Latest news with #Bicknell
1News
04-07-2025
- Business
- 1News
Delay-plagued convention centre to host medical conferences in 2026
The New Zealand International Convention Centre in Auckland will host two major medical conferences next year — after finally opening following a near six-year delay. A spokesperson for the convention centre, which was initially scheduled to open in 2020 but was delayed following a devastating fire, said both the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists would hold their conferences at the centre. The events would be held from April 30 to May 5 and November 5 and November 9, respectively. The convention centre would officially open in February next year. According to NZ Herald, nine other events had already been booked at the centre. It was expected both newly announced events would include a combined total of 3300 delegates, "generating millions of dollars in economic activity", according to a spokesperson for the centre. ADVERTISEMENT NZICC director of sales and planning, Alana Bicknell, said it was a "major boost" to secure two major conferences during the convention centre's first year of opening. 'We can't wait to extend our manaakitanga to the delegates of both conferences. We're confident the NZICC will absolutely wow them.' 'We appreciate the support from our industry partners to help bring these events to New Zealand, and also the government for their recent announcement regarding changes to the law around the advertising of medicines that have previously been a barrier to international medical conferences coming here,' Bicknell said. SkyCity, which owned the convention centre, filed legal proceedings against Fletcher Building and The Fletcher Construction Company, seeking compensation of $330 million for "ongoing delays" to the project. SkyCity said the project was nearly six and a half years behind the contractually agreed delivery date of January 2019. SkyCity claimed it was entitled to $330 million in liquidated damages from Fletchers under the contract. Fletcher Building said it would "vigorously" defend the legal action and had already paid "significant" liquidated damages to SkyCity over the delays.
Otago Daily Times
20-06-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Bid to help families results in discovery
Louise Bicknell. PHOTO: SUPPLIED A journey to help 10 New Zealand families get answers for rare brain disorders affecting their children has led to the discovery of the genetic cause. Co-author and associate professor at the University of Otago Rare Disorder Genetics Laboratory Louise Bicknell said the discovery shed new light on the "incredibly complex" process by which human bodies created the "instruction manuals" essential for building and maintaining our brains. "Our bodies rely on a precise process called 'splicing', to read and process genetic instructions from our DNA and help generate the building blocks required in our body. "While it's known that problems with the machinery that co-ordinates splicing can cause various genetic disorders, this new finding adds to a small but growing recognition of the potential severe impact on brain development in particular." The research team studied 10 New Zealand families impacted by a severe genetic disorder that resulted in affected individuals having profound pre- and postnatal microcephaly (smaller head circumference), with pontocerebellar hypoplasia (underdevelopment in brain stem and cerebellum), seizures and severe intellectual disability. The findings, published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, pinpointed specific changes in a gene called CRNKL1. "Our journey to this discovery began here in New Zealand, through trying to help New Zealand families get answers for genetic disorders affecting their children," Prof Bicknell said. "Then, using our international connections, we were able to identify other families around the world, which was crucial for confirming our findings and understanding the full impact of these genetic changes." In a striking discovery, nine of these families showed genetic changes in the exact same spot in the CRNKL1 gene, she said. All the affected children shared the same severe features, highlighting the strong link between these specific genetic changes and the disorder. Lead author and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Otago Rare Disorder Genetics Laboratory Dr Sankalita Ray Das said the research showed CRNKL1 was crucial for healthy brain development, and that specific parts of the splicing machine had highly specialised roles — far more intricate than scientists previously thought. She said the finding also offered further clues into the complex ways human genes guided brain development.
Al Etihad
06-06-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Multiply Group unites media assets under one brand with launch of Multiply Media Group
6 June 2025 14:37 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD) Multiply Group, the Abu Dhabi-based investment holding company, has consolidated its media assets under a single unified brand — Multiply Media Group (MMG). The newly launched entity brings together BackLite Media, Viola Media, and Media 247 to form one of the UAE's largest and most premium out-of-home (OOH) media networks, with over 3,000 advertising units across the announcement was made at the World Out of Home Organization (WOO) Annual Congress in Mexico City, accompanied by a bold global digital media campaign that lit up cities and screens launch of MMG represents one of the most significant media consolidations in the UAE. It signals Multiply Group's broader strategy to redefine the media landscape through scale, innovation, and Bouazza, Group CEO and Managing Director of Multiply Group, described the move as a pivotal step: 'By bringing together market-leading media assets under a single AI and tech-driven group, we are reinforcing our commitment to long-term value creation and shareholder returns. MMG lays a strong foundation for our global ambitions and forward-looking investment strategy.'Out-of-home (OOH) media refers to advertising that reaches consumers outside of their homes. This includes formats such as billboards, transit ads, street furniture displays, and digital signage placed in high-traffic public spaces. As traditional media consumption continues to fragment, OOH has remained a resilient and evolving channel for advertisers to reach audiences where they work, commute, and socialise. With MMG, Multiply Group aims to capitalise on this high-impact medium by leveraging data, AI, and strategic network includes more than 75 premium assets along Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road and benefits from long-term partnerships with major government entities such as Dubai's Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT). These partnerships ensure MMG's access to high-visibility locations and institutional support as it scales across the Bicknell, CEO of Multiply Media Group, emphasised the transformative nature of the new venture. 'MMG is a powerhouse that unites some of the region's most strategic media assets under one bold vision. Our mandate is clear: deliver context at scale and reach audiences where it truly matters. MMG is engineered to be agile, data-led, and deeply integrated — enabling our clients to engage audiences with greater relevance and resonance than ever before.'MMG's formation also aligns with Multiply Group's recent strategic partnerships aimed at global expansion. These include a joint venture with Arabian Contracting Services Company (Al Arabia) to invest in international OOH markets, and a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Media Company (SMC). These moves highlight MMG's potential as a regional launchpad for cross-border media Hassan, Head of the Media and Communications Vertical at Multiply Group, noted the group's broader vision: 'Multiply Group's growth strategy has taken us from three integrated companies to a media powerhouse poised to redefine the regional landscape. Through MMG, we are embracing emerging trends such as the transformative role of AI and remain committed to investing in technologies that drive dynamic, innovative campaigns.'In addition to its core OOH portfolio, Multiply Group's media holdings include Yieldmo, a contextual mobile advertising platform, and Firefly, a leading digital taxi-top advertising firm in North America. With these assets, MMG is positioned to deliver holistic, multi-channel media solutions both regionally and internationally. Multiply Group is $7.2 billion investment holding company based in Abu Dhabi. It is part of International Holding Company, the most valuable holding company in the Middle East with a market cap of over $240 billion.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Can offshore wind help some fish? Research increasingly says yes.
When ecologist Anthony Bicknell went looking for fish around the foundations of wind turbines a dozen or so miles off the coast of Scotland in the North Sea, he wasn't sure what he'd find. But he was ready for something surprising. Around that time, some European lobsters were catching researchers off guard by taking up residence in wind turbine foundations in the waters off of the British Isles. Sure enough, Bicknell and his team counted two more sea creatures that scientists had never documented congregating around wind turbines: a flatfish known as a dab and, most strikingly, haddock. Haddock is one of Scotland's highest-value commercial fish, ranking above cod and just below herring in total number of fish caught annually. Unlike cod, haddock don't usually hang out around shipwrecks and other human-made structures on the seafloor. The discovery that these sleek silvery fish are utilizing wind foundations, described in a study published earlier this year, demonstrates how much researchers are still learning about the potential benefits of installing wind structures in the ocean floor. Offshore wind is growing rapidly in some parts of the world, particularly in northern Europe and China, as nations look to complement other carbon-free resources like solar. In the U.S., the industry has faced opposition from the fishing industry, environmentalists, and other anti-wind groups who have raised concerns about how turbines will affect marine life. False claims about offshore wind's impact on ocean animals — especially whales — have been spread by opponents including President Donald Trump, who issued an executive order on his first day in office that has slowed the industry to a crawl. The new study from Bicknell, a senior research fellow at the University of Exeter, is the latest in a growing body of research that suggests offshore wind turbines, like other hard structures introduced to the seabed, can not only coexist with marine life but potentially benefit certain species. Scientists have repeatedly found, for example, that an oil rig or oil platform can become an oasis of hard structure in ocean expanses devoid of much else but sand. They attract barnacles, shellfish, invertebrates, and, eventually, the fish that like to eat those creatures. An entire food web can grow. Studies like Bicknell's find the same phenomenon is playing out around some wind turbines installed on the seafloor of the North Sea. Except, unlike oil rigs, these massive pieces of infrastructure are helping to reduce the carbon emissions caused by burning fossil fuels, which is rapidly warming the ocean and devastating marine life worldwide. Bicknell and his coauthors discovered that the older the wind foundation, the more fish — and sometimes bigger fish — like to call it home. This is true, they found, for many demersal fish like flatfish, haddock, and cod, which sit lower on the food chain. His team focused on the U.K. offshore wind farms known as Beatrice and Moray East; some of the studied turbines were built in 2017, while others went in around 2020. These studies also underscore that offshore wind farms are clearly changing the ocean. Scientists are still debating which species are most feeling the change. 'Are they good or bad for fish? The caveat is, well, what fish?' said Bicknell. Take the case of the European lobsters that like to turn wind foundations into homes. In 2021, researchers tagging lobsters around turbines installed off the coast of North Wales found that almost half of tagged animals hung out around a turbine's base to find food or hide from predators. The doughnut of rocks and boulders deposited around a turbine's base may also protect the lobsters. At least one tagged lobster ended up in a local fisherman's trap, providing the first anecdotal evidence that turbines can support lobsters that also feed people. For haddock, the turbines are more like a buffet. Bicknell described the fish as enjoying what he and other scientists call 'indirect benefits.' Because haddock don't usually hang around hard structures, preferring instead the sandy sea bottom, the groups that showed up on the researchers' underwater cameras likely come there to feed and then leave. His study provides more evidence that wind foundations may increase the availability of food for many fish. Some of these discoveries are helping researchers in the U.S., where offshore wind has been slow to catch on. Five projects are actively under construction in the country, but only one commercial-scale offshore wind project, South Fork Wind, is in operation today. Meanwhile, the U.K. has over 40 offshore wind installations with a total capacity of 15 GW plugged into its grid. 'I think when it comes to surveying offshore wind infrastructure for fish, yes, we are a little bit behind,' said Brendan Runde, a marine ecologist with The Nature Conservancy who is based in Virginia. Runde is part of an ongoing research project to understand how fish use two wind turbines installed off the coast of Virginia as part of a 2020 pilot by Dominion Energy. This installation — and the fish that use it — serve as a glimpse of what's to come in the region's waters. Less than a mile away, the state's first commercial-scale project is under construction and, according to its developer Dominion, on track to be completed in 2026. During construction, wind farms could have negative effects on fish, said Runde. Artificial noise, changes to seafloor sediment, and newly laid cables that emit electromagnetic fields can all impact fish in the short-term. However, his team's research has found that the Atlantic sturgeon, an endangered species, and a variety of sharks are not avoiding the area even during ongoing construction. At least 78 wind foundations have already been installed off the coast of Virginia, according to Dominion, while new ones continue to be built in spite of federal headwinds from Trump. In Virginia, offshore wind has a history of bipartisan support, and Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, is a vocal supporter of Dominion's 2.6-gigawatt, 176-turbine project. Runde's research is ongoing and must now endure a challenging political moment for the offshore wind sector. In addition to calling wind farms 'garbage' and vowing to halt the construction of new turbines, President Trump has gutted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of staff and resources in recent months. Runde actively collaborates with NOAA scientists on this research, and his project itself is funded by the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center. When it comes to measuring the long-term benefits of these structures, Runde and his team use some of the same methods as their British counterparts: baited remote underwater video, which measures fish abundance, size, and diversity at the pilot turbines. The foundations they explore can reach depths of 120 feet below the water's surface. Black sea bass are already making homes out of these foundations. Runde said that one fish that was tagged at a Virginia wind foundation in February 2024 was still there seven months later when he returned. 'We know that, for many species of fish, this wind foundation is a really big deal,' said Runde.
CBC
30-01-2025
- Science
- CBC
Prehistoric puke reveals hunting (and hurling) habits of ancient ocean predators
What is 66-million-year-old vomit like? A lot more pleasant than the fresh stuff, says paleontologist Jesper Milan. "It doesn't smell anymore," he told told As It Happens host Nil Kӧksal. "It doesn't look disgusting at all." That's good news for the patrons of Denmark's East Zealand Museum, where Milan is a curator, and where the preserved puke of a prehistoric ocean predator will soon be displayed. Discovered by a private fossil hunter on a historic coastal cliff in Denmark, Milan says it offers a rare glimpse into the hunting habits of sea creatures in the Cretaceous period. 'Oh, this could be vomit' When Milan first laid eyes on the fossil, which is about 3.5 centimetres in diametre, he says it didn't look like much at all. But as museum staff dusted it off and cleaned it up, they revealed the skeletal remains of two crinoids — small, tentacled marine invertebrates, better known as sea lilies — coiled together in a pellet. "That's when we started to think … oh, this could be vomit," Milan said. That's great news to a paleontologist, because vomit offers clues about ancient ecosystems — namely who was eating what and when. But it's also hard to come by. "Normally, vomit is mostly soft things that don't get fossilized," Milan said. "It must have got buried in the seafloor quite fast." The scientific name for fossilized vomit is regurgitalite. "They're really rare, and they're really important," Russell Bicknell, a paleobiologist at the American Museum of Natural History who was not involved in the Danish discovery, told CBC. This jellyfish was the terror of the sea 500 million years ago Regurgitalites, Bicknell says, are a sub-category of bromalites, which are fossilized digestive materials. There are also colonites, food preserved in intestines, and perhaps the most popular of them all, coprolites, a.k.a. fossilized feces. Bicknell also studies ancient ocean predators, but with a focus on the Cambrian period, between 538 and 485 million years ago, which had excellent geological conditions for fossil preservation. For the Cretaceous period, he says, bromalites are more rare. And this one dates to a period just before the mass extinction event that killed off the dinosaurs. "It's from the period just before the meteorite hit the Earth," he said. "That's really exciting." What did the puking? So far, scientists don't know what actually did the puking. It may have been a fish, or a marine reptile, gobbling up sea lillies along the bottom of the ocean. Sea lilies, which predate dinosaurs and still live on the ocean's floors today, have skeletons are made of mineral calcite, which explains why they were so well-preserved in the regurgitalite. Their skeletons consist of hundreds of individual plates of different shapes and sizes, which could explain why they didn't go down very well. "There's not many animals that like to eat things that are particularly spiky or shelly," Bicknell said. "Either this particular animal really enjoyed this kind of food, which is interesting, or maybe there was kind of a limitation on what could have been eaten at the time in that environment, so it was kind of limited to the more, you know, crunchier." Milan has some theories. "You have a few possibilities, but my main suspect is one of the small bottom dwelling-sharks that are still alive today," he said. "Bullhead sharks, or the Port Jackson Shark, they feed on the sea starfish and sea urchins and mussels and crayfish and a lot of things with hard shells. And you find the fossilized teeth from that kind of shark in the same deposit as as the vomit." Whatever barfed out the sea lilies, Milan says he's grateful for the international attention they're receiving, and for Peter Bennicke, the 79-year-old fossil hunter who found the prehistoric puke. He says roughly two thirds of fossils on the record in his country come from amateur fossil hunters, and he encourages them to keep doing what they're doing. "They are doing a great job in Denmark," he said.
