Latest news with #MacquarieUniversity
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
The weapons used as fighting between Israel and Iran rages
The F-35 and the war for the skies Israel's strategy has been to quickly establish control over Iran's airspace, allowing its air force to bomb Iranian targets unhampered. This has been a multi-step strategy. Israel struck Iran several times last year, hitting air-defence facilities, including several S-300 mobile surface-to-air missile systems supplied by Russia. On Friday, the latest conflict's first day, Israel struck the remaining air-defence systems, building an unobstructed strike corridor for its planes to bomb Tehran. Many of these strikes were carried out by Israel's fleet of American-supplied F-35s, complemented by F-15s and F-16s. The F35 is a fifth-generation stealth fighter, designed to be all but invisible to air defences. Its listed combat range is smaller than the distance between Israel and Iran, suggesting Israel has managed to modify its fuel reserves without compromising its stealth capacity. That newly extended strike capacity will put other Middle Eastern countries on notice, said Dr Binoy Kampmark, a lecturer at RMIT University who focuses on armed conflict. Iran's air force is entirely outmatched. The country has a few hundred patched-together planes dating from the 1970s: Russian MiG-29s, American F-14s, some Chinese F-7s. Iran has claimed it has shot down at least three of the F-35s using surface-to-air missiles. Israel has described those claims as fake news. 'Both sides are exaggerating for propaganda purposes,' said Hashim. 'I did not think the Iranians had the capability to shoot it down – someone must have given them that capability recently.' Drone warfare Drones have rapidly reshaped the face of warfare. In an operation dubbed 'Spider's Web', Ukraine struck four airbases deep inside Russia this month using smuggled explosive drones hidden inside shipping containers. The crates were taken to near their targets by drivers unaware of what they were transporting, before the drones were remotely activated. Pilots flew them to their targets – or AI was used when the signal was lost. We have less detail about Israel's operations early in the fighting with Iran, but it seems to have pulled off a similar trick. The Israelis appear to have built a one-way drone base in Iran, which they used to strike missile launchers near Tehran. The attacks were supported by vehicles and commandos also smuggled into the country. 'That was not a one-off. This is now a pattern of behaviour. This will now require a rethink of interior defence around the world, including Australia,' said Adam Lockyer, an associate professor in strategic studies at Macquarie University. Iran responded by launching more than 100 drones of its own at Israel. Iran makes its own Shahed drones, which it has sold to Russia for use in its war in Ukraine. Said Kampmark: 'They certainly don't have the same firepower the Israelis do. But they have invested in low-cost technologies en masse. The Shahed drone is their masterpiece.' Loading The drones have a long range and carry 50-kilogram warheads, but they fly slowly. Israel, with assistance from the US, has been able to intercept and destroy most of them. Iran has had more success combining drone and ballistic missile attacks, with the aim of overwhelming Israeli missile defences. Israel's most notable defence network is the Iron Dome – a network of anti-ballistic missile defences spread throughout the country. Israel has also been using a new addition to this system, known as the Iron Beam, in its conflict in Gaza: a high-powered laser cannon that can shoot down drones and missiles. Ballistic missiles Iran has tried to retaliate against Israel by launching hundreds of ballistic missiles. The country has invested heavily in missile development and production and now has probably the best arsenal in the Middle East, said Hashim – ranging from the old to cutting-edge technology. 'Iran has put all its eggs in the basket of ballistic missiles because it has not been able to rebuild its air force,' he said. Iran's missile development program started with Russian-built Scud missiles 'that were totally inaccurate and just pieces of shit', he said. But Iran's weapons are now 'progressively more technologically advanced'. Iran even claims it has developed and, as of Wednesday, deployed 'hypersonic missiles', a key advance. Hypersonic missiles can fly five times the speed of sound while also manoeuvring to avoid air defences. 'That makes it very hard to intercept. Even the Iron Dome would find it hard to intercept some of these particular missiles,' said Kampmark. The country has also claimed to have found ways to confuse the Iron Dome and make it target itself, said Dr Oleksandra Molloy, a senior aviation lecturer at the University of NSW who has published papers on drones for the Australian Army Research Centre, as part of an overall strategy to 'saturate Israeli air defence networks and confuse radar operations'. 'While some will be intercepted, some will still get through.' Social media footage also appears to suggest Iran has deployed multi-warhead ballistic missiles, she said. 'These submunitions – often referred to as bomblets – are released from the missile's warhead during its terminal phase to disperse over a wide area and hit multiple targets,' she said. Bunker busters On Tuesday, several American news outlets reported US President Donald Trump was hoping to use the country's bunker-busting bombs as leverage to bring the conflict to a swift close; Trump has demanded Iran's unconditional surrender. The bunker-buster bombs have assumed central importance because of Iran's Fordow nuclear site, which houses thousands of centrifuges that are key to Iran's purported ability to make nuclear weapons. The complex is buried deep within a mountain. Israel has damaged Iran's other nuclear site at Natanz. But destroying Fordow presents a different challenge: munitions need to penetrate 80 metres of solid rock before hitting the underground bunkers. Only one bomb is capable of that: the US's GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator. The specially hardened shell of the bomb is designed to punch through the ground before exploding. The bomb is GPS-guided, but due to its extreme weight – more than 13 tonnes – it can only be dropped by the US's B2 Spirit stealth bomber.
The Age
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Age
The weapons used as fighting between Israel and Iran rages
The F-35 and the war for the skies Israel's strategy has been to quickly establish control over Iran's airspace, allowing its air force to bomb Iranian targets unhampered. This has been a multi-step strategy. Israel struck Iran several times last year, hitting air-defence facilities, including several S-300 mobile surface-to-air missile systems supplied by Russia. On Friday, the latest conflict's first day, Israel struck the remaining air-defence systems, building an unobstructed strike corridor for its planes to bomb Tehran. Many of these strikes were carried out by Israel's fleet of American-supplied F-35s, complemented by F-15s and F-16s. The F35 is a fifth-generation stealth fighter, designed to be all but invisible to air defences. Its listed combat range is smaller than the distance between Israel and Iran, suggesting Israel has managed to modify its fuel reserves without compromising its stealth capacity. That newly extended strike capacity will put other Middle Eastern countries on notice, said Dr Binoy Kampmark, a lecturer at RMIT University who focuses on armed conflict. Iran's air force is entirely outmatched. The country has a few hundred patched-together planes dating from the 1970s: Russian MiG-29s, American F-14s, some Chinese F-7s. Iran has claimed it has shot down at least three of the F-35s using surface-to-air missiles. Israel has described those claims as fake news. 'Both sides are exaggerating for propaganda purposes,' said Hashim. 'I did not think the Iranians had the capability to shoot it down – someone must have given them that capability recently.' Drone warfare Drones have rapidly reshaped the face of warfare. In an operation dubbed 'Spider's Web', Ukraine struck four airbases deep inside Russia this month using smuggled explosive drones hidden inside shipping containers. The crates were taken to near their targets by drivers unaware of what they were transporting, before the drones were remotely activated. Pilots flew them to their targets – or AI was used when the signal was lost. We have less detail about Israel's operations early in the fighting with Iran, but it seems to have pulled off a similar trick. The Israelis appear to have built a one-way drone base in Iran, which they used to strike missile launchers near Tehran. The attacks were supported by vehicles and commandos also smuggled into the country. 'That was not a one-off. This is now a pattern of behaviour. This will now require a rethink of interior defence around the world, including Australia,' said Adam Lockyer, an associate professor in strategic studies at Macquarie University. Iran responded by launching more than 100 drones of its own at Israel. Iran makes its own Shahed drones, which it has sold to Russia for use in its war in Ukraine. Said Kampmark: 'They certainly don't have the same firepower the Israelis do. But they have invested in low-cost technologies en masse. The Shahed drone is their masterpiece.' Loading The drones have a long range and carry 50-kilogram warheads, but they fly slowly. Israel, with assistance from the US, has been able to intercept and destroy most of them. Iran has had more success combining drone and ballistic missile attacks, with the aim of overwhelming Israeli missile defences. Israel's most notable defence network is the Iron Dome – a network of anti-ballistic missile defences spread throughout the country. Israel has also been using a new addition to this system, known as the Iron Beam, in its conflict in Gaza: a high-powered laser cannon that can shoot down drones and missiles. Ballistic missiles Iran has tried to retaliate against Israel by launching hundreds of ballistic missiles. The country has invested heavily in missile development and production and now has probably the best arsenal in the Middle East, said Hashim – ranging from the old to cutting-edge technology. 'Iran has put all its eggs in the basket of ballistic missiles because it has not been able to rebuild its air force,' he said. Iran's missile development program started with Russian-built Scud missiles 'that were totally inaccurate and just pieces of shit', he said. But Iran's weapons are now 'progressively more technologically advanced'. Iran even claims it has developed and, as of Wednesday, deployed 'hypersonic missiles', a key advance. Hypersonic missiles can fly five times the speed of sound while also manoeuvring to avoid air defences. 'That makes it very hard to intercept. Even the Iron Dome would find it hard to intercept some of these particular missiles,' said Kampmark. The country has also claimed to have found ways to confuse the Iron Dome and make it target itself, said Dr Oleksandra Molloy, a senior aviation lecturer at the University of NSW who has published papers on drones for the Australian Army Research Centre, as part of an overall strategy to 'saturate Israeli air defence networks and confuse radar operations'. 'While some will be intercepted, some will still get through.' Social media footage also appears to suggest Iran has deployed multi-warhead ballistic missiles, she said. 'These submunitions – often referred to as bomblets – are released from the missile's warhead during its terminal phase to disperse over a wide area and hit multiple targets,' she said. Bunker busters On Tuesday, several American news outlets reported US President Donald Trump was hoping to use the country's bunker-busting bombs as leverage to bring the conflict to a swift close; Trump has demanded Iran's unconditional surrender. The bunker-buster bombs have assumed central importance because of Iran's Fordow nuclear site, which houses thousands of centrifuges that are key to Iran's purported ability to make nuclear weapons. The complex is buried deep within a mountain. Israel has damaged Iran's other nuclear site at Natanz. But destroying Fordow presents a different challenge: munitions need to penetrate 80 metres of solid rock before hitting the underground bunkers. Only one bomb is capable of that: the US's GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator. The specially hardened shell of the bomb is designed to punch through the ground before exploding. The bomb is GPS-guided, but due to its extreme weight – more than 13 tonnes – it can only be dropped by the US's B2 Spirit stealth bomber.
West Australian
3 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Lithium Universe snaps up global rights to PV solar recycling tech
Aspiring mineral producer Lithium Universe has snapped up the global rights to an innovative microwave technology designed by Macquarie University's School of Engineering to simplify the separation and recycling of silicon and valuable metals in solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. The company has entered a binding agreement to acquire the Macquarie-owned New Age Minerals, which holds the exclusive licensing agreement to use and commercialise the new-age technology. The market liked the details of today's reveal. The company came out of a trading halt today, with its share price surging on 76.1 million shares trading hands. The massive volume pushed the company's share price from Friday's close of 0.6 cents to finish the day at 1c for a more than tidy daily gain of 66.67 per cent. The microwave joule heating technology (MJHT) utilises microwave technology to selectively heat silicon cells and soften the plastic used to bind the layers in solar cells. Melting the plastic encapsulant then enables the panels to be easily delaminated and separated into their glass, silicon and metal components at a safe room temperature. The technology can safely preserve valuable materials such as high-purity silicon, silver and critical metals such as gallium and indium for reuse, and prevent dangerous chemicals from being leached from panels dumped into landfill. The high-tech process removes the need for energy-intensive chemical treatment or high-temperature baking, providing a more environmentally friendly recycling process. It minimises the gas emissions that would come from burning the plastic encapsulant and eliminates the toxic chemical waste streams generated from other recycling processes. It is estimated just 15 per cent of waste solar PV cells are recycled worldwide due to the complex recycling procedures involved. Notably, the International Energy Agency anticipates the world will be dealing with an astonishing 60 million tonnes to 78Mt of cumulative solar waste by 2050. Tan said the mass accumulation of solar panel waste in landfills is a growing problem, particularly given the valuable critical metals that are left behind. He said microwave technology offers a promising solution to these challenges, enabling higher recovery rates and more sustainable recycling processes. Lithium Universe believes the technology could also be integrated into existing solar recycling facilities and inexpensively scaled up for mass production. The cost to lock in the technology consists of an upfront payment of $33,900 to the Sydney-based university to reimburse costs associated with registering the technology. Lithium Universe will make an annual $20,000 cash payment within 30 days of each anniversary of the commencement of the licensing agreement, beginning in 2027 until 2042. New Age Materials will pay a 3 per cent royalty on the annual gross sales of products or services using the technology. Agreed milestones, including successful plant commissioning and first production, will incur further payments. Lithium Universe has secured binding commitments to raise $1.7 million via a two-tranche placement to help purchase the private firm and its associated exclusive licence. The company will also spend some of the funds on a definitive feasibility study for its proposed Bécancour Canadian lithium refinery, pay for a capital raising and to cover its working capital needs. Lithium Universe will issue 425M shares at 0.4 cents each to raise the funds, with $200,000 initially targeted for the purchase transaction and accompanying research and development. Tranche one will see the issue of 150M shares to raise $600,000. A second tranche placement should see $1.1M come through the doors from the issue of 275 million shares. Shareholders will need to approve the second placement at a meeting expected to be held in July. In a positive sign for the company, directors Tan, Patrick Scallan and Jingyuan Liu will pitch in a combined $57,000 into the tranche two placement if shareholders approve. Lithium Universe wants to use MJHT to help it extract valuable metals from disused solar PV panels, to particularly target higher recoveries of silver, silicon, gallium and indium. Most of the materials play a vital role in future clean energy needs. The high-tech process could also be used to treat the lithium mineral spodumene at Lithium Universe's proposed Bécancour Canadian lithium refinery. Processing spodumene requires high-temperature processes. MJHT may reduce the heating costs and lower the cost of materials required to build the proposed facility. The company's management includes some noted chemical specialists, with significant experience in the lithium and chemical extraction businesses. Given their collective longstanding history of making chemical extraction technology work, perhaps only a brave man would bet against their latest acquisition. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact:
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Getting in more steps may prevent the leading cause of disability in the US, study says
Sign up for CNN's Fitness, But Better newsletter series. Our seven-part guide will help you ease into a healthy routine, backed by experts. Getting your steps in is good for your health, but it may also help keep you from being affected by disability later, new research has found. Walking 100 minutes a day was associated with a 23% reduced risk of chronic low back pain, according to a study published Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open. 'This is an important finding because walking is a simple, low cost, and accessible activity that can be promoted widely to reduce the burden of low back pain,' said lead study author Rayane Haddadj, a doctoral candidate in the department of public health and nursing at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, in an email. An estimated 600 million people worldwide experience low back pain, which is considered the leading cause of disability, said physiotherapist Dr. Natasha Pocovi, a postdoctoral research fellow in health sciences at Macquarie University in Sydney. She was not involved in the research. By 2050, the number of people with chronic low back pain is expected to grow to 843 million, according to the World Health Organization. And yet prevention of low back pain is often overlooked in research and clinical practice, Pocovi added. The results from this latest study show there is the possibility of using physical activity as prevention. Pocovi said the research also 'suggests that we don't need to complicate our exercise routines to protect ourselves against chronic low back pain.' To investigate the connection between walking and back pain prevention, the research team analyzed data from more than 11,000 participants age 20 and older from the Trøndelag Health, or HUNT, Study in Norway. Between 2017 and 2019, HUNT researchers asked study participants to wear accelerometers for seven days to track their walking patterns. The HUNT team then followed up from 2021 and 2023 and asked if participants experienced back pain, according to the new study. People were divided into four groups: those who walked less than 78 minutes in a day, 78 to 100 minutes, 101 to 124 minutes, and more than 125 minutes. The findings showed that as the amount of daily walking increased, the risk of chronic low back pain decreased, and preliminary evidence revealed moderate or brisk walking was more protective than a slow pace, Pocovi said. There are reasons to have confidence in the study results, including the large sample size and the use of accelerometers instead of people reporting their own levels of physical activity, she added. However, the walking data was only captured over one week, which might not be reflective of people's patterns over a month or year, Pocovi said. The study is also observational, which means that while it can show associations, researchers can't say for sure that the walking caused reduced risk of low back pain. Not only is low back pain a leading cause of disability –– it's also expensive. On average, people spend more than $30,000 on back pain-related costs over the five years after first diagnosis, according to an April 2024 study. Easy, inexpensive changes that prevent chronic low back pain can make a big difference, Haddadj said. The study wasn't able to address if walking 100 minutes straight had more, less or the same impact as accumulating that same amount of time in short bursts, Pocovi said. But in most cases, unless there is an underlying medical condition, any amount of walking is better than none, Pocovi said. 'Start with short walking sessions, either by planning specific walks or finding small ways to integrate a brief stroll into your daily routine,' she said. She likes to take stairs instead of the elevator or walk to a coffee shop a little farther from her home, Pocovi said. 'The key is to gradually increase your walking in a sustainable and enjoyable way,' she said in an email. 'Additionally, it can be helpful to have a friend, partner, or colleague join you for walks to keep yourself motivated and accountable.' You can add walking as a way to spend time with friends in addition to dinner and drinks, CNN fitness contributor Dana Santas, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach in professional sports, said in a previous article. And if you want to move past getting a couple of extra steps and get more physical activity, you can still start small and build your way up, Santas said. Some workouts can even be completed from the comfort of your couch while watching an episode of your favorite TV show, she added.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Getting in more steps may prevent the leading cause of disability in the US, study says
Sign up for CNN's Fitness, But Better newsletter series. Our seven-part guide will help you ease into a healthy routine, backed by experts. Getting your steps in is good for your health, but it may also help keep you from being affected by disability later, new research has found. Walking 100 minutes a day was associated with a 23% reduced risk of chronic low back pain, according to a study published Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open. 'This is an important finding because walking is a simple, low cost, and accessible activity that can be promoted widely to reduce the burden of low back pain,' said lead study author Rayane Haddadj, a doctoral candidate in the department of public health and nursing at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, in an email. An estimated 600 million people worldwide experience low back pain, which is considered the leading cause of disability, said physiotherapist Dr. Natasha Pocovi, a postdoctoral research fellow in health sciences at Macquarie University in Sydney. She was not involved in the research. By 2050, the number of people with chronic low back pain is expected to grow to 843 million, according to the World Health Organization. And yet prevention of low back pain is often overlooked in research and clinical practice, Pocovi added. The results from this latest study show there is the possibility of using physical activity as prevention. Pocovi said the research also 'suggests that we don't need to complicate our exercise routines to protect ourselves against chronic low back pain.' To investigate the connection between walking and back pain prevention, the research team analyzed data from more than 11,000 participants age 20 and older from the Trøndelag Health, or HUNT, Study in Norway. Between 2017 and 2019, HUNT researchers asked study participants to wear accelerometers for seven days to track their walking patterns. The HUNT team then followed up from 2021 and 2023 and asked if participants experienced back pain, according to the new study. People were divided into four groups: those who walked less than 78 minutes in a day, 78 to 100 minutes, 101 to 124 minutes, and more than 125 minutes. The findings showed that as the amount of daily walking increased, the risk of chronic low back pain decreased, and preliminary evidence revealed moderate or brisk walking was more protective than a slow pace, Pocovi said. There are reasons to have confidence in the study results, including the large sample size and the use of accelerometers instead of people reporting their own levels of physical activity, she added. However, the walking data was only captured over one week, which might not be reflective of people's patterns over a month or year, Pocovi said. The study is also observational, which means that while it can show associations, researchers can't say for sure that the walking caused reduced risk of low back pain. Not only is low back pain a leading cause of disability –– it's also expensive. On average, people spend more than $30,000 on back pain-related costs over the five years after first diagnosis, according to an April 2024 study. Easy, inexpensive changes that prevent chronic low back pain can make a big difference, Haddadj said. The study wasn't able to address if walking 100 minutes straight had more, less or the same impact as accumulating that same amount of time in short bursts, Pocovi said. But in most cases, unless there is an underlying medical condition, any amount of walking is better than none, Pocovi said. 'Start with short walking sessions, either by planning specific walks or finding small ways to integrate a brief stroll into your daily routine,' she said. She likes to take stairs instead of the elevator or walk to a coffee shop a little farther from her home, Pocovi said. 'The key is to gradually increase your walking in a sustainable and enjoyable way,' she said in an email. 'Additionally, it can be helpful to have a friend, partner, or colleague join you for walks to keep yourself motivated and accountable.' You can add walking as a way to spend time with friends in addition to dinner and drinks, CNN fitness contributor Dana Santas, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach in professional sports, said in a previous article. And if you want to move past getting a couple of extra steps and get more physical activity, you can still start small and build your way up, Santas said. Some workouts can even be completed from the comfort of your couch while watching an episode of your favorite TV show, she added.
