There are few places on Earth as isolated as Trindade island, a volcanic outcrop a three- to four-day boat trip off the coast of Brazil. So geologist Fernanda Avelar Santos was startled to find an unsettling sign of human impact on the otherwise untouched landscape: rocks formed from the glut of plastic pollution floating in the ocean. Santos first found the plastic rocks in 2019, when she traveled to the island to research her doctoral thesis on a completely different topic -- landslides, erosion and other "geological risks." She was working near a protected nature reserve known as Turtle Beach, the world's largest breeding ground for the endangered green turtle, when she came across a large outcrop of the peculiar-looking blue-green rocks. Intrigued, she took some back to her lab after her two-month expedition. Analyzing them, she and her team identified the specimens as a new kind of geological formation, merging the materials and processes the Earth has used to form … [Read more...] about Scientists make ‘disturbing’ find on remote island: plastic rocks
Q4 86 research report pdf
Defense Minister works with Army Academy
Reports delivered at the working session revealed that in realizing General Phan Van Giang’s conclusion at the inspection session in April 2022, the school’s Board of Directors has paid special attention to raising the quality of learning and teaching and scientific research. Speaking at the event, General Phan Van Giang praised the academy’s efforts and achievements over the past time, especially its determination in actualizing the Defense Minister’s direction during the inspection a year ago. Regarding missions in the coming time, the defense minister asked the Army Academy’s Party committee and Board of Directors to continue to embrace higher levels’ directives, resolutions, and orders and concretize them in accordance with its actual situation; address shortcomings; effectively carry out and make strong changes in education and training following the “Training quality is combat readiness capability” motto; review and adjust educational and training contents and programs … [Read more...] about Defense Minister works with Army Academy
Traces of missing Thai radioactive matter located in foundry
Thai officials searching for a radioactive cylinder missing from a power station said Monday that they had found traces of the dangerous material in a nearby steel foundry. The 25-kilo (55-pound) steel tube containing highly radioactive caesium-137 was reported missing from the coal-fired power plant in Prachinburi province, east of Bangkok, earlier this month. Officials said traces of caesium had been found at a foundry around 10 kilometres (six miles) away, though they were not sure whether the cylinder was intact. "We are not sure if the cylinder has already melted, but we found caesium at this steel melting plant," said Prachinburi governor Ronnarong Nakornjinda. He said that if it had been melted, the radioactive material would have been contained within a "closed" area, and that there was no sign of contamination nearby. A search was launched after staff at the power station reported the loss of the steel tube, roughly 30 centimetres (12 inches) long and 13 centimetres … [Read more...] about Traces of missing Thai radioactive matter located in foundry
Going digital and green in partnership with Ericsson
How can 5G and digital transformation impact the performance of industries such as manufacturing, logistics, agriculture and e-commerce over the coming years? Denis Brunetti, president of Ericsson in Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos As a critical digital national infrastructure, 5G has the potential to significantly transform society, industries, and the economy, as well as benefiting the environment. In the past, developing economies depended on traditional inputs to fuel growth, such as low-cost labour and natural resources. Moving forward, the new economy will increasingly depend on more sustainable inputs, such as science, technology and innovation, whereby data will become the new oil that creates as much as drives a more inclusive and sustainable socioeconomic development, securing broader range prosperity for all. Through 5G, the introduction of Industry 4.0 will be accelerated across thousands of factory floors in Vietnam, enabling robots, digital twin … [Read more...] about Going digital and green in partnership with Ericsson