Microsoft Is Bringing Affordable Broadband Internet to Rural America – Futurism

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In Brief Microsoft has launched its Rural Airband Initiative, which aims to bring internet access to remotel areas in 12 U.S. states. The TV White Spaces project will provide 2 million rural Americans with internet that is a fifth of the cost of fiber cable-based internet and half the cost of 4G networks. Going the Extra Mile

At the historic Willard Hotel where a little over 100 years ago Alexander Graham Bell demoed the coast-to-coast telephone call, Microsoft announced on Monday its latest effort to bring internet access to American rural areas. The project makes use ofunused television broadcast channels which are called white spaces.

Back in 2010, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules that opened up TV white spaces for broadband use. Microsoft itself has considerable experience with this spectrum, having deployed 20 TV white spaces projects in 17 countries that have served 185,000 users, Brad Smith, the companys president, wrote in a press release.

Now, through Microsofts Rural Airband Initiative, the tech giant aims to open up broadband access to 2 million people in rural areas in America by 2022. Microsoft has 12 partners working in 12 states including Arizona, Kansas, New York, and Virginia for its TV White Spaces projects, which will be up and running inthe next 12 months.

This project will provide rural Americans with internet that is a fifth of the cost of fiber cable-based internet and about half the cost of 4G networks.

After the United Nations declared internet access as a basic human right, a number of tech industry heavyweights have stepped up to the task of bringing internet connectivity to the worlds remote areas. There are several othersimilar initiatives to bring internet access to all of North America, including a couple in New York and Canada.

Social media giant Facebook has been working on its Aquila project for the past two years. The idea is to beam internet to far flung areas using Facebooks solar-powered Aquila drones, which recently completeda second successful test flight.

Elon Musks SpaceX is approaching the problem with a different strategy. The plan is to improve internet access around the world by launching 4,000 satellites in orbit. SpaceX completed its applications to the FCC for this global internet network back in November 2016. This plan seems to have inspired satellite internet startup OneWebbacked by Virgin Groups Richard Branson, Qualcomm, and Airbus which would launch 720 satellites to build a global wireless internet network.

It seems unthinkable that in such a day and age, where internet is available even through your smartphones and wearable gadgets, there are still 4 billion people wholack such access. Hopefully, efforts likeMicrosofts will soon bridge this information divide.

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An FDA Panel Just Approved A Treatment That Genetically Alters Your Own Cells – Futurism

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FDA Panel Recommends Approval

Today a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel unanimously recommended that the agency approve atreatment that genetically alters a patients own cells to fight leukemia. If the agency does make the approval, the first-ever such treatment will be the start of the living drug era of human medicine, in which we harness technology to boost our natural immune system and improve its ability to master formerly unbeatable diseases.

While this gene therapy treatment for leukemia, known as CTL019, will be the first to reach the market, there are more on the way. Treatments for an aggressive type of brain tumor, as well as myeloma and other varieties of leukemia, are also in development.

This technique is a true example of personalized medicine: a unique version of the treatment must be created for every patient from their own cells. After the cells are removed by medical personnel, they are frozen, shipped to Novartis (the therapys maker), processed, refrozen, and shipped back to the medical center.

Assuming this treatment is approved, it will be a first for the FDA. Though the approval wouldnt necessarily be surprising in light of theresults of the trials, which were stunning: patients facing death after all other treatments failed who receivedjust a single dose of the gene therapy experiencedlong remissions that could, intime, prove curative. The FDA panel therefore recommended approval for treatment of relapsed or treatment-resistant B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children and young adults ages 3 to 25.

One attendee of the panels meeting was thefirst patient from the trials, Emily Whitehead, age 12. She almost died as a result of leukemia, which was considered fatal until she was treated at age 6. Since that time she has been cancer free. We believe that when this treatment is approved it will save thousands of childrens lives around the world, Tom Whitehead, Emilys father, told the panel, according to The New York Times. I hope that someday all of you on the advisory committee can tell your families for generations that you were part of the process that ended the use of toxic treatments like chemotherapy and radiation as standard treatment, and turned blood cancers into a treatable disease that even after relapse most people survive.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania developed the treatment, which is now licensed to Novartis. The disease its meant to treat, however, is rare affecting only about 5,000 people annually. Around 60 percent of them are young adults and children. Standard treatments can cure most children, but approximately 15 percent of patients, like Emily, do not respond to treatment or experience relapses.

Novartis will limit the use of CTL019 initially because the treatment process is complex and managing side effects demands expert care. Therefore, only about 30 or 35 medical centers will have access to the treatment upon its release. Furthermore, staffat thosecenters will receive special training and approval to administer it, according to The New York Times. Although analysts predict that the cost of these unique treatments may exceed $300,000, a Novartis spokesman declined to specify a price whenNYTinquired.

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NASA: Understanding Fungi is Necessary to Keep Humans Safe While Exploring Space – Futurism

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In Brief NASA researchers have discovered that human presence inside a closed environment (such as a space station or off-world habitat) changes its mycobiome. This research will help develop health and safety protocols for Mars exploration and colonization. Cohabitating With Fungi

Research by NASA has proventhat the presence of humans inside the closed spacesneeded to explore other planets correlates with changes in the mycobiomes and fungal communities that grow inside the habitats. The research, published this week in the journalMicrobiome, is critical to space exploration and the colonization of new planets because it will help determine which health and maintenance measures are needed for human survival in closed habitats.Click to View Full Infographic

Senior Research Scientist Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Caltech, who is the studys corresponding author, told Phys.org: Characterizing and understanding possible changes to, and survival of, fungal species in environments like the ILMAH is of high importance since fungi are not only potentially hazardous to the inhabitants but could also deteriorate the habitats themselves.

The team discovered that the presence of certain varieties of fungi including pathogens that cause asthma, allergies, and skin infections increased when humans were also present inside the Inflatable Lunar/Mars Analog Habitat (ILMAH). The stress of long-term stays in closed habitats might produce decreased immune responses in humans, rendering them more vulnerable to opportunistic fungi. Knowing how fungal communities react when humans are present is critical for the maintenance of off-world habitats, which demand appropriate health and safety countermeasures.

The goal of the ILMAH study was to understand how humans change psychologically, physiologically, and behaviorally in confined environments. For 30 days, three student crews were housed inside the ILMAH; completely isolated from the outside world except for exchanging filtered air. The researchers collected and characterized samples of fungal species to determine which were present and how the mycobiome changed during the 30-day period. Crew members cleaned the habitat and collected surface samples weekly.

The researchers established that the mycobiomes diversity and the sizes of various fungal populations fluctuated during the experiment. For example, populations of Cladosporium cladosporioides acommon outdoor fungus that can cause asthmatic reactions, particularly in people with weakened immune systems increased. The next steps will include studying the mycobiomes of human participants to prove that these fluctuations are the result of human presence.

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Researchers Refute Study That Claims CRISPR Causes Unexpected Mutations – Futurism

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In BriefA study published earlier this year warned scientists ofpotential complications with CRISPR/Cas9, but after review byresearchers at another institution, the findings of that study arebeing brought into question. It remains to be seen whether theoriginal study will be corrected or retracted, but this developmenthighlights the importance of peer review in science. Wrongfully Accused?

A study published earlier this year warned scientists of potential complications in their work with CRISPR/Cas9, but after review by researchers at another institution, the findings of that study are being brought into question. The original paper was publishedby a team at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) in May of this year in the journal Nature Methods.

In the studys original press release, co-author Stephen Tsang said: We feel its critical that the scientific community consider the potential hazards of all off-target mutations caused by CRISPR, including single nucleotide mutations and mutations in non-coding regions of the genome. The researchers had sequenced the genomes of mice whose genes had previously been editing using CRISPR in an attempt to cure their blindness. The genomes revealed there were 1,500 single-nucleotide mutations and over 100 larger deletions,= and/or insertions in two of the mice which had been modified using the gene-editing technique.

In their study, the researchers attributed these genetic anomalies to the use of CRISPR but a team of researchers from Harvard University and MIT have reviewed the paper and are challenging that attribution. In a paper published in bioRxiv a pre-print server for biology research which is not a peer reviewed journal the researchers pointed out the CUMC study had several serious problems. The most glaring of which, the Harvard and MIT researchers argue, is that the mutations found in the mice that were attributed to CRISPR were more likely than not already present in those mice before they were exposed to the gene-editing technique.

The third mouse whose genome had been edited with CRISPR did not demonstrate the mutations, and was also not as genetically similar as the two mice who did. The Harvard and MIT research team argue that this supports the theory that the mutations in the pair of mice were not caused by CRISPR. It should be noted that this criticism comes from a small study that was not peer reviewed.

The teams goal in refuting the research is to make sure the rest of the scientific community is reminded of the lasting impact claims that are not well supported by data can have. Given these substantial issues, we urge the authors to revise or re-state the original conclusions of their published work so as to avoid leaving misleading and unsupported statements to persist in the literature, the team explained in their paper.

The peer review process is essential to scientific disciplines other than biology and genetics, of course. Whether researchers are making claims about climate change, artificial intelligence, or medical treatments, rigorous review of their methods, data, and analysis by other scientists who are doing similar work is essential. This process ensures that the research and the way it is presented is accurate, of high quality, and will be useful not only to the scientific community, but to the general public.

For teams who have spent months if not years heavily focused on a single study, trial, or data set, it can be very easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Peer review offers research teams the chance to address inconsistencies, data that doesnt add up, and conclusions that make assumptions or inferences that arent supported by the data.

While there have certainly been instances where teams have intentionally fabricated data in order to mislead their peers and the public, most members of the scientific community do not mislead intentionally. But thats why the peer review process is so important. It remains to be seen if the team at CUMC plans to revisit, or possible retract, their paper in light of the response.

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Attention turns to freedom of Liu Xiaobo’s widow after Chinese dissident’s death – Reuters

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BEIJING (Reuters) - Friends of China's Nobel Peace Prize-winning dissident Liu Xiaobo, who died of liver cancer in custody, said on Friday they are still unable to contact his widow, Liu Xia, and that ensuring her freedom is now a top priority.

Liu Xiaobo, 61, was jailed for 11 years in 2009 for "inciting subversion of state power" after he helped write a petition known as "Charter 08" calling for sweeping political reforms.

Liu Xia has been under effective house arrest since her husband won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 and was allowed to visit him in prison about once a month. She suffers from depression.

Liu Xiaobo died on Thursday after suffering multiple organ failure. He was recently moved from jail to a hospital in the northeastern city of Shenyang to be treated for late-stage liver cancer.

Rights groups and Western governments have mourned Liu Xiaobo's death and also called for Chinese authorities to allow his wife and the rest of his family to move around freely.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein also urged China to guarantee Liu Xia freedom of movement, and allow her to travel abroad should she want to.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop urged China to lift curbs on the movement of Liu Xia, in a statement sent to Reuters on Friday.

China, however, said the case remained an internal matter.

"The handling of Liu Xiaobo's case belongs to China's domestic affairs, and foreign countries are in no position to make improper remarks," China's foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in a statement sent to Reuters.

"We call on relevant countries to respect China's judicial sovereignty and not to meddle in China's domestic affairs with this individual case," he said.

Hu Jia, a fellow dissident and family friend, said Liu Xia's freedom was now a top priority for Liu Xiaobo's supporters.

"Now, we are most concerned about Liu Xia, but there has been no information about her. She is at this moment the person who is suffering most," Hu said.

"All the willpower and force we put behind freeing Liu Xiaobo, we have turned to Liu Xia," he said, urging the United States and Germany to continue pressuring China to free Liu Xia.

Efforts should also focus on Liu Hui, the younger brother of Liu Xia, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2013 for fraud and to whom Liu Xia is very close, Hu said.

Several other family friends confirmed they were still unable to contact Liu Xia or family members to confirm her whereabouts.

Taiwan-based Wu'er Kaixi, a leading figure in China's 1989 pro-democracy movement who knew Liu, made a plea to world leaders to suspend official interactions with China until Liu Xia was released.

"I want to urge the world, urge the world leaders, that you failed to save Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo," he said.

"You failed to help him to receive his last wish, which is freedom and medical treatment he deserved. Please, do not fail again to save Liu Xia."

A video clip of Liu Xiaobo's treatment was released by the Shenyang justice department on Friday, the latest in a series issued by authorities who say he was well cared for in hospital.

It emphasized that Liu Xiaobo's family had a history of liver cancer and that Liu Xia and his family were involved in the treatment process and kept abreast of developments.

Friends have also begun calling to be allowed to participate in Liu Xiaobo's funeral arrangements and support his wife and family.

More than 150 friends and supporters, including some of China's most prominent dissidents, rights lawyers and intellectuals, have also signed an open letter announcing plans for an "online memorial" to Liu.

Signatories have urged authorities to release Liu's body and allow an open funeral by his family and friends.

"We will pay close attention to how Liu Xiaobo's funeral will be arranged," said Shanghai-based writer Wen Kejian, another friend of the family.

"We, at the very least, hope to have the opportunity to go to Shenyang or Beijing to send him off."

Rights lawyer Chen Jinxue added, "Normally if someone has passed, the right to deal with the body lies with the family."

Liu's remains were taken to Shenyang's Xiheyuan funeral parlor, a source close to the family said, but surrounding roads had been blocked off when a Reuters reporter tried to visit on Friday.

Local authorities forced half-a-dozen supporters of Liu who went to Shenyang to pay their respects to leave, or detained them, said Beijing-based rights activist Li Yu, who is tracking the cases.

News of Liu's death prompted an outpouring of grief online, with many liberals, lawyers, dissidents and journalists sharing articles and posting on popular instant messaging app WeChat.

But censors were swift to act. Even an article titled, "Speaking of heroes, who is a hero?" from respected business publication Caixin was taken down after being shared by many of Liu Xiaobo's supporters, despite making no mention of him.

Searches and postings of images and emojis of candles, as well as the word itself, were also blocked on Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter.

"Tonight we will let you have the floor," the state-backed Global Times tabloid said in a social media post that appeared to mock the mourners.

"The deceased has gone, the feigned sorrow is really preposterous. We will just eat watermelon and watch for the night."

Ye Du, a writer and friend of Liu's, said he hoped people would be able to commemorate Liu Xiaobo, despite harsh government restrictions.

"Liu Xia will surely be monitored and controlled," he added. "Grieving in reality will certainly also be strictly controlled, but there will definitely be lots of people who will use all sorts of ways to mourn."

Reporting by Christian Shepherd and Philip Wen in BEIJING, Joesph Campbell in SHENYANG and Fabian Hamacher and Damon Lin in TAIPEI; Editing by Paul Tait and Clarence Fernandez

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Attention turns to freedom of Liu Xiaobo's widow after Chinese dissident's death - Reuters

Freedom Caucus leader warns McConnell over Senate ad – The Hill

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The conservative firebrand credited with pressuring then-Speaker John BoehnerJohn BoehnerFreedom Caucus leader warns McConnell over Senate ad Trump's budget is good for America, so why is Congress ignoring it? Tea Party favorite to lead conservative think tank MORE (R-Ohio) to resign in 2015 issued a warning Thursday to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellMitch McConnellFreedom Caucus leader warns McConnell over Senate ad Religious protestors arrested outside Mitch McConnell's office Five takeaways from the GOP's healthcare reboot MORE (R-Ky.) and his establishment allies.

Anytime leadership goes after Freedom Caucus members, its not the prudent thing to do, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, told reporters in the Speakers lobby.

Meadows was referring to a television ad funded by the McConnell-linked Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), that attacked Freedom Caucus member Rep. Mo BrooksMo BrooksFreedom Caucus leader warns McConnell over Senate ad GOP super PAC targets Mo Brooks for past anti-Trump remarks GOP senator: Its a biblical miracle that Trump is president MORE (R-Ala.) as a career politician who has teamed up with liberals Nancy Pelosi and Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenFreedom Caucus leader warns McConnell over Senate ad Warren raises .5M in second quarter Tax credits bring much needed relief MORE in attacking President Trump.

The ad from the McConnell-aligned super PAC uses video clips of Brooks criticizing Trump during the 2016 presidential primary.

I dont think you can trust Donald TrumpDonald TrumpBlumenthal: Jared Kushner ought to resign Merkley: Trump Jr. meeting absolutely smoking gun Lewandowski on Russia probes: 'I have nothing to hide' MORE with anything he says, the congressman says in the ad, adding that those who vote for Trump will regret their decision.

Brooks, regarded as one of the most conservative House members, ischallenging new GOPSen. Luther Strange, the former Alabama attorney general who was appointedin Februaryto replaceJeff Sessionsafter he was confirmedas Trumps attorney general.

McConnell and his allies, including the SLF, are backing Strange in the Aug. 15 special Senate primary. And they believe Brookss past criticisms of Trump, whos enormously popular in Alabama, will severely harm his Senate ambitions.

But Meadows suggested the SLF is attacking Brooks so aggressively in ads and press releases because the congressman is rising in the polls.

Of course hes a viable candidate. I think he wins, Meadows predicted.

Two years ago this month, the North Carolina conservative stunned Washington by filing a motion to vacate resolution to try to oust BoehnerJohn BoehnerFreedom Caucus leader warns McConnell over Senate ad Trump's budget is good for America, so why is Congress ignoring it? Tea Party favorite to lead conservative think tank MORE from the Speakership. That move, on Meadowss birthday, came after Boehner had retaliated against several Freedom Caucus members, and its triggered a series of actions that led to Boehners resignation just two months later, in the middle of his third term as Speaker.

When reporters jokingly suggested he could present a "motion to vacate" in the Senate, Meadows replied that there is no procedural maneuver to remove a sitting Senate majority leader.

Its not fun to joke about those things in July, but I do know there is no vehicle over there, Meadows said.

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Restricting Women’s Clothing and Freedom in Belgium – Human Rights Watch

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Salma, a 22-year-old French national living in Belgium who chooses to wear the niqab after converting to Islam, gives an interview to Reuters television outside the Belgian Parliament in Brussels in this April 26, 2010 file photo.

The European Court of Human Rights has struck another blow to womens autonomy, ruling in favor of bans on full-face veils enacted in 2011 in Belgium.

Echoing a 2014 ruling in S.A.S v. France, the court cited the vague idea of living together as justification for the bans. Nowhere does the European Convention on Human Rights state that living together can be adequate grounds for restricting rights. The court accepted the Belgian governments argument that wearing clothing that obstructs the face is incompatible, in Belgian society, with social communication and, more generally the establishment of human relations.

Perversely, this weeks ruling could hinder exactly this kind of social interaction, isolating women who elect to wear full-face veils. Two of the women who brought the case said the ban had severely curtailed their lives, forcing them to abandon the niqab or remain housebound.

There is no denying that the bans impact falls most heavily on women who wear the full-face veil even the court acknowledges that Muslim women are disproportionately affected. After all, what other face-covering garment is regularly worn in public? Despite the blatantly unequal burden on women, the court declined to rule the law discriminatory, finding it is not unreasonable or beyond justification, while dismissing concerns about the undue burden placed on women.

Just as women should not be forced to wear the niqab or other religious dress, they should not be denied the choice or punished for doing so. Nor should they or other citizens be subject to unreasonable or discriminatory limitations on their freedom of religion or right to express it. These rulings embolden other governments to dictate how women can dress, and send a dangerous message that it is acceptable to curtail womens freedom of expression and belief.

Fostering human relations is a laudable goal. But forcing women to choose between wearing what they want and being able to appear in public isnt the way to do it.

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Play Re-enacts Past to Understand Freedom – Afro American

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Just days after the United States celebrated its independence on July 4, Forestville, Md.-based Bishop McNamara High Schools Sankofa production of Harriet and the Underground took audiences back in time, in order to understand the true meaning of freedom for Black Americans.

Through primarily dance, as well as music and acting, 92 students, in three hours on July 8, not only outlined the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman, but also the Black American journey, starting from Africa as kings and queens, to slaves, and ultimately to their search for freedom.

I believe very much in telling history through movement, Victor Bah, artistic director of Sankofa and the African Music and Dance program at Macnamara told the AFRO.

As a native of Ghana, Bah named the McNamara performance group Sankofa, which translates to, go back and fetch it. The word and symbol associated with it, a bird flying forward with its head turned backwards, teaches people to reclaim the past in order to understand their current state to move forward.

Forward movement has happened in regards to Tubman, as last year it was announced her face would replace the slave-holding, Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill in several years, and because of that, Bah felt it was important for audiences to truly look back and connect with this American heroine.

After all of this we thought that for the larger communityand African American communitywouldnt it be nice to learn a lot through movement and music about this womanwhich will make them more entertained and make them more connected to this woman? Bah said.

The show begins with slaves escaping to freedom, and when they are fearful of getting caught, Harriet, who is played simultaneously by both a dancer and a narrator, stops with her gun drawn, rallying her followers to continue the journey.

All your life youve been a slaveand you dont even know youre slaves, said Harriet, who was played by Jordyn Young.

Before audiences get to see if the slaves make it to freedom with Harriet, they must go back to Africa, prior to the middle passage. With live Djembe drummers, many fast-paced African dances, and moving projections, audiences were transported to places like Egypt, current day Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Africa, Senegal and Ghana.

Through movement, audiences received a glimpse of the horrors of the middle passage, staging the performers to lie tightly in small nooks side-by-side, with no space to move.

We are swallowed by a strange ship, and with it, our sense of dignity, said one of the narrators.

The production included slaves working, getting lashed and beaten, and even raped.

You grow up coming through the American school system and of course you hear about Harriet Tubman and its all sort of generalized in terms of her escapes through the Underground Railroad and all of the work that she did to make this possible. But Ill be honest with you, I had no idea frankly, how much of a badass Harriet Tubman was, John Baltimore, the producer of Harriet and the Underground, and a father to one of the performers, told the AFRO.

In 2017, we take freedom for granted so I never thought about how much of a struggle it was to get people to embrace their freedom and get people to want to take that leap of faith to follow her lead to freedom, Baltimore said.

With the fear of slave patrols, often called patterrollers, an organized group of White men responsible for disciplining slaves and, particularly, escapees, the stakes were very high for these people who had no idea what freedom looked like, felt or even meant.

In many instances, she had to overcome the psyche of a people who had been slaves their entire lives and knew of no other way of life. As a result, their fear, torment, concern for family members left behind, and sheer exhaustion from the journey, often led to them wanting to run and go back to their plantations; to which Ms. Tubmans response was always exact and unambiguous, as she pulled out her pistol and said, Youll be free or die, Baltimore said.

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Brexit: Public support continued EU freedom of movement in exchange for access to Single Market, research finds – The Independent

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Prime Minister Theresa May's insistence that no Brexit deal is better than a bad one does not have public support, new research claims.

Rsearch by King's College London, Rand Europe and Cambridge University found that people place more value on trade deals with the EU and foreign countries than on curbing free movement of labour.

Organisers said the research method they used during interviews with 917 people is more rigorous than traditional polling.

The study found that people are more concerned with managing demand for public services than restricting freedom of movement, particularly those who voted Leave.

And voters value being able to retain access to the Single Market and cut foreign trade deals above the UK making its own laws, the research found.

A Brexit agreement that resembles Norway's relationship with the EU, allowing for free trade with other countries while remaining within the Single Market and accepting freedom of movement and some loss of sovereignty, is favoured, according to the research.

Professor Jonathan Grant, of King's College London, said: "It clearly shows that the British people do not wish to head over a cliff edge and leave the EU on World Trade Organisation rules - they want a proper deal.

"The British public are sophisticated enough to understand that they can't 'have their cake and eat it', and will need to make and accept compromises to reach a deal."

Tory ministers 'think Theresa May's red lines need loosening'

Charlene Rohr, of Rand Europe, said: "The referendum result was seen by many as providing a mandate to significantly reduce immigration.

"But while our findings do show a desire to control movement of people to some extent, we found that this seems to stem from a concern about managing demand for public services, particularly for those who voted to Leave the EU, rather than from wanting to limit freedom of movement per se."

Professor David Howarth, of Cambridge University, said: "The public's ranking of a Norway-style deal above remaining in the EU is not surprising in the light of the referendum result, but the public's ranking of remaining in the EU above crashing out with no deal into World Trade Organisation terms should worry those who claim that the referendum and the general election give a mandate for Brexit at any price."

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Morgan Stanley digital chief: AI to help advisers, not ‘cyborg bots’ – Financial Planning

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Advisers tasked with processing a mountain of information will get a reprieve through artificial intelligence, according to Morgan Stanley Wealth Managements chief digital officer.

We are bringing in the latest developments in predictive analytics and machine learning not to replace our advisers with some cyborg bot but rather help them be faster and smarter in serving their clients needs, said Naureen Hassan in a speech Wednesday at SourceMedias InVest conference in New York.

Morgan Stanley and its wirehouse competitors are racing to launch digital advice tools, with both UBS and Wells Fargo enlisting SigFig for their robo platforms. Merrill Lynch made its service, Merrill Edge Guided Investing, live this year. Morgan has planned a rollout of its automated investing in 2017 as well.

LEAVING REPORTS TO THE ROBOTS Hassan, who Morgan poached from Charles Schwabs robo last year, described how the firms coming AI tools could cut hours of work for the firms nearly 16,000 advisers. One algorithm under development would help advisers marshal the 55,000 reports produced by the firm each year.

The tool would send an alert to advisers each time the firms research division issues a recommendation on one security or another or publishes a relevant report, Hassan said. The system would tell advisers which clients portfolios may be most affected and draft emails to inform the clients.

What we want to do is, with one click of a button, they can take action on that research report to all their clients within minutes, not hours, not phone calls, Hassan said. Thats the promise of what were trying to build.

The firm will roll out the tool this fall, a spokeswoman for Morgan Stanley said.

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Automated investing platforms are making it tougher to charge for some financial advice, says Tiburon Strategic Advisors.

ARMS RACE Rival firms have shown theyre headed down a similar path. Like Morgans planned offering, the UBS-SigFig service will save advisers time through automated messaging to clients on important dates, according to Richard Steinmeier, the head of the UBS Wealth Advice Center.

Steinmeier spoke in a panel on large firms response to the disruption posed by robo adviser startups entitled Empires Strike Back. After falling behind early adopters, Merrill Lynch took only 18 months to bring the finished Merrill Edge product online, said Aron Levine, the head of the division overseeing it.

We have a dedicated tech organization, a dedicated digital platform organization all tied to Merrill Edge, which gave us the advantage, Levine said. And we were able to go to market relatively quickly, especially considering the size of the company.

Tech upgrades could shave hours off advisers administrative work. In a time and motion study of a few branches, Morgan Stanley found that advisers teams spent over half the day on administrative tasks like letters of authorization and confirmation calls, Hassan said.

Thats 50% that you could be spending talking about your goals, your children, she said. This is a waste.

The range of new technologies that wirehouses are attempting to deploy is indicative of how much the industry is changing.

"Digital is a far broader opportunity than robo," Hassan said.

Tobias Salinger is an associate editor of Financial Planning, On Wall Street and Bank Investment Consultant.

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The best beaches in Delaware – USA Today – USA TODAY

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Theresa Gawlas Medoff, Special for USA TODAY Published 7:59 a.m. ET July 13, 2017 | Updated 7:59 a.m. ET July 13, 2017

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Bethany Beach's 1-mile-long sandy beach primarily attracts families spending a few days, a week or longer in this quiet seaside town.(Photo: Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce)

With tax-free shopping, dining and entertainment, Delaware's beaches are made for family memories. Bodysurf the steel-blue waves all morning, head to the carnival games at Funland around noon and, in the evening, drive south to the bandstand area of Bethany Beach at Atlantic Avenue, where free concerts are given during the summer.

Rehoboth Beach

Even on cool fall and spring days you'll find die-hard fans of the seaside walking along the water's edge on Rehoboth Beach, but in the heat of the summer, this Atlantic Ocean beach is booming. The population of the town (also called Rehoboth Beach) jumps from 1,500 to more than 25,000. Couples, teens, groups of friends and families, and day-trippers as well as vacationers come bearing beach towels, chairs, umbrellas and coolers as they vie for the "best" spot on the sand. The beach here in town starts at the boardwalk with a narrow strip of dunes dotted with grass and flows 275 feet to the high-tide line.

A wide, wooden boardwalk skirts 1 mile of the 1.5-mile-long beach, and all along that boardwalk are hotels; store-front eateries selling Boardwalk Fries, custard, pizza and burgers; and shops hocking sunscreen, bathing suits, beach toys and hermit crabs. Around lunch time, family-oriented Funland, a boardwalk fixture since 1962, opens its carnival games and rides to families seeking a change of pace from the beach. The amusement center is especially popular in the evening.

Rehoboth is a free, public beach. It has no changing facilities or showers, but there are public restrooms available at several spots along the boardwalk. Metered parking is available on the streets and at the Convention Center lot a few blocks from the beach.

Bethany Beach

Bethany Beach boasts of being one of Delaware's "Quiet Resorts." You won't find the summer traffic jams here that you do further north on Route 1, in the heart of the outlet shopping district. Bethany Beach doesn't have the bustling downtown atmosphere of Rehoboth Beach. And there's certainly not the raucous partying of Dewey Beach.

But that doesn't mean the crowds on this Atlantic Ocean beach are sparse. Bethany's population burgeons from 1,000 during the off season to 20,000 in the summer season. Most of those visitors are families. Families making sandcastles out of biscuit-colored sand on the clean, 1-mile-long stretch of public beach that's backed by sand dunes and beach grass waving in the wind. Families jumping the steel-blue, white-capped waves. Kids young and old bodyboarding or tossing balls on the beach. Early in the morning and in the evening, when the lifeguards are off duty, older children, teens and adults ride the waves on skimboards and surfboards or take to the waters on kayaks or stand-up paddleboards.

In the evening, you'll find families sauntering the boardwalk, hurrying to lick custard cones from Dickey's before the creamy treat drips down their hands. The Bethany boardwalk, just 3/8 of a mile long, is narrower than the one in nearby Rehoboth, but it does feature a larger, bandstand area at Atlantic Avenue where free concerts are given during the summer. Aside from a few shops and boardwalk eateries, most of the boardwalk abuts homes and condos where people sit on their decks watching the passersby. Free, family-oriented movies are shown on the beach on Mondays throughout the summer.

The beach in downtown Bethany is a free public beach that attracts mostly those staying a few days or longer. Day visitors park in metered spaces on the streets or in the few small, metered public lots. A public restroom sits right on the boardwalk at Atlantic Avenue, but there are no showers or changing facilities.

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The best beaches in Delaware - USA Today - USA TODAY

Fairfield Day Trip: Restored Historic Homes And Nearby Beaches – Hartford Courant

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During summer weekends, families may often find themselves wondering, should the kids do something educational today? Or just something fun?

Families can do both. Fairfield has two popular public beaches, Jennings and Penfield. Just a few minutes' drive from those Long Island Sound strands is a lovely collection of restored historic buildings, newly opened to the public. The historic buildings, at Fairfield Museum, surround a shaded common area that is open for picnics.

The historic homes are open Friday to Sunday, but Fridays seem to be the best days for visiting the shoreline. On weekdays, parking costs only $20 at the beaches (it's $50 on weekends) and Jennings offers "Sand Jam" dance parties and family-friendly movies Friday evenings.

It's time for a day trip.

Pack a cooler and head to the Museum Commons to learn about 18th-century traveling, witchcraft trials, agriculture and "The Burning of Fairfield." After that, get some sand between your toes.

Lauren Schneiderman/Hartford Courant

Museum Commons

First stop: Sun Tavern, which was opened by Samuel Penfield in 1780, after the original Sun Tavern was destroyed by the British during the American Revolution.

For decades it was a travelers' hub. The first-floor dining room was a gathering place offering food, ale, beer, hard cider and a place to smoke and gossip or talk about legal matters and politics. These confabs were almost always just men. The business closed in 1818. George Washington, in a diary entry in November 1789, wrote that he stopped at the tavern and "baited" (ate) there.

Lauren Schneiderman/Hartford Courant

Later the tavern was used as a private home. Then it was vacant for a while, being used on occasion to host an event. "It was just sort of sitting there, so we decided to restore it," said Deb Owens of Fairfield Museum and History Center, adjacent to the tavern. "It took us about a decade to apply for and get the grants and do the work."

The restoration re-creates some of the tavern's original features and offers some insight into old-time hotel accommodations. Common travelers had little privacy, almost always sharing a room and sometimes even a bed with strangers. A toilet chair a regular chair with a big hole cut in the upholstered seat sat in the corner of the communal bedroom, for nights when it was too cold, snowy or rainy to go outside. More high-end travelers, such as First Lady Abigail Adams, got their own rooms.

Lauren Schneiderman/Hartford Courant

The 1888 Victorian Barn exhibit explores Fairfield's agricultural roots along with current day farming practices and promotes conversations about contemporary food issues.

The 1888 Victorian Barn exhibit explores Fairfield's agricultural roots along with current day farming practices and promotes conversations about contemporary food issues. (Lauren Schneiderman/Hartford Courant)

The dining area on the first floor has a lively collection of reproductions of almanacs, newsletters and other publications of the period, giving an idea of what the men gathered in the room would be talking about. Paintings and prints depicting Fairfield of that era are scattered throughout the tavern.

Two smaller buildings, a Victorian cottage and barn, were built in 1888 and until recently had been used as storage facilities for the museum. The barn is dedicated to the history of farming in Fairfield and is filled with vintage farm implements such as a plow, a harrow, a hay rake, a cultivator, a milking stool and a spinning-barrel butter churn. A reproduction rake similar to ones used by Paugussett Indians is made from antlers tied to a stick. The cottage has been turned into a little children's museum, with old-time costumes, interactive educational games, old-fashioned toys on exhibit, a craft table and a reading nook.

Lauren Schneiderman/Hartford Courant

A room for travelers visiting the tavern was upstairs from the taproom. The room shows how travelers slept in dormitory style rooms.

A room for travelers visiting the tavern was upstairs from the taproom. The room shows how travelers slept in dormitory style rooms. (Lauren Schneiderman/Hartford Courant)

The most fascinating element of the Museum Commons isn't a building. It's an indentation in the lawn. In the colonial era, that hollow was Edwards Pond, which was used to test accused witches. In those days, folks believed witches floated and innocent women sank.

Admission to all of the historic buildings is free with admission to the museum, which is at 370 Beach Road. The museum is open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but the historic buildings are open only Friday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Labor Day. On Fridays through Sundays, admission is $8, $5 students and seniors, free for ages 8 and younger. Admission prices are lower on days when the buildings are not open. fairfieldhistory.org.

Lauren Schneiderman/Hartford Courant

Beaches

Jennings Beach, at 880 S. Benson Road, is Fairfield's largest beach, at 27 acres. The dance parties and movies on Jennings Beach will be held on July 21 ("Finding Dory") and Aug. 3 ("Moana"). The dances start at 6:30 p.m. and the movies start around 8:30 p.m.

The 3.5-acre Penfield Beach, at 323 Fairfield Beach Road, has picnic tables and charcoal grills, and is the site of one of the 26 playgrounds dedicated to the victims at Sandy Hook School. This one is dedicated to Jessica Rekos. fairfieldct.org/content/2765/2783.

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Fairfield Day Trip: Restored Historic Homes And Nearby Beaches - Hartford Courant

Beaches to visit while in New York City – Newsday

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Visiting New York City this summer? Take a break from Times Square, shopping and museums and do like the locals: Hop a train or ferry to the beach.

The beach atConey Island, at the tip of Brooklyn and reachable by four subway lines from Manhattan, is bordered by a famous strip of amusement park rides.

You can also go by subway toRockaway Beach, Queens, but a new ferry service now departs for the Rockaways from Wall Street's Pier 11 on the East River in Lower Manhattan, with one stop in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

Here are some tips for a beach day in the Big Apple.

CONEY ISLAND

Take the D, F, N or Q subway train to the end of the line in Brooklyn ($2.75 each way). Several small amusement parks sit side by side across from the station, with the boardwalk and the Atlantic Ocean just beyond.

The famous Cyclone ride is to your left when you get off the train. It's a wooden roller coaster that will rattle your bones. And it's easy to spot Deno's Wonder Wheel amid the colorful jumble of attractions. It's a towering Ferris wheel with two types of cars. One car slides out to the edge and back in as the wheel turns; the other car is stationary. You'll be asked which car you prefer when you board.

Have a hot dog from Nathan's and wander down to the water to dip your toes or take a swim. To your right as you face the ocean, there's a pier where you'll find fishermen chatting in various languages Russian, Spanish, Chinese while tending to their catch.

Just remember: This isn't Disney World. It's a place with old-fashioned charm the seaside park dates to the 19th century as well as a big dose of urban grit. You may see litter on the beach and on a hot day, smell garbage in the alleys between the rides. Welcome to New York, folks!

Don't worry about water safety, though: Water quality is monitored by city health officials and lifeguards watch the swimmers. But don't leave your belongings unattended. Have one person in your group stay with them on the sand while others get wet.

Daniela Prankl, visiting with her sister from Austria, said the long subway ride from Manhattan to Coney Island "was absolutely worth it." She enjoyed seeing New Yorkers relaxing at the beach, in contrast to "busy Manhattan."

"Tourists should know that they can spend a great time there, with having fun in the amusement park, watching fisherman, having a walk at the beach and enjoying nice food," she said.

ROCKAWAY

The trip by ferry from Wall Street in Manhattan to Beach 108th Street in the Rockaways is only an hour on the water. But hundreds of people have been lining up for the boat at times, so the wait to board can be long, though extra departures have been added to theone-boat-per-hour schedule($2.75 each way, tickets sold onsite or online). The ferry offers spectacular views of One World Trade and the skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan.

Rockaway is famous for big waves and even has designated surfing areas. Elsewhere body-boarding and body-surfing rule. Just watch out for strong currents and churning water that can dislodge sand beneath your feet as you wade in.

After the ferry arrives, you can hop a free shuttle bus to various beaches, or walk the few blocks from the bay side of the Rockaway peninsula where the boat drops you off, to the ocean side where the beaches are. You'll pass shops and eateries along 108th Street as you walk from the ferry to the ocean side, or look for concession stands at Beach 106th Street, Beach 97th Street and Beach 86th Street. Favorite local foodie spots include Tacoway Beach, at 302 Beach 87th St., and Caracas Arepa Bar, 106-01 Shore Front Parkway.

Rockaway was hit hard by flooding from Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Restoration included beach grass plantings and a new concrete boardwalk.

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Beaches to visit while in New York City - Newsday

Come on in, the water’s fine: 7 great beaches near you – The Spokesman-Review

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UPDATED: Thu., July 13, 2017, 4:13 p.m.

There are few things in life held in higher esteem than a great beach.

We have made the greatest of these locations into relaxation destinations and will, when possible, pack up a bathing suit, a toothbrush and a pair of flip-flops and fly around the globe to plop ourselves into deep, velvety sand and allow the surf to wash away our cares.

We hold their names in the highest reverence: Waikiki. South Beach. Copacabana. Malibu.

And we keep songs about them forever locked into the Victrola of our memory. Doubt that? Try to keep from humming the melody that goes with the phrase Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini.

One of the greatest resources we have at our disposal in our corner of the world is a wealth of quality fresh-water beaches. We can throw a beach chair, a bottle of sunscreen and a cooler or refreshment into the car and head off to a beach anytime the weather allows.

City Park and Beach in downtown Coeur dAlene is a primary destination on a hot summer day, as much for its proximity as for its stretch of sand and gentle, lapping waves.

For many of us, its the first beach that comes to mind when the need sun and surf overwhelms us.

But there are so many more great beach destinations to explore and enjoy.

Here are seven alternatives definitely worth checking out:

City Beach, Sandpoint. OK, the name should give you a giant clue about how the North Idaho city meets Lake Pend Oreille. The white-sand beach is luscious and the surrounding park is expansive and welcoming. Its the kind of place that invites you to stick your toes in the water, sip a cold drink and allow the gentle waves to wash away the rest of the world. If you need more than simple relaxation, the beach and park offer plenty of recreation. On any given day you will find every imaginable type of ball being thrown, batted or spiked. You can swim to your hearts content or just watch the boats come in and out of the nearby marina.

Honeysuckle Beach, Hayden Lake. Cities with a body of water in their name HAVE to have a built-in commitment to beach life, and that is definitely true here. Hayden Lakes gem of a beach is a treasure. Coeur dAlene and Pend Oreille grab the headlines while Hayden, the lake in the middle, can sometimes get overlooked. It shouldnt. If for no other reason than the spectacular view of Honeysuckle Bay and the rest of the picturesque lake. The popular spot will sometimes require a hike in because the parking is somewhat limited, so plan accordingly. Its well worth the walk.

Liberty Lake Regional Park, Liberty Lake. The No. 1 destination on the lake used to be the aptly named Sandy Beach Resort, but that spot now is just a warm memory. This park is its worthy successor. The beach is so large that it makes a magnificent starting point for the annual Valley Girl Triathlon. And the sight of hundreds of women racing into the water to start the race is one to behold. But the same can easily be said of watching toddlers splashing in the water or building castles in the sand.

Boulder Beach, Spokane Valley. This spot along the Spokane River is as close to a secret swimming hole as we can get. With the plethora of lakes to choose from, many of us overlook the river in our own backyard as a spot for a little beach relaxation. Located on Upriver Drive, the beach is nestled next to the Centennial Trail, meaning you can interrupt your scenic walk with a little dip in the water.

Fish Lake, Cheney. Dont let the name fool you. This little lake features a great, little stretch of sand and a perfect spot to go for a swim. Motorized boats are prohibited, so really good swimmers can do laps around the lake if they choose. Where else can you do that?

Beaver Bay Beach, Farragut State Park. This is a beautiful spot to spend those hot, hot days of summer. You can enjoy Lake Pend Oreille in a natural setting rather than being close to downtown. It can be quiet and rustic, with air scented with pine.

Qemiln Park, Post Falls. This stretch of sand alongside the Spokane River is shielded from the current, so it makes for an excellent swimming spot. And the park features all the amenities you need for a day at the beach, including barbecue pits and picnic areas. Plus theres an extensive trail system for a midday hike.

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Come on in, the water's fine: 7 great beaches near you - The Spokesman-Review

Cerabino: 5 rules of etiquette on Palm Beach for Palm Beaches Marathon – MyPalmBeachPost

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To: All runners

From: Palm Beaches Marathon race committee

Subject:Running through the Townof Palm Beach

Please be advised, you will be running part of the marathon and half-marathon on Dec. 3 through the Town of Palm Beach.

Some of you may not fully grasp the historical significance of this. To you, it might look like just another couple of bridges to cross, and a small, seemingly insignificant 1.2 mile stretch of a much longer route you will race.

But you will be pioneers that morning, brave souls venturing much like Neil Armstrong did 48 years ago, into a hostile, sterile environment, where you will take many mincing little steps for runners, but one giant leap for runners-kind.

In the past, the Palm Beach Town Council has taken a dim view of the area marathon, barring runners from entering the island and using the rationale that the race, which is dominated by runners who live off the island, really isnt town serving enough to accommodate.

As former Town Council Member Robert Wildrick put it so succinctly two years ago:

I just dont understand how it benefits the town of Palm Beach. I dont see why anyone who is a resident here should be inconvenienced when there are other alternatives.

But this year, race organizers came back again with another proposed route that included the island. The Town shot down the original plan for a 4-mile section, but on a tight 3-2 vote, the council allowed the runners to enter north side on the Flagler Bridge, run down the Lake Trail and leave through the Royal Park Bridge.

The idea is to get the Palm Beach portion of the race done early. So early, the people in Palm Beach may not notice it. All runners are expected to have completed the Palm Beach section of the race by 7 a.m on that Sunday, and all traffic cones will be gone 15 minutes later.

Our goal is not to be a nuisance, race owner Ken Kennerly said.

So the question is: How you, as a runner, can do your part in not making yourself a nuisance on race day to the good people of Palm Beach?

Just follow these five simple rules:

1. Dont stop running

You may pull a muscle, turn an ankle or get a stitch in your side. There are many reasons why runners sometimes stop running.

But you must keep running through Palm Beach. Nobody stops. We have to get off the island as quickly as possible.

Hobble along as best as you can until you cross back to the West Palm Beach side of the bridge. Once there, you can ice down that ankle, massage your problematic hamstring, or start walking.

2. No talking, grunting or moaning

If you open your mouth, its to get air. Better yet, just breathe through your nose.

Expect police to have decibel meters. If the race emits as much sound as a leaf blower, our future on the island may be jeopardized.

3. Practice running in your socks

The route will take you on the Lake Trail, a pathway that is close to the back yards of many homes.

One runner in rubber-soled shoes clomping on an asphalt path doesnt make a lot of noise, but hundreds of rubber-soled impacts does.

So well be asking you to take off your shoes and run in your socks on the Lake Trail. If you get a blister, keep running. The faster you go, the faster youll reach the first-aid stations on the West Palm Beach side.

4.Bring your own water

We tried to get a water station for the race route in Palm Beach, but it didnt work out. So dont be looking for a water station while youre on Palm Beach.

If you think you might be thirsty, bring your own water. If you dont have water and need it, ask another runner.

If youre not willing to do that, and you feel yourself getting woozy, try to time your collapse to the West Palm Beach side of the bridge.

5.Expect police stops

The town police are accomplished at using license plate surveillance cameras to monitor auto traffic coming onto the island. We expect by race time that officers may be using BNRS Bib Number Recognition Software to scan incoming runners as they cross the north bridge.

So please, as a courtesy, try not to allow your hands or arms to obscure your race number as you enter the island, and if you see another runner being pulled over, dont be alarmed.

Its probably just a parking ticket.

As for you, remember Rule No. 1.

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Cerabino: 5 rules of etiquette on Palm Beach for Palm Beaches Marathon - MyPalmBeachPost

Beach advisory for 12 Louisiana beaches due to high bacteria levels – WWL First News

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WWL.com Reporting

12 Louisiana beaches have been placed under a health advisory as the water at these sites contain high amounts of bacteria. The state Department of Health takes water samples from 24 beaches to determine the levels of the enterococci bacteria. Dr. Fred Lopez with the department of infectious diseases at LSU Health New Orleans says warm water allows this bacteria to thrive.

Swimming in those waters could result in infections of the respiratory tract, skin wound infections, diarrheal illnesses.

The enterococci bacteria is found in sewage and the human intestine. Lopez advises swimmers that if you do decide to get into the water, youre swimming at your own risk.

You really wouldnt want to swallow any of that beach water, you certainly wouldnt want to go in that type of water if you have open wounds and cuts because they could become infected. Lopez says people with weak immune systems are more susceptible to contracting infections by the bacteria found in the water.

Those individuals who are immunocompromised by liver disease, by kidney disease, by cancer, they really should avoid exposure to those bacteria so they can minimize their risk.

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Beach advisory for 12 Louisiana beaches due to high bacteria levels - WWL First News

Women of Color in Astronomy Face Greater Degree of Discrimination, Harassment – Space.com

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Women of color experience more discrimination and harassment in astronomy and space science compared to other groups, according to a 2017 study.

A new study examining discrimination and harassment in the field of astronomy shows that women of color are far more likely to feel unsafe at work because of their gender and race than other groups.

The study analyzed data from a survey carried out between 2011 and 2014, in which more than 450 astronomers and space scientists were asked about instances of discrimination or harassment against themselves or others based on gender or race. The study was published Monday (July 10) in the Journal of Geophysical Research.

The findings confirm previous research demonstrating that people who fall into two minority groups such as women of color experienced more discrimination and harassment than people who fall into only one group such as white women or men of color.

This appears to be the first large-scale, quantitative study of gender and race-based discrimination and harassment in astronomy, according to Kathryn Clancy, an anthropologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and lead author of the new study. However, Clancy told Space.com that the study's conclusions are not surprising, and that they reflect decades of research that have chronicled the struggles of women and, in particular, women of color in the sciences.

"On the one hand, I'm so grateful and so glad that this paper is getting attention," Clancy said. "And I think for a lot of people who care about this work, and who do on-the-ground grassroots activism around this, I think its validating that this work now exists. But my guess is that its a bittersweet feeling as well, because why wasn't anyone listening to them all the other times that they talked about this?"

Clancy said the prime focus of the survey was to understand the extent to which "negative workplace experiences actually affect the work that [people] do." To that end, the survey asked responders if they had ever felt unsafe at work due to do their gender or race, and if they had skipped work or school-related events because they felt unsafe, or because of discrimination or harassment.

The survey was initiated by two of the study's co-authors, Erica Rodgers, a research scientist at the Space Science Institute, and Christina Richey, a NASA astrophysicist who serves as chair of the American Astronomical Society's Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy. Clancy, whose area of research includes social science, provided some guidance to help the two astronomers make the survey meet standards for a scientific study. (Clancy was also a co-author on a study about sexual harassment in the field of anthropology.)

Over four years, the researchers gathered responses from astronomers ranging from undergraduate students to retired academics, and including nonacademic astronomers. Responders were asked to identify themselves as belonging to one of seven different racial categories, one of three gender categories (including nonbinary), and one of two gender-identity categories (cisgender and transgender). The survey did not provide significant data on the experiences of non-cisgender or nonbinary members of the community.

For most questions, responders were asked only about events that had occurred in the last five years. Overall, 88 percent of respondents reported having heard racist or sexist remarks about someone from their peers; 59 percent reported hearing such comments from superiors; 39 percent of responders reported experiencing verbal harassment at their current job; and 9 percent reported experiencing physical harassment at their current job.

When comparing women and men, the study found that "women were significantly more likely than men to report that they experienced both verbal and physical harassment because of their gender."

While only 2 percent of men reported that they had ever felt physically unsafe in their current position because of their gender, 30 percent of women reported feeling unsafe at some point. In addition, 13 percent of women reported "skipping at least one class, meeting, fieldwork or other professional event per month because they felt unsafe," according to the paper, compared with 3 percent of men.

"Skipping school or work events due to feeling unsafe was associated with hearing negative comments from peers and negative comments from supervisors, experiencing verbal harassment and physical harassment, and feeling unsafe at current school or career position," the study authors wrote.

But the study also revealed that women of color reported higher instances of these things than white men, men of color or white women. Forty percent of women of color reported feeling unsafe in their current position because of their gender or sex, compared with about 27 percent of white women. And 28 percent of women of color reported feeling unsafe because of their race, compared with about 10 percent of men of color.

Similarly,18 percent of women of color reported skipping events because of discrimination, harassment or feeling unsafe, compared with 12 percent of white women, 6 percent of men of color and 2 percent of white men.

"Across nearly every comparison, women of color experienced the most hostile environment, from the negative remarks observed to their direct experiences of verbal and physical harassment," the authors wrote. "These findings are consistent with workplace literature that places women of color in double jeopardy, as they occupy a space of being at greater risk of both gendered and racialized harassment."

There are about 10,000 people working in astronomy and related fields in the U.S. and about 20,000 worldwide, according to the American Astronomical Society. Clancy said that from a social scientist perspective, the results of the survey cannot be said to represent the entire astronomy community.

"It would be really erroneous of us to dare to say that 450 people speak for 20,000. That would be a real error in our work," she said.

"So instead, what we can do is we can speak from this population, and we can say that this is not a nonrandom sample," she said, meaning the survey was open to anyone in the community and the respondents were not selected by the researchers. "At the same time, there's a good chance [the survey] is fairly representative."

Clancy said people who aren't familiar with social science will often ask if those who have experienced gender and racial discrimination are more likely to respond to surveys of this kind. But based on previous research, Clancy said the inverse is more likely true.

"Many people who have negative workplace experiences actually don't complete surveys of this nature because it's too re-traumatizing," she said. "You end up with low response rates of people who have these experiences and higher response rates from people who don't."

Researchers have spent decades examining how discrimination and a hostile work environment affect the physical and mental well-being of employees, the authors wrote. These things also impact the quality of science produced by an individual and the trajectory of that individual's career, Clancy said.

"Literally almost half of our sample of women of color didn't feel safe in their workplace. Just sit with that for a minute," Clancy told Space.com. "Think about what kind of work you can get done if you dread going to work or if you feel unsafe going to work. Think about the ways in which it disrupts the process of science if your heart and mind can't be fully in your workplace because it is hostile. Think about the discoveries that are left undiscovered."

Clancy said there have been studies examining how discrimination not only affects individuals but also entire scientific teams. Teams with more diversity across different metrics "solve problems better and faster" than teams with very little diversity, Clancy said. A 2014 study showed that scientific laboratories in which women were not included in social networks with their coworkers tended to produce fewer papers and received fewer grants than labs in which women were included in social networks. That study also showed that people within scientific laboratories often apply stereotypes to each other and tend to undermine women's expertise more than men's; thus, even though a woman might be more qualified to tackle a particular problem, her colleagues might assign it to a less-qualified person, ultimately slowing progress on that problem or diminishing the quality of the work, Clancy said.

When scientists skip events such as seminars, classes or fieldwork activities, the loss of information or data poses an obvious detriment to the individual. But missing these events can have other negative impacts, Clancy said. Science is a highly collaborative field, Clancy said, so interacting with colleagues and peers can have a direct impact on a person's research and career. In addition, if a person misses a group activity, it can be interpreted by superiors or colleagues as that person "not being enough of a team player," she said. [Women in Space: A Space History Gallery]

Clancy said she thinks many scientific institutions and schools have "given lip service to diversity," but may not have worked hard enough to combat discrimination and harassment, particularly against women of color. While Clancy said the number of white women in the sciences has shown an overall increase over time, the number of women of color in astronomy faculty positions began to decline in 2015.

"Because we refuse to engage with issues of race in the sciences and acknowledge the ways in which racism might actually be limiting women of color and probably also men of color we're continuing basically to see increases in the number of white women in the sciences, while not seeing improvements in any other demographic," Clancy said.

The paper cited multiple studies that investigate how institutions can confront this problem, including a 2013 report from the National Academy of Sciences. The steps recommended by the 2013 report include implementing a clear code of conduct for employees, and effectively sanctioning behavior that violates that code. In addition, universities and workplaces can choose to conduct "values-based, affirmative" diversity training, which calls on workplace leaders to discuss what it means to treat colleagues ethically and to create a specific code of conduct for their workplace. Clancy notes that this type of training can be time-consuming and challenging, but has been shown to be more effective at changing workplace environments than training focused on what employees should not to do.

"Yes, it takes longer to decide to sit people down and decide to have those kinds of conversations," Clancy said. "But if you actually want to affect change you have to do the right thing, not the easy thing."

Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.

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Women of Color in Astronomy Face Greater Degree of Discrimination, Harassment - Space.com

Astronomy Lectures Focus on Timely, Fun Topics – St, Thomas Source

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The Etelman Observatory on St. Thomas. (Source file photo)

A pair of sessions on astronomy geared towards the public will be offered Friday evening at the University of the Virgin Islands.

Shadow On the Sun: The Hype Behind the Solar Eclipse, and Why Bad Movie Science Is Good for You will be offered beginning at 7 p.m. Friday in the UVI ACC Building.

The two sessions are part of the international astrophysics conference taking place this week at the university. The conference is focused on Active Galactic Nuclei, which are galaxies that power extremely bright light sources at their cores through the interaction of supermassive black holes with nearby material that is falling into them.

The public talks will focus on two popular and timely subjects and will be presented by a pair of conference attendees.

Dr. Stephanie LaMassa from the Space Telescope Science Institute will talk about eclipses and what to expect when the solar eclipse sweeps across the U.S. in August. Questions to be addressed include what is an eclipse, what is a solar eclipse, and why dont we see eclipses more often.

Dr. Bruce Alastair from the University of Edinburgh will talk about bad movie science, when action in popular movies defies the laws of physics. Alastair promised to dive into some of the best/worst of the astronomy-themed science Hollywood has to offer.

Sometimes subtle, sometimes ridiculous, it can set your inner nerd free, he said.

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Astronomy Lectures Focus on Timely, Fun Topics - St, Thomas Source

Astronomers find the smallest star ever, pushing forward search for aliens – The Independent

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Astronomers have found the smallest star ever, and it might offer a hint of the search for other Earth-like planets.

The tiny sun is just a little smaller than Saturn and is probably the tiniest that stars can actually be. If it were any smaller, there would be so little pressure at its centre that it would be unable to support the process of fusion and stop being active.

Our discovery reveals how small stars can be, said Alexander Boetticher, the lead author of the study, and a Masters student at Cambridges Cavendish Laboratory and Institute of Astronomy. Had this star formed with only a slightly lower mass, the fusion reaction of hydrogen in its core could not be sustained, and the star would instead have transformed into a brown dwarf.

And the star might even offer a hint at planets where we might find life. Such tiny, relatively cool stars like Trappist-1 are probably our best shot at finding planets like our own.

The smallest stars provide optimal conditions for the discovery of Earth-like planets, and for the remote exploration of their atmospheres, said co-author Amaury Triaud, senior researcher at Cambridges Institute of Astronomy. However, before we can study planets, we absolutely need to understand their star; this is fundamental.

Such small stars are by far the most common in the universe. But it's difficult often to spot them, precisely because they are so tiny and dim that it's much more difficult to see them from afar.

Scientists now hope that they can use the project that spotted this star known as WASP, a planet-finding mission that involves a range of different UK universities to see more of those stars. When they do, they will be able to explore them and understand the stars that are most likely to support life.

Thanks to the EBLM project, we will achieve a far greater understanding of the planets orbiting the most common stars that exist, planets like those orbiting TRAPPIST-1, said co-author Professor Didier Queloz of Cambridge Cavendish Laboratory.

The new star is known as EBLM J0555-57Ab and sits about 600 light years away. It's part of a binary system and was spotted when it travelled in front of the much bigger other half of its pair.

This star is smaller, and likely colder than many of the gas giant exoplanets that have so far been identified, said von Boetticher. While a fascinating feature of stellar physics, it is often harder to measure the size of such dim low-mass stars than for many of the larger planets. Thankfully, we can find these small stars with planet-hunting equipment, when they orbit a larger host star in a binary system. It might sound incredible, but finding a star can at times be harder than finding a planet.

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Astronomers find the smallest star ever, pushing forward search for aliens - The Independent

Step by step, we’re tackling gender equity in Australian astronomy – The Conversation AU

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Efforts praised to get more women in Australian astronomy, but more needs to be done.

The number of women at the most senior levels in the Australian astronomical community remains low despite many positive steps in supporting gender equity. Women make up only 17% of positions at full or associate professor level.

Astronomy is not alone in having a gender gap in its workforce. Despite decades of positive initiatives, the number of women working day-to-day in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) fields overall in Australia is low.

About 43% of the total STEMM workforce are women compared to men at 57%, based on 2014 figures. This gap widens at the most senior levels, with women making up only 21% of the senior professor positions.

Programs to improve the gender gap in astronomy have been recognised this week by the Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA). At its annual science meeting, this year in Canberra, it announced 12 recipients of its Pleiades awards.

The awards are aimed at encouraging astronomy departments to make a commitment to improving gender equity. We can see the rewarded programs are already having an impact.

Now in their third year, the first gold Pleiades award went to the ARC Centre for All-Sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO), a collaboration of several university astronomy teams. Four silver and seven bronze awards were given to other astronomy groups.

CAASTROs award recognises the groups longstanding commitment, with initiatives such as changes to recruitment practices, increased workplace flexibility (such as advertising the opportunity for part-time work), mentoring and improved conference participation by female astronomers.

These policies have resulted in an increase in the number of female researchers from roughly 15% at the centres inception in 2011, to more than 40% this year.

Conference participation is at almost at parity in terms of the number of participants, speakers and session chairs. CAASTRO has also created a gender action toolkit, a resource that any department or institute can use.

Other efforts are also being made to address the gender gap in STEMM with Australian institutions gearing up for their first submissions to the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) pilot, due at the end of March, 2018.

The scheme is based on the UKs Athena SWAN program on improving gender equity, established in 2005. Over the past 12 years the Athena SWAN program has led to positive transformations in workplace culture and women being more visible in key positions and senior roles in STEMM fields in the UK.

But unlike SAGEs institution-wide approach, the Pleiades awards take a department-by-department approach.

As a direct result of the Pleiades awards program, every Australian astronomy department now has an equity and diversity committee to consider and monitor these matters and many have undertaken workplace culture surveys.

Despite this and other efforts to bridge the gender gap, there are still hurdles to be overcome such as hiring practices, unconscious bias and the amount of housework that women undertake in Australia (an issue raised by Annabel Crabb in her book The Wife Drought).

One pragmatic action is to advertise female-only positions which the University of Melbourne has now done for a senior position in astronomy.

The new ARC Centre of Excellence for All-Sky Astronomy in 3 Dimensions has gone one step further, and requires gender balance at all levels of the Centre, from students to the executive.

The gender balance issue is worse for women who are also in other minority groups due to race, sexuality, disability, religion and more.

While we have made some progress in gender equity in astronomy, we have now started to broaden the conversation beyond gender alone, to recognise intersectionality which describes how gender equity is impacted by also being members of other minority groups. The ultimate aim is an equitable workplace that allows all women to achieve their full potential.

Year by year we are learning more about how best to support women. With each round of the Pleiades awards we further develop the selection criteria to ensure departments keep improving their workplaces.

We also expect our astronomy departments to take on new initiatives to retain or progress in the Pleiades awards scheme.

The awards have shown the positive effect such a scheme can have in driving cultural change. As the SAGE pilot develops, we expect similar positive change in culture across the whole sector, beyond astronomy alone.

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Step by step, we're tackling gender equity in Australian astronomy - The Conversation AU