Women in STEM: Act beyond enrolment
This is striking given the rapid expansion of STEM-linked industries and the increasing demand for technical expertise. The underrepresentation of women is even more pronounced in cutting-edge disciplines such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and engineering, where female participation drops to 12-26 percent. These disparities raise critical questions about the structural and cultural barriers that exclude women from the fields of future.
A closer examination of the data reveals a paradox: girls often perform as well as boys in mathematics and science during early schooling, yet their confidence in these subjects erodes over time. Unesco's findings suggest this decline in self-assurance, rather than aptitude, is a decisive factor in deterring girls from pursuing STEM careers. The reasons can be traced to deeply ingrained gender stereotypes that position technical and analytical fields as inherently masculine domains. Educational systems often unwittingly reinforce these biases through gendered career counseling, a lack of visible female role models, and pedagogical approaches that fail to engage girls in hands-on STEM learning, leading them to internalise the notion that they do not belong in these spaces.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
7 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Women in STEM: Act beyond enrolment
Despite policy interventions, corporate diversity initiatives, and educational reforms, women remain highly underrepresented globally in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). According to Unesco's 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report, women constituted only 35 percent of STEM graduates, and their share had seen negligible growth over the previous decade. This is striking given the rapid expansion of STEM-linked industries and the increasing demand for technical expertise. The underrepresentation of women is even more pronounced in cutting-edge disciplines such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and engineering, where female participation drops to 12-26 percent. These disparities raise critical questions about the structural and cultural barriers that exclude women from the fields of future. A closer examination of the data reveals a paradox: girls often perform as well as boys in mathematics and science during early schooling, yet their confidence in these subjects erodes over time. Unesco's findings suggest this decline in self-assurance, rather than aptitude, is a decisive factor in deterring girls from pursuing STEM careers. The reasons can be traced to deeply ingrained gender stereotypes that position technical and analytical fields as inherently masculine domains. Educational systems often unwittingly reinforce these biases through gendered career counseling, a lack of visible female role models, and pedagogical approaches that fail to engage girls in hands-on STEM learning, leading them to internalise the notion that they do not belong in these spaces.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Time of India
UAE: Sharjah dig uncovers 80,000-year-old tools confirming 210,000 years of human presence in Arabia
The UAE, which currently has one UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Cultural Sites of Al Ain inscribed in 2011, is now pursuing recognition for Jebel Faya as its second/ Image: Sharjah Archaelogy Authority Archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery at Jebel Faya in the Emirate of Sharjah, unearthing 80,000-year-old stone tools that fundamentally reshape our understanding of early human history in the Arabian Peninsula. This discovery provides compelling evidence that early Homo sapiens were not merely transient in Arabia, they lived, adapted, and thrived in the region over tens of thousands of years. In total, the archaeological record at Jebel Faya reveals an unbroken human presence spanning 210,000 years, an extraordinary continuity rare in the Arabian archaeological landscape. The findings were published in February 2025 in the peer-reviewed journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, and reported by the state news agency WAM on Wednesday. The artifacts were excavated between 2012 and 2017, then studied, dated, and peer-reviewed before the results were made public. From Ancient Tools to Global Recognition The significance of the discovery has prompted an important administrative step: Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has issued a formal decision approving the boundaries of the Al Faya site for nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage List. According to the official decree, the location, boundaries, and area of Al Faya, as outlined in the approved map, are now formally nominated as a cultural heritage site. A final decision on the site's inclusion is expected at UNESCO's 47th session, scheduled for July 7–16, 2025, in Paris. Currently, the UAE has one UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Cultural Sites of Al Ain, which were added in 2011. What the Tools Reveal About Early Humans The tools found at Jebel Faya are not ordinary. Researchers identified an advanced technique called bidirectional reduction, a complex method requiring carefully executed strikes at both ends of a stone core to create elongated blades and flakes. 'This wasn't random knapping,' explained Dr Knut Bretzke, a lead archaeologist on the project. 'Bidirectional reduction required foresight. It's like a chef filleting a fish, each strike intentional, each angle calculated. The goal was to maximise material efficiency, preserving the raw stone for future use. It reflects deep environmental knowledge and an extraordinary level of cognitive skill.' These multipurpose tools were designed for: Hunting Butchering animals Processing plant materials Crafting other implements This diversity indicates that for these early human groups, technology was both a survival tool and a form of cultural expression. The presence of such tools during Marine Isotope Stage 5a (MIS 5a), a period of dramatic environmental change when monsoons from the Indian Ocean turned Arabia's deserts into verdant grasslands, lakes, and rivers, shows that humans not only survived but adapted successfully to the shifting climate of the region. Collaboration, Science, and Cultural Vision The excavations at Jebel Faya were part of an international research project led by the Sharjah Archaeology Authority (SAA) in collaboration with universities from Germany and the United Kingdom. The project was funded by the German Research Foundation and the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences. Using luminescence dating, researchers were able to establish a nearly continuous timeline of human presence at the site from 210,000 years ago to 80,000 years ago. This suggests that early humans across this 130,000-year period either remained at the site continuously or returned to it repeatedly, even as environmental conditions fluctuated. 'The discoveries at Jebel Faya show that resilience, adaptability, and innovation are among the most defining traits of humanity,' said Eisa Yousif, Director of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority. 'These tools reflect a profound relationship between people and their land. As we advance our efforts to nominate the Faya Palaeolandscape for UNESCO recognition, we are reminded of how our shared past continues to shape who we are and who we may become.'
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Time of India
World's oldest 3.7 billion-year-old stromatolite fossils are in this country and intriguing facts about them
Hidden in the remote, icy wilderness of Greenland lies a treasure trove that might just hold the secret to life itself. In one of the discoveries that shook the scientific world, which were 3.7-billion-year-old stromatolite fossils, found in the Isua Greenstone Belt in southwest Greenland, making them the oldest known evidence of life on Earth. Referring to this, Clark Friend, an independent researcher and co-author of the research said, 'Up until now the oldest stromatolites have been from Western Australia and they are roughly 3,500 million (3.5bn) years [old].' He added 'What we are doing is pushing the discovery of life earlier in Earth's history.' Friend further says that the discovery also raises questions about the possibility of life on other planets. Read more: First batch of pilgrims reaches Manasarovar Lake as yatra resumes after 5 years: Chinese Ambassador to India shares photos However, some scientists believe that life in the ocean may have started even earlier—and much deeper. Today, vibrant ecosystems exist around hydrothermal vents located near seafloor spreading ridges and subduction zones—regions where Earth's tectonic plates are either drifting apart or colliding. These ancient rock formations, reportedly, predate even the emergence of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere, offering a rare glimpse into the planet's primordial past. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cuối cùng, chơi miễn phí game chiến thuật hay nhất 2025! Sea of Conquest Phát ngay Undo So, what exactly are stromatolites? Stromatolites are layered, rock-like structures formed by colonies of cyanobacteria — some of the earliest and simplest life forms to appear on Earth. These microbial mats trap and bind sediment over time, slowly building up dome-like mounds that harden into fossils. While living stromatolites can still be found in places like Shark Bay in Australia, the Isua fossils are far older, by over a billion years. Discovered in 2016, these Greenlandic stromatolites, reportedly, pushed the timeline of life on Earth back by nearly around 220 million years. Prior to this, the oldest known microbial fossils were 3.48 billion years old, which were found in Western Australia. But the Isua formations are different. Not only are they significantly older, but they also formed under extreme conditions, supposedly from a time when Earth's surface was barely solidified. Read more: 7 remarkable natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites that are in India Why was the discovery significant? For starters, it challenges long-held beliefs about how life formed after Earth cooled down. It's estimated that Earth must have formed around 4.5 billion years ago. The fact that microbial life appeared just 800 million years later suggests that life may have arose relatively quickly under the right conditions, which is a theory that excites astrobiologists studying the potential for life on Mars and exoplanets. Moreover, these fossils offer clues about the environment in which early life could thrive. Stromatolites like those in Isua formed in shallow marine environments, indicating that early Earth may have had water bodies suitable for life far earlier than expected. The microbial mats that built these stromatolites were also likely photosynthetic, meaning they might have played a role in gradually oxygenating the planet, which should be a process that took billions of years, but eventually enabled complex life. Intriguing facts about the Isua stromatolites: They were almost overlooked: The fossils were initially spotted on a weathered rock surface by Australian geologist Allen Nutman. What seemed like a random rock to others, they actually turned out to be the oldest biological trace on Earth. Formed without oxygen: Unlike modern stromatolites, which rely on oxygen-rich environments, these ancient fossils reportedly grew in an anoxic world. They're not without controversy: Some scientists argue that the formations might be non-biological in origin, which were created by geological rather than biological processes. However, multiple studies continue to support their biogenic nature.
