Jersey woman included in UK's top 50 female engineers list
She said: "If it hadn't been for a pasta bridge competition run by engineers when I was 16, I might never have discovered civil engineering."That moment changed my life - and now I'm passionate about creating those moments for others."
'A real difference'
ICE said that since Ms Hayden had become a STEM Ambassador in 2017, she had volunteered more than 715 hours and delivered 285 activities.Ms Hayden said it was "a huge honour" to be recognised on the list."I hope it shows young people in Jersey and beyond that engineering is not only for everyone - it's a career where you can make a real difference."
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The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
The Guardian view on the public's dinomania: passion for palaeontology endures through the ages
On-screen discussions of DNA and off-screen scientific consultants notwithstanding, no one goes to see a Jurassic Park movie for its realism. Yet one of the less convincing moments in Jurassic World Rebirth, the latest in the franchise, is unrelated to oversized velociraptors. It's the palaeontologist Dr Henry Loomis complaining of shrinking public interest in his field. This spring, the BBC revived its 1999 hit series Walking With Dinosaurs. Not a week goes by without headlines announcing the discovery of a new species or new theories on how they behaved. Publishers produce an endless stream of dino-related fact and fiction, particularly for children. Palaeontology – at least when focused on the dinosaurs of the Mesozoic, or our hominin forebears – has long exerted an extraordinary hold on the public imagination. Yet it's a marginal field in terms of academic prestige and scientific funding, as Dr Chris Manias, a historian of science, points out in the essay collection Palaeontology in Public, published last year. (Dinosaurs are themselves a small part of the discipline; the vast mass of fossils are invertebrates, micro-organisms or plants. Good luck getting a movie made about stromatolites). The spectacular scale and fearsome nature of creatures such as Spinosaurus, the magic of conjuring extraordinary life from a handful of rocks tens of millions years old, and the mirroring of myths about dragons and other ancient beasts may all play a part in its appeal. Entertainment has always helped: the Crystal Palace dinosaurs were created in the 1850s to encourage interest in recent discoveries (Richard Owen, who coined the term dinosaur, provided advice.) Arthur Conan Doyle's 1912 novel The Lost World portrayed a South American plateau where prehistoric creatures still roamed. Some of today's palaeontologists were drawn to the field by watching the first Jurassic Park movie as children. But the science itself has been central too. In the 19th century, the US palaeontologists Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope vied to outshine each other in the bitter 'Bone Wars', with academic rigour and ethics taking second place to headline-grabbing glory. In the 'dinosaur renaissance' of the 1960s, experts showed the creatures to be more sophisticated, active and interesting than previously imagined. The feathered dinosaurs found in Liaoning, China, in the 1990s have revolutionised our understanding – even if the Jurassic franchise makers, and many dinosaur fans, still draw the line at a downy Tyrannosaurus rex. In recent years, experts have identified a new dinosaur every week or so. New technology is unlocking details of their appearance and behaviour. The original Jurassic Park was a tourist resort inhabited by dinosaurs brought back from extinction. In the latest film, the plot is driven by big pharma's hunt for prehistoric DNA that could drive a medical breakthrough. That parallels the tension Dr Manias notes around palaeontology itself: is it primarily a 'luxury', which entertains more than it enlightens, or 'useful'? Jaw-dropping giants like Patagotitan still captivate adults and, especially, children. But there are lessons here too. In the past, the field appeared to offer a narrative of progress, as lumbering creatures gave way to mammals and ultimately – tada! – the triumph of humans. Now it is an instructive tale of uncertainty, offering powerful insights into time, nature and how life has fared at times of huge and rapid changes in climactic conditions. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Which dog do YOU think is the cutest? Vets say our preference for breeds is changing - take the test to see if you agree
From tiny Corgis to chunky Rottweilers, man's best friend comes in all different shapes and sizes. But vets now say that Brits' preferences for pooches are shifting. New research from the Royal Veterinary College shows that people favour dogs with more pronounced muzzles, less bulging eyes, and longer tails. The researchers say this shows a growing movement away from the flat faces and short limbs that were once popular for fashionable breeds. Dr Rowena Packer, senior author of the paper, told MailOnline: 'For some time, preference has appeared to be for more extreme body shapes, which have been popularised and normalised in the media. 'However, this is the first evidence that the tide may be turning and the public now prefers less extreme body shapes.' Across all breeds, participants said that the less extreme body shapes were more attractive, healthier, and made them feel happier. So, which of the dogs do you think is the cutest? Take a look at the test below to see if you agree with the results. A new study suggests that taste in dogs is shifting away from more 'extreme' body shapes and towards healthier characteristics among flat-faced dogs such as pugs The study examined how people rated three different flat-faced, or brachycephalic, dog breeds: Pugs, English Bulldogs, and French Bulldogs. Almost 500 participants were shown AI-generated images depicting less extreme, super extreme, or typical versions of the three breeds. Participants were then asked to rate the dogs in five categories - perceived attractiveness, perceived health, the happiness induced by their appearance, the ethics of breeding, and the desire for ownership. The results revealed that the least extreme versions of the breeds were rated highest across all categories. Likewise, typical versions of the breeds were rated higher in all categories than the more extreme versions. Almost all participants in the study owned dogs of varying breeds, with just over a quarter owning flat-faced breeds. Owners of flat-faced breeds were consistently more positive about all the dogs, no matter how extreme. The researchers say this is likely due to dog owners showing a preference for dogs that look like their own. What are brachycephalic dogs? The word 'brachycephalic' means short or broad-headed. Examples include Pugs, Bulldogs, Boxers, and Pekingese. Because of this extreme body shape, flat-faced dogs have a much higher risk of developing numerous painful illnesses and diseases. Health problems associated with brachycephaly include: Anatomical defects of the upper airway causing breathing difficulties often associated with overheating, sleep apnoea, and regurgitation Eye disease Inability to mate or give birth naturally Repeated skin infections Dental problems However, even these committed owners preferred the least extreme body shapes. This is good news for dog welfare campaigners who have been arguing for years that fashionable extreme breeding trends were leading to severe health issues. Dr Packer says: 'Extreme body shapes are created by artificial selection for genetic mutations. 'The consequent body shapes break natural biological limits for dogs and lead to a range of chronic, severe disorders that reduce quality of life and lifespan.' For example, flat faces make it harder for dogs to breathe, while short, curly tails are associated with spinal diseases and paralysis. The fact that the public is now starting to prefer more natural dogs might be a sign that campaigners' messages are starting to have an effect. Dr Paul Manktelow, Director of Veterinary Services at animal charity Blue Cross, says: 'At Blue Cross we see all too often how pets with extreme features suffer from painful conditions that often require costly surgery to treat. 'This study provides hope that it doesn't have to be this way.' Data from the Kennel Club suggests that registrations for pedigree flat-faced puppies have been falling over the last few years. However, a study published by the Royal Veterinary College last year found that French Bulldogs were the most popular breed for new owners, making up 7 per cent of all puppies under one year old in 2019. This reflects how stubborn preferences for these unhealthy breeds can be. Dr Packer's previous research found that health problems faced by flat-faced breeds, such as being unable to exercise due to skeletal issues, were normalised by their owners. One in seven flat-faced owners said 'nothing' could persuade them against getting an unhealthy dog. Likewise, many believed their dogs' 'laziness' was a highly desirable trait, despite this often being caused by breathing or musculoskeletal problems. Dr Packer says: 'Many breeders show resistance to changing the body shape of their breed. 'Given that breeders hold the power to make decisions over which types of dog are bred, and current legislation around extreme breeding is not enforced in the UK, the market is still dominated by extreme dogs, giving the public less choice to express their preferences when acquiring a puppy.' Researchers found that Britons consistently rated less extreme body shapes (dog 1 in the test samples) as more attractive, healthier, and more ethical to breed than more extreme versions In the future, Dr Packer says she would like to see standards changed to encourage less extreme breeds. These could include limits on how extreme a dog's physical traits can be, similar to laws imposed in the Netherlands. By restricting the extremes of dog breeding, the standard may shift back towards the preferences of most people and start to favour healthier shapes. 'Prioritising ethics and welfare in breeding over aesthetics is key for a happy, healthy future for dogs,' says Dr Packer. A genetic analysis of the world's oldest known dog remains revealed that dogs were domesticated in a single event by humans living in Eurasia, around 20,000 to 40,000 years ago. Dr Krishna Veeramah, an assistant professor in evolution at Stony Brook University, told MailOnline: 'The process of dog domestication would have been a very complex process, involving a number of generations where signature dog traits evolved gradually. 'The current hypothesis is that the domestication of dogs likely arose passively, with a population of wolves somewhere in the world living on the outskirts of hunter-gatherer camps feeding off refuse created by the humans. 'Those wolves that were tamer and less aggressive would have been more successful at this, and while the humans did not initially gain any kind of benefit from this process, over time they would have developed some kind of symbiotic [mutually beneficial] relationship with these animals, eventually evolving into the dogs we see today.'
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Students Invited to Join Annual Essay Competition Hosted by Scottish Charity
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