It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Filipinos see pathway from poverty with virtual assistant jobs
JUST LIKE CALL CENTERS DID
By AFP March 25, 2025 Nathalie Mago is one of a growing number of Filipinos working as a virtual assistant - Copyright AFP Jam Sta Rosa
Faith BROWN, Pam CASTRO
Nathalie Mago’s work day begins after she’s tucked her three daughters into bed and flicked off the lights in their house north of the Philippine capital Manila.
As her young family sleeps, she fires up her laptop and begins discussing the day’s agenda with her boss — an American half a world away.
A “virtual assistant”, Mago is one of a growing number of Filipinos flocking to the booming but unregulated sector in the face of a tight job market, low wages and frequently hellish commutes.
“It literally saved me,” Mago told AFP. “I was able to support myself and my family at the same time.”
A former office worker, the 32-year-old said she’s now earning five times as much serving as the “right hand” of employers for whom she writes copy, manages social media and even buys family birthday gifts.
Government figures for the sector are unavailable as the role falls into no recognised job category, meaning legal protections are also effectively non-existent.
But Derek Gallimore, of advisory firm Outsource Accelerator, estimates the number of Filipino virtual assistants at around a million — a number he expects to grow.
“It’s the assumption that they can call their own shots, have more freedom and earn more money,” Gallimore said of the job’s allure, adding the reality may not always meet expectations.
Job-seeking platform Upwork lists the Philippines among the top five countries churning out virtual assistants, alongside India, Nigeria, Pakistan and the United States.
“We expect the growth of virtual assistant work in the Philippines to continue,” said Teng Liu, an economist at Upwork Research Institute.
Filipinos’ English proficiency made them a “strong fit” for global clients, he added, with Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States among the biggest markets.
– Risks and rewards –
A recent TikTok video with tens of thousands of likes featured a virtual assistant slowly unveiling a screenshot of her pay for five days’ work — P29,400 ($512), more than double the monthly minimum wage in Manila.
Several Facebook groups for virtual assistants — whose tasks can include everything from marketing to making travel arrangements — boast hundreds of thousands of followers who view the job as a path to a better life.
But there are risks associated with the sector.
“I know a lot of people who got scammed. The last one got scammed for 50,000 pesos,” said Mago, describing a scheme in which a virtual assistant was tricked into paying for access to jobs that never materialised.
Others complete work for clients who then simply disappear, she said.
Law lecturer Arnold de Vera, from the University of the Philippines, told AFP the industry lacks protections under Philippine law because it falls into no existing government category.
“They’re invisible in the sense that they are generally treated not as Philippine employees,” de Vera told AFP, noting most virtual assistants classify themselves as “self-employed”.
No law forces employers outside the country to uphold agreements made with Philippines-based workers, he said.
“It’s risky because there is no remedy involved but people are willing to take that risk because of the rewards they can reap.”
– A path home? –
Lyann Lubrico is among those who think the reward is worth the risk.
The 33-year-old, who became a virtual assistant after losing her job as an office manager in the United Arab Emirates, believes remote work can be a path home for overseas Filipino workers, or OFWs.
Now the owner of her own agency, Lubrico calls it her “mission” to give OFWs, whose remittances account for nearly 10 percent of national GDP, a way to make that money at home instead.
“I know some cleaners who grew old being cleaners abroad… I thought to myself, Filipinos shouldn’t settle for this all their lives,” she said, noting the abuse and discrimination faced by many.
Through a Facebook group called “Balikbayan (Returning Home) For Good”, Lubrico has so far offered informal training to about 200 OFWs hoping to become virtual assistants.
“My mission is to enable overseas Filipinos to come home — one at a time,” said Lubrico.
But while a true believer in the sector, she agrees legal protections remain a crucial step.
Renato Paraiso, spokesman for the Philippines’ Department of Information and Communications Technology, told AFP one key challenge is the fact that virtual assistant work “is borderless”.
“That is something we should address,” he said, adding that forging labour partnerships with other countries could be a path forward in protecting the rights of Filipinos.
“If we have more protections I think more people will be encouraged to become virtual assistants,” said Mago, working remotely for the American.
“I strongly believe if every household in the Philippines has (someone employed as) a virtual assistant, no one will be hungry.”
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
SPACE/COSMOS
Mice flown on the International Space Station in microgravity experience bone loss mostly in weight-bearing bones, which might help inform human acclimation to spaceflight
MicroCT images of the femoral head bone and cartilage in ground control (GC) versus spaceflight (FLT), showing premature secondary ossification in microgravity.
Article title: 37-Day microgravity exposure in 16-Week female C57BL/6J mice is associated with bone loss specific to weight-bearing skeletal sites
Author countries: US
Funding: Supported by NASA Space Biology Grant NNH14ZTT001N14-14SF to EACA. The funder did not play any role in the study design, data collection, analysis and manuscript preparation, or in the decision to submit for publication. https://science.nasa.gov/biological-physical/programs/space-biology/
37-Day microgravity exposure in 16-Week female C57BL/6J mice is associated with bone loss specific to weight-bearing skeletal sites
Article Publication Date
26-Mar-2025
Introducing 'Between a Rocket & a Hard Space': the ISS National Lab’s new podcast exploring the future of space innovation
Podcast episodes will be available through major platforms like Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and many others—bringing the excitement of space-based research to the masses
International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), March 26, 2025 – The International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station) National Laboratory is launching a bold new way to bring the excitement of space-based research down to Earth—introducing Between a Rocket & a Hard Space, the official ISS National Lab podcast. This podcast series dives deep into the discoveries, innovations, and people shaping the future of space, with the first episode now available.
The podcast’s name is a nod to the challenges and complexities of exploring the space environment, with recognition of the far-reaching benefits space-based R&D may bring. Going beyond the launch pad, Between a Rocket & a Hard Space offers exclusive insights from scientists, engineers, and visionaries leveraging the unique environment of low Earth orbit(Abbreviation: LEO) The orbit around the Earth that extends up to an altitude of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Earth’s surface. The International Space Station’s orbit is in LEO, at an altitude of approximately 250 miles. to push the boundaries of research and technology development. But that’s just the beginning. We’ll also hear from policymakers driving the industry forward, financial experts fueling the space economy, and communicators working to inspire the next generation of explorers.
Hosted by Patrick O’Neill, public affairs and outreach lead for the ISS National Lab, Between a Rocket & a Hard Space makes space science engaging and accessible for all audiences. Since 2012, O’Neill has led communications for every space station resupply mission featuring ISS National Lab-sponsored payloads, working alongside hundreds of researchers and innovators. Now, he brings that firsthand experience and insight to each episode.
In the first episode, O’Neill sits down with ISS National Lab Chief Scientific Officer Michael Roberts to explore the groundbreaking science happening on the orbiting outpost and its real-world impact on medicine, technology, and industry. Roberts will provide an insider perspective into how microgravityThe condition of perceived weightlessness created when an object is in free fall, for example when an object is in orbital motion. Microgravity alters many observable phenomena within the physical and life sciences, allowing scientists to study things in ways not possible on Earth. The International Space Station provides access to a persistent microgravity environment. is unlocking advancements in drug development, regenerative medicine, advanced materials, and in-space manufacturing.
Episodes of Between a Rocket & a Hard Space will be available through many major listening platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, iHeartRadio, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, and Castbox. This initial episode and future series installments will explain how the science happening in space today is shaping a better tomorrow for all of us.
The ISS National Lab provides access and opportunity for researchers to leverage the unique space environment for the benefit of humanity and to enable commerce in space. To learn more about ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations flown on NASA-funded Commercial Resupply Services and Commercial Crew Program missions, visit our Missions and Launches webpage.
The innovative team of engineers and scientists from NASA, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, and more than 40 other partner organizations across the country that created the Parker Solar Probe mission has been awarded the 2024 Robert J. Collier Trophy by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA). This annual award recognizes the most exceptional achievement in aeronautics and astronautics in America with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles in the previous year.
"Congratulations to the entire Parker Solar Probe team for this well-earned recognition," said NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro. "This mission's trailblazing research is rewriting the textbooks on solar science by going to a place no human-made object has ever been and advancing NASA’s efforts to better understand our solar system and the Sun's influence, with lasting benefits for us all. As the first to touch the Sun and fastest human-made object ever built, Parker Solar Probe is a testament to human ingenuity and discovery."
On Dec. 24, 2024, Parker Solar Probe made its closest approach to the Sun, passing deep within the Sun’s corona, just 3.8 million miles above the Sun’s surface and at a top speed of close to 430,000 mph, ushering in a new era of scientific discovery and space exploration.
“This award is a recognition of the unrelenting dedication and hard work of the Parker Solar Probe team. I am so proud of this team and honored to have been a part of it,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington. "By studying the Sun closer than ever before, we continue to advance our understanding of not only our closest star, but also stars across our universe. Parker Solar Probe's historic close approaches to the Sun are a testament to the incredible engineering that made this record-breaking journey possible."
Three novel aerospace technology advancements were critical to enabling this record performance: The first is the Thermal Protection System, or heat shield, that protects the spacecraft and is built to withstand brutal temperatures as high as 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. The Thermal Protection System allows Parker’s electronics and instruments to operate close to room temperature.
Additional Parker innovations included first-of-their-kind actively cooled solar arrays that protect themselves from overexposure to intense solar energy while powering the spacecraft, and a fully autonomous spacecraft system that can manage its own flight behavior, orientation, and configuration for months at a time. Parker has relied upon all of these vital technologies every day since its launch almost seven years ago, in August 2018.
“I am thrilled for the Parker Solar Probe team on receiving this well-deserved award,” said Joe Westlake, director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. “The new information about the Sun made available through this mission will improve our ability to prepare for space weather events across the solar system, as well as better understand the very star that makes life possible for us on Earth.”
Parker’s close-up observations of solar events, such as coronal mass ejections and solar particle events, are critical to advancing our understanding of the science of our Sun and the phenomena that drive high-energy space weather events that pose risks to satellites, air travel, astronauts, and even power grids on Earth. Understanding the fundamental physics behind events which drive space weather will enable more reliable predictions and lower astronaut exposure to hazardous radiation during future deep space missions to the Moon and Mars.
“This amazing team brought to life an incredibly difficult space science mission that had been studied, and determined to be impossible, for more than 60 years. They did so by solving numerous long-standing technology challenges and dramatically advancing our nation’s spaceflight capabilities,” said APL Director Ralph Semmel. “The Collier Trophy is well-earned recognition for this phenomenal group of innovators from NASA, APL, and our industry and research partners from across the nation.”
First awarded in 1911, the Robert J. Collier Trophy winner is selected by a group of aviation leaders chosen by the NAA. The Collier Trophy is housed in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington.
“Traveling three times closer to the Sun and seven times faster than any spacecraft before, Parker’s technology innovations enabled humanity to reach inside the Sun’s atmosphere for the first time,” said Bobby Braun, head of APL’s Space Exploration Sector. “We are all immensely proud that the Parker Solar Probe team will join a long legacy of prestigious aerospace endeavors that redefined technology and changed history.”
“The Parker Solar Probe team's achievement in earning the 2024 Collier is a shining example of determination, genius, and teamwork,” said NAA President and CEO Amy Spowart. “It’s a distinct honor for the NAA to acknowledge and celebrate the remarkable team that turned the impossible into reality.”
Parker Solar Probe was developed as part of NASA’s Living With a Star program to explore aspects of the Sun-Earth system that directly affect life and society. The Living With a Star program is managed by the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Applied Physics Laboratory designed, built, and operates the spacecraft and manages the mission for NASA.
By Geoff Brown Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Radiation belt electron wisp inside South Atlantic anomaly due to terrestrial VLF transmitter observed by MSS-1
Panel (a) shows the trajectory of MSS1-A crossing the SAA on a geographic map, the color indicates the integral flux of 40-750 keV electrons, accompanied by L-shell contour lines. The star marks the start position of the trajectory. Panel (b) shows the spectrogram of the electron omni differential flux, the wisp can be seen as an energy-dispersed spike. The real-time L-shell is shown with the white dashed line along the ordinate on the right. Panel (c) presents the electron omni differential flux of several energy bands with lines of different colors. Panel (d-f) are in the same format, capturing observations from MSS1-B approximately 8 minutes later.
This research work was conducted by Professor Zong and his team at Peking University and State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Science, Macau University of Science and Technology. They developed the Medium-energy Electron Spectrometer onboard the Macao Science Satellite – 1, which enabled a comprehensive measurement of the full pitch angle distribution at Low-Earth-Orbit. The Macao Science Satellite - 1 (MSS) comprises two satellites orbiting the Earth at an inclination of 41°. MSS1-A follows a circular orbit at an altitude of 450 km, while MSS1-B's orbit is elliptical, ranging between 450 and 500 km in altitude.
With energetic electron observation from MSS-1, they report the initial observation of a 'wisp' precipitation with peak intensity detected inside the South Atlantic Anomaly. The South Atlantic Anomaly is a region within near-Earth space where the geomagnetic field is significantly weaker and the flux of energetic particles is higher compared to other areas. This anomaly poses a space weather hazard to Low-Earth-Orbit satellites.
Evidence has been found that Very Low Frequency (VLF) waves emitted by the powerful ground VLF radio transmitter in Australia, known as NWC, can scatter the pitch angle of energetic electrons in the inner radiation belt. This scattering directs electrons into the drift loss cone, forming a 'wisp,' which is characterized by its peak intensity outside the South Atlantic Anomaly region (SAA), and a 'rift' with minimal intensity within the SAA.
With MSS-1 data, however, the researchers found unusual peak ‘wisp’ instead of minimum inside SAA related to NWC. The researchers attribute the 'wisp' within the anomaly to a specific pitch angle range just outside the drift loss cone, a measurement that was unattainable by previous satellites. Moreover, the researchers distinguished between the trapped and precipitating electron populations. The analysis, directly derived from the ratio of these populations, revealed that approximately 2-5% of trapped electrons will be lost in this specific wisp due to the influence of the ground VLF transmitter. The results not only complement existing evidence of energetic electron pitch angle scattering facilitated by the ground VLF transmitter but also provide a quantitative estimation of its impact.
See the article:
Sun, Y., Liu, Y., Zong, Q. et al. Radiation belt electron wisp inside South Atlantic Anomaly due to terrestrial VLF transmitter observed by MSS-1. Science China Earth Sciences, 68(2): 538–548 (2025), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-024-1465-x
Coral diseases and water quality play a key role for coral restoration and survival efforts
Coral restoration programs are expanding to revive coral populations and ecosystem services, but local and global stressors such as coral disease and water pollution still threaten coral survival
University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science
Coral restoration programs are expanding to revive coral populations and ecosystem services, but local and global stressors such as coral disease and water pollution still threaten coral survival.
Miami, FL – Coral diseases, particularly in the Caribbean, have caused major declines in coral populations, especially affecting staghorn (Acropora cervicornis) and Elkhorn (A. palmata) corals, which play a crucial role in reef ecosystems. Despite efforts to identify the pathogens that cause diseases like White Band Disease (WBD), and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), the specific agents remain largely unknown. Coral restoration programs aim to restore these once abundant coral species, but the effectiveness is threatened by multiple stressors, including increases in disease frequency and nutrient pollution caused from runoff from land-based activities.
A recent study by scientists at the University of Miami NOAA Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS), and the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), which examined threatened Staghorn coral species (Acropora cervicornis), has uncovered important insights into how different coral genotypes respond to environmental stressors. The findings indicate that while some coral genotypes displayed resistance to either high nutrient levels or disease, none were resistant to both stressors simultaneously.
The scientists tested 10 genotypes commonly used in coral restoration in South Florida. Coral samples were collected from different offshore nurseries from (Coral Restoration Foundation, Florida Fish and Wildlife, and Rosenstiel’s Rescue a Reef Program) and transported to the CIMAS Experimental Reef Lab where they were exposed to two nutrient conditions: normal (ambient) or high ammonium levels for about 1.5 months. After this period, each coral was either exposed to a coral diseased tissue slurry or a healthy tissue slurry (i.e., placebo), creating four treatment groups: normal nutrients + placebo, normal nutrients + disease, high nutrients + placebo, and high nutrients + disease.
Key findings include:
• Coral genotypes that previously showed disease resistance did not necessarily maintain that resistance in this experiment, suggesting disease susceptibility may change based on disease cause, environment, or route of infection.
• Elevated dissolved inorganic nitrogen, in the form of ammonium, reduced coral survival—even in the absence of disease—highlighting poor water quality as a significant threat.
• When exposed to disease under normal conditions, four genotypes suffered complete mortality, while others showed varying degrees of resilience.
• When both stressors were combined, all genotypes experienced mortality rates ranging from 30 to 100 percent.
The researchers reinforce the urgent need for improving water quality by limiting runoff to support coral conservation efforts. Since coral disease outbreaks often coincide with pollution-related stress, reducing nutrient pollution is critical to enhancing coral resilience and increasing the success of restoration projects.
"If water quality issues are not addressed, it will be difficult for both wild and restored coral colonies in Florida to survive." said Ana Palacio, the lead author of the study and a research scientist at CIMAS. "Our findings highlight the importance of selecting coral genotypes that are resilient to local stressors and ensuring improved water conditions before restoration efforts."
Coral reefs provide essential ecosystem services, including coastal protection, marine biodiversity, and economic benefits to fisheries and tourism. This study underscores the importance of science-driven policymaking and conservation strategies to safeguard these vital ecosystems for the future.
The study titled: “Genotypes of Acropora cervicornis in Florida show resistance to either elevated nutrients or disease, but not both in combination”was published in the journal PLOS One on March 26, 2025. The authors include Ana M. Palacio-Castro1,2, *, Danielle Kroesche3-4, Ian Enochs2, Chris Kelble2, Ian Smith1,2, Andrew C. Baker3, Stephanie M. Rosales1,2
Funding for the study was provided to Ana M Palacio-Castro, through the National Academy of Sciences’ National Research Council (NRC) Postdoctoral Fellowship and the Coral Reef Conservation Program (Grant 31250)
1 Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA, 2 Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, NOAA, Miami, Florida, USA, 3 Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA,4 NOVA Southeastern University, Davie, Florida, USA
Stephanie Rosales (left) and Ana Palacio (right) evaluating staghorn coral genotypes during their exposure to elevated nutrients
Diseased corals collected to use for disease slurry
An experimental fragment that developed a disease lesion after exposure to disease slurry
Credit
Stephanie Rosales, University of Miami
Stephanie Rosales (left) and Ana Palacio, lead author of the study (right), evaluating diseased corals
Tissue samples collected from a fragment that developed disease signs
A months-long marine heatwave had "cooked" the sprawling Ningaloo Reef, according to scientists - Copyright Minderoo Foundation/AFP Violeta J Brosig
Steven TRASK
An “unprecedented” mass bleaching event has been recorded off Australia’s western coast, scientists said Wednesday, turning huge chunks of a celebrated reef system a sickly dull white.
A months-long marine heatwave had “cooked” the sprawling Ningaloo Reef, ocean scientist Kate Quigley said, part of a world heritage-listed marine park renowned for vibrant corals and migrating whale sharks.
Although environment officials were still verifying the scale of damage, data collected by Quigley and a team of scientists found it was on track to be the reef’s worst mass-bleaching event in years.
“Warm oceans have just cooked the corals this year,” Quigley told AFP.
“It wouldn’t be amiss to throw in the word ‘unprecedented’.
“It has gone deep, it’s not just the top of the reef that is bleaching. Many different species of coral are bleaching.”
Branching through shallow waters along Australia’s western coast, the 300-kilometre (185-mile) Ningaloo Reef is one of the largest “fringing reefs” in the world.
The unfolding mass bleaching looked to be the worst since 2011, Quigley said.
Ocean waters lapping Western Australia have been as much as three degrees warmer than average over recent summer months, the government weather bureau said.
Rising temperatures shot past the “bleaching threshold” sometime in mid-January, according to monitoring by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Bleaching occurs when warm waters trigger a biological response forcing coral to expel the colourful algae embedded in their tissues.
“Bleaching is a sickness, but it does not mean outright death,” said Quigley, a research scientist with environment-focused charity Minderoo Foundation.
“But if it is bad enough, the corals will die.”
– ‘Just shocking’ –
Government data showed smaller patches of coral bleaching had also been spotted at the northern tip of the more famous Great Barrier Reef on Australia’s east coast.
Quigley said the Ningaloo Reef and the Great Barrier Reef were shaped by different weather patterns — and it was rare to see bleaching on both at the same time.
“What we’re seeing is the level of ocean warming is so great, it’s overriding the local conditions in some places.
“It’s just shocking. When we take a national snapshot, it’s extremely concerning.”
The Great Barrier Reef, a popular tourist drawcard, has suffered five mass bleachings over the past eight years.
Quigley said the extent of damage on the Great Barrier Reef was not currently widespread enough to be considered “mass bleaching”.
Global average temperatures were the hottest on record in 2024, with prolonged heatwaves in many of the planet’s oceans causing alarm.
A prolonged global episode of heat-related bleaching impacted almost 80 percent of the world’s coral reefs between 2023 and 2024, a leading US science agency found in October.
Warming seas, overfishing and pollution are threatening coral reef systems the world over, warned a major UN report in December.
The average sea surface temperature around Australia was the “highest on record” in 2024, an Australian National University study reported last week.
Australia sits on bulging deposits of coal, gas, metals and minerals, with mining and fossil fuels stoking decades of near-unbroken economic growth.
But it is increasingly suffering from more intense heatwaves, bushfires and drought, which scientists have linked to climate change.
