthly separateness from it. And there are some particular things that we do have cause to worry about. But there is also the risk that a fear of space can combine with suspicions about governments, leading us to embrace conspiracy theories as a way to consolidate different kinds of worries into a single, manageable, set of beliefs.

    Tony Milligan receives funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant agreement No. 856543).

    – ref. Why we are so scared of space – and how this fear can drive conspiracy theories – https://theconversation.com/why-we-are-so-scared-of-space-and-how-this-fear-can-drive-conspiracy-theories-252195

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NREL Researchers Advance Substrate Engineering Pathways To Improve Power Electronics

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    As the growth in global electricity need and supply continues to accelerate, efficient power electronics will be key to improving grid efficiency, stability, integration, and resilience for all energy sources.

    Advances in wide-bandgap materials for semiconductors offer the potential to enable greater power handling in power electronics while reducing electrical and thermal losses. Wide-bandgap materials also allow for smaller, faster, more reliable, and more energy-efficient power electronic components than current commercial silicon-based power electronic components.

    Researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Colorado School of Mines, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory examined a potential route to achieve peak performance of aluminum gallium nitride, AlxGa1–xN, a key material for increasing power electronics’ energy efficiency and performance, through growth on optimized substrate materials.

    This work was undertaken with funding support from the microelectronics initiative through the U.S. Department of Energy Basic Energy Sciences Office and Advanced Scientific Computing Research program.

    The goal of the work is to grow higher-quality materials through the selection of a lattice-matched substrate. Better electron transmission means better device performance, but the growth of AlxGa1–xN on lattice-mismatched substrates leads to dislocation (line defects that distort a lattice due to the misalignment of atoms), resulting in diminished performance.

    “Substrate engineering enables the use of high-performing materials in real devices,” said NREL’s Dennice Roberts, a materials science researcher. “If we can engineer lattice-matched substrates to reduce the effect of dislocations, we can widen the range of sufficiently high-quality materials and build better, more energy-efficient power electronics.”

    As detailed in a new paper, “Designing TaC Virtual Substrates for Vertical AlxGa1−xN Power Electronics Devices,” published in PRX Energy, the research team proposed and demonstrated that electrically conductive, lattice-matched tantalum carbide (TaC) can act as a suitable substrate for AlxGa1–xN epitaxy that may meet growing power needs.

    Benefits of Transition Metal Carbides for AlxGa1–xN Growth

    Substrate engineering can improve device performance—but it is complicated. Defects, such as substrate cracking, are common with growth on AlN and GaN. Efforts to reduce dislocation have been effective but often increase device complexity and limit device design and performance. Lattice mismatching, again, leads to device performance issues.

    “Lattice matching is critical for high-quality epitaxial growth,” Roberts said. “We hypothesized that substrates from transition metal carbide and nitride families could enable desired conditions for AlxGa1–xN growth, not only because of ideal lattice matching but also because of ideal thermal and electrical conductivity properties. TaC and AlxGa1–xN are closely lattice-matched, TaC is highly conductive, and they display matched growth in size in response to changes in temperature.”

    The team grew, prepared, and used TaC thin films as virtual substrates for high-aluminum-content AlxGa1–xN and demonstrated AlxGa1–xN growth on TaC virtual substrates. To precisely and effectively deposit TaC onto the substrate, they used radio frequency sputtering. They formed substrates through high-temperature annealing, a process that increases ductility—the ability of a metal to undergo significant stress before cracking or breaking—and reduces defects.

    Before Annealing

    After Annealing

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM) shows the surface of the TaC thin film before and after annealing at high temperatures. The initial film surface is composed of many columnar grains, whereas after annealing the surface has reoriented to plateaus or “step terraces.” This flatter surface facilitates growth of much higher quality AlGaN layers and thus leads to higher performing electronics. Figure by Dennice Roberts, NREL

    Rational Design of Heterostructural Interfaces Enables Novel Device Concepts

    Motivated by the work of Roberts and her coauthors, NREL materials science postdoctoral researcher Sharad Mahatara and NREL senior scientist Stephan Lany approached the problem of interfaces between materials with different crystal structures from a computational perspective.

    Their work, “Heterostructural Interface Engineering for Ultrawide-Gap Nitrides From First Principles: TaC/AlN and TaC/GaN Rocksalt-Wurtzite Interfaces,” was recently published in Physical Review Applied. The broader context of this study is that lattice-matched substrates with the same crystal structure are often unavailable. Therefore, there are new opportunities to use heterostructural interfaces for conversion and control, if the formation of these more complex interfaces can be understood and controlled.

    The formation of interfaces between rocksalt structure (rs) and wurtzite structure (wz) materials—e.g., between TaC and AlN (GaN) films—can be modeled by considering the different possibilities of stacking the individual atomic layers. This problem is somewhat related to the question of how to arrange oranges in a box so as to get as many as possible into it.

    The NREL researchers approached this problem by writing a computer code with an algorithm to systematically enumerate the possible stacking sequences within a few atomic layers near the interface. This algorithm can be used to understand the atomic structures of various commensurate rs/wz interfaces, including the oxide interfaces.

    Mahatara and Lany then used first-principles density functional theory calculations to determine the most energetically stable atomic structure arrangement for each combination of substrate termination (the type of the last substrate atomic layer, Ta or C), film nucleation (the first nitride film layer, Al/Ga or N), and wz polarity (Al/Ga or N polarity, describing the orientation of the atomic bonds). Additionally, they used this data to predict which of the combinations will be most favorable under different experimental synthesis conditions. This information is important because the detailed atomic structure at the interface will determine the material’s functionality and performance in a device.

    For example, the polarity affects electric fields that are responsible for the transport of electrons across the interface. Controlling the polarity of the film during growth is therefore an important aspect of AlGaN epitaxy.

    “Our results may guide experimentalists on how to regulate nitrogen-polarity against metal-polarity of nitride films grown on TaC substrates as a function of growth conditions,” Mahatara said.

    As a follow-on to the current work, Mahatara and Lany are now investigating the electronic properties of their predicted structures. This ongoing effort will provide further information and predictions on how these structures will act and perform in new device concepts. The goal is to give experimentalists critical data for rational device design to accelerate the development of novel concepts in microelectronics.

    The findings from both studies may inform substrate engineering that improves power electronics as the needs of an electrified future grow.

    “We’re excited about the potential for these materials to address power and energy efficiency challenges,” Roberts said. “From a research perspective, it’s really neat to see a creative solution to a longstanding problem look like it has a lot of promise in real world applications, so we look forward to the developments to come.”

    Learn more about NREL’s materials science research.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why build nuclear power in place of old coal, when you could have pumped hydropower instead?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Weber, Research Officer for School of Engineering, Australian National University

    Phillip Wittke, Shutterstock

    Australia’s energy policy would take a sharp turn if the Coalition wins the upcoming federal election. A Dutton government would seek to build seven nuclear power plants at the sites of old coal-fired power stations.

    The Coalition says its plan makes smart use of the existing transmission network and other infrastructure. But solar and wind power would need to be curtailed to make room in the grid for nuclear energy. This means polluting coal and gas power stations would remain active for longer, releasing an extra 1 billion to 2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide.

    So is there another option? Yes: pumped hydro storage plants. This technology is quicker and cheaper to develop than nuclear power, and can store solar and wind rather than curtail it. It’s better suited to Australia’s electricity grid and would ultimately lead to fewer emissions. Drawing on our recent global analysis, we found the technology could be deployed near all but one of the seven sites the Coalition has earmarked for nuclear power.

    The Coalition is likely to spend anywhere from A$116 billion to $600 billion of taxpayers’ money to deliver up to 14 gigawatts of nuclear energy. Experts say the plan will not lower power prices and will take too long to build. Our findings suggest cheap storage of solar and wind, in the form of pumped hydro, is a better way forward.

    This way, we can continue to build renewable energy capacity while stabilising the grid. More than 45GW of solar and wind is already up and running, with a further 23GW being supported by the Capacity Investment Scheme until 2027. Only a handful of the pumped hydro sites we found would be needed to decarbonise the energy system, reaching the 1,046 gigawatt-hours of storage CSIRO estimates Australia needs.

    Building pumped hydro storage systems near old coal-fired power generators has some advantages, such as access to transmission lines – although more will be needed as electricity demand increases. But plenty of other suitable sites exist, too.

    Filling the gaps

    Pumped hydro is a cheap, mature technology that currently provides more than 90% of the world’s electrical energy storage.

    It involves pumping water uphill from one reservoir to another at a higher elevation for storage. Then, when power is needed, water is released to flow downhill through turbines, generating electricity on its way to the lower reservoir.

    Together with battery storage, pumped hydro solves the very real problem of keeping the grid stable and reliable when it is dominated by solar and wind power.

    By 2030, 82% of Australia’s electricity supply is expected to come from renewables, up from about 40% today.

    But solar panels only work during the day and don’t produce as much power when it’s cloudy. And wind turbines don’t generate power when it’s calm. That’s where storage systems come in. They can charge up when electricity is plentiful and then release electricity when it’s needed.

    Grid-connected batteries can fill short-term gaps (from seconds to a few hours). Pumped hydro can store electricity overnight, and longer still. These two technologies can be used together to supply electricity through winter, and other periods of calm or cloudy weather.

    Two types of pumped-storage hydropower, one doesn’t require dams on rivers.
    NREL

    Finding pumped hydro near the Coalitions’s proposed nuclear sites

    Australia has three operating pumped hydro systems: Tumut 3 in the Snowy Mountains, Wivenhoe in Queensland, and Shoalhaven in the Kangaroo Valley of New South Wales.

    Two more are under construction, including Snowy 2.0. Even after all the cost blowouts, Snowy 2.0 comes at a modest construction cost of A$34 per kilowatt-hour of energy storage, which is ten times cheaper than the cost CSIRO estimates for large, new batteries.

    We previously developed a “global atlas” to identify potential locations for pumped hydro facilities around the world.

    More recently, we created a publicly available tool to filter results based on construction cost, system size, distance from transmission lines or roads, and away from environmentally sensitive locations.

    In this new analysis, we used the tool to find pumped hydro options near the sites the Coalition has chosen for nuclear power plants.

    Mapping 300 potential pumped hydro sites

    The proposed nuclear sites are:

    • Liddell Power Station, New South Wales
    • Mount Piper Power Station, New South Wales
    • Loy Yang Power Stations, Victoria
    • Tarong Power Station, Queensland
    • Callide Power Station, Queensland
    • Northern Power Station, South Australia (small modular reactor only)
    • Muja Power Station, Western Australia (small modular reactor only).

    We used our tool to identify which of these seven sites would instead be suitable for a pumped hydro project, using the following criteria:

    • low construction cost (for a pumped hydro project)

    • located within 85km of the proposed nuclear sites.

    We included various reservoir types in our search:

    Exactly 300 sites matched our search criteria. No options emerged near the proposed nuclear site in Western Australia, but suitable sites lie further north in the mining region of the Pilbara.

    One option east of Melbourne, depicted in the image below, has a storage capacity of 500 gigawatt-hours. Compared with Snowy 2.0, this option has a much shorter tunnel, larger energy capacity, and larger height difference between the two reservoirs (increasing the potential energy stored in the water). And unlike Snowy 2.0, it is not located in a national park.

    Of course, shortlisted sites would require detailed assessment to confirm the local geology is suitable for pumped hydro, and to evaluate potential environmental and social impacts.

    More where that came from

    We restricted our search to sites near the Coalition’s proposed nuclear plants. But there are hundreds of potential pumped hydro sites along Australia’s east coast.

    Developers can use our free tool to identify the best sites.

    So far, the Australian electricity transition has mainly been driven by private investment in solar and wind power. With all this renewable energy entering the grid, there’s money to be made in storage, too.

    Large, centralised, baseload electricity generators, such as coal and nuclear plants, are becoming a thing of the past. A smarter energy policy would balance solar and wind with technologies such as pumped hydro, to secure a reliable electricity supply.

    Timothy Weber receives funding from the Australian government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics.

    Andrew Blakers receives funding from the Australian government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other organisations.

    – ref. Why build nuclear power in place of old coal, when you could have pumped hydropower instead? – https://theconversation.com/why-build-nuclear-power-in-place-of-old-coal-when-you-could-have-pumped-hydropower-instead-252017

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: I’m avoiding a hearing test because I don’t want chunky hearing aids. What are my options?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Ekberg, Senior Lecturer, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University

    Ksenia Shestakova/Shutterstock

    One in six Australians have hearing loss and, for most adults, hearing starts to decline from middle age onwards.

    Many of us, however, hesitate to seek help or testing for our hearing. Perhaps you’re afraid you’ll be told to wear hearing aids, and envision the large and bulky hearing aids you might have seen on your grandparents decades ago.

    In fact, hearing aids have changed a lot since then. They’re often now very small; some are barely noticeable. And hearing aids aren’t the only option available for people experiencing hearing loss.

    The earlier you do something about your hearing, the greater the likelihood that you can prevent further hearing decline.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Why you shouldn’t ignore hearing loss

    Acquired hearing loss can have a serious impact on our life. It is associated with or can contribute to:

    • social isolation
    • loneliness
    • not being able to work as much, or at all
    • memory problems
    • trouble thinking clearly
    • conditions such as dementia.

    Hearing loss has also been associated with depression, anxiety and stress. A systematic review and meta-analysis found adults with hearing loss are 1.5 times more likely to experience depression than those without hearing loss.

    A large population study in the US found self-reported hearing loss was associated with:

    • higher levels of psychological distress
    • increased use of antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications, and
    • greater utilisation of mental health services.

    The good news is that doing something about your hearing loss can help you live a happier and longer life.

    So why don’t people get their hearing checked?

    Research has found adults with hearing loss typically wait ten years to seek help for their hearing.

    Less than a quarter of those who need hearing aids actually go ahead with them.

    Hearing declines slowly, so people may perceive their hearing difficulties aren’t concerning. They may feel they’re now used to not being able to hear properly, without fully appreciating the impact it’s having on their life.

    Some people harbour negative attitudes to hearing aids or don’t think they’ll actually help.

    Others may have overheard their partner, family or friends say negative things or make jokes about hearing aids, which can put people off getting their hearing checked.

    Stigma can play a big part.

    People often associate hearing loss with negative stereotypes such as ageing, weakness and “being different”.

    Our recent research found that around one in four people never tell anyone about their hearing loss because of experiences of stigma.

    Adults with hearing loss who experience stigma and choose not to disclose their hearing loss were also likely not to go ahead with hearing aids, we found.

    Modern hearing aids may be a lot smaller than you realise.
    Daisy Daisy/Shutterstock

    What are my options for helping my hearing?

    The first step in helping your hearing is to have a hearing check with a hearing care professional such as an an audiologist. You can also speak to your GP.

    If you’ve got hearing loss, hearing aids aren’t the only option.

    Others include:

    • other assistive listening devices (such as amplified phones, personal amplifiers and TV headphones)
    • doing a short course or program (such as the Active Communication Education program developed via University of Queensland researchers) aimed at giving you strategies to manage your hearing, for instance, in noisy environments
    • monitoring your hearing with regular checkups
    • strategies for protecting your hearing in future (such as wearing earplugs or earmuffs in loud environments, and not having headphone speakers too loud)
    • a cochlear implant (if hearing loss is severe)

    Hearing care professionals should take a holistic approach to hearing rehabilitation.

    That means coming up with individualised solutions based on your preferences and circumstances.

    What are modern hearing aids like?

    If you do need hearing aids, it’s worth knowing there are several different types. All modern hearing aids are extremely small and discrete.

    Some sit behind your ear, while others sit within your ear. Some look the same as air pods.

    Some are even completely invisible. These hearing aids are custom fitted to sit deep within your ear canal and contain no external tubes and wires.

    Some types of hearing aids are more expensive than others, but even the basic styles are discrete.

    In Australia, children and many adults are eligible for free or subsidised hearing services and many health funds offer hearing aid rebates as part of their extras cover.

    Despite being small, modern hearing aids have advanced technology including the ability to:

    • reduce background noise
    • direct microphones to where sound is coming from (directional microphones)
    • use Bluetooth so you can hear audio from your phone, TV and other devices directly in your hearing aids.

    When used with a smartphone, some hearing aids can even track your health, detect if you have fallen, and translate languages in real time.

    Modern hearing aids use Bluetooth so you can hear audio from your phone.
    Daisy Daisy/Shutterstock

    What should I do next?

    If you think you might be having hearing difficulties or are curious about the status of your hearing, then it’s a good idea to get a hearing check.

    The earlier you do something about your hearing, the greater the likelihood that you can prevent further hearing decline and reduce other health risks.

    And rest assured, there’s a suitable option for everyone.

    Katie Ekberg has previously received funding from the Hearing Industry Research Consortium, which funded research into stigma associated with hearing loss and hearing aids.

    Barbra Timmer is a part-time employee of Sonova AG, a global hearing care company. She was a Chief Investigator on a Hearing Industry Research Consortium grant that investigated the experiences of stigma for adults with hearing loss. She is the president of Audiology Australia.

    – ref. I’m avoiding a hearing test because I don’t want chunky hearing aids. What are my options? – https://theconversation.com/im-avoiding-a-hearing-test-because-i-dont-want-chunky-hearing-aids-what-are-my-options-250925

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Scientific misconduct is on the rise. But what exactly is it?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nham Tran, Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney

    PowerUp/Shutterstock

    German anaesthesiologist Joachim Boldt has an unfortunate claim to fame. According to Retraction Watch, a public database of research retractions, he is the most retracted scientist of all time. To date, 220 of his roughly 400 published research papers have been retracted by academic journals.

    Boldt may be a world leader, but he has plenty of competition. In 2023, more than 10,000 research papers were retracted globally – more than any previous year on record. According to a recent investigation by Nature, a disproportionate number of retracted papers over the past ten years have been written by authors affiliated with several hospitals, universities and research institutes in Asia.

    Academic journals retract papers when they are concerned that the published data is faked, altered, or not “reproducible” (meaning it would yield the same results if analysed again).

    Some errors are honest mistakes. However, the majority of retractions are associated with scientific misconduct.

    But what exactly is scientific misconduct? And what can be done about it?

    From fabrication to plagiarism

    The National Health and Medical Research Council is Australia’s primary government agency for medical funding. It defines misconduct as breaches of the Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research.

    In Australia, there are broadly eight recognised types of breaches. Research misconduct is the most severe.

    These breaches may include failure to obtain ethics approval, plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification and misrepresentation.

    This is what was behind many of Boldt’s retractions. He made up data for a large number of studies, which ultimately led to his dismissal from the Klinikum Ludwigshafen, a teaching hospital in Germany, in 2010.

    In another case, China’s He Jiankui was sentenced to three years in prison in 2019 for creating the world’s first genetically edited babies using the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR. His crime was that he falsified documents to recruit couples for his research.

    The “publish or perish” culture within academia fuels scientific misconduct. It puts pressure on academics to meet publication quotas. It also rewards them for greater research output, in the form of promotions, funding and recognition. And this can mean research quality is sacrificed for quantity.

    Honest mistakes

    But not all research misconduct is premeditated. Some is the result of honest mistakes made by scientists.

    For example, Sergio Gonzalez, a young scientist at the Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier in France, mistakenly uploaded several wrong images to an academic paper and its supplementary material. This didn’t have any effect on the findings of the paper, which were based on the correct images.

    But it still represented a case of image duplication and misrepresentation of data. This lead to the journal retracting the paper and launching an investigation. The investigation concluded the breach was unintentional and resulted from the pressures of academic research.

    Fewer than 20% of all retractions are due to honest mistakes. Researchers usually contact the publisher to correct errors when they are detected, with no major consequences.

    The need for a national oversight body

    In many countries, an independent national body oversees research integrity.

    In the United Kingdom, this body is known as the Committee on Research Integrity. It is responsible for improving research integrity and addressing misconduct cases. Similarly, in the United States, the Office of Research Integrity handles allegations of research misconduct.

    In contrast, Australia lacks an independent body directly tasked with investigating research misconduct. There is a body known as the Australian Research Integrity Committee. But it only reviews the institutional procedures and governance of investigations to ensure they are conducted fairly and transparently – and with limited effectiveness. For example, last year it received 13 complaints, only five of which were investigated.

    Instead Australia relies on a self-regulation model. This means each university and research institute aligns its own policy with the Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. Although this code originated in medical research, its principles apply across all disciplines.

    For example, in archaeology, falsifying an image or deliberately reporting inaccurate carbon dating results constitutes data fabrication. Another common breach is plagiarism, which can also be applied to all fields.

    But self-governance on integrity matters is fraught with problems.

    Investigations often lack transparency and are carried out internally, creating a conflict of interest. Often the investigative teams are under immense pressure to safeguard their institution’s reputation rather than uphold accountability.

    A 2023 report by the Australia Institute called for the urgent establishment of an independent, government-funded research integrity watchdog.

    The report recommended the watchdog have direct investigatory powers and that academic institutions be bound by its findings.

    The report also recommended the watchdog should release its findings publicly, create whistleblower protections, establish a proper appeals process and allow people to directly raise complaints with it.

    Research credibility is on the line

    The consequences of inadequate oversight are already evident.

    One of the biggest research integrity scandals in Australian history involved Ali Nazari, an engineer from Swinburne University. In 2022 an anonymous whistleblower alleged Nazari was part of an international research fraud cartel involving multiple teams.

    Investigations cast doubt on the validity of the 287 papers Nazari and the other researchers had collectively published. The investigations uncovered numerous violations, including 71 instances of falsified results, plagiarism and duplication, and 208 instances of self-plagiarism.

    Similarly, Mark Smyth, formerly of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, fabricated research data to support grant applications and clinical trials. An independent inquiry concluded he used his reputation, status and authority to bully and intimidate junior colleagues.

    If Australia had a independent research integrity body, there would be a clear governance structure and an established and transparent pathway for reporting breaches at a much earlier stage.

    Timely intervention would help reduce further breaches through swift investigation and corrective action. Importantly, consistent governance across Australian institutions would help ensure fairness. It would also reduce bias and uphold the same standards across all misconduct cases.

    The call for an independent research integrity watchdog is long overdue.

    Only through impartial oversight can we uphold the values of scientific excellence, protect public trust, and foster a culture of accountability that strengthens the integrity of research for all Australians.

    Nham Tran has received funding from Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Scientific misconduct is on the rise. But what exactly is it? – https://theconversation.com/scientific-misconduct-is-on-the-rise-but-what-exactly-is-it-247352

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Less than 1% of the world’s biggest radio telescope is complete – but its first image reveals a sky dotted with ancient galaxies

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Randall Wayth, SKA-Low Senior Commissioning Scientist and Adjunct Associate Professor, Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy, Curtin University

    The first image from an early working version of the SKA-Low telescope, showing around 85 galaxies. SKAO

    Part of the world’s biggest mega-science facility – the SKA Observatory – is being built in outback Western Australia.

    After decades of planning, countless hours of work, and more than a few setbacks, an early working version of the telescope has captured its first glimpse of the sky.

    Using 1,024 of what will eventually be 131,072 radio antennas, the first SKA-Low image shows a tiny sliver of sky dotted with ancient galaxies billions of light-years from Earth.

    This first snapshot shows the system works, and will improve dramatically in the coming months and years – and starts a new chapter in our exploration of the universe.

    A glimpse of the universe

    The SKA-Low telescope is currently under construction on Wajarri Yamaji Country in Western Australia, around 600 kilometres north of Perth. Together with the SKA-Mid telescope (under construction in South Africa), the two telescopes will make up the world’s largest and most sensitive radio observatory.

    SKA-Low will consist of thousands of antennas spread across a vast area. It is designed to detect low-frequency radio signals from some of the most distant and ancient objects in the universe.

    The first image, made using just 1,024 of the planned 131,000 antennas, is remarkably clear, confirming that the complex systems for transmitting and processing data from the antennas are working properly. Now we can move on to more detailed observations to analyse and verify the telescope’s scientific output.

    Bright galaxies, billions of years old

    The image shows a patch of the sky, approximately 25 square degrees in area, as seen in radio waves.

    Twenty-five square degrees is an area of sky that would fit 100 full Moons. For comparison, it would be about the area of sky that a small apple would cover if you held it at arm’s length.

    The first image from an early working version of the SKA-Low telescope, showing around 85 galaxies.
    SKAO

    The dots in the image look like stars, but are actually some of the brightest galaxies in the universe. These galaxies are billions of light-years away, so the galaxies we are seeing now were emitting this light when the universe was half its current age.

    They are so bright because each of these distant galaxies contains a supermassive black hole. Gas orbiting around black holes is very hot and moves very quickly, emitting energy in X-rays and radio waves. SKA-Low can detect these radio waves that have travelled billions of light years across the universe to reach Earth.

    The world’s largest radio telescope

    SKA-Low and SKA-Mid are both being built by the SKAO, a global project to build cutting-edge telescopes that will revolutionise our understanding of the universe and deliver benefits to society. (SKA stands for “square kilometre array”, describing the initial estimated collecting area of all the antennas and radio dishes put together.)

    My own involvement in the project began in 2014. Since then I, along with many local and international colleagues, have deployed and verified several prototype systems on the path to SKA-Low. To now be part of the team that is making the first images with the rapidly growing telescope is extremely satisfying.

    A complex system with no moving parts

    SKA-Low will be made up of 512 aperture arrays (or stations), each comprised of 256 antennas.

    Unlike traditional telescopes, aperture arrays have no moving parts, which makes them easier to maintain. The individual antennas receive signals from all directions at once and – to produce images – we use complex mathematics to combine the signals from each individual antenna and “steer” the telescope.

    The SKA-Low telescope uses arrays of radio antennas (called stations) to create images of the universe.
    SKAO / Max Alexander

    The advantages and flexibility of aperture arrays come at the cost of complex signal processing and software systems. Any errors in signal timing, calibration or processing can distort the final image or introduce noise.

    For this reason, the successful production of the first image is a key validation – it can only happen if the entire system is working.

    The shape of the universe and beyond

    As SKA-Low grows, it will see more detail. Simulations show the full telescope may detect up to 600,000 galaxies in the same patch of sky shown in the first test image.
    SKAO

    Once completed, SKA-Low promises to transform our understanding of the early universe.

    The antennas of the full telescope will be spread across an area approximately 70 kilometres in diameter, making it the most sensitive low-frequency radio array ever built.

    This unprecedented sensitivity to low-frequency radio signals will allow scientists to detect the faint signals from the first stars and galaxies that formed after the Big Bang – the so-called “cosmic dawn”. SKA-Low will be the first radio telescope capable of imaging this very early period of our universe.

    It will also help map the large-scale structure of the universe. We expect the telescope will also provide new insights into cosmic magnetism, the behaviour of interstellar gas, and the mysterious nature of dark matter and dark energy.

    The sensitivity and resolution of SKA-Low gives it a huge discovery potential. Seven out of the top 10 discoveries from the Hubble Space Telescope were not part of the original science motivation. Like the HST, SKA-Low promises to be a transformative telescope. Who knows what new discoveries await?

    What’s next

    SKA-Low’s commissioning process will ramp up over the course of the year, as more antenna arrays are installed and brought online. With each additional station, the sensitivity and resolution of the telescope will increase. This growth will also bring greater technical challenges in handling the growing complexity and data rates.

    By the end of 2025, SKA-Low is expected to have 16 working stations. The increased volume of output data at this stage will be the next major test for the telescope’s software systems.

    By the end of 2026, the array is planned to expand to 68 working stations at which point it will be the the most sensitive low-frequency radio telescope on Earth.

    This phase will be the next big test of the end-to-end telescope system. When we get to this stage, the same field you see in the image above will be able to comprehensively map and detect up to 600,000 galaxies. I’m personally looking forward to helping bring it together.

    Randall Wayth 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. Less than 1% of the world’s biggest radio telescope is complete – but its first image reveals a sky dotted with ancient galaxies – https://theconversation.com/less-than-1-of-the-worlds-biggest-radio-telescope-is-complete-but-its-first-image-reveals-a-sky-dotted-with-ancient-galaxies-252382

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: AI at work: Reasoning models and the future of business

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: AI at work: Reasoning models and the future of business

    We are now living in a new reality—one in which AI can think and reason like humans, solving complex problems that have stumped even the most capable experts. This reality emerged just a few months ago, when OpenAI released the first of its AI “reasoning” models, which can understand and solve problems by making logical inferences and adapting to new information. More recently, DeepSeek made waves with a reasoning model that was developed more quickly and cheaply than we thought possible, and Anthropic released a hybrid reasoning model that can handle both immediate responses and those that require deeper consideration.  

    Let’s decode what happens when AI “reasons,” and what this remarkable new capability will mean for your business. 

    Understanding the breakthrough—and why it matters 
    Most current AI models rely heavily on pattern recognition to answer questions almost instantly, but reasoning AI takes a more deliberate approach. It engages in logical, multi-step analysis—a process called chain-of-thought reasoning—to break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable chunks. That lets the AI explore different paths and backtrack or pivot when it’s wrong, similar to how humans solve problems.  

    Until recently, the go-to method for improving AI model performance was feeding it increasingly massive data sets during the training stage. Reasoning models leverage a different strategy called test-time compute, which involves using more processing power and time during the actual problem-solving stage. This means the AI takes more time and uses more resources to think deeply and provide more complete, accurate answers. 

    Reasoning AI isn’t perfect: humans still have a premium on common sense, and AI struggles with tasks that require understanding context beyond logical reasoning, such as interpreting nuanced language. Still, reasoning capabilities make AI extraordinarily powerful, able to solve problems that stymie other systems. 

    Here’s one example of that power in action: Ethan Mollick, professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, wondered if OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model could spot a recently unearthed math error in a research paper that briefly sparked a panic about the safety of black plastic cooking utensils. He asked it to “carefully check the math in this paper,” and it quickly pinpointed the mistake.   

    As Mollick wrote, “When models are capable enough to not just process an entire academic paper, but to understand the context in which ‘checking math’ makes sense, and then actually check the results successfully, that radically changes what AIs can do.” 

    Reasoning models are racking up astonishing results on intelligence benchmarks, as Mollick points out. The GPQA Diamond benchmark tests high-level science knowledge that isn’t available online, and OpenAI o3 beat human experts with a score of 87.7%. In FrontierMath, a set of incredibly tough math problems, o3 scored 25.2%, a major improvement over previous models. And on ARC-AGI, a test designed to be doable for humans but hard for AIs, o3 scored 87.5%, besting both previous AIs and the baseline human level. 

    All this isn’t to say that AI is going to take the place of human expertise and judgment. But reasoning as a scalable, always-on resource represents a powerful new paradigm. This is a watershed moment—one that every leader and organization will need to come to terms with. 

    Decoding reasoning’s potential impact on business 
    Reasoning AI offers huge promise for business, across industries. Think of its potential for research and development. AI can now propose hypotheses and simulate outcomes on its own—thinking that’s well beyond the capabilities of standard prompt-and-response models. That advancement could cut years off traditional R&D cycles and bring breakthroughs in fields from renewable energy to pharmaceuticals. 

    More broadly, reasoning AI will upend many of our assumptions about work. Leaders should keep two things in mind: First, these models can perform cognitive labor that is equivalent to or better than humans. In other words, they can perceive, understand, reason, and execute—sometimes even create—at levels that approach or surpass human abilities. For every task your team needs to tackle, ask yourself, “Can AI do this job?” If the situation doesn’t call for uniquely human skills like judgment, nuance, originality, or emotional intelligence, the answer is now yes. We need to imagine a new division of labor for humans and AI—and new approaches to managing that labor. 

    Second, reasoning models change the economics of work. Historically, “acquiring” reasoning meant hiring humans, but that’s no longer exclusively the case. You can now rent or purchase cognitive labor on a consumption basis, similar to acquiring any other input for your business, from electricity to equipment. And that’s a very big deal. With efficient and affordable reasoning capabilities, your organization and industry will radically change. I expect that disruption to come from AI-native firms rather than incumbent companies. AI natives will have a competitive edge simply because they’ve been weaving AI into every process from the start.  

    It’s still early days for AI reasoning—and these are my initial thoughts. I’m certain that reasoning will crack open possibilities—and opportunities for business—that I haven’t even begun to imagine.  

    For more insights on AI and the future of work, subscribe to this newsletter.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Rwanda has moved people into model ‘green’ villages: is life better there?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Allyn Dale, Director of the MA in Climate and Society program at the Columbia Climate School, Columbia University

    After the devastating 1994 genocide, Rwandans returning from the violence established homes and began farming where they could find land.

    Since then, the Rwandan government has aimed to bring people scattered across rural parts of the country into grouped settlements which they have called “model villages”. These are intended to provide extra support for highly vulnerable residents, such as the homeless and those who are living in “high risk zones” – areas prone to floods, drought and mudslides, and which are likely to be affected by climate change in the future.

    Rwanda has a population of 14.5 million. An estimated 62,000 rural families have been resettled into 14,815 villages, of which 253 are considered “model villages”. Some of them are considered “green”, because they use solar power and biofuels as energy sources. Rainwater harvesting, tree planting, and terraced vegetable plots are other features of the green, environmentally friendly model villages.

    We conducted a study to understand the impact of relocating rural communities from high risk zones where they face threats from a changing climate, such as erratic rainfall, drought, floods and landslides. We looked at two lake island communities who were experiencing floods. They also suffered a lack of health and education services and security problems from being too close to an unguarded border.

    We used the Rweru Model Green Village as a case study. Based on our interviews with families who were moved there, we found that relocating people can be double-edged. On the positive side, resettlement increased access to modern facilities and social services. On the downside, people found it hard to earn a living. They lacked access to natural and financial capital and had to adapt to a different climate.

    The resettlement programme overall is now understood to be part of the government of Rwanda’s approach to climate change adaptation. However, our findings suggest that this should be done with care, considering factors like community expectations and government development plans.

    Why people were moved

    The Rweru Model Green Village was set up in 2016 to house residents from two nearby islands on Lake Rweru, Sharita and Mazane. Located along the southern border with Burundi, these islands were home to generations of Rwandans. But they lived in relative isolation without access to services like education, healthcare or markets.

    We interviewed and surveyed people from 64 households in the Rweru village. At the time of our research, 1,777 people had been moved in, all from Sharita and Mazane islands.



    Read more:
    Rising risks of climate disasters mean some communities will need to move – we need a national conversation about relocation now

    Participants said fishing had been a way of life on the islands, providing them with a consistent source of protein. Beans, potatoes, cassava and sorghum grew successfully. Even relatively impoverished households said they had enough food to live on: 55% said the productivity of the land was high.

    However, 84% of respondents also described an isolated life without services. As one put it:

    we were cut off from the rest of the world.

    Many mentioned the lack of drinking water, roads and electricity as a major drawback to living on the islands. While primary school was available, older children could only get to a secondary school by a two hour boat ride. Some dropped out of school.

    Healthcare was absent, and respondents described harrowing journeys to find medical attention. As one woman said:

    When we were still there in Sharita, a woman could want to deliver a baby but getting a boat it takes a long time, a woman can even lose her life waiting.

    The boat rides were dangerous because of hippos in the lake, malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and the risk of drowning.

    Others said that people from Burundi could access the islands easily and sometimes assaulted or killed the island residents. About 76% of the people we interviewed described their lives before relocation as dangerous. Residents had been asking to be resettled for some time because of these problems.

    One of the driving forces for organising rural life into model villages is to enhance the capacity of residents to adapt to changes, including climate impacts such as the increased risks of flooding, drought or landslides. In that way, the model green village programme is also understood to have climate change adaptation elements.

    The pros and cons after resettlement

    After resettlement, most respondents described improvements in their overall quality of life. They were less exposed to floods, which they’d experienced on the islands. They had improved access to healthcare, social services and quality housing.

    Many (66%) described the housing they received as the most important advantage of their new lives:

    Above all, the nicest thing I was given was the house.

    They also described clean water (26%), markets (50%), healthcare (55%), schools (50%) and electricity (24%) as benefits of living in the new model village. It was the first time they’d been able to manage livestock, having only had chickens on the islands. Their children were benefiting from having milk.



    Read more:
    Climate change will force up to 113m people to relocate within Africa by 2050

    Some residents appreciated having a mattress for the first time; 50% indicated furniture and kitchen equipment as advantages. About 34% of respondents were pleased that they no longer needed to travel by boat.

    They also felt safer. But despite these positive outcomes, they said they were poorer and had less food. Unlike the islands, the micro-climate inland was very hot, with little rain and increasing drought.

    Most people we interviewed (55%) said their new, smaller plots of land were “infertile”, “unproductive” or “barren”. They couldn’t fish or grow enough fruit or vegetables. One person said many of the elderly people who were moved only ate one meal a day in the village “and others are starving completely”.

    Increased hunger caused children to miss school:

    Sometimes I cannot put food on the table, my son sleeps with an empty stomach and he cannot go to school the next day.

    The future of model green villages

    The Rwandan government plans to continue setting up model villages, and wants these to be sustainable for many years.

    More research is needed to determine whether living in a model village provides young people with a better quality of life. The government will also need to address the economic challenges, food insecurity and welfare needs of residents in the new villages.

    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. Rwanda has moved people into model ‘green’ villages: is life better there? – https://theconversation.com/rwanda-has-moved-people-into-model-green-villages-is-life-better-there-250975

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Christian nationalism in the U.S. is eerily reminiscent of ‘dominionist’ reformers in history

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary K. Waite, Professor Emeritus, Early Modern European History, University of New Brunswick

    In this etching from Dutch theologian Lambertus Hortensius’ 1614 book ‘Van den oproer der weder-dooperen,’ Anabaptists warn the residents of Amsterdam of the coming vengeance of Christ in 1535. (Lambertus Hortensius)

    Far-right politics and Christian nationalism are on the rise in North America and Europe, leading to growing concerns about what it means for human rights and democracy.

    As an historian of the demonizing language of the 16th century, I have been watching current events, around QAnon and Christian nationalist support for United States President Donald Trump with considerable trepidation.

    Why? Because we’ve seen before what happens when religious groups use government to force their beliefs and morality upon society.

    Religion scholar Bradley Onishi writes that the Christian nationalist movement known as the “New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is one of the most influential and dangerous Christian nationalist movements in the United States” and has become “a global phenomenon.”



    Read more:
    New Apostolic Reformation evangelicals see Trump as God’s warrior in their battle to win America from satanic forces and Christianize it

    This movement has reshaped its theology in ways eerily reminiscent of the prophets of the Anabaptist kingdom of Münster of the 1530s in present-day Germany. As my scholarship has examined, those religious dissenters faced polemical demonizing by religious authorities and faced violent oppression, via torture and execution.

    Today’s Christian nationalists, however, have faced no such maltreatment. Yet, like persecuted dissenters of the 1530s, they claim divine authority to remake society.

    The Anabaptists of Münster

    A portrait of Jan van Leiden, a leader of the Münster Anabaptists, by Dutch artist Jan Muller circa 1615.
    (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

    The 16th-century Reformation had originally broken down the religious state of medieval Europe. However, Protestant leaders like Martin Luther and John Calvin quickly saw the advantage of having civic governments force conformity to their reforms, and punish dissent.

    Among those targeted were the small groups of dissenters whose Biblical interpretation, congruent with the life and teaching of Jesus, led them to follow the Gospel’s command to preach and baptize “on confession of faith” and a person’s commitment to discipleship.“ By contrast, reformers, and the church they sought to reform, “practised and required infant baptism for the entire population (usually required by law).”

    Derisively called Anabaptists, the small group of dissenters also refused to participate in government. For these practices they were persecuted, with hundreds horrifically tortured and executed.

    Driven to desperation, some Anabaptists in northwestern Europe and northern Germany looked for hope to the Westphalian city of Münster in present-day Germany.

    Here the city’s major preacher, Bernhard Rothmann, was moving the city into the Reformed Protestant camp, rather than that of their Lutheran neighbours. When large numbers of Anabaptist refugees arrived in 1533, they won the civic election and Münster became an Anabaptist city.

    The Catholic bishop of Münster had other ideas. Hiring Catholic and Lutheran troops, he laid siege to the city and things became desperate. Enraged by persecution, the Münsterite Anabaptists changed their image of Jesus from the peacemaker of the Gospels to the apocalyptic Jesus of Revelation.

    The Jesus of Anabaptist Münster

    Rothmann’s original theology was like what Calvin would develop for Geneva. What made the two cities distinct was the charismatic leadership of the Dutch Anabaptist prophet Jan Matthijs, who predicted that Christ would return on Easter Day, 1534, adding both urgency and confidence in applying God’s directives.

    Now besieged, Matthijs and Rothmann took their reform movement in a more “dominionist” direction, meaning they believed their movement should take moral, spiritual and religious control over society. They expelled anyone who refused to co-operate.

    When Christ did not return on Easter 1534 and Matthijs was killed by the besiegers, his successor, Jan van Leiden, simply postponed Christ’s return to the following Easter and declared himself a semi-divine king.

    He also abandoned the message of the Jesus of the Sermon on the Mount in favour of the vengeful Jesus of the Book of Revelation. Rothmann justified this in a tract which I translated as:

    “It was … the intention of our hearts in our baptism, that we would suffer for Christ, whatever men did to us. But it has pleased the Lord … that now we and all Christians at this time may not only ward off the violence of the godless with the sword, but also, that he has put the sword into our hands to avenge all injustice and evil over the entire world.”

    King van Leiden sent people out to spread this revolutionary message and take over other cities. This led to several militant episodes, including in Amsterdam, where in February 1535, 11 Anabaptists paraded naked through the streets proclaiming the “naked truth” of God’s anger.

    Others delivered the message while waving swords. Finally, in May, 1535 about 40 Anabaptists captured Amsterdam’s city hall. All were arrested and executed. These were the actions of desperate people inspired by their prophets’ assurances of divine authority. When, however, Münster fell at the end of June 1535, the result was massive disillusionment, a return to non-violence and increased persecution.

    This etching (circa 1629-1652) by Dutch artist Pieter de Hooch depicts Anabaptists walking naked through the streets of Amsterdam after being inspired to remove and burn their clothes in February 1535.
    (Rijksmuseum)

    Divine authority to remake society?

    This transformation of the Münster Anabaptists into vengeful militants reminds me of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). As Matthew D. Taylor has revealed, this movement sees itself as fighting a “spiritual battle” against the demonic forces opposing Trump; some participated (non-violently) in the Jan. 6, 2020 riot.

    Taylor concludes with a warning that the NAR act as “spiritual warmongers, constantly expanding the arena of spiritual warfare, mapping it onto geographical territory and divisive politics in a deeply destabilizing and antidemocratic manner.” It is as if we are listening to Rothmann’s fiery sermons again.

    One difference, of course, is that the NAR folk are not under persecution, despite what they might claim. Taylor describes this as “the Evangelical Persecution Neurosis.”

    Three of the NAR’s principle components are:

    1. A charismatic approach to Christian life that affirms God speaks directly to them. They see themselves as biblical prophets who speak God’s commands which must be implemented regardless of social impact.

    2. The Evangelical Christian belief of living in the end-times on the eve of Jesus Christ’s return for judgment. NAR preachers proclaim that while Jesus in the Gospels taught to “turn the other cheek,” they now follow the judgmental Jesus of the apocalyptical Book of Revelation and mobilize a struggle with Satan to rely on scapegoat ideology.

    3. Derived from a group of Reformed or Calvinist theologians called “Christian Reconstructionists,” and building on Calvin’s theology of the “godly city,” they pursue a broader “dominionist” rationale to take over all of society for Christ. Believing one is living in the end-times means that society must be taken over and cleansed immediately, adding to urgency.



    Read more:
    I went to CPAC as an anthropologist to see how Trump supporters are feeling − for them, a ‘golden age’ has begun

    Believers, drawing on these three beliefs, derive an assurance they speak with God’s voice. This was the case for the Münster Anabaptists, and now similarly, for the NAR. As the example of the Münster Anabaptists suggests, we’ve seen this many times before throughout history, and it doesn’t end well.

    A 1685 engraving by Dutch poet and engraver Jan Luyken depicting the 1571 burning of Anabaptist woman Anneken Hendriks from Thieleman van Braght’s 1660 book ‘The Bloody Theatre or Martyrs Mirror.’
    (Allard Pierson Museum)

    There have been many more recent episodes of Christian groups claiming divine authority to remake society. Like Jan van Leiden, those in the NAR or who concur with its theology have recast the Jesus of the Gospels, and U.S. President Donald Trump, in apocalyptic terms.

    U.S. congresswoman Lauren Boebert, for example, who has been described as a Christian nationalist and is a strong gun advocate, is among those who say God anointed Trump to the presidency.

    This gives a gloss of divine approval for Trump’s autocratic goals. As authoritarianism and Christian nationalism rises, the fusion of charismatic authority with Reformed Protestant certitude and end-times fervour continues to attract followers.

    Gary K. Waite has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Christian nationalism in the U.S. is eerily reminiscent of ‘dominionist’ reformers in history – https://theconversation.com/christian-nationalism-in-the-u-s-is-eerily-reminiscent-of-dominionist-reformers-in-history-250600

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –