Daily Archives: October 10, 2023

Double bill: Vis Motrix & Atlas da Boca at Tipperary Dance … – The Journal of Music

Posted: October 10, 2023 at 1:07 pm

An international double bill presented as part of Tipperary Dance International Festival.

VIS MOTRIX [Moving Force] by Cocoon Dance is the second part of a trilogy on the unthought body, exploring transhuman energies and impulses. In VIS MOTRIX, bodies move through space merging into human-machine hybrids. These other-worldly, fascinating organisms haunt us with a hypnotic power that one cannot escape. What is the driving force, the soul (Vis Motrix) behind the movements of these beings? With this production, CocoonDance continues its research of the unthought body: transhumanism as a traumatic round dance that does not leave our unconsciousness untouched.

Atlas da Boca [Atlas of the Mouth] by Gaya de Medeiros examines the experience of two trans people by exploring the mouth as a place of intersection between the public and the private, between silence and the lasting word, between the sensual and the political. Dissecting the interplay between word and gesture, Gaya de Medeiros delves into the moments in which the mouth hardens to let the words come out roaring.

Warnings: Atlas da Boca contains nudity and sexual references in the text Age: 18+ Running time: 90 minutes

Atlas da Boca is presented in partnership with Dance Limerick, in the framework of Aerowaves, co-funded by the European Union.

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Can Elon Musk make the human spirit immortal with a robot? – CNE.news

Posted: at 1:07 pm

The US multimillionaire regularly presents himself as the saviour of humanity with Tesla, tunnel drilling company The Boring Company, social media platform X, and also with Neuralink. In the future, people with paralysis due to ALS, MS or a stroke will be able to communicate their thoughts to others via an implant from Neuralink. The implant connects the brain wirelessly to devices outside the body. But the latter company also has some very questionable aspects. "Super scary," columnist Ilyaz Nasrullah calls Musk's plans with Neuralink in Trouw.

The results show that Neuralink does not build illusions. Using such an implant, the company made monkeys play a computer game by controlling the device with their brains. After years of experimenting on mice, rats, pigs and monkeys, Neuralink is ready for tests on humans. But there are quite a few snags in that. Mainly because the company's handling of animal welfare is quite worrying.

Management admitted that Neuralink's experiments at the University of California had caused the deaths of eight animals in recent years. But news agency Reuters dived deep into the matter last year and uncovered very different, shockingly large numbers. Although Neuralink released a reassuring statement, whistleblowers reported as many as 1,500 cases of animal casualties since 2018. In particular, rushed experiments cost many laboratory animals their lives due to infections or other side effects.

Following a trial in March, in which Neuralink was acquitted of animal cruelty, the US Food and Drug Administration FDA gave the company the green light to conduct human trials. "We are excited to announce that we have received FDA approval to launch our first human clinical trial!" Neuralink tweeted on 25 May. Just two months earlier, the FDA rejected a request. At the time, Neuralink could not guarantee the safety of the lithium-ion battery used, and it was unclear whether the wiring could be removed from the brain without damaging it beyond repair.

Since last week, Neuralink has been recruiting subjects with ALS or another paralysis disease for the so-called Prime study. They will receive an implant in their skull the size of a euro coin, a so-called brain-computer interface (BCI). A specialised operating robot, the R1, which Neuralink has developed for this purpose, surgically installs the brain implant under the skull. Delicate power wires connect the interface to 3,000 electrodes in the different brain regions. The entire installation is done under local anaesthesia and takes only half an hour. The implant "measures the electrical signals emitted by neurons. Finally, the speed and patterns of those signals form the basis for movement, thoughts and memories," Musk explained.

The subjects can then use their minds to control a computer cursor or keyboard. Conversely, the devices can also control parts of the subjects. Initially, the research was intended to help people with paralysis. With brain implants, the company may also be able to help people with obesity, autism, depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson's, and epilepsy get rid of their symptoms. "It's like a Fitbit (fitness tracker, Ed.) in your skull with little wires," Musk said during the product demonstration.

But it doesn't stop there; Neuralink also wants to provide healthy people with a technical extension in the future. They, too, should be able to communicate wirelessly with the digital world around them using an implant. With an implant, they can not only expand their memory with an external hard drive but also upload new skills at lightning speed and communicate telepathically with their autonomous car.

This development is currently in its infancy. However, according to Musk, a brain-computer interface will soon become as common as a smartphone. Surfing the web using our brains and communicating telepathically via a chip will become the norm, believes the US billionaire. In the future, humans and computers will work together and share their knowledge and experience.

If humanity does not grow with the development of artificial intelligence, it will eventually fall behind technology, Musk expects. "Humans need to merge with machines to avoid becoming like monkeys," he says.

This development should produce smarter and more powerful people. But who wants this? At Cybernews.com, IT change manager Neil Hughes wonders how it will feel when the artificially intelligent text generator ChatGPT soon starts communicating with the human mind like a second internal voice. It is not imaginary. After all, ChatGPT has recently been able to see, hear and speak. A translation computer is therefore no longer needed. Artificial intelligence recites it internally, and humans simply mimic it.

Human bodies may be upgraded in the future to avoid becoming obsolete or worn out. Musk, therefore, does not rule out brain-computer interfaces merging the human mind and artificial intelligence (AI), giving a human "an AI extension of himself". After all, humans are evolutionarily "work in progress".

The distinction between humans and technology is increasingly blurred by this development. The fusion, also called cyborg, is a form of human enhancement.

That raises all sorts of new questions, IT professional Hughes realises. Will companies, governments or hackers soon have access to the most intimate thoughts and experiences? Will it allow them to subject humanity to a form of surveillance, manipulation and control that a dictator dreams of today? Will there be a thought police? Will a techno-elite class emerge with enormous power and privileges?

Jason Thacker, ethicist at The Ethics and Religious Commission of the American Southern Baptist Convention, puts his finger on Musk's way of thinking. This is based on "a materialistic and evolutionary worldview". Musk wants to give human evolution a helping hand. The vision of life behind this is so-called transhumanism. "Musk, along with many other transhumanists, is trying to improve our fragile humanity," he said.

And that goes a long way. Like the French philosopher Ren Descartes, transhumanists conceive of humans as a duality of mind and body. They see the mind as "software" and the body as "hardware". The real personality consists of the mind, thoughts and emotions. The body is a kind of container which can be changed or replaced by another. The human mind can then be uploaded into a robot and live on digitally forever, even if the body is dead. The presentation of Tesla's self-learning humanoid robot Optimus last week shows the direction that development is taking. Its capabilities mimic human capabilities quite lifelike.

Because of the speed at which this technology is developing and its complexity, legislation and ethical reflection are hopelessly behind. Hughes: "So it may be time to take our foot off the accelerator and reduce the speed of technological change." He advocates "responsibility and caution".

Ethicist Thacker goes a step further. "Human beings have value because they were created by God in His image and likeness. Our body need not be discredited, as if it does not have the capabilities we need to flourish. Then Christ as Man would also have had shortcomings."

The Christian worldview is so much "richer and more coherent" than Musk's, Thacker argues. It is an "ethical framework that upholds the dignity and respect of every human being". People are "embodied souls who, if they belong to Christ, will receive the ultimate 'upgrade': salvation in God's time by God's power".

This article was translated by CNE.news and published by the Dutch daily Reformatorisch Dagblad on October 4

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Artists revved up by Creative Engine grants – Geelong Times – Geelong Times

Posted: at 1:07 pm

GEELONG Arts Centre has announced the six recipients of its latest Creative Engine grant packages.

The announcement celebrates Geelong Arts Centres first class of Creative Engine grant recipients since opening the doors to the centres $140 million redevelopment in August.

The centre is providing both financial support and in-kind studio access valued at more than $59,000 within the new state-of-the-art venue

Now in their fourth year, the grants are designed to directly benefit local G21 artists and other artists with strong connections to the community in their development of new and distinctive work.

Since December 2018, Creative Engine has supported 51 creative projects.

The selected projects span multiple artistic disciplines, including screenwriting, traditional and experimental theatre, music, and puppetry, but all meet the programs three selection criteria: Connection, Innovation and Thoughtfulness.

Ignition recipients are awarded $5,000 plus in-kind studio access, plus mentoring opportunities.

This years recipients areImaginary Friends, by Georgie Rose, a multi-disciplinary artistic puppetry performance that will be whimsical, playful and inspiring; andSWARM, by Melinda Chapman, a multi-art performance work that explores artificial intelligence and transhumanism through the lens of its impacts on seven family members and one synthetic person in the 2030s, and

Jump Start recipients are awarded $3,000 and in-kind studio access.

The recipients in this latest round areUnder Milk Wood, by Christine Davey, a subversive theatrical adaptation of the 1954 Dylan Thomas radio drama, which examines the global through the personal; andLost Horizon, a new theatrical adaptation of James Hiltons classic 20th century novel, which was the first paperback novel printed for a mass market, adapted into film in 1937, then musical theatre in 1973.

Place to Make recipients are awarded in-kind studio access.

The recipients arePsyched, by Serah Nathan-Sinnathamby, a 6 x 3 minute original concept narrative series developed for television that follows the misadventures of Alina, a woman who admits herself to a psychiatric hospital in an attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend; andPreparing for Release, by Rachel Brennan, who has been working with Nick Huggins and Isaac Barter over the past 10 months to record nine tracks as part of a coming release project.

We have been so energised by the recent opening of Geelong Arts Centres $140 million redevelopment, and we are genuinely excited to lend our support to these incredible emerging creatives rooted in the G21

region through the latest Creative Engine grant round, Geelong Arts Centre chief executive officer and creative director Joel McGuinness said.

Creativity is the lifeblood of Geelong Arts Centre, and the projects were backing through this grant initiative represent a rich tapestry of artistic forms.

We look forward to fostering their growth and impact.

For more information on Creative Engine, head togeelongartscentre.org.au/creative-engine

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Report to Congress on the U.N. Law of the Sea Convention – USNI … – USNI News

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The following is the Oct. 4, 2023, Congressional Research Service report, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS): Living Resources Provisions.

The United Nations (U.N.) Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) established a comprehensive international legal framework to govern activities related to the global oceans. UNCLOS often is referred to as the constitution of the oceans. The convention was agreed to in 1982 and entered into force in 1994, after the Agreement Relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (commonly referred to as the 1994 Agreement) amended many of the deep-seabed resources provisions that several industrialized nations found objectionable.

In 1994, President Clinton submitted UNCLOS and the 1994 Agreement as a package to the Senate for its advice and consent. To date, the Senate has not given advice and consent to accession to the convention and ratification of the 1994 Agreement. The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has considered UNCLOS, most recently in the 112th Congress, when the committee held several hearings. The committee took no further action, and UNCLOS has since remained with the committee.

Measures pertaining to UNCLOS have been introduced in the 117th and 118th Congresses but have not been enacted to date. In general, introduced measures support U.S. accession to UNCLOS (e.g., H.Res. 361 and S.Res. 220 in the 117th Congress). Of relevance to living marine resources, a 117th Congress bill found that as a party to [UNCLOS], the United States would be better able to participate in negotiations regarding the management of high seas fish stocks, migratory fish stocks, and marine mammals (H.R. 3764).

In general, UNCLOS Articles 61-73 address living resources, including highly migratory species, marine mammals, and sedentary species, among others. Other relevant provisions include those that address living resources in the high seas (Articles 116-120) and protection of the marine environment (Articles 192-196), among other provisions. In general, these living resources provisions appear to reflect current U.S. domestic laws, such as the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), Shark and Fishery Conservation Act (P.L. 111-348), High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act (Title VI of the Fisheries Act of 1995; P.L. 104-43), and Marine Mammal Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.). In addition, the United States participates in several bilateral or multilateral international agreements that are viewed as consistent with UNCLOS (e.g., the 1995 U.N. Fish Stocks Agreement).

Stakeholders have differing views on what U.S. accession to UNCLOS would accomplish. As presently understood and interpreted, UNCLOS provisions generally appear to reflect current U.S. policy with respect to living marine resource management, conservation, and exploitation. Thus, some may not see a benefit of U.S. accession to UNCLOS, given that U.S. policies generally reflect its provisions. However, some experts view certain U.S. living resource laws as exceeding the obligations set forth in UNCLOS, which may complicate U.S. bilateral negotiations with nations party to UNCLOS. Some legal scholars also view many U.S. laws as reflecting use-by-use or issue-by-issue approaches for living marine resources, and thus view U.S. accession to UNCLOS as providing a more comprehensive U.S. approach.

Some stakeholders view U.S. accession as potentially complicating enforcement of domestic marine regulations, such as regulation of pollution from ships. Others remain concerned about UNCLOS language relating to arbitration and potential conflicts should the United States adopt the convention. These uncertainties in part reflect the absence of any comprehensive assessment of the social and economic impacts of UNCLOS implementation by the United States. Congress may wish to consider whether to require preparation of such an assessment by an executive branch agency.

Some in support of U.S. accession to UNCLOS contend that the conventions provisions could provide new privileges for the United States. One potential privilege could be the power to make declarations and statements, which could be useful in promulgating U.S. policy and U.S. interpretation of the convention. Another privilege would be U.S. participation in commissions that develop international ocean policy. Such commissions include the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, the International Seabed Authority, and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Participation in these bodies could help forestall future conflicts related to living resources.

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Simplifying Docker Installation on Linux – Linux Journal

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In the boundless ocean of software development, containerization has emerged as the trusty vessel for developers, ensuring smooth sailing even in turbulent waters of system discrepancies and compatibility woes. Among the fleet of containerization tools, Docker shines bright as the beacon of reliability and ease. Docker facilitates wrapping up a piece of software in a complete filesystem that contains everything it needs to run: code, runtime, system tools, system libraries anything that can be installed on a server. This guarantees that the software will always run the same, regardless of its environment. This article unfurls the sails to guide you through the calmest route to installing Docker on your Linux machine, ensuring a swift, hassle-free voyage into the realms of containerization.

Before embarking on this voyage, ensure that your vessel in this case, your Linux machine is sea-worthy and ready to harness the winds of Docker.

Check Your Linux Distribution and Version: Docker supports Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, CentOS, and many more. Ensure you're running a supported version of your Linux distribution.

Hardware Prerequisites: Although Docker is quite lightweight, ensuring your system meets the minimum hardware requirements is prudent. A system with a 64-bit architecture, and at least 2GB RAM is recommended.

Embarking on the high seas with an outdated map is a recipe for disaster. Likewise, before installing Docker, updating your system's package database ensures a smoother sail.

sudo apt-get update

Sailing through the calm waters is always advisable. Installing Docker from the official repository is akin to such a peaceful voyage.

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl gnupg lsb-release

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg

echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io

sudo docker run hello-world

docker --version

For sailors in a hurry or those favoring a less hands-on approach, Docker provides a convenience script for installation.

curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh

Now with Docker installed, understanding some basic commands will help you navigate through the basics of Docker usage.

sudo systemctl start docker sudo systemctl stop docker sudo systemctl restart docker

docker run [IMAGE]

docker pull [IMAGE]

You've now successfully installed Docker on your Linux machine and taken the first step into a larger world of containerization. With basic commands at your disposal, the vast expanse of Docker's functionality awaits your exploration. The official Docker documentation is an excellent compass for those seeking to delve deeper into advanced configurations and optimizations. As you set sail on the silicon seas with Docker as your vessel, may smooth sailing and calm waters be ever in your favor.

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Mallory to Present ‘Oceans Apart: Global Governance Approaches to … – University of Arkansas Newswire

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Tabitha Grace Mallory

The International and Global Studies Program will host the second lecture in their new Speakers' Series on Global Development and Sustainability. Professor Tabitha GraceMallory of the University of Washington will give a talk titled "Oceans Apart: Global Governance Approaches to the Deep-Sea Strategic Frontier."

The talk will be from 4:30-6p.m. Thursday, Oct.12, in the Student Success Center, Cordia Harrington Center for Excellence room324. Mallory will talk about the United Nationsinitiatives to protect marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction and the efforts of the International Seabed Authority to hammer out a code to govern commercial seabed mining. These initiatives must balance environmental concerns with access to important resources like metals for renewable-energy technologies and marine genetic resources for new pharmaceuticals.

In her talk, Mallory, an expert on Chinese fisheries and ocean innitiatives, will explain how China hopes to become a leader in these new industries with significant strategic implications. The tradeoffs involve high-seas areas that belong to all of us. How should we approach these global-commons resources from the perspective of a first-come-first-served "freedom of the seas" or a more universal "common heritage of mankind"?

Mallory is an affiliate professor at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies and specializes in Chinese foreign and environmental policy. She is also CEO of the consulting firm China Ocean Instituteand has consulted for organizations such as the United Nations Foundation, the World Wildlife Fund, the World Bank and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

She is currently conducting research on China and global ocean governance and has published work on China's fisheries and oceans policy. She previously served as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Princeton-Harvard China and the World Program and has also worked for The National Bureau of Asian Research and for the U.S. government. Mallory holds a Ph.D. in international relations from Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. She serves on the board of directors of the China Club of Seattle and is a member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and the Washington State China Relations Council.

This year, the Global Development and Sustainability Series will bring in leading experts on issues concerning global sustainability and development to coincide with programing already being offered by the International and Global Studies Program. Through this speaker series, students will be exposed to a variety of methodological approaches to issues surrounding development and sustainability. Here are the upcoming talks for 2023-24:

"International Trade, Noise Pollution, and Killer Whales"

M. Scott Taylor Professor of economics, University of Calgary Research associate, The National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts Friday, Feb.16, from 3:30-5p.m. in Willard J. Walker Hall room403

"Strong Enough to Remove Dirt Skin: Coconut Soap, and Other Early Histories of Biofuels in the US and Mexico"

Jayson M. Porter Voss Postdoctoral Research Associate in Environment and Society, Brown University Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Maryland Friday, March 7, at 4:30 p.m. in CORD 349

For questions about this event, please contact the International and Global Studies Programassociate director, Kelly Hammond, atkah018@uark.edu.

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NEWS: A NEW ‘Moana’ Show Is Coming to the Disney Treasure … – AllEars.Net

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It probably comes as a surprise to ABSOLUTELY NO ONE how pumped we are about the addition of the Disney Treasure to the Disney Cruise Line fleet.

Set to make her debut on the high seas in December of 2024, the Treasure will feature so many great entertainment options, from a Jungle Cruise-themed lounge to an all-new version of the AquaMouse. Now, though, were CERTAIN that this ship features truly one-of-a-kind entertainment, because Disney just shared that something totally NEW was coming aboard.

Disney The Tale of Moana is an all-new show that will join the lineup of entertainment options aboard the Disney Treasure. The show will debut exclusively at the Walt Disney Theater.

This broadway-style show is inspired by the originalMoanafilm and will follow Moana as she embarks on her journey to save her island and restore the heart of Te Fiti.

Characters part of the show include Maui, Gramma Tala, and Tamatoa. Oh, and Disney said that we can expect to hear the iconic songs from the original soundtrack!

This is actually the FIRST TIMEMoanahas ever taken the stage as a show of this type. Were SO excited to check it out.

Well be sure to keep you all updated with more Disney news, so make sure to follow along for more so that you never miss a thing.

What do you think of the addition of this newMoana show? Let us know in the comments!

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Things to do Oct. 13-19 in the Chicago suburbs, Northwest Indiana – Chicago Tribune

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Here are some events happening from Oct. 13 to 19 in the Chicago suburbs and Northwest Indiana.

RED ALERT: Beyonc and Taylor are back

Did you miss the boat on the two biggest concerts of the summer Taylor Swifts Eras tour and Beyonc Renaissance tour? Well, fret no more. Both are coming to a movie theater near you this fall. Taylors tour hits the big screen on Oct. 13. Beyonc's hits movie theaters Nov. 30. Go to fandango.com for local showtimes, ticket prices and locations.

Falling for fall

Cantigny Fall Fest is 4-11 p.m. Oct. 13, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Oct. 14 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 15 at Cantigny Park in Wheaton. Tickets are $15 per car. At 1s151 Winfield Road. 630-668-5161; cantigny.org.

The Cantigny Fall Festival expands to a full weekend of activities this year. Look for a biergarten serving Oktoberfest beer and food, a craft fair, live entertainment, hayrides, a petting zoo, pumpkins and kids activities.

Pumpkins galore

Jack OLantern World continues Oct. 13-29 (excluding Oct. 16-18) at The Forge in Lemont. At 227 Heritage Quarries Drive. Tickets are $14.99-$24.99. thejackolanternworld.com.

Walk a half-mile trail filled with thousands of jack-o-lanterns hand carved by more than 50 artists, including giant pumpkins.

Author event

Emmy Award-winning actor and comedian Bob Odenkirk, with his daughter Erin Odenkirk, will appear at 7 p.m. Oct. 13 Community Christian Church in Naperville. Tickets are $29. At 1635 Emerson Lane. 630-355-2665; andersonsbookshop.com.

Odenkirk, a Naperville native, and Erin Odenkirk, celebrate the release of their new book of poetry, Zilot and Other Important Rhymes. They will be in conversation, followed by an audience Q&A. After their talk, there will be a signing line and photo opportunity.

High-seas high jinks

Footlight Players presents Four Old Broads of the High Seas at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12-13 and 2 p.m. Oct. 14-15 at Footlight Players in Michigan City, Indiana. Tickets are $12-$17. At 1705 Franklin St. 219-874-4035; footlightplayers.org.

The titular old broads are on a sassy seniors cruise that includes a topless sun deck, a fabulous drag queen, costume contest and a murder mystery.

Orchestral performance

Fire and Ice is presented by the Lake County Symphony Orchestra at 5 p.m. Oct. 14 at The Barn at Hawthorne Woods in Hawthorne Woods. Tickets are $40. At 2 Lagoon Drive. 847-746-3472; lakecountysymphonyorchestra.com.

A chamber performance pairs musicians from the Lake County Symphony Orchestra string quartet with dancers.

Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.

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Marine "Biomimetics" Could Be the Blue Economy’s Next Big Hit – The Maritime Executive

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Humpback whale calf, Tonga, 2015. The bumps on the whale's head reduce drag and have inspired many engineered applications (GRID-Arendal / Glenn Edney / CC BY NC SA 2.0)

Published Oct 9, 2023 2:32 PM by China Dialogue Ocean

[By Emma Bryce]

Deep in the Pacific Ocean, a strange, diaphanous balloon drifts by. Inside, tunnels and chambers coil like a miniature floating Guggenheim around the talented architect within: a tadpole-like creature called a larvacean. Incredibly, the organism has crafted this entire structure out of mucus.

This is an animal without legs, arms, or eyes, and it secretes this complex house of mucus around itself, explains Joost Daniels, a research engineer. Daniels is part of a team at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute that has3Dmodelled these structures, which theyve christened snot palaces. Their modelling work, carried out at the institutes Bioinspiration Lab, revealed how the larvacean uses its tail to pump detritus-filled water through the passageways of the snot palace, using it like a filter to snag food.

The magnificent structure could inspire inventions on land. This could be very interesting for very efficient vehicle propulsion or other pumping systems. There are lots of medical applications as well, says Daniels.

Such innovations belong to the growing collection of biomimetic products which mimic the form, structure, or function of organisms. Taking inspiration from nature isnt new, but marine biomimetics is relatively nascent partly becausejust 5%of the ocean has been explored. And yet, the ocean is where all life started, and where a lot of things have evolved from, says Daniels, which creates huge potential for discovery in its vast depths.

Researchers think that, as discoveries related to marine biomimetics grow, they could contribute billions to the economy annually, with applications across diverse industries including energy, transport, pharmaceuticals, and deep-sea exploration. This could also serve as a more sustainable source of marine revenue than industries likedeep-sea mining, believes Robert Blasiak, a researcher in the sustainable management of ocean resources at the Stockholm Resilience Centre. I think it gives a bit of a different flavour to how we can explore this final frontier, he says.

Wild inventions

It was Blasiaks personal enthusiasm for the subject that drove him to start cataloguing marine biomimetic inventions, which together with his colleagues he described in a 2022research article. The paper explored a glittering array of innovations some under development, and several already on the market.

One of them takes inspiration from the tapering fins of the humpback whale. These leviathans glide effortlessly through the water, despite having knobbly fins that look like they would slow them down. In the early 2000s, engineersdiscoveredthat those bumps, called tubercles, actually generate lift, reducing drag in the water. This has sinceinspiredthe design of bumpy fan blades andsurfboard fins, as well as patents to apply tubercles to wind farms.

Another source of inspiration is shark skin, which bristles with billions of microscopic scales called denticles. Arranged in adiamond patternand imprinted with peaks and troughs, these channel water and allow the animals to glide seamlessly through it. This structure has inspired newcar tyresthat aim to reduce the risk of aquaplaning, and materials foraircraftthat streamline airflow and cut carbon emissions by1.1%. Sharks arent coated in algae and barnacles, Blasiak explains, because their skin is very hard for stuff to settle on, to actually stick to. Materials scientists have replicated this microscopic architecture inantibacterial surfacesfor hospitals, andantifouling materialsto protect ships from organisms that may latch on to their hulls, affecting their speed and seaworthiness.

Meanwhile, animals such as therams horn squidhave inspired better ways to explore the ocean itself. The creature controls itsbuoyancywith the help of an internal coil-shaped shell containing gas-filled compartments. As the squid grows, explains Blasiak, more of these compartments appear. Most famously, these inspired the submersible used by filmmaker James Cameron totravelto the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

In 2021, scientists successfully mimicked the jelly-like structure of the deep sea snailfish to create a remotely operatedsoft robot, made of flexible materials, capable of withstanding the crushing ocean pressure at depths of 11,000 metres.

Many more biomimetic inventions are in the works. Materials scientists are developinghyper-strong materialsfor buildings based on the chitin structure of the mantis shrimps crack-resistant club. Others have found unlikely fashion inspiration in theslime-producing hagfish, whose goo contains thousands of silken but powerful strands that could inspire next-generation textiles. Elsewhere, researchers havepatentedthe unique water-repellingproteinsinbyssus threads the strong filaments that tether mussels to rocks which could lead to corrosion-resistant steel for ships.

Big money in the blue economy

Marine biomimetics could generate significant revenue through novel products, designs, patents, and by reducing maintenance and materials costs in several industries, Blasiak believes. One significant area is shipping, which spends US$30 billiona year dealing with the added fuel and cleaning costs of biofouling by barnacles and other creatures. Biomimetic antifoulants, such as sharkskin-inspired coatings, could offset this expense, while also supplying the marine coatings industry that is worth nearly$15 billion.

According to Blasiaks research, biomimetics could add billions to the tissue-engineering industry, which generated sales of$9 billionin 2017, with corals and sponges becoming increasingly important ingredients. Underwater robotics, meanwhile, is projected to reach almost $7 billion by 2025. And, in 2010, researchersestimatethat cancer drugs derived from yet-to-be-discovered compounds in marine organisms could be worth between $0.5 trillion and $5.7 trillion.

Yet this huge potential is being overlooked, Blasiak believes. All these conceptualisations of the ocean economy, theyre all looking at fisheries, cruise tourism, containerships, mining of aggregates but theyre never looking at biomimetics, he says. In his view, not only can marine biomimetics contribute significantly to economic growth, it also aligns with the emerging blue economy growth thats derived from the sustainable use of the oceans resources.

Sharing the oceans treasures

But there are growing concerns about how to share these benefits fairly. Blasiak has found that 98% of the several thousand patent applications related to marine genetic resources belong to institutions in just10 countries. Typically, ocean discoveries are made by a small number of wealthy nations, often off the shores of less wealthy nations.

The highly productive seas surrounding the Caribbean are one example, says Judith Gobin, a professor of marine biology at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago. If you look [at] the literature, you will see [that] quite a few commercial drugs, already on the market, have been found from Caribbean sponges [and] organisms, she says. And a lot of it, we in the Caribbean werent even aware of. She describes some of these scientific expeditions as ships passing in the night, explaining that even though they were legal, they have failed to share their benefits.

The inequality has only grown as wealthier nations have been able to advance into the little-explored deep sea that often falls beyond the jurisdiction of any one nation. But Gobin is hopeful that the recently agreedHigh Seas Treatywill start to even out this playing field. She explains that the historic treaty, formallyadoptedin June this year, includes requirements to share the scientific and financial benefits of any marine genetic resources discovered in the high seas. Gobin participated in the treaty negotiations as an adviser with CARICOM, an intergovernmental organisation that represents the interests of Caribbean countries.

More important than financial benefits is the treatys hard-won obligation for countries to share resources, she says. Ideally, this means that future marine expeditions led by wealthy nations will be treated as an opportunity to bring scientists from developing nations on board, to share training, technologies, and expertise. Lets get the local scientists involved, and then lets build the capacity, Gobin says.

According to Blasiak, its this spirit of shared curiosity and discovery that drives marine biomimetics in the first place, and which he believes could turn it into a force for the good of the ocean. I think that one of the most attractive things about biomimetics is that it first requires you to look at the natural world, to interact with it, be curious about it, and try to understand it better, he says. Thats the starting point for caring about the ocean, and then for thinking we should be stewards of it.

Emma Bryce is a freelance journalist who covers stories focused on the environment, conservation and climate change.

This article appears courtesy of China Dialogue Ocean and may be found in its original form here.

Top image: Humpback whale calf, Tonga, 2015 (GRID-Arendal / Glenn Edney / CC BY NC SA 2.0)ww.grida.no/resources/3544

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.

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All eyes on France this Saturday evening – Offaly Independent

Posted: at 1:06 pm

TV WEEK (Wednesday 11th to Tuesday 17th)

Published: Tue 10 Oct 2023, 4:45 PM

This critically acclaimed drama series returns for a fourth season, as the World War II focus shifts to the Mediterranean, where Germanys U-Boats face impossible odds. At home, secrecy and intrigue lurk within their ranks at German Navy Command in Berlin, where a dangerous conspiracy unfolds.

In this first episode of season three an unforeseen UK environmental disaster causes enormous destruction and loss of life, and the crisis spirals to encompass the governments secret connections to the malignant corruption of the arms industry and the rise of shadowy corporate security firms.

Mary Lamb Waugh, daughter of renowned painter Charles Lamb, is 90 and blessed with an unquenchable zest for life. Her story is a kaleidoscope of subjects that bookend the emerging nation: feminism, emigration, art, education, sailing the high seas, and a deep and abiding love of Connemara, an affection she carried all her life.

Lifts the lid to reveal the inner workings of various areas of life in Ireland, the Secrets series takes audiences behind the scenes and into the shoes of some remarkable people. With an access-all-areas approach, these stories take us into the private thoughts of often unsung everyday heroes.

Sun, Sea and Scalpels follows some of the thousands of Irish people opting to travel abroad for cosmetic surgery, and delves behind their stories to outcomes where many Mummy makeover dreams of whiter teeth, tighter tummies and pert posteriors are fulfilled but also including the traumatic downside where botched work causes some tales of terrible trauma.

From Steven Spielberg comes a loosely autobiographical drama based on the directors own childhood, which shaped his life and career. Its a universal coming-of-age story about an isolated young mans pursuit of his dreams and artistic ambition. An all-star cast includes Michelle Williams, Paul Dano and Seth Rogen.

This modern take on Cyrano de Bergerac stars Steve Martin as a witty fire chief of a small Pacific Northwest town who, due to his enormous nose, indirectly pursues the girl of his dreams by feeding a colleague the words of love to win her heart. A winning romcom with Daryl Hannah.

Ben Affleck is a mathematics savant who makes his living as a freelance accountant for some of the worlds most dangerous criminal organisations. But with a Treasury agent hot on his trail, the million dollar secret accounts are in jeopardy as the body count starts to rise.

Tom Hanks stars in this winning adaptation of one of Stephen Kings most acclaimed novels. He plays a kindly death row chief warder who has walked the final mile with a variety of convicts on their way to the electric chair. Then he meets John Coffey a man possessing a supernatural gift at odds with his supposed guilt as a murderer.

An all-star Irish cast led by Cillian Murphy, Eva Birthistle, Adam Scott and Laoise Murray is set around two apparently happy Dublin couples and the deadly ripples into everybodys lives that follow an affair. Written and directed by Mark ORowe, the engaging plot explores modern ideas of love, lust, and family relationships,

The hilarious antics of Lulu, Frankie and Bruce as they move from Australia to a B&B in an isolated west of Ireland seaside town called Tubbershandy with their parents who happen to be zombies

Cameras in space tell stories of life on our planet from a new perspective the weird and wonderful patterns covering Earth. The Australian outback is covered in pale spots; a clearing in the Congo rainforest has been created by an elephant gathering; and the twists and turns of the Amazon make a home for rehabilitated manatees.

Mass UFO sightings from the last 50 years are investigated in this docuseries featuring eyewitness accounts, expert interviews and new evidence. Strange lights over a small town in Texas; submersible space crafts haunting a Welsh coast village; an alien encounter with schoolchildren in Zimbabwe; and non-human intelligence reportedly interfering with a nuclear power plant in Japan.

A musical comedy-drama film written and directed by John Carney, Flora And Son features original songs by the late, great Gary Clark. Starring Eve Hewson, Jack Reynor and Orn Kinlan, the plot centres on a Dublin single mother trying to keep her rebellious son out of jail by finding an old guitar in a skip discovering one persons rubbish can be another persons salvation.

Delta Goodrem is a fiercely independent private plane pilot fighting to keep her family business afloat who starts to fall for the man sent by a large corporate rival to ground her operation forever. A watchable romcom whose main appeals are the spectacular locations filmed in Australias Whitsunday islands.

Brie Larson takes a break from the Marvel franchise to play a disrespected scientist in the early 60s who becomes a TV chef. Despite her skill as a chemist, the male dominated field leads to her sacking. Nurturing a desire for revenge, she becomes a TV cook using her experience to teach housewives more than the kitchen allows.

Here we are, at that fateful place where Ireland have sadly met the end of the dream down the decades of the Rugby World Cup theyve beaten them before, and whod bet against them repeating the feat?

Published: Tue 10 Oct 2023, 4:45 PM

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