Citizen science projects enabled by data from the WISE and NEOWISE missions have given hundreds of thousands around the world the opportunity to make new discoveries. The projects can be done by anyone with a laptop and internet access and are available in fifteen languages. No U.S. citizenship required.
NASA’s NEOWISE (Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) spacecraft re-entered and burned up in Earth’s atmosphere on Friday night, as expected. Launched in 2009 as the WISE mission, the spacecraft has been mapping the entire sky at infrared wavelengths over and over for nearly fifteen years. During that time, more than one hundred thousand amateur scientists have used these data in citizen science projects like the Milky Way Project, Disk Detective, Backyard Worlds: Planet 9, Backyard Worlds: Cool Neighbors, and Exoasteroids.
This citizen science work has led to more than 55 scientific publications. Highlights include:
Although the spacecraft is no longer in orbit, there is plenty of work to do. The WISE/NEOWISE data contain trillions of detections of astronomical sources – enough to keep projects like Disk Detective, Backyard Worlds: Planet 9, Backyard Worlds: Cool Neighbors, and Exoasteroids busy making new discoveries for years to come. Join one of these projects today to help unravel the mysteries of the infrared universe!
On October 14, 2024, the Science Activation program’s NASA eClipsTM Education team from the National Institute of Aerospace’s Center for Integrative Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) Education (NIA-CISE) delivered a professional development session entitled “Using Children’s Books to Build STEM Habits of Mind” to 62 Media Specialists and Gifted Teachers from Richmond Public Schools in Virginia.
The session kicked off with an engaging overview of NASA’s methods for gathering Earth data, including the use of stratospheric balloons. Participants then took part in the Balloon Aerodynamics Challenge 1 & 2. Divided into small groups, the teachers assumed the role of “stratospheric balloon engineers” and were tasked with adjusting helium-filled balloons to achieve neutral buoyancy. Initially, teams analyzed qualitative and quantitative aspects of their balloons before exploring the materials available to help them reach the target height. Once they achieved neutral buoyancy, their next challenge was to guide their balloons around the room using only a straw and a 5×7-inch card. As they completed this task, participants linked the activity to Bernoulli’s Principle and Newton’s Laws of Motion.
Following the activity, teachers were introduced to NASA eClips’ newly released Guide Lites: Comparing Science and Engineering Practices Using Black Box Models. During this segment, they discussed the distinction between engineering and science, reflecting on the engineering practices applied in the Balloon Aerodynamics Challenge and how scientific concepts influenced their balloon modifications.
Additionally, teachers explored Favorite STEM Books and Activities: A Literary Collection Curated by the NASA eClips Team and Advisory Board Members, a resource designed to integrate children’s literature with STEM learning. Participants reviewed at least two book entries from the collection, assessing their alignment with educational standards, evaluating associated activities, and offering feedback on strengths and suggested improvements. As a final activity, teams selected a STEM trade book from the curated collection and analyzed it for potential cross-disciplinary connections, including inquiry, engineering, or hands-on activities.
The event was planned collaboratively with Judy Deichman (Coordinator of Library Services for Richmond Public Schools), Lynn Pleveich (Coordinator for Programs for the Gifted and Talented in Richmond Public Schools), Dr. Sharon Bowers and Joan Harper-Neely (NASA eClips Senior STEM Specialists), and Betsy McAllister (NIA’s Educator in Residence from Hampton City Schools).
NASA eClips is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AB91A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn
Teacher teams discussed the alignment of STEM books to educational standards and provided feedback for the new activity, Favorite STEM Books and Activities: A Literary Collection Curated by the NASA eClips Team and Advisory Board Members.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By C Raina MacIntyre, Professor of Global Biosecurity, NHMRC L3 Research Fellow, Head, Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney
The United States Department of Agriculture last week reported that a pig on a backyard farm in Oregon was infected with bird flu.
As the bird flu situation has evolved, we’ve heard about the A/H5N1 strain of the virus infecting a range of animals, including a variety of birds, wild animals and dairy cattle.
Fortunately, we haven’t seen any sustained spread between humans at this stage. But the detection of the virus in a pig marks a worrying development in the trajectory of this virus.
How did we get here?
The most concerning type of bird flu currently circulating is clade 2.3.4.4b of A/H5N1, a strain of influenza A.
Since 2020, A/H5N1 2.3.4.4b has spread to a vast range of birds, wild animals and farm animals that have never been infected with bird flu before.
While Europe is a hotspot for A/H5N1, attention is currently focused on the US. Dairy cattle were infected for the first time in 2024, with more than 400 herds affected across at least 14 US states.
Bird flu has enormous impacts on farming and commercial food production, because infected poultry flocks have to be culled, and infected cows can result in contaminated diary products. That said, pasteurisation should make milk safe to drink.
While farmers have suffered major losses due to H5N1 bird flu, it also has the potential to mutate to cause a human pandemic.
Birds and humans have different types of receptors in their respiratory tract that flu viruses attach to, like a lock (receptors) and key (virus). The attachment of the virus allows it to invade a cell and the body and cause illness. Avian flu viruses are adapted to birds, and spread easily among birds, but not in humans.
So far, human cases have mainly occurred in people who have been in close contact with infected farm animals or birds. In the US, most have been farm workers.
The concern is that the virus will mutate and adapt to humans. One of the key steps for this to happen would be a shift in the virus’ affinity from the bird receptors to those found in the human respiratory tract. In other words, if the virus’ “key” mutated to better fit with the human “lock”.
A recent study of a sample of A/H5N1 2.3.4.4b from an infected human had worrying findings, identifying mutations in the virus with the potential to increase transmission between human hosts.
Why are pigs a problem?
A human pandemic strain of influenza can arise in several ways. One involves close contact between humans and animals infected with their own specific flu viruses, creating opportunities for genetic mixing between avian and human viruses.
Pigs are the ideal genetic mixing vessel to generate a human pandemic influenza strain, because they have receptors in their respiratory tracts which both avian and human flu viruses can bind to.
This means pigs can be infected with a bird flu virus and a human flu virus at the same time. These viruses can exchange genetic material to mutate and become easily transmissible in humans.
In the recent case in Oregon, A/H5N1 was detected in a pig on a non-commercial farm after an outbreak occurred among the poultry housed on the same farm. This strain of A/H5N1 was from wild birds, not the one that is widespread in US dairy cows.
The infection of a pig is a warning. If the virus enters commercial piggeries, it would create a far greater level of risk of a pandemic, especially as the US goes into winter, when human seasonal flu starts to rise.
How can we mitigate the risk?
Surveillance is key to early detection of a possible pandemic. This includes comprehensive testing and reporting of infections in birds and animals, alongside financial compensation and support measures for farmers to encourage timely reporting.
Strengthening global influenza surveillance is crucial, as unusual spikes in pneumonia and severe respiratory illnesses could signal a human pandemic. Our EPIWATCH system looks for early warnings of such activity, which can speed up vaccine development.
If a cluster of human cases occurs, and influenza A is detected, further testing (called subtyping) is essential to ascertain whether it’s a seasonal strain, an avian strain from a spillover event, or a novel pandemic strain.
Early identification can prevent a pandemic. Any delay in identifying an emerging pandemic strain enables the virus to spread widely across international borders.
Australia’s first human case of A/H5N1 occurred in a child who acquired the infection while travelling in India, and was hospitalised with illness in March 2024. At the time, testing revealed Influenza A (which could be seasonal flu or avian flu), but subtyping to identify A/H5N1 was delayed.
This kind of delay can be costly if a human-transmissible A/H5N1 arises and is assumed to be seasonal flu because the test is positive for influenza A. Only about 5% of tests positive for influenza A are subtyped further in Australia and most countries.
In light of the current situation, there should be a low threshold for subtyping influenza A strains in humans. Rapid tests which can distinguish between seasonal and H5 influenza A are emerging, and should form part of governments’ pandemic preparedness.
A higher risk than ever before
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the current risk posed by H5N1 to the general public remains low.
But with H5N1 now able to infect pigs, and showing worrying mutations for human adaptation, the level of risk has increased. Given the virus is so widespread in animals and birds, the statistical probability of a pandemic arising is higher than ever before.
The good news is, we are better prepared for an influenza pandemic than other pandemics, because vaccines can be made in the same way as seasonal flu vaccines. As soon as the genome of a pandemic influenza virus is known, the vaccines can be updated to match it.
Partially matched vaccines are already available, and some countries such as Finland are vaccinating high-risk farm workers.
C Raina MacIntyre receives funding from NHMRC (L3 Investigator grant and Centre for Research Excellence) and MRFF (Aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 experimentally and in an intensive care setting) currently. She currently receives funding from Sanofi for research on influenza and pertussis. She is the director of EPIWATCH®️, which is a UNSW, Kirby Institute initiative. She has been an invited speaker at the 2024 Options for The Control of Influenza at four symposia organised by Moderna, Pfizer, Sanofi and Seqirus respectively.
Haley Stone receives funding from The Balvi Filantropic Fund. Haley Stone would like to acknowledge the support through a University International Postgraduate Award from the University of New South Wales.
Headline: How energy companies are using AI to capture and store carbon, even underground
During a time of both rapid transformation and intense scrutiny, today’s energy industry leaders are increasingly turning to advanced solutions in AI and data management to drive sustainability and efficiency as the global community works to combat climate change. This is a time-sensitive effort, as increased energy demand and the continued role of fossil fuels mean emissions could keep rising through 2035.1 As energy leaders look to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the carbon capture and storage (CCS) industry has become a key component in the approach. Industrial carbon management (ICM) encompasses a range of technologies designed to capture, transport, and store carbon dioxide (CO2) underground to prevent it from entering the atmosphere. Microsoft is actively collaborating with energy companies on industrial carbon management solutions. One example of this collaboration is Northern Lights, a partnership between the Norwegian government and energy companies Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies, which is now fully operational. This groundbreaking initiative was established to accelerate decarbonization and address emissions as we all work towards a more sustainable future.
Microsoft for energy and resources
Achieve more in the energy and resources industry with trusted data and AI solutions
Transforming the global energy industry is not a small feat, nor one that happens without the collective work of dedicated partnerships and innovative technology. The standardized data model and secure data sharing in Microsoft Azure Data Manager for Energy along with operations data management powered by Azure AI and Microsoft Copilot can accelerate innovation across the end-to-end CCS value chain. Copilot and Azure Data Manager for Energy put data and AI to work, integrating industry datasets, applications, and other cloud services—managing intensive workloads at global scale, and quickly ingesting data for analytics and decision-making. These are high-impact capabilities that ultimately help energy companies accelerate their transition to more sustainable practices by reducing time, costs, and risks associated with their complex operational requirements.
Enhancing energy operations with modern data management
Data modernization is a critical component in advancing sustainability and CCS efforts within the energy sector. By leveraging Azure Data Manager for Energy, energy companies can efficiently manage and analyze vast amounts of data—enabling more accurate and comprehensive simulations of subsurface reservoirs. This capability is essential for identifying optimal CO2 storage locations and ensuring the safe and efficient injection and storage of carbon dioxide.
The platform’s robust, scalable, and secure data management solutions allow for real-time data integration and continuous model refinement, which are crucial for making informed decisions and mitigating risks. Additionally, Azure Data Manager for Energy’s high-performance computing capabilities enable rapid simulations, which significantly reduce the time required for planning studies and optimizing reservoir performance. These high-impact capabilities ultimately help energy companies accelerate their transition to more sustainable practices by reducing time, costs, and risks associated with their complex operational requirements.
Harnessing the power of AI with Copilot
Along with data modernization and robust data analytics, Azure Data Manager for Energy users will have the option to take advantage of Copilot to interact with well data. Azure Data Manager for Energy helps ingest and organize domain-specific data from across the enterprise data landscape to enhance data access, analysis, and application interoperability. Developed in alignment with OSDU® standards, Azure Data Manager for Energy helps get the right data organized within the right domain workflow while providing trustworthy data delivery that sets the stage for improved and timely analysis.
However, the enterprise data landscape for any analysis may extend beyond domain-specific data types and require reports with different file types, as well as images, data and records stored in other databases, spreadsheets, and shared folders. Further, the entire value chain extends into data from operations, supply chain, health, safety and environment (HSE), enterprise resource planning (ERP), legal and compliance, and even social media—some of which may be hosted on external platforms.
In these scenarios, generative AI capabilities can help users optimize data for enhanced insights—faster. One example of how to approach this is with Microsoft Fabric, an end-to-end analytics and data platform. Fabric can help integrate the data in Azure Data Manager for Energy with other adjacent data sources, ultimately preparing it for analysis and other interactions through AI and Copilot. This means users can potentially run traditional AI-powered workflows such as automated interpretation of data or event prediction through machine learning-driven algorithms. They can also leverage Copilot to chat with the data or implement intelligent search, domain-based intelligent assistants, or cross-domain intelligent advisors.
In doing so, end users—people in roles across geoscience or petrophysics—have an easier and faster way to interact with and query their data, both within and outside Azure Data Manager for Energy. Plus, data engineers and data scientists have a foundation from which to build similar solutions for their end users. The Copilot capabilities also mean simplified research processes and the generation of valuable data insights, enabling enterprise and business unit leaders, as well as data scientists and geophysicists, to make more informed decisions and take advantage of greater efficiencies in reservoir management.
Optimize carbon capture and storage and enhance reservoir management
Building on the capabilities of Copilot and Azure Data Manager for Energy, we can further optimize CCS to work towards a more sustainable future. Reservoir modeling is a critical aspect of modern energy management, playing a vital role in the underground storage of CO2. This multidisciplinary field involves the integration of geological, geophysical, thermal, and engineering data to create detailed models of subsurface reservoirs. Reservoir engineers create models that simulate the behavior of fluids within the reservoir to predict future performance and optimize injection and production strategies. With global energy demand projected to increase 47% by 2050,2 the need for sustainable energy solutions and CCS is paramount.
Microsoft is working with partners to provide the efficiency, predictive power, and speed of reservoir simulations and optimizations. Built on top of Azure Data Manager for Energy, customers can now leverage Azure’s robust enterprise capabilities in security, scalability, and reliability, while accessing its domain-specific solutions and maintaining full control over their data.
Traditionally, identifying optimal CO2 storage locations requires lengthy studies, sometimes spanning months or even years. The work Microsoft is doing with partners transforms this process by enabling scalable and efficient simulations. This will enable engineers to run numerous models in parallel, leveraging high-performance computing to quickly analyze vast datasets and identify the best storage locations. The ability to perform rapid simulations at scale significantly reduces the time required for planning studies.
Explore more energy solutions and resources
At Microsoft, our dedication and commitment to accelerating the energy transition to carbon-free resources is matched only by the power of our partner ecosystem and the knowledge-sharing that makes it all possible. With Azure Data Manager for Energy, industry leaders can connect to an open ecosystem of interoperable applications from independent software vendors (ISVs) and the Microsoft ecosystem of productivity tools. By harnessing capabilities and features from across Microsoft and partner solutions, energy leaders can optimize value across their entire enterprise while working towards sustainability goals.
Ready to dive deeper? Check out additional resources to learn more.
Accelerate the energy transition today
1McKinsey & Company, Global Energy Perspective 2024, September 2024.
2S&P Global, Global energy demand to grow 47% by 2050, with oil still top source: US EIA, October 2021.
Uwa Airhiavbere
Chief Commercial Officer, Worldwide Energy and Resources Industry
Uwa Airhiavbere is the Chief Commercial Officer of Microsoft’s Worldwide Energy & Resources Industry group, overseeing commercial strategy and growth initiatives. He previously had a successful career at General Electric in the Oil & Gas Division. Uwa holds an Executive MBA from Cornell University, an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University, and a BA in Business Economics from Brown University.
See more articles from this author
Sverre Brandsberg Dahl
General Manager, Energy, Microsoft Cloud for Industry
Sverre is the General Manager for Microsoft Cloud for Industry, Energy team. Here he works with a range of engineering teams to bring the latest technological developments in Cloud Computing and AI to the energy industry. With a passion for technology and innovation, he is helping to position Microsoft with customers, partners, and governments as they accelerate their adoption of cloud technology, while giving equal focus to the transition to clean power and emissions management.
See more articles from this author
Neeraj Joshi
Chief Technology Officer, Energy and Resources, Microsoft
Neeraj Joshi serves as the Chief Technology Officer for WW Energy & Resources in IPS, where he leads in-depth technical collaborations to drive digital transformation within the Energy sector. With over two decades of experience at Microsoft, he is deeply passionate about data and is committed to assisting strategic customers in modernizing their solutions. Mr. Joshi holds an MBA from the University of Washington and an MS in Computer Engineering from UT Austin.
Question for written answer E-002186/2024 to the Commission Rule 144 Malika Sorel (PfE)
At the end of September, Commissioner Iliana Ivanova met ministers from the Western Balkans in Skopje[1] with a view to stepping up cooperation on education, research and innovation. She promised to support almost 400 research projects[2] under the European Research Area and the European Innovation Agenda.
This promise comes after the Faculty of Islamic Sciences in Skopje – which is close to Erdoğan[3] – became part of the Erasmus+ Network in early 2024: a development the dean welcomed as an opportunity to make a name for his faculty in the field of Islamic thought. In addition, the Hamas-linked Islamic University of Gaziantep in Türkiye[4], which is also part of the Erasmus+ Network, has recently been mired in scandal. These facts show how little attention the Commission pays when choosing its partners.
In the light of the above:
1.How has the EUR 140 million pledged for the Digital Innovation Hubs been distributed?
2.What are the 400 projects for which funding has been pledged?
3.Has the Commission taken these scandals into account with a view to withdrawing its support for partners that openly flout EU values? If so, which ones?
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds a welcoming ceremony for Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is on an official visit to China, in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 1, 2024. Li held talks with Fico in Beijing on Friday. [Photo/Xinhua]
BEIJING, Nov. 1 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks with visiting Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Beijing on Friday.
Noting that Slovakia is one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with China, Li said that over the past 75 years, China-Slovakia relations have developed in a healthy and stable manner. The two sides enjoy mutual respect, equality and friendly cooperation, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples, he added.
China is willing to maintain high-level political mutual trust with the Slovak side, Li noted, saying that the two sides should expand cooperation led by the high-quality Belt and Road development.
Li said that both countries should give full play to the role of the joint economic committee and the science and technology cooperation committee, and promote cooperation in fields including China-Europe Railway Express, connectivity, and infrastructure construction.
The two sides should further expand bilateral trade volume, and explore the cooperation potential in emerging industries such as digital economy and green economy, to jointly foster new economic drivers for both countries, said Li.
China and Slovakia should make joint efforts to provide a better business environment for enterprises in each other’s countries, said the premier. He noted that both sides should continue to improve exchanges in cultural tourism, science, education, sports, media, youth, and other areas of people-to-people exchanges, and promote the establishment of cultural centers in each other’s countries to enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.
For his side, Fico mentioned that China’s development accomplishments in recent years have set an example for countries around the world. He said Slovakia supports the global initiatives proposed by China.
Slovakia firmly abides by the one-China policy, and recognizes that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, said Fico.
The prime minister said that Slovakia opposes the extra tariffs imposed by the EU on Chinese electric vehicles, adding that the EU and China should seek a proper solution through dialogue and consultation. He said that Slovakia is willing to strengthen exchanges and coordination with China in international affairs to jointly tackle global challenges.
After their talks, Li and Fico witnessed the signing of multiple documents on bilateral cooperation in the fields of transportation, economy and trade, culture, tourism, and green and low-carbon development.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
A forum in Beijing has gathered global scholars and experts to discuss how to drive human advancement through innovation, as the world faces both opportunities and challenges posed by rapid scientific and technological progress.
“The rapid development of science and technology, along with emerging ideas and technologies, has not only transformed industrial and social structures but also posed new challenges to the international order and human civilization,” said Gong Qihuang, president of Peking University, while addressing the opening ceremony of the 2024 Beijing Forum on Friday.
Humanity needs more international scientific and technological cooperation than ever to solve common development problems, Gong added.
Building on the overarching theme of “The Harmony of Civilizations and Prosperity for All” from its inaugural edition in 2004, this year’s forum is themed “The Era of Innovation and Advancement of Mankind.”
Gong said that the ongoing event aims to drive development through innovation and create a platform for joint efforts in exploring the path to modernization for human society and the prosperity of global civilization.
Emphasizing the vital role of innovation in tackling global challenges, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won said that no single country or organization can address these issues alone in today’s era of innovation.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former prime minister of Pakistan, called for efforts to bridge the digital divide to ensure inclusive economic growth and prioritize human development so that innovation can be fully leveraged. “We must ensure that innovation serves humanity’s greater good.”
According to Qian Chengdan, a well-known historian at Peking University, innovation is not only technological advancements or the development of new tools but also systemic innovations, new human ideas, and transformative changes in the overall fabric of human life.
The participants at the forum acknowledged China’s position as a global leader in innovation.
Gerard Mourou, the 2018 Nobel Prize winner in physics, noted that China has witnessed incredible advancements in scientific and technological development over the past decades.
Mourou, who assumed the role of a chair professor at Peking University this October, said he is highly impressed by the abilities of Chinese students, noting that they excel not only in their coursework but also in innovation.
Hani K. Findakly, chairman of the International Oversight Committee of the State of Qatar Chair in Middle Eastern Studies, Peking University, lauded China as a leading innovator. He noted that the country will play a crucial role in addressing climate change and other global challenges.
According to an innovation index report released by the World Intellectual Property Organization this year, China has ranked first in the number of the global top 100 sci-tech city clusters for two consecutive years.
Looking back at history, China has made significant contributions to human development and is poised to play an increasingly vital role in driving innovation in the future, Qian said.
This year’s forum garnered significant attention by drawing more than 500 experts and scholars from over 30 countries and regions, highlighting its status as a prominent global hub for academic and people-to-people exchanges.
Co-sponsored by Peking University, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission and the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies, the annual forum has attracted more than 7,000 distinguished guests and scholars from over 80 countries and regions since 2004.
Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs
I am pleased to announce appointments to the boards of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations and the Australia-Japan Foundation board.
The Honourable Mark McGowan AC has been appointed to the Advisory Board of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations.
Mr McGowan brings a wealth of relevant experience having served as Premier of Western Australia. Prior to his election to the Parliament of Western Australia, Mr McGowan served as a legal officer in the Royal Australian Navy.
The Advisory Board guides the Foundation in its efforts to promote and coordinate enhanced cooperation between Australia and China, in support of Australia’s national interests.
The Foundation is focused on strengthening risk-informed engagement with China and reinforcing social cohesion by partnering with Chinese-Australian communities and showcasing their contributions.
I am also pleased to announce a new appointment and two reappointments to the Australian-Japan Foundation board.
Professor Shiro Armstrong, Director of the Australia-Japan Research Centre and Professor of the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University, will join the Australia-Japan Foundation Board in February 2025.
Professor Caroline McMillen AO FAHMS and Ms Yuki Nakamura have been reappointed for a second three-year term from October 2024. Professor McMillen is the former Chief Scientist for South Australia and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Newcastle, with an extensive academic and scientific background. Ms Nakamura is the Executive Director of Nakamura Chocolates. She focuses on business in Japan and female entrepreneurship.
I would like to thank Mr Adam Liaw, for his exceptional contribution to the Australia-Japan Foundation over the past six years, including as acting Chair in 2024. Mr Liaw will finish his second term on 1 February 2025.
The Australian-Japan Foundation is Australia’s oldest cultural council and underpins our Special Strategic Partnership with Japan. It advances Australia’s foreign and trade policy interests with Japan by supporting partnerships in economic security, the arts, education, science, technology and sport.
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
11.01.24
Cantwell Statement on Speaker Johnson’s Threat to Repeal The CHIPS & Science Act
YAKIMA, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released this statement regarding Speaker of the House Mike Johnson saying that Republicans would vote to repeal the CHIPS & Science Act:
“The CHIPS & Science Act is about strengthening America’s competitiveness by bringing supply chains back to the United States, creating new U.S. manufacturing jobs, and lowering costs. It passed both the House and Senate with bipartisan votes because lawmakers understand how important it is to strengthen our national security and economic competitiveness. Now Speaker Johnson and Donald Trump want to kill thousands of jobs that have already been created, stop fabrication facilities already under construction in several states, and make us vulnerable again to outsourcing critical chip components overseas,” Sen. Cantwell said.
In August, in marking the two-year anniversary of the Act’s passage, Sen. Cantwell announced a major CHIPS & Science Act investment for the Olympic Peninsula. The Recompete pilot program will invest $35M for community-driven initiatives to revive and modernize the region’s traditional timber and maritime economies.
Sen. Cantwell, chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, was the chief architect of the CHIPS & Science Act. Sen. Cantwell was appointed Chair of the 107-member Conference Committee to negotiate the legislation and successfully negotiated and rallied a last-minute bipartisan push to secure the inclusion of historic science research and development investments. The CHIPS & Science Act passed the Senate 64-33 on July 27, 2022, and the House one day later. Sen. Cantwell joined President Biden for the bill signing on Aug. 9, 2022.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will launch the Muse Fest HK 2024 in November, rolling out over 70 fabulous programmes in LCSD museums and art spaces. With the same theme “Hong Kong H.A.S. (History. Art. Science.) Museums”, the 10th edition of the Museum Festival enables members of the public to immerse themselves in Hong Kong’s rich and distinctive cultural heritage and artistic diversity, offering an alternative museum experience. Most activities are free, and members of the public are welcome to join on the spot.
The inaugural event of the Muse Fest 2024, “Fun@Museum Carnival”, is being held today and tomorrow (November 2 and 3) at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC) Piazza, Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA), Hong Kong Space Museum (HKSpM) and Salisbury Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui. The carnival features a variety of programmes. There are performances of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) items such as “Vital Lion Dance” opening performance and “Puppetry Encounters” performance today. The Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu, officiated at the opening ceremony of the Muse Fest HK 2024 and eye-dotting for lion dances this morning. Addressing the ceremony, Mr Liu said this year marks the 10th Edition of Muse Fest. The opening carnival this year focuses in “Chinese Cutlure”, promoting the development and inheritance of Chinese culture and history through diversified performances and interactive workshops. With the theme of “Hong Kong H.A.S. (History. Art. Science.) Museums” this year, Muse Fest will continue to broaden citizens’ scope of knowledge in these areas.
The booths of flower button, lion dance and lion head crafts by the ICH Office are well received, with visitors busy taking photos with the lion head. Some also made lion head crafts to experience this ICH item which combines martial arts and performing arts. In the afternoon, the carnival invited a seasoned puppet group to perform classic plays such as “Daming Prefecture”, “Zhong Kui Getting Drunk” and “Sun Wukong Thrice Beat the Bony Demon”, winning great applause from audiences.
In addition to the popular ICH-related programmes, the booths of the Conservation Office have also attracted many passers-by. They have been engaged in learning the use of wax materials in artefacts protection, or making their own light clay cake model magnets with a wooden cake mould. The Gear Up – Nano World Outreach Programme booth, presented by the Science Promotion Unit of the Hong Kong Science Museum, has been surrounded by children viewing the comic-style panels and interactive exhibits introducing nano science. Apart from the booth activities, the carnival has invited Community Cultural Ambassadors 2024 the Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble and Chinese and Western music ensembles of the Music Office to deliver live performances at the HKCC Piazza to boost the atmosphere. The Hong Kong Public Libraries promotes theme-based reading through the Library-on-Wheels outreach truck and storytelling sessions by Story Ambassadors, while the Interactive Storytelling Device – Joyful Reading of Three Kingdoms – allows participants to acquire knowledge through playing games. Meanwhile, the HKSpM has organised a treasure hunt named Cosmic Voyage, inviting visitors to follow the hints on the treasure map and find out the answers at the Exhibition Hall to learn about the universe and space science in various aspects.
The carnival will continue tomorrow with more extraordinary events. The Pok Fu Lam Village Fire Dragon Association and Pokfulam Kaifong Welfare Association will bring the fire dragon dance performance to Tsim Sha Tsui tomorrow from 4pm to 6pm. Locals residents and tourists can join the parade and learn about the traditions and historical significance of the fire dragon dance. Visitors can touch and take a closer look at the unicorn head and create postcards at the unicorn booth. In addition to the above mentioned lion head crafts booth, a waxing in conservation activity, “Gear Up – Nano World” outreach programme -Nanoboy Ornament Workshop, Library-on-Wheels with Storytelling Sessions and the Interactive Storytelling Device. Those interested in movies should not miss the animated film screening of “Chang An” to be held at the Lecture Hall of the HKMoA, which is organised by the Film Programmes Office.
Various museums will host fun days during weekends in November. The Sheung Yiu Folk Museum Fun Day will be held on November 9, featuring a photo-taking corner, video screenings and workshops to enhance visitors’ understanding of Hakka culture and customs. The “Spark Joy @Oi!” Fun Day 2024 at Oil Street Art Space on November 10 will feature handpan music performances, workshops and guided tours by artists. The Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence (MWRCD) and the Hong Kong Heritage Museum will offer a variety of activities on November 16 for the public. The Hong Kong Railway Museum Fun Day and the ICH Office’s ICH Fun Day at the Sam Tung Uk Museum will be staged on November 17 and November 23 respectively. Demonstrations and education activities will be held at the Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery Fun Day on November 30 to enhance the public’s knowledge of the Fireboat Alexander Grantham and the history of Hong Kong’s sea rescue. Moreover, the Conservation Office will arrange the Guardians of Museum Artefacts at the Shenzhen Museum: The Behind the Scenes of Conservators talk on November 16 at the HKMoA where the specialist from the Shenzhen Museum will introduce preventive conservation work.
In addition to the day-time events, museums also offer exciting night-time activities. The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, in celebration of its 40th anniversary, will host An Evening with Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware for two nights. On November 23, where visitors can enjoy the outdoor immersive light show titled “Gentle Smoke of Tea” at the museum’s façade and “The Sound of Art” concert at the lawn. On November 24, in addition to the light show, visitors can explore the indoor “Gardens of Four Seasons” interactive display and visit the museum exhibitions.
This year’s Muse Fest will continue to launch a mega publication and souvenir sale, offering up to 50 per cent discounts for selected museum publications and souvenirs.
LCSD Museum Pass holders may also enjoy exclusive admission to experience a variety of special programmes during the festival period. For the event “Meet the Curator – Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence”, assistant curators of the MWRCD will introduce the curation and stories behind the exhibitions, and how the curatorial team delivers the history of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence to audiences. They will also take you on a special tour to permanent and thematic exhibitions of the museum. For another exclusive programme, “The Fireboat Then and Now Guided Tour – A Fireman Leads the Way”, a retired firemen who served on the fireboat will share the bits and pieces of the adventurous experience in the historic vessel as docent.
Apart from the museums under the management of the LCSD, a total of 27 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao collaborative partners (including those in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Museum Alliance) participate in this year’s Museum Festival, bringing much excitement to the activities. The Shenzhen Museum will launch Hong Kong Museum Festival 2024 Shenzhen Branch – “The Beauty of Ingenuity” series of research activities to enable members of the public, especially young people to explore the profound depth of Chinese traditional culture through carefully-designed courses, including wood carving and gilding, a woodworking activity with mortise and tenon joinery, seal engraving and printmaking.
For more details of the Muse Fest 2024, please visit the website at: https://www.museums.gov.hk/mf2024.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The Assembly takes place from November 1–4 in Moscow.
Dear friends!
I congratulate you on the opening of the XVI Assembly of the Russian World, which is traditionally held on the eve of the holiday – National Unity Day.
Representatives of the clergy, youth and public organizations, figures of science and culture, university professors, journalists, compatriots living abroad have gathered in Moscow. There is one thing that unites all of you – love for Russia, our national culture, history, and the Russian language. And of course, the desire to do everything to support the supporters of the great Russian world, to strengthen the positions of our native language.
For many years, the Russkiy Mir Foundation has been consolidating like-minded people in different countries, implementing significant initiatives aimed at preserving spiritual and moral values and countering the falsification of history. It also implements educational, cultural, and social projects. Thanks to this, interest in studying the Russian language is growing, and the quality of its teaching is improving. This is especially important now, when Russia is experiencing strong sanctions and external pressure.
I am convinced that the forum will contribute to the further preservation of the Russian language and the strengthening of ties between compatriots who maintain an unbreakable connection with Russia.
I wish you interesting discussions, new successes and achievements.
M. Mishustin
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.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
The Polytechnic University hosted a regional robotics Olympiad for students of St. Petersburg universities. The team of the Higher School of Automation and Robotics (HSAiR) of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport took an honorable second place in the team championship.
The organizer of the annual robotics Olympiad is the Committee for Science and Higher Education of the Government of St. Petersburg together with the St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University “LETI” named after V. I. Ulyanov. The Higher School of Automation and Robotics acted as the operator of the event in partnership with Omega LLC.
The subject Olympiad has been held since 2008, its goal is to identify talented youth, stimulate students’ scientific activity, and improve the quality of training of university graduates, said the host of the event, Konstantin Mashyanov, an engineer at the Mechatronics educational laboratory of the Higher School of Aviation and Radio Engineering.
This year, a record number of teams applied — 16 from nine universities of St. Petersburg. The parting words were given by the Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies of SPbPU Maxim Pasholikov, Deputy Director of IMMiT for Educational Activities Pavel Kovalev, Director of HSAI Olga Matsko, as well as the Head of the Education and Science Directorate of Omega LLC Vladislav Vasiliev and the honorary guest, Director of the Scientific and Educational Center Concern VKO Almaz-Antey Sergey Baushev.
The jury included representatives of the participating universities. Technical support for the teams was provided by students of the Higher School of Architecture and Russian Engineering from the PoliRoboTech student engineering association.
Participants completed various tasks. They programmed Omegabot to move along a closed curved trajectory and carry an object from point A to point B, thought about the possibilities in the field of robotics, and much more.
According to the results of the team competition, the students of BSTU “Voenmekh” won. The team of polytechnics, which included 3rd year students of the Higher School of Architecture and Rural Affairs Zakhar Vcherashny, Vladimir Yulik, Egor Meshkov, Vadim Berko, Alexander Timofeev and Alexander Travin, took the honorable second place. The team of ITMO University came in third.
In the individual championship, the gold medalist was BSTU “Voenmekh” student Maxim Smirnov, second place went to Pavel Myznikov (GUAP) and Yaroslav Petrov (GUAP), third place was shared by BSTU “Voenmekh” students Alexander Galkin, Timofey Skrykov and SPbGUAP Olga Timofeeva.
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.
An exhibitor displays honey products from Kyrgyzstan at the 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China’s Shanghai, Nov. 7, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
The China International Import Expo (CIIE), the world’s first national-level import-themed expo, is about to be held for the seventh consecutive year in Shanghai, with overseas enterprises gathering to take the pulse of the Chinese market.
Scheduled to be held from Nov. 5 to 10, the 7th CIIE has attracted participants from 152 countries, regions and international organizations, and achieved a new record with 297 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders set to attend.
The previous six editions saw nearly 2,500 new products, technologies and services make their debuts, with combined intended turnover reaching over $420 billion.
The CIIE serves to showcase China’s major opening-up measures and confidence, and to share China’s new development opportunities with other countries. It has become a platform for high-level opening up and a public good for the whole world.
China has continued to roll out policies to spur foreign trade growth and attract foreign investment, cultivating new international competitive advantages and achieving mutual benefits with other countries.
On Oct. 25, the country issued a guideline to promote the experience in aligning some eligible free trade zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port with high-standard international economic and trade rules.
The eligible FTZs are in Shanghai, Guangdong, Tianjin, Fujian and Beijing. The pilot measures, which will be replicated in other FTZs or even nationwide, cover six aspects: trade in goods, trade in services, digital trade, personnel entry, business environment, and risk prevention and control.
China has built 22 pilot FTZs, covering coastal, inland and border areas, contributing about 20% of the country’s total foreign investment and import-export volume. Foreign trade of the FTZs expanded by 11.99% year on year in the first three quarters of 2024.
Continuous efforts have been made to lower tariffs. In September, China announced it would give all the least developed countries having diplomatic relations with the country zero-tariff treatment for 100% tariff lines starting from Dec. 1 this year.
China also keeps rolling out policies to nurture fertile ground for foreign investors. The new edition of the national negative list for foreign investment took effect on Friday, scrapping the two remaining items in the manufacturing industry on the previous list.
The items on the latest negative list, specifying fields off-limits to foreign investors, have been further slashed to 29.
This fully demonstrates China’s active willingness to expand mutual benefits and a clear attitude to supporting economic globalization, said Jin Xiandong, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, adding that further efforts will be made to improve the level of foreign investment liberalization and facilitation, and to optimize service for foreign-invested enterprises.
Besides the manufacturing sector, China is also pushing forward broader and deeper opening up in the service sector.
China announced in September that it would allow the establishment of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in certain cities and regions, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and throughout the island of Hainan.
In October, the country decided to allow foreign investors to operate wholly-owned businesses such as internet data centers and engage in online data processing and transaction processing in certain areas as part of a pilot program to expand opening up in value-added telecom services.
A total of 42,108 new foreign-invested firms were established across China in the first nine months of 2024, up 11.4% year on year. Notably, foreign direct investment inflows into medical equipment and instrument manufacturing surged 57.3%, while inflows into computer and office device manufacturing grew by 29.2% during this period.
Opening up to the outside world is not just a matter of “opening the door,” but, more importantly, is actively aligning with international economic and trade regulations as well as other high-standard rules, said Zhang Bin, deputy director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Zhang underlined the need to enhance synergy between the domestic and international markets as well as resources to constantly cultivate and consolidate new advantages in international economic cooperation and competition.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Nov. 2 — The China International Import Expo (CIIE), the world’s first national-level import-themed expo, is about to be held for the seventh consecutive year in Shanghai, with overseas enterprises gathering to take the pulse of the Chinese market.
Scheduled to be held from Nov. 5 to 10, the 7th CIIE has attracted participants from 152 countries, regions and international organizations, and achieved a new record with 297 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders set to attend.
The previous six editions saw nearly 2,500 new products, technologies and services make their debuts, with combined intended turnover reaching over 420 billion U.S. dollars.
The CIIE serves to showcase China’s major opening-up measures and confidence, and to share China’s new development opportunities with other countries. It has become a platform for high-level opening up and a public good for the whole world.
China has continued to roll out policies to spur foreign trade growth and attract foreign investment, cultivating new international competitive advantages and achieving mutual benefits with other countries.
On Oct. 25, the country issued a guideline to promote the experience in aligning some eligible free trade zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port with high-standard international economic and trade rules.
The eligible FTZs are in Shanghai, Guangdong, Tianjin, Fujian and Beijing. The pilot measures, which will be replicated in other FTZs or even nationwide, cover six aspects: trade in goods, trade in services, digital trade, personnel entry, business environment, and risk prevention and control.
China has built 22 pilot FTZs, covering coastal, inland and border areas, contributing about 20 percent of the country’s total foreign investment and import-export volume. Foreign trade of the FTZs expanded by 11.99 percent year on year in the first three quarters of 2024.
Continuous efforts have been made to lower tariffs. In September, China announced it would give all the least developed countries having diplomatic relations with the country zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines starting from Dec. 1 this year.
China also keeps rolling out policies to nurture fertile ground for foreign investors. The new edition of the national negative list for foreign investment took effect on Friday, scrapping the two remaining items in the manufacturing industry on the previous list.
The items on the latest negative list, specifying fields off-limits to foreign investors, have been further slashed to 29.
This fully demonstrates China’s active willingness to expand mutual benefits and a clear attitude to supporting economic globalization, said Jin Xiandong, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, adding that further efforts will be made to improve the level of foreign investment liberalization and facilitation, and to optimize service for foreign-invested enterprises.
Besides the manufacturing sector, China is also pushing forward broader and deeper opening up in the service sector.
China announced in September that it would allow the establishment of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in certain cities and regions, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and throughout the island of Hainan.
In October, the country decided to allow foreign investors to operate wholly-owned businesses such as internet data centers and engage in online data processing and transaction processing in certain areas as part of a pilot program to expand opening up in value-added telecom services.
A total of 42,108 new foreign-invested firms were established across China in the first nine months of 2024, up 11.4 percent year on year. Notably, foreign direct investment inflows into medical equipment and instrument manufacturing surged 57.3 percent, while inflows into computer and office device manufacturing grew by 29.2 percent during this period.
Opening up to the outside world is not just a matter of “opening the door,” but, more importantly, is actively aligning with international economic and trade regulations as well as other high-standard rules, said Zhang Bin, deputy director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Zhang underlined the need to enhance synergy between the domestic and international markets as well as resources to constantly cultivate and consolidate new advantages in international economic cooperation and competition.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
Welders from the Trans-Urals and Krasnoyarsk region became the first students in the additional professional education program at the Research Laboratory “Laser and Additive Technologies” of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering of Materials and Transport of SPbPU. Specialists from various branches of the ISO company came to St. Petersburg to study laser welding and additive technologies.
Transfer of knowledge in the field of innovative laser technologies to representatives of the regions is important for meeting the needs of the national economy and state security. Training specialists of enterprises of the real sector of the economy at the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport contributes to strengthening the technological sovereignty of Russia, – emphasized the director of IMMiT SPbPU Anatoly Popovich.
Five specialists completed a course in the direction of “Technological Fundamentals of Surface Restoration and Modification”. The advanced training program included theoretical intensives in the lecture hall and practical classes on equipment provided by the laboratory.
The ISO company is an important strategic partner for us. During the work on joint projects in the field of laser welding technologies, we found common ground in science, production and training. Such interaction helps to transfer the technological experience accumulated by the laboratory staff to the regions of Russia. We hope that cooperation between the university and the industrial partner will develop even more actively, – noted the head of the Scientific Research Laboratory “LiAT” of the IMMiT SPbPU Mikhail Kuznetsov.
The material and technical base of the Scientific and Research Laboratory “LiAT” is represented by unique equipment, including our own development, for laser and hybrid laser-arc welding, direct laser deposition, laser cladding and laser surface hardening. This makes it possible to solve a wide range of scientific and applied problems and to train specialists in laser welding and additive technologies in practice.
The classes were conducted by the employees of the Scientific and Research Laboratory “LiAT”. Experienced specialists shared their knowledge with representatives of industrial enterprises of the Ural Federal District and Krasnoyarsk Krai. A visit by the General Director of “ISO” Alexander Baranchikov was a pleasant surprise for the students. Alexander Nikolaevich familiarized himself with the program, asked his colleagues about the opinion of the training and discussed with the head of the laboratory the possibilities of further cooperation between the company and the university.
The practical development of laser welding technologies helped to reveal that the hybrid laser-arc method is more suitable for the needs of our enterprise. Therefore, we decided to train our employees in innovative welding methods. The optimal number is five to six people. As in art – in small groups, where talents absorb the basics. During their training at the Polytechnic, our specialists learned to program industrial robots, were engaged in welding and heat treatment. Returning to their workplaces, they will become flagships of innovations and lead their colleagues. Such continuity will contribute to the sustainable development of the technology industry and will become a support for import substitution in our country, – said Alexander Baranchikov.
After successful completion of the training, the students received state certificates of completion of the course and took additional knowledge and skills to the regions, which will help them improve their professional activities and apply new technologies in their work.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Mark Griffiths, Director of the International Gaming Research Unit and Professor of Behavioural Addiction, Nottingham Trent University
Hollywood actor Armie Hammer was accused of sending messages detailing cannibalistic fantasies in 2021.DFree/Shutterstock
After allegedly sending messages detailing cannibalistic fetishes, Hollywood actor Armie Hammer hopes to relaunch his career with a new podcastand movie.
Now, it seems, Hammer is laughing off the cannibalism allegations. Speaking to his first podcast guest, Tom Arnold, Hammer says, “I’m not gonna lie. I’m just like, Hey, I’m a cannibal!”
But being sexually aroused by the fantasy – or reality – of cannibalism is real. I should know, as it’s one of the subjects I discuss in my latest book Sexual Perversions and Paraphilias: An A-Z
Paraphilias are uncommon types of sexual expression often described as sexual deviations, sexual perversions or disorders of sexual preference.
They are typically accompanied by intense sexual arousal to unconventional or non-sexual stimuli such as enemas (klismaphilia), statues (agalmatophilia), teeth (odontophilia) and vomit (emetophilia).
To many people paraphilias may seem bizarre or socially unacceptable, representing the extreme end of the sexual continuum – and in some cases, such as zoophilia (having sex with animals) and necrophilia (having sex with dead people), may be illegal.
Paraphilias may be laughed off, dismissed or leave some people disgusted, but there’s a pressing need for more research into uncommon sexual behaviour given how little we know.
Sexual fantasies and behaviour are a fundamental part of the human experience. What is considered immoral or even illegal changes according to the social and temporal context. But whatever sexual desires are considered illicit or depraved in a particular time and place are also stigmatised.
Researching paraphilias, even the most distasteful or criminal, is essential to help safeguard vulnerable groups. Research can also help minimise the discrimination faced by those with uncommon sexual interests, helping ensure their access to sexual health care and psychological support, which can be lacking.
Vorarephilia
Vorarephilia – or “vore” – refers to being sexually aroused by the idea of being eaten, eating another person or observing this process for sexual gratification.
Most of the fantasies of vorarephiliacs involve being the ones eaten. Devouring someone could be viewed as the ultimate act of dominance by a predator and the ultimate act of submission by the prey.
The most infamous vorarephiliac is arguably Armin Meiwes from Germany.
Meiwes had allegedly been fantasising about cannibalism since his childhood and frequented cannibal fetish websites. He posted around 60 online adverts asking if anyone would like to be eaten by him.
In March 2002, Bernd Jürgen Brandes responded to Meiwes. They met up only once. Meiwes bit off Brandes’ penis, which the two of them cooked and ate.
Brandes was videotaped being stabbed to death by Meiwes in his bath. The body was then stored for Meiwes to eat.
Meiwes was eventually convicted of murder and imprisoned for life. However, it’s worth nothing that although some paraphilias are illegal, most cause no psychological or behavioural problems when they are engaged by consenting adults.
Dacryphilia
Dacryphilia is getting sexual arousal from seeing someone cry.
It showed there were sub-types of dacryphilia, even among such a small group. Based on the interviews, I identified three types of dacryphile.
Compassionate dacryphiles are sexually aroused by the compassion of comforting a crier.
Dominant or submissive dacryphiles are sexually aroused by either causing tears in a consenting submissive partner or by being made to cry by a consenting dominant partner.
“Curled lip” dacryphiles are sexually aroused by the curling of a protruded bottom lip during crying.
Eproctophilia
Eproctophilia involves being sexually aroused by flatulence.
In 2013, I published the first case study of an eproctophile. The case concerned a 22-year-old single man, Brad*, an American from Illinois.
Brad recalled that in middle school he had a crush on a girl who had farted in the class. Brad said:
This blew my mind [I] knew by simple biology that girls farted, but hearing that the girl I had been fawning over was capable of such a thing sparked a strange interest in me.
Brad first engaged in an eproctophilic act with a male friend in his mid-teens. Up to that point he had considered himself heterosexual. However, this changed when he heard his male friend fart.
Brad said it was “appealing in sound” and that he began fixating on it. He set up a bet with the wager being the right to fart in the loser’s face for a week. He continued to lose such bets once every few weeks for about two years.
Apotemnophilia
Apotemnophilia refers to being sexually aroused by the fantasy or reality of being an amputee.
Some apotemnophiles may pretend to be amputees but, for a minority, the behaviour involves obsessive scheming to convince a surgeon to perform a medically unnecessary amputation.
To most people, this might seem like a type of masochism, but case studies suggest that there is no erotisation of pain – only of the healed amputated stump.
Salirophilia
Salirophilia is sexual arousal from soiling or dishevelling someone attractive, which can include tearing or damaging the desired person’s clothing, covering them in mud or filth or messing up their hair or make-up.
My 2019 case study involved Jeff*, a 58-year-old Australian heterosexual. Jeff recounted that when he was young he wanted to masturbate in strange places such as lying under a cabinet in a dirty garage.
Jeff said that he engaged in solitary salirophilic practices regularly but very infrequently with female partners because it was difficult to find like-minded women.
He was also a fan of the television show Fear Factor in which contestants perform revolting tasks for prize money, such as eating rotting food or being submerged in foul fluids. These were a source of sexual arousal for Jeff. He told me: “I just find the defilement of an attractive woman’s body erotic.”
*The names of case study participants in this article have been changed.
Dr. Mark Griffiths has received research funding from a wide range of organizations including the Economic and Social Research Council, the British Academy and the Responsibility in Gambling Trust. He has also carried out consultancy for numerous gambling companies in the area of player protection, social responsibility and responsible gaming.. Views expressed here are his own and not those of these funding bodies.
Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Orenburgneft (part of Rosneft) held a tour of the enterprise’s production facilities for activists of the all-Russian “Movement of the First”. The event was organized as part of the federal project “Visiting a Scientist”.
Oil workers provided 25 students from Buzuluk colleges – future operators of oil and gas wells and laboratory technicians of chemical analysis – with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the profession and become familiar with technological processes in real production.
In the corporate museum of Orenburgneft, the children were told about the history of the industry, the discoveries of pioneering oil workers, and modern technologies used at the enterprise. At the Savelyevskoye field, future oil workers learned about the main stages of oil production, learned how salts, water, associated petroleum gas, and other impurities are removed from well output.
In the chemical analysis laboratory, students learned methods for determining the density of oil and its water content to confirm the quality of the finished product.
Orenburgneft is implementing a set of measures to develop the human resources potential of its employees and train future specialists in the oil industry. Last year alone, more than 500 schoolchildren and students visited the company’s production facilities.
As part of Rosneft’s continuous education program “school – college/university – enterprise”, with the support of Orenburgneft, “Rosneft classes” with in-depth study of mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer science have been created in the region.
Students from partner colleges and universities, including Samara State Technical University, Orenburg State University, Ufa State Oil University and others, undergo practical training at the oil production facility.
In addition, Orenburgneft became one of the initiators of the creation of a new educational and production center in the region based on the Buguruslan Oil College within the framework of the federal project “Professionality”.
Reference:
JSC Orenburgneft, a subsidiary of Rosneft, is the largest oil producing enterprise in the Orenburg region. Cumulative production exceeds 460 million tons of oil.
Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft November 2, 2024
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.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
During the autumn school holidays, Saint Petersburg hosts the city physics week. The organizers are the Saint Petersburg Academy of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education named after K. D. Ushinsky, the Peter the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University and the city methodological association of Saint Petersburg physics teachers and lecturers.
The event is held for teachers and lecturers of physics, teachers of additional education for the development of subject, methodological and general cultural competencies, the exchange of successful pedagogical practices and professional communication of like-minded people.
More than 100 teachers from general education institutions attended the Physics Day at the Polytechnic University. The event was opened by Pavel Zakharov, Director of the Institute of Physics and Mathematics at SPbPU. Pavel Vasilyevich spoke about the university’s successes in training qualified personnel, and also shared plans for the further development of educational programs and scientific research.
Professor of the Institute of Physics and Mathematics Vadim Ivanov, demonstrator Elena Petrova and engineer Natalia Akhiyarova spoke about how to make studying physics interesting and understandable for schoolchildren. Participants were able to see and even participate in various experiments demonstrating the laws of physics.
The lecture “Modern Challenges for Physics, Electronics and Telecommunications” by Vadim Panevin, senior lecturer at the Higher School of Engineering Physics, also touched upon current issues facing modern science and technology.
This event allows not only to popularize physics among teachers, but also to inspire to teach one of the most important subjects of the school curriculum in a more interesting and creative format. We are very proud of our cooperation with APPO and are glad to be one of the venues for holding the city week of physics, where teachers can get acquainted with the future alma mater of their graduates, – noted the director of the Center for Work with Educational Organizations of SPbPU Georgy Shkolnik.
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.
Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
With the support of Rosneft, the XIII International Scientific and Practical Conference “Marine Research and Education: MARESEDU-2024” was held in Moscow from October 28 to November 1. The event was organized by the Marine Research Center of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, as well as the UNESCO-MSU Educational and Scientific Center for Marine Biology and Biophysics. The main events of the conference were held at the sites of the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
At the conference, Rosneft specialists presented a report on the Company’s new project – the creation of a genomic database of living organisms in the Russian Arctic, which is necessary for long-term planning of the region’s sustainable development and the preservation of its fragile ecosystems. The project is being implemented jointly with the non-governmental development institute Innopraktika and the Center for Full Genome Sequencing. Among the priority works is the assembly of the polar bear’s full genome.
In addition, as part of the thematic sessions, specialists from the A.N. Severtsev Institute of Ecology and Evolution Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences presented a report on the study of birds as part of Rosneft’s new biodiversity conservation program, called Tamura. Scientists from Lomonosov Moscow State University told conference participants about a large-scale environmental project in the White Sea, implemented by Rosneft jointly with Innopraktika. As part of the expeditions, the scientists repeated the route of the famous Soviet hydrobiologist Konstantin Deryugin, who studied the White Sea in 1922-1926. The goal of the project is to obtain data on the current state of the White Sea biota and assess the changes in the region’s ecosystems that have occurred over the past 100 years. Rosneft representatives also took part in a round table discussion at the N.A. Pertsov White Sea Biological Station (MSBS). The MSU BBS is a research site for a number of the Company’s geological and environmental projects.
In total, more than 1,200 specialists took part in the scientific and practical conference. More than 500 reports were presented at sessions on oceanology, ecology, biology, rational use of natural resources, and marine geology. Along with experienced scientists, future specialists – students and schoolchildren – also presented their work. According to established tradition, the best presentations were awarded prizes from Rosneft – ecological atlases of the Company.
Reference:
Rosneft pays special attention to environmental issues and the preservation of biodiversity. Caring for the environment is an integral part of the Company’s corporate culture and social responsibility. The protection and preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity is one of Rosneft’s main environmental goals until 2035. Rosneft is implementing the largest Arctic region study program since Soviet times. Over 50 expeditions have been conducted over 12 years, during which scientists have studied the hydrometeorological, geological and biological features of the region. This has allowed us to collect a unique array of information on the climatic features, nature and fauna of the Arctic.
Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft November 2, 2024
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.
The school was attended by over 85 young scientists from Novosibirsk, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk, Kemerovo, Tomsk, Kirov and Biysk. They represented such leading Russian universities as Lomonosov Moscow State University, St. Petersburg State University, Institute of Problems of Chemical and Energy Technologies SB RAS (Biysk, Altai Krai), Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Moscow), FRC Krasnoyarsk Scientific Center SB RAS, Vyatka State University (Kirov), Institute of High-Current Electronics SB RAS (Tomsk), L.V. Kirensky Institute of Physics SB RAS (Krasnoyarsk), A.F. Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute RAS (St. Petersburg), Kuzbass State Technical University named after T.F. Gorbacheva (Kemerovo), MISiS University of Science and Technology (Moscow), Siberian Federal University (Krasnoyarsk), Federal Research Center of Coal and Coal Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Kemerovo).
This year, lectures and presentations with oral and poster presentations were held in NSU buildings. The school program included six plenary lectures, oral and poster presentations of participants — 43 in total, as well as four master classes. Master classes first appeared in the school program last year, and they are very popular. This time, master classes were held on small-angle X-ray scattering, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and diffraction methods.
— We try to change the topics of plenary lectures every year. The lectures of the employees of the SKIF Collective Use Center Ya. V. Zubavichus and D. V. Dorokhova on synchrotron radiation sources and the basics of their use were of great interest. Also this year, for the first time, a round table on the use of artificial intelligence in scientific research activities was held within the framework of the school. This topic is relevant, artificial intelligence is beginning to be used in various areas of human activity, including science, and this year the Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry were awarded to works that used artificial intelligence, — commented Christina Shefer, senior lecturer of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of NSU, a representative of the organizing committee of the school.
Four plenary lectures were devoted to research methods: two to diffraction methods, indispensable in the study of the structure of materials, one lecture to the application of synchrotron methods for in situ/operando studies of functional materials, and another lecture to the application of electron microscopy in combination with synchrotron methods.
In addition to lectures, reports and master classes, excursions to scientific organizations of the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok were organized for the participants.
— Summing up the results of the past school, we are already thinking about what will happen next year. When forming the program, we, of course, take into account the feedback from the participants. We know for sure that there will be presentations, both oral and poster presentations. Participation with reports is useful for presenting and discussing the results of your work, forming new scientific connections and developing cooperation in the field of synchrotron research. We will definitely hold master classes. Moreover, it is especially useful when the master class is preceded by a lecture on a similar topic. There is a desire to continue discussing the topic of artificial intelligence in a round table format, — said Christina Schaefer.
The school turned out to be rich in its program, there were many interesting reports and many questions for the speakers. Based on the results of the school, the report evaluation committee selected the best of the poster and oral presentations.
Poster presentations:
1st place: Konstantin Sergeevich Nechaev, MISIS University of Science and Technology, Moscow. Authors: K.S. Nechaev, N.M. Vazhinsky, M.V. Gorshenkov, A.S. Fortuna. Topic: Study of thermodynamic stability and magnetic properties of the ferromagnetic phase of the Mn-Al-Ga ternary alloy depending on the grinding time.
2nd place: Ksenia Sergeevna Kuzmina, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk. Authors: Kuzmina K.S., Kasatova A.I., Kasatov D.A., Nazimov V.P., Moskalensky A.E., Korobeynikov M.V., Petrichenkov M.V., Uvarov M.N., Taskaev S.Yu. Topic: Creation of a Fricke dosimeter for boron neutron capture therapy
Oral presentations:
1st place: Nikita Dmitrievich Luchinin, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow. Authors: Luchinin N.D., Fedotov S.S. Topic: Application of synchrotron radiation to study phase transformations of Na/K-ion battery materials.
2nd place: Dmitry Anatolyevich Ulybin, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk. Author: Ulybin D.A. Topic: Software library for calculating the strategy of X-ray diffraction single-crystal experiment.
3rd place:
Anastasia Sergeevna Mikaeva, Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics SB RAS, Novosibirsk. Authors: Mikaeva A.S., Golyashov V.A. Subject: Study of the electronic structure of the (111) surface of PbSnTe:In films using angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy.
Artem Vyacheslavovich Tarasov, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg. Authors: Tarasov A.V., Rybkin A.G., Shikin A.M. Topic: Electron spin structure of quasi-two-dimensional systems with a combination of spin-orbit and exchange interactions.
The project is part of the events Priority-2030 programs, implemented with the aim of training personnel in areas related to X-ray, synchrotron, and neutron methods of diagnosing materials and devices, including personnel for the specialized center for synchrotron research, the Siberian Ring Photon Source (SKIF), which is being created in the Novosibirsk Region.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –
The importance of statistics in the digital age is reaching a new level. Most decisions at the state level and in business are made based on data analysis. However, the attitude towards official statistics is ambiguous, and this negatively affects the level of trust in government policy. How to change this was discussed by the heads of statistical agencies of the BRICS countries in Kazan. A representative of the Higher School of Economics also took part in the forum.
The 16th meeting of heads of national statistical services of the BRICS countries was held in Kazan on October 28–29 as part of the BRICS Summit. Representatives of various government agencies and experts from Russia, South Africa, the UAE, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt, India, the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Azerbaijan participated in it.
The special session “Development of the statistical community in Russia and the BRICS countries” was organized at the initiative of the Russian delegation. The experts discussed issues of cooperation between statistical professional and expert communities, modernization of statistical production, interaction of state statistical services with the public and increasing statistical literacy of the population.
Professor of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, Chairman of the Board of the Russian Association of Statisticians Alexey Ponomarenko said that in Russia, starting in 2023, the subject “Probability Theory and Statistics” has become a mandatory part of the school curriculum. In grades 7–11, there is at least one lesson on statistics per week. Thus, about 6 million schoolchildren receive knowledge and skills in statistical thinking. They will be able to understand and competently apply information containing statistical data.
Meanwhile, today school teachers need the help of professional statisticians. Moreover, targeted efforts are needed to develop literacy and education in this area. One of the centers of such work could be the National Research University Higher School of Economics, where a team of statisticians with extensive experience in practical work and scientific research has been formed.
“We are ready to cooperate with both Russian teachers and colleagues from the BRICS countries, especially since the statistical community of many BRICS countries is well developed and there is much to learn from our colleagues,” emphasized Alexey Ponomarenko.
Teachers and researchers of the Department of Statistics and Data Analysis of the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the National Research University Higher School of Economics fully support the idea of cooperation with statisticians of the BRICS countries, confirmed the Director of Statistical Research at the HSE, Head of the Department of Statistics and Data Analysis of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Department of Statistics and Data AnalysisFEN Alexander Surinov. “We have many common problems with such huge BRICS countries as China, India or Brazil. For example, subnational studies of indicators of socio-economic development of regions taking into account local specifics. I think that if such projects are implemented, HSE statisticians will take an active part in them,” he concluded.
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.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
The first meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Russian-Tanzania Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was held in Tanzania. The parties agreed to begin work on a whole range of issues, including science and higher education, and also emphasized the importance of developing a regulatory framework for cooperation.
The Russian Center for Science and Culture (Russian House) in Tanzania hosted a Russian-Tanzanian inter-university meeting, organized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. The Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia Stepan Sokolov gave a welcoming speech, thanking the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Tanzania and the Russian House for their assistance in organizing our meeting.
Today we have an excellent opportunity to discuss current issues of developing cooperation between Russian and Tanzanian universities. The Russian Ministry of Education and Science attaches great importance to strengthening educational cooperation with Tanzania. It is worth noting that, as part of the training of national personnel for Tanzania for the 2024-2025 academic year, within the quota of the Government of the Russian Federation, 90 places for study in Russian higher education institutions have been allocated for Tanzanian citizens, as well as for the 2023-2024 academic year, – said Stepan Sokolov.
Cooperation between Russia and Tanzania will be able to significantly expand the scope of interests and practical results in science, educational and methodological work, will improve the quality and versatility of professional training of personnel, and will also contribute to the familiarization of the peoples of Russia and Tanzania with the peculiarities of national cultures.
From the Tanzanian side, the meeting was attended by representatives of the University of Dodoma, the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Dar es Salaam Tumaini University (DarTU), and the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA).
The Russian side included representatives from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Sevastopol State University, Samara State Technical University, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Russian State Humanitarian University, and A. A. Kadyrov Chechen State University.
SPbPU was represented by Maxim Zalyvskiy, head of the project office of the Russian-African Network University (RAFU), which is coordinated by the Polytechnic University on behalf of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science.
Russian participants spoke about the activities of their universities, areas of professional training, and academic exchange programs.
Representatives of Tanzanian universities received information about the Consortium “Russian-African Network University” (RAFU), which is the flagship project of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science to create a single Russian-African educational space.
At the moment, more than 80 Russian universities and more than 30 African organizations from 12 countries have joined the consortium. Such African countries as Malawi, Gambia, Lesotho, Sudan, and the Central African Republic are currently considering their participation in RAFU. Through RAFU, we are already inviting African countries to actively participate in our events, especially in such events as the Summer Multidisciplinary University, which is being held for the third time this year, noted Maxim Zalyvsky.
This year, from July to September, 19 Russian universities conducted 19 educational programs for African students in various fields: geology and meteorology, ecology and sustainable development, computer science and artificial intelligence, medical and biotechnology, agriculture and water management, as well as Russian language, culture and traditions. During the Summer University in 2024, about 290 African citizens studied.
On October 29, agreements between Russian and Tanzanian universities were signed in the Pushkin Hall of the Russian House in Dar es Salaam. The Russian-African Network University Consortium signed memorandums of accession to RAFU with Tumaini University (Dar es Salaam) and the Association of Graduates of Russian and Soviet Universities in Tanzania.
In addition, representatives of Russian universities took part in the opening ceremony of an exhibition at the Russian Center of Science and Culture dedicated to the contribution of the USSR to the liberation of African peoples from colonial oppression.
Together with employees of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, Maxim Zalyvskiy spoke at a business forum on strengthening business ties between Russia and Tanzania. The Russian delegation was headed by the head of the Ministry of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov.
The importance of cooperation with Tanzania is difficult to overestimate. The country occupies an advantageous position on the African continent, it could become for Russia, as well as in the global logistics chain, a continuation of the development of the North-South transport corridor. Now the parties are actively discussing the prospects for cooperation between Russia and Tanzania in the field of agriculture, digitalization of the economy, and tourism. There is great potential in the energy sector, the development of peaceful nuclear energy, and the extraction of minerals. I am confident that the busy program of the first meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Russian-Tanzania Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation and the agreements signed in Tanzania, including between educational organizations, will give an additional impetus to the development and strengthening of Russian-Tanzanian economic, tourist, and educational ties, Maxim Zalyvsky emphasized.
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.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
SITI to visit Canada SITI to visit Canada ********************
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, will depart for a visit to Canada this evening (November 3). He will be going to Toronto, Ottawa and Waterloo to strengthen ties and co-operation between Hong Kong and Canada in areas such as innovation and technology (I&T). During his visit to Canada, Professor Sun will meet with leaders of the local I&T industry and technology enterprises, and engage in exchanges with Hong Kong young people studying there. He will also deliver a keynote speech at the Seminar on Life Science and Global Health co-organised by the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (Ottawa Chapter) and Invest Hong Kong. Moreover, he will visit local universities, research institutes and I&T parks. Professor Sun will return to Hong Kong in the morning of November 8. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, will be the Acting Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Charlie Shackleton, Professor & Research Chair in Interdisciplinary Science in Land and Natural Resource Use for Sustainable Livelihoods, Rhodes University
Alongside a national flag, anthem and coat of arms, most countries have one or more plant and animal species that they designate as national symbols. The national animal of China, for example, is the giant panda, a nation-wide source of pride and diplomacy. Americans salute the bald eagle as a symbol of strength and freedom.
But how do South Africans relate to their official national symbols? Do they even know what they are? It’s a country with an enviable variety of ethnicities, cultures, languages, histories, landscapes and biodiversity. It’s also a country fractured by colonialism and apartheid.
South Africa is still in the process of building a unified and national identity as it moves beyond apartheid, an oppressive system of legislated racial division that formally ended with the advent of democracy in 1994.
The process of nation building includes developing a shared history, identity, pride and values of what it means to be South African. One dynamic in this process is the shaping of a collective identity around particular national icons, symbols, activities and personalities. The national anthem, flag, sports stars, artists and the like. Things that make citizens proud of their country and its people, despite a divided past.
King protea.Carol Phillips/iStock/Getty Images
Reflecting its mega-biodiversity status, South Africa boasts five national animal and plant symbols. These are the national animal (springbok), fish (galjoen), bird (blue crane), flower (king protea) and tree (real yellowwood). Yet, their usefulness in helping build a national identity depends on South Africans actually knowing what they are. Sadly, this seems not to be the case.
As environmental scientists we’re intrigued by the relationships between humans and nature. Environmental scholars Ondwela Tshikombeni, Monde Ntshudu and I recently conducted a study to find out how much South Africans know about the five biodiversity symbols. We found that only a tiny fraction could name all of them. The level of knowledge about them was generally low.
This indicates that these symbols can’t be effectively used to help build a common South African identity. Nor will they add value to biodiversity conservation campaigns in a time when the need to protect nature increases due to the impacts of human development and climate change.
National animals and plants
The process of choosing a species as a national symbol is different depending on the country and may even be contested. In Turkey, for example, the national animal is the grey wolf. It can be a symbol of pride or be rejected because it’s the controversial name of a rightwing political group.
Many national symbols are rooted in history and could stem from the emblems of the political, colonial or economic elites of the past. Or they may be more recent and based on lobbying by certain groups or even via public vote. Britain, for example, asked the public to choose a national bird. The robin won.
Galjoen.Biodiversity Heritage Library/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY
The first national animal to be used as a symbol in South Africa was the springbuck (or springbok), proposed in 1906 as a name for the country’s rugby team ahead of a tour of Europe. The most recent addition was the galjoen in 1992.
Our study
We surveyed 382 urban dwellers in four towns spanning three provinces: Mossel Bay, Kariega (formerly Uitenhage), Gcuwa (formerly Butterworth) and Kokstad. In each town we set out to interview 25 adults across low-, medium- and high-income areas and the central business district.
Blue crane.Knowsley Hall/Wikimedia Commons
As part of the survey, we asked people to name each of the five national biodiversity symbols. After that, we presented them with photos of four different species (one of which was the national one) and asked them to correctly identify the national species.
What we found
Only 11 of the respondents (3%) could name all five symbols, while almost half (48%) could not correctly name a single one. The most widely known were the springbok (40%) and the king protea (40%), perhaps because they correspond to the names of national sporting teams. The blue crane was mentioned by only 16% of the respondents and the galjoen (8%) and yellowwood (6%) fared even worse.
The numbers were slightly better when respondents were asked to identify each species from a photo of four choices – 58% identified the protea, 51% the blue crane, 45% the springbok, 26% the galjoen and 16% the real yellowwood.
Real yellowwood.Abu Shawka/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
To benchmark these knowledge levels, we also asked a few questions about the national flag and coat of arms. Only eight people knew the meaning of the phrase at the base of the coat of arms (ǃke e꞉ǀxarraǁke, meaning “diverse people unite” in the |Xam language of the country’s original inhabitants). Only 29% correctly knew that the Y-shape in the middle of the national flag was green. This indicates that the low knowledge of national symbols is not limited to just biodiversity symbols.
What can be done about it
It’s clear that a great deal more effort is needed to popularise the national biodiversity symbols if they’re to be used to help shape a national identity in South Africa. They could be promoted in schools where other national symbols, like the flag and anthem, are common.
The South African National Biodiversity Institute and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture could promote them during September’s heritage month celebrations. They could engage the public by popularising their names in the different official languages of the country and their roles in folklore and indigenous knowledge. They could also be featured in national and international tourism promotions.
Ondwela Tshikombeni and Monde Ntshudu contributed to this article
– Only 3% of South Africans can name all five national animals and plants. Why these symbols matter – https://theconversation.com/only-3-of-south-africans-can-name-all-five-national-animals-and-plants-why-these-symbols-matter-241284
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Charlie Shackleton, Professor & Research Chair in Interdisciplinary Science in Land and Natural Resource Use for Sustainable Livelihoods, Rhodes University
The springbok is best known, thanks to it being a name for sports teams.A Oosthuizen/iStock/Getty Images
Alongside a national flag, anthem and coat of arms, most countries have one or more plant and animal species that they designate as national symbols. The national animal of China, for example, is the giant panda, a nation-wide source of pride and diplomacy. Americans salute the bald eagle as a symbol of strength and freedom.
But how do South Africans relate to their official national symbols? Do they even know what they are? It’s a country with an enviable variety of ethnicities, cultures, languages, histories, landscapes and biodiversity. It’s also a country fractured by colonialism and apartheid.
South Africa is still in the process of building a unified and national identity as it moves beyond apartheid, an oppressive system of legislated racial division that formally ended with the advent of democracy in 1994.
The process of nation building includes developing a shared history, identity, pride and values of what it means to be South African. One dynamic in this process is the shaping of a collective identity around particular national icons, symbols, activities and personalities. The national anthem, flag, sports stars, artists and the like. Things that make citizens proud of their country and its people, despite a divided past.
King protea. Carol Phillips/iStock/Getty Images
Reflecting its mega-biodiversity status, South Africa boasts five national animal and plant symbols. These are the national animal (springbok), fish (galjoen), bird (blue crane), flower (king protea) and tree (real yellowwood). Yet, their usefulness in helping build a national identity depends on South Africans actually knowing what they are. Sadly, this seems not to be the case.
As environmental scientists we’re intrigued by the relationships between humans and nature. Environmental scholars Ondwela Tshikombeni, Monde Ntshudu and I recently conducted a study to find out how much South Africans know about the five biodiversity symbols. We found that only a tiny fraction could name all of them. The level of knowledge about them was generally low.
This indicates that these symbols can’t be effectively used to help build a common South African identity. Nor will they add value to biodiversity conservation campaigns in a time when the need to protect nature increases due to the impacts of human development and climate change.
National animals and plants
The process of choosing a species as a national symbol is different depending on the country and may even be contested. In Turkey, for example, the national animal is the grey wolf. It can be a symbol of pride or be rejected because it’s the controversial name of a rightwing political group.
Many national symbols are rooted in history and could stem from the emblems of the political, colonial or economic elites of the past. Or they may be more recent and based on lobbying by certain groups or even via public vote. Britain, for example, asked the public to choose a national bird. The robin won.
Galjoen. Biodiversity Heritage Library/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY
The first national animal to be used as a symbol in South Africa was the springbuck (or springbok), proposed in 1906 as a name for the country’s rugby team ahead of a tour of Europe. The most recent addition was the galjoen in 1992.
Our study
We surveyed 382 urban dwellers in four towns spanning three provinces: Mossel Bay, Kariega (formerly Uitenhage), Gcuwa (formerly Butterworth) and Kokstad. In each town we set out to interview 25 adults across low-, medium- and high-income areas and the central business district.
Blue crane. Knowsley Hall/Wikimedia Commons
As part of the survey, we asked people to name each of the five national biodiversity symbols. After that, we presented them with photos of four different species (one of which was the national one) and asked them to correctly identify the national species.
What we found
Only 11 of the respondents (3%) could name all five symbols, while almost half (48%) could not correctly name a single one. The most widely known were the springbok (40%) and the king protea (40%), perhaps because they correspond to the names of national sporting teams. The blue crane was mentioned by only 16% of the respondents and the galjoen (8%) and yellowwood (6%) fared even worse.
The numbers were slightly better when respondents were asked to identify each species from a photo of four choices – 58% identified the protea, 51% the blue crane, 45% the springbok, 26% the galjoen and 16% the real yellowwood.
Real yellowwood. Abu Shawka/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
To benchmark these knowledge levels, we also asked a few questions about the national flag and coat of arms. Only eight people knew the meaning of the phrase at the base of the coat of arms (ǃke e꞉ǀxarraǁke, meaning “diverse people unite” in the |Xam language of the country’s original inhabitants). Only 29% correctly knew that the Y-shape in the middle of the national flag was green. This indicates that the low knowledge of national symbols is not limited to just biodiversity symbols.
What can be done about it
It’s clear that a great deal more effort is needed to popularise the national biodiversity symbols if they’re to be used to help shape a national identity in South Africa. They could be promoted in schools where other national symbols, like the flag and anthem, are common.
The South African National Biodiversity Institute and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture could promote them during September’s heritage month celebrations. They could engage the public by popularising their names in the different official languages of the country and their roles in folklore and indigenous knowledge. They could also be featured in national and international tourism promotions.
Ondwela Tshikombeni and Monde Ntshudu contributed to this article
Charlie Shackleton received funding from the National Research Foundation under the SARChI Chairs programme for this work.
Part of the mirror platform for scientific experiments at China’s space station. [Photo/China Media Group] A mirror platform for scientific experiments at China’s space station has entered the official operation stage, which will provide important support for scientific experiments on the space station, according to the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization (CSU) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The mirror platform is equipped with 14 science experiment cabinets and corresponding public support equipment for information, power distribution, and fluid cooling inside and outside the cabin. It operates as a scientific experiment system on the ground parallel to China’s space station. The extensive scientific experiments the Shenzhou-19 crew is about to conduct have already undergone matching and verification experiments. “Through the platform, we have conducted ground verification for the experiments that the Shenzhou-19 crew will perform, as well as for the experiment payloads, related software, and spare parts before the launch,” Zhong Hongen, a researcher at CSU, told China Media Group. The mirror platform has three main functions as an important ground science experiment infrastructure of the national space laboratory. First, before the scientific payloads carried by the Shenzhou and Tianzhou spacecraft are launched, they must undergo final confirmation testing there, where astronauts can also receive operational training for scientific experiments. Second, scientific experiment plans conducted on the space station can be verified there in advance, allowing for troubleshooting and solution verification in case of any faults that occur in orbit. Lastly, it supports Earth-to-space comparison experiments, enabling comparative analysis and research between the scientific experiments conducted at the space station and on the mirror platform. “Earth-to-space comparison experiments involve conducting experiments in space while simultaneously on the ground. This allows for a comparison under similar conditions, differing only in microgravity, to observe how the two different gravity factors affect the experimental results,” said Zhong.
Attendees take part in the “Science and Technology for Risk-Informed Sustainable Development” thematic session at the 2024 World Science and Technology Development Forum (WSTDF), in Beijing, Oct. 24, 2024. [Photo courtesy of WSTDF] The 2024 World Science and Technology Development Forum (WSTDF) held a thematic session in Beijing on Oct. 24 focused on “Science and Technology for Risk-Informed Sustainable Development.” Leading representatives of policymakers, scholars and private sector took part in the event, discussing how to mobilize science and technology to navigate emerging global risks and build a safer, more inclusive and sustainable future. The session was hosted by the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR), the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE) and the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS), and supported by the International Science Council (ISC) and the U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). Salvatore Arico, CEO of the ISC, and Marco Toscano-Rivalta, head of UNDRR’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, co-chaired the event, and it was co-moderated by IRDR Executive Director Yang Saini and Senior Science Officer Han Qunli. Collaboration and shared solutions for global risks As climate change accelerates and disaster risks become more complex, the importance of international scientific cooperation grows ever more crucial. Wu Guoxiong, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and a researcher at the CAS Institute of Atmospheric Physics, highlighted the significance of international cooperation in early warnings for disasters. He pointed to the Sub-seasonal to Seasonal (S2S) Prediction Project as a successful model of global collaboration. Countries including China, the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan participate in the project, which allows real-time comparisons of their climate prediction models, improving collective capacity to address climate-related disasters. Rajib Shaw, chair of the UNDRR Asia-Pacific Scientific and Technical Advisory Group, emphasized the need for increased global cooperation to bridge technological divides. He noted that technologies such as artificial intelligence and drones are vital for disaster risk reduction, yet many Global South countries lack access to these advanced tools, making the collaboration essential. Manon Burger, biochemistry publishing director for Elsevier, underlined the importance of open access to scientific research in fostering global knowledge sharing. “We publish more than 3,000 journals, many of which are available open access, ensuring that researchers worldwide can stay updated on the latest scientific advancements,” Burger said. She also introduced Elsevier Foundation, which has partnered with over 100 institutions in 70 countries since it was established in 2005, offering approximately $16 million in funding for initiatives supporting climate action and inclusive health care. Josephine Ngaira, professor of geography (climatology) in the School of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in Kenya, stressed the need to address the specific challenges of grassroots communities and vulnerable populations in disaster risk management. She advocated for inclusive models that ensure technological benefits reach all levels of society, advancing sustainable development worldwide. DRR education and empowerment of young professionals Young people are a driving force behind technological innovation and sustainable development. Shabhaz Khan, director of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, stated that the youth is highly recognized by the United Nations, and can be mobilized and engaged in pilot disaster research activities. Salvatore Arico, CEO of the ISC, underscored the importance of interdisciplinary training for young researchers. He pointed out that current education systems often remain siloed within single disciplines, whereas solving complex global issues requires interdisciplinary research and training. He advocated for education reforms to provide young scientists with more diverse learning opportunities and to encourage cross-sector exploration. Khamarrul Azahari Razak, director of Malaysia’s Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Center, emphasized the importance of investing in human resources and listening to the voices of young people. Meanwhile, professor Christopher Garimoi Orach from the School of Public Health at Makerere University in Uganda, highlighted the need to strengthen disaster risk management education in developing countries, particularly at the higher education level. He noted that training specialists in disaster risk reduction is crucial for future global risk preparedness. Building social resilience through government policies In tackling global risks, national policies and government support are the keys. Robert Walker, fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Academy of Social Sciences Academy of UK and professor at the University of Oxford, stated that social policy should focus on enhancing social resilience by providing people with a sense of security, thus reducing their anxieties and enabling them to contribute to disaster risk reduction. Walker praised China’s efforts in promoting social security and resilience through advancing common prosperity, poverty reduction and energy transition. Salvatore Arico further emphasized that collaboration between governments, communities and scientists is essential for addressing global challenges such as climate change, land degradation and declining water quality. He noted that considering the practical applicability of scientific methods from the beginning of policy design would help enhance implementation effectiveness and ensure technology-driven progress. Rajib Shaw called for greater adaptability in governance mechanisms. Given the existing gap between sci-tech advancements and governance structures, he suggested policy adjustments from governments to facilitate adaptive governance, thus ensuing effective application of scientific tools in disaster risk reduction and management.
“I’m going to work on extreme light for medical and energy fields,” Nobel laureate Gérard Mourou said on Friday, speaking on plans for his work in China. The French physicist, who joined Peking University’s School of Physics as chair professor last month, made the remarks on the sidelines of this year’s Beijing Forum, a global academic forum on innovation and human progress. At the opening ceremony of the annual forum, he outlined the applications of ultra-high intensity lasers in such areas as medicine and nuclear energy. In 2018, Mourou shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with Arthur Ashkin and Donna Strickland “for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics.” He is expected to assist in the establishment of a new institute for scientific research and international cooperation in the fields of laser physics, particle physics, nuclear physics, medical physics and astrophysics, according to a statement from Peking University. As China invests heavily in developing science and education, talent is arriving from around the world at an increasing pace. Fields Medal winner Caucher Birkar has been teaching mathematics full-time at Tsinghua University since 2021. Structural biologist Yan Nieng returned to China from Princeton University in the United States in 2022 to found a medical academy in Shenzhen. Yan also delivered a keynote speech at this year’s Beijing Forum. And about one week after Mourou joined Peking University, a symposium celebrating the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the J particle brought several notable individuals to China: Nobel laureates Samuel Chao Chung Ting, Sheldon Glashow and David Gross, as well as Luciano Maiani, former director-general of the European Organization for Nuclear Research. “Achievements of the Chinese efforts are truly remarkable,” Gross told the media, explaining why the event was taking place in China despite the fact that the J particle was not discovered in the country. Though the initial discovery was made elsewhere, all 30 newly identified members of the J particle family were found at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of High Energy Physics, Ting said. Mourou praised China for its scientific and technological advancements over the past decades. “I knew some of the scientists,” he said. “And they are interested about what I’m doing.” He joked that those scientists had been “smart enough” to convince him to join the university and start a new institute for ultra-high intensity lasers. Mourou said that he has been impressed by Chinese students, noting that they excel in innovation — not just in their coursework, as is often the stereotype. More than 500 scholars and experts from over 30 countries and regions are taking part in the 2024 Beijing Forum. Topics include sustainable development, the environment and health, and digitalization and artificial intelligence. “The best is yet to come,” Mourou said on the future applications of his research.
Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong will depart today on a visit to Canada, where he will stop in Toronto, Ottawa and Waterloo and seek to strengthen co-operation between Hong Kong and Canada in areas such as innovation and technology (I&T).
Prof Sun will meet leaders of I&T enterprises in the country, and engage with Hong Kong youngsters studying there.
He will also deliver a keynote speech at the Seminar on Life Science & Global Health, co-organised by the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (Ottawa Chapter) and Invest Hong Kong, and visit universities, research institutes and I&T parks.
Prof Sun will return to Hong Kong on November 8. During his absence, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Lillian Cheong will be Acting Secretary.
Then there’s the multimedia firehose of tragic accidents, gruesome images from devastating wars, seemingly random local street violence, warnings of a Third World War and grim distress signals about the dangers of rising authoritarianism on the eve of the United States presidential election and the possible return to power of climate-change skeptic Donald Trump.
Combine these stressors with our own personal mortality reminders: that new grey hair, an unexpected medical diagnosis, the COVID-19 related deaths of our friends or colleagues, and we’re left grappling with surprising and unwelcome fear.
But trying to get through our days as mostly functional, civilized adults while paralyzed with fear about our unavoidable death isn’t optimal or sustainable. Thankfully, our brains have a hardwired, helpful strategy that’s explained by “terror management theory.”
Defence mechanisms
Terror management researchers have shown that we all have predictable defences aimed at repressing our death awareness. Unfortunately, those defences can also contribute to destructive social forces.
Recognizing and understanding how these defences work is essential to making them less dangerous. These defences depend a lot on our pre-existing identities and whether death awareness operates within our conscious or subconscious mind.
When death fears are unconscious or just “background noise,” the situation gets more complex and problematic. Some of us will harden our identities and ideas about what we believe is right or just, what we are entitled to and with whom we’ll share resources, opportunities and power.
The result is increased social fragmentation and polarization rather than capitalizing on people’s diverse ideas, perspectives and experiences.
Authoritarian playbook
When mortality awareness is infused throughout a society — say, during a deadly pandemic or climate disasters — manipulating people’s death fears becomes a seductive route to power for authoritarians or would-be authoritarians like Trump.
Some people will become receptive to a charismatic figure’s promises of safety, rules, and a return to a better time.
In a subsequent study, Fritsche’s results were more dire: death awareness defences created “prejudice, stereotyping, aggression, and racism, which, in turn, can lead to the escalation of violent intergroup conflict and, thus, the escalation of war.”
While this trajectory isn’t guaranteed, ignoring the influence of mortality defences on social dynamics seems both short-sighted and foolish.
Be a hero
So, what can we do to avoid the worst outcomes of polarization, antagonism against marginalized and racialized communities, authoritarianism and potential violence?
Second, a final defence against mortality fears is to build up our self-esteem through positive “hero projects.” Through these activities — philanthropy, raising children, works of art or literature, teaching, protest or activism for social change — we commit to an action that may not be in our immediate self-interest but we persist despite difficulties, discomfort and often daunting odds.
In our hero projects, we may take less but give more, and direct our energy to outcomes that will, hopefully, benefit our communities long after we’re gone.
The authoritarians among us are already adept at manipulating our mortality fears for their own benefit. We can accept their preferred power trajectory, or we can recognize the influence of mortality fears and create alternatives in the days, weeks, months and years to come.
Sarah Elizabeth Wolfe gratefully acknowledges two decades of funding from Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. The author does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond her academic appointment.
