Discovery Casts Dark Shadow On Computer Security
PHYSICIST APPOINTED AS CSIRO CHIEF SCIENTIST
August 14, 2018: CSIRO
Australia's national science agency has appointed Dr Cathy Foley to the position of CSIRO Chief Scientist - a unique role which will help champion science, its impact and contribution to the world.
Dr Foley is a world-renowned physicist and science leader most noted for her work developing superconducting devices and systems which have assisted in unearthing over $6 billion in minerals worldwide.
Dr Foley will start in the role at the end of September. She said her priority will be promoting science, STEM and women in science.
Dr Cathy Foley.
"Australia's future prosperity will be fuelled by science," Dr Foley said.
"Science which creates new industries, new jobs and shapes the minds and aspirations of our future leaders.
"We can't keep thinking about science as something which is locked away in a lab. It connects and drives everything we touch and do.
"I'm looking forward to not just spreading the word, but helping shape the science agenda and raising the profile of the role of women in STEM."
Dr Foley is currently the Deputy Director and Science Director of CSIRO's manufacturing business unit. She has been an advocate for women in science, for the communication of science and science education over the past 30 years.
She is credited with helping to create LANDTEM, a technology which uses superconductors to detect minerals deep underground. In 2015, Cathy and her team were awarded the prestigious Clunies Ross award for the innovation.
CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said Dr Foley was an incredible leader and scientist.
"Cathy is a great contributor, with a passion for turning excellent science into powerful solutions for Australia," he said.
"I am looking forward to seeing her make this role her own, and bringing the voice of CSIRO science to help Australia navigate a path to prosperity through global disruption."
Dr Foley was awarded a Public Service Medal on Australia Day in 2003. In the same year, she won the Eureka Prize for the promotion of science.
In 2013 she was awarded the NSW Premier's Award for Woman of the Year. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics in the UK, Past-President of both the Australian Institute of Physics and Science and Technology Australia that represents 65000 Australian scientists and a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and past national winner of the Telstra Business Women's Award for Innovation in 2009.
She joined the CSIRO Division of Applied Physics in 1985 as a National Research Fellow, being promoted to Senior Research Scientist in 1991, Principal Research Scientist in 1996, Senior Principal Research Scientist in 2000 and Chief Research Scientist in 2008.
August 14, 2018: CSIRO
Australia's national science agency has appointed Dr Cathy Foley to the position of CSIRO Chief Scientist - a unique role which will help champion science, its impact and contribution to the world.
Dr Foley is a world-renowned physicist and science leader most noted for her work developing superconducting devices and systems which have assisted in unearthing over $6 billion in minerals worldwide.
Dr Foley will start in the role at the end of September. She said her priority will be promoting science, STEM and women in science.
Dr Cathy Foley.
"Australia's future prosperity will be fuelled by science," Dr Foley said.
"Science which creates new industries, new jobs and shapes the minds and aspirations of our future leaders.
"We can't keep thinking about science as something which is locked away in a lab. It connects and drives everything we touch and do.
"I'm looking forward to not just spreading the word, but helping shape the science agenda and raising the profile of the role of women in STEM."
Dr Foley is currently the Deputy Director and Science Director of CSIRO's manufacturing business unit. She has been an advocate for women in science, for the communication of science and science education over the past 30 years.
She is credited with helping to create LANDTEM, a technology which uses superconductors to detect minerals deep underground. In 2015, Cathy and her team were awarded the prestigious Clunies Ross award for the innovation.
CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said Dr Foley was an incredible leader and scientist.
"Cathy is a great contributor, with a passion for turning excellent science into powerful solutions for Australia," he said.
"I am looking forward to seeing her make this role her own, and bringing the voice of CSIRO science to help Australia navigate a path to prosperity through global disruption."
Dr Foley was awarded a Public Service Medal on Australia Day in 2003. In the same year, she won the Eureka Prize for the promotion of science.
In 2013 she was awarded the NSW Premier's Award for Woman of the Year. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics in the UK, Past-President of both the Australian Institute of Physics and Science and Technology Australia that represents 65000 Australian scientists and a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and past national winner of the Telstra Business Women's Award for Innovation in 2009.
She joined the CSIRO Division of Applied Physics in 1985 as a National Research Fellow, being promoted to Senior Research Scientist in 1991, Principal Research Scientist in 1996, Senior Principal Research Scientist in 2000 and Chief Research Scientist in 2008.
Microfossils, Possibly World's Oldest, Had Biological Characteristics
Hubble Paints Picture Of The Evolving Universe
August 16, 2018
Astronomers using the ultraviolet vision of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have captured one of the largest panoramic views of the fire and fury of star birth in the distant universe. The field features approximately 15,000 galaxies, about 12,000 of which are forming stars. Hubble's ultraviolet vision opens a new window on the evolving universe, tracking the birth of stars over the last 11 billion years back to the cosmos' busiest star-forming period, which happened about 3 billion years after the big bang.
Ultraviolet light has been the missing piece to the cosmic puzzle. Now, combined with infrared and visible-light data from Hubble and other space and ground-based telescopes, astronomers have assembled one of the most comprehensive portraits yet of the universe's evolutionary history.
The image straddles the gap between the very distant galaxies, which can only be viewed in infrared light, and closer galaxies, which can be seen across a broad spectrum. The light from distant star-forming regions in remote galaxies started out as ultraviolet. However, the expansion of the universe has shifted the light into infrared wavelengths. By comparing images of star formation in the distant and nearby universe, astronomers glean a better understanding of how nearby galaxies grew from small clumps of hot, young stars long ago.
Because Earth's atmosphere filters most ultraviolet light, Hubble can provide some of the most sensitive space-based ultraviolet observations possible.
The program, called the Hubble Deep UV (HDUV) Legacy Survey, extends and builds on the previous Hubble multi-wavelength data in the CANDELS-Deep (Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey) fields within the central part of the GOODS (The Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey) fields. This mosaic is 14 times the area of the Hubble Ultra Violet Ultra Deep Field released in 2014.
This image is a portion of the GOODS-North field, which is located in the northern constellation Ursa Major.
The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt,
Maryland, manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy in Washington, D.C.
Astronomers have just assembled one of the most comprehensive portraits yet of the universe's evolutionary history, based on a broad spectrum of observations by the Hubble Space Telescope and other space and ground-based telescopes. In particular, Hubble's ultraviolet vision opens a new window on the evolving universe, tracking the birth of stars over the last 11 billion years back to the cosmos' busiest star-forming period, about 3 billion years after the big bang. This photo encompasses a sea of approximately 15,000 galaxies -- 12,000 of which are star-forming -- widely distributed in time and space. This mosaic is 14 times the area of the Hubble Ultra Violet Ultra Deep Field released in 2014.
Credit: NASA, ESA, P. Oesch (University of Geneva), and M. Montes (University of New South Wales)
August 16, 2018
Astronomers using the ultraviolet vision of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have captured one of the largest panoramic views of the fire and fury of star birth in the distant universe. The field features approximately 15,000 galaxies, about 12,000 of which are forming stars. Hubble's ultraviolet vision opens a new window on the evolving universe, tracking the birth of stars over the last 11 billion years back to the cosmos' busiest star-forming period, which happened about 3 billion years after the big bang.
Ultraviolet light has been the missing piece to the cosmic puzzle. Now, combined with infrared and visible-light data from Hubble and other space and ground-based telescopes, astronomers have assembled one of the most comprehensive portraits yet of the universe's evolutionary history.
The image straddles the gap between the very distant galaxies, which can only be viewed in infrared light, and closer galaxies, which can be seen across a broad spectrum. The light from distant star-forming regions in remote galaxies started out as ultraviolet. However, the expansion of the universe has shifted the light into infrared wavelengths. By comparing images of star formation in the distant and nearby universe, astronomers glean a better understanding of how nearby galaxies grew from small clumps of hot, young stars long ago.
Because Earth's atmosphere filters most ultraviolet light, Hubble can provide some of the most sensitive space-based ultraviolet observations possible.
The program, called the Hubble Deep UV (HDUV) Legacy Survey, extends and builds on the previous Hubble multi-wavelength data in the CANDELS-Deep (Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey) fields within the central part of the GOODS (The Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey) fields. This mosaic is 14 times the area of the Hubble Ultra Violet Ultra Deep Field released in 2014.
This image is a portion of the GOODS-North field, which is located in the northern constellation Ursa Major.
The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt,
Maryland, manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy in Washington, D.C.
Astronomers have just assembled one of the most comprehensive portraits yet of the universe's evolutionary history, based on a broad spectrum of observations by the Hubble Space Telescope and other space and ground-based telescopes. In particular, Hubble's ultraviolet vision opens a new window on the evolving universe, tracking the birth of stars over the last 11 billion years back to the cosmos' busiest star-forming period, about 3 billion years after the big bang. This photo encompasses a sea of approximately 15,000 galaxies -- 12,000 of which are star-forming -- widely distributed in time and space. This mosaic is 14 times the area of the Hubble Ultra Violet Ultra Deep Field released in 2014.
Credit: NASA, ESA, P. Oesch (University of Geneva), and M. Montes (University of New South Wales)
Funding For Dundundra Falls Reserve
Friday August 17th, 2018
Member for Pittwater Rob Stokes today announced Dundundra Falls Reserve at Terrey Hills has been awarded NSW Government funding to assist with the protection of its spectacular native bushland.
A grant of $77,505 has been provided under the NSW Government’s Restoration and Rehabilitation Program to help preserve and enhance the reserve’s native vegetation and fauna habitat.
Dundundra Falls Reserve covers 38 hectares of Crown Land and is carefully managed by an enthusiastic and passionate group of local volunteers and expert bush regenerators. The Reserve serves as an important natural buffer between the residential areas of Terrey Hills and Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.
“Dundundra Falls Reserve is an enormously significant area of our community,” Rob Stokes said today.
“The reserve is home to a variety of threatened flora and fauna species and two endangered ecological communities.
“The strategic location of Dundundra Falls Reserve, on the fringe of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, means it serves as an important line of defence against domestic stormwater runoff and noxious weeds.
“An enormous amount of work is carried out by local volunteers and bush regenerators to ensure this little-known yet spectacular area of our community is maintained and improved.
“I’m delighted the NSW Government is continuing to support the management and preservation of Dundundra Falls Reserve,” Rob Stokes said.
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Bushcare Group details at: dundundrafalls.weebly.com
Katandra Season 2018
Newport Community Garden: Working Bee Second Sunday Of The Month
Newport Community Gardens Inc. is a not for profit incorporated association. The garden is in Woolcott Reserve.
Stony Range Spring Fair
Mona Vale Garden Club's 47th Spring Flower Show
- plants
- white elephant goods
- cakes
- refreshments
Bee Keeping Talk At Warriewood
Thursday, September 27, 2018PNHA Newsletter 76
Friends Of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment August 2018 Forum
Next forum: Creeks in the CatchmentGreening Your Home - Eco Retrofitting The Suburbs - Special Event
Moderate Carbohydrate Intake May Be Best For Health, Study Suggests
August 17, 2018: The Lancet
Eating carbohydrates in moderation seems to be optimal for health and longevity, suggests new research published in The Lancet Public Health journal.
The observational study of more than 15,400 people from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC) in the USA found that diets both low (< 40% energy) and high (>70% energy) in carbohydrates were linked with an increase in mortality, while moderate consumers of carbohydrates (50-55% of energy) had the lowest risk of mortality.
The primary findings, confirmed in a meta-analysis of studies on carbohydrate intake including more than 432,000 people from over 20 countries, also suggest that not all low-carbohydrate diets appear equal -- eating more animal-based proteins and fats from foods like beef, lamb, pork, chicken and cheese instead of carbohydrate was associated with a greater risk of mortality. Alternatively, eating more plant-based proteins and fats from foods such as vegetables, legumes, and nuts was linked to lower mortality.
"We need to look really carefully at what are the healthy compounds in diets that provide protection," says Dr Sara Seidelmann, Clinical and Research Fellow in Cardiovascular Medicine from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA who led the research.
"Low-carb diets that replace carbohydrates with protein or fat are gaining widespread popularity as a health and weight loss strategy. However, our data suggests that animal-based low carbohydrate diets, which are prevalent in North America and Europe, might be associated with shorter overall life span and should be discouraged. Instead, if one chooses to follow a low carbohydrate diet, then exchanging carbohydrates for more plant-based fats and proteins might actually promote healthy aging in the long term."
Previous randomised trials have shown low carbohydrate diets are beneficial for short-term weight loss and improve cardiometabolic risk. However, the long-term impact of carbohydrate restriction on mortality is controversial with prospective research so far producing conflicting results. What's more, earlier studies have not addressed the source or quality of proteins and fats consumed in low-carb diets.
To address this uncertainty, researchers began by studying 15,428 adults aged 45-64 years from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds from four US communities (Forsyth County, NC; Jackson, MS; Minneapolis, MN; and Washington County, MD) enrolled in the ARIC cohort between 1987 and 1989. All participants reported consuming 600-4200 kcal per day for men and 500-3600 kcal per day for women, and participants with extreme (high or low) caloric intake were excluded from the analysis.
At the start of the study and again 6 years later, participants completed a dietary questionnaire on the types of food and beverages they consumed, what portion size and how often, which the researchers used to estimate the cumulative average of calories they derived from carbohydrates, fats, and protein.
The researchers assessed the association between overall carbohydrate intake (categorised by quantiles) and all cause-mortality after adjusting for age, sex, race, total energy intake, education, exercise, income level, smoking, and diabetes. During a median follow-up of 25 years, 6283 people died.
Results showed a U-shape association between overall carbohydrate intake and life expectancy, with low (less than 40% of calories from carbohydrates) and high (more than 70%) intake of carbohydrates associated with a higher risk of mortality compared with moderate intake (50-55% of calories).
The researchers estimated that from age 50, the average life expectancy was an additional 33 years for those with moderate carbohydrate intake -- 4 years longer than those with very low carbohydrate consumption (29 years), and 1 year longer compared to those with high carbohydrate consumption (32 years). However, the authors highlight that since diets were only measured at the start of the trial and 6 years later, dietary patterns could change over 25 years, which might make the reported effect of carbohydrate consumption on lifespan less certain.
In the next step of the study, the authors performed a meta-analysis of data from eight prospective cohorts (including ARIC) involving data from 432,179 people in North American, European, and Asian countries. This revealed similar trends, with participants whose overall diets were high and low in carbohydrates having a shorter life expectancy than those with moderate consumption.
As Seidelmann explains, "A midrange of carbohydrate intake might be considered moderate in North America and Europe where average consumption is about 50% but low in other regions, such as Asia, where the average diet consists of over 60% carbohydrates."
In further analyses examining whether the source of proteins and fats favoured in low-carbohydrate diets -- plant-based or animal-based -- was associated with length of life, researchers found that replacing carbohydrates with protein and fat from animal sources was associated with a higher risk of mortality than moderate carbohydrate intake. In contrast, replacing carbohydrates with plant-based foods was linked to a lower risk of mortality (table 3).
"These findings bring together several strands that have been controversial. Too much and too little carbohydrate can be harmful but what counts most is the type of fat, protein, and carbohydrate," says Walter Willett, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and co-author of the study.
The findings show observational associations rather than cause and effect. Considering evidence from other studies, the authors speculate that Western-type diets that heavily restrict carbohydrates often result in lower intake of vegetables, fruit, and grains and lead to greater consumption of animal proteins and fats -- some of which have been implicated in stimulating inflammatory pathways, biological aging, and oxidative stress -- and could be a contributing factor to the increased risk of mortality. Whilst high carbohydrate diets (common in Asian and less economically advantaged nations) tend to be high in refined carbohydrates such as white rice, may also contribute to a chronically high glycaemic load and worse metabolic outcomes.
"This work provides the most comprehensive study of carbohydrate intake that has been done to date, and helps us better understand the relationship between the specific components of diet and long term health," says Dr Scott Solomon, The Edward D Frohlich Distinguished Chair at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and senior author on the paper. "While a randomized trial has not been performed to compare the longer term effects of different types of low carbohydrate diets, these data suggest that shifting towards a more plant-based consumption is likely to help attenuate major morbid disease."
The authors note some limitations including that dietary patterns were based on self-reported data, which might not accurately represent participants' food consumption; and that their conclusions about animal-based sources of fat and protein might have less generalisability to Asian populations which tend to have diets high in carbohydrates, but often consume fish rather than meat. Finally, given the relatively small number of individuals following plant-based low-carb diets, further research is needed.
Writing in a linked Comment, Dr Andrew Mente and Dr Salim Yusuf from McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada say, "Such differences in risk associated with extreme differences in intake of a nutrient are plausible, but observational studies cannot completely exclude residual confounders when the apparent differences are so modest. Based on first principles, a U-shaped association is logical between most essential nutrients versus health outcomes. Essential nutrients should be consumed above a minimal level to avoid deficiency and below a maximal level to avoid toxicity. This approach maintains physiological processes and health (ie, a so-called sweet spot). Although carbohydrates are technically not an essential nutrient (unlike protein and fats), a certain amount is probably required to meet short-term energy demands during physical activity and to maintain fat and protein intakes within their respective sweet spots. On the basis of these principles, moderate intake of carbohydrate (eg, roughly 50% of energy) is likely to be more appropriate for the general population than are very low or very high intakes."
Sara B Seidelmann, Brian Claggett, Susan Cheng, Mir Henglin, Amil Shah, Lyn M Steffen, Aaron R Folsom, Eric B Rimm, Walter C Willett, Scott D Solomon. Dietary carbohydrate intake and mortality: a prospective cohort study and meta-analysis. The Lancet Public Health, 2018; DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(18)30135-X
Digital Learning Brings The World To The Classroom
August 13, 2018: NSW Education Department
Eight public schools have been recognised for their innovative use of technology to enhance teaching and learning – inside and outside of the classroom.
Mount Ousley Public School students use technology from Kindergarten.
And size is no barrier when it comes to delivering digital learning at the highest level. That’s the message from the 220-student Mount Ousley Public School, named today as the state’s Digital Lighthouse School at the inaugural Technology 4 Learning (T4L) Awards for its comprehensive, cross-curriculum embrace of digital learning.
The school has adopted a BYOD policy from Kindergarten to Year 6 and uses a range of technologies including robotics, blue screen filming, drones and coding.
It has partnered with the University of Wollongong on a virtual reality research program and brings the world to the students through global empathy projects and by connecting with astronauts on the International Space Station.
Mount Ousley Public School was one of eight schools recognised by the Department of Education for innovative use of technology to enhance teaching and learning at the school.
NSW Department of Education Technology for Learning Director Mark Greentree said he was proud to acknowledge and celebrate the innovative work the winning schools, students and teachers were doing with technology.
“I’m excited at the prospect of empowering other schools to embark upon a technology for learning journey of their own,” he said.
The awards were announced today at the Department of Education’s annual CIO’s Technology in Schools Conference, with the winners running workshops for participants to hear their story and be inspired by their success.
The NSW Department of Education is committed to empowering schools to teach today’s students the skills to solve the problems of tomorrow by providing state-of-the-art information and communications technologies, including robotics, makerspaces and digital learning and administration tools.
The $23 million STEMShare Community project, announced last week by the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, will provide all NSW public schools with access to cutting-edge technology to ignite students’ interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects (STEM) subjects.
The STEMShare Community program includes classroom kits with robotics, 3D printing, coding, film-making, and virtual and augmented reality – all vital technologies for the study of STEM Science subjects.
In its first year, the T4L Awards recognise schools that are inspiring and leading change locally, as well as participating in online and physical communities that develop the skills of the teaching profession and inspire organisation-wide change.
The winning schools were:
- Mount Ousley Public School – Digital Lighthouse School, Innovative Use of ICT in Primary School
- Callaghan College Wallsend Campus – Innovation in Digital Administration & Management, Leader in Developing Digital Collaborative Communities
- Callaghan College Jesmond Campus – Leader in Integration of Virtual Learning Environments
- Gymea Bay Public School – Leader in Digital Learning Tools
- Valentine Public School – Leader in Digital Makerspace Technologies
- Glenwood High School – Innovative Use of ICT in Secondary School
- Aurora College – Leader in Productivity & Collaboration
- Melrose Park Public School – Leader in Robotics.
Australian Open Surfing Team Announced For ISA World Surfing Games
Thursday August 16, 2018
Surfing Australia is excited to announce the Australian Open Surfing Team for the 2018 International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games, to be held on September 15th- 22nd in Tahara, Japan.
Athletes have been selected based on their rankings on the 2018 World Surf League World Championship Tour, Qualifying Series or Australia/Oceania Junior Tour.
Surfing Australia’s National High Performance Director Kim Crane said, “We’re excited to be taking the Australian Open Surfing Team to this event; it provides us with a chance to compete in the beach conditions at Tahara, to understand the format, embrace a performance opportunity, and build momentum on our ‘Team Australia’ culture.
"The Olympic qualifying system states that the 2019 & 2020 ISA World Surfing Games is imperative for athlete selection in the Tokyo 2020 Games, so this presents a significant opportunity for these athletes to not only perform on the world stage for their country but also to capture some learnings that our National Squad athletes will be able to apply in the 2019 & 2020 events. We have a great mix of experience and youth, so as individual competitors it’s a terrific opportunity for our athletes to show up as a team, for each other.”
Sally Fitzgibbons, current World Surf League and Australian National Squad athlete said: “It's a huge honour to be selected to represent our country in Japan for the ISA World Surfing Games and to Captain the team. Its such a unique opportunity to be in a team environment like this and continue to build the culture as Team Australia heading toward the 2020 Olympics. I've always wanted to check out Japan and the epic surf culture. I can't wait to head over to ride some waves, learn as a competitor and share this experience with my super talented teammates and coaching staff. C'mon Aussies.”
The team, who will be supported by Surfing Australia’s Elite Program Manager Bede Durbidge and Coach Tim Macdonald is:
Women:
Sally Fitzgibbons (Team Captain)
Holly Wawn
Philippa Anderson
Men:
Kai Tandler
Callum Robson
Dextar Muskens
Surfing Australia’s Elite Program Manager Bede Durbidge said: “This is a significant achievement within the already successful careers of these athletes, and it cements their strong positioning as the top athletes within our sport. Anytime you get an opportunity to represent your country is a really proud moment, and those who have been selected all work really hard to be the best they can be. I’m stoked that Sal has accepted the role of Team Captain for this event; she has green and gold blood running through her veins! The pride and passion she holds for competing for our country is certainly going to make her really hard to beat and there is no doubt she has her eye firmly on Olympic readiness at this event.”
The Australian Open Surfing Team is proudly supported for the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and Hydralyte Sports.
Holly Wawn - photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Curious Kids: Why Do We Have Tonsils?????
