Statement of Commitments from Humanitarian Scholars at World Humanitarian Summit

In the wake of the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS), held in Istanbul on 22 and 23 May, researchers have signed and endorsed the Statement of Commitments from Humanitarian Scholars at World Humanitarian Summit. The statement is the main scholarly outcome of the WHS and has been drafted by experts in the humanitarian field and the International Humanitarian Studies Association (IHSA). Aiming at giving a positive turn to humanitarian scholarship, the statement has signaled that the Summit will contribute to spur all kinds of research activities, explore mechanisms to effectively communicate and collaborate around the unfolding humanitarian research agenda, as well as following up on the core responsibilities of the WHS agenda. The statement has also provided a normative frame that can underpin and inspire numerous initiatives focusing on the commitments, with regards to advancing evidence-based approaches; localising research and education; promoting transdisciplinary work; and developing and upholding of research ethics. Given the vast possibilities and the large community of scholars that work on these issues within their own programmes and networks, the statement aspires to enhance the communication and exchange about this

Shock wave physics and detonation physics – a stimulus for the emergence of numerous new branches in science and engineering

In the period of the Cold War (1945−1991), Shock Wave Physics and Detonation Physics (SWP&DP) – until the beginning of WWII mostly confined to gas dynamics, high-speed aerodynamics, and military technology (such as aero- and terminal ballistics, armor construction, chemical explosions, supersonic gun, and other firearms developments) – quickly developed into a large interdisciplinary field by its own. This rapid expansion was driven by an enormous financial support and two efficient feedbacks: the Terminal Ballistic Cycle and the Research & Development Cycle. Basic knowledge in SWP&DP, initially gained in the Classic Period (from 1808) and further extended in the Post-Classic Period (from the 1930s to present), is now increasingly used also in other branches of Science and Engineering (S&E). However, also independent S&E branches developed, based upon the fundamentals of SWP&DP, many of those developments will be addressed (see Tab. 2). Thus, shock wave and detonation phenomena are now studied within an enormous range of dimensions, covering microscopic, macroscopic, and cosmic dimensions as well as enormous time spans ranging from nano-/picosecond shock durations (such as produced by ultra-short laser pulses) to shock durations that continue for centuries (such as blast waves emitted from ancient supernova explosions). This paper reviews these developments from a historical perspective