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Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “The staff shortage is here to stay”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Also, preference is given to employees of generations Y and Z by companies that focus on consumers of younger generations, for example, fashion retail, coffee shops, sports clubs, Kozhevnikova lists. “If we are talking about more serious industries (medicine, energy, transport, public administration, construction, science, education), then the main criteria for choosing candidates are professional competencies, experience and a responsible attitude to work, so these industries have a positive attitude towards generation X,” she explains.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine: prospects for peace are slim unless Europe grips the reality of Trump’s world

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

    When EU leaders gathered for their first ever meeting solely dedicated to defence issues on February 3, in Brussels, the war in Ukraine was uppermost on their minds. Yet, three weeks before the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine is only the tip of an iceberg of security challenges that Europe faces.

    War on a scale not seen in Europe since 1945 has returned to the continent. Russian sabotage of everything from critical infrastructure to elections is at levels reminiscent of the cold war. And the future of the EU’s most important defence alliance, Nato, is uncertain.

    In light of these challenges alone, let alone the ongoing instability in the Middle East, western Balkans and south Caucasus, it’s hard to disagree with the observation by EU council president António Costa that: “Europe needs to assume greater responsibility for its own defence.”

    But it’s hardly a groundbreaking statement. And at the end of proceedings, the outcome of what was ultimately only an informal meeting, was underwhelmingly summarised by Costa as “progress in our discussions on building the Europe of defence”.

    This does not bode well for Ukraine. US support is unlikely to continue at the levels reached during the final months of the Biden administration. In fact, ongoing debates in the White House on Ukraine policy have already caused some disruption to arms shipments from Washington to Kyiv.

    Building blocs

    If there is a silver lining for Ukraine here, it is Trump’s continuous search for a good deal. His latest idea is that Ukraine could pay for US support with favourable concessions on rare earths, and potentially other strategic resources.

    These would include preferential deals to supply the US with titanium, iron ore and coal, as well as critical minerals, including lithium. Whether this is a sustainable basis for US support in the long term is as unclear as whether it will make any material difference to Trump thinking beyond a ceasefire.

    The other ray of hope for Ukraine is that there is a much greater recognition in EU capitals now about the need for a common European approach to defence. A greater focus on building a “coalition of the willing” including non-EU members UK and Norway is a potentially promising path.

    But hope, as they say, is not a winning strategy. In a Trump-like transactional fashion, Brussels – in exchange for a deal on defence with London – is insisting on UK concessions on youth mobility and fishing rights. It’s unlikely that this will prove an insurmountable stumbling bloc, but it will create yet more delays at a moment when time is of the essence for Europe as a whole to signal determination about security and defence.

    This is further complicated by two factors. On the one hand, there is the looming threat of a trade war between the US and the EU. That the UK may still be able to avoid a similar fate, according to Trump, feels like good news for London. But it will also put the UK in a potentially awkward position as it seeks an ambitious post-Brexit reset with the EU and harbours hopes to improve relations with China.

    With Trump clearly hostile towards both Brussels and Beijing, this may become an impossible balancing act for the British government to pull off.

    Europe’s fragile unity

    On the other hand, EU unity has become more fragile. Trump’s victory has emboldened other populist leaders in Europe – notably the significantly more pro-Russian Slovak and Hungarian prime ministers, Robert Fico and Viktor Orbán. The same applies to the UK, where Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party – which has overtaken the ruling Labour party in the latest public opinion polls – is known for his Ukraine-sceptical views.

    To that equation add a weak government in France and the likelihood of protracted coalition negotiations in Germany after hotly contested parliamentary elections at the end of February. The prospects for decisive EU and wider European action on strengthening its own security and defence capabilities right now appear vanishingly slim.

    Seen in the light of such multiple and complex challenges, it is astonishing how much the EU is still trapped in a wishful thinking exercise – and one that appears more and more disconnected from reality. Contrary to Costa’s fulsome pronouncements after the EU leaders’ meeting, there is little evidence that the US under Trump will remain Europe’s friend, ally and partner.

    There’s also little to suggest that the American president shares the values and principles that once underpinned the now rapidly dismantling international order. Other countries’ national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of their borders are not at the forefront of Trump’s foreign policy doctrine.

    If, as Costa proclaimed, “peace in Europe depends on Ukraine winning a comprehensive, just and lasting peace”, then the future looks bleak indeed for Europe and Ukraine. At this point the EU and its member states are a long way off from being able to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to win. This is not just because they lack the military and defence-industrial capabilities. They also lack a credible, shared vision of how to acquire them while navigating a Trumpian world.

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

    – ref. Ukraine: prospects for peace are slim unless Europe grips the reality of Trump’s world – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-prospects-for-peace-are-slim-unless-europe-grips-the-reality-of-trumps-world-248911

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How citizen science is shaping international conservation

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sasha Woods, Director of Science and Policy, Earthwatch Institute (Europe)

    Testing the River Gade in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Earthwatch Europe, CC BY-NC-ND

    Citizen science is a powerful tool for involving more people in research. By influencing policy, it is transforming conservation at global, national and local levels.

    Citizen science actively encourages non-scientists to be a part of the scientific research process. Sometimes the terminology gets confusing. We say “non-scientists” but through taking part in citizen science projects, people become scientists – they’re just not professionally involved in the research.

    It’s also worth noting that the “citizen” in citizen science is completely unrelated to ideas of national citizenship. Put simply, it’s science by the people for the people.

    Citizen scientists can take part in every stage of the research process. Depending on the project, participants can write the research questions, choose the methods, collect the data, analyse and interpret the results, and share the research as widely as possible. By broadening people’s understanding of scientific problems and solutions, citizen science can act as a powerful catalyst for change.

    It is already making an impact across lots of disciplines, including conservation, by addressing barriers to policy change such as lack of evidence and low levels of public engagement and input. While it’s not yet common for citizen science to directly influence policy, in our research we’ve seen how citizen science can shape policy at every scale: through promoting policy, monitoring progress towards policy or advocating for policy enforcement.

    At a local level, citizen science can influence policy and transform conservation science. The clean air coalition of western New York is a group of citizens concerned about smells and smoke, and their connection to chronic health problems in the community. The group collected samples in 2004 to determine what was in the air and presented this data to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

    In response, the DEC monitored air pollutants in four locations in the city of Tonawanda for a year between 2007 and 2008 – an investigation which formed the basis for compliance monitoring and regulatory actions. As a direct result of citizen science, the Tonawanda Coke Corporation agreed to improve its operations, monitor for leaks and upgrade pollution controls. By December 2019, levels of carcinogenic benzene had dropped 92% since the end of DEC’s sampling in 2008.

    Citizen science can also run at the national level. For example, the annual Big Butterfly Count, run by the Butterfly Conservation charity, encourages people in the UK to advocate for conservation policy by counting butterflies.

    Over 25 days in July and August 2024, 85,000 volunteers recorded their sightings, with alarming results. Average butterfly numbers were at their lowest in the survey’s 14-year history.

    The charity and its citizen scientists called on the UK government to ban pesticides that can harm butterflies and bees. And on January 23 2025, the government confirmed that, for the first time in five years, an emergency application for the use of a neonicotinoid pesticide on sugar beet in England will not be granted.

    The government highlighted that the decision was “based on robust assessments of environmental, health and economic risks and benefits” and, although not explicitly stated, it is clear that citizen scientists contributed to those assessments.

    Going global

    Citizen science also contributes data to international conservation policies. For example, the UN incorporates citizen science data into two of its largest environmental policy frameworks: the sustainable development goals (SDGs) – a set of targets to end poverty, protect the environment, and promote prosperity for all people – and the Kunming-Montreal agreement, which aims to halt and reverse biodiversity decline.

    As part of our work at the European branch of the Earthwatch Institute research organisation, we’re involved with a global water quality monitoring project called FreshWater Watch. This project has successfully engaged communities and governments in Sierra Leone and Zambia to collect data on the proportion of rivers and lakes with good water quality within a country. Over time, this indicator can be used to measure progress towards the SDG for clean water and sanitation.

    A volunteer tests water quality at Faendre Reen near Cardiff.
    Earthwatch Europe, CC BY-NC-ND

    Currently, only five of the 231 indicators used to measure progress for the SDGs include citizen science data. But recent research suggests such projects could contribute to up to 33% of these indicators and over half of the 365 indicators for the global biodiversity framework.

    And even where citizen science data is not used in official monitoring towards policy, it can still transform conservation science by educating people and empowering them to advocate for change.

    The Great UK WaterBlitz is a national example of this. WaterBlitzes are four-day campaigns in which volunteers assess the water quality of local rivers, ponds and lakes, using simple-but-reliable testing kits for nitrates and phosphates.

    Nitrates and phosphates occur naturally in the environment and are essential for plant growth. But high concentrations found in sewage and agricultural runoff trigger a process called eutrophication: an overgrowth of algae which leads to increased levels of bacteria and, therefore, decreased oxygen concentrations, which harms aquatic plants and animals.

    Citizen scientists used these simple testing kits to assess water quality.
    Sasha Woods/Earthwatch Europe, CC BY-NC-ND

    Our team has used such testing kits in river catchments for over 10 years, but recently expanded to a UK-wide campaign. In September 2024, we ran our largest event to date, with 4,500 participants investigating 2,300 locations. This created a national snapshot of freshwater health at a granular scale, which we have used to highlight pollution hotspots to the Environment Agency (EA).

    Although this data is not yet used for official monitoring or the development of conservation policy, its contribution to improving water ecosystems is increasingly acknowledged. As the EA’s deputy director for monitoring, insight and innovation told the Guardian: “The Environment Agency values the contribution of England’s growing network of citizen scientists and welcomes the Great UK WaterBlitz and other initiatives that complement our own research, monitoring and assessment work.”

    Despite demonstrating valuable contributions to research – particularly by providing robust datasets – citizen science still faces multiple challenges. The engagement, motivation and retention of volunteers is resource-intensive, and citizen science is not particularly well funded.

    And even though citizen science methods are frequently validated by laboratory scientists, policymakers can still be hesitant to integrate this into their monitoring frameworks, due to often unfounded concerns about the data’s quality and reliability.

    But citizen science is already influencing conservation. This will only increase as policymakers recognise it as a legitimate and valuable scientific approach. And because there are citizen science projects all over the world, anyone can be a part of this positive change.

    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.

    Sasha Woods works for Earthwatch Europe.

    Stephen Parkinson works for Earthwatch Europe.

    – ref. How citizen science is shaping international conservation – https://theconversation.com/how-citizen-science-is-shaping-international-conservation-247033

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How to outwit gambling adverts by ‘inoculating’ people against them

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jamie Torrance, Lecturer and Researcher in Psychology, Swansea University

    Gambling companies spend an estimated £1.5 billion annually on ad campaigns in the UK alone. Maxx-Studio/Shutterstock

    In a world awash with enticing promises of quick riches and thrilling wins, gambling advertisements have practically become inescapable. These meticulously crafted promotions aim to tap into the hearts and minds of consumers persuading them to gamble – whether that means starting or keeping going.

    With gambling advertising showing no signs of abating, and gambling addiction an ongoing problem across the UK, it is vital that consumers are given tools to resist. Our recent research has found that a targeted approach using “counteradvertising” videos can help people combat these persuasive tactics.

    Gambling advertisements portray gambling in a consistently positive light. They emphasise wins over losses and integrate logos into sporting events, exploiting fans’ emotional bonds with their teams and favourite athletes. For example, our previous research found that an average of 1,565 gambling logos were visible via pitch-side hoardings and on players’ kit during each English Premier League match in the 2022-23 season.

    They also widely promote financial incentives like “free bets”. These are promotions typically giving customers a chance to place a bet without using their own money.

    These incentives often come with opaque terms and conditions, encouraging riskier and potentially more harmful betting behaviour. Social media influencers and affiliates also play a role, disguising promotions as expert advice while profiting from players’ losses.

    The scale of the gambling industry’s investment in advertising is staggering. In the UK alone, companies spend an estimated £1.5 billion annually on ad campaigns spanning television, sports sponsorships and social media.

    While much attention has focused on the effects of gambling ads on children and people with gambling disorders, young adults aged 18 to 29 represent another vulnerable demographic. With lower levels of advertising literacy, young adults are less equipped to recognise and resist manipulative techniques. They also face heightened risks of gambling-related harm when exposed to legal gambling.

    A 2023 study showed that the “safer gambling” messages displayed at the end of gambling ads, such as “take time to think”, are ineffective at reducing harm. Even the term “safer gambling” itself is often seen by viewers, academics and some policymakers as an industry-favoured concept. Research has shown how it can downplay risks, leading to less regulatory oversight by implying that gambling is inherently “safe”. So, it is vital that consumers have the tools to resist the persuasive techniques used in gambling advertising.

    Inoculation theory

    To address this issue, we designed a seven-minute counteradvertising video informed by “inoculation theory”, which is a concept similar to vaccination. By exposing viewers to weakened forms of persuasive gambling tactics, the video aimed to build resistance to these strategies when encountered in the real world.

    Our video targeted five common advertising strategies: the positive portrayal of gambling, demographic targeting, embedding gambling in sports, “free” offers and affiliate marketing. Input from people who had experienced harm from gambling helped ensure the video’s relevance and effect.

    In the video, viewers saw real-world examples of these advertising strategies. Expert narration helped to unpack the manipulative tactics involved. In the segment on “free” offers, the narrator dissected the fine print of a real “free £10 bet” ad. Viewers learned that the offer’s terms were so restrictive that withdrawing the “free” £10 was nearly impossible. It required a £300 deposit of their own money and 50 wagers on slots before any withdrawal was allowed.

    We then conducted a randomised online experiment involving 1,200 young adult gamblers (aged 18 to 29). Half of the participants watched the counteradvertising video, while the other half viewed a video on healthy eating. Participants completed surveys before and after the video and again one month later, measuring their scepticism toward gambling ads, awareness of persuasive tactics and engagement with “free” offer promotions.

    Can counteradvertising videos help to ‘inoculate’ people against harmful gambling?
    REDPIXEL.PL/Shutterstock

    The participants who watched the counteradvertising video reported significantly higher levels of scepticism and awareness of gambling advertising strategies compared to the control group. These effects persisted over time. Even a month later, those who viewed the video maintained their heightened resistance to gambling ads.

    The intervention also led to tangible behavioural changes. Participants who watched the video showed a statistically significant decrease in their use of “free offers”. And 21% of them reported completely ceasing their engagement with such promotions within a month.

    Our findings highlight the potential for counteradvertising to complement broader harm reduction efforts in gambling, such as education and awareness campaigns. In autumn 2024, the UK government announced a statutory levy on gambling operators. It’s expected to generate approximately £100 million annually for research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harm. But there’s not enough attention on tackling gambling advertising specifically.

    Empowering consumers

    Counteradvertising could be scaled up and delivered alongside independent “safer gambling” messages. By empowering consumers to critically evaluate gambling promotions, our videos have the potential to reduce gambling-related harm at its source.

    Future research could explore alternative delivery formats, such as shorter videos tailored for social media platforms. Or they could examine the long-term effects of repeated exposure to counteradvertising messages.

    With gambling ads dominating our screens, it’s time to level the playing field. Counteradvertising offers a powerful way to help consumers see through the allure of “free bets” and “wins”. And it could help people make more informed choices about their gambling behaviour.

    In the last three years, Jamie Torrance has received: Open access publication funding from Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (GREO), Conference travel and accommodation funding from the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling (AFSG), and an exploratory research grant from the ASFG and GREO.

    Philip Newall is a member of the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling – an advisory group of the Gambling Commission in Great Britain. In the last three years, Philip Newall has contributed to research projects funded by the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling, Clean Up Gambling, Gambling Research Australia, and the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. Philip Newall has received honoraria for reviewing from the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling and the Belgium Ministry of Justice, travel and accommodation funding from the Alberta Gambling Research Institute and the Economic and Social Research Institute, and open access fee funding from the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling and Greo Evidence Insights.

    – ref. How to outwit gambling adverts by ‘inoculating’ people against them – https://theconversation.com/how-to-outwit-gambling-adverts-by-inoculating-people-against-them-247637

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese premier meets with Kyrgyz president in Beijing

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

    BEIJING, Feb. 5 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday met with visiting Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Beijing.

    Noting that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Kyrgyzstan relations have developed rapidly in recent years, Li also said that the foundation of mutual trust has been strengthened, bilateral cooperation upgraded, and friendly exchanges deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples.

    China is willing to work with Kyrgyzstan to implement the important consensus reached by the presidents of the two countries, firmly support each other on major issues concerning core interests, expand mutually beneficial cooperation in all respects, and better contribute to their respective modernization drives, Li said.

    Li added that China stands ready to enhance the synergy of development strategies with Kyrgyzstan, focus on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, advance the construction of China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and other connectivity projects, and create more new highlights of cooperation in fields such as mining, green energy, scientific and technological innovation.

    He further said that China will work closely with Kyrgyzstan in the United Nations and other multilateral mechanisms, strengthen the China-Central Asia mechanism, and steadily advance cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization — so as to inject more certainty into regional peace, stability and development.

    Japarov said Kyrgyzstan attaches great importance to the comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era with China, and is willing to further strengthen high-level exchanges with China, deepen cooperation concerning connectivity, agriculture, finance, mining, science and technology, tourism and people’s livelihood development, and strengthen youth and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

    Kyrgyzstan welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in Kyrgyzstan and will provide a safe and sound business environment for Chinese enterprises, Japarov added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Systemic Bio Wins the SLAS 2025 Innovation Award

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Systemic Bio™, a 3D Systems company (NYSE: DDD), has been named the winner of the prestigious SLAS 2025 Innovation Award. This award recognizes groundbreaking technological advancements poised to drive innovation in laboratory science and automation. The competition featured cutting-edge developments led by distinguished experts from top institutions worldwide.

    The award highlights Systemic Bio’s proprietary h-VIOS™ platform, designed to accelerate drug discovery and development using bioprinted human tissues. The Company’s presentation focused on the application of its platform to evaluate the safety of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). The technology enables early identification of safety concerns, capturing risks that historically have only been discovered during clinical trials, even after non-human primate studies failed to flag such issues.

    “I couldn’t be prouder of our team for winning this award,” said Taci Pereira, CEO of Systemic Bio. “This recognition is a testament to our relentless focus on demonstrating the scientific and translational value of our platform. We remain committed to expanding our capabilities and accelerating adoption to improve drug discovery and development.”

    Operating from Houston, Texas, Systemic Bio has the capability to produce thousands of tissue models under an ISO 7 clean room and a Quality Management System (QMS). These models support the Company’s ongoing collaborations with leading pharmaceutical companies to improve preclinical drug testing and reduce late-stage failures.

    The SLAS Innovation Award is presented annually at the SLAS International Conference and Exhibition, recognizing the most forward-thinking technological advancements in the field. More information on Systemic Bio’s work can be found at www.systemic.bio.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements made in this release that are not statements of historical or current facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Systemic Bio or 3D Systems, as applicable, to be materially different from historical results or from any future results or projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In many cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as “believes,” “belief,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “estimates,” “intends,” “anticipates” or “plans” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based upon management’s beliefs, assumptions, and current expectations and may include comments as to the beliefs and expectations of Systemic Bio or 3D Systems as to future events and trends affecting its business and are necessarily subject to uncertainties, many of which are outside the control of the applicable company. The factors described under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in 3D Systems’ periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other factors, could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected or predicted in forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not, and should not be relied upon as a guarantee of future performance or results, nor will they necessarily prove to be accurate indications of the times at which such performance or results will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included are made only as of the date of the statement. Neither Systemic Bio nor 3D Systems undertakes any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements made by management or on its behalf, whether as a result of future developments, subsequent events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.

    About Systemic Bio
    Systemic Bio is a biotech company focused on accelerating drug discovery and development with human-relevant data from its proprietary platform of bioprinted vascularized organ models. Founded in 2022 as a wholly-owned company of 3D Systems, Systemic Bio leverages 3D Systems’ breakthrough, production-level bioprinting technology to create extremely precise healthy and diseased tissues using biomaterials and human cells. These proprietary organs-on-chips can be manufactured reproducibly in large quantities, and then perfused with drugs to study the effects on healthy or diseased tissue at the earliest stages of pharmaceutical drug development. These systems are multimodal and can be used to generate large datasets leveraged with machine learning to generate human-relevant therapeutic insights. More information on the company is available at www.systemic.bio.

    About 3D Systems
    More than 35 years ago, 3D Systems brought the innovation of 3D printing to the manufacturing industry. Today, as the leading additive manufacturing solutions partner, we bring innovation, performance, and reliability to every interaction – empowering our customers to create products and business models never before possible. Thanks to our unique offering of hardware, software, materials, and services, each application-specific solution is powered by the expertise of our application engineers who collaborate with customers to transform how they deliver their products and services. 3D Systems’ solutions address a variety of advanced applications in healthcare and industrial markets such as medical and dental, aerospace & defense, automotive, and durable goods. More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com.

    Investor Contact: investor.relations@3dsystems.com
    Media Contact: press@systemic.bio

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Lightning strikes link weather on Earth and weather in space

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lauren Blum, Assistant Professor of Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder

    Lightning, when coupled with solar flares, can knock electrons flying above the Earth out of place. AP Photo/David Zalubowski

    There are trillions of charged particles – protons and electrons, the basic building blocks of matter – whizzing around above your head at any given time. These high-energy particles, which can travel at close to the speed of light, typically remain thousands of kilometers away from Earth, trapped there by the shape of Earth’s magnetic field.

    Occasionally, though, an event happens that can jostle them out of place, sending electrons raining down into Earth’s atmosphere. These high-energy particles in space make up what are known as the Van Allen radiation belts, and their discovery was one of the first of the space age. A new study from my research team has found that electromagnetic waves generated by lightning can trigger these electron showers.

    A brief history lesson

    At the start of the space race in the 1950s, professor James Van Allen and his research team at the University of Iowa were tasked with building an experiment to fly on the United States’ very first satellite, Explorer 1. They designed sensors to study cosmic radiation, which is caused by high-energy particles originating from the Sun, the Milky Way galaxy, or beyond.

    James Van Allen, middle, poses with a model of the Explorer 1 satellite.
    NASA

    After Explorer 1 launched, though, they noticed that their instrument was detecting significantly higher levels of radiation than expected. Rather than measuring a distant source of radiation beyond our solar system, they appeared to be measuring a local and extremely intense source.

    This measurement led to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts, two doughnut-shaped regions of high-energy electrons and ions encircling the planet.

    Scientists believe that the inner radiation belt, peaking about 621 miles (1000 kilometers) from Earth, is composed of electrons and high-energy protons and is relatively stable over time.

    The outer radiation belt, about three times farther away, is made up of high-energy electrons. This belt can be highly dynamic. Its location, density and energy content may vary significantly by the hour in response to solar activity.

    Charged particles, with their trajectories shown as blue and yellow lines here, exist in the radiation belts around Earth, depicted here as the yellow, green and blue regions.

    The discovery of these high-radiation regions is not only an interesting story about the early days of the space race; it also serves as a reminder that many scientific discoveries have come about by happy accident.

    It is a lesson for experimental scientists, myself included, to keep an open mind when analyzing and evaluating data. If the data doesn’t match our theories or expectations, those theories may need to be revisited.

    Our curious observations

    While I teach the history of the space race in a space policy course at the University of Colorado, Boulder, I rarely connect it to my own experience as a scientist researching Earth’s radiation belts. Or, at least, I didn’t until recently.

    In a study led by Max Feinland, an undergraduate student in my research group, we stumbled upon some of our own unexpected observations of Earth’s radiation belts. Our findings have made us rethink our understanding of Earth’s inner radiation belt and the processes affecting it.

    Originally, we set out to look for very rapid – sub-second – bursts of high-energy electrons entering the atmosphere from the outer radiation belt, where they are typically observed.

    Many scientists believe that a type of electromagnetic wave known as “chorus” can knock these electrons out of position and send them toward the atmosphere. They’re called chorus waves due to their distinct chirping sound when listened to on a radio receiver.

    Feinland developed an algorithm to search for these events in decades of measurements from the SAMPEX satellite. When he showed me a plot with the location of all the events he’d detected, we noticed a number of them were not where we expected. Some events mapped to the inner radiation belt rather than the outer belt.

    This finding was curious for two reasons. For one, chorus waves aren’t prevalent in this region, so something else had to be shaking these electrons loose.

    The other surprise was finding electrons this energetic in the inner radiation belt at all. Measurements from NASA’s Van Allen Probes mission prompted renewed interest in the inner radiation belt. Observations from the Van Allen Probes suggested that high-energy electrons are often not present in this inner radiation belt, at least not during the first few years of that mission, from 2012 to 2014.

    Our observations now showed that, in fact, there are times that the inner belt contains high-energy electrons. How often this is true and under what conditions remain open questions to explore. These high-energy particles can damage spacecraft and harm humans in space, so researchers need to know when and where in space they are present to better design spacecraft.

    Determining the culprit

    One of the ways to disturb electrons in the inner radiation belt and kick them into Earth’s atmosphere actually begins in the atmosphere itself.

    Lightning, the large electromagnetic discharges that light up the sky during thunderstorms, can actually generate electromagnetic waves known as lightning-generated whistlers.

    Lightning strikes generate electromagnetic waves, which can travel into the radiation belts above the Earth’s atmosphere.
    mdesigner125/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    These waves can then travel through the atmosphere out into space, where they interact with electrons in the inner radiation belt – much as chorus waves interact with electrons in the outer radiation belt.

    To test whether lightning was behind our inner radiation belt detections, we looked back at the electron bursts and compared them with thunderstorm data. Some lightning activity seemed correlated with our electron events, but much of it was not.

    Specifically, only lightning that occurred right after so-called geomagnetic storms resulted in the bursts of electrons we detected.

    Geomagnetic storms are disturbances in the near-Earth space environment often caused by large eruptions on the Sun’s surface. This solar activity, if directed toward Earth, can produce what researchers term space weather. Space weather can result in stunning auroras, but it can also disrupt satellite and power grid operations.

    We discovered that a combination of weather on Earth and weather in space produces the unique electron signatures we observed in our study. The solar activity disturbs Earth’s radiation belts and populates the inner belt with very high-energy electrons, then the lightning interacts with these electrons and creates the rapid bursts that we observed.

    These results provide a nice reminder of the interconnected nature of Earth and space. They were also a welcome reminder to me of the often nonlinear process of scientific discovery.

    Lauren Blum receives funding from NASA and the NSF.

    – ref. Lightning strikes link weather on Earth and weather in space – https://theconversation.com/lightning-strikes-link-weather-on-earth-and-weather-in-space-243772

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/TAIWAN – Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Taipei

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 5 February 2025

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) -The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Peter Chao Yung-Chi, of the clergy of the diocese of Chiayi, until now episcopal chancellor and parish priest of the Cathedral of Saint John in Chiayi, as auxiliary bishop of Taipei, Taiwan, assigning him the titular see of Rusgunie.Msgr. Peter Chao Yung-Chi was born on 28 March 1973 in Taichung City, Taiwan. He was awarded a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and in theology at the Saint Robert Bellarmine Faculty and a licentiate in religious studies from the Department of Religious Studies of Fu Jen Catholic University.He was ordained a priest on 3 February 2001, for the diocese of Chiayi.He has held the following offices: parish priest of the Cathedral of Saint John, Chiayi (2001-2002), deputy parish priest of Our Lady of Sorrows, Chiayi (2002-2003), vice rector of the regional seminary of Taiwan (2003-2015), parish priest of Immaculate Conception and of Saint Catherine, Dalin (2015-2022), and chaplain of the Anna Nursing Home and the Chung-Jen Junior College of Nursing, Health Science and Management, Chiayi (2016-2022). Since 2016 he has served as chancellor of the diocese of Chiayi and, since 2023, parish priest of the Cathedral of Saint John, Chiayi. (EG) (Agenzia Fides, 5/2/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: NobleAI Selected by ICL Industrial Products to Help Speed Discovery of Safe, High-Performance Materials

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NobleAI, a pioneer in AI solutions for Materials Informatics, announced it has been selected by ICL Industrial Products to help drive the development of innovative chemical compounds for use in its flame retardants. NobleAI’s unique Science-Based AI modeling technology and powerful Visualizations, Insights & Predictions (VIP) platform are expected to help speed the discovery of new high-performance, sustainable compounds for ICL’s life-saving flame retardants, which are used in a multitude of industrial and consumer applications.

    Using NobleAI’s Science-Based AI models and VIP platform, ICL will be able to leverage AI to explore multiple new molecules in a more timely and cost-efficient manner versus lab-only development methods, which typically allow for testing of only a handful of new chemical compounds in a year. This effort will be in collaboration with Microsoft Azure Quantum Elements (AQE) and will accelerate ICL’s ability to identify and evaluate promising new compounds for the development of safer, more sustainable and innovative flame retardants.

    “We are honored to partner with a true industry leader like ICL and are excited to support them in their innovation journey,” said Sunil Sanghavi, CEO of NobleAI. “Their unwavering commitment to advancing safety and sustainability, while simultaneously achieving their cost and profitability goals, sets them apart as a global company dedicated to balancing environmental responsibility with economic success.”

    “ICL is in constant pursuit of new molecular formulations to help improve the performance and sustainability of our flame retardants,” said Yaniv Kabalek, president, Industrial Products Division, ICL. “By partnering with NobleAI, we can reduce wasted resources and speed time to market, while continuing to deliver the safest, highest performing products to our customers.” 

    About NobleAI 
    NobleAI offers commercially-proven AI solutions for Material Informatics powered by its unique, Science-Based AI (SBAI) technology. SBAI models are developed quickly, securely and specifically for each customer and a specific use case. Delivered via the cloud-based Visualizations, Insights & Predictions (VIP) Platform, NobleAI technology delivers actionable insights to accelerate product development and reduce costs, while improving product performance, sustainability and reliability. NobleAI is supported by investments from world-class organizations such as Microsoft, Chevron and Syensqo, and the company’s solutions are already delivering real value in production deployments at leading chemical, material and energy companies around the globe. 

    About ICL
    ICL Group Ltd. is a leading global specialty minerals company, which creates impactful solutions for humanity’s sustainability challenges in the food, agriculture and industrial markets. ICL leverages its unique bromine, potash and phosphate resources, its global professional workforce, and its sustainability focused R&D and technological innovation capabilities, to drive the company’s growth across its end markets. ICL shares are dual listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (NYSE and TASE: ICL). The company employs more than 12,000 people worldwide, and its 2023 revenue totaled approximately $7.5 billion.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson wins fight against Biden-era woke policies, government overreachRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced a court victory in fighting government overreach and Biden-era woke policies. The U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota ruling in favor of a 21-state coalition, including South Carolina, stopped a federal agency from making any more regulations and threw out an agency rule that was based on ideology instead of science. 

    “This is one of the many examples of woke bureaucrats making rules they didn’t have the authority to make, and with no accountability to the American people,” Attorney General Wilson said. “Now, we’ve gone back to upholding the rule of law.” 

    Besides exceeding the agency’s authority, this unlawful rule would have delayed essential construction projects in South Carolina and all states by requiring reevaluation of potential environmental impact of those projects. 

    The case challenged a regulation written by the Council on Environmental Quality (“CEQ”), which was itself created by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (“NEPA”). That act requires all federal agencies to analyze what kinds of environmental effects are likely to result from federal action. NEPA set up the CEQ to “make recommendations to the President” and “develop and recommend to the President national policies that foster and promote the improvement of environmental quality.” 

    However, CEQ exceeded its authority by going from giving “recommendations to the President” to setting regulations on its own. The Court ruled, “The plain text of the statute does not give CEQ authority to issue binding regulations.” 

    U.S. District Judge Daniel M. Traynor concluded his ruling by writing, “The first step to fixing a problem is admitting you have one. The truth is that for the past forty years all three branches of government operated under the erroneous assumption that CEQ had authority. But now everyone knows the state of the emperor’s clothing and it is something we cannot unsee.” 

    Joining South Carolina in the case, led by Iowa and North Dakota, were the states of Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. 

    You can read the ruling here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union MoS for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel delivers keynote address at 15th International Meeting of World Pharmacopoeias in New Delhi today

    Source: Government of India

    Union MoS for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel delivers keynote address at 15th International Meeting of World Pharmacopoeias in New Delhi today

    Reaffirms India’s commitment to global pharmaceutical standardization and regulatory convergence

    “IMWP serves as a vital platform to foster international collaboration in pharmacopoeial science and regulatory harmonization”

    Releases IPC Newsletter 2024 and a special IPC video film which showcase India’s advancements in pharmacopoeial science

    Posted On: 05 FEB 2025 4:24PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel delivered the keynote address at the 15th International Meeting of World Pharmacopoeias (IMWP), hosted by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), here today. The meeting brought together global pharmacopoeial leaders, regulatory authorities, and industry stakeholders to deliberate on key issues related to pharmaceutical standards and harmonization.

    Addressing the gathering, Smt. Patel reaffirmed India’s commitment to global pharmaceutical standardization and regulatory convergence. She highlighted India’s role as the “Pharmacy of the World” and emphasized the importance of ensuring access to high-quality medicines globally. She stated that the IMWP serves as a vital platform to foster international collaboration in pharmacopoeial science and regulatory harmonization.

    On this occasion, the Union Minister also released the IPC Newsletter 2024 and a special IPC video film, which showcase India’s advancements in pharmacopoeial science and the Commission’s efforts in ensuring high-quality pharmaceutical standards. The video film can be accessed at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCdAZodvOSM.

    Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, underscored the significance of global partnerships in strengthening pharmaceutical quality standards. She reiterated India’s efforts in aligning regulatory frameworks with international best practices and ensuring the availability of safe and effective medicines worldwide.

    Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Secretary-cum-Scientific Director, IPC, and Drugs Controller General (India), highlighted IPC’s contributions in setting global benchmarks in pharmacopoeial science. He elaborated on IPC’s initiatives, including the IP Online platform, which enhances accessibility and usability of Indian Pharmacopoeia standards. He emphasized the role of scientific advancements and regulatory cooperation in shaping global pharmaceutical standards.

    Dr. Roderico H. Ofrin, WHO Representative to India, commended India’s leadership in pharmacopoeial standard-setting and emphasized the importance of regulatory harmonization in ensuring patient safety and public health.

    The 15th IMWP is set to facilitate discussions on key focus areas, including:

    • Updates on recommendations from the 14th IMWP and review of progress on harmonization initiatives.
    • Emerging issues in impurity assessment (Q3) and the implications of ICH Q6 guidelines on pharmacopoeial monograph specifications.
    • Defining the IMWP Charter to establish a long-term governance structure for the forum.
    • Enhancing collaboration among global pharmacopoeias and regulatory bodies, with updates from the Pharmacopoeial Discussion Group (PDG).
    • Promotion of environmental sustainability in pharmacopoeial practices and pharmaceutical manufacturing standards.
    • Finalization of reports for the 15th IMWP and preparatory discussions for the 16th IMWP.

    The deliberations during the IMWP will reinforce the role of pharmacopoeias in ensuring the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines. The outcomes of the meeting will guide future collaborations in standard-setting and regulatory harmonization.

    The 15th IMWP, which commenced today, will conclude on 7th February 2025. The discussions held over these three days will set the stage for further strengthening global pharmacopoeial cooperation and enhancing pharmaceutical quality assurance.

    ***

    MV

    HFW/MoS-15th IMWP Keynote Address/05th February 2025/1

    (Release ID: 2100015) Visitor Counter : 88

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah chairs a high-level review meeting on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah chairs a high-level review meeting on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi

    Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government is committed to wipe out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir

    The ecosystem of terrorism in J&K has been weakened due to the sustained and coordinated efforts of the Modi government

    Union Home Minister directed all security agencies to step up the fight against terrorism with the goal of ‘zero infiltration’

    Our goal should be to uproot the existence of terrorists

    Terror funding from the proceeds of the narcotics trade has to be curbed with alacrity and rigour

    Posted On: 05 FEB 2025 3:40PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah chaired a high-level review meeting on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi today. The meeting was attended by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha, the Union Home Secretary, the Director of the Intelligence Bureau, the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir, along with senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Jammu and Kashmir administration. Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah, yesterday also held an important review meeting on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which was attended by the Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, the Home Secretary and other senior officers of MHA and Army.

    Addressing the meeting, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is committed to completely wipe out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. He said that due to the sustained and coordinated efforts of the Modi government, the terrorism ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir has been significantly weakened. The Home Minister directed all security agencies to step up the fight against terrorism by aiming for the ‘zero infiltration’ goal. He asked all security agencies to take more stringent action on infiltration and acts of terror with a ruthless approach. He said that it should be our goal to uproot the existence of terrorists.

    Shri Amit Shah said that the narco network is providing support to infiltrators and terrorists to carry out their activities. He said that there is a need to take prompt action against terror funding from the proceeds of the narcotics trade with alacrity and rigour.

    Shri Amit Shah directed the agencies to make new appointments in the posts of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in view of the timely implementation of the new criminal laws.

    Shri Amit Shah emphasised the Modi government’s ‘policy of zero tolerance’ against terrorism to achieve the goal of a terrorism-free Jammu and Kashmir. He directed all security agencies to remain vigilant and continue to work in synergy to eliminate terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Union Home Minister appreciated the efforts of the security agencies for significant improvement in all parameters of the security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir.

    ******

    Raj Kumar/Vivek/Ashutosh/Pankaj

     

    (Release ID: 2099997) Visitor Counter : 87

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: First application under New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme supported by Vetting Committee and number of smart production lines supported under New Industrialisation Funding Scheme exceeding 100

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    First application under New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme supported by Vetting Committee and number of smart production lines supported under New Industrialisation Funding Scheme exceeding 100
    First application under New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme supported by Vetting Committee and number of smart production lines supported under New Industrialisation Funding Scheme exceeding 100
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) announced today (February 5) that the New Industrialisation Vetting Committee under the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) has supported an application under the New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme (NIAS) submitted by Jean-Marie Pharmacal Company Limited, a subsidiary of the Jacobson Group, covering the life and health technology sector. The project plans to set up smart production lines for sterilised eye drops, oral solid dose and oral liquid dose. This is the first NIAS project supported by the Vetting Committee. The total cost of the project is projected to be around $600 million, and the expected NIAS funding amount involved will be around $200 million.           At the same time, the ITC announced that the number of new smart production lines supported by the Vetting Committee under the New Industrialisation Funding Scheme (NIFS) has exceeded 100 since the launch of NIFS, involving industries such as food manufacturing and processing (including health food), textiles and clothing, construction materials, medical devices, nanofiber materials, new energy, pharmaceutical (including Chinese medicine), electronics, printing and product accessories with a total estimated project cost of around $1.3 billion, of which $930 million came from private investment.           The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, said, “The Government proactively engages in innovation and technology (I&T) industry development. By launching the NIFS and the NIAS, we aim to promote new industrialisation and secure room for high-quality development in Hong Kong. We are glad to see that enterprises are actively participating in the two funding schemes, making use of I&T to achieve smart production and enhance competitiveness. The Government will continue to assist more enterprises to set up new smart production facilities in Hong Kong and support local enterprises in technology upgrade and achieving new industrialisation, so as to foster the development of Hong Kong’s manufacturing industry and diversified economy.”           The Chief Executive announced in the 2023 Policy Address the establishment of the $10 billion NIAS, which was launched in September 2024. The NIAS provides funding support on a 1 (Government): 2 (enterprise) matching basis for enterprises engaging in industries of strategic importance (i.e. life and health technology, artificial intelligence and data science, advanced manufacturing and new energy technologies) and contributing no less than $200 million to set up new smart production facilities in Hong Kong. For each project, the minimum total project cost is $300 million. The enterprise has to contribute no less than $200 million, and the Government will cover a maximum of one-third of the total approved project cost or $200 million, whichever is lower. Each enterprise can receive up to $200 million in funding under the NIAS.           In addition, the Government encourages enterprises with approved projects under the NIAS to carry out research or increase their scale of research in Hong Kong by providing additional funding for them to engage research talent, as well as facilitating such enterprises in employing non-local talent required for setting up or operating the new production facilities in Hong Kong.           The NIFS aims to subsidise manufacturers on a 1 (Government): 2 (enterprise) matching basis to set up new smart production lines in Hong Kong. The funding ceiling for each project is one-third of the total project cost or $15 million, whichever is lower. Each enterprise can carry out up to three projects concurrently to receive a maximum total funding of up to $45 million under the NIFS.           The NIAS and the NIFS are open for applications throughout the year. Details are available on the website of the Innovation and Technology Fund (www.itf.gov.hk). For enquiries, please contact the Secretariat of the schemes (Tel: 3655 5678; email: enquiry@itf.gov.hk).

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 5, 2025Issued at HKT 11:50

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Newsela Acquires Generation Genius to Enhance Real-World Connections in Science and Math

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Newsela, a leading provider of high-quality instructional and assessment products for K-12, announced today that the company has acquired Generation Genius, a trusted educational streaming platform for K-8 science and math videos, activities, and lessons. With Generation Genius in its suite of products, Newsela continues to make it easier to deliver meaningful learning across all core subjects.

    “We’re thrilled to welcome Generation Genius into the Newsela family. Our company launched with the idea that the foundation to learning is enabling students to make real-world connections through engaging, accessible content. This addition is another step towards deepening our impact on student outcomes and supporting teachers in what they do best,” said Pep Carrera, Chief Executive Officer at Newsela.

    “Generation Genius was created to get kids excited to learn science by delivering inspiring lessons to classrooms across the country. To do that, we created the highest quality educational videos in the industry, earning us an Emmy nomination along the way. Now, teaming up with Newsela means we can reach even more students to further our mission. We’re excited to continue providing the standards-aligned resources schools know and love at an even greater scale,” said Dr. Jeff Vinokur, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Generation Genius.

    Generation Genius was founded in 2017 by Dr. Jeff Vinokur, a scientist who earned his PhD in Biochemistry from UCLA and TV personality, and co-founder Eric S. Rollman, an Emmy-winning children’s TV executive. Generation Genius was created to modernize educational science videos used in schools. Dr. Jeff, known for his appearances on Good Morning America and NBC’s Today Show, saw that science videos in schools were decades outdated so he set out to create fresh, engaging content for today’s generation. Generation Genius quickly found traction, earning the #1 spot in the education industry on the Inc. 500 list in 2022 and landing on Time Magazine’s TIME100’s list of the most influential companies in the world in 2023. Today, Generation Genius is used in 30% of elementary schools across the U.S.

    Combining Newsela’s differentiated, standards-aligned content, writing assignments, and robust assessment capabilities with Generation Genius’s engaging science and math lessons, Newsela will deliver a new experience that empowers students to read deeply, write confidently, think critically, and demonstrate their learning—all while driving measurable results aligned to educators’ goals. The company plans to share more later this year about how they’ll bring this vision to life.

    The acquisition of Generation Genius continues another year of exciting updates from Newsela. Just over a year ago, Newsela acquired Formative, a fast-growing assessment tool that powers real-time feedback, standards-aligned activities, and reporting for districts. The team has continued to release updates to Formative’s standalone product including practice sets, teacher-based lessons, AI supports, and more. They’ve also expanded Formative’s offerings with a newly launched Balanced Assessment Suite, which provides everything a district needs to connect daily instruction with district-wide assessments and data, driving better insights that inform teaching, learning, and decision-making at every level.

    Newsela also recently launched a new AI-powered writing solution, Newsela Writing, that enables teachers of all subject areas to support writing practice in their classrooms. With early enthusiasm for the tool’s real-time, rubric-aligned feedback, districts are already beginning to incorporate Newsela Writing into their writing initiatives for the coming year.

    With this continued expansion of innovative products, Newsela is committed to bringing new solutions to support the company’s mission of meaningful classroom learning for every student.

    The deal is valued at $100 million and comprises primarily cash and performance-based payments.

    About Newsela
    Newsela products are purpose-built to unlock student motivation, inspire teachers, and drive long-lasting learning outcomes. With a suite of products to support knowledge- and skill building, writing practice, daily instruction, and assessment in K-12 classrooms, Newsela offers solutions backed by learning science research to drive student outcomes and support teachers in their instructional goals. To learn more about Newsela, visit the company’s website. 

    About Generation Genius
    Generation Genius is a K-8 teaching resource that brings school science standards to life through fun and educational videos paired with lesson plans, activities, quizzes, reading material, and more. Our videos are produced in partnership with the National Science Teaching Association, and aligned to standards in all 50 states. To learn more about Generation Genius, visit the company’s website.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Path to Success Starts Here: GUU Will Help Schoolchildren Find Their Calling

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On Russian Science Day, the State University of Management will host a unique event – “Initiation into Future Professionals”.

    The event is held jointly with the Moscow Department of Education and Science as part of the “Science Festival” for students of entrepreneurship classes.

    In total, more than 500 tenth-graders from 18 schools in the capital will gather at the first management meeting.

    The guys will attend a ceremonial initiation ceremony and receive pre-professional class badges.

    The program also includes an exhibition of projects by prize-winners and winners of scientific and practical conferences, a performance by the KVN team and creative teams of the State University of Management, and a bright photo zone.

    Educational and entertaining activities will be presented by the EcoClub named after V.I. Vernadsky, the Board Game Club “Mind Games”, the Creative Group “StuDos”, the Project “Course on Business and Entrepreneurship”, and the Student Fire and Rescue Squad of the State University of Management.

    In addition, anyone can take part in a discussion with experts about the prospects of the industry and the development of education, “Conversation with a Professional,” and ask questions to business representatives.

    The holiday will start on February 8 at 10:00 in the Assembly Hall of the State University of Management.

    Subscribe to the tg channel “Our State University” Announcement date: 02/8/2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Technology empowers upcoming Asian Winter Games

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

    HARBIN, Feb. 5 — The 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, capital city of China’s northernmost Heilongjiang Province, promises to be a sporting event of excellence and fair play, empowered by cutting-edge technology used by the organizers.

    From the innovative design of the torch to the high-performance materials used in athletes’ clothing, as well as tools designed to ensure fair play and advanced security systems, technology is intricately woven into every facet of the event.

    ICE TORCH

    The torch for the upcoming Asian Winter Games is a masterpiece of design and engineering. Crafted by Harbin Engineering University, the torch is made of transparent special functional materials and takes the shape of a blooming lilac flower, showing a gradation of colors from ice crystals to snowflake white. When lit, it creates a mesmerizing visual effect of ice and fire, beautifully symbolizing the vibrant spirit of the city.

    Sun Gaohui, a professor from the College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering at Harbin Engineering University, said that the design process involved overcoming significant technical challenges, including ensuring transparency, resistance to extreme temperature fluctuations, flame retardancy, and cost efficiency.

    WATERPROOF CLOTHING

    The Chinese sports delegation will be outfitted in specially designed clothing made from high-performance materials.

    Developed in collaboration between sportswear brand ANTA and Donghua University, the clothing features a cutting-edge material that provides exceptional waterproofing and moisture-wicking properties. This ensures that athletes remain dry, comfortable and protected against harsh weather conditions.

    Chinese skater Liu Guanyi praised the clothing’s remarkable windproof and waterproof capabilities, noting that they can keep athletes cool and dry throughout intense training sessions.

    VIDEO REPLAY

    To ensure fairness in high-speed racing events like short track speed skating and speed skating, the research team at the Harbin Sport University has developed an advanced dual-screen video replay system.

    According to Shan Baohai, a professor at the university, unlike the International Skating Union’s standard equipment, which provides only one replay screen for referees, this innovative system adds a second screen, allowing referees to simultaneously view multiple angles.

    Shan emphasized that this technological advancement plays a crucial role in enabling quick and accurate decision-making during competitions. Additionally, the system can leverage accumulated data and big data analytics to provide scientific insights for athlete training, competition strategy development, and event organization optimization.

    SECURITY MANAGEMENT

    For the first time, the competition venues will utilize 5G NR indoor enhanced positioning technology, developed by telecom operator China Unicom. This cutting-edge system enables real-time tracking of personnel responsible for operations and maintenance, ensuring rapid response in case of emergencies and guaranteeing the smooth operation of the event.

    Ji Yanqi, an expert from China Unicom’s Heilongjiang branch, highlighted the importance of this technology in enhancing event security and efficiency.

    Furthermore, other advanced technologies such as 5G-A network have been deployed to elevate the event’s overall security capabilities.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin: A new road from Dalnyaya Street to Promyshlennaya has opened in Troitsk

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    In the Troitsky administrative district of the capital, a road from Dalnyaya Street to Promyshlennaya was opened. It was built in the southern part of Troitsk as part of one of the stages of development of its street and road network.

    The work, including the reconstruction of Promyshlennaya Street, was carried out to ensure maximum road safety and to increase the capacity of the streets.

    “During the work, the roadway of existing streets was widened, exits from residential areas were organized, sidewalks were equipped, more than 10 kilometers of utility lines were reconstructed, eight traffic lights and the same number of bus stops for public transport were installed, and the adjacent territory was improved.

    TiNAO “About 4.5 kilometers of new roads have appeared, making travel even more comfortable,” the Mayor of Moscow wrote in his telegram channel.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @Mos_Sobyanin

    As part of the project, an access road to the Institute of Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences was built, with the checkpoint and the checkpoint building being moved. Part of Akademika Franka Street from Promyshlennaya Street to the bus depot located in the area of the highway to the village of Bylovo was also reconstructed.

    Several stages of road construction work are planned in Troitsk. The plans include construction and reconstruction of city streets with the arrangement of new exits to Kaluga Highway.

    Sergei Sobyanin opened full service on the Troitskaya metro line

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12348050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Seasonal decline in Scottish vitamin D levels has persisted over hundreds of years People living in Scotland 400 hundred years apart have been shown to suffer similar seasonal declines over winter in their vitamin D levels despite the enormous changes in lifestyle and diet over the intervening period.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Orsolya Czére examining hair samplePeople living in Scotland 400 hundred years apart have been shown to suffer similar seasonal declines over winter in their vitamin D levels despite the enormous changes in lifestyle and diet over the intervening period.
    Archaeologists and nutrition scientists from the University of Aberdeen have teamed up with researchers from Ireland’s Atlantic Technological University and Boise State University (USA) to examine the long-term impact of living in a region with low levels of winter sunlight.
    Their findings, published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports, were obtained using a new method to detect vitamin D in human hair samples – the first time it has been applied to archaeological remains.
    The researchers compared vitamin D levels in the hair of volunteers who have been living in the Aberdeen area for at least two and a half years to those analysed in a rare specimen of preserved hair from a burial previously excavated from St Nicholas Kirk, estimated to have lived in the city in the 16th or 17th century.
    Vitamin D is essential for healthy skeletal growth and is increasingly recognised for its role in chronic disease development, inflammation and immunity. But in Scotland the sunshine is only strong enough to allow our bodies to produce our own vitamin D between April and September.
    In addition to hours spent outside, vitamin D levels can be increased through diet such as oily fish and supplementation.
    Archaeologist Kate Britton, who led the research team which included early career scientists Orsolya Czére and Eléa Gutierrez, said a clear seasonal variation could be detected in both modern and historical hair samples.
    She said: “We might expect that with modern methods to enhance our vitamin D intake through diet and supplementation this seasonal variation would be less significant.
    “In recent years there have been wide-spread health promotions around the benefits of supplementing with vitamin D during winter.
    “Similarly, we could reasonably expect that medieval population is likely to have spent a greater proportion outside and that those living in coastal areas like Aberdeen in the past may have consumed a greater proportion of their diet from local sources such a fish.

    If we can measure something such as vitamin D then we might also be able to use these state-of-the-art techniques to look at other aspects of health in the past through hair, such as stress levels, or even drug use of previous populations” Professor Kate Britton

    “But what this unique study has shown is that levels in many of our modern participants were similar to those of our archaeological sample, and that levels were consistently higher in summer and lower in winter in people who lived in the same city 400 years apart.”
    The study is a global first in applying a new technique to measure vitamin D using hair in an ancient specimen and it opens a new window into the lives of those living in the past.
    “In archaeology a lack of vitamin D is usually identified through skeletal manifestations such as rickets but that only informs us about the most extreme deficiencies and cannot be quantified,” Professor Britton added.
    “Using hair in this way is a significant step forward in the growing field of metabolomics in archaeological science.
    “If we can measure something such as vitamin D then we might also be able to use these state-of-the-art techniques to look at other aspects of health in the past through hair, such as stress levels, or even drug use of previous populations.”
    The study also suggests that examining vitamin D through hair rather than blood offers potential benefits for understanding health today.
    As hair grows around a centimetre each year, scientists can detect changes over multiple months rather than taking a snapshot in time as might be obtained through a blood sample taken in a medical setting.
    Professor Baukje de Roos, a nutrition scientist from the Rowett Institute at the University of Aberdeen who was responsible for collecting hair samples from modern participants, and with Gary Duncan carried out the vitamin D analysis in hair, said: “Our findings also support previous research which has shown than weight loss can mobilise vitamin D from adipose fat and significantly increase vitamin D levels in our blood, and in hair.
    “It is important that we gain a greater understanding of how vitamin D in hair compares to vitamin D levels in blood, which is currently used to assess vitamin D deficiency globally.
    “The method to measure vitamin D in hair opens new opportunities to more easily monitor and understand how diet, supplementation or weight loss affects our vitamin D levels across the seasons and in different settings. This could help health professionals to provide better guidance and recommendations in the ways we can best support vitamin D and health.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Russian Science Day in Moscow: where the most interesting events will take place

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Dozens of excursions, exhibitions, as well as thematic quizzes, special projects and acquaintance with the latest developments of scientists await city residents in early February. All these events are dedicated to the celebration Day of Russian Science, which is celebrated on February 8. This is a great opportunity not only to remember the legendary scientists of the past, but also to turn to their modern colleagues, and to find out what discoveries are changing the world right now.

    Cosmonautics, biotechnology and the power of words at VDNKh

    The country’s main exhibition invites everyone to special programs and free excursions. They will be dedicated to various types of science and will be organized in museums and pavilions of VDNKh. To participate in most events, you only need to pre-register; for some, you need to buy a ticket.

    Thus, on February 8, thematic events will be held at the Atom Museum. You can follow the schedule and buy tickets on the official website of the museum.

    On February 8 from 11:00 to 20:00 in the museum lobby you will be offered to play engineering games and assemble Spills cards of Russia. The Spills map is an innovative development, which is a set of magnetic game elements made in the form of territorial units of states and regions. It will be interesting for both adults and schoolchildren from 12 years old (children come accompanied by adults). Wooden puzzle maps will help you remember the geography of Russia. Guests will learn how much energy each region consumes, what is the average annual temperature in them. In the museum from 13:00 to 14:30 visitors will also be able to work at engineering tables and even conduct own scientific experiments.

    Master classes in physics have been prepared for children aged six and over “Snow Atom” And “Winter Journey with Atomarenko”, board game “Nuclear Power Plant Engineer”. A quiz awaits teenagers and adults “Through experience”, master class “VR in your pocket”, quiz “Physicists and Lyricists” and public talk “How Russians believed in physics”. The Center for Modern Biotechnology “Biotech Museum” has prepared a special program for all guests for the Day of Russian Science. Starting from February 8, there will be a new master class dedicated to microorganisms, – “Art in a Petri Dish”. In addition, on February 8 and 9 at 16:00 there will be open screenings of documentaries about mathematics and bionics. Admission by museum tickets.

    Free excursions will be held at VDNKh on February 8. At 17:00 in Pavilion No. 1 “Central” you can take a guided tour exposition of the Tretyakov Gallery. Guests will be introduced to the works of Alexander Deineka, Evgeny Vuchetich, Vera Mukhina, Alexander Vinogradov, Vladimir Dubossarsky and many other artists. There you can also admire the monumental canvases created especially for the opening of the pavilion in 1954, examine the legendary high relief of Evgeny Vuchetich, considered lost for more than half a century, and learn the details of the creation of the monument “Worker and Kolkhoz Woman”.

    At 17:00 and 18:30 the Cosmonautics and Aviation Center invites you to thematic excursions “Chemistry and Space”. And at 19:00 in the museum of Slavic writing “Word” there will be an excursion “Studying the word…”. It will talk about Slavic writing and its researchers.

    About science for schoolchildren and youth

    A number of events dedicated to Russian scientists, the secrets of physics, chemistry, cybernetics and high technology will be held by the capital’s palaces of creativity. Children and teenagers will enjoy exciting quizzes, quizzes, master classes and much more. They can be visited for free, but some events require preliminary online registration.

    On February 6, the Sviblovo Children’s Creativity Center will host a festive quiz called “Young Researchers.” Through the interactive format of the event, combining play and learning, young participants will be able to receive basic knowledge about the world of science.

    On the same day, the Victoria Children’s and Youth Center will hold an educational program where you can learn about the important achievements of Russian and Soviet science and great discoveries. in this area.

    For all those interested, on February 8, the Moscow Palace of Pioneers on Vorobyovy Gory will host Moscow Science Festival. Guests will enjoy intellectual games, lectures and master classes. Visitors will get acquainted with modern developments and learn how to build a career as a researcher. Lectures on physics and space, thematic master classes, scientific battles and board games are planned. Schoolchildren will be told how to conduct their first research, how to prepare for university and become a scientific volunteer. You can register for the events Here.

    The Palace of Children and Youth Creativity “Undiscovered Islands” will hold a special master class “The Invisible World and Fascinating Experiments” on February 8. Participants will learn about the history of Russian Science Day and will also get acquainted with various interesting experiments. And in the Palace of Children and Youth Creativity “Khoroshevo” until February 10 there will be a whole a series of master classes and quizzes for young seekers of knowledge.

    Journeys into the World of Scientific Moscow

    A digital weekend will help you organize a real scientific weekend tourist service Russpass. Three new walking routes around the city were published there. They are dedicated to places in Moscow associated with famous scientists and their main discoveries. The routes will be interesting for the whole family, and you can walk along them at any convenient time. The descriptions are supplemented with historical information about places and objects and photographs of all the sights that you will encounter along the way.

    Route “Fascinating Biology: A Curious Walk for the Whole Family” will introduce city travelers to the Main Botanical Garden named after N.V. Tsitsin of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Timiryazevsky Park and the florarium in Zaryadye Park.

    On a walk “Visiting the animals, the moon and the past in one day” young science lovers and their parents will learn interesting facts about the scientific world of Russia. The route includes a visit to the Moscow Zoo, Presnensky Park, Moscow Planetarium and the Museum of the History of the Telephone. Children and adults will be able to listen to lectures about the stars and animals of Russia, learn about the first means of communication, and play on the scientific playground. The exciting journey can be completed at the skating rink on Patriarch’s Ponds.

    Walk “Scientific Moscow: Founders, Researchers and Pioneers” will allow you to see the houses where famous scientists lived and worked. This is the longest route, which can be explored gradually. To visit all its points, you will need four days. This is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the monuments to discoverers in the fields of medicine, chemistry, biology, and space exploration. Among the points of the route are the estate of A. I. Konshina, which now houses the Central House of Scientists of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Memorial Museum-Apartment of K. A. Timiryazev, the main building of the Moscow State University named after M. V. Lomonosov, and monuments on the Cosmonauts’ Alley at VDNKh.

    Russian Science Day in Libraries, Cinemas and More

    The capital’s cultural venues also invite you to celebrate Russian Science Day. You can attend events in museums, cinemas, libraries and cultural centers starting February 6. To participate in some events, you will need to register in advance or buy a ticket.

    Thus, on February 6 and 7, free screenings of the Russian popular science film “The Chip Inside Me” will be held in the Moskino chain of cinemas. The film will tell about how chipping helps to restore health, and the film will also touch upon ethical issues. The screenings will be held in eight Moskino chain cinemas: “Cosmos”, “Sputnik”, “Iskra”, “Zhukovsky”, “Tula”, “Saturn”, “Vympel”, and “Angara”. Registration — by link.

    An exhibition will be open at the Meridian Cultural Center from February 6 to 27 “The History of the Magnetic Needle”. Guests will see pocket compasses produced in Russia from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century. These are exhibits from the collection of magnetic compass collector Mikhail Ivanov, which includes more than 800 devices from various countries and eras. The exhibition will also feature mining compasses from the collection of Gennady Avdonin, chief specialist of the N.M. Fedorovsky All-Russian Research Institute of Mineral Resources.

    The Central City Children’s Library named after A.P. Gaidar invites schoolchildren to the thematic program “Experiments”. It will last until February 28. Visitors will enjoy physical and chemical experiments with liquids, gases and solids, optical illusions and puzzle solving. Lectures on scientific laws will also be organized for young scientists and they will be told how to independently conduct a scientific experiment at home, taking into account all safety rules. Entrance to the event is free for organized groups (kindergarten groups and school classes from six years old). You can find out more and sign up for the program by calling the library: 7 499 242-57-23.

    Children will be able to try their hand at solving puzzles, conduct interesting experiments, and learn about the contribution of Russian researchers to world science at the Central Children’s Library No. 14. There, on February 6 at 4:00 p.m., a quiz called “Day of Russian Science” will be held.

    On February 7 at 15:00, the A.S. Neverov Library No. 90 will host a discussion entitled “Ruthless Science with Meaning.” Guests will be told about interesting facts from the biographies of famous scientists such as N.I. Vavilov, D.I. Mendeleyev, V.I. Vernadsky, I.P. Pavlov, N.I. Lobachevsky, and others. Participants will also be introduced to the works of these researchers.

    And in Library No. 82 on February 6 at 11:15 and February 7 at 11:00 there will be interactive classes “Treasures of the Earth” and “Green Energy”, dedicated to the topic of clean energy.

    On the festive day, February 8, the N. F. Fedorov Library No. 180 will host an exhibition of the St. Petersburg photo artist Maria Kovalevskaya. It is dedicated to women scientists working at the I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. At the exhibition, you can learn about their work and hobbies, such as sailing, fishing and fencing, and also immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the first science town in Russia. It was built in the 1930s with the participation of Academician I. P. Pavlov.

    The Darwin Museum will hold the Science Day. Vanished Worlds event. On February 8, from 10:00 to 18:00, guests will enjoy games, interactive activities, master classes, and lectures. At the events, visitors will get acquainted not only with the most famous ancient animals — dinosaurs, but also with their relatives and contemporaries, as well as with other extinct inhabitants of the Earth. Entrance — by tickets.

    A special program will be held at the Timiryazev State Biological Museum from 12:00 to 16:00 on February 8. It will be dedicated to various areas of biology, its history, and the work of scientists. The events are planned at two venues: in pavilion No. 31 “Geology” at VDNKh and in the museum building on Malaya Gruzinskaya Street. Admission is by ticket. You can buy a ticket for the event in the Geology pavilion at this link, and to the event at the museum on Malaya Gruzinskaya – on this.

    Russian Science Day has been officially celebrated since 1999. The reason for its appearance was the events that took place more than 300 years ago – on January 28 (February 8, new style) 1724, Emperor Peter I founded the Russian Academy of Sciences.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is account to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect the Position of Mil-Sosi or Its Clients.

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149524073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University and Severstal: Successful Cooperation for Future Engineers

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    For SPbPU students, cooperation with leading employers in Russia is an opportunity to develop in the largest Russian and international companies and build a successful career. One of such partners is PAO Severstal, with which the university is implementing several educational and scientific projects.

    The Polytechnic University has the Severstal-Polytechnic Research and Education Center, whose specialists solve key industrial problems by working on joint R&D. More than 20 students study at SPbPU under a target agreement with the company. Twice a year, Severstal representatives participate in the Youth Career Forum, offering jobs to Polytechnic students. Dozens of students annually undergo internships at Severstal and its subsidiaries.

    In the educational programs “Organization and Management of Digital Science-Intensive Production”, “Digital Technologies in Metallurgy” and “Engineering of Metallurgical and Foundry Technologies and Materials”, Severstal representatives act as experts in lectures, provide places for practical training, topics for final qualification works, and invite students to production.

    As a partner of the course “Fundamentals of Project Activity”, Severstal offers second-year students project topics.

    “Our cooperation with Severstal has been going on for several decades,” says Pavel Kovalev, Deputy Director of IMMiT for Educational Activities. “Many of our graduates successfully work for the company, such as Evgeny Nikolaevich Vinogradov, a 2002 graduate of the metallurgical faculty, who currently holds the position of General Director of the Severstal Russian Steel and Resource Assets Division. With the participation of our strategic partner, we have developed a draft of a new educational standard and a corporate educational track for bachelors in the Metallurgy field. We received software for 26 VR simulators simulating various technological operations of steelmaking and rolling processing from Severstal free of charge, which will be used this academic year. We also plan to launch a pilot educational program in 2025 to train engineers with a variable training period (4 or 5 years).”

    By the way, the recruiting platform hh.ru recently presented the results of the Russian employer rating for 2024. It included more than 1,700 companies from all over the country.

    Among them, Severstal demonstrated significant progress, rising from 24th to 11th place in the overall list of successful industrial enterprises.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa’s food poisoning crisis: the government’s response isn’t dealing with the real issues

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mamokete Modiba, Researcher, Gauteng City-Region Observatory

    The South African government declared a national disaster towards the end of 2024 in response to an outbreak of food-borne illnesses. The outbreak had led to the tragic deaths of over 20 children and hospitalisation of hundreds.

    Investigations by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases attributed the outbreak to hazardous pesticides such as Terbufos and Aldicarb. The pesticides, used in agriculture, have infiltrated the informal market as unregulated “street pesticides” for rat control, resulting in food contamination.

    In response, the government announced several measures. One was that all food handling outlets, including informal retailers known as spaza shops, had to register with their respective municipalities. It also introduced widespread inspection of these outlets for compliance with regulations and health standards.

    The measures are a step in the right direction. However, based on our research work at the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) over the past decades, they fall short of what is required. In addition, certain aspects, such as mandatory registration and mass inspection of food outlets, may prove difficult to implement effectively.

    The Gauteng City Region is a cluster of cities, towns and urban nodes that make up the economic heartland of South Africa. The Gauteng City-Region Observatory is a partnership between the Gauteng provincial government, the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Johannesburg and Gauteng South African Local Government Association. It has been researching the development dynamics of the region since 2008, providing data-driven insights and strategic guidance to support sustainable development.

    The government response to the outbreak of food-borne illnesses addresses the immediate crisis but does not address underlying factors affecting low-income settlements.

    Research by GCRO has identified the underlying factors as poor infrastructure and services. Rat infestations stem from poor waste management. This is caused by inadequate public services, failing infrastructure and irregular waste collection.

    Dumping, littering and burning waste worsen the public health and environmental risks, including disease transmission and pest infestations.

    Based on this evidence, we conclude that the government’s response does not adequately address some of the root causes of the outbreak, due to insufficient understanding of the context. Addressing these systemic failures is not just a public health matter. It also highlights the challenges faced by these communities and emphasises the importance of supporting local economies.

    Survey findings

    The GCRO’s flagship Quality of Life Survey, conducted every two years since 2009, is one of South Africa’s largest social surveys. It measures various aspects such as Gauteng residents’ socio-economic dynamics, service delivery experiences, and satisfaction with government. It provides longitudinally comparable data to inform decision-making.

    The survey covers various topics that have a bearing on the food-borne illnesses outbreak, like basic services, income sources and food security. According to the latest survey (2023/24), access to refuse removal and satisfaction with service delivery has declined in Gauteng.

    In the 2023/24 survey, 74% of respondents reported weekly refuse removal, down from 83% in the 2020/21 period. Satisfaction with services dropped from 75% to 64% over the same period – a worrying trend since 2017/18. The survey also shows that over half (57%) of businesses in Gauteng are informal.

    Household hunger has increased across ten years of the survey. More than one in ten households experience severe food insecurity: hunger, poor access to food and insufficient spending on nutritious food.

    Measures to address the crisis

    We now turn to the three government interventions:

    Registration of spaza shops

    All food handling outlets, including spaza shops, are required to register with their municipalities between November 2024 and February 2025. This is a step in the right direction, towards regulatory compliance and monitoring of the safety of goods being sold to the public. However, it might not be achievable, especially within the specified period.

    There are minimum requirements for the registration of spaza shops. These include (re)zoning certificates or consent use, certificates of acceptability (health standards), approved building plans, registration with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, and tax clearance. However, many of these businesses operate informally and therefore lack the required documentation.

    Any spaza shop that fails to register in time will be closed. This will affect livelihoods and food security, especially in low-income communities where these shops play a vital role.

    Spaza shops are a way for many people to make an income, and they supply essential food items to local communities. Households buy from them for a variety of reasons: they are nearby and affordable, open for long hours and offer credit.

    Inspection of food outlets

    A campaign to inspect all food handling outlets, focusing on spaza shops and informal traders, is underway. Law enforcement is important to remove contaminated food from the market and prevent future outbreaks. But municipalities have limited capacity to conduct such widespread inspections and ensure compliance with health regulations and standards.

    The outbreak was partly a result of municipalities’ inability to enforce the rules. If inspections had been regular and thorough, food contamination issues would have been picked up before the current crisis.

    The focus on punitive measures, such as closing businesses and prosecuting owners, does not help them to register, reopen and comply. It might harm the informal economy, reflecting a broader trend of criminalising the poor.

    Joint fund to support township and rural businesses

    Government has set aside R500 million (US$26 million) to support township and rural enterprises, including spaza shops. The fund is intended to improve business infrastructure and build capacity.

    But in our view, its eligibility criteria require reconsideration. To qualify, a business owner must be a South African citizen, their business must be registered in the municipality and they must have have valid tax registration. The majority of businesses in these settlements are informal and would not meet the requirements, so the criteria exclude many that need support.

    Next steps

    The government’s response to the food-borne illness outbreak focuses on the immediate crisis and related symptoms. It overlooks underlying structural factors. The formalisation and compliance of informal businesses may contribute to the solution but will not tackle the root causes.

    These include essential infrastructure and services such as water, sanitation and waste management facilities.

    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. South Africa’s food poisoning crisis: the government’s response isn’t dealing with the real issues – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-food-poisoning-crisis-the-governments-response-isnt-dealing-with-the-real-issues-245951

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa’s food poisoning crisis: the government’s response isn’t dealing with the real issues

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mamokete Modiba, Researcher, Gauteng City-Region Observatory

    The South African government declared a national disaster towards the end of 2024 in response to an outbreak of food-borne illnesses. The outbreak had led to the tragic deaths of over 20 children and hospitalisation of hundreds.

    Investigations by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases attributed the outbreak to hazardous pesticides such as Terbufos and Aldicarb. The pesticides, used in agriculture, have infiltrated the informal market as unregulated “street pesticides” for rat control, resulting in food contamination.

    In response, the government announced several measures. One was that all food handling outlets, including informal retailers known as spaza shops, had to register with their respective municipalities. It also introduced widespread inspection of these outlets for compliance with regulations and health standards.

    The measures are a step in the right direction. However, based on our research work at the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) over the past decades, they fall short of what is required. In addition, certain aspects, such as mandatory registration and mass inspection of food outlets, may prove difficult to implement effectively.

    The Gauteng City Region is a cluster of cities, towns and urban nodes that make up the economic heartland of South Africa. The Gauteng City-Region Observatory is a partnership between the Gauteng provincial government, the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Johannesburg and Gauteng South African Local Government Association. It has been researching the development dynamics of the region since 2008, providing data-driven insights and strategic guidance to support sustainable development.

    The government response to the outbreak of food-borne illnesses addresses the immediate crisis but does not address underlying factors affecting low-income settlements.

    Research by GCRO has identified the underlying factors as poor infrastructure and services. Rat infestations stem from poor waste management. This is caused by inadequate public services, failing infrastructure and irregular waste collection.

    Dumping, littering and burning waste worsen the public health and environmental risks, including disease transmission and pest infestations.

    Based on this evidence, we conclude that the government’s response does not adequately address some of the root causes of the outbreak, due to insufficient understanding of the context. Addressing these systemic failures is not just a public health matter. It also highlights the challenges faced by these communities and emphasises the importance of supporting local economies.

    Survey findings

    The GCRO’s flagship Quality of Life Survey, conducted every two years since 2009, is one of South Africa’s largest social surveys. It measures various aspects such as Gauteng residents’ socio-economic dynamics, service delivery experiences, and satisfaction with government. It provides longitudinally comparable data to inform decision-making.

    The survey covers various topics that have a bearing on the food-borne illnesses outbreak, like basic services, income sources and food security. According to the latest survey (2023/24), access to refuse removal and satisfaction with service delivery has declined in Gauteng.

    In the 2023/24 survey, 74% of respondents reported weekly refuse removal, down from 83% in the 2020/21 period. Satisfaction with services dropped from 75% to 64% over the same period – a worrying trend since 2017/18. The survey also shows that over half (57%) of businesses in Gauteng are informal.

    Household hunger has increased across ten years of the survey. More than one in ten households experience severe food insecurity: hunger, poor access to food and insufficient spending on nutritious food.

    Measures to address the crisis

    We now turn to the three government interventions:

    Registration of spaza shops

    All food handling outlets, including spaza shops, are required to register with their municipalities between November 2024 and February 2025. This is a step in the right direction, towards regulatory compliance and monitoring of the safety of goods being sold to the public. However, it might not be achievable, especially within the specified period.

    There are minimum requirements for the registration of spaza shops. These include (re)zoning certificates or consent use, certificates of acceptability (health standards), approved building plans, registration with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, and tax clearance. However, many of these businesses operate informally and therefore lack the required documentation.

    Any spaza shop that fails to register in time will be closed. This will affect livelihoods and food security, especially in low-income communities where these shops play a vital role.

    Spaza shops are a way for many people to make an income, and they supply essential food items to local communities. Households buy from them for a variety of reasons: they are nearby and affordable, open for long hours and offer credit.

    Inspection of food outlets

    A campaign to inspect all food handling outlets, focusing on spaza shops and informal traders, is underway. Law enforcement is important to remove contaminated food from the market and prevent future outbreaks. But municipalities have limited capacity to conduct such widespread inspections and ensure compliance with health regulations and standards.

    The outbreak was partly a result of municipalities’ inability to enforce the rules. If inspections had been regular and thorough, food contamination issues would have been picked up before the current crisis.

    The focus on punitive measures, such as closing businesses and prosecuting owners, does not help them to register, reopen and comply. It might harm the informal economy, reflecting a broader trend of criminalising the poor.

    Joint fund to support township and rural businesses

    Government has set aside R500 million (US$26 million) to support township and rural enterprises, including spaza shops. The fund is intended to improve business infrastructure and build capacity.

    But in our view, its eligibility criteria require reconsideration. To qualify, a business owner must be a South African citizen, their business must be registered in the municipality and they must have have valid tax registration. The majority of businesses in these settlements are informal and would not meet the requirements, so the criteria exclude many that need support.

    Next steps

    The government’s response to the food-borne illness outbreak focuses on the immediate crisis and related symptoms. It overlooks underlying structural factors. The formalisation and compliance of informal businesses may contribute to the solution but will not tackle the root causes.

    These include essential infrastructure and services such as water, sanitation and waste management facilities.

    – South Africa’s food poisoning crisis: the government’s response isn’t dealing with the real issues
    – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-food-poisoning-crisis-the-governments-response-isnt-dealing-with-the-real-issues-245951

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study looking at shipping aerosol emissions, ocean surface temperatures and rate of global warming

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development looks at shipping aerosol emissions and the rate of global warming.

    Dr Karsten Haustein, Climate Scientist, Leipzig University, said:

    “Jim Hansen and colleagues have revisited the topic of aerosol-induced warming due to reduced shipping emissions (due to regulatory changes in 2020).  It’s a more credible attempt than their last – rather disappointing – effort, but there is still much speculation involved.  They estimate the global aerosol forcing from reduced shipping aerosols might be as high as 0.5 W/m2, which is far higher than the current estimates of 0.05-0.15 W/m2.  They argue that Earth’s radiative imbalance as well as high levels absorbed solar radiation justify such assumption.  Accordingly, they argue that Climate Sensitivity (temperature response after CO2 doubling in the atmosphere) might be as high as 4.5 W/m2.

    “Given that Earth’s radiative imbalance has considerably come down in the 2nd half of 2024 (notwithstanding the uncertainties related to measuring the global radiative imbalance), I continue to remain skeptical of their claims.  This is particularly true, as some of the extra warming could be traced to other internal factors that have not been discussed.  The so-called ‘hiatus’ discussion in the 2010s should be an example of a cautionary tale.  This is true all the more as we know with some certainty that CO2 and methane (CH4) forcing has continued to accelerate slightly, such that additional aerosol forcing increase is not necessarily required to explain what has happened in 2023 and 2024.

    “They are correct in one aspect though: 2025 will prove whether there is more to the warming story than we thought.”

    Prof Richard Allan, Professor of Climate Science, University of Reading, said:

    “Multiple lines of evidence are showing that human caused climate change is gathering pace.  Heat is continuing to flood into the climate system as atmospheric greenhouse gases continue to rise and the reflective haze of aerosol particle pollution diminishes in some regions following clean air policies.  This is causing the warming of the oceans to increase at ever greater rates.

    “The comprehensive, extensive and wide-ranging new report argues that masking of global warming by particle pollution has been underestimated and future climate change may be even worse than anticipated.  Cleaning up dirty air may be having a larger than expected effect on increasing how much sunlight reaches the ground, which is adding to a more potent greenhouse effect from continued fossil fuel emissions.  The arguments presented are not new and although reasonable they appear overly bleak compared to the growing body of scientific research.  However, the magnitude of increases in Earth’s heating rate and ocean surface warming, as well as record January global temperatures despite an expected cooling from La Niña, mean that scientists are carefully scrutinising and puzzling over the unfolding changes to Earth’s climate.  And the new report emphasises the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions and to properly account for the full economic cost of our actions on the planet and people.”

    Prof William Collins, Professor of Climate Processes, University of Reading, said:

    “This paper suggests that the cooling effects of aerosols has been underestimated and hence this has hidden more of the warming effect of greenhouse gases than has previously been assessed.  This would make the climate sensitivity to carbon dioxide larger than has been assessed.  If this is the case then cleaning up aerosol pollution (as has happened with shipping since 2020) will uncover more of the underlying warming from greenhouse gases.  Aerosol pollution peaked in the 1980s, when studies have increased the cooling effect of aerosols their calculations give cooler temperatures in the 1980s than we observed.  So this paper sits outside most previous assessments of the strength of aerosol cooling.

    “There have been several assessments of the recent decline in shipping aerosols.  These range from a negligible effect on the record-breaking 2023 temperatures to a small contribution.  It will require detailed comparisons with these previous studies to determine why the shipping contribution in this paper is so much more significant.”

    ‘Global Warming Has Accelerated: Are the United Nations and the Public Well-Informed?’ by James E. Hansen et al. was published in Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development at 14:00 UK time on Tuesday 4 February 2025.

    DOI: 10.1080/00139157.2025.2434494

    Declared interests

    Dr Karsten Haustein: “No conflict of interests.”

    Prof Richard Allan: “No competing interests.”

    Prof William Collins: “No conflicts.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Scientists develop new AI model for cyclone forecast

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Chinese scientists have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) method to forecast the rapid intensification of a tropical cyclone, shedding new light on improving global disaster preparedness.
    Recently, researchers from the Institute of Oceanology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences published this study in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
    The rapid intensification of a tropical cyclone, which refers to a dramatic increase in the intensity of a tropical storm over a short period, remains one of the most challenging weather phenomena to forecast because of its unpredictable and destructive nature.
    According to the study, traditional forecasting methods, such as numerical weather prediction and statistical approaches, often fail to consider the complex environmental and structural factors driving rapid intensification. While AI has been explored to improve rapid intensification prediction, most AI techniques have struggled with high false alarm rates and limited reliability.
    To address this issue, the researchers have developed a new AI model that combines satellite, atmospheric and oceanic data. When tested on data from the tropical cyclone periods in the Northwest Pacific between 2020 and 2021, the new method achieved an accuracy of 92.3 percent and reduced false alarms to 8.9 percent.
    The new method improved accuracy by nearly 12 percent compared to existing techniques and boasted a 3-times reduction in false alarms, representing a significant advancement in forecasting, said the study.
    “This study addresses the challenges of low accuracy and high false alarm rates in rapid intensification forecasting,” said Li Xiaofeng, the study’s corresponding author.
    “Our method enhances understanding of these extreme events and supports better defenses against their devastating impacts,” Li added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Bring Home the Sonic Soundscape, Experience Exceptional Audio on Samsung TVs & Soundbars with Dolby Atmos

    Source: Samsung

     
    GURUGRAM, India – 05, February 2025: Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics brand, today unveiled an innovative, original series titled ‘Foley – Sound Meets Story’ taking audiences to a cinematic journey through the art and science of immersive audio. This video series has been produced in collaboration with Dolby, and marks a significant step for Samsung in redefining its presence in the premium audio hardware segment. The collaboration combines the rich auditory expertise of Dolby with Samsung’s cutting-edge technology in TVs & Soundbars.
     
    ‘Foley – Sound Meets Story’ is a series with five episodes, and each episode is inspired by one of the five elements – fire, water, wind, jungle, and food. With insights from professional Foley artists, each episode showcases the artistry behind crafting soundscapes that embody the essence of these elements in Dolby Atmos®. The series delves into the role of Dolby Atmos in delivering an audio experience with sounds that can be heard and felt all around, before finally highlighting the Samsung hardware that brings these sounds to life with exceptional clarity and depth for consumers. Consumers will experience these immersive Dolby Atmos soundscapes firsthand at over 5,000 Samsung stores across India, supported by well-trained Samsung retail staff.  This multi-faceted approach brings the series to life both on and offline, emphasizing Dolby and Samsung’s commitment to providing a truly elevated audio experience.
     
    “At Samsung, innovation lies at the heart of everything we do. Our collaboration with Dolby on this exclusive series reflects our commitment to deliver immersive and professional-grade audio experiences to our consumers. By blending Dolby’s expertise in sound with Samsung TVs & Soundbars, we aim to redefine how Indian audiences perceive and interact with sound technology, creating unforgettable sensory experiences in their homes.”  said Viplesh Dang, Senior Director, Visual Display Business, Samsung India.
     
    Sameer Seth, Director Marketing – India, Dolby Laboratories said, “Dolby Atmos is at the forefront of transforming entertainment with its immersive, theatre-quality sound. ‘Foley – Sound Meets Story’ shot at Annapurna Studios, is a sincere effort that brings out the story of the Foley artist on what goes in creating these sound effects brought to life in Dolby Atmos. We are excited to work with Samsung to deliver several lifelike soundscapes for consumers to experience through their Dolby Atmos enabled Samsung TV and soundbar.
     
    Each episode of ‘Foley – Sound Meets Story’ highlights the crucial role of Dolby Atmos in designing an immersive soundscape, ultimately showcasing the hardware that brings these audio experiences to life for consumers.‘Foley – Sound Meets Story’ series is designed to leave a lasting impression on consumers and enhancing Samsung brand in the competitive audio market.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Bacteria in your mouth may hold clues to your brain health and dementia risk – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Joanna L’Heureux, Postdoctoral Researcher, Public Health and Sport Sciences, University of Exeter

    Could the bacteria in your mouth predict whether you are at risk of dementia? Emerging research suggests that the bacteria living on your tongue and gums may affect how the brain works and how it changes as we age. In turn, this could affect whether someone ages normally or develops dementia.

    Scientists are uncovering surprising connections between the oral microbiome, which is the bustling ecosystem of bacteria in our mouths, and brain health. A new study my colleagues and I conducted suggests that certain bacteria may help memory and thinking skills, while others could be early warning signs of a decline in brain function.

    This raises the possibility that diet and treatments that change our oral bacteria could one day play a role in helping to preserve brain health as we age.

    For our investigation, we analysed saliva samples from 115 adults over 50 years old. Among these people, 52% had healthy brain function, and the other 48% had early signs of decline in memory and other brain functions.

    We examined the bacteria in these samples and showed that people who had large numbers of two groups of bacteria called Neisseria and Haemophilus performed better in brain health tests. In particular, people with these bacteria had better memory, and better ability to pay attention and perform complex tasks.

    These people also had higher levels of the ion nitrite in their mouths. Nitrite is made by bacteria when they break down nitrate, which is a natural part of a vegetable-rich diet.

    Bacteria can also break down nitrite to produce nitric oxide, which improves circulation, including blood flow to the brain. This suggests that eating lots of nitrate-rich vegetables, such as leafy green spinach and rocket, could boost levels of healthy bacteria and help improve brain health, which might be especially important as people age.

    We are now investigating whether nitrate-rich beetroot juice can improve brain function in older adults by hijacking bacteria in the mouth.

    On the other hand, a different group of bacteria may be causing more harm than good. Our study found two groups of bacteria that are potentially linked to worse brain health.

    One group called Porphyromonas, which is often associated with gum disease, was more common in people with memory problems than people who were healthy.

    A second group called Prevotella was linked to low nitrite, which in turn could mean poorer brain health. Prevotella was also more common in people who carry the gene APOE4, which is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.

    These findings suggest that some bacteria might play a detrimental role in changes in brain health as people age. It also raises the question of whether routine tests to measure levels of these bacteria could be used to detect very early signs of declining brain health as part of dental checkups in the future.

    Profound implications

    The implications of this research are profound. If certain bacteria support brain health while others contribute to decline, then treatments to change the balance of bacteria in the mouth could be part of a solution to prevent dementia.

    Encouraging the growth of nitrite-producing bacteria like Neisseria, while reducing Prevotella and Porphyromonas, could help maintain brain function as we age. This could be achieved through dietary changes, probiotics, oral hygiene routines, or even targeted treatments that reshape the microbiome.

    While we’re still in the early stages of understanding the intricate links between the mouth bacteria and the brain, our findings provide a strong rationale for further research.

    If future studies confirm that the oral microbiome plays a role in maintaining a healthy brain, then by paying closer attention to the bacteria in our mouths we may unlock new possibilities for detecting and potentially delaying dementia.

    In the meantime, the best advice is to keep your teeth clean, see the dentist regularly and eat food with lots of nitrate, like leafy green vegetables, to keep feeding the good bacteria in your mouth.

    Dr L’Heureux’s PhD scholarship was supported by the Wellcome Trust’s Institutional Strategic Support Fund.

    This paper represents independent research part-funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research Exeter
    Biomedical Research Centre, UK. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR
    (UK) or the Department of Health and Social Care, UK. It was also supported by the NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South-West Peninsula, UK. Genotyping was performed at deCODE Genetics. This work was funded in part through the MRC Proximity to Discovery: Industry Engagement Fund (External Collaboration, Innovation and Entrepreneurism: Translational Medicine in Exeter 2 (EXCITEME2, ref. MC_PC_17189) awarded to Dr Creese. This project utilized equipment funded by the Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (WT097835MF), Wellcome Trust Multi User Equipment Award (WT101650MA) and BBSRC LOLA award (BB/K003240/1).

    – ref. Bacteria in your mouth may hold clues to your brain health and dementia risk – new study – https://theconversation.com/bacteria-in-your-mouth-may-hold-clues-to-your-brain-health-and-dementia-risk-new-study-248625

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: New Industrialisation project backed

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Innovation & Technology Commission (ITC) today announced that the New Industrialisation Vetting Committee has approved its first application under the New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme (NIAS), awarding funding of around $200 million to Jean-Marie Pharmacal Company, a subsidiary of the Jacobson Group.

    The firm is involved in the life and health technology sector and plans to set up smart production lines for sterilised eye drops, oral solid doses and oral liquid doses. The total cost of the project is estimated at around $600 million.

    Additionally, the ITC said the number of new smart production lines supported by the vetting committee under the New Industrialisation Funding Scheme (NIFS) now exceeds 100. The total cost for these projects is estimated at $1.3 billion, with $930 million coming from private investments.

    The sectors involved are food manufacturing and processing; textiles and clothing; construction materials; medical devices; nanofibre materials; new energy; pharmaceuticals, including Chinese medicines; electronics; printing; and product accessories.

    Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong said: “The Government proactively engages in innovation and technology (I&T) industry development. By launching the NIFS and the NIAS, we aim to promote new industrialisation and secure room for high-quality development in Hong Kong.

    “We are glad to see that enterprises are actively participating in the two funding schemes, making use of I&T to achieve smart production and enhance competitiveness.

    “The Government will continue to assist more enterprises to set up new smart production facilities in Hong Kong and support local enterprises in technology upgrade and achieving new industrialisation, so as to foster the development of Hong Kong’s manufacturing industry and diversified economy.”

    Launched in September 2024, the $10 billion NIAS provides funding support for eligible enterprises to set up new smart production facilities in Hong Kong. The sectors covered include life and health technology, artificial intelligence and data science, advanced manufacturing, and new energy technologies.

     

    Meanwhile, the NIFS subsidises manufacturers to set up new smart production lines in the city.

     

    Both schemes award grants on a 1 (Government) to 2 (enterprise) matching basis.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: To keep your cool in a heatwave, it may help to water your trees

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne

    Gena Melendrez/Shutterstock

    Heatwaves are among the world’s deadliest weather hazards. Every year, vast numbers of people are killed by heat stress and it can worsen health problems such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease.

    Unfortunately, the bitumen roads, brick and concrete structures and roofing tiles in cities can absorb and retain vast amounts of heat, much of which is released after the sun has set. This creates what’s known as the urban heat island effect. In fact, temperatures can be significantly higher in cities than in surrounding or rural areas.

    Trees and greenspace can drive down urban temperatures – but they must be able to draw water from the soil to achieve these massive cooling effects.

    In other words, it can sometimes be helpful to water your trees during a heatwave.

    Trees need to be able to access water in the soil to achieve transpiration.
    Tirachard Kumtanom/Shutterstock

    How trees keep us cool (and no, it’s not just about shade)

    Trees reduce urban temperatures in two significant ways. One is by the shade they provides and the other is through their cooling effect – and no, they’re not the same thing.

    Water is taken up via a plant’s roots, moves through the stems or trunks and is then misted into the air from the leaves through little holes called stomata. This is called transpiration, and it helps cool the air around leaves.

    Transpiration helps cools the air around a plant’s leaves.
    grayjay/Shutterstock

    Water can also evaporate from soil and other surfaces. The combined loss of water from plants and soil is called evapotranspiration.

    The cooling effects of evapotranspiration vary but are up to 4°C, depending on other environmental factors.

    Watering your trees

    If heatwaves occur in generally hot, dry weather, then trees will provide shade – but some may struggle with transpiration if the soil is too dry.

    This can reduce the cooling effect of trees. Keeping soil moist and plants irrigated, however, can change that.

    The best time to irrigate is early in the morning, as the water is less likely to evaporate quickly before transpiration can occur.

    You don’t need to do a deep water; most absorbing roots are close to the surface, so a bit of brief irrigation will often do the trick. You could also recycle water from your shower. Using mulch helps trap the water in the soil, giving the roots time to absorb it before it evaporates.

    All transpiring plants have a cooling effect on the air surrounding them, so you might wonder if trees have anything special to offer in terms of the urban heat island effect and heatwaves.

    Their great size means that they provide much larger areas of shade than other plants and if they are transpiring then there are greater cooling effects.

    The surface area of tree leaves, which is crucial to the evaporative cooling that takes place on their surfaces, is also much greater than many other plants.

    Another advantage is that trees can be very long lived. They provide shade, cooling and other benefits over a very long time and at relatively low cost.

    Not all trees

    All that said, I don’t want to overstate the role of urban trees in heatwaves when soils are dry.

    Some trees cease transpiring early as soils dry, but others will persist until they wilt.

    Careful tree selection can help maximise the cooling effects of the urban forest. Trees that suit the local soil and can cope with some drying while maintaining transpiration can provide greater cooling

    And, of course, it is important to follow any water restriction rules or guidelines that may be operating in your area at the time.

    Trees keep us cool

    Despite the clear benefits trees can provide in curbing heat, tree numbers and canopy cover are declining annually in many Australian cities and towns.

    Housing development still occurs without proper consideration of how trees and greenspace improve residents’ quality of life.

    It is not an either/or argument. With proper planning, you can have both new housing and good tree canopy cover.

    We should also be cautious of over-pruning urban trees.

    Trees help us when we help them.
    maxim ibragimov/Shutterstock

    Trees cannot eliminate the effects of a heatwave but can mitigate some of them.

    Anything that we can do to mitigate the urban heat island effect and keep our cities and towns cooler will reduce heat-related illness and associated medical costs.

    Gregory Moore is affiliated with Make Victoria Greener, which campaigns to preserve trees in Victoria.

    – ref. To keep your cool in a heatwave, it may help to water your trees – https://theconversation.com/to-keep-your-cool-in-a-heatwave-it-may-help-to-water-your-trees-246486

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Sci-tech museums draw 3M visits during holiday

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China’s sci-tech museums have received more than 3 million visits during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday, according to the China Science and Technology Museum (CSTM) on Tuesday.
    The Beijing-based CSTM said that it has guided the public to explore the scientific elements of Spring Festival customs. During the holiday, the museum welcomed more than 150,000 visits, of whom over 90 percent came from outside the capital city.
    Sci-tech museums across the country have launched various Spring Festival-themed science exhibitions, integrating Chinese zodiac culture, intangible cultural heritage techniques and cutting-edge technologies.
    East China’s Fujian Science and Technology Museum is holding an exhibition on the “wisdom of the snake,” allowing visitors to learn about snake biology. In another sci-tech museum in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, a humanoid robot interacts with audiences, showcasing the latest progress in China’s robotics technology.
    The CSTM said that it will lead the country’s sci-tech museums to continue innovating forms of science popularization in 2025. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Returning home after a flood? Prioritise your health and take it one step at a time

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kazi Mizanur Rahman, Associate Professor of Healthcare Innovations, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University

    Parts of North Queensland have received almost two metres of rain since the weekend, causing flash and riverine flooding that claimed the lives of two women around Ingham.

    While some North Queensland residents are on alert for more flooding, others are returning home to assess the damage.

    This can be very confronting. You may have left in a rush when the evacuation order was issued, taking only a few valuables and necessary items, and maybe your pet. You may have been scared and unsure of what would happen.

    Coming back and seeing the damage to the place you lived in and loved can be painful. You might also be worried about the financial consequences.

    First, focus on safety

    Make sure it’s safe to return home. Check with your energy provider whether power has been restored in your area and, if so, whether it’s safe to turn the main switch back on. Do not use appliances that got wet, as electrical hazards can be deadly.

    Look for any structural damages to your property and any hazards such as asbestos exposure. Watch out for sharp objects, broken glass, or slippery areas.

    The hardest part is cleaning up. You will need to be patient, and prioritise your health and safety.

    What risks are involved with flood clean ups?

    Floodwater carries mud and bugs. It can also be contaminated with sewage.

    Contaminated flood water can cause gastroenteritis, skin infections, conjunctivitis, or ear, nose and throat infections.

    Mud can make you sick by transmitting germs through broken skin, causing nasty diseases such as the bacterial infection melioidosis.

    Your house may also have rodents, snakes, or insects that can bite. Rats can also carry diseases that contaminate water and enter your body through broken skin.

    Be careful about mould, as it can affect the air quality in your home and make asthma and allergies worse.

    Stagnant water in and around your home can become a place where mosquitoes breed and spread disease.

    How can you reduce these risks?

    When you first enter your flood-damaged home, open windows to let fresh air in. If you have breathing problems, wear a face mask to protect yourself from any possible air pollution resulting from the damage, and any mould due to your home being closed up.

    Cleaning your home is a long, frustrating and exhausting process. In this hot and humid weather, drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks. Identify any covered part of your home with sufficient ventilation which is high and dry, and where flood water did not enter. Use that as your resting space.

    While assessing and cleaning, wear protective clothing, boots and gloves. Covering your skin will reduce the chance of bites and infection.

    Wash your hands with soap and water as often as possible. And don’t forget to apply sunscreen and mosquito repellent.

    Throw away items that were soaked in floodwater. These could have germs that can make you ill.

    Empty your fridge and freezer because the food inside is no longer safe.

    If there is standing water, avoid touching it.

    When you can, empty outdoor containers with stagnant water to prevent mosquitoes breeding.

    Don’t overlook your mental health

    When cleaning up after a flood, you may feel sad, anxious, or stressed. It’s hard to see your home in this condition.

    But know you are not alone. Stay connected with others, talk to your friends and families, and accept support. If you feel too overwhelmed, seek help from mental health support services in your area or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

    On top of everything, be mindful about those who are vulnerable, such as older people and those with disabilities, as they may be more affected and find the clean up process harder.

    Recovering from a flood takes time. Focus on what needs to be fixed first and take it step by step.

    Kazi Mizanur Rahman 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. Returning home after a flood? Prioritise your health and take it one step at a time – https://theconversation.com/returning-home-after-a-flood-prioritise-your-health-and-take-it-one-step-at-a-time-248902

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –