Latest news with #Paris-SaclayUniversity
Morocco World
3 days ago
- Business
- Morocco World
Shanghai Ranking 2025: Hassan II University Remains Morocco's Sole Representative
Marrakech – The 2025 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), released by Shanghai Ranking Consultancy on Friday, features Hassan II University of Casablanca (UH2C) as the only Moroccan institution among the world's top 1,000 universities. UH2C is positioned in the 901-1000 category in the global standings. Founded in 1975 and based in Morocco's economic capital, UH2C serves over 143,521 students through an extensive network of faculties, schools, and institutes. The university has 94,148 undergraduate students enrolled, with 2,400 (2.0%) international students across all programs. UH2C performs notably better in Human Biological Sciences, where it ranks in the 301-400 range globally. 'Hassan II University of Casablanca is a leading public university in Morocco,' states the Shanghai Ranking profile. 'It offers diverse academic programs and is strongly committed to scientific research, innovation, and international collaboration.' The profile adds: 'It's the first Moroccan university to be ranked in the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities, reflecting its growing academic influence. UH2C plays a key role in higher education and sustainable development across North Africa and the African continent.' On the global stage, Harvard University tops the ARWU for the 23rd consecutive year, with Stanford University and MIT completing the top three. The remaining top 10 positions include Cambridge (4th), Berkeley (5th), Oxford (6th), Princeton (7th), Columbia (8th), Caltech (9th), and the University of Chicago (10th). In continental Europe, Paris-Saclay University (13th) remains the highest-ranked institution, while Tsinghua University (18th) leads in Asia after climbing four positions. The University of Melbourne (38th) tops universities in Oceania for the fifteenth consecutive year. The 2025 edition welcomes two newcomers to the top 100: City University of Hong Kong (99th) and Stockholm University (100th). Additionally, 25 new universities entered the top 500, while 39 institutions appeared in the top 1000 for the first time. Chinese mainland universities continue their impressive showing with 222 institutions in the top 1000, outnumbering the United States' 183. However, American universities still dominate the elite top 100 with 37 entries compared to mainland China's 13 and the UK's 8. The ARWU methodology relies on six objective indicators to evaluate over 2,500 universities worldwide. These metrics include Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals won by alumni and staff, articles published in Nature and Science journals, Highly Cited Researchers identified by Clarivate, papers indexed in the Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Sciences Citation Index, and per capita academic performance. Morocco joins 60 other countries with at least one university in this prestigious global ranking. France secured 27 universities in the top 1000, with four institutions – Paris-Saclay University (13th), PSL University (34th), Sorbonne University (43rd), and Université Paris Cité (60th) – among the top 100. Read also: Casablanca's Hassan II University Stands Tall in Shanghai's 2024 Ranking
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Radioactive Dust Still Blows Over The Sahara From Cold War Nuclear Tests
The large Saharan dust cloud that blanketed Europe back in March 2022 contained some unexpected ingredients, according to a new study: chemical signatures consistent with US and USSR nuclear tests of the 1950s and 1960s. Led by a team from Paris-Saclay University in France, the study researchers found the radioactivity to be well below levels that would be considered hazardous – less than two-hundredths of the safety thresholds – but it's a reminder of how long nuclear fallout can persist in the environment. These dust clouds regularly blow up from the Sahara, and previous studies identified an area around Reggane in Algeria as a significant dust source. As this region is also the site of four French nuclear weapons tests, the researchers wanted to take a closer look. "The Reggane region, where the first French atmospheric nuclear tests were conducted in the 1960s in Southern Algeria, is located in one of the most active dust source regions responsible for recurrent massive Saharan dust events reaching Western Europe and affecting air quality," write the researchers in their published paper. "After a major outbreak in March 2022, a citizen participative science campaign was launched to study the radioactivity born by the dust." That citizen science project yielded 110 samples across six countries, which were then processed in a variety of ways. The team analyzed global wind patterns, the chemical and mineral make-up of the dust, and its radioactivity. While the dust itself was partly sourced from South Algeria, its radioactive signature didn't match the strength or the composition of the French nuclear tests. Instead, it matched the same signature seen across the world as a result of the Cold War arms race. "Plutonium isotopic signatures, a unique nuclear bomb fingerprint, remained in the range of the global fallout signatures largely dominated by US and former USSR nuclear tests, significantly different from French fallout signature," write the researchers. Between them, the Americans and the Soviets ran hundreds of nuclear tests in the '50s and '60s, across deserts, oceans, islands, and areas of wilderness. They represent the largest nuclear detonations ever seen on the planet. As this study and many previous ones show, the material spewed out of those detonations has made its way all across the world – including into the heart of the Sahara, and the deepest parts of the oceans. Even though the radioactivity levels in this case are thought to be safe – dust is actually now more of a threat to our health – regular assessments such as this study are needed to understand the ongoing impact on the atmosphere and environment. "We conclude that major Saharan dust supplies to Western Europe, even if impressive, recurrent, and sweeping large areas including those where nuclear tests were done in the past, do not present risk for public health in terms of exposition to artificial radioactivity," write the researchers. The research has been published in Science Advances. New Non-Opioid Painkiller First in Decades to Win FDA Approval Study Reveals How Much Exercise You Need to Control Your Blood Pressure Sunlight Can Still Damage Skin Through a Closed Window. Here's How.
Shafaq News
08-02-2025
- Science
- Shafaq News
Study: radioactive dust over six Arab countries, including Iraq
Shafaq News/ A new study from Paris-Saclay University reveals the presence of hazardous radioactive dust drifting over six Arab countries, including Iraq. The study, which notes that the radiation levels are much lower than those considered dangerous, raises doubts due to its timing, particularly after Algeria's call for France to take responsibility for the issue. The dust regularly blows from the Sahara Desert, with previous studies identifying the Reggane area in Algeria as its source. This region was subjected to four French nuclear tests. The study found that the radiation signature of the dust matches that of French nuclear tests in southern Algeria. While the radiation is deemed low-risk, the ongoing issue of France's nuclear tests between 1960 and 1966 remains a sensitive topic in Algerian-French relations, as France has yet to take measures to decontaminate the test sites in southern Algeria or address chemical and biological test sites.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Radioactive Dust Still Blows Over The Sahara From Cold War Nuclear Tests
The large Saharan dust cloud that blanketed Europe back in March 2022 contained some unexpected ingredients, according to a new study: chemical signatures consistent with US and USSR nuclear tests of the 1950s and 1960s. Led by a team from Paris-Saclay University in France, the study researchers found the radioactivity to be well below levels that would be considered hazardous – less than two-hundredths of the safety thresholds – but it's a reminder of how long nuclear fallout can persist in the environment. These dust clouds regularly blow up from the Sahara, and previous studies identified an area around Reggane in Algeria as a significant dust source. As this region is also the site of four French nuclear weapons tests, the researchers wanted to take a closer look. "The Reggane region, where the first French atmospheric nuclear tests were conducted in the 1960s in Southern Algeria, is located in one of the most active dust source regions responsible for recurrent massive Saharan dust events reaching Western Europe and affecting air quality," write the researchers in their published paper. "After a major outbreak in March 2022, a citizen participative science campaign was launched to study the radioactivity born by the dust." That citizen science project yielded 110 samples across six countries, which were then processed in a variety of ways. The team analyzed global wind patterns, the chemical and mineral make-up of the dust, and its radioactivity. While the dust itself was partly sourced from South Algeria, its radioactive signature didn't match the strength or the composition of the French nuclear tests. Instead, it matched the same signature seen across the world as a result of the Cold War arms race. "Plutonium isotopic signatures, a unique nuclear bomb fingerprint, remained in the range of the global fallout signatures largely dominated by US and former USSR nuclear tests, significantly different from French fallout signature," write the researchers. Between them, the Americans and the Soviets ran hundreds of nuclear tests in the '50s and '60s, across deserts, oceans, islands, and areas of wilderness. They represent the largest nuclear detonations ever seen on the planet. As this study and many previous ones show, the material spewed out of those detonations has made its way all across the world – including into the heart of the Sahara, and the deepest parts of the oceans. Even though the radioactivity levels in this case are thought to be safe – dust is actually now more of a threat to our health – regular assessments such as this study are needed to understand the ongoing impact on the atmosphere and environment. "We conclude that major Saharan dust supplies to Western Europe, even if impressive, recurrent, and sweeping large areas including those where nuclear tests were done in the past, do not present risk for public health in terms of exposition to artificial radioactivity," write the researchers. The research has been published in Science Advances. New Non-Opioid Painkiller First in Decades to Win FDA Approval Study Reveals How Much Exercise You Need to Control Your Blood Pressure Sunlight Can Still Damage Skin Through a Closed Window. Here's How.
