Latest news with #MacDonald
The Journal
3 days ago
- Business
- The Journal
Ireland should build a space centre, former NASA chief economist suggests
SPACE TRAVEL IS going to become a trillion dollar industry, and Ireland should think about how it could get a piece of it. That's according to the former chief economist for Nasa, Alex MacDonald, who says Ireland is uniquely placed to join the modern-day space race, thanks to close links to America and the fact that we're an English speaking nation. MacDonald, who helped establish the US space agency's Mars to Moon strategy , said opening a small space centre for research could help Irish businesses creating new technologies to gain access to the American market. 'Just like AI, it's another technology domain that Ireland can make a policy choice about,' MacDonald said. 'The total space economy is probably on the order of $600 to $700 billion a year around the world. That's likely to grow significantly to over a trillion dollars over the next decade. 'Space as a policy tool area can be applied to almost whatever it is that you think is important.' Advertisement Ireland has nearly doubled its investment in the European Space Agency in recent years, going from €21.31 million in 2018 to €40.28 million in 2024. MacDonald said knowledge gleaned from space exploration can contribute towards research on issues like climate change and agriculture. He said there are ways Ireland has contributed to space exploration already and the idea that the Irish 'don't really do that sort of thing' is wrong. The Great Telescope at Birr Castle in Offaly was used in the 1800s to discover that some galaxies have a spiral shape, and the Rosse Observatory at the Co Offaly site is still used by Trinity College to study radio emissions from astronomical objects, such as the Sun. More recently, in 2023, researchers at University College Dublin launched the EIRSAT-1 satellite, costing €7.9 million, the country's largest investment in a space project . Pupils from DEIS schools helped write a poem that was carved into the side of the spacecraft, which is still in orbit. MacDonald says incorporating history and the arts into how we learn about space exploration could help people connect with it. Ireland, he says, could work towards becoming a world leader in astronomy, and 'have independent missions, maybe even in cooperation with other space agencies around the world'. MacDonald was speaking at the Global Economic Summit in Killarney, where politicians, businesspeople and tech experts met to discuss a range of modern-day challenges, from artifical intelligence to space warfare. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dive-bombed or not, Vancouverites are still pro-crow, researchers say
VANCOUVER — Along her journey towards understanding Vancouver's crows, psychology professor Suzanne MacDonald says she made a friend. It's a crow that brings her gifts after she set up a bird feeder at her home in the neighbourhood of Kitsilano. Once, it was a barnacle-covered shell, which MacDonald treasures. Other times, it was "bits of garbage" that MacDonald doesn't fancy much, though she "appreciates the sentiment." "I think he definitely recognizes me. When other people go out on my patio, he doesn't come to them. He knows me," said MacDonald. Vancouver has long had a love-hate relationship with its crows, whose dive-bombing attacks on pedestrians are a sure sign of springtime in the city. But a new survey co-authored by MacDonald suggests that, on the human side at least, it's mostly love. "I think that many people feel a deep connection to crows because they seem to see the world the way humans do: they are intelligent, excellent problem solvers, they recognize individual humans, and they are highly social, culturally complex beings," said MacDonald, a psychology professor at York University, who divides her time between Toronto and Vancouver. MacDonald and Laura Adams, who teaches psychology at Langara College, teamed up to survey hundreds of people in B.C.'s Lower Mainland to examine their relationship with crows. They said 67 per cent of people had positive feelings about crows, compared to only five per cent with negative feelings, in findings released this month that the researchers hope will inform an academic publication later. As for the crows, many make their feelings known during the spring nesting season, when the Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. says "overprotective" parent birds swoop on anyone who gets too close to a nest. It's a common experience across Vancouver — an online crowdsourced map of crow attacks in Vancouver is dotted with red crow symbols marking swooping sites gathered over several years. But Adams said most people felt "very positive" about crows, even if they had been dive-bombed. "We were really hoping to compare the types of people who loved crows and the types of people who had very negative opinions on crows because talking to the general public, people seem to be in both camps," said Adams. But it turns out most respondents were crow fans. "We found that 64 per cent of people said that they'd been dive-bombed by a crow. So, when you put that in the context of 67 per cent of people feeling very positive about crows, that means there are a lot of people who've been dive-bombed but still love crows," said Adams, "We found that really interesting." Many of the 468 survey respondents shared stories about their unique relationships with the birds. "I think one of the interesting parts is just how much people wanted to talk about crows for no reward at all," said Adams. Vancouver has even had its own celebrity crow, named Canuck, that was well known for riding the SkyTrain, stealing a knife from a crime scene in 2016, and forging an unlikely friendship with a mail carrier. Adams said the survey found 53 per cent of people felt crows were a symbol of Vancouver. Wildlife photographer Liron Gertsman has been fascinated with crows since he was five, and that obsession turned into a documentary, filmed with friend Jack Bailey. Their 10-minute production, "The Commute," captures the story of a massive murder of crows — up to 10,000 birds strong — that congregates at Still Creek in Burnaby at night. The huge flock is a familiar sight in Metro Vancouver skies, particularly in winter months. Gertsman called it an "incredible phenomenon." "They're just so smart," he said, as he described the challenge of locating the birds, only to turn up for more filming and "they'd be nowhere to be seen." "So, they were playing games with us a little bit. They were taking us on a not a wild-goose chase, but a wild-crow chase around the city," he said. Gertsman said that during filming he and Bailey were pooped on "all the time," but it didn't dampen their enthusiasm for their subjects and their "beautiful daily commute." He's still watching crows during the current nesting season. "There's a crow nest that is just barely visible outside my window, tucked into the tree, which is fun to watch," Gertsman said. "I think it's a lovely thing to be able to look outside your window in the morning and see a crow because it represents that little bit of nature that is able to exist within even a pretty big city." The Wildlife Rescue Association said nesting season lasts from April to July, meaning "anxious bird parents are out in full force" to protect their young. The association said it's seeing a spike in reports of fledgling crows on the ground, and there are 11 injured and orphaned crows in Wildlife Rescue's care. The organization's co-executive director, Linda Bakker, said it's common to find young crows on the ground in late spring as they learn to fly. Not all need help, but if a grounded bird looks like it's in trouble, people should can take a photo and contact Wildlife Rescue, she said. She said the group often gets calls from people asking how to deal with crow attacks. But she said that when it happened to her, she wasn't worried. "I was excited when it happened. I was like, oh, there's a crow, and he's protecting his nest. That's great. I will stay out of your way," said Bakker. MacDonald said it's important for people to understand how we live with other species, particularly in an urban environment where many animals have been pushed out. "But some of them, like crows, actually thrive with us, and that makes them very special," she said. MacDonald says daily encounters with crows should be seen as a reminder that "if we live in a city that has no wildlife, then we live in a dead city." "We want to live in a very vibrant city where nature is at our front door and our back door and everywhere, and crows remind us that is the case in the Lower Mainland." This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 30, 2025. Nono Shen, The Canadian Press
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Boston Globe
A teen accused of trafficking a minor in Providence was ‘set-up' by other people, her attorneys say. Now, she may be deported.
Advertisement 'The charges on their face look serious,' MacDonald told the Globe. 'In reality, based upon the evidence that I have viewed, this is an extremely weak case that I have no doubt ... in court with evidence and cross examination, we could substantially destroy it. But there's no hearing, and there's no procedure while she's being detained out of state.' Get Rhode Island News Alerts Sign up to get breaking news and interesting stories from Rhode Island in your inbox each weekday. Enter Email Sign Up 'And that's been the problem with ICE these days: They're picking up people, detaining them out of state, and what happens to the criminal cases are you simply have no ability to contest the evidence, and warrants issue,' he continued. 'So not only do the charges linger, but the warrants linger, and therefore there's an inability to ever legally come back into the United States.' Advertisement Soriano-Neto was taken into ICE custody on March 11, the agency said in 'Children are among the most vulnerable members of society and anyone who would do them harm represents a significant threat to our community,' ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde said in a statement. According to a Providence police arrest report, on Jan. 14, officers met with the parents of a girl – whose name was redacted in the report – who said their daughter told them she was sexually assaulted by four men in Providence. The girl told authorities that on Jan. 8, she received a call around 8 a.m. from a friend, who was identified as Soriano-Neto, who told her to meet her on Atwells Avenue and that she was going to a party. The girl said she then left Mount Pleasant High School, met Soriano-Neto, and drove with her to a house on Concannon Street, where she was met by three men, the report states. Soriano-Neto 'asked her to make sure she gives them food and make sure she gets money from the three male subjects as well,' police wrote. The girl said she was able to get $100 cash from the men, which she gave to Soriano-Neto, according to the report. Soriano-Neto then left the house, leaving the girl by herself, police wrote. At around 2 p.m., four different men came to the house, police wrote. Details about what allegedly happened were redacted from the report: The men 'came into the house and began to [redacted], however they did not have [redacted] with her,' the report states. Advertisement The girl said she was able to defend herself and run away from them, according to police. As she was fleeing, someone she knew saw her and 'was able to help her,' the report states. That person brought her to a friend's house on Broad Street, where the girl spent the next three days before she was brought home on Jan. 11, according to police. The girl had been reported missing by her parents from Jan. 8 to 11, authorities wrote. According to the report, Soriano-Neto was arrested by Providence police on Feb. 20. ICE officials said she was charged with indecent solicitation of a child and trafficking of a minor. Court records show Soriano-Neto posted a $35,000 bond on Feb. 21. Another person, Saul Adalid Izaguirre Pavon, was also arrested in connection to the case on March 22, records show. MacDonald said Soriano-Neto is not a human trafficker. 'These people from high school that were supposedly her friends were apparently hooking up with men and getting cash for it, and when word got out, they pointed the finger – at least one of them did – at Vivian ... without any proof whatsoever other than their word," MacDonald said. In the report, police wrote, 'It should be noted that [redacted name]'s statement was vague and inconsistent.' MacDonald has asked the state Attorney General's Office to take a close look at the case. Salazar Tohme said felony cases typically have at least a six-month review in state court, but Soriano-Neto has not been afforded that since she was detained by ICE so quickly. Salzar Tohme is now seeking asylum status for Soriano-Neto, who already has an approved Special Immigrant Juvenile petition, but is still waiting for a visa number, she said. Advertisement Immigrants are eligible for SIJ status they have 'have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by a parent,' according to 'We're put in this position where a child is essentially going to be sent back to her country, and she didn't get her day in state court, and I think that is a grave injustice,' Salzar Tohme said. She added, 'The more that this happens, the more that we need to realize that the system is completely broken and individualized cases need to be looked at more carefully.' ICE officials said Soriano-Neto was arrested on Oct. 25, 2017 after she unlawfully entered the United States at Calexico, Calif. and was later released on parole by ICE on Nov. 17, 2017. She would have been around 10 years old at the time. ICE did not respond to requests seeking more information. The Rhode Island US Attorney's Office also announced developments in two immigration-related cases on Thursday. Officials Prosecutors said Alvarado was previously deported in July 2015 after he was convicted in Connecticut on cocaine and heroin trafficking charges. But immigration officers learned he was back in the country last month when his fingerprints matched in the National Crime Information Center after he was arrested in Rhode Island for allegedly driving on a suspended license and on an obstruction charge, officials said. Alvarado is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25. Advertisement Prosecutors also Perez was previously convicted in Rhode Island state court in December 2023 on charges of simple assault and/or battery and disorderly conduct, officials said. He was removed from the country by ICE on Nov. 20, 2024. But on May 12, immigration officers learned he was in the United States when his fingerprints matched in the crime information center after he was arrested on May 11 in Rhode Island for domestic disorderly conduct and for allegedly violating a domestic no contact order, officials said. He is scheduled to be arraigned on June 2 and is being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions on the state-level charges, prosecutors said. Christopher Gavin can be reached at
National Observer
3 days ago
- Science
- National Observer
Dive-bombed or not, Vancouverites still pro-crow, researchers say
Along her journey towards understanding Vancouver's crows, psychology professor Suzanne MacDonald says she made a friend. It's a crow that brings her gifts after she set up a bird feeder at her home in the neighbourhood of Kitsilano. Once, it was a barnacle-covered shell, which MacDonald treasures. Other times, it was "bits of garbage" that MacDonald doesn't fancy much, though she "appreciates the sentiment." "I think he definitely recognizes me. When other people go out on my patio, he doesn't come to them. He knows me," said MacDonald. Vancouver has long had a love-hate relationship with its crows, whose dive-bombing attacks on pedestrians are a sure sign of springtime in the city. But a new survey co-authored by MacDonald suggests that, on the human side at least, it's mostly love. "I think that many people feel a deep connection to crows because they seem to see the world the way humans do: they are intelligent, excellent problem solvers, they recognize individual humans, and they are highly social, culturally complex beings," said MacDonald, a psychology professor at York University, who divides her time between Toronto and Vancouver. MacDonald and Laura Adams, who teaches psychology at Langara College, teamed up to survey hundreds of people in BC's Lower Mainland to examine their relationship with crows. They said 67 per cent of people had positive feelings about crows, compared to only five per cent with negative feelings, in findings released this month that the researchers hope will inform an academic publication later. As for the crows, many make their feelings known during the spring nesting season, when the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC says "overprotective" parent birds swoop on anyone who gets too close to a nest. It's a common experience across Vancouver — an online crowdsourced map of crow attacks in Vancouver is dotted with red crow symbols marking swooping sites gathered over several years. But Adams said most people felt "very positive" about crows, even if they had been dive-bombed. "We were really hoping to compare the types of people who loved crows and the types of people who had very negative opinions on crows because talking to the general public, people seem to be in both camps," said Adams. But it turns out most respondents were crow fans. "We found that 64 per cent of people said that they'd been dive-bombed by a crow. So, when you put that in the context of 67 per cent of people feeling very positive about crows, that means there are a lot of people who've been dive-bombed but still love crows," said Adams, "We found that really interesting." Many of the 468 survey respondents shared stories about their unique relationships with the birds. "I think one of the interesting parts is just how much people wanted to talk about crows for no reward at all," said Adams. Vancouver has even had its own celebrity crow, named Canuck, that was well known for riding the SkyTrain, stealing a knife from a crime scene in 2016, and forging an unlikely friendship with a mail carrier. Adams said the survey found 53 per cent of people felt crows were a symbol of Vancouver. Wildlife photographer Liron Gertsman has been fascinated with crows since he was five, and that obsession turned into a documentary, filmed with friend Jack Bailey. Their 10-minute production, "The Commute," captures the story of a massive murder of crows — up to 10,000 birds strong — that congregates at Still Creek in Burnaby at night. The huge flock is a familiar sight in Metro Vancouver skies, particularly in winter months. Gertsman called it an "incredible phenomenon." "They're just so smart," he said, as he described the challenge of locating the birds, only to turn up for more filming and "they'd be nowhere to be seen." "So, they were playing games with us a little bit. They were taking us on a not a wild-goose chase, but a wild-crow chase around the city," he said. Gertsman said that during filming he and Bailey were pooped on "all the time," but it didn't dampen their enthusiasm for their subjects and their "beautiful daily commute." He's still watching crows during the current nesting season. "There's a crow nest that is just barely visible outside my window, tucked into the tree, which is fun to watch," Gertsman said. "I think it's a lovely thing to be able to look outside your window in the morning and see a crow because it represents that little bit of nature that is able to exist within even a pretty big city." The Wildlife Rescue Association said nesting season lasts from April to July, meaning "anxious bird parents are out in full force" to protect their young. The association said it's seeing a spike in reports of fledgling crows on the ground, and there are 11 injured and orphaned crows in Wildlife Rescue's care. The organization's co-executive director, Linda Bakker, said it's common to find young crows on the ground in late spring as they learn to fly. Not all need help, but if a grounded bird looks like it's in trouble, people should can take a photo and contact Wildlife Rescue, she said. She said the group often gets calls from people asking how to deal with crow attacks. But she said that when it happened to her, she wasn't worried. "I was excited when it happened. I was like, oh, there's a crow, and he's protecting his nest. That's great. I will stay out of your way," said Bakker. MacDonald said it's important for people to understand how we live with other species, particularly in an urban environment where many animals have been pushed out. "But some of them, like crows, actually thrive with us, and that makes them very special," she said. MacDonald says daily encounters with crows should be seen as a reminder that "if we live in a city that has no wildlife, then we live in a dead city." "We want to live in a very vibrant city where nature is at our front door and our back door and everywhere, and crows remind us that is the case in the Lower Mainland." This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 30, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Science
- Winnipeg Free Press
Dive-bombed or not, Vancouverites are still pro-crow, researchers say
VANCOUVER – Along her journey towards understanding Vancouver's crows, psychology professor Suzanne MacDonald says she made a friend. It's a crow that brings her gifts after she set up a bird feeder at her home in the neighbourhood of Kitsilano. Once, it was a barnacle-covered shell, which MacDonald treasures. Other times, it was 'bits of garbage' that MacDonald doesn't fancy much, though she 'appreciates the sentiment.' 'I think he definitely recognizes me. When other people go out on my patio, he doesn't come to them. He knows me,' said MacDonald. Vancouver has long had a love-hate relationship with its crows, whose dive-bombing attacks on pedestrians are a sure sign of springtime in the city. But a new survey co-authored by MacDonald suggests that, on the human side at least, it's mostly love. 'I think that many people feel a deep connection to crows because they seem to see the world the way humans do: they are intelligent, excellent problem solvers, they recognize individual humans, and they are highly social, culturally complex beings,' said MacDonald, a psychology professor at York University, who divides her time between Toronto and Vancouver. MacDonald and Laura Adams, who teaches psychology at Langara College, teamed up to survey hundreds of people in B.C.'s Lower Mainland to examine their relationship with crows. They said 67 per cent of people had positive feelings about crows, compared to only five per cent with negative feelings, in findings released this month that the researchers hope will inform an academic publication later. As for the crows, many make their feelings known during the spring nesting season, when the Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. says 'overprotective' parent birds swoop on anyone who gets too close to a nest. It's a common experience across Vancouver — an online crowdsourced map of crow attacks in Vancouver is dotted with red crow symbols marking swooping sites gathered over several years. But Adams said most people felt 'very positive' about crows, even if they had been dive-bombed. 'We were really hoping to compare the types of people who loved crows and the types of people who had very negative opinions on crows because talking to the general public, people seem to be in both camps,' said Adams. But it turns out most respondents were crow fans. 'We found that 64 per cent of people said that they'd been dive-bombed by a crow. So, when you put that in the context of 67 per cent of people feeling very positive about crows, that means there are a lot of people who've been dive-bombed but still love crows,' said Adams, 'We found that really interesting.' Many of the 468 survey respondents shared stories about their unique relationships with the birds. 'I think one of the interesting parts is just how much people wanted to talk about crows for no reward at all,' said Adams. Vancouver has even had its own celebrity crow, named Canuck, that was well known for riding the SkyTrain, stealing a knife from a crime scene in 2016, and forging an unlikely friendship with a mail carrier. Adams said the survey found 53 per cent of people felt crows were a symbol of Vancouver. Wildlife photographer Liron Gertsman has been fascinated with crows since he was five, and that obsession turned into a documentary, filmed with friend Jack Bailey. Their 10-minute production, 'The Commute,' captures the story of a massive murder of crows — up to 10,000 birds strong — that congregates at Still Creek in Burnaby at night. The huge flock is a familiar sight in Metro Vancouver skies, particularly in winter months. Gertsman called it an 'incredible phenomenon.' 'They're just so smart,' he said, as he described the challenge of locating the birds, only to turn up for more filming and 'they'd be nowhere to be seen.' 'So, they were playing games with us a little bit. They were taking us on a not a wild-goose chase, but a wild-crow chase around the city,' he said. Gertsman said that during filming he and Bailey were pooped on 'all the time,' but it didn't dampen their enthusiasm for their subjects and their 'beautiful daily commute.' He's still watching crows during the current nesting season. 'There's a crow nest that is just barely visible outside my window, tucked into the tree, which is fun to watch,' Gertsman said. 'I think it's a lovely thing to be able to look outside your window in the morning and see a crow because it represents that little bit of nature that is able to exist within even a pretty big city.' The Wildlife Rescue Association said nesting season lasts from April to July, meaning 'anxious bird parents are out in full force' to protect their young. The association said it's seeing a spike in reports of fledgling crows on the ground, and there are 11 injured and orphaned crows in Wildlife Rescue's care. The organization's co-executive director, Linda Bakker, said it's common to find young crows on the ground in late spring as they learn to fly. Not all need help, but if a grounded bird looks like it's in trouble, people should can take a photo and contact Wildlife Rescue, she said. She said the group often gets calls from people asking how to deal with crow attacks. But she said that when it happened to her, she wasn't worried. 'I was excited when it happened. I was like, oh, there's a crow, and he's protecting his nest. That's great. I will stay out of your way,' said Bakker. Wednesdays A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future. MacDonald said it's important for people to understand how we live with other species, particularly in an urban environment where many animals have been pushed out. 'But some of them, like crows, actually thrive with us, and that makes them very special,' she said. MacDonald says daily encounters with crows should be seen as a reminder that 'if we live in a city that has no wildlife, then we live in a dead city.' 'We want to live in a very vibrant city where nature is at our front door and our back door and everywhere, and crows remind us that is the case in the Lower Mainland.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 30, 2025.
