Latest news with #UniversityOfSydney
SBS Australia
12 hours ago
- Science
- SBS Australia
The Australian push to rewrite the rules of nuclear launches
Rising tension in the Middle East and South Asia has heightened fears of a war between nuclear-armed nations, something that threatens human existence, an Australian academic says. A rise in nuclear posturing and rhetoric in recent years has also prompted renewed calls for international safeguards to prevent accidental or unauthorised nuclear launches. A new study conducted by professor Emily Crawford from the University of Sydney Law School warns urgent action is needed to address the growing risks posed by nuclear weapons. "Increasing political tensions in declared and non-declared nuclear states have brought back into sharp focus the need to better regulate nuclear weapons," she said. The study highlights a combination of ageing nuclear infrastructure, emerging AI capabilities, and a lack of global cooperation as key factors creating what it describes as an "unstable and dangerous landscape". So how do nuclear systems operate — and is an accidental launch actually possible? Countries possessing nuclear weapons use NC3 systems, which stand for nuclear command, control and communications, Crawford explained. She said the NC3 systems are the central nervous system of a state's nuclear weapons program, which includes the people, policies, and technologies responsible for nuclear decision-making. "It's the framework that governs the process that, as its ultimate end product, results in the launch of a nuclear weapon — so it's a phrase that encompasses the entire chain from when a decision is made to launch a nuclear weapon to the actual launch of such a weapon," she said. NC3 also includes the maintenance of nuclear systems, ensuring that planning and execution are conducted according to stated doctrine and policy. Different countries have varying approaches to their NC3 systems, meaning the threshold for when a nuclear weapon could be launched is not universal. In many countries, the NC3 infrastructure is ageing, which can pose a security risk to the entire world. "There is currently no binding international legal standard that governs how nuclear-armed states design or operate their NC3 systems," Crawford said. "This gap in governance poses a real risk to global security — and it's only growing." NC3 frameworks are designed to prevent accidental or unlawful launches, but Crawford warned they are increasingly under strain. In many countries, the NC3 infrastructure is outdated, with some hardware dating back several decades. She said these legacy systems are often poorly suited to handle modern threats, especially those involving cyberattacks or AI. "In a world where AI tools can mimic official communications and cyber incursions can scramble critical infrastructure, the possibility of a false alarm triggering an escalation is no longer far-fetched," Crawford said. In such a high-stakes environment, even a single NC3 failure could lead to catastrophic consequences. Crawford said in 2025, there have been growing concerns around disinformation and hacking campaigns targeting early warning systems. Crawford's study calls for an international code of conduct that countries could adopt to establish a universal approach to nuclear systems. "A commitment to ensuring that there is an accountable chain of command involved in any nuclear weapons launch decisions, a commitment to the concept that the decision to launch a weapon should never lie with just one person, to keep AI out of nuclear launch decisions, and a commitment to 'no first strike'— that nuclear weapons would never be used offensively by a party who were not themselves subject to a nuclear attack," she said. This could be modelled off a similar framework, like the Missile Technology Control Regime — an initiative of the G7 member states from the 1980s to limit the risks of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Crawford believes such a framework could be successful, as many states have already adopted most of the rules she outlined in her study. "Because of the potentially devastating impacts of an accidental or unauthorised launch, most states have been very pragmatic about embracing guidelines that ensure that lines of communication remain open [such as nuclear hotlines] and that measures should exist to prevent unnecessary escalation of hostilities where nuclear weapons are in the mix," she said. "The US, UK and China have stated their commitment to not use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapons states or nuclear-weapons free zones; China adopts a 'no first use' policy, as does India; France adopts the two-person rule." But she acknowledged not all countries would support universal guidelines, as political differences may lead some to reject certain rules.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Brain worm spike detected in Australia following extreme weather event
A tiny parasite that can infect human brains has the potential to change our way of life in Australia, threatening not only our health but what we eat. Originally from Southeast Asia, rat lungworm is now established along our east coast, with infections found as far south as Jervis Bay. University of Sydney research has linked spikes in infections of the worm in animals to heavy rainfall, because the worm is commonly found in slugs and snails that proliferate during wet weather. A study of 93 dog infections in Sydney and Brisbane found 32 occurred directly after a single rain event, which were likely triggered after pets came into contact with common garden molluscs. The researchers found risk was elevated for between two and 10 months after heavy rain. The study's senior author, Jan Šlapeta from the Sydney School of Veterinary Science, told Yahoo News it's unclear how far south the parasite will spread. But with the world's weather becoming warmer and wetter, it's possible it could one day make its way down to Melbourne. "It has the potential to spread further. An indicator is that 20 or 30 years ago, we did not talk about it in America or Europe. Now it's in the southern states of the United States, it's creeping into Europe, it's in Spain," he said. "I think climate change is very much helping this parasite spread further." Interactions with slugs and snails are the most common way for people to become infected, either by accidentally or intentionally eating them, or by consuming unwashed salad they've had contact with. In 2010, a Sydney man died after he ate a slug following a dare. It's unusual for anyone in Australia to eat an infected snail because of their large size, but that could change if there's a similar biosecurity breach to what has occurred in Hawaii. It's on the Big Island that a tiny semi-slug,Parmarion martensi, has invaded the landscape. It's so small that it's easy to accidentally consume when eating salad greens and fresh fruit and vegetables. "You can't wash them off or see them. The number of human cases [of rat lungworm] have increased dramatically," Šlapeta said. "In Australia we do not have this semi-slug. Is there a potential? We can't yet tell. But we have areas up north that are similar to Hawaii. I don't want to be an alarmist, but this parasite could create more havoc. "If this semi-slug comes in, then it might end up on the veggies that people have got in their backyards. And that would change the landscape of this disease completely, like it changed in Hawaii." The semi-slug would complete a cocktail of invasive species that Šlapeta doesn't want to see become established in Australia. "The parasite is invasive, the rat is invasive, the European slugs that we see in the backyards of Sydney are invasive, but if we bring in the semi-slug... it could change the way we grow greens and behave in restaurants," he said. The first sign the worm has reached a city is usually that animals in its zoo have become sick, with curious primates often picking up slugs inside their cage and then becoming sick. Reports made by wildlife rescue volunteers are also useful in monitoring its spread, as tawny frogmouths and possums often get sick in large numbers. Since rat lungworm, also known as Angiostrongylus cantonensis, was first detected in Brisbane in the 1970s, at least six people have been infected, two of whom have died. When it comes to infections in people, most are asymptomatic, and many cases likely aren't diagnosed. Seven dire reasons it might be time to leave Australia – from floods to fungus Travellers could trigger mosquito disease outbreak in Australia as weather warms Details in satellite photos spark 'worrying' prediction about colony of thousands During its first phase of life, rat lungworm larvae hatch in the lungs of rats and is then passed through the animal as faeces. Slugs and snails consume that faeces and the worms grow inside of them. Rats then eat the slugs and snails and the process begins again. The process is relatively harmless to slugs, snails and rats, but in other hosts like humans, dogs or native birds and mammals, the body can overreact and try to kill the parasite. On rare occasions, it causes an infestation in the brain that triggers an immune response that causes inflammation. Symptoms normally set on between one and three weeks after a slug or snail is eaten, and include headaches, nausea, vomiting, a stiff neck, pain in the skin and fever. The University of Sydney study on rat lungworm infections in dogs advocates for a One Health approach to combating the parasite. This concept means recognising that animals and humans live in the same environment and are therefore interconnected. But how best to respond to the problems it's causing is something that's left Šlapeta stumped. "That's the million dollar question. The parasite is moving wherever it wants," he said. "We can't eliminate rats, we can't eliminate slugs, so we just have to be more vigilant around the clinical signs in our pets and ourselves. "But there's not much we can do about tawny frogmouths. They will keep looking for some sort of food, and if the slug or snail is infected then they will become infected too." The lead author of the study into rat lungworm in dogs was Sydney University's Phoebe Rivory. The research was published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. 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ABC News
3 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Researchers uncover spike in potentially fatal 'rat lungworm disease'
Researchers are warning dog owners to be vigilant as a new study reveals a wet weather-driven spike in a potentially fatal disease. Rat lungworm disease is caused by a parasite and is generally picked up by dogs after eating infected slugs and snails. Dogs can die from an infection or be left paralysed if it isn't treated. There have also been two human deaths from the disease in Australia, including Sydney man Sam Ballard who consumed a slug as a dare in 2010 and reportedly contracted the disease before dying from it in 2018, researchers said. A team at the University of Sydney has confirmed at least 93 positive cases of the disease, otherwise known as canine neural angiostrongyliasis, across the country over a four-year-period from 2020 to 2024. Cases peaked at 32 in 2022, which coincided with a La Nina event, and they found hotspots in both Brisbane and Sydney. Lead author Phoebe Rivory said that's likely the "tip of the iceberg" and many more cases were likely both undiagnosed and untested. "The main findings were that we saw a strong relationship between the number of cases and rainfall," Dr Rivory said. "That makes sense, as you know, when you see lots of rain coming down, all these slugs and snails from your garden will emerge. "We also saw a relationship with prior rainfall, indicating some priming of the environment. You know more vegetation, lusher gardens." Researchers said it was likely Brisbane and Sydney recorded higher rates of the disease than elsewhere due to their similar climates. They said high rates of pet ownership and access to emergency care also contributed to sample bias. According to Jan Šlapeta from the University of Sydney's School of Veterinary Science, who also worked on the study, the invasive parasite rat lungworm was introduced to Australia from South-East Asia sometime after World War II. As the name suggests, it's carried by rats but also by slugs and snails, which act as intermediary hosts after consuming rat faeces. Professor Šlapeta described it as an "interesting" parasite because when it jumps to a host animal like a dog or a human, it travels directly to the brain, where it is killed. It is then the immune response that can cause "serious headaches", and, in some cases, death. He said the first reports of the disease were made in Brisbane in the 1990s and in Sydney in the early 2000s. But prior to the recent study, no-one had set out to identify how prevalent the disease was. It was thanks to a recent development in testing techniques that the team was able to do so. The study proved it was, and with climate change likely to bring more wet weather, the researchers believe those numbers will only increase. Professor Šlapeta said his aim was not to be alarmist, but rather to increase awareness about the disease for dog owners, particularly during high-risk periods like during heavy rain. In particular, he said it was vital owners knew to keep their pets, especially young "inquisitive" dogs, away from slugs and snails and stop them from eating them. Dr Rivory said simple tips that could help pet owners included washing outdoor water bowls. For some reason, cats aren't at risk of contracting the disease, she said. If a dog is infected, it may not start showing any symptoms for a "good couple of weeks", Dr Rivory said. Then, symptoms might include paralysis, especially of the hind legs, or pain in the spine. "They [may] get wobbly or non-functioning hind legs, because it kind of progresses from the rea to the front," she said. Other signs might include confusion or fatigue. Treatments are available if the dog is taken to the vet and treated early. Veterinarian Sasha Miles from the Unusual Pet Vets on the Sunshine Coast agreed early detection was key, as by the time it led to paralysis, it was often too late to do anything about it. "I think … it would be unlikely that they would make a full recovery … I think euthanasia would be on the table," she said. She said other symptoms to look out for in dogs included a cough and muscle weakness. Dr Miles hadn't treated the condition in dogs, but has seen it in some species of birds. She agreed with taking preventative measures like daily washing water bowls with detergent and ensuring aviaries were snail and slug-proof for birds. "And I guess just if it's been raining heaps … supervising your animal and … looking around the back garden for snails and slugs and if they are there then not letting the pet out in that area," Dr Miles said.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
University of Sydney ‘did a good job' in handling pro-Palestine encampment despite criticism, inquiry told
The University of Sydney vice-chancellor has told a parliamentary inquiry that staff 'did a good job in peacefully resolving' the longest-running pro-Palestine encampment in the country despite leaders having 'apologised' over its handling of the camp to Jewish students. Sydney's largest and most exclusive universities appeared before a parliamentary committee into anti-Semitism in NSW on Monday to explain what challenges they have faced since October 7, 2023, and what measures they have implemented to combat allegations of anti-Semitism. Among them was The University of Sydney, which has come under fire for its handling of a pro-Palestine encampment, including emails last month that revealed that staff mulled over providing a separate entrance that could be used by Jewish students during mid-year exams last year. In her opening address, USYD vice-chancellor Annamarie Jagose acknowledged the university 'did not get everything right' in responding to the aftermath of Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israel and subsequent protests and had implemented changes to its speech and security policies. 'We have, however, committed to learn from these hugely challenging and complex events and from the experiences of other universities around the world and to listen to those who would work with us to ensure our campuses are safe and welcoming for all,' Professor Jagose said. Asked later about why the university didn't 'shut down' the months-long encampment, Professor Jagose told the committee that staff 'did a good job in peacefully resolving the longest running encampment in Australia', with an 'absolutely clear policy to de-escalate, to keep calm'. Professor Jagose and external engagement vice-president Kirsten Andrews refuted many allegations levelled at the university during Monday's hearing, including emails containing minutes that outlined plans to provide a separate entrance for exams amid the encampment. The email, dated May 14, detailed discussions about mitigations to be implemented during the exam, namely ensuring 'Jewish students have ways to avoid the encampment when gaining entry to exams', though USYD had refuted that the entrance was intended for Jewish students. 'These included offering different access options for all students or staff wishing to avoid the encampment, and we installed electronic signage where exams were taking place to remind members of the encampment that disruptions would not be tolerated,' USYD said in a statement, The hearing is the second into anti-Semitism in NSW and was established following a wave of anti-Semitic attacks in the state over the summer, many of which have since been linked to a criminal conspiracy debate that is being canvassed by a separate parliamentary inquiry. Universities around the world grappled with an outpouring of protests and counter-protests following the October 7 attacks as pro-Palestine encampments became widespread, including allegations that the actions of protesters made Jewish students and staff feel unsafe on campus. The Australian universities appearing on Monday morning, including USYD, UTS, and UNSW, each detailed wide-ranging changes to their social media and public speech, campus access, and security policies, including in the case of UYSD following an independent review. University of NSW vice-president Verity Firth AM said staff were 'gravely concerned by the sharp escalation in anti-Semitic events that have occurred in the wake of the appalling events of October 7' and 'deeply distressed by the ongoing conflict and tragic loss of life' in the Middle East. 'As a university, our foremost responsibility is to ensure that all members of our community students, academic and professional staff can engage in, study, research and work in an environment that is secure, respectful and inclusive,' Professor Firth told the parliamentary inquiry. Since the protests, Professor Firth said the school had updated its anti-racism policy to include anti-religious vilification, employed additional guards, increased 'connectivity' with law enforcement, and revised student orientation with a focus on the university's code of conduct. University of Technology Sydney deputy vice-chancellor Kylie Readman told the committee that among other measures the school had also provided additional training to teaching staff, strengthening the complaints mechanism, and expanded student support services. Nonetheless, committee chair and NSW Shooters MLC Robert Brosak grilled all three campuses over the policies at the time of October 7 that they claimed were well established and, rather than being deficient, needed a 'deep look' and to be 'updated', Professor Firth said.
RNZ News
10-06-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Exercise reduces risk cancer patients dying by third
A woman running up a flight of steps. Photo: UnSplash/ Ev Professor Haryana Dhillon. Photo: Supplied / Haryana Dhillon It's common knowledge that exercise is good for us, but for the first time, a study has found that exercise can reduce the risk of cancer patients dying by a third - and stop tumours coming back. Nearly 890 colon cancer patients, from six countries including Canada and Australia, took part in the study. They were randomly divided into two-groups, one group was set a three-year structured exercise programme, the other group was only given a healthy lifestyle booklet. And the results are clear - structured exercise reduced the risk of recurrent or new cancer by 28 percent and reduced the risk of death by 37 percent. Professor Haryana Dhillon from the University of Sydney's Faculty of Science - is one of the authors of the study and speaks to Mihi.
