Latest news with #SheffieldUniversity
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists create advanced new tool to monitor emerging threat: 'Crucial in the fight'
Machine learning technology is helping fill a key gap in surveillance of the most valuable trees in Peru's rainforests. The University of Sheffield, World Resources Institute, and Peru's independent forestry commission revealed the remarkable impact of their collaboration's use of the tech in a news release. It identified up to 37% of all reported illegal logging in 2023-24 and led to the seizure of 41,000 cubic meters (134,514 cubic feet) of illicit wood. The coverage of the technology exceeds 1.8 million hectares of rainforest, and the value of the recaptured wood amounts to over $19 million. Where the tech really shines is in picking up on selective logging, a technique that poses an extreme challenge for surveillance. Instead of cutting down forests wholesale, selective loggers choose the most lucrative trees while leaving the rest in place. Without special tools, it can be hard to spot the illegal practice from the air. Meanwhile, it is prohibitively costly to survey by foot, and both costly and dangerous to do so with drones. To fill this gap, University of Sheffield scientists engineered the technology with forest data from the World Resources Institute that could pick up individual tree loss and patterns of selective logging. "Until now satellite imaging has been unable to reliably identify the much more subtle signs of selective logging and forest degradation, which is widespread and until recently hard to police and manage," Robert Bryant of Sheffield University explained. Peru's rainforests are renowned for their incredible biodiversity, which is under threat by deforestation. In one example, multiple big name corporations such as Nestlé and Kellogg's have been accused of doing business with a palm oil supplier that is contributing to deforestation. Meanwhile, there is concern that Peruvian laws are weakening and opening the door for more deforestation in the name of economic opportunities. It could all come with a heavy toll on the planet, as rainforests play a major role in absorbing heat-trapping gases. The University of Sheffield team says the new tech allows Peruvian officials to monitor illegal activities in close to real time. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. That facilitates targeted follow-up surveillance with drones, raids, and inspections of dubious lumber. The tech can also uncover bait-and-switch operations wherein wood of a protected area is passed off as that from legal but unharvested areas. The team envisions the tools extending beyond Peru, both in impact and in future applications. "Widespread illegal harvesting of Peru's rainforest is not just a disaster for Peru," University of Sheffield's Chris Bousfield concluded. "The whole world relies on these rainforests to store carbon and support biodiversity, and they are crucial in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss." Bousfield believes the tools can be rolled out "in developing a system for effectively monitoring forest degradation and selective logging across the world." Given the scope of global deforestation, all hands on deck will be needed to accomplish that goal. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
NZ Herald
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Tribute to Steve Williams: Respected NZ rugby referee and friend
These shows included South Pacific, Camelot, Annie, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Fiddler on the Roof (twice before the one mentioned), Oliver! and Blood Brothers, not to mention several Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. Many of these shows were directed, inspired and brought forth by my father, Jack Roderick, and his contemporaries, and I believe it is appalling that his and their legacies were not included in the article. Matthew Roderick Tribute to Stephen J Williams, 1934-2025 Steve was the best friend a man could wish for. Always there with advice and offers to help, but never insistent you take it. Steve's passion was rugby, as a player at home in Wales and as a highly respected referee in New Zealand. Steve and I met in 1955 through the same degree course at Sheffield University. We quickly became friends and, after graduation, took teacher training. Steve was appointed to Marlcliffe Intermediate School [in Sheffield] and, by good fortune, so was I. For two years we taught together, but also played soccer, cricket, drank and went fishing together, accompanied by our long-suffering wives – Ann for me and Margaret for Steve. Steve had a car of sorts. I remember, when stopped for speeding, Steve swore the car would not go over 30mph. Another time we finished a cricket match and, when leaving for home, the front wheel fell off in the car park. Perhaps the most memorable adventure was when Steve drove Margaret and me from Sheffield to South Wales to watch Wales play the Springboks. We were interviewed by Peter West for TV. Torrential rain brought serious flooding. It was Sunday and we had to be at school the next day. Steve drove us home in darkness, torrential rain and flooding for 13 hours. We were at school the next day amid cheers as we had been seen on TV. In 1961, Steve and Margaret applied to go to New Zealand and succeeded. Ann and I applied too but, through illness, failed. We kept in touch by airmail and, seven years later when they returned, our friendship was renewed and we shared holidays with them in Taunton, and later toured the continent together with caravans. A trip to the Italian Dolomites was a highlight. In 1974, Steve and Margaret applied to move to New Zealand permanently and, in 1975, Ann and I followed. Advertise with NZME. Not only did we come to the same town, but Steve became HoD Economics at Boys' High and I became HoD Economics at Girls' High. We certainly spent a large part of our lives together. I could not have hoped for a better, more loyal friend. He was closer than a brother and I shall miss him terribly. Bye Steve. Tony Barnby Advertise with NZME. We need answers on museum's alleged deficit I am disturbed to read that some councillors appear to be reluctant to push Tairāwhiti Museum for hard answers on its financial situation. Especially as ratepayers fund the museum to the tune of $750,000 – or a very good slice of its total budget. Based on the figures printed in the Gisborne Herald, it appears the museum's income totals just over $2 million, while expenses total $1.44m (in round numbers). What accounts for the difference of $576,000? Is something missing here? That appears to show a healthy surplus. The article also said 'the museum was basically relying on cash reserves, of which $100,000 had been used'. Further, the revenue total does not tally with figures given (a difference of $9102). So how do we arrive at Cr Telford's $158,995 deficit? In any case, that a councillor says the council 'should be cautious about directing the museum's spending' is hardly in keeping with what ratepayers would expect. Could we have a clear explanation of the museum's alleged deficit?
The Hindu
03-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
When Amy flew solo from England to Australia
Who is Amy Johnson? A pioneering aviator, Amy Johnson was the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. She achieved this in a little less than 20 days, as her flight lasted from May 5 to May 24 in 1930. It was the first of several other record-breaking flights for Amy, who went on to become one of the most influential and inspirational women of the 20th Century. The eldest of four sisters, Amy – born on July 1, 1903 – grew up in Hull, England, where her father ran a fish export and import business. After studying at Sheffield University, Amy moved to London, where she worked as a typist for a firm of solicitors. For reasons that we know not, Amy took a bus ride to Stag Lane Aerodrome in North London on a Sunday afternoon in 1928. That bus ride might have been the most important of her life as it turned her life upside-down, setting her out on a career path that would prove to be her calling. As the primitive biplanes took off and landed, Amy was spellbound and before long, she was spending all her spare time at the aerodrome. A string of firsts Bear in mind that the 1920s was a time when flying was dominated by the wealthy and famous. The few female pilots who were around were mostly the titled women. Not one to be deterred, Amy became a member of the London Aeroplane Club and sought flying lessons, backed by a supportive father. Flying didn't come naturally to Amy. In fact, her first instructor reportedly told her that she would never be an aviator. It took her 16 hours of dual flying – twice what was considered normal – before she could embark on solo flights. By July 1929, however, Amy had got her pilot's license. While she wasn't a born flier, she was definitely a 'born engineer,' a sentiment echoed by the club's chief mechanic Jack Humphreys. At a time when it was unusual for women to learn to fly, Amy went a step further and learned from Humphreys as to how to maintain an aircraft. She became the first British woman to earn a ground engineer's license later that same year. Following her historic flight from England to Australia that saw her become the first woman to fly solo between those two destinations in 1930, Amy cemented her place in aviation history with more record-breaking flights. This included one with Humphreys in July-August 1931, when the duo flew to Tokyo, setting record times to both Moscow and Japan. Following her marriage to Scottish pilot Jim Mollison in 1932, she was at it again, flying solo from London to Cape Town, South Africa in 1933 in record time – a record that she took back in 1936 in her last major flight. The couple known as the 'flying sweethearts' attempted a long distance record by flying across the Atlantic from Wales to New York. Even though they crash landed short of their target at Connecticut and both were injured, they were given a huge ticker-tape welcome at New York. The duo got to meet President Franklin Roosevelt and also became friendly with American aviator Amelia Earhart. For someone to whom flying had given so much, Amy's demise too came through flying. Following their divorce in 1938 and a brief stint as a commercial pilot, Amy began reconsidering her public role during the onset of World War II as she had by then ventured into businesses, journalism, and fashion. She decided to contribute to the war effort and joined the newly established Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) that was involved in moving aircraft from factories to air bases. Amy died during one such routine ATA mission, even though there are speculations as to what exactly happened as she was so far off course. These range from being part of a secret mission, to the more mundane theory that she simply got lost and had run out of fuel. Amy died on January 5, 1941, aged just 37. The historic flight In 1928 – the same year Amy had found her calling – Australian aviator Bert Hinkler set the record for flying solo from England to Australia, achieving it in 15.5 days. Soon after she learnt to fly, Amy dared to break this record. It was a daring dream as the longest flight she had attempted was a distance of 290 km from Stag Lane Aerodrome to Hedon Aerodrome, Hull. If she had to achieve the challenge she was setting out for herself, she had to travel 17,700 km! Following a long campaign during which she raised funds and secured financial backing, she set out from Croydon Airport on May 5, 1930 in a second-hand Gypsy Moth bi-plane that she called Jason. Without radio links to ground stations and reliable information about weather conditions, Amy braved it all, navigating using a compass, some basic maps, and a ruler that she used to plot the most direct routes. Such direct routes, however, took her over some inhospitable terrains. There were plenty of incidents throughout her journey as mountain ranges, desert sandstorms, hostile tribesmen, tropical storms, and shock waves from a volcanic eruption all made their presence felt during her flight. Among the many incidents was her forced emergency landing in Jhansi, India, on May 11 as she had drifted off course and was running out of fuel. Having somehow managed to land her plane between two barracks, Amy found help from the army officers and Jhansi locals. They had her aircraft repaired by the following morning and having enjoyed a night's rest in a bungalow – a luxury not afforded to her during most of the rest of the journey – Amy set off again, first to Calcutta and then to other places as she continued her solo flight. On May 24, 1930, Amy landed in Darwin, Australia and was received by a huge crowd as she had become a worldwide celebrity by then. In her own eyes, however, she had failed to break Hinkler's mark as she had required 19.5 days for the journey – four days more than what it took Hinkler. Mechanical difficulties and weather conditions had played a part in that. King George V and Queen Mary congratulated her, as did British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. They sang songs about her, fan mails poured in, and she was treated like a superstar. A million people lined up the parade route in London when she was driven through the streets in an open-topped car following her return to England in August 1930. There were 3,00,000 people to welcome her at Hull, her home city. Amy's life was never the same again as she was constantly under public scrutiny.
