Latest news with #scienceeducation
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Bill Nye the Science Guy sparks fan frenzy as throwback photos resurface
He taught a generation about chemical reactions, gravity, and the power of asking 'why?' But now, the internet is reacting to something else entirely: Bill Nye's surprisingly swoon-worthy younger years. A viral TikTok has sent social media into a frenzy after one user posted a 'thirst edit' of the beloved science educator, showcasing clips and photos of a younger Nye in his signature bow tie, glasses, and lab coat - with just enough smolder to ignite a new wave of fans. The video has racked up millions of views and likes, as users rush to the comments to express their shock and appreciation for the former PBS star's retro good looks. For those who grew up reciting the 'Bill! Bill! Bill!' chant, it may come as a surprise that the star of Bill Nye the Science Guy, which originally aired in 1993, has become an unlikely internet heartthrob. But this isn't Nye's first time in the spotlight - and certainly not his last. While TikTok is rediscovering his 90s charm, the real Bill Nye has stayed busy with far more than viral fame. In recent years, Nye has continued to champion science education, frequently visiting schools across the U.S. and speaking with students about everything from climate change to critical thinking. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom - the highest civilian honor in the U.S. - and remains a prominent advocate for environmental policy, regularly appearing on television and at public events to speak out against climate denial. These days, Nye is also the CEO of The Planetary Society, a nonprofit focused on space exploration. So yes, he's still saving the planet - just with fewer slow-motion science experiments and more policy briefs. Still, the internet couldn't help but pause their regularly scheduled scrolling to appreciate science's original heartthrob. 'Bill Nye the fine guy,' one TikTok user joked under the edit. 'WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH HIS GAME,' another commented. Though many users couldn't get over the absurdity of someone making a thirst edit of pictures of Bill Nye. One person commented: 'Never in my 28 years did I expect to see Bill Nye like this.' 'A Bill Nye edit was NOT on my bingo card for 2025,' another user said. 'Guys we can't be serious,' one user commented followed by laughing emojis. 'We used to watch this guy in elementary school.' Sadly for fans, Bill is currently married to Liza Mundy - a journalist and writer. The pair wed as part of a quiet ceremony in May 2022.
Associated Press
28-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Enhances Its Corporate Responsibility Pillar Focused on Driving Educational Opportunities With Opening of New Learning Lab at Fred Hutch Dedicated to Inspiring and Training Future Scientists
PASADENA, Calif., May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), the first, preeminent, longest-tenured and pioneering owner, operator and developer of collaborative Megacampus™ ecosystems in AAA life science innovation cluster locations, today celebrates the opening of the Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Learning Lab at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, an innovative laboratory environment to inspire and train the next generation of scientists and advance Fred Hutch's rich legacy of research and development in cancer and other diseases. The new state-of-the-art learning laboratory — designed and built out by Alexandria in close collaboration with Fred Hutch's Science Education and Facilities teams — will engage high school and college students, as well as school and community groups, in scientific education and training programs run by Fred Hutch. 'We are deeply grateful for Alexandria's generosity and commitment to Fred Hutch and its vital role in constructing the new Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Learning Lab,' said Thomas J. Lynch Jr., MD, president and director of Fred Hutch and holder of the Raisbeck Endowed Chair. 'Alexandria's support of this space will have a profound impact on our ability to advance science education and reflects our shared belief that the best way to inspire future scientists is to provide incredible mentorship and training programs in a vibrant space that brings learning to life.' The new Learning Lab provides Fred Hutch with a permanent, purpose-built space to host its scientific training programs, including those that involve hands-on experiments built around real-world scenarios in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Students will gain basic laboratory skills, such as pipetting and gel electrophoresis, while also learning about science education and careers. Over 225 high school and undergraduate students take part in scientific training programs at Fred Hutch's South Lake Union campus every year. To enrich the learning experience of future participants in Fred Hutch's science education and community partnership programs, the laboratory features modular benching, retractable screens, integrated audiovisual systems, an open central space to gather for discussions and an interior picture window that will showcase the students at work. This new environment, which is uniquely embedded within a Fred Hutch research facility, will expand the reach of the non-profit's education programs and transform its engagement with Seattle's students and community groups. 'Since 1996, Alexandria has been at the forefront of cultivating a world-class life science innovation cluster in Seattle through our acquisition and leaseback of the original Fred Hutch campus — which marked the beginning of our relationship with Fred Hutch — and our first-ever strategic venture investment in Corixa Corporation (which was acquired by GlaxoSmithKline in 2005),' said Joel S. Marcus, executive chairman and founder of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. and Alexandria Venture Investments. 'By bringing together leading-edge innovation across a diverse mix of life science and technology companies, top academic and medical institutions, skilled talent and investment capital, Alexandria — with the help of collaborative organizations like Fred Hutch — has led Seattle's growth into the thriving life science ecosystem it is today. The new Alexandria Learning Lab at Fred Hutch will further bolster our ecosystem-building efforts by training and mentoring future scientific innovators in this globally recognized region.' 'Fred Hutch is an important innovation engine and steward in the Seattle life science cluster, and we are honored to further strengthen our trusted relationship through our collaboration on the Alexandria Learning Lab,' said Hart Cole, executive vice president of capital markets and strategic operations and co-regional market director for Seattle at Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. 'Our leadership in the Learning Lab at Fred Hutch demonstrates our deep commitment to supporting STEM education, cultivating the next generation of innovators and shaping the future of life science in Seattle and of human health around the world.' The Alexandria Learning Lab at Fred Hutch is an important new initiative within the company's corporate responsibility pillar of building principled leaders through education. It highlights Alexandria's highly impactful action-oriented efforts to drive educational opportunities for students and provide needed resources to develop their talents and achieve academic and career success. About Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), an S&P 500® company, is a best-in-class, mission-driven life science REIT making a positive and lasting impact on the world. With our founding in 1994, Alexandria pioneered the life science real estate niche. Alexandria is the preeminent and longest-tenured owner, operator and developer of collaborative Megacampus™ ecosystems in AAA life science innovation cluster locations, including Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland, Research Triangle and New York City. As of March 31, 2025, Alexandria has a total market capitalization of $28.8 billion and an asset base in North America that includes 39.6 million RSF of operating properties and 4.0 million RSF of Class A/A+ properties undergoing construction. Alexandria has a longstanding and proven track record of developing Class A/A+ properties clustered in highly dynamic and collaborative Megacampus environments that enhance our tenants' ability to successfully recruit and retain world-class talent and inspire productivity, efficiency, creativity and success. Alexandria also provides strategic capital to transformative life science companies through our venture capital platform. We believe our unique business model and diligent underwriting ensure a high-quality and diverse tenant base that results in higher occupancy levels, longer lease terms, higher rental income, higher returns and greater long-term asset value. For more information on Alexandria, please visit Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the potential impact of the Alexandria Learning Lab and Alexandria's partnership with the Fred Hutch Cancer Center; future opportunities for participants in Fred Hutch's community programs and student collaborations; and the likelihood of continued commitment to and sponsorship of programs relating to scientific training programs and initiatives. These forward-looking statements are based on Alexandria's present intent, beliefs or expectations, but forward-looking statements are not guaranteed to occur and may not occur. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in or implied by Alexandria's forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties detailed in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and Alexandria assumes no obligation to update this information. For more discussion relating to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in Alexandria's forward-looking statements, and risks and uncertainties to Alexandria's business in general, please refer to Alexandria's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequently filed quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. CONTACT: Sara Kabakoff, Senior Vice President – Chief Content Officer, (626) 788-5578, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
Irish Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Letters to the Editor May 28th: On Leaving Cert delays; offshore energy and Jayne Mansfield
Sir, –In Carl O'Brien's article in Monday's edition ( Leaving Cert reforms to be delayed in two key subjects) , he reports on the decision to delay the introduction of new subject specifications for Senior Cycle English and Accounting, after 'education authorities acknowledged that more time is needed to prepare for the changes', specifically in the planning for the Additional Assessment Components (AACs) in those subjects. I think this is prudent from the Department of Education and the Minister, as it is imperative that every effort is made to build solid foundations for a successful reform of the Leaving Certificate. However, it is disappointing that the same good judgment isn't being applied as schools prepare for the introduction of complex AACs in Leaving Cert Biology, Chemistry and Physics, being introduced into our schools this September. There are arguably far greater logistical and equity issues with their introduction; namely, a lack of school laboratories in schools (including many disadvantaged schools), a lack of specialist scientific equipment in those labs, no updated laboratory safety guidance or (long promised) guidelines on artificial intelligence. READ MORE While the Department of Education have announced additional funding for science in schools, the chemical supply companies are struggling to meet demand for updated equipment and there is no mechanism for schools to upgrade or expand their existing laboratory provision until the summer of 2026. Despite these issues, which have been brought to the Minister's attention by the teaching unions, the Irish Science Teachers' Association (82 per cent of their members say their schools are not equipped to facilitate these assessments), leading educationalists like Áine Hyland, your own columnists (including Breda O'Brien) and even within the NCCA's Subject Development Groups, they have been consistently ignored. The ISTA's sensible proposal to delay the AACs in those subjects – to provide the necessary time to address these challenges – have fallen on deaf ears; the ISTA proposal would still see the new subject curriculums in schools in September. While it's assuring to see common sense prevail with the decision to delay the introduction of English and Accounting, one hopes there is more common sense to go around and a judicious delay on the AACs in the senior sciences is also considered strongly. – Yours, etc, HUMPHREY JONES, Chairperson, Irish Science Teachers' Association Dublin 16 Mother's nature Like Bríd Miller (Letters May 26th), I very much enjoy Brianna Parkins's columns. I too had a mother who had views on clothes. On seeing an outfit which she did not like she would say 'Is that the fashion?'. Quite daunting! – Yours, etc. ANNE DOHERTY, Dublin 7 Planning and wind energy Sir, – Kevin O'Sullivan's article ( 'Wind Energy Ireland warns immediate Government action needed 'to protect' offshore wind 'opportunity'' May 27th ) points to increasing pressure on the Government to accelerate offshore wind development. While the need for progress is clear, proposals to streamline the planning process raise valid concerns. An Bord Pleanála plays a key role in ensuring that large-scale projects are properly assessed, and that scrutiny must be maintained to ensure fair and accountable decision making. In response to recent planning applications, the Board issued extensive requests for further information on east-coast projects including marine mammal disturbance, migratory bird routes, underwater noise, sediment transport, and the impact on tourism assets. Similar information requests probe cumulative environmental effects, commercial-fisheries safeguards, subsea-cable routing and onshore traffic management. The developments in question are often proposed in ecologically sensitive nearshore areas which require careful and informed assessment. Even a well-resourced planning authority will typically need multiple rounds of detailed information to fully understand the potential effects on marine ecosystems before any decision can be made. This is a necessary part of a responsible and transparent planning process. It is surprising for industry spokespeople to suggest that such concerns should have been entirely resolved at 'pre-planning' stage. Modern offshore projects span hundreds of square kilometres and involve turbines over 300 metres tall. Fast-tracking or bypassing such an important democratic safeguard risks undermining the planning system that protects biodiversity and heritage and ensures compliance with European environmental law. Since the Arklow Bank turbines were built almost 25 years ago, our offshore ambitions have repeatedly stalled. The shared failure of government and industry to deliver substantial new capacity should prompt sober reflection, not finger-pointing. The wind lobby would do well to acknowledge the reasons behind the volume of further information requests and public objections to these offshore projects, rather than viewing them as obstacles. The Government must resist pressure to override proper planning procedures in pursuit of short-term targets. Only through a transparent, evidence-based process that respects ecosystems, communities and established planning norms can Ireland meet its 2030 renewables and climate commitments. – Yours, etc MICHAEL O'MEARA, Fenor, Co Waterford. The cycle continues Sir, – I am not anti cyclists per se, but I have a big problem with a large majority of them who think a red traffic light entitles them to continue cycling. I very seldom see a cyclist stop at a red light/pedestrian crossing. I have pedestrian lights outside my gate and have never seen a cyclist stop on red. Also, why is there no law enforcing people to wear a helmet and a reflective band of some sort? I simply do not understand anybody getting on a bike without a helmet. – Yours, etc, LAURA O'MARA, Stillorgan, Co Dublin. Sir, – As a cyclist in Dublin for several decades, I can identify with Joe Humphrey's article. I too have impure thoughts as I glide by immobile cars, stuck yet again, in a traffic jam. I am also convinced that it is the supreme way to travel, especially in a city. Of all the drivers in Dublin city, my greatest respect and admiration goes to bus drivers. When, by necessity, I am in a bus lane and know there is a bus behind me that is unable to pass me, the driver has never honked at me to get out of the way. Obviously, not choosing to be right in front of a bus, I do get out of the way when I can. Even with such a large vehicle, bus drivers are never threatening to me as a cyclist, and observe the rules of the road in signalling and pulling out. Would that all road users would follow their good example and show likewise tolerance for each other. In conclusion, I often think of the line from 'Oklahoma' 'The cowboy and the farmer can be friends.' – Yours , etc, KATHLEEN FORDE, Whitehall, Dublin 9. Some bus service Sir, – I flagged down a bus from Malaga to the famous caves of Tesoro. My bus card was the wrong type. A young couple offered to let me use theirs for free. An elderly lady did also. Even the bus driver said it was ok to come on board. Not one spoke a word of English. I wonder what the Spanish phrase for 'blown away' is? –Yours, etc DAVID CURRAN, Knocknacarra, Co Galway. High definition Sir, – Your article (Irish revolutionary Madeleine ffrench-Mullen to be honoured with plaque at childhood home, May 24th ) states that the aforementioned and her partner Kathleen Lynn were 'radical Irish nationalists despite coming from middle-class Protestant backgrounds.' Really – Wolfe Tone, Robert Emmet, Bulmer Hobson, Thomas Davis, Maud Gonne, Constance Gore-Booth? Maybe not as strict a delineation as the word 'despite' would suggest. –Yours, etc DAVID CLARKE, Edinburgh, Scotland. Jayne Mansfield comes to town On reading Tara Brady's report from the Cannes Film Festival (May19th) , and her coverage of Mariska Hargitay's documentary on Jayne Mansfield, 'My mom Jayne', I was taken straight back to Sunday, 23rd April, 1967 when my eleven-year-old self attended morning Mass in Saint John's Church, Tralee. The celebrant read out a letter from the Roman Catholic Bishop of Kerry, Denis Moynihan, giving a whack of the episcopal crozier to Ms Mansfield's planned appearance at the Mount Brandon Hotel's ballroom that very evening. Naturally, His Lordship did not deign to mention the American star by name, we were told that 'a woman is being brought here tonight', rather as if Jayne Mansfield was making her way from Shannon Airport to Kerry under duress. The solemnly read letter made it clear to the bishop's flock that attending the performance to be given by 'the Goddess of Lust' would adversely affect his diocese's moral fibre. Bishop Moynihan's subordinate, Tralee's parish priest, the Dean of Kerry, Monsignor John Lane, went further, thundering about 'this attempt to besmirch the name of our town for the sake of filthy gain'. Perhaps the real concern of both these pillars of moral rectitude was that the punters were expected to turf out 10 shillings, a considerable sum in the Ireland of the mid-1960s, to admire the talents of the American 'sex siren' who was to receive £1,000 for singing six songs over a mere 35 minutes on stage. However, such was the clout of clerical strictures back then that he Bishop and the Dean got their way, even if hundreds of people turned up at the hotel to witness the arrival of the 'working man's Marilyn Monroe'. A hastily convened press conference informed the nation that the backup band's van had sadly broken down on the road from Dublin. Jayne Mansfield's performance was consequently cancelled and the punters could keep their ten shillings while consoling themselves, at the usual Sunday night ticket price, with local band D.J. (Curtin) and the Kerry Blues who had been lined up to back the American star in the first place. The much-talented Mansfield was tragically killed in a car accident in Mississipi two months later, leaving five children motherless. Almost six decades later we can look back with a mixture of amusement, annoyance, nostalgia and outrage to a time when such an innocuous event as an artiste's ballroom appearance could cause considerable controversy and push all our problems firmly on to the back burner while we in Kerry talked about little else. – Yours, etc, STEPHEN O'SULLIVAN, Paris, France. Housing solution Sir, –The solution to Ireland's housing and infrastructure problem is simple: Declare an emergency, cut through the planning bureaucracy and bring in several thousand skilled workers at all levels for a period of up to five years. The latter could be housed in spare cruise liners berthed around our ports so as not to add to the housing problem. An expensive solution? Yes, but the payback over the subsequent decades would justify this approach. – Yours, etc, JOE DUNNE, Co Cork. Trump's Harvard campaign Sir, – You report that Donald Trump has intensified his campaign against Harvard university, describing its international students as including 'radicalised lunatics' and threatening to take away billions in grants ('Trump threatens to give €3 billion in Harvard grants to trade schools', World, May 27th) . This is part of a wider attack by his administration, of course, on free speech within US academia and, regrettably, there has been some degree of compliance. Fintan O'Toole, among others, has highlighted, for example, the apparent capitulation of New York's prestigious Columbia University to the unethical pressure it has been put under by an increasingly authoritarian Trump administration ('If US universities won't stand up to Trump, no one will', Opinion, May 20th). In all of this, there are profoundly consequential issues at stake regarding intellectual freedom, academic independence and, more generally, around the right to protest and publicly dissent. It is clear that these principles are under threat and not just in the United States. This attack on intellectual freedom has been framed by the Trump administration as a counteraction to the vile belief system of anti-Semitism, but this is self-evidently a Trojan horse and the primary impetus is ideological and aimed at undermining presumed strongholds of 'liberal' or 'woke' values. Nonetheless, it is particularly disturbing that this aggressive suppression of academic independence and free speech is being done in defence of Israel's actions in Gaza. We live in dark times. – Yours, etc, FINTAN LANE, Lucan, Co Dublin.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Jayant Narlikar: Remembering the Indian scientist who challenged the Big Bang theory
In his 1983 science fiction story, an Indian astrophysicist predicted what schools would look like in 2050. Jayant Narlikar envisioned a scene where an alien, living among humans, would sit in front of a screen and attend online classes. The aliens are yet to manifest, but online classes became a reality for students far sooner, in 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic also famously proposed an alternative to the Big Bang Theory - the popular idea that the universe was created in a single moment from a single point. He believed that the universe had always existed, expanding continuously into his passing on Tuesday, India lost one of its most celebrated astrophysicists. Narlikar was 86 - a man far ahead of his times and someone who shaped a generation of Indian researchers through his lifelong dedication to science funeral was attended by hundreds, from school children to renowned scientists and even his housekeeping staff, underscoring the profound impact he had on society. Born on 19 July, 1938, in the town of Kolhapur in the western state of Maharashtra, Narlikar was raised in a home steeped in academic tradition. His father, Vishnu Narlikar, was a professor and mathematician, and mother Sumati was a scholar of the Sanskrit in his parents footsteps, the studious Narlikar went to Cambridge University for higher studies where topped a highly prestigious mathematical course. He also took a deep interest in astrophysics and his most significant episode at Cambridge was his association with his PhD guide, physicist Sir Fred Hoyle. Together, Narlikar and Hoyle laid the groundwork for a revolutionary alternative to the popular Big Bang two physicists contested the Big Bang Theory, which posits that all matter and energy in the universe came into existence in one single instance about 13.8 billion years Hoyle-Narlikar theory boldly proposed the continuous creation of new matter in an infinite universe. Their theory was based on what they called a quasi-steady state his autobiography, My Tale of Four Cities, Narlikar used a banking analogy to explain the theory. "To understand this concept better, think of capital invested in a bank which offers a fixed rate of compound interest. That is, the interest accrued is constantly added to the capital which therefore grows too, along with the interest." He explained that the universe expanded like the capital with compound interest. However, as the name 'steady state' implies, the universe always looks the same to the Somak Raychaudhury says that though Narlikar's theory isn't as popular as the Big Bang, it is still useful."He advanced mechanisms by which matter could be continually created and destroyed in an infinite universe," Raychaudhary said. "While the Big Bang model gained broader acceptance, many tools developed for the steady-state model remain useful today," he addedRaychaudhary recollects that even after Hoyle began to entertain elements of the Big Bang theory, Narlikar remained committed to the steady-state theory. A sign outside his office fittingly stated: "The Big Bang is an exploding myth." Narlikar stayed in the UK till 1971 as a Fellow at King's College and a founding member of the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy. As he shot to global fame in the astrophysics circles, the science community in India took note of his 1972, he returned to India and immediately took charge of the Theoretical Astrophysics Group at the coveted Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, which he led it till his biggest contribution to India was the creation of an institution dedicated to cutting-edge research and the democratisation of dream materialised in 1988, when Narlikar, along with other distinguished scientists, founded the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune city in western a modest 100sq ft room, IUCAA has gone on to become an internationally respected institution for astronomy and astrophysics. Narlikar served as its founder-director till 2003, and continued to be an emeritus professor after insisted that IUCAA should include programs aimed at school children and the general public. Monthly lectures, science camps, and workshops became regular Narlikar's vision for the institution, science educator Arvind Gupta says, "He said PhD scholars don't fall from the sky, you must catch them young. He offered me a place to stay, told me to try running the children's science centre for six months, and I ended up staying 11 years. He gave me wings to fly."Despite being a prolific scholar who published over 300 research papers, Narlikar never confined himself to being just a scientist. He also authored many science fiction books that have been translated into multiple stories were often grounded in scientific a story called Virus, published in 2015, he envisioned a pandemic taking over the world; his 1986 book Waman Parat Na Ala (The Return of Vaman), tackled the ethical dilemmas of artificial Dhurandhar, who was part of the Indian team that contributed to the physical detection of gravitational waves in 2015, recalled how Narlikar inspired him to attempt the unthinkable."He gave me a complex problem early in my research. After I struggled for a week, he solved it on the board in 15 minutes - not to show superiority, but to guide and inspire. His openness to gravitational waves was what gave me the courage to pursue it."A well-known rationalist, Narlikar also took it upon himself to challenge pseudoscience. In 2008, he co-authored a paper that challenged astrology using a statistical said that his motivation to challenge pseudoscience came from the belief system of questioning everything that did not have a scientific basis. But when it came to science, Narlikar believed in exploring the slimmest of his last days, Narlikar continued doing what he loved most - replying to children's letters and writing about science on his blog.
