Latest news with #MIRI
The Star
09-05-2025
- The Star
24,000 litres of smuggled diesel seized in Kuala Baram raid
MIRI: The Marine Police Region 5 seized 24,000 litres of illegal diesel in Kuala Baram during an operation targeting the smuggling of controlled goods. Its commander Asst Comm Ab Rahman Mat Hasan said the raid was conducted on Monday (May 5) under Ops Taring Landai by a team from the Marine Intelligence Unit and Region 5 Marine Police Force. 'The team conducted an inspection at the Million Line Tanker 1 Jetty operated by the Sarawak Rivers Board in Kuala Baram. "During the inspection, they found a tanker vessel transferring diesel to a tanker lorry,' he said in a statement on Friday (May 9) He said the ship's captain and the lorry driver, who are Malaysian citizens, failed to produce any documentation from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry permitting them to possess, store or transport the diesel, a controlled item. "The team seized a ship, a tanker lorry and approximately 24,000 litres of diesel. The total value of the seizure is estimated at RM10,252,000," said ACP Ab Rahman. The case is being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961, which carries penalties of imprisonment, fines, or both for unauthorised possession, storage, or transportation of controlled goods upon conviction. Additionally, the ship's captain is facing multiple charges under the Sarawak River Ordinance 1993 for operating without a qualified master and failing to produce a river transport permit during inspection. He is also being investigated under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1960 for operating the vessel without a valid boat licence or a certified engine driver. ACP Ab Rahman said the River Ordinance offences have been handed over to the Sarawak Rivers Authority, while those under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance have been referred to the relevant maritime authorities. He urged the public to continue reporting suspicious activities to the police. 'We welcome any form of cooperation and information. Public involvement is vital in eradicating crime,' he added.
Borneo Post
29-04-2025
- Science
- Borneo Post
Advanced geology training out to empower Mulu Park guides
Dodge-Wan (standing, left) joins the participants in a group photo, taken after a limestone geology lesson. MIRI: A total of 16 Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) tour guides from Mulu National Park recently attended a two-day advanced geology training workshop at the Mulu Park headquarters. Led by Dr Dominique Dodge-Wan, an associate professor in the Department of Applied Science at Curtin University Malaysia, the workshop was a key component of the university's community engagement initiatives. It aimed to enhance the guides' understanding of cave formation processes, equip them with scientific knowledge in order to enrich visitors' experience, and support the conservation of Mulu's underground ecosystems. The initiative was proposed by Mulu National Park manager Hein Gerstner and coordinated by Tourism Services Manager Bian Rumei following the highly successful 2024 International Show Cave Association Conference. During the workshop, Dodge-Wan said the Mulu Caves are among the world's most spectacular karst landscape, noting that it is crucial for those who showcase its beauty to the world have a deep understanding of their geological significance. 'Therefore, through this training, we aim to blend scientific insight with practical knowledge, thereby enabling guides to offer visitors a richer, more informative experience,' she added. The workshop covered key aspects of Mulu's geology including the origins of its massive limestone formations and unique save features. By using rock samples, maps, and cross-sections, participants delved into the formation of the over 200m thick Melinau limestone and its transformation into one of the most cavernous rock formations on earth. Among the highlights were discussions on the rare geological phenomena found in Mulu's caves, such as 'photokarren' – a bio-erosional features unique to tropical cave entrances – and 'crayback stalagmites', which are influenced by biological activity. Beyond geological knowledge, the training also reinforced the importance of conservation. With enhanced expertise, Mulu Park guides can now better educate visitors on the fragile balance of Mulu's cave ecosystems and the need to preserve them for future generations. The training was part of an ongoing collaboration between Curtin Malaysia and Mulu National Park, meant to ensure local communities would benefit from cutting-edge scientific knowledge while playing a key role in conserving one of Sarawak's most treasured natural wonders. geology lead Mulu National Park Sarawak Forestry Corporation tour guides
Economic Times
28-04-2025
- Science
- Economic Times
New hope of extraterrestrial life? Scientists cautious about celebrating early, want recheck
Are we alone in this universe? A study led by the University of Cambridge provides a flicker of hope that it may not be so, and the answer may lie 120 light-years from Earth. The study, published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters last week, found hints of life in the distant planet named K2-18b. But astrophysicists are sceptical and say the study's results and the methodology need to be cross-checked by other researchers. According to the research, fingerprints of dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide molecules have been detected on the exoplanet's atmosphere. On Earth, these molecules are known to be produced by marine organisms. Interestingly, the most common hypothesis is that life on Earth originated in the ocean. The study provides evidence of 'three-sigma' significance -- a 99.7 per cent confidence that the results are not fortuitous -- about the strongest-yet of signs of life outside the Solar System, asserts the research team led by Nikku Madhusudhan, a professor of astrophysics and exoplanetary science. In an interview with PTI Videos last week, he said that given scope of the study's implications, his team was looking to increase the robustness of the results in future researches. Jayesh Goyal, a reader at the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar, feels that the findings of the study are a big step forward and "pushes the limits of our understanding of exoplanet atmospheres and their habitability". "The observations on K2-18b's atmosphere highlight the extent to which this class of sub-Neptune or super-earth exoplanets could be characterised as these targets are extremely challenging to study," he told PTI. The exoplanet is 8.6 times massive than Earth, but smaller and less massive than Neptune. Hence it has been classified as a 'sub-Neptune' exoplanet. Scientists who study exoplanets contest the interpretation of the observations, saying the results are not statistically sound, given the immensity of claims of detecting biological activity outside the Solar System. "It is not a 'detection' according to the usual standards of exoplanet science," Ryan MacDonald, NASA Sagan Fellow at the University of Michigan in the US, told PTI. Data recorded by the James Webb Space Telescope's MIRI instrument was analysed for the study. The infrared facility looked at starlight transmitted through the exoplanet's atmosphere. "The study assumes that half of the new data from the Webb telescope can only be explained by dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide, neglecting other possible gases, thereby attaching a much higher statistical significance to the claims than the data supports," the astronomer said. Asa Stahl, an astrophysicist whose PhD at the US' Rice University focused on exoplanets, said the study made use of a "hugely powerful tool" for peering into a faraway planet's atmosphere. "It's an immensely difficult task -- trying to piece together what a planet over a hundred light years away is like from how starlight filters through its atmosphere." However, it is also a relatively new method, and astronomers are still figuring out the best practices for this sort of thing, added Stahl, engaged in science communication projects. Madhusudhan, while asserting that the team of researchers would look into fortifying the robustness of the study's results, also said, "When you have big breakthroughs and big paradigm shifts, you want to be really sure because it changes the very fabric of science and society in fundamental ways." "So then, the measure of robustness there is that we want to be sure to a level that there is less than one part in a million chance of a fluke, which is a very, very, very small chance of a statistical fluke or a 'just by chance'. We want to be that robust," he added. However, the currently claimed 'three-sigma' significance -- or a 0.3 per cent of being wrong -- would need to be tested, astrophysicists said. "Using the statistics in the study, the actual probability of the molecules not being present (in K2-18b's atmosphere) is about 28 per cent. Therefore, the announcement projects (a) near-absolute confidence in a result that has a good chance of not being real," MacDonald said. And same is the case with Stahl. "We won't know for sure how robust the finding is until other researchers test it." Astrophysicist Stephen Schmidt, a graduate research fellow at the Johns Hopkins University, US, re-analysed results from a 2023 study, in which Madhusudhan's team, using the James Webb space telescope, found abundant levels of carbon-containing gases -- methane and carbon dioxide -- and potential signs of dimethyl sulphide. Despite replicating the models used in the 2023 study, the results of the re-analysis (currently in a pre-print paper stage) differed from the original. Schmidt's team could not put limits on detectable amounts of carbon dioxide in K2-18b's atmosphere. The result indicated "a lot more methane compared to carbon dioxide" and therefore, "very difficult and unlikely for the exoplanet to have a habitable liquid water surface ocean, and also a biosphere or life", he explained. Schmidt said that while the University of Cambdrige-led study pushes the limits and tests the capabilities of the Webb telescope, which he stresses is important, "this can result in potentially exciting findings that aren't substantiated after further observations." Further, there are questions that need answers, to know for sure what is happening. One of these involves understanding the processes through which dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl sulphide molecules -- considered as predictors of life on exoplanets -- can form. Even as Madhusudhan's team is looking to address this aspect in future research, answers to the origins of the molecules could prove to be especially important as studies have found dimethyl sulphide on a comet and in the space between stars -- both 'lifeless' environments. Goyal said more observations of K2-18b using the Webb telescope, along with a detailed study of laboratory spectra of dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide, could help tighten or dispute the study's results. Further, a model's ability to detect chemicals accurately should be quoted in a paper, after "considering a wide variety of different molecules, rather than just those one assumes are there," MacDonald said. The astrophysicists said not one chemical or molecule, but a combination of chemicals or gases, produced in significant amounts, along with a deep understanding of the exoplanet's environment, would be needed before being confident of habitability. However, the methods used in the Cambridge-led study could hold promise in these pursuits. Stahl said, "If we ever discover life in another world, this method could be how we find out."
Time of India
27-04-2025
- Science
- Time of India
New hope of extraterrestrial life? Scientists cautious about celebrating early, want recheck
Are we alone in this universe? A study led by the University of Cambridge provides a flicker of hope that it may not be so, and the answer may lie 120 light-years from Earth . The study, published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters last week, found hints of life in the distant planet named K2-18b. But astrophysicists are sceptical and say the study's results and the methodology need to be cross-checked by other researchers. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack India stares at a 'water bomb' threat as it freezes Indus Treaty India readies short, mid & long-term Indus River plans Shehbaz Sharif calls India's stand "worn-out narrative" According to the research, fingerprints of dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide molecules have been detected on the exoplanet's atmosphere. On Earth, these molecules are known to be produced by marine organisms. Interestingly, the most common hypothesis is that life on Earth originated in the ocean. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 90s Icon: A Look at Her Today I Am Famous Undo The study provides evidence of 'three-sigma' significance -- a 99.7 per cent confidence that the results are not fortuitous -- about the strongest-yet of signs of life outside the Solar System , asserts the research team led by Nikku Madhusudhan, a professor of astrophysics and exoplanetary science. In an interview with PTI Videos last week, he said that given scope of the study's implications, his team was looking to increase the robustness of the results in future researches. Live Events Jayesh Goyal, a reader at the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar, feels that the findings of the study are a big step forward and "pushes the limits of our understanding of exoplanet atmospheres and their habitability". "The observations on K2-18b's atmosphere highlight the extent to which this class of sub-Neptune or super-earth exoplanets could be characterised as these targets are extremely challenging to study," he told PTI. The exoplanet is 8.6 times massive than Earth, but smaller and less massive than Neptune. Hence it has been classified as a 'sub-Neptune' exoplanet. Scientists who study exoplanets contest the interpretation of the observations, saying the results are not statistically sound, given the immensity of claims of detecting biological activity outside the Solar System. "It is not a 'detection' according to the usual standards of exoplanet science," Ryan MacDonald , NASA Sagan Fellow at the University of Michigan in the US, told PTI. Data recorded by the James Webb Space Telescope's MIRI instrument was analysed for the study. The infrared facility looked at starlight transmitted through the exoplanet's atmosphere. "The study assumes that half of the new data from the Webb telescope can only be explained by dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide, neglecting other possible gases, thereby attaching a much higher statistical significance to the claims than the data supports," the astronomer said. Asa Stahl, an astrophysicist whose PhD at the US' Rice University focused on exoplanets, said the study made use of a "hugely powerful tool" for peering into a faraway planet's atmosphere. "It's an immensely difficult task -- trying to piece together what a planet over a hundred light years away is like from how starlight filters through its atmosphere." However, it is also a relatively new method, and astronomers are still figuring out the best practices for this sort of thing, added Stahl, engaged in science communication projects. Madhusudhan, while asserting that the team of researchers would look into fortifying the robustness of the study's results, also said, "When you have big breakthroughs and big paradigm shifts, you want to be really sure because it changes the very fabric of science and society in fundamental ways." "So then, the measure of robustness there is that we want to be sure to a level that there is less than one part in a million chance of a fluke, which is a very, very, very small chance of a statistical fluke or a 'just by chance'. We want to be that robust," he added. However, the currently claimed 'three-sigma' significance -- or a 0.3 per cent of being wrong -- would need to be tested, astrophysicists said. "Using the statistics in the study, the actual probability of the molecules not being present (in K2-18b's atmosphere) is about 28 per cent. Therefore, the announcement projects (a) near-absolute confidence in a result that has a good chance of not being real," MacDonald said. And same is the case with Stahl. "We won't know for sure how robust the finding is until other researchers test it." Astrophysicist Stephen Schmidt , a graduate research fellow at the Johns Hopkins University, US, re-analysed results from a 2023 study, in which Madhusudhan's team, using the James Webb space telescope, found abundant levels of carbon-containing gases -- methane and carbon dioxide -- and potential signs of dimethyl sulphide. Despite replicating the models used in the 2023 study, the results of the re-analysis (currently in a pre-print paper stage) differed from the original. Schmidt's team could not put limits on detectable amounts of carbon dioxide in K2-18b's atmosphere. The result indicated "a lot more methane compared to carbon dioxide" and therefore, "very difficult and unlikely for the exoplanet to have a habitable liquid water surface ocean, and also a biosphere or life", he explained. Schmidt said that while the University of Cambdrige-led study pushes the limits and tests the capabilities of the Webb telescope, which he stresses is important, "this can result in potentially exciting findings that aren't substantiated after further observations." Further, there are questions that need answers, to know for sure what is happening. One of these involves understanding the processes through which dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl sulphide molecules -- considered as predictors of life on exoplanets -- can form. Even as Madhusudhan's team is looking to address this aspect in future research, answers to the origins of the molecules could prove to be especially important as studies have found dimethyl sulphide on a comet and in the space between stars -- both 'lifeless' environments. Goyal said more observations of K2-18b using the Webb telescope, along with a detailed study of laboratory spectra of dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide, could help tighten or dispute the study's results. Further, a model's ability to detect chemicals accurately should be quoted in a paper, after "considering a wide variety of different molecules, rather than just those one assumes are there," MacDonald said. The astrophysicists said not one chemical or molecule, but a combination of chemicals or gases, produced in significant amounts, along with a deep understanding of the exoplanet's environment, would be needed before being confident of habitability. However, the methods used in the Cambridge-led study could hold promise in these pursuits. Stahl said, "If we ever discover life in another world, this method could be how we find out."
The Sun
26-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Govt to form technical committees to tackle goods price issues in Sabah, Sarawak
MIRI: Two technical committees will be established in Sabah and Sarawak to formulate more specific and targeted strategies to address goods price issues in both states, said Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali. He said that the decision was made following the presentation of findings from studies conducted by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) to the committee recently. 'Initial findings indicate that one of the main factors contributing to the high prices of goods in both states is the high logistics cost of transporting goods from Peninsular Malaysia,' he told reporters after attending the Rahmah MADANI Sales programme at Emart Riam, here, today. He said that although certain goods are cheaper in Sarawak compared with Peninsular Malaysia, the prices of most daily necessities remain higher, due to geographical factors and shipping costs. The two technical committees would involve collaboration with the two universities and will be co-chaired by representatives from both the federal and state governments, comprising either ministers or deputy ministers. 'Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof will soon hold a meeting with the Premier of Sarawak, to discuss the appointment of the chairman and deputy chairman of the technical committee in Sarawak, while I will personally meet with the Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, for the same purpose,' he explained. According to him, in Sabah, one of the initial areas of focus identified is the price of chicken, a primary source of protein, where studies found that chicken prices remain high, despite the presence of many local chicken farms. In addition, basic goods such as sugar are also a concern, as Sabah and Sarawak do not have their own sugar refineries, further contributing to higher costs. With the establishment of the technical committees, the government aims to develop long-term action plans, including allocation planning under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), currently being finalised through the Ministry of Economy, to strengthen food security and stabilise prices in Sabah and Sarawak.
