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"It's simple": Sussan Ley reveals stance on Welcome to Country

<p>Newly elected Liberal leader <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/sussan-ley-elected-first-female-leader-of-the-liberal-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sussan Ley </a>has called on her party to modernise and reconnect with contemporary Australian values following one of its worst electoral defeats in history.</p> <p>In her first press conference since defeating Angus Taylor for the leadership, Ms Ley pledged a fresh approach to politics, saying the Liberal Party must "respect, reflect, and represent modern Australia".</p> <p>“We have to meet the people where they are. And that’s what I am committed to doing and what I am determined to do,” she said. “I want to do things differently, and we have to have a fresh approach.”</p> <p>Ley described her election to the party’s top job as an “enormous privilege”, adding: “I am humbled. I am honoured. And I am up for the job.”</p> <p>The leadership transition follows a bruising election campaign that saw the Liberals suffer significant losses, prompting calls for renewal and deeper engagement with a changing electorate.</p> <p>Cultural recognition also emerged as a flashpoint during the campaign’s final days, with controversy over audience reactions to Welcome to Country ceremonies. Addressing the issue head-on, Ms Ley called for authenticity in cultural acknowledgements.</p> <p>“With respect to Welcome to Country, it’s simple: if it’s meaningful, if it matters, if it resonates, then it’s in the right place,” she said. “If it is done in a way that is ticking a box on a Teams meeting then I don’t think it is relevant. It actually diminishes the value of what it is.”</p> <p>On the issue of national symbols, Ms Ley said she frequently stands in front of the Indigenous flag but would prefer to see Australians united under a single banner.</p> <p>“We should unite under the one Australian flag, that is my firm view,” she stated.</p> <p>Ms Ley now faces the challenge of steering a divided and diminished Liberal Party toward renewal, with pressure mounting to appeal to a broader, more diverse Australia. Her leadership marks a potential turning point for the party as it seeks to rebuild and redefine its identity in opposition.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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Sussan Ley elected first female leader of the Liberal Party

<p>Sussan Ley has been elected as the new leader of the Liberal Party, defeating shadow treasurer Angus Taylor in a tightly contested party room vote, 29 to 25. In doing so, she becomes Australia’s first female opposition leader and the most senior woman in the party’s 80-year history.</p> <p>The leadership spill followed the Liberal Party’s devastating loss in the federal election on May 3, which saw then-leader Peter Dutton lose his seat in a historic defeat. The party convened at Parliament House on Tuesday morning to determine a new leadership team and chart a path forward.</p> <p>Ley, 63, has been a Liberal MP since 2001 and most recently served as deputy leader under Dutton. A former environment and health minister, she represents the regional New South Wales seat of Farrer. Her election marks the first time since the 1990s that a regionally based politician has led the federal opposition.</p> <p>Chief opposition whip Melissa Price announced the result just after 10:15am. Ted O’Brien, a Queensland MP and former energy spokesman, was elected deputy leader with 38 votes, defeating Phil Thompson, who received 16. Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who had been expected to stand as Taylor’s deputy, withdrew from the contest following Taylor’s leadership loss.</p> <p>Born in Kano, Nigeria, Ley has a diverse background, having worked as a wool and beef farmer, tax office executive, and pilot. A mother of three and grandmother of six, she has long been seen as a resilient figure in Liberal ranks. Her academic journey includes a bachelor’s degree in economics from La Trobe University and master’s degrees in tax and accounting.</p> <p>Ley's career in politics has spanned the leaderships of Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, and Scott Morrison. She resigned from cabinet in 2017 over an expenses controversy, but returned to hold industry and small business portfolios from 2022.</p> <p>In the wake of the party’s election defeat, Ley has called for a reset in direction and tone. Speaking last Friday, she acknowledged the loss as a wake-up call.</p> <p>“We suffered a significant election defeat and since then, I have been having many conversations with my colleagues, members of the community, members of the party, and everyday Australians. I have listened,” she said on Sunrise. “We got it wrong. We need to do things differently, going forward, and we do need a fresh approach.”</p> <p>Ley now faces the task of rebuilding the Liberal Party’s credibility and unity from the opposition benches, as it seeks to reconnect with voters and prepare for the next federal contest.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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Gina Rinehart urges Liberal Party to embrace Trumpism after crushing defeat

<p>Mining billionaire and Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, has urged the Liberal Party to adopt policies inspired by Donald Trump in the wake of the Coalition's heavy federal election loss over the weekend.</p> <p>In a statement <a href="https://www.ginarinehart.com.au/comment-from-mrs-gina-rinehart-ao-regarding-the-election-results/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published on her personal website</a>, Rinehart blamed the defeat on left-leaning media outlets and what she described as the party's failure to adopt bold, pro-business, Trump-style reforms.</p> <p>“The left media did a very successful effort, frightening many in the Liberal Party from anything Trump and away from any Trump-like policies,” Rinehart wrote.</p> <p>“This has been especially obvious this year, with the Liberals instead becoming known as the 'me too' party. Trump-style ‘make Australia great’ policies via cutting government tape, government bureaucracy and wastage, and hence being able to cut taxes, [were] too scarce in Australia this year.”</p> <p>Rinehart, whose net worth is estimated at $46.5 billion, has long supported the Liberal Party and has personally backed senior figures including former opposition leader Peter Dutton, notably providing him with flights on her private jet. She is also a vocal Trump supporter, having attended his election night party at Mar-a-Lago last year.</p> <p>Under Dutton’s leadership, the Coalition campaigned on cutting tens of thousands of public service jobs and named Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price as the shadow spokesperson for government efficiency – moves widely seen as echoing Trump-era governance tactics.</p> <p>Despite Rinehart’s praise, Trump himself distanced from Dutton this week, telling reporters he had "no idea" who the former Liberal leader was, while describing re-elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as "very good" and "very, very nice".</p> <p>Rinehart’s position contrasts sharply with that of many within the political mainstream who argue that aligning with Trump-like policies alienates centrist voters. During election night coverage, Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie acknowledged that the "Trump factor" may have influenced voter sentiment and contributed to the Coalition’s defeat.</p> <p>Former senior Liberals have also weighed in. Simon Birmingham, former Senate leader and finance minister, argued the party must reclaim its centrist identity. “The broadchurch model of a party that successfully melds liberal and conservative thinking is clearly broken,” Birmingham said. “The Liberal Party is not seen as remotely liberal and the brand of conservatism projected is clearly perceived as too harsh and out of touch.”</p> <p>Still, Rinehart remains unmoved in her call for a sharp ideological pivot to the right. “No doubt the left media will now try to claim that the Liberal loss was because the Liberal Party followed Trump and became too right! The two simply don't add up,” she said. “It’s important to not throw away truth and analysing skills, and instead learn from the loss and rebuild.”</p> <p>Rinehart also took aim at what she sees as a lack of economic understanding among Australians, stating that “too many Aussies seem very short on understanding that new investment is needed to create revenue and living standards”.</p> <p>Despite her disappointment with the election outcome, Rinehart concluded her statement with a conciliatory note, wishing Albanese well as he begins his second term.</p> <p>“Australians have overwhelmingly voted in a returning ... PM and government, we must wish him well, with carefully considered policies,” she wrote.</p> <p><em>Image: ginarinehart.com.au</em></p>

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Why are political parties allowed to send spam texts? And how can we make them stop?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p>Another election, another wave of unsolicited political texts. Over this campaign, our digital mailboxes have been stuffed with a slew of political appeals and promises, many from the new party Trumpet of Patriots (backed by Clive Palmer, a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-11/clive-palmer-united-australia-party-unsolicited-text-messages/10709106">veteran</a> of the mass text campaign).</p> <p>The practice isn’t new, and it’s totally legal under current laws. It’s also non-partisan. Campaigns of all stripes have partaken. Behold, the Liberal Party’s <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/liberal-party-defends-sending-text-messages-to-voters-on-asylum-seeker-boat-intercepts/mmqwk5508">last-minute SMS</a> to voters about asylum seekers before the 2022 federal election, or Labor’s controversial “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/federal-election-2016-shorten-confirms-labor-sent-mediscare-text-20160705-gpzasl.html">Mediscare</a>” text before the 2016 poll. Despite multiple cycles of criticism, these tactics remain a persistent feature of Australian election campaigns.</p> <p>A recent proposal to update decades-old rules could help change things – if a government would put it into practice.</p> <h2>What does the law say about political spam?</h2> <p>Several laws regulate spam and data collection in Australia.</p> <p>First, there is the Spam Act. This legislation requires that organisations obtain our consent before sending us marketing emails, SMSs and instant messages. The unsubscribe links you see at the bottom of spam emails? Those are mandated by the Spam Act.</p> <p>Second, the Do Not Call Register (DNCR) Act. This Act establishes a “do not call” register, managed by the <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/say-no-to-telemarketers">Australian Communications and Media Authority</a> (ACMA), which individuals can join to opt out of telemarketing calls.</p> <p>Finally, there is the Privacy Act, which governs how organisations collect, use and disclose our personal information. Among other things, the Privacy Act requires that organisations tell us when and why they are collecting our personal information, and the purposes for which they intend to use it. It restricts organisations from re-purposing personal information collected for a particular purpose, unless an exception applies.</p> <p>This trio of laws was designed to offer relief from unsolicited, unwanted direct marketing. It does not, however, stop the deluge of political spam at election time due to broad political exemptions sewn into the legislation decades ago.</p> <p>The Spam Act and DNCR Act apply to marketing for goods and services but not election policies and promises, while the Privacy Act contains a <a href="https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/UNSWLawJl/2021/21.html#fn13">carve-out</a> for political parties, representatives and their contractors.</p> <p>The upshot is that their campaigns are free to spam and target voters at will. Their only obligation is to disclose who authorised the message.</p> <h2>How do political campaigns get our information?</h2> <p>Secrecy about the nature and extent of campaign data operations, enabled by the exemptions, makes it difficult to pinpoint precisely where a campaign might have obtained your data from.</p> <p>There are, however, a number of ways political campaigns can acquire our information.</p> <p>One source is the electoral roll (though not for phone numbers, as the Australian Electoral Commission <a href="https://x.com/AusElectoralCom/status/1434752533294194692">often points out</a>). Incumbent candidates might build on this with information they obtain through contact with constituents which, thanks to the exemptions, they’re allowed to re-purpose for campaigning at election time.</p> <p>Another source is data brokers – firms which harvest, analyse and sell large quantities of data and profiles.</p> <p>We know the major parties have long maintained voter databases to support their targeting efforts, which have become <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-19/behind-liberal-labor-data-arms-race-this-election/101074696">increasingly sophisticated</a> over the years.</p> <p>Other outfits might take more haphazard approaches – former MP <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/united-australia-party-leader-craig-kelly-defends-spam-messages-20210829-p58mv7.html">Craig Kelly</a>, for example, claimed to use software to randomly generate numbers for his texting campaign in 2021.</p> <h2>What can be done?</h2> <p>Unwanted campaign texts are not only irritating to some. They can be misleading.</p> <p>This year, there have been <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-17/monique-ryan-polling-amelia-hamer-trust-fund-kooyong/105185290">reports</a> of “push polling” texts (pseudo surveys meant to persuade rather than gauge voter options) in the marginal seat of Kooyong. The AEC has <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/media/2025/03-31a.htm">warned</a> about misleading postal vote applications being issued by parties via SMS.</p> <figure class="align-right zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/664617/original/file-20250429-74-yothae.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/664617/original/file-20250429-74-yothae.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/664617/original/file-20250429-74-yothae.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=738&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/664617/original/file-20250429-74-yothae.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=738&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/664617/original/file-20250429-74-yothae.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=738&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/664617/original/file-20250429-74-yothae.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=927&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/664617/original/file-20250429-74-yothae.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=927&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/664617/original/file-20250429-74-yothae.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=927&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Screenshot of a text message from Trumpet of Patriots." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">This election campaign has seen a flood of texts from Trumpet of Patriots, among others.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Conversation</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Generative AI is hastening the ability to produce misleading content, cheaply and at scale, which can be quickly pushed out across an array of online social and instant messaging services.</p> <p>In short, annoying texts are just one visible symptom of a wider vulnerability created by the political exemptions.</p> <p>The basic argument for the political exemptions is to facilitate freedom of political communication, which is protected by the Constitution. As the High Court has said, that freedom is necessary to support informed electoral choice. It does not, however, guarantee speakers a <a href="http://www6.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/HCA/2019/11.html">captive audience</a>.</p> <p>In 2022, the Attorney-General’s Department <a href="https://www.ag.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-02/privacy-act-review-report_0.pdf">proposed</a> narrowing the political exemptions, as part of a suite of updates to the Privacy Act. Per the proposal, parties and representatives would need to be more transparent about their data operations, provide voters with an option to unsubscribe from targeted ads, refrain from targeting voters based on “sensitive information”, and handle data in a “fair and reasonable” manner.</p> <p>The changes would be an overdue but welcome step, recognising the <a href="https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/journal_contribution/Conceptualising_Voter_Privacy_in_the_Age_of_Data-Driven_Political_Campaigning/27330276?file=50073381">essential role</a> of voter privacy in a functioning democratic system.</p> <p>Unfortunately, the government has not committed to taking up the proposal.</p> <p>A bipartisan lack of support is likely the biggest obstacle, even as the gap created by the political exemptions widens, and its rationale becomes flimsier, with each election cycle.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/255413/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em>By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tegan-cohen-1331144">Tegan Cohen</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Digital Media Research Centre, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-political-parties-allowed-to-send-spam-texts-and-how-can-we-make-them-stop-255413">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p> </div>

Legal

Clive Palmer outlines his MAGA party proposals

<p>Billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer has urged Australian banks to cap interest rates at 3 per cent and called for the removal of Kevin Rudd as Australia’s ambassador to the United States. His proposals were part of a broader campaign to support the Trumpet for Patriots party in the upcoming federal election.</p> <p>Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Mr Palmer revealed that the party, which he recently endorsed, had already attracted over 20,000 members, with thousands more joining daily since his announcement on February 19.</p> <p>Palmer, known for his deep pockets in politics, compared his substantial financial contributions to his passion for sports. Referring to his $100 million expenditure on a single Senate candidate, he described political spending as his version of a hobby.</p> <p>“At 70, I could join many Australians and play lawn bowls. I find this more exciting,” he said. “I’m devoted because I also have an investment in Australia. I’ve got four children. I think this is a good place, and it’s worth fighting for.”</p> <p>Mr Palmer outlined a two-pronged policy approach to promote home ownership: capping interest rates at 3 per cent and allowing buyers to utilise up to 30 per cent of their superannuation for home deposits. He argued that this would increase rental availability and lower costs for tenants.</p> <p>“That means Australians can live again, that means that our rentals will be available for people at a much lower price,” he said, citing Australia’s 120,000 homeless population as a national disgrace.</p> <p>Mr Palmer also took aim at Australia’s ambassador to the US, former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, calling for his removal. “There are not too many ambassadors in Washington that have insulted the President of the United States. Kevin Rudd ranks alone in that,” Mr Palmer claimed.</p> <p>He stressed the need for a more effective representative in Washington, particularly during economic and geopolitical challenges. While he did not propose a specific replacement, he praised former ambassadors Kim Beazley and Joe Hockey for their diplomatic abilities.</p> <p>“I think somebody that can have a rapport. There are many prominent Australians that do that with the Trump administration already, or you get someone that’s neutral,” he said while eating Tim Tams.</p> <p>Trumpet for Patriots, under Palmer’s guidance, has outlined several key policies, including:</p> <p>– Mandating Australian superannuation funds to invest solely in domestic businesses.<br />– Banning transgender athletes from competing in sports.<br />– Imposing a 15 per cent licence fee on iron ore exports.</p> <p>The party plans to field candidates in all 150 House of Representatives seats and Senate contests but has not yet decided on preferencing major parties.</p> <p>Mr Palmer dismissed both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton as ineffective leaders, labelling them “whingers” who fail to present viable solutions.</p> <p>“They look at what’s wrong. They don’t look at how we solve the problem. They don’t provide solutions and leadership to solve the serious issues facing Australians every day of the week, whether it’s housing, whether it’s cost of living, a whole range of things,” he said.</p> <p>The party will be led by Suellen Wrightson, who will challenge Labor incumbent Dan Repacholi in the NSW Hunter region. With Palmer’s backing and financial influence, Trumpet for Patriots is set to make a high-profile entrance into the upcoming election campaign.</p> <p><em>Image: NineNews</em></p>

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Bunnings workers find deadly snake in gardening aisle

<p>Bunnings workers were stunned to find a tiger snake among the flower pots in the gardening section of the hardware store's Goulburn branch in NSW. </p> <p>Tiger snakes are one of the most venomous snakes in the nation and the "vibrant orange" reptile was trapped in a large pot, before snake catcher Ray McGibbon was called to relocate it. </p> <p>In an interview with Yahoo News, McGibbon said he was stunned by the snake's markings which were "not typical of tiger snakes".</p> <p>"It was very orange and vibrant," he said.</p> <p>"Cool climate reptiles are usually darker colours... it's like us wearing dark clothing in a cooler climate, it will attract the heat faster.</p> <p>"If you look at Queensland in comparison, the reptiles up there are brighter in colour because of the hotter climate."</p> <p>He also doesn't recommend placing a pot over a reptile, and said the best course of action would be to keep your distance, especially if it's venomous. </p> <p>Luckily, the snake was placid and easy to relocate, with McGibbon releasing it in nearby bushland. </p> <p>Tiger snakes account for an estimated 17 per cent of snake bites in Australia with four known deaths recorded, according to Australia Wide First Aid.</p> <p>"It's not really common to find one in Bunnings, they just randomly pop up every now and then. It was a warm day so it will have come inside to sit on the cool concrete. They're cold-bloodied but they're like us, if they're too hot they'll retreat for something cool," McGibbon added. </p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Home & Garden

Calls for major shops to ditch "toxic" product

<p>Common poisons sold at Bunnings, Mitre 10, Coles and Woolworths could potentially wipe out five species of carnivorous mammals.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896972500467X" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:and a new study by Edith Cowan University;cpos:2;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" data-rapid_p="12" data-v9y="1">A new study by Edith Cowan University</a> has discovered the impact of these common rat poisons is more widespread than first thought, with predators also being impacted by the toxins as well as the pests.</p> <p>“This is the first documentation of pretty substantial rodenticide exposure in our entire suite of top marsupial carnivores in Australia,” researcher and adjunct lecturer Dr Michael Lohr told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/calls-for-bunnings-mitre-10-coles-and-woolworths-to-ditch-toxic-product-going-to-kill-everything-063045604.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Yahoo News</em></a>.</p> <p>“Tasmanian devils and quolls are potentially being exposed at rates that could have a substantial impact on the trajectory of their populations going forward, and not in a good way.”</p> <p>The use of second-generation rat baits is currently under review by a government regulator – the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), with Dr Lohr urging retailers to take them off shelves. </p> <p>"I think it's really important for Australia at this point to try to catch up to the rest of the developed world," he said. "Action is needed on this and the world has already agreed on that."</p> <p>The use and sale of these pesticides are heavily restricted in the United States, European Union and United Kingdom, but are freely available in Australia.</p> <p>More than 7,000 people have signed a <a href="https://www.change.org/p/help-wildlife-and-pets-poisoned-dying-in-agony-bunnings-stop-selling-sgar-rat-baits" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-i13n="cpos:9;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:Change.org petition;cpos:9;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" data-rapid_p="20" data-v9y="1">Change.org petition</a> calling for supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths to ditch these "highly toxic" rat baits which it said can kill pets and native animals.</p> <p>Veteran wildlife advocate Cat Coake told <em>Yahoo</em> retailers have a duty to stop non-targeted poisons, as she said, "Otherwise they're going to kill everything."</p> <p>In a statement, Bunnings noted that it's not the only major retailer in Australia selling second-generation rodenticides.</p> <p>"Like many retailers, we offer a range of rodent control products, including anticoagulant rodenticides and non-poisonous alternatives, to provide choice for customers on the best solution to their specific rodent problem," it said.</p> <p>Bunnings also said it's complying with government regulations on the sale of these poisons. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p>

Home & Garden

To keep your cool in a heatwave, it may help to water your trees

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gregory-moore-1779">Gregory Moore</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><a href="https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/heatwave/">Heatwaves</a> are among the world’s <a href="https://wmo.int/topics/heatwave#:%7E:text=Impact,died%20from%20heat%2Drelated%20stress.">deadliest</a> weather hazards. Every year, vast numbers of people are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901114000999">killed by heat stress</a> and it can worsen health problems such as <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-heat-and-health">diabetes, asthma and heart disease</a>.</p> <p>Unfortunately, the bitumen roads, brick and concrete structures and roofing tiles in cities can absorb and retain vast amounts of heat, much of which is released after the sun has set. This creates what’s known as the <a href="https://www.climatechange.environment.nsw.gov.au/impacts-climate-change/built-environment/urban-heat">urban heat island effect</a>. In fact, temperatures can be <a href="https://www.climatechange.environment.nsw.gov.au/impacts-climate-change/built-environment/urban-heat#:%7E:text=and%20rural%20environments.-,In%20large%20cities%2C%20average%20temperatures%20can%20be%201%C2%B0C,parts%20experiencing%20even%20higher%20temperatures.">significantly higher in cities</a> than in <a href="https://greenly.earth/en-us/blog/ecology-news/6-key-things-to-know-about-urban-heat-islands">surrounding or rural areas</a>.</p> <p>Trees and greenspace can <a href="https://wwf.org.au/blogs/trees-lower-temperatures-in-a-sydney-street-by-20-degrees/">drive down urban temperatures</a> – but they must be able to draw water from the soil to achieve these massive cooling effects.</p> <p>In other words, it can sometimes be helpful to water your trees during a heatwave.</p> <h2>How trees keep us cool (and no, it’s not just about shade)</h2> <p>Trees reduce urban temperatures in two significant ways. One is by the shade they provides and the other is through their cooling effect – and no, they’re not the same thing.</p> <p>Water is taken up via a plant’s roots, moves through the stems or trunks and is then misted into the air from the leaves through little holes called stomata. This is called transpiration, and it helps cool the air around leaves.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/640861/original/file-20250107-15-dfepgd.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/640861/original/file-20250107-15-dfepgd.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/640861/original/file-20250107-15-dfepgd.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=615&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/640861/original/file-20250107-15-dfepgd.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=615&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/640861/original/file-20250107-15-dfepgd.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=615&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/640861/original/file-20250107-15-dfepgd.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=772&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/640861/original/file-20250107-15-dfepgd.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=772&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/640861/original/file-20250107-15-dfepgd.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=772&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A diagram shows how transpiration happens." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Transpiration helps cools the air around a plant’s leaves.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/transpiration-stages-plants-roots-absorb-water-1856372440">grayjay/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Water can also evaporate from soil and other surfaces. The combined loss of water from plants and soil is called evapotranspiration.</p> <p>The cooling effects of evapotranspiration vary but are up to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095311913605432#:%7E:text=Our%20literature%20review%20suggests%20that,ways%20of%20reducing%20urban%20temperatures">4°C</a>, depending on other environmental factors.</p> <h2>Watering your trees</h2> <p>If heatwaves occur in generally hot, dry weather, then trees will provide shade – but some may struggle with transpiration if the soil is too dry.</p> <p>This can reduce the cooling effect of trees. Keeping soil moist and plants irrigated, however, can change that.</p> <p>The best time to irrigate is early in the morning, as the water is less likely to evaporate quickly before transpiration can occur.</p> <p>You don’t need to do a deep water; most absorbing roots are close to the <a href="https://theconversation.com/here-are-5-practical-ways-trees-can-help-us-survive-climate-change-129753">surface</a>, so a bit of brief irrigation will often do the trick. You could also recycle water from your shower. Using mulch helps trap the water in the soil, giving the roots time to absorb it before it evaporates.</p> <p>All transpiring plants have a cooling effect on the air surrounding them, so you might wonder if trees have anything special to offer in terms of the urban heat island effect and heatwaves.</p> <p>Their great size means that they provide much larger areas of shade than other plants and if they are transpiring then there are greater cooling effects.</p> <p>The surface area of tree leaves, which is crucial to the evaporative cooling that takes place on their surfaces, is also much greater than many other plants.</p> <p>Another advantage is that trees can be very long lived. They <a href="https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/using-trees-and-vegetation-reduce-heat-islands">provide shade, cooling and other benefits</a> over a very long time and at relatively low cost.</p> <h2>Not all trees</h2> <p>All that said, I don’t want to overstate the role of urban trees in heatwaves when soils are dry.</p> <p>Some trees cease transpiring early as soils dry, but <a href="https://auf.isa-arbor.com/content/39/3/109">others will persist</a> until they wilt.</p> <p>Careful tree selection can help <a href="https://treenet.org/resource/it-isnt-rocket-science-street-trees-can-make-a-difference-in-climate-change/">maximise the cooling effects</a> of the urban forest. Trees that suit the local soil and can cope with some drying while maintaining transpiration can provide greater cooling</p> <p>And, of course, it is important to follow any <a href="https://www.water.vic.gov.au/for-households/water-restrictions-and-rules/permanent-water-saving-rules">water restriction</a> <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/environment-land-and-water/drought/water-restrictions">rules</a> or <a href="https://www.sydneywater.com.au/water-the-environment/what-we-are-doing/water-wise-guidelines.html">guidelines</a> that may be operating in your area at the time.</p> <h2>Trees keep us cool</h2> <p>Despite the clear benefits trees can provide in curbing heat, tree numbers and canopy cover are declining annually in many Australian cities and towns.</p> <p>Housing development still occurs without proper consideration of how trees and greenspace improve residents’ quality of life.</p> <p>It is not an either/or argument. With proper planning, <a href="https://theconversation.com/adelaide-is-losing-75-000-trees-a-year-tree-removal-laws-must-be-tightened-if-we-want-our-cities-to-be-liveable-and-green-216990">you can have both</a> new housing and good tree canopy cover.</p> <p>We should also be cautious of <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/trees-butchered-by-power-company-highlight-common-problem-its-sad-012952515.html?guccounter=1">over-pruning</a> urban trees.</p> <p>Trees cannot eliminate the effects of a heatwave but can mitigate some of them.</p> <p>Anything that we can do to mitigate the urban heat island effect and keep our cities and towns cooler will reduce heat-related illness and associated medical costs.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/246486/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gregory-moore-1779">Gregory Moore</a>, Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-keep-your-cool-in-a-heatwave-it-may-help-to-water-your-trees-246486">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Home & Garden

TV star shot in the face at husband's birthday party

<p>Actress Christy Carlson Romano has opened up about a terrifying accident that left her fearing for her life. In a candid video shared with her 735,000 Instagram followers, the former Disney star revealed that she was shot in the eye while participating in a clay pigeon shooting activity for her husband Brendan Rooney's birthday.</p> <p>Romano explained that an unidentified member of their party "unsafely fired in the wrong direction", resulting in her being struck in the face. Displaying her injuries on camera, she showcased a visibly bruised eye and disclosed that she sustained multiple hits, with one fragment landing only centimetres from her right eye.</p> <p>Recalling the ordeal, Romano shared that her husband immediately rushed her to the hospital. Medical professionals determined that a fragment was still lodged behind her eye, but said it was too risky for surgical removal at the time. She also pointed out another fragment embedded in her forehead.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DF0dgT5uibG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DF0dgT5uibG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Christy Carlson Romano (@thechristycarlsonromano)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Despite the severity of the incident, the actress reassured her fans that she could still see normally and was under medical supervision. "With everything that happened, all I can think about is how grateful I am to be alive," Romana wrote. "I love my daughters, husband, family, and friends so much. I saw my life flash before my eyes and I’m telling you, hug the people around you every chance you can. Life can change in an instant."</p> <p>Fans and fellow celebrities quickly flooded her post with messages of support, and hours later Romano took to her Instagram Story to express her gratitude, writing, "This has been scary and your positivity is meaningful to my healing."</p> <p>Romano, who rose to fame in the early 2000s with roles in Disney Channel’s <em>Kim Possible</em> and <em>Even Stevens</em> alongside Shia LaBeouf, has since transitioned into podcasting. She currently hosts "Vulnerable", a show where she discusses personal and industry-related topics.</p> <p>Married to producer Brendan Rooney since 2013, the couple shares two children together. As Romano continues to recover, fans remain hopeful for her swift and full healing.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

"See a therapist": Jackie O's emotional video sparks frenzy

<p>Fans have been left feeling perplexed over an unusual detail in the background of Jackie O's podcast clips. </p> <p>In a candid moment of vulnerability, the radio host opened up about her struggled with single life, chatting to her friend and co-host Gemma O’Neill about dating. </p> <p>Sitting comfortably on her couch, microphone in hand, the radio star began sharing an emotional reflection on life after dating “the one”.</p> <p>“That person just comes around once in a blue moon, and I just got disheartened,” Henderson says, holding back tears. “I don’t want to cry about it, but you just think of that person and go, ‘Am I ever going to meet someone like that again?’”</p> <p>She then admits that while she’s “fine” and “every day is great”, there are moments when she “can’t help but be sad”. </p> <p>The moment was uploaded to the podcast's Instagram with the caption, “For all the single souls out there, we see you.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFqW9CKpU1R/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFqW9CKpU1R/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Besties (@wearebestiesofficial)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Despite the honest conversation taking place, eagle-eyed fans spotted an unexpectedly hilarious detail in the clip, which has over 20,000 views.</p> <p>In the background, her cleaner was busy doing laundry and ironing bed sheets, going about their duties seemingly unbothered by the ladies on the couch.</p> <p>“Love the cleaner in the background,” one comment read, while another added, “I’m distracted by the housekeeper working their butt off.” </p> <p>One also joked it was the “maid’s five minutes of fame”.</p> <p>Others were quick to slam Jackie O's complaining, as one person said, “All this while the maid cleans your $50 million house!” </p> <p>“Care factor? See a therapist,” another said bluntly. </p> <p>However, many of her fans were not bothered by the cleaner and shared messages of support. </p> <p>“I feel you,” said one, as another wrote, “This feeling is a reminder of what you want.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p> <p style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </p>

Home & Garden

What are cooling blankets? Can they really help me sleep?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/linda-grosser-1461631">Linda Grosser</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/luana-main-2270550">Luana Main</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p>You wake up exhausted from yet another hot night of tossing and turning, with very little sleep.</p> <p>So you might be tempted to buy a “cooling blanket” after reading rave reviews on social media. Or you might have read online articles with <a href="https://www.news.com.au/checkout/home-and-garden/bedroom/bedding/best-cooling-blankets/news-story/118ce05eba1e7d5cdff3aeadae5ae940">taglines such as</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Stop waking up in a puddle of sweat with our roundup of the best cooling blankets – including a top-rated option from Amazon that ‘actually works’.</p> </blockquote> <p>But what are cooling blankets? And can they help you get a restful night?</p> <h2>We know a cooler bedroom is best</h2> <p>First, let’s look at why a cooler environment helps us sleep better at night.</p> <p>Our body’s internal temperature has a <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm">circadian rhythm</a>, meaning it fluctuates throughout the day. A couple of hours before bed, it drops about <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079203000236">0.31°C</a> to help you fall asleep. It will drop about <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7323637/">another 2°C</a> across the night to help you stay asleep.</p> <p>During sleep, your internal temperature and skin work together to achieve a balance between losing and producing heat. Your skin has sensors that pick-up changes in the environment around you. If it gets too warm, these sensors let your body know, which may cause you to kick-off blankets or bed clothes and wake more often leading to poorer sleep quality.</p> <p><a href="https://www.thensf.org/what-is-sleep-quality/">Sleep quality</a> is an important component of sleep health ensuring you get the physical, mental and emotional benefits that come from a good night’s sleep.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132318300325">ideal temperature</a> for sleep varies depending on the season and type of bedding you have but falls between 17°C and 28°C. Keeping your sleeping environment within this range will help you to get the best night’s rest.</p> <h2>So what are cooling blankets?</h2> <p>Cooling blankets are designed to help regulate your body temperature while you sleep.</p> <p>Different technologies and materials are used in their design and construction.</p> <p>We’re not talking about <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2206487/">hospital-grade</a> cooling blankets that are used to reduce fever and prevent injury to the nervous system. These use gel pads with circulating water, or air-cooling systems, connected to automatic thermostats to monitor someone’s temperature.</p> <p>Instead, the type of consumer-grade cooling blankets you might see advertised use a blend of lightweight, breathable materials that draw moisture away from the skin to help you stay cool and dry through the night. They look like regular blankets.</p> <p>Common materials include cotton, bamboo, silk or the fibre <a href="https://goodonyou.eco/how-ethical-is-tencel/">Lyocell</a>, all of which absorb moisture.</p> <p>Manufacturers typically use a <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-sheets/best-thread-count-for-sheets">thread count</a> of <a href="https://www.trustsleep.com/how-do-cooling-blankets-work/">300-500</a>, creating air pockets that enhance airflow and moisture evaporation.</p> <p>Some blankets feature a <a href="https://getrest.com.au/blogs/all/unveiling-the-secrets-of-q-max-the-key-to-a-perfect-nights-sleep">Q-Max rating</a>, which indicates how cool the fabric feels against your skin. The higher the value, the cooler the fabric feels.</p> <p>Others feature <a href="https://www.trustsleep.com/how-do-cooling-blankets-work/">phase change materials</a>. These materials were developed by <a href="https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2009/ch_4.html">NASA</a> for space suits to keep astronauts comfortable during a spacewalk where temperatures are from roughly <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/spacewalk-spacesuit-basics/">-157°C to 121°C</a>. Phase change materials in cooling blankets absorb and hold heat producing a cooling effect.</p> <h2>Do they work?</h2> <p>If you believe online reviews, yes, cooling blankets can cool you down and help you sleep better in warmer weather or if you get too hot using normal sheets and blankets.</p> <p>However, there is little scientific research to see if these consumer-grade products work.</p> <p>In a 2021 <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/16/9099">study</a> exploring sleep quality, 20 participants slept for three nights under two different conditions.</p> <p>First, they slept with regular bed sheets in an air-conditioned room with the temperature set to their preference. Then, they used cooling bed sheets in an air-conditioned room where the temperature was set 3°C higher than their preference.</p> <p>Participants reported good sleep quality in both conditions but preferred the warmer room with its cooling sheets.</p> <p>This may suggest the use of cooling bedding may help provide a more comfortable night’s sleep.</p> <p>But everyone’s cooling needs varies depending on things like age, health, body temperature, the space you sleep in, and personal preferences.</p> <p>So while these products may work for some people who may be motivated to leave a good review, they may not necessarily work for you.</p> <h2>Are they worth it?</h2> <p>There’s a wide variety of cooling blankets available at different prices to suit various budgets. Positive customer reviews might encourage a purchase, especially for individuals experiencing disrupted sleep at night due to heat.</p> <p>Yet, these cooling blankets have limited scientific research to show they work and to say if they’re worth it. So it’s up to you.</p> <h2>What else can I do if I’m a hot sleeper?</h2> <p>If a cooling blanket isn’t for you, there are other things you can do to stay cool at night, such as:</p> <ul> <li> <p>using air conditioning or a fan</p> </li> <li> <p>placing a damp towel under or over you</p> </li> <li> <p>wearing lightweight or minimal sleepwear and avoiding thick or synthetic fabrics, such as nylon, that can trap heat</p> </li> <li> <p>if you usually share a bed, on hot nights, consider sleeping by yourself to avoid excess body heat from your partner.</p> </li> </ul> <p>On a final note, if you often struggle with hot, disturbed sleep, you can check in with your health-care provider. They can see if there is a medical explanation for your disturbed sleep and advise what to try next.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/244158/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/linda-grosser-1461631">Linda Grosser</a>, Research Associate, Behaviour-Brain-Body Research Centre, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/luana-main-2270550">Luana Main</a>, Associate Professor in Applied Sport Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-cooling-blankets-can-they-really-help-me-sleep-244158">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Home & Garden

Friends charged hundreds to attend birthday party

<p dir="ltr">A woman has been left horrified after receiving an invitation to her friend’s birthday celebration that she would have to fork out hundreds of dollars to attend. </p> <p dir="ltr">In a post shared to Reddit, the stunned guest showed a picture of the invite - which was texted to the recipient's phone.</p> <p dir="ltr">It stated that the celebrations would take place on a Monday between 5:30pm and 7:30pm, writing that friends will be charged $499, while guests of friends will be $250.</p> <p dir="ltr">The invitee claimed that the party for the friend, who is a member of their local council, is being held at a pub. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I posted this after receiving the invitation, it's completely wrong but whatever. It's happening, now it's just shaking our heads and making a joke of the whole thing because of how ridiculous it is,” they wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hundreds of people took to the comments of the Reddit post to express their outrage over the invitation, with many hypothesising that the party is actually a fundraiser. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Yep. 100 percent political fundraiser. There is a separate real birthday party, even if it is just the spouse and kids,” one person declared.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Since the friend is a politician my guess is they're treating it like a fundraiser, but still. Jesus,” someone else added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many shared their opinions on the extortionate party, with one person writing, “On a Monday afternoon? For $250 an hour? There are no people I’d ever pay that for.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Others added that the occasion sounds “more like a happy hour” than a party, with another person writing that they “wouldn’t even send a card”. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock / Reddit</em></p>

Relationships

Mum dies on daughter's birthday after common party trick turned deadly

<p>A mother has tragically died after inhaling helium from a balloon while setting up for hr daughter's first birthday party. </p> <p>Faith Waterman Batistich, from Te Puke in New Zealand, died in a matter of seconds after inhaling helium while setting up for the party with her family in 2022.</p> <p>Professor Timothy Schmidt, Head of the School of Chemistry at UNSW, told <em><a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/warning-after-mum-dies-at-daughters-birthday-from-common-party-trick-gone-instantly-051159229.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News Australia</a></em> that any gas mixture that does not contain oxygen can be fatal if inhaled, and issued a strong warning about partaking in the party trick. </p> <p>"Helium is dangerous to inhale because it replaces the oxygen rich air in our lungs and rapidly leads to loss of oxygen from the body. This condition is known as hypoxia and can be fatal," he said. "Breathing pure nitrogen would be just as dangerous."</p> <p>Faith's family and friends were all laughing and taking turns inhaling the helium from the balloons, when one person suggested they breathe it in directly from the canister, Faith’s twin sister Eden Waterman told the New Zealand Herald.</p> <p>As the 20-year-old went to inhale, someone else turned up the flow on the canister.</p> <p>"It went too fast and kind of shot her in the back of the neck. Her last words were literally, 'Oh s***' and she dropped," Eden recalled.</p> <p>"I was just, like, in shock. I kind of just froze and it was like, 'what the f***, what am I seeing? Like, is this for real?' I thought she was putting it on at the start."</p> <p>She added that Faith "went blue" and was "gone instantly".</p> <p>Despite the efforts of the family and paramedics, Faith was unable to be revived.</p> <p>Professor Schmidt said helium is not considered a dangerous chemical, but it is likely most people are unaware of the risks when inhaling it.</p> <p>"It is used in diving tanks and in medicine. Helium is what we call a noble gas (or inert gas). It does not form chemical compounds or react chemically with the body," he said.</p> <p>"I had never heard of anyone dying from helium inhalation until now, so I would say that the dangers are definitely not well-known. I have done it… and never considered that I might replace all the O2 in my body with helium."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

From securing pets to building ‘insect hotels’ – here are 7 ways to attract birds to your garden

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rochelle-steven-22148">Rochelle Steven</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-newsome-117672">David Newsome</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a></em></p> <p>Home gardens can provide vital habitat for Australian birds. But there’s more to it than just planting certain types of shrubs and flowering trees.</p> <p>After decades of encouragement to include native plants in home gardens, urban environments have come to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989423003700">favour certain species</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2006.01584.x">neglect others</a> including some of our most loved birds, such as fairy-wrens.</p> <p>Birds that thrive on nectar such as honeyeaters, and bossy birds with bold personalities such as noisy miners, some parrots and magpies, tend to dominate the scene. But it doesn’t have to be this way.</p> <p>We wanted to explore how urban gardens can best support a wider range of Australian birds. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10531-025-03011-2">Our new review</a> of research on this topic revealed seven key considerations. These fall into two themes: reducing threats and improving habitat.</p> <p>We found there’s no point doing just the good things (such as plantings) if we don’t stop doing the bad things (such as killing insects, poisoning owls and letting cats hunt). It’s like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it.</p> <p>So let’s acknowledge the complexity of nature and take a broader approach to attracting birds to our gardens, by ticking off the items on this shopping list.</p> <h2>1. Secure pets</h2> <p>Domestic cats kill <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/wr/pdf/WR19174">millions of Australian birds every year</a>. So no matter how innocent your cat looks, it remains a highly evolved predator.</p> <p>The only guaranteed way to protect birds and other wildlife from cats is to keep them contained inside or in purpose-built enclosures, 24 hours a day. You can find out about building your own cat enclosure from <a href="https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/animal-welfare-victoria/cats/enclosures-and-fencing/building-a-cat-enclosure-attached-to-an-existing-structure">government</a> and <a href="https://catiospaces.com/catios-cat-enclosures/cat-behavior-enrichment/build-diy-catio-plan-for-your-cat/">retail</a> experts online.</p> <p>Dogs can also stop birds taking up residence in your garden. The mere <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2013.10.005">presence of a dog can deter some birds</a>. Keeping dogs contained at night can reduce the level of disturbance to nocturnal birds. But if you really want to attract birds to your garden, you may choose to keep your dog inside more.</p> <h2>2. Avoid using insecticides and outside lights</h2> <p>Many flying and ground-dwelling insects are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2002549117">in decline</a>. This is bad news for many birds including fairy-wrens, willie wagtails, fantails and robins who rely almost entirely on insects for food. But we can avoid using insecticides or any other form of lethal control such as bug zappers in our own gardens.</p> <p>Ideally, accept insects as a natural part of your garden. Don’t try to deter them, unless they pose a risk to public safety, such as swarming European honeybees or hordes of European wasps. You can also consider favouring native plants that naturally are resisitant to unwanted insect attack.</p> <p>Excess artificial light is also taking a toll on insects. Consider whether you really need to leave that outdoor light on all night. Review your existing outdoor lighting using the <a href="https://darksky.org/resources/guides-and-how-tos/lighting-principles/">five principles for responsible outdoor lighting</a>, ensuring all artificial light is useful, targeted, low-level, controlled and warm-coloured.</p> <h2>3. Stop poisoning raptors</h2> <p>The use of rat poison, especially those labelled as “fast action”, is <a href="https://theconversation.com/rat-poison-is-killing-our-beloved-native-owls-and-tawny-frogmouths-and-thats-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-212184">killing native owls</a> and other <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147673">birds of prey</a> at an alarming rate due to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.207">secondary poisoning</a>. In other words, raptors are dying after eating rats and mice that have taken the bait.</p> <p>Many countries have regulated the sale and use of these products for this reason, but Australia is lagging behind. So if you “give a hoot” about our owls, <a href="https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/what-is-the-most-humane-way-to-kill-pest-rats-and-mice/">switch to snap traps</a>. There are also various other effective, humane and efficient <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-control-invasive-rats-and-mice-at-home-without-harming-native-wildlife-180792">options</a> available, including removing unwanted fruit from the ground, keeping sheds tidy, and securing compost bins to keep rodents under control.</p> <h2>4. Prevent window strikes</h2> <p>Birds can fly into windows when they’re unable to differentiate between the glass and the surrounding environment. Strikes may be lethal upon impact or result in injury. A stunned bird is also more vulnerable to predators.</p> <p>In Australia, bird lovers can <a href="https://birdlife.org.au/preventing-bird-strike/#:%7E:text=Why%20do%20birds%20collide%20with,help%20solve%20this%20problem%20too.">reduce the risk</a> by using <a href="https://store.birdlife.org.au/product/anti-collision-bird-stickers/">decals</a> which are decorative stickers intended <a href="https://www.sureguard.com.au/page/birds-eye-view-window-strike-deflector">for windows</a>. Screens, hanging plants or mobiles can also be placed in front of windows to help the birds avoid collisions.</p> <h2>5. Create an inclusive garden</h2> <p>The diversity in Australian birds extends to their diets. Beyond honeyeaters, the nation is home to huge numbers of insectivores, carnivores, seed-eaters and fruit peckers.</p> <p>Australian gardens typically have plenty of bottlebrush and grevilleas, which <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2004.06.004">stacks the deck in the bold honeyeaters’ favour</a>. So when buying new garden plants, try catering for a wider variety of bird species.</p> <p>Choose dense shrubs with small white, yellow or blue flowers to attract insects. These bushy plants also make excellent habitat for small birds. Retaining trees ensures our larger birds have nesting sites too.</p> <p>If you get the garden design right, with a variety of plants to suit all tastes, there is <a href="https://birdlife.org.au/a-guide-to-feeding-wild-birds-in-australia/?srsltid=AfmBOooHbf9Du1CarsSg044tVUVFxfBdopOwrOmELrQWcCSdwfKv432v">no need to feed the birds</a>.</p> <h2>6. Encourage insects</h2> <p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-09/blue-banded-bee-australian-insect-of-the-year-inaugral-vote/104572938">Native bees</a> and flies play a crucial role in ecosystems, both as pollinators and food for birds.</p> <p>You can provide insects with nesting habitat in the form of insect “hotels”, food (namely flowers and other insects) and safety from pesticides. These <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.05.003">small gestures can make a huge difference</a>.</p> <h2>7. Water the birds too</h2> <p>With the <a href="https://climatekids.nasa.gov/heat-islands/">urban heat island</a> effect and growing frequency of extreme heat waves, birds are in need of reliable sources of fresh water. Offer this <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11252-024-01530-4">crucial resource</a> in a water feature such as a bird bath or pond.</p> <h2>Whole neighbourhoods for birds</h2> <p>Your garden has never been more important for birds. Doing your bit in your own backyard can make a visible difference – you will see the birds for yourself. But true conservation gains can only be made when people work together at a larger scale.</p> <p>Why not start a conversation with your neighbour about attracting birds to your garden? Creating one garden for birds is great, but when we start talking about whole neighbourhoods for birds, that’s magic!<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/247561/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rochelle-steven-22148"><em>Rochelle Steven</em></a><em>, Lecturer in Environmental Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-newsome-117672">David Newsome</a>, Assoc. Professor of Environmental Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-securing-pets-to-building-insect-hotels-here-are-7-ways-to-attract-birds-to-your-garden-247561">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Home & Garden

Bunnings announce game-changing venture

<p>Everyone is well-acquainted with multiple trips to Bunnings for forgotten items, but now the retail giant's new venture with Uber could make life just a little easier before Christmas. </p> <p>The retail giant is teaming up with the rideshare and courier service to equip over 100 regional and metropolitan stores with same day parcel delivery.</p> <p>So shoppers looking for a last minute Christmas gift can get same day parcel delivery for orders placed by 2pm right up until December 23rd. The packages will be delivered by 7pm that day. </p> <p>With Australia Post Christmas delivery cut-offs set to take effect from December 20, the retail giants same-day delivery service with Uber makes it much easier for shoppers over the holiday season. </p> <p>The service will operate via the Bunnings website, at a flat fee of $15 for any purchases.</p> <p>The only condition is that for some regional outlets, the same-day delivery guarantee is subject to geographical limits, a radius of 15 kilometres from any store.</p> <p>“We’re committed to offering our customers the best experience, widest range and lowest prices, and same day parcel delivery across regional Australia is another way we can improve this offering”, Bunnings Chief Operating Officer, Ryan Baker said. </p> <p>“This builds on our current same day parcel delivery offering across metro Australia, bringing more convenience to our regional customers, and hopefully helping to ease some of the stress this time of year can bring.”</p> <p>Baker also emphasised that this service would not replace the in-store experience Aussies love.</p> <p>“Some customers value coming into the store to browse, talk to the team and enjoy the Bunnings experience such as a coffee in the cafe or the sausage sizzle hosted by a local community group. But for others, the convenience of delivery is preferred,” he said.</p> <p><em>Image: haireena / Shutterstock.com</em></p>

Home & Garden

Channel Nine exec dismissed after work Christmas party

<p>A Channel Nine news executive has been sacked after an alleged incident of inappropriate conduct at a work Christmas party. </p> <p>David Richardson, executive producer of the network’s newsroom in Darwin, was let go on Monday, just hours after the company received a formal complaint about his behaviour. </p> <p>The complaint relates to remarks allegedly made at a party on Friday evening, with Richardson reportedly being escorted from the Nine building in Darwin on Monday. </p> <p>Richardson, known broadly in the industry as “Sluggo”, climbed through the ranks of commercial television as a reporter before moving behind the scenes.</p> <p>His last role was as a producer on Nine’s Under Investigation with Liz Hayes before the show was axed in August. </p> <p>Richardson then went on to become the newsroom executive, in a role he held for just two months before being sacked. </p> <p>The decision to fire Richardson comes after a damning review of the company’s workplace culture exposed a history of inappropriate conduct. </p> <p>An external investigation released in October found Nine had a “systemic issue” with bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, and the abuse of power and authority.</p> <p><em>Image credits: news.com.au</em></p>

Legal

Bunnings shopper transforms Christmas decor for just $5

<p>A Bunnings shopper has shared an amazing hack for transforming your home into a Christmas wonderland on a budget. </p> <p>With the help of one item for just $5, an interior designer named Cheryl - who shares home decorating tips on Instagram - transformed her entry hallway in a unique festive way. </p> <p>Cheryl revealed to Yahoo Lifestyle how she created the incredible look for under $100 from Bunnings. </p> <p>Cheryl's stunning space came to life with some $5 renter-friendly hooks from Bunnings, some solar-powered fairy lights and some baubles. </p> <p>Sticking the hooks on the ceiling, she threaded the fairy lights through, zigzagging them down the hall, and then hung baubles from the lights.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDCFN4GSGxs/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDCFN4GSGxs/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ▪︎ Cheryl ▪︎ (@ourcountrycoastalhome)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Describing the set-up, Cheryl told Yahoo it's "very easy" and you don't need DIY experience to pull off the festive decor. </p> <p>"All you need are some little hooks that stick onto your ceiling, some wire string lights and some colourful baubles. We got everything we needed for this from Bunnings," she says.</p> <p>She also shared some hot tips for people looking to try out the hack for themselves, jokingly telling us, "All you need is a patient husband to do it for you! Just kidding... the best tip I have is to measure the overall length and divide it by the number of hooks you have and you also want the string lights to go diagonal from one another. What also looks better is to place the baubles offset from each other."</p> <p>Cheryl added that they chose to use solar-powered lights to save money on energy use as well, saying, "To help on power bills we went with solar string lights and just placed the little solar boxes in a spot where they would be exposed to sunlight that way it automatically turns on at night and off in the morning."</p> <p>She said, "It’s a really easy little Xmas DIY and I hope other families will get to enjoy it, it looks amazing at night."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Home & Garden

What’s the difference between liquid and powder laundry detergent? It’s not just the obvious

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-kilah-599082">Nathan Kilah</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a></em></p> <p>When shopping for a laundry detergent, the array of choices is baffling. All of the products will likely get your laundry somewhat cleaner. But what gets the best outcome for your clothes and your budget?</p> <p>Do you want whiter whites? Do you need enzymes? And what’s the difference between a powder and liquid detergent?</p> <p>As is often the case, knowing more about the chemistry involved will help you answer those questions.</p> <h2>What is a detergent?</h2> <p>The active ingredients in both laundry powders and liquids are “surfactants”, also known as detergents (hence the product name). These are typically charged or “ionic” molecules that have two distinct parts to their structure. One part interacts well with water and the other interacts with oils.</p> <p>This useful property allows surfactants to lift grease and grime from fabrics and suspend it in the water. Surfactants can also form bubbles.</p> <p>Metal salts dissolved in your water can limit the performance of the surfactants. So-called hard water contains lots of dissolved calcium and magnesium salts which can readily form soap scum.</p> <p>Modern laundry detergents therefore contain phosphates, water softeners and other metal “sequestrants” to stop the formation of soap scum. Phosphates can cause algal blooms in fresh water environments. This is why modern detergent formulations <a href="https://accord.asn.au/sustainability/phosphorus-standard/">contain smaller amounts of phosphates</a>.</p> <p>Many products also contain optical brighteners. These chemicals absorb ultraviolet light and release blue light, which provides the “whiter white” or “brighter colour” phenomenon.</p> <p>Laundry detergents typically contain fragrances. These aren’t essential to the chemistry of cleaning, but give the impression the clothes are fresh.</p> <p>Lastly, some laundry detergents contain enzymes – more on those later.</p> <h2>What’s in laundry powder?</h2> <p>While detergents and ingredients to avoid soap scum are the most important components, they aren’t the most abundant. The main ingredients in powders are salts (like sodium sulfate) that add bulk and stop the powder from clumping.</p> <p>Another common salt added to laundry powders is sodium carbonate, also known as washing soda. Washing soda (a chemical cousin of <a href="https://theconversation.com/vinegar-and-baking-soda-a-cleaning-hack-or-just-a-bunch-of-fizz-225177">baking soda</a>) helps to chemically modify grease and grime so they dissolve in water.</p> <p>Laundry powders also frequently contain oxidising agents like sodium percarbonate. This is a stable combination of washing soda and hydrogen peroxide. An additive known as tetraacetylethylenediamine activates the percarbonate to give a mild bleaching effect.</p> <p>Chemically, powders have an advantage – their components can be formulated and mixed but kept separate in a solid form. (You can usually see different types of granules in your laundry powder.)</p> <h2>What’s in laundry liquid?</h2> <p>The main ingredient of laundry liquid is water. The remaining ingredients have to be carefully considered. They must be stable in the bottle and then work together in the wash.</p> <p>These include similar ingredients to the powders, such as alkaline salts, metal sequestrants, water softeners and surfactants.</p> <p>The surfactants in liquid products are often listed as “ionic” (charged) and “non-ionic” (non-charged). Non-ionic surfactants can be liquid by default, which makes them inappropriate for powdered formulations. Non-ionic surfactants are good at suspending oils in water and don’t form soap scum.</p> <p>Liquid detergents also contain preservatives to prevent the growth of microbes spoiling the mixture.</p> <p>There are also microbial implications for inside the washing machine. Liquid products can’t contain the peroxides (mild bleaching agents) found in powdered products. Peroxides kill microbes. The absence of peroxides in liquid detergents makes it more likely for <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/1/195#B15-molecules-27-00195">mould biofilms to form</a> in the machine and for bacteria to be transferred between items of clothing.</p> <p>As an alternative to peroxides, liquids will typically contain only optical brighteners.</p> <p>Liquids do have one advantage over powders – they can be added directly to stains prior to placing the item in the wash.</p> <p>A recent “convenience” version of liquid formulas are highly concentrated detergent pods. Colourful and bearing a resemblance to sweet treats, these products have been found to be <a href="https://poisoncenters.org/track/laundry-detergent-packets">dangerous to young children and people with cognitive impairment</a>.</p> <p>Pods also remove the option to add less detergent if you’re running a smaller load or just want to use less detergent in general.</p> <h2>So, what about enzymes?</h2> <p>Enzymes are naturally evolved proteins included in laundry products to remove specific stains. Chemically, they are catalysts – things that speed up chemical reactions.</p> <p>Enzymes are named for the molecules they work on, followed by the ending “-ase”. For example, lipase breaks down fats (lipids), protease breaks down protein, while amylase and mannanase break down starches and sugars.</p> <p>These enzymes are derived from organisms found in cool climate regions, which helps them function at the low temperature of washing water.</p> <p>Running an excessively hot wash cycle can damage or denature the enzyme structure, stopping them from assisting in your wash. Think of an egg white <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-the-perfect-pavlova-according-to-chemistry-experts-196485">changing from translucent to white while cooked</a> – that’s protein denaturing.</p> <p>If your detergent contains enzymes, the washing temperature should be neither too hot nor too cold. As a guide, temperatures of 15–20°C are used in <a href="https://environment.ec.europa.eu/document/download/557d8ab5-4e75-41a4-a901-1548be7f685d_en">standard laundry tests</a>.</p> <h2>Is powder or liquid better?</h2> <p>We make consumer choices guided by performance, psychology, cost, scent, environmental considerations and convenience.</p> <p>It’s worth experimenting with different products to find what works best for you and fits your needs, household budget and environmental considerations, such as having <a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-can-some-plastics-be-recycled-but-others-cant-229270">recyclable packaging</a>.</p> <p>Personally, I wash at 20°C with half the recommended dose of a pleasant-smelling laundry powder, packaged in recyclable cardboard, and containing a wide range of enzymes and an activated peroxide source.</p> <p>Knowing a little chemistry can go a long way to getting your clothes clean.</p> <p>However, laundry detergent manufacturers don’t always disclose the full list of ingredients on their product packaging.</p> <p>If you want more information on what’s in your product, you have to look at the product website. You can also dig a little deeper by reading documents called <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-tiktok-trend-has-people-drinking-toxic-borax-an-expert-explains-the-risks-and-how-to-read-product-labels-210278">safety data sheets</a> (SDS). Every product containing potentially hazardous chemicals must have an SDS.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/239850/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-kilah-599082">Nathan Kilah</a>, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-difference-between-liquid-and-powder-laundry-detergent-its-not-just-the-obvious-239850">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Home & Garden

Never-before-seen party photo of Kate Middleton surfaces

<p>A previously unseen photo of Kate Middleton has been posted to social media by one of her old university friends. </p> <p>Laura Warshaur - who was in the same halls as the royal - shared the photo to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9lQ1A0P2QQ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> and reminisced their "lovely" college years together at St Andrews. </p> <p>She captioned the photo: “Sending love to Kate Middleton, the future Queen of England and my university dormmate!</p> <p>“This was us at a Hope Street flat party. I have the loveliest college memories with Kate.</p> <p>“She is the kindest, most caring, down-to-earth, genuine person, and it’s incredible to see her shining so brightly and inspiring the world with her compassion and courage.”</p> <p>The Princess of Wales was snapped wearing a cream turtleneck jumper with minimal makeup and her natural curls flowing. </p> <p>The picture taken at a flat party on Hope Street, was also where the Prince and Princess of Wales lived in their second year, according to <em>The Sun. </em></p> <p>In the photo the Princess and Laura smiled for the camera as they held up brownie bites. </p> <p>Laura shared the photo on her Instagram a while back to show support for the Princess of Wales as she continued her cancer treatment. </p> <p>The image caught the attention of royal fans this week, who took to comments to share their delight. </p> <p>“Neither of you has changed much, so gorgeous. So happy to see her out and about again with that big smile,” commented one user.</p> <p> “How sweet your tribute to her back when she was diagnosed. And how beautiful you both are in this picture," added another. </p> <p>“No way, most unexpected duo EVER," commented a third. </p> <p>Laura, who has since lost touch with the royal couple, previously revealed that all their friends rooted for the royal couple and believed that they would end up together. </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Beauty & Style

"I’m coming home from a party, and I don’t want to end up getting arrested": do driving apps help people break road rules?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/verity-truelove-1237331">Verity Truelove</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-sunshine-coast-1068">University of the Sunshine Coast</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-nicolls-1299069">Michelle Nicolls</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-sunshine-coast-1068">University of the Sunshine Coast</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/oscar-oviedo-trespalacios-1417150">Oscar Oviedo-Trespalacios</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/delft-university-of-technology-1040">Delft University of Technology</a></em></p> <p>Apps such as Google Maps, Apple Maps and Waze can tell drivers when they are approaching speed cameras or random breath testing stations. Countries such as Germany, France and Switzerland have banned apps from displaying these enforcement locations.</p> <p>But what effect are these apps having in Australia – are they helping drivers break road rules?</p> <p>Our new <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925753524002972">paper</a>, published in the journal Safety Science, examined this question.</p> <p>We found this technology can, in some cases, contribute to people thinking they are invincible on the roads. However, we also found they can sometimes help people drive more safely.</p> <h2>Being made aware of enforcement can help road safety</h2> <p>We conducted focus groups and interviews with a total of 58 drivers from Queensland, to understand how the use of this technology influences perceptions of being caught for breaking road rules.</p> <p>One driver told us: "If I know it’s coming up, I’ll put my phone down. If I was, say, texting or checking something, but then like once a good few 100 metres away, I sort of pick it up again, depending though."</p> <p>Another said: "It sort of depends where I am driving, I guess. Like, if I am driving on a country road and there is a speed camera there I would probably slow down for the speed camera and then sort of speed up again once I am sort of past that; it sort of depends on the circumstances."</p> <p>We also found that, for some people, being made aware of enforcement locations can help drivers better regulate their speed. This helped them comply with road rules more consistently.</p> <p>Waze also shows the speed limit in the area, which further assisted some drivers to stick to the speed limit. One driver told us: "I’m a bit careful if I just look at the speedo and just double check that I’m on the right amount of speed."</p> <p>Another said: "It just gives you a warning like, ‘OK, you need to check your speed.’ Just to double-check you’re going on the right speed perhaps or when it’s a camera coming up."</p> <h2>Concerning behaviours</h2> <p>Concerningly, we also found some drivers who use these apps are looking at and touching their screens more than they otherwise would. This can distract drivers and increase their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925753524001097">risk of crashing</a>.</p> <p>One driver told us they post traffic updates on the app they use while driving, “which I know is wrong.”</p> <p>Another said: "Just hit the button on the phone. Just two steps after I go past the camera."</p> <p>Another driver told us: "It’s so helpful […] Especially if it’s, say, late night and I’m coming home from a party, and I don’t want to end up getting arrested."</p> <p>One driver said: "I probably feel slightly more invincible, which is probably not a good thing."</p> <p>When asked why these apps are used, one driver said: "I guess the drug and the drink-driving."</p> <h2>Apps can help and hinder road safety</h2> <p>We know breaking road rules significantly contributes to <a href="https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/safety-and-mobility/global-status-report-on-road-safety-2023">crashes and road fatalities</a>, with deaths on Australian roads continuing to <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/road_deaths_australia_monthly_bulletins">increase</a> over time.</p> <p>On the one hand, when drivers are aware of enforcement measures like cameras and police, they are more likely to stop breaking the rules in those areas. That’s particularly true for behaviours such as speeding and using a phone while driving, we found.</p> <p>Using apps that flag where cameras and police are located also means drivers would be more exposed to enforcement activities than they otherwise would be on a normal drive.</p> <p>On the other hand, our results suggest some drivers are using these applications to break road rules more often in places where they think they won’t be caught.</p> <p>These apps are also not always completely accurate.</p> <p>For instance, even though Waze can display some police operation locations such as roadside breath testing, it can’t capture <em>all</em> on-road police activities. Further, camera locations are not always up to date or accurate.</p> <h2>Weighing benefits against risks</h2> <p>While these apps do have some benefits, it’s important to weigh these against the risks.</p> <p>It’s also important to recognise traffic enforcement isn’t just there to make you comply with road rules at a specific point; it is meant to remind you of the constant risk of being caught and to encourage consistent rule compliance.</p> <p>The goal is to ensure that drivers are following the traffic rules across the entire network, not just in isolated spots.</p> <p>With road fatalities at some of the <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/road_deaths_australia_monthly_bulletins">highest rates we’ve seen in recent years</a>, we need everyone to work together to stop more preventable deaths and injuries.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/237664/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/verity-truelove-1237331">Verity Truelove</a>, Senior Research Fellow in Road Safety Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-sunshine-coast-1068">University of the Sunshine Coast</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-nicolls-1299069">Michelle Nicolls</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-sunshine-coast-1068">University of the Sunshine Coast</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/oscar-oviedo-trespalacios-1417150">Oscar Oviedo-Trespalacios</a>, A/Professor Responsible Risk Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/delft-university-of-technology-1040">Delft University of Technology</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/im-coming-home-from-a-party-and-i-dont-want-to-end-up-getting-arrested-do-driving-apps-help-people-break-road-rules-237664">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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