China's coast guard this week took the most aggressive action to date against Philippine supply boats attempting to provide goods to a grounded navy vessel at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.

Donald Trump's first picks for immigration policy jobs spent the last four years angling for this moment.

Max Verstappen suggests he won't change his aggressive driving this weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix as he bids for a fourth successive Formula 1 title.

Most election postmortems highlight the issues that played badly for Vice President Kamala Harris and were advantageous to President-elect Donald Trump: inflation, chaos on the world stage and uncontrolled immigration.

A senior police officer warned Tuesday of calls for more rioting in Amsterdam, after dozens of people armed with sticks and firecrackers set a tram on fire Monday night as the city faces tensions following violence last week targeting fans of an Israeli soccer club.

In order to tackle inflation, Donald Trump's No. 1 policy goal, if reelected, would be to "Drill, baby, drill."

California air regulators voted to approve changes to a key climate program aimed at reducing planet-warming emissions that has a wide swath of critics and could increase gas prices statewide.

Facebook and Instagram users in Europe will get the option to see less personalized ads if they don't want to pay for an ad-free subscription, social media company Meta said Tuesday, bowing to pressure from Brussels over digital competition concerns.

After working at a crowded and dangerous internment camp in Iraq, Air Force Staff Sgt. Heather O'Brien returned to the U.S. with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

USA Track and Field is bringing the U.S. Paralympics Track & Field program in-house beginning Jan. 1 as part of a partnership that will unite all of its athletes under one roof.

Former Duke star Kyle Singler's cryptic Instagram post saying he fears for his life has drawn an outpouring of concern and support from former teammates and others.

Global Biodiversity Informatics Outlook sets out key steps to harness IT and open data to inform better decisions

Copenhagen, Denmark – A new initiative launched today (2 Oct) aims to coordinate global efforts and funding to deliver the best possible information about life on Earth, and our impacts upon it.

The Global Biodiversity Informatics Outlook sets out a framework to harness the immense power of information technology and an open data culture to gather unprecedented evidence about biodiversity and to inform better decisions.

The framework is outlined in a document and website entitled Delivering Biodiversity Knowledge in the Information Age, inviting policy makers, funders, researchers, informatics specialists, data holders and others to unite around four key focus areas where progress is needed.

The focus areas, each consisting of several specific components, are:

• Culture – promoting practices and infrastructure for sharing data, using common standards and persistent archives, backed up by strong policy incentives and a community of willing specialists;
• Data – addressing the need to transform all data about species, past and present, into usable and accessible digital formats; from historic collections and literature to citizen science observations, remote sensors and gene sequencing;
• Evidence – organizing and assessing data from all sources to provide clear, consistent views giving them context; including taxonomic organization, integrated occurrences in time and space, capturing information about species interactions, and improving data quality through collaborative curation; and
• Understanding – building models from recorded measurements and observations to support data-driven research and evidence-based planning, including predictive tools, better visualization and feedbacks to prioritize new data capture.

The document is being promoted through a number of upcoming events this month, including the Governing Board of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD SBSTTA) where it forms part of the discussion on meeting global targets to end biodiversity loss.

The framework arose from the Global Biodiversity Informatics Conference which gathered around 100 experts in Copenhagen in July, 2012, to identify critical questions relating to biodiversity and tools needed answer them. Workshop leaders at that conference went on to draw up and author the current document.

The Global Biodiversity Informatics Outlook includes examples of projects and initiatives contributing to its objectives, and the accompanying website www.biodiversityinformatics.org invites feedback from others wishing to align their own activities to the framework.

A deck of slides for presentations about GBIO is available at http://www.slideshare.net/GBIF/global-biodiversity-informatics-outlook

The 2014 SCIENCE POLICY SYMPOSIUM to support the implementation of the 2020 Biodiversity strategy and the EU Water Framework Directive will be held between 29-30 Jan 2014 in the Museum of Natural Sciences (RBINS), Brussels. The symposium is jointly organised by the EU FP7 funded projects BioFresh and REFRESH.

Numerous EU biodiversity and water related policies have been designed to protect freshwater ecosystems and ensure their sustainable use. However, major challenges still persist in the implementation of these policies. Freshwater ecosystems support 10% of all animal species on Earth and provide a diverse array of functions and services that contribute to human well-being. In recent decades global freshwater biodiversity has declined at a greater rate compared to terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

The Science Policy Symposium for Freshwater Life is organised with the aim of bringing together policy makers and stakeholders from the water, energy and conservation sector, NGOs, the scientific community and selected experts to discuss challenges to implementing the 2020 Biodiversity strategy and the EU Water Framework Directive.

Contact: waterlives.commitee@freshwaterbiodiversity.eu

The second plenary of the Platform met in December 2013 and agreed an ambitious work programme for 2014-2018: Details of the agreed work programme are available in the advanced meeting report of the Plenary.

The IPBES Secretariat have now issued a call for experts to help scope, advise on and deliver the work programme. Governments and relevant stakeholders can put forward nominations, from which the Multidisciplinary Expert Panel of IPBES will select a maximum of 20% of experts from the stakeholder nominations, and the rest from the government nominations.

The UK expects IPBES to make use of the best scientists/experts from all relevant disciplines - natural science, social science, economics, data and modelling and traditional knowledge, and to achieve a geographical and gender balance among those experts in the delivery of the IPBES work programme.

More information of the required topics to be covered by experts, alongside the nomination forms and how to nominate can be found in the attachments below.

The classical treatise "Flora of Northumberland and Durham" by Nathaniel John Winch is re-published through the innovative Advanced Books platform as an example of combining modern information technology together with historical scholarship to create a new sort of resource and data re-use. This publication will be supporting ongoing research on the botany of the region, which can be seen as a model for other regions in Europe.

The on-line semantically enriched re-publication marries the meticulous detail of old books with the interconnectedness of the internet bringing advantages of the digitization and markup efforts such as data extraction and collation, distribution and re-use of content, archiving of different data elements in relevant repositories and so on.

"Historic biodiversity literature is not just of cultural interest, it can be used to chart biogeographic change and help us understand the impacts of environmental change on biodiversity. Even if we are trying to predict future scenarios for biodiversity, understanding the changes of the past will help understand the changes we should expect in the future" said Dr Quentin Groom from the Meise Botanical Garden, Belgium, who initiated the project and marked up the original text.

The North-east of England has seen many changes since the publication of Winch's Flora. In the 19th Century the area was a powerhouse of the industrial revolution. It was an important coal mining area and significant for the production of iron and steel. It was also a centre for industries such as shipbuilding and engineering. In contrast the uplands in the west of the region were some of the most isolated areas in England, covered in blanket bog and rarely visited.

Since that time heavy industry and mining have declined, but the population has continued to grow. Agriculture and forestry have become mechanized changing the countryside perhaps beyond the recognition of Winch. Many of the plants and localities he mentions have disappeared and a large number of new species have been introduced. The local botanists are still very active in the region. With GPS systems and modern maps they are mapping the region's flora in ever more detail.

The extensive efforts of Quentin Groom from the Botanic Garden Meise and editor of this re-publication combined with the cutting-edge technologies for semantic enhancements used by Pensoft's Advanced Books platform, have resulted in additional details including links to the original citations and coordinates of the mentioned localities. In some cases the habitat that Winch described for a locality differs dramatically from what can be found in the same location nowadays.

The flora, for example, frequently mentions Prestwick Carr, an area of lowland bog, once full of rare species. Sadly it was largely drained just thirty years after the publication of the flora. Yet in recent years the Northumberland Wildlife Trust has been working to restore the bog to its former glory. "When reading Winch's flora, it is easy to see what has been lost, but more importantly what remains to be conserved", comments Groom.

The re-publication of Winch's flora is just one step towards fully understanding all the impacts on wild plants of all the environmental changes that have occurred since the 19th century. Nevertheless, digitization of this flora not only tells us about plants but also about the history of science. Between the lines of this flora one can see a rudimentary understanding of ecology and the beginnings of research on phytogeography.

Consider that in 1831 Charles Darwin set sail on the Beagle, collecting and cataloguing biodiversity around the world, much as Winch had done in North-east England over the preceding 30 years. Field botany at the time was not just a hobby, but a serious pursuit that led to many new discoveries.

Understanding the causes of biodiversity change is only possible if you have data over a long period. The North-east England has an enviable botanical history dating back to William Turner (1508-1568), the so-called, Father of English Botany, who came from Morpeth in Northumberland. Yet he was only the first in a long list of North-eastern botanists, including John Wallis (1714-1793), Nathaniel John Winch (1769-1838), John Gilbert Baker (1834-1920), George Ralph Tate (1805-1871), Gordon Graham and George Swan (1917). Their publications and the works of many others have contributed to a large corpus of literature on the region's flora.

A free GEO/Ramsar webinar titled "Wetlands, Biodiversity and the Role of Earth Observations" is taking place today - 18 June 2015. The webinar  is designed for anyone with an interest in or passion for biodiversity and wetlands - students, scientists, experts, or anyone with a general interest in one or more of these topics – who wants to learn from these vast global communities​.

This is the first of a series of planned webinars on the role of Earth observations in monitoring and sustaining biodiversity and wetlands. The webinars will be hosted by the GEO Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) and GEO Water Community, together with the Ramsar Secretariat and will include leading experts from the global communities highly engaged in biodiversity, wetlands and Earth observations.

To watch the event and register follow the link: https://blbgroup.leadpages.net/webinar-wetlands/

The Distributed European School of Taxonomy (DEST), an initiative under the CETAF umbrella and managed by RBINS, has launched its training programme for 2015-2016.  

Check out the Expert-in-training programme enabling trainees to develop and strengthen their taxonomic research skills through on-the-job-training and the Modern Taxonomy programme offering intensive theoretical courses in various subjects.

The Distributed European School of Taxonomy (DEST) was established within the framework of the EU funded project  European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy (EDIT) and under the umbrella of the Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities (CETAF). The EDIT consortium agreement lasted from March 2006 until March 2011. Since then, the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) remains responsible for the continued management of DEST, organization of courses and related logistical matters. The DEST currently includes a network of around 100 training providers from 60 institutions.

The Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (BIP) Secretariat is looking for indicators to fill gaps in the global suite of biodiversity indicators and allow a full understanding of progress towards globally agreed targets.

They are inviting experts and organisations to participate in an open online consultation to fill the gaps in the global indicator framework for the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. Through this short online survey they want to hear about any existing indicators (both global and sub-global in scale), indicators under development, potentially useful datasets or key experts or organisations in the fields. The main focus is on indicators that respond to the gaps in the global framework, which are listed on the attached flyer, but they are also keen to hear about any other indicators that could potentially enhance the existing indicator suite.

The consultation is open until 30 June 2016. Further information on the consultation is available in the attached flyer, the BIP website http://www.bipindicators.net/gaps, and the CBD notification SCBD/OES/RH/KNM/85710.

The 2014 SCIENCE POLICY SYMPOSIUM to support the implementation of the 2020 Biodiversity strategy and the EU Water Framework Directive will be held between 29-30 Jan 2014 in the Museum of Natural Sciences (RBINS), Brussels. The symposium is jointly organised by the EU FP7 funded projects BioFresh and REFRESH.

Numerous EU biodiversity and water related policies have been designed to protect freshwater ecosystems and ensure their sustainable use. However, major challenges still persist in the implementation of these policies. Freshwater ecosystems support 10% of all animal species on Earth and provide a diverse array of functions and services that contribute to human well-being. In recent decades global freshwater biodiversity has declined at a greater rate compared to terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

The Science Policy Symposium for Freshwater Life is organised with the aim of bringing together policy makers and stakeholders from the water, energy and conservation sector, NGOs, the scientific community and selected experts to discuss challenges to implementing the 2020 Biodiversity strategy and the EU Water Framework Directive.

The GEO Work Programme Symposium will take place from 2 to 4 May 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland. The objective of this first Work Programme Symposium is to actively engage the GEO Community in the implementation of the new GEO Strategic Plan 2016-2015: Implementing GEOSS (GEO 2016-2025 SP).

The Symposium will:

• Reflect on the GEO 2016-2025 SP, on its targets, and on activities that GEO should put in place;
• Ensure a common understanding of the new arrangements defined by the Strategic Plan (Programme Board, Monitoring and Evaluation, Implementation Mechanisms, role of the Secretariat, etc.);
• Ensure a common understanding of how GEO works, what are the links among different activities (GEOSS development and operations, users’ needs, knowledge base development, etc.) and how the Community should plan its involvement;
• Strengthen the participation of users in GEO activities;
• Strengthen the involvement of current stakeholders and involve new ones identified in the GEO 2016-2025 SP;
• Review the approach for GEOSS development (requirements, functional performances, architecture) and provide clear inputs for its further implementation;
• Discuss the content of the GEO Work Programme 2017-2019 and provide clear inputs (technical and programmatic) for its further development;
• Provide an opportunity to explore and consolidate GEO activities at the Global and/or  Regional level;
• Explore opportunities with the private sector;
• Foster regional (caucus) interactions and discuss opportunities to strengthen GEO action at the regional level; and
• Explore opportunities for new global/regional initiatives.

For more information about GEO meetings, click here.

Bianca Betancourt, digital culture editor for Harper's Bazaar, called Cyrus' look the “type of over-the-top camp we love and want from the Grammys.”

The post Victoria Monét, Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus stun on the wild-and-wacky Grammys red carpet appeared first on Boston.com.

Their impact went far beyond the field.

The post Watch ‘Three Kings’: The story of Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and the 2004 Red Sox appeared first on Boston.com.

The work by Bram Stoker, previously unknown to scholars, will be read and included in a book launched during Dublin’s annual Bram Stoker Festival.

The post A fan discovers a new story by ‘Dracula’ author Bram Stoker appeared first on Boston.com.

Magnolia, a two-week-old piglet, will require neonatal care for at least a month before she can be put up for adoption.

The post ARL takes possession of abandoned Framingham piglet appeared first on Boston.com.

Zendaya and Robert Pattinson were spotted on the set of "The Drama," a new movie filming in the Boston area this fall.

The post Robert Pattinson and Zendaya are back in Boston filming ‘The Drama’ appeared first on Boston.com.

In response to growing customer demand, stores of all stripes are bringing out their festive collections weeks before the Nov. 1 start of the holiday shopping season.

The post Eggnog before Thanksgiving? Shoppers eager for a new season scramble retail calendars appeared first on Boston.com.

Beyoncé leads this year's nods with 11, bringing her career total to 99 nominations.

The post Beyoncé leads the 2025 Grammy noms, becoming the most nominated artist in the show’s history appeared first on Boston.com.

Plus: Long-snapper and Naval Reserve officer Joe Cardona joins the show to commemorate Veterans Day.

The post ‘The Quick Snap’ podcast: Rams Week brings back Super Bowl LIII memories for Patriots appeared first on Boston.com.

The Russian Embassy called the officials' announcement “baseless” in an emailed statement, saying Russia “has not interfered and does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, including the United States.”

The post Federal agencies say Russia and Iran are ramping up influence campaigns targeting U.S. voters appeared first on Boston.com.

The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin.

The post Trump says Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy will form outside group to advise White House on government efficiency appeared first on Boston.com.

Jason Ingram talks Calling, Critiques, Unity and a Challenge!...AAW Podcast, Episode 176!

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This week Zorba and Karl discuss new research that shows we age dramatically at two key times in our lives, and they talk about how much water we need to […]

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The NCS Trust, the charity set up to operate the scheme, will also be wound down, MPs are told