The Tragic Crash of Flight AF447 Shows the Unlikely but Catastrophic Consequences of Automation

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The Tragic Crash of Flight AF447 Shows the Unlikely but Catastrophic Consequences of Automation   The tragic crash of Air France 447 (AF447) in 2009 precipitated the aviation industry’s growing concern about “loss of control” incidents, and whether they’re linked to greater automation in the cockpit. As technology has become more sophisticated, it has taken over more and more functions previously performed by pilots, bringing huge improvements in aviation safety. But while overall air safety is improving, loss of control incidents are not. In fact, they are the most prevalent cause of fatalities in commercial aviation today, accounting for 43% of fatalities in 37 separate incidents. Continued here

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View from The Hill: Albanese should not try to make the Voice the only game in town in Indigenous affairs   There are two huge issues in Indigenous affairs at the moment: the Voice and the problems in Northern Territory Indigenous communities, especially but not only in Alice Springs. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s attention is laser-like on the Voice, and trying to get up a yes vote. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, for a mix of motives, is focusing on the NT situation, as he campaigns against the Voice. Continued here

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A Workforce Ecosystem Orchestration Framework   In fall 2022, MIT Sloan Management Review and Deloitte continued their annual Future of the Workforce global research project for the third consecutive year. The research team interviewed executives from over 40 organizations and surveyed more than 3,700 managers and leaders from around the world on how their organizations approach managing their workforces. On April 11, 2023, members of the Future of the Workforce team published a book, titled Workforce Ecosystems, based on their three years of research.The workforce ecosystem orchestration framework is central to this research. The workforce ecosystem, which comprises actors from within the organization (such as employees and contractors) as well as beyond (such as developers, suppliers, and even technology solutions), must be managed strategically for maximum benefit. The infographic below shows how leaders can consider various functional groups and actions as they aim to manage all contributors in a more holistic fashion. Elizabeth J. Altman (@lizaltman) is an associate professor of management at the Manning School of Business at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and the guest editor for the MIT Sloan Management Review Future of the Workforce Big Ideas research initiative. Continued here

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Ukraine war: why WWI comparisons can lead to underestimates of Russia's strengths   The current conflict in Ukraine frequently elicits parallels with the first world war. It’s a comparison being made by politicians, journalists, analysts and military personnel. Coverage over the past winter months, for example, has focused on how Ukrainians are fighting in WWI-like muddy trenches in Bakhmut, while Russia suffers almost WWI levels of casualties. Continued here

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The presidential campaign of Convict 9653   On April 4, 2023, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the indictment of former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump on 34 felony charges related to alleged crimes involving bookkeeping on a 7-year-old hush money payment to an adult film actress.Trump is unlikely to wind up in an orange jumpsuit, at least not on this indictment, and probably not before November 2024, in any case. Yet if he does, he would not be the first candidate to run for the White House from the Big House. Continued here

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Voice support increases in Essential and Resolve polls   Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne In the latest Essential poll, support for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to parliament increased slightly to 60-40, from 59-41 in March. But hard “no” support was up two to 26%, soft “no” was down three to 14%, while 27% remained soft “yes” supporters. Continued here

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The latest trends in video games from the 2023 global Game Developers Conference   San Francisco’s Game Developers Conference (GDC) – the global gathering of the greatest creative minds in the games industry – opened its doors for the second time since the pandemic in March 2023.Each year a number of key trends stand out. For 2023 it was applications of artificial intelligence (AI) for game development, with the future shape of the gaming experience – with and without virtual reality (VR) – high on the agenda. Continued here

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How to be sushi smart: tips on avoiding anisakis disease   Miembro de la Sociedad Española de Microbiología. Catedrático de Microbiología, Universidad de Salamanca From sushi and sashimi (Japan) to poke bowls (Hawaii) and ceviche (Peru), consumption of raw or undercooked fish and other seafood is becoming increasingly popular. Appealing as such dishes can be, they can also increase the risk of exposure to fish-borne parasites. Continued here

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Ofsted inspections cause teachers stress and aren't backed up by strong evidence - things could be done differently   Head of School of Policy and Practice, Co-Director: EQI The Centre for Evaluation Quality and Inspection, DCU Institute of Education, Ireland, Dublin City University The school inspectorate in England, Ofsted, has faced criticism recently following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry. According to her family, Perry’s death was a “direct result” of the pressure resulting from the Ofsted inspection process which resulted in her school being judged as “inadequate”. Continued here

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Climate change: multi-country media analysis shows scepticism of the basic science is dying out   Any regular viewer of BBC’s Question Time could be forgiven for thinking that old-fashioned climate science denialism is alive and kicking. In a recent edition, panellist Julia Hartley-Brewer called the IPCC’s climate models “complete nonsense”, and dismissed the 2022 record UK heatwave and the floods in Pakistan by saying: “It’s called weather.”For example, computer-assisted methods applied to thousands of contrarian blogs or websites have found that since the year 2000, “evidence scepticism” which argues that climate change is not happening, or is not caused by humans or the effects won’t be too bad, has been on the decline, while “response” or “solutions scepticism” has been on the rise. Continued here

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South Africa's power outages could reach critical levels this winter - likely scenarios   University of Johannesburg provides support as an endorsing partner of The Conversation AFRICA.Over the past 15 years South Africa has been experiencing a gradually worsening number of electricity cuts. This state of affairs has prompted frustration among citizens, negative international economic sentiment and financial hardship for many businesses. Continued here

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A heritage hotel run by princesses   As the bougainvillea-adorned gates opened and the smartly dressed footman greeted me, I was excited to see the palace for the first time. So too was my taxi driver, who had pulled over on three occasions en route to joyfully tell passing strangers where we were driving. The elegant white mansion that came into view at the end of the driveway seemed familiar, not just because I follow the property on social media, but also because the exterior was originally designed to replicate Buckingham Palace.The Belgadia Palace is a refurbished 18th-Century royal palace in the East Indian state of Odisha. While it has housed and entertained guests of the royal family of Mayurbhanj for five generations, it has recently been transformed by its princess owners into an award-winning boutique hotel. Not only are the sisters determined to restore the 11-bedroom, 2,100-sq-m palace to its former glory, they are doing it in a way that preserves the culture and history of Odisha. Continued here

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Star Wars Is About to Introduce Its Scariest Villain Since Palpatine   It’s been two years (and 10 chapters) since The Mandalorian first mentioned Thrawn in Chapter 13, “The Jedi.” Now, it looks like the fearsome Imperial leader may finally be getting ready to join the Mando-verse once and for all.Episode 7 of The Mandalorian Season 3 features multiple references to Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen), the fan-favorite Star Wars Rebels villain who is expected to appear in Ahsoka later this year. However, while the repeated mentions of Thrawn’s name were likely welcomed with open arms by Star Wars fans everywhere, one Mandalorian character didn’t seem all that interested in the notion of Thrawn making his long-awaited return. The character in question? None other than Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito). Continued here

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Birth control study suggests oestrogen dosage could be drastically cut - here's what you should know   Reader in Contraception, Reproductive and Sexual Health, Anglia Ruskin University The amount of oestrogen the birth control pill currently contains is already substantially lower than it was when the pill was first licensed more than 60 years ago. But a new paper has suggested that the doses of both oestrogen and progestogen in the pill could be significantly reduced and still work to prevent pregnancy. Continued here

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Approach with caution: why NZ should be wary of buying into the AUKUS security pact   As the strategic rivalry between the United States and China intensifies, the invitation to discuss participation in the AUKUS security agreement presents New Zealand with a potentially momentous decision: how best to secure its own strategic interests and values in the Indo-Pacific region.AUKUS is the 2021 agreement between Australia, the UK and the US for the “exchange of naval nuclear propulsion information”. It has been presented as the foundation for an enhanced security partnership linked to a “free and open Indo-Pacific” and a rules-based international order. Continued here

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5 policies that could make future bank failures less likely or severe   Brian Gendreau previously served as a staff economist at the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.The abrupt failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank and subsequent concerns about the stability of other banks have reignited a fierce debate among lawmakers, the financial industry, the Biden administration and former government officials about an array of banking reforms and regulatory changes. Continued here

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Europe outsourcing asylum to African countries is a terrible idea - there are alternatives   For 40 years, western governments have entertained ideas of outsourcing asylum processing and refugee hosting to the global south. It is not a new idea. And neither are the controversies that have accompanied it. Denmark and the UK have been in the news over this issue recently. In January 2023, however, after fierce domestic criticism, the new Danish government announced it had paused its negotiations with Rwanda to bilaterally “transfer” all asylum seekers out of Denmark. Instead it suggested building an EU alliance to do the same. This step appeared at odds with the criticism of the Danish plans from both the European Commission and the European Parliament. Continued here

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Donald Trump and the dying art of the courtroom sketch   For the first time in its history, The New Yorker featured a courtroom sketch on its cover. The image, which appears on its April 17, 2023, issue, gives viewers a glimpse of a historic court proceeding that could not be captured by cameras: the arraignment hearing of Donald Trump two weeks earlier. Continued here

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50 Years Ago, a Sci-Fi Classic With an Unforgettable Twist Changed the Genre Forever   For better or worse, a lot of classic science fiction relies on a massive twist to really land its premise. The reason why short stories helped spawn the genre is partly that they’re the perfect length for a heady set-up followed by a shocking end. The same goes for early successful sci-fi shows like The Twilight Zone to The Outer Limits, where a reality-bending twist near the end of each episode defined the entire narrative. But in the early 1970s, one classic sci-fi film refined this tradition of twists like no other: Soylent Green.Before Star Wars changed everything in 1977, most serious science fiction movies were dark. And 50 years ago, on April 19, 1973, one of the darkest sci-fi movies of all time was released. Half a century later, we’re still quoting Soylent Green and its big twist, but the movie’s cultural influence goes even deeper. Continued here

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We found out when the Nullarbor Plain dried out, splitting Australia's ecosystems in half   Australia’s western and eastern ecosystems are biodiversity hotspots, separated by a dry desert interior. Yet millions of years ago, many species roamed more freely between connected habitats across the continent.We have developed a new way to reconstruct the timing of great drying episodes on the continents of our planet. This work helps to gain knowledge about drylands that are particularly impacted by current climatic stresses. Continued here

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Animal consciousness: why it's time to rethink our human-centred approach   While we may enjoy the company of companion animals or a fleeting encounter with wildlife, many people believe humans have a superior consciousness of the world we live in. In their article, the authors say we should stop approaching animal consciousness as a “do they/don’t they?” question. Rather, they suggest we should measure nonhuman consciousness on a spectrum alongside human consciousness. Continued here

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Feeding Africa: how small-scale irrigation can help farmers to change the game   Unlike large-acreage government irrigation schemes, small-scale irrigation is typically farmer led. Farmers decide what technologies to use to extract water, be it manual lifting or solar water pumps. They also choose the mode of irrigation, whether by buckets or drip kits. Farmers purchase, run and maintain the operation themselves on their own farms or as part of small groups of farmers. Small-scale irrigation can help smallholder farmers to increase agricultural productivity and incomes. It can be scaled quickly and without large public investments. For these reasons, it can contribute more rapidly to the achievement of national agricultural and development goals, compared to large irrigation schemes. Continued here

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Renfield: Nicolas Cage's reimagining of Dracula pulls the vampire film into the 21st century   “Don’t make it a sexual thing!” Nicolas Cage’s Dracula tells Nicholas Hoult’s Renfield in this new interpretation of the classic vampire movie. “I eat boys … I eat girls.” In a line, the film deftly dismisses a century of post-Freudian interpretations of Bram Stoker’s vampire story – and with justification. Renfield is not about sex, but about power. Continued here

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Pablo Escobar's 'cocaine hippos' are a problem -- but a lot of thought is going into preventing their spread   Last week, Colombia recorded its first road traffic incident involving a hippopotamus. A car collided with the animal at speed leaving it dead on the road. The hippo was a descendent of the four animals that notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar imported from a zoo in the US to his luxurious Hacienda Nápoles estate in Colombia in the 1980s. The four hippos, which included three females and one male, were abandoned after Escobar’s death in 1993 due to the difficulty associated with moving them to a wildlife sanctuary. The hippos then escaped the untended estate and spread along the Magdalena River. Continued here

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Building telescopes on the Moon could transform astronomy - and it's becoming an achievable goal   Ian Crawford is a member of the UK Space Agency's Space Exploration Advisory Committee (SEAC) and has advised the European Space Agency on lunar exploration policy. He is chair of COSPAR sub-commission B3 (Moon), and a member of the Moon Village Association which aims to foster international cooperation in lunar exploration. He was a co-organiser of the recent Royal Society meeting "Astronomy from the Moon."Lunar exploration is undergoing a renaissance. Dozens of missions, organised by multiple space agencies – and increasingly by commercial companies – are set to visit the Moon by the end of this decade. Most of these will involve small robotic spacecraft, but NASA’s ambitious Artemis programme, aims to return humans to the lunar surface by the middle of the decade. Continued here

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'Mandalorian' Theory Reveals Moff Gideon's Shocking Origin Story   After three seasons of The Mandalorian, we still know frustratingly little about the series’ main antagonist. Moff Gideon’s (Giancarlo Esposito) grudge against Mandalorians like Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) — as well as his weird obsession with their culture — is one of his defining traits, but The Mandalorian hasn’t taken the time to explain why. It should come as no surprise that this lack of official info has encouraged a flurry of fan theories about both his intentions and origins — and one intriguing new theory might hold the key to unlocking them both.Though Gideon’s master plan has been under wraps until very recently, he’s had a consistent, vested interest in Mandalorian culture. He seems to know a lot more about Mandalorians than the average Imperial. There’s even some speculation that he’s working with the Super Commandos, a sect of Mandalorians that pledged their allegiance to the Empire. And of course, he also spent an unspecified amount of time wielding the Darksaber. But Gideon’s history with Mandalore might be even more complicated than previously expected. Continued here

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If 1% of COVID-19 cases result in death, does that mean you have a 1% chance of dying if you catch it? A mathematician explains the difference between a population statistic and your personal risk   As of April 2023, about 1% of people who contracted COVID-19 ended up dying. Does that mean you have a 1% chance of dying from COVID-19? That 1% is what epidemiologists call the case fatality rate, calculated by dividing the number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths by the number of confirmed cases. The case fatality rate is a statistic, or something that is calculated from a data set. Specifically, it is a type of statistic called a sample proportion, which measures the proportion of data that satisfies some criteria – in this case, the proportion of COVID-19 cases that ended with death. Continued here