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Dan Andrews' statue mystery unfolds

<p>Melbourne is abuzz with a burning question: where, oh where, will the statue of former premier Daniel Andrews be placed? More importantly, will it capture his iconic North Face jacket-clad form, standing proud in the face of lockdown chaos?</p> <p>Yes, it appears that a bronze likeness of the man who guided (and locked) Victoria through some of its toughest years is in the works. The <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/former-premier-dan-andrews-to-be-immortalised-in-new-statue/news-story/68d37a765269a629baca12c08cc74e1c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Herald Sun recently revealed</a> that the Allan government has confirmed that Dan Andrews will soon be immortalised in Melbourne, joining the ranks of past Victorian premiers like John Cain Jr, Rupert Hamer and Henry Bolte – legends who, let's be honest, didn’t have to worry about memorialising themselves in the middle of a pandemic-fuelled political firestorm.</p> <p>But the government isn’t spilling all the tea just yet. They’ve refused to say exactly where Dan's statue will stand or how much it will cost us. Will it be along the esteemed Treasury Place? Or will they go for something a little more subtle – like a sneaky placement next to a suburban train station, so you can admire his bronzed visage while waiting for a delayed train? Or even – as one disgruntled Facebook user suggested – "at the bottom of the Yarra River"?</p> <p>It's been reported that the statue could easily cost north of $100,000, but what’s a little six-figure sum when you’re eternally freezing a man in time who made your curfew 8pm sharp?</p> <p>The statute eligibility stems from Andrews' 3000-day reign as premier, a milestone introduced by former premier Jeff Kennett, who, sadly, never reached the magic number. It’s almost like Kennett set the bar just to have Dan leap right over it. We’re picturing Kennett in his living room, shaking his fist at a calendar – he could’ve been immortalised in bronze, but alas, his term was cut short. He’s now left without the joy of being a bronzed footnote in history.</p> <p>Meanwhile, sculptor Peter Corlett, the mastermind behind the previous premier statues, has been pondering what pose should immortalise Andrews. Should it be the famous “fists in the air” moment from his 2022 election victory – a rare, almost gladiatorial display of emotion for the typically stoic Andrews? Or will the statue take inspiration from his pandemic press conferences, with him wrapped in his signature North Face jacket, standing solid, as if braving the cold front of public opinion? Perhaps he’ll be gesturing towards an unseen map, locking down regions in real-time. For extra authenticity, pigeons could be programmed to circle around, completing the press conference vibe.</p> <p>While the government is busy with this monument of monumental importance, Opposition finance spokeswoman Jess Wilson has questioned whether now is the best time for such a grand expense. After all, it’s hard to be thrilled about bronze when you’re facing surging crime and hospital wait times that feel longer than the five-day snap lockdown that wasn’t so snappy. Her argument? "Maybe taxpayers would prefer a statue of a budget surplus instead."</p> <p>Of course, there are some whispers suggesting that perhaps Victoria could consider honouring a leading female figure instead. You know, just to mix things up a little in the boys’ club of bronze. But for now, Dan Andrews seems set to be cast in metal.</p> <p>So, while we wait to discover where this shiny new addition to the Melbourne cityscape will be unveiled, we can start placing our bets. Will it be along Treasury Place? Will it be out in the suburbs, standing sentinel in the middle of a roundabout? Or – dare we dream – will it be perched right outside the North Face store, ensuring Melbourne’s most iconic premier (and jacket wearer) is always in fashion?</p> <p>Let the statue speculation begin. And remember, as you ponder the deep mysteries of bronze premier placement, at least this time, you’re not in lockdown.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Major breakthrough solves 44-year-old cold case

<p>A decades-old mystery surrounding a human jawbone found on Umina Beach on the NSW Central Coast has been solved, thanks to advances in DNA analysis techniques. The jawbone, discovered by a dog walker in June 2020, was recently identified as belonging to a teenager who tragically drowned nearly half a century ago.</p> <p>Police announced the breakthrough in a statement on Sunday, revealing that the jawbone belonged to Henry Coleman, a 17-year-old who died in an accidental drowning on the Central Coast in August 1980. The remains, though blackened, were remarkably well-preserved and still contained some teeth when found on the beach.</p> <p>Detectives initially determined the remains were human and male, but extensive traditional inquiries failed to establish an identity. It wasn't until March 2023 that a major breakthrough was made using new DNA analysis technology. This technology, which combines advanced DNA analysis with traditional genealogy, allowed investigators to use commercial DNA databases to identify suspects and unknown remains.</p> <p>The key to solving the case was a genetic link to a possible living relative. A voluntary DNA sample from this relative confirmed the jawbone belonged to Coleman. The young man had been laid to rest in the 1980s, but it was not known at the time that part of his jaw was missing.</p> <p>Detective Inspector Ritchie Sim highlighted the importance of public participation in resolving missing persons cases. "This investigation showcases the importance of DNA testing in missing person cases," he said. "Without the combined efforts of our detectives, scientists, and analysts, we would not have been able to return these remains to their resting place and provide closure to Mr Coleman’s family."</p> <p>Sim went on to urge those who have reported a family member missing to police, and who have the Event number, to provide their DNA at a local police station. "Just like in Mr Coleman’s case, your relationship with the missing person can be several generations apart," he added.</p> <p><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Legal

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Mysterious leg pain that’s quietly killing older Australians

<p>Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) has long been overshadowed by its more widely recognised counterparts, such as heart attacks and strokes. Often referred to as the “poor cousin” or “Cinderella” of cardiovascular diseases, PAD affects one in five older Australians, yet it remains largely under-diagnosed and misunderstood. However, a wave of optimism is sweeping through the medical community with the launch of <a href="https://www.hri.org.au/our-research/centreforpad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Centre for Peripheral Artery Disease</a>, an Australian-first facility dedicated to pioneering research and improving patient outcomes.</p> <p>Spearheaded by the Heart Research Institute, the Centre for Peripheral Artery Disease, marks a significant step forward in addressing the challenges posed by PAD. The centre aims to fill critical gaps in our understanding of the disease, which is responsible for a limb amputation in Australia every two hours. This initiative promises to enhance diagnosis, transform patient care, and raise awareness about PAD.</p> <p>Associate Professor Mary Kavurma, the Centre Lead, is at the forefront of this ground-breaking effort. “We’re supercharging research into PAD because there are still many unknowns about the disease’s biology that could unlock new methods for early detection and better management,” she explains. This research is particularly urgent given the prevalence of PAD among women and First Nations Australians, groups that remain disproportionately affected by this condition.</p> <p>The centre’s mission is to develop a simple blood test for early diagnosis and explore novel therapies that could reduce the need for limb amputations and significantly improve patients’ quality of life. Unlike current treatments that primarily focus on symptom management, this new approach seeks to prevent the disease from progressing.</p> <p>One of the most inspiring aspects of the centre is its commitment to involving patients and their families in the research process. At the inaugural consumer meeting, nearly 20 patients and their carers shared their personal experiences with PAD. </p> <p>Take the story of Simon Josephson, a renowned advertising guru – who famously designed the Solo logo. PAD almost cost him his life after taking more than five years to diagnose.</p> <p>He woke up one morning with a sore leg, thinking he’d overdone it exercising but the 73-year-old – who was otherwise healthy and active – unknowingly had Peripheral Artery Disease, caused by a build-up of plaque in his arteries causing them to narrow and stiffen.</p> <p>It wasn’t until a trip to the hospital emergency department years later that doctors would discover his aorta had expanded to more than twice the usual size and was at risk of rupturing. He immediately underwent open heart surgery and has faced a lengthy recovery.</p> <p>The launch of <a href="https://www.hri.org.au/our-research/centreforpad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Centre for Peripheral Artery Disease</a> heralds a new era of hope and progress in the fight against PAD. Through world-leading research, community engagement, and a commitment to patient-centred care, the CPAD is poised to make a profound impact on the lives of many Australians. As Assoc Prof Kavurma aptly put it, “By understanding more about this debilitating condition, we are paving the way for better health outcomes and a brighter future for all those affected by PAD.”</p> <p><em>Images: CPAD</em></p>

Caring

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Husband charged after wife’s tragic golf cart death on Hamilton Island

<p>A husband charged with the death of his wife has shared her chilling last words before she tragically died in a golf cart crash on their honeymoon. </p> <p>Robbie Awad, 32, and his new wife Marina Hanna, 29, were honeymooning in Queensland's Hamilton Island just 10 days after their wedding in June 2022, when the golf cart they were travelling in tipped over. </p> <p>Ms Hana died at the scene after doing into cardiac arrest.</p> <p>Ms Awad, who was driving the golf cart when it crashed and walked away uninjured, has pleaded guilty to three charges including not wearing a seatbelt and using a mobile phone while driving.</p> <p>Appearing in court on Thursday for the first day of his hearing, he pleaded not guilty to the charge of driving without due care and attention causing death. </p> <p>Taking to the witness stand, Mr Awad said the couple had decided to leave the resort to get something to eat before the crash. </p> <p>“We were leaving Qualia [resort] in the buggy, I was driving, I drove toward the exit of Qualia, I waited for the [gates] to open. We drove out of the gates at 5 or 4 km/h,” he said.</p> <p>The 32-year-old told the court that at the time of the crash, he was using his phone to follow directions, even though his wife warned him not to look at his phone while driving. </p> <p>“I was looking for directions on how to travel to the marina.”</p> <p>“My wife said, ‘Get off your phone’. I said, ‘What is the worst that could happen? No worries,’ and I put the phone in my pocket.’”</p> <p>Mr Awad said the couple decided to travel back to their resort after noting that the golf cart wasn't working properly, as it started to slow down when it began travelling up a hill. </p> <p>“I would estimate it was travelling less than walking speed. A very slow walk,” he said.</p> <p>“’By the time I got to the top of the hill, it was barely moving.”</p> <p>“[Once I got to the intersection] I could see it was very steep and I couldn’t see around the bend. I looked straight and saw there were no cars, the buggy was moving one metre every two seconds, so I drove the buggy into the flattest part.”</p> <p>He claimed the buggy accelerated unexpectedly, as he was making the U-turn. </p> <p>“As I was accelerating, I was moving the steering wheel, but because the buggy wasn’t moving, I ended up doing full turns, then I heard ‘vrrrroom’ and the buggy accelerated very quickly,” he said.</p> <p>“I started to have the thought, ‘Oh, the buggy might tip over,’ but by the time I could have finished the thought, it had already tipped over.”</p> <p>Mr Awad’s defence lawyer argued the “tragic accident” was caused by an issue with the battery in the golf buggy. </p> <p>“It fell over and killed his poor wife and he was devastated — and still is,” he said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Legal

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"I am the Bicycle Bandit": Terminally-ill ex-cop confesses to 20-year-old mystery

<p>In a startling twist to a 20-year-old mystery, 73-year-old Kym Allen Parsons, a terminally-ill former police officer and firefighter, has admitted to being the notorious "Bicycle Bandit" who terrorised South Australian banks and residents for a decade.</p> <p>Parsons' confession came just days after receiving approval for voluntary assisted dying (VAD) and being provided with a VAD kit by SA Health.</p> <p>Parsons, who has stage 4 cancer and who had previously denied the charges, changed his plea to guilty during a Supreme Court session on Monday, ending years of speculation and investigation. His sudden admission of guilt follows a plea bargain brokered by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and his counsel after the VAD approval was granted.</p> <p>In a tearful apology read to the court, Parsons expressed deep remorse for his actions, acknowledging that his behaviour was both irrational and without excuse.</p> <p>"I have no excuse for my behaviour," he told the court. "My reasoning was illogical and irrational over that time, and over the past 10 years I have tried to rehabilitate, seek help and forgiveness and demonstrate my shame in distressing actions.</p> <p>"I was fearful of confessing my past and destroying their [my wife and family's] love and trust in the person they knew.</p> <p>"I do not expect your forgiveness, and I humbly ask you accept my sincerest apology and deepest remorse."</p> <p>Despite Parsons' request for bail ahead of his sentencing, Justice Sandi McDonald deemed his crimes too severe for continued freedom and ordered his immediate custody. His access to the VAD kit while in custody remains uncertain.</p> <p>The courtroom was filled with Parsons' victims and their supporters, many of whom had worked at the banks he robbed. Some were victimised multiple times. One victim described the lasting impact of being robbed at gunpoint, detailing the immense trauma and the development of an auto-immune disease likely induced by stress. Other victims recounted struggles with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and ongoing trust issues.</p> <p>Parsons had been scheduled for trial in February on charges of armed robbery, attempted armed robbery, and firearms offences, with prosecutors alleging he stole over $250,000 from 11 banks between 2004 and 2014. DNA evidence was cited as a link to the crimes. His guilty plea and impending death are expected to ignite a legal battle over his $2.4 million estate, involving prosecutors, his heirs, and his victims.</p> <p>Previously, Parsons had been granted home detention due to his terminal stage 4 cancer diagnosis, after significant weight loss while in custody. His defence lawyer, James Marcus, stated that Parsons pleaded guilty to provide closure to the victims and their families.</p> <p>Parsons' sentencing is scheduled for June 28, marking the conclusion of a complex and emotional case that has gripped the state for years.</p> <p><em>Images: ABC News / SA Police</em></p>

Legal

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AFL great's son in induced coma after mystery brain infection

<p>Geelong great Peter Riccardi has revealed his son, Osca, was briefly put on life support after suffering a mystery infection on the brain. </p> <p>Speaking on the podcast Beyond The Boundary, the former AFL player revealed that his son became suddenly ill a fortnight ago. </p> <p>“A couple of Sundays ago (Osca) came home, been out with a few of his mates, he’d been to the beach, went out for dinner, went out to play 10-pin bowling ... and said he was going to bed,” Peter Riccardi said. </p> <p>“Then halfway through the night he was up, he was vomiting, he was feeling a bit crook ... we just thought he was run down.</p> <p>“But come lunchtime, he couldn’t talk, he could hardly walk.”</p> <p>He added that they were extremely lucky his wife Mel worked from home that day and rushed Osca straight to hospital, where they found some "swelling" on his brain following a scan. </p> <p>Doctors also found that he had a sinus and ear infection and glandular fever  all “rolled into one”.</p> <p>“Whether the swim did something with his ears and went into his brain, I’m not 100 per cent sure, yet,” Riccardi said.</p> <p>“They put him an induced coma for three days. He was in ICU (Intensive Care Unit) for four days.</p> <p>“But he’s back home now recovering ... you wouldn’t know that two weeks ago, watching him on life support, and seeing him now, it’s amazing what they do in there.”</p> <p>The podcast hosts then asked how scary the situation was for Riccardi and his wife, and he responded: “It was, yeah ... obviously they have got to prepare you for the worst (outcome)."</p> <p>“That was probably the worst thing to hear, because we didn’t know how he was going to come out of it.</p> <p>“But again, like I said, if Mel had gone to work that day, he wouldn’t be here today.</p> <p>“We’re pretty lucky, we’re pretty lucky.</p> <p>“It must have been a mother’s intuition or mother’s instinct to stay at home that day.”</p> <p><em>Image: Facebook/ Geelong Cats</em></p>

Caring

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Why it’s still a scientific mystery how some can live past 100 – and how to crack it

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-faragher-224976">Richard Faragher</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-brighton-942">University of Brighton</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nir-barzilai-1293752">Nir Barzilai</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/albert-einstein-college-of-medicine-3638">Albert Einstein College of Medicine</a></em></p> <p>A 35-year-old man <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18544745/">only has a 1.5% chance of dying in the next ten years</a>. But the same man at 75 has a 45% chance of dying before he reaches 85. Clearly, ageing is bad for our health. On the bright side, we have made unprecedented progress in understanding the fundamental mechanisms that control ageing and late-life disease.</p> <p>A few tightly linked biological processes, sometimes called the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23746838/">“hallmarks of ageing”</a>, including our supply of stem cells and communication between cells, act to keep us healthy in the early part of our lives – with <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-secret-to-staying-young-scientists-boost-lifespan-of-mice-by-deleting-defective-cells-54068">problems arising as these start to fail</a>. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34699859/">Clinical trials are ongoing</a> to see if targeting some of these hallmarks can improve <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31542391/">diabetic kidney disease</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29997249/">aspects of</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33977284/">immune function</a> and age-related <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30616998/">scarring of the lungs</a> among others. So far, so good.</p> <p>Unfortunately, big, unanswered questions remain in the biology of ageing. To evaluate what these are and how to address them, the <a href="https://www.afar.org/">American Federation For Aging Research</a>, a charity, recently convened a series of <a href="https://www.afar.org/imported/AFAR_GeroFuturesThinkTankReport_November2021.pdf">meetings for leading scientists and doctors</a>. The experts agreed that understanding what is special about the biology of humans who survive more than a century is now a key challenge.</p> <p>These centenarians <a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/18826/number-of-hundred-year-olds-centenarians-worldwide/">comprise less than 0.02% of the UK population</a> but have exceeded the life expectancy of their peers by almost 50 years (babies born in the 1920s typically had a life expectancy of less than 55). How are they doing it?</p> <p>We know that centenarians live so long because they are unusually healthy. They remain in good health for about 30 years longer than most normal people and when they finally fall ill, they are only sick for a very short time. This <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27377170/">“compression of morbidity”</a> is clearly good for them, but also benefits society as a whole. In the US, the medical care costs for a centenarian in their last two years of life <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_198.pdf">are about a third of those of someone who dies in their seventies</a> (a time when most centenarians don’t even need to see a doctor).</p> <p>The children of centenarians are also much healthier than average, indicating they are inheriting something beneficial from their parents. But is this genetic or environmental?</p> <h2>Centenarians aren’t always health conscious</h2> <p>Are centenarians the poster children for a healthy lifestyle? For the general population, watching your weight, not smoking, drinking moderately and eating at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27296932/">increase life expectancy by up to 14 years</a> compared with someone who does none of these things. This difference <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5801/ldselect/ldsctech/183/18305.htm#_idTextAnchor012">exceeds that seen</a> between the least and most deprived areas in the UK, so intuitively it would be expected to play a role in surviving for a century.</p> <p>But astonishingly, this needn’t be the case. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21812767/">One study</a> found that up to 60% of Ashkenazi Jewish centenarians have smoked heavily most of their lives, half have been obese for the same period of time, less than half do even moderate exercise and under 3% are vegetarians. The children of centenarians appear no more health conscious than the general population either.</p> <p>Compared to peers with the same food consumption, wealth and body weight, however, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29050682/">they have half the prevalence of cardiovascular disease</a>. There is something innately exceptional about these people.</p> <h2>The big secret</h2> <p>Could it be down to rare genetics? If so, then there are two ways in which this could work. Centenarians might carry unusual genetic variants that extend lifespan, or instead they might lack common ones that cause late-life disease and impairment. Several studies, including our own work, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32860726/">have shown</a> that centenarians have just as many bad genetic variants as the general population.</p> <p>Some even carry two copies of the largest known common risk gene for Alzheimer’s disease (APOE4), but still don’t get the illness. So a plausible working hypothesis is that centenarians carry rare, beneficial genetic variations rather than a lack of disadvantageous ones. And the best available data is consistent with this.</p> <p>Over 60% of centenarians have genetic changes that alter the genes which regulate growth in early life. This implies that these remarkable people are human examples of a type of lifespan extension observed in other species. Most people know that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28803893/">small dogs tend to live longer than big ones</a> but fewer are aware that this is a general phenomenon across the animal kingdom. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26857482/">Ponies can live longer than horses</a> and many strains of laboratory mice with dwarfing mutations <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29653683/">live longer than their full-sized counterparts</a>. One potential cause of this is reduced levels of a growth hormone called IGF-1 – although human centenarians <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28630896/">are not necessarily shorter than the rest of us</a>.</p> <p>Obviously, growth hormone is necessary early on in life, but there is increasing evidence that high levels of IGF-1 in mid to late life <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18316725/">are associated with increased late-life illness</a>. The detailed mechanisms underlying this remain an open question, but even among centenarians, women with the lowest levels of growth hormone <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24618355/">live longer than those with the highest</a>. They also have better cognitive and muscle function.</p> <p>That doesn’t solve the problem, though. Centenarians are also different from the rest of us in other ways. For example, they tend to have good cholesterol levels – hinting there may several reasons for their longevity.</p> <p>Ultimately, centenarians are “natural experiments” who show us that it is possible to live in excellent health even if you have been dealt a risky genetic hand and chose to pay no attention to health messages – but only if you carry rare, poorly understood mutations.</p> <p>Understanding exactly how these work should allow scientists to develop new drugs or other interventions that target biological processes in the right tissues at the right time. If these become a reality perhaps more of us than we think will see the next century in. But, until then, don’t take healthy lifestyle tips from centenarians.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/172020/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-faragher-224976">Richard Faragher</a>, Professor of Biogerontology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-brighton-942">University of Brighton</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nir-barzilai-1293752">Nir Barzilai</a>, Professor of Medicine and Genetics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/albert-einstein-college-of-medicine-3638">Albert Einstein College of Medicine</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/why-its-still-a-scientific-mystery-how-some-can-live-past-100-and-how-to-crack-it-172020">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Retirement Life

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Leap of imagination: how February 29 reminds us of our mysterious relationship with time and space

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-ohara-874665">Emily O'Hara</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137">Auckland University of Technology</a></em></p> <p>If you find it intriguing that February 28 will be followed this week by February 29, rather than March 1 as it usually is, spare a thought for those alive in 1582. Back then, Thursday October 4 was followed by Friday October 15.</p> <p>Ten whole days were snatched from the present when Pope Gregory XIII issued a papal bull to “restore” the calendar from discrepancies that had crept into the Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BCE.</p> <p>The new Gregorian calendar returned the northern hemisphere’s vernal equinox to its “proper” place, around March 21. (The equinox is when the Earth’s axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun, and is used to determine the date of Easter.)</p> <p>The Julian calendar had observed a leap year every four years, but this meant time had drifted out of alignment with the dates of celestial events and astronomical seasons.</p> <p>In the Gregorian calendar, leap days were added only to years that were a multiple of four – like 2024 – with an exception for years that were evenly divisible by 100, but not 400 – like 1700.</p> <p>Simply put, leap days exist because it doesn’t take a neat 365 days for Earth to orbit the Sun. It takes 365.2422 days. Tracking the movement of celestial objects through space in an orderly pattern doesn’t quite work, which is why we have February – time’s great mop.</p> <h2>Time and space</h2> <p>This is just part of the history of how February – the shortest month, and originally the last month in the Roman calendar – came to have the job of absorbing those inconsistencies in the temporal calculations of the world’s most commonly used calendar.</p> <p>There is plenty of <a href="https://theconversation.com/leap-day-fixing-the-faults-in-our-stars-54032">science</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-the-science-behind-leap-years-and-how-they-work-54788">maths</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-a-seasonal-snarl-up-in-the-mid-1500s-gave-us-our-strange-rules-for-leap-years-132659">astrophysics</a> explaining the relationship between time and the planet we live on. But I like to think leap years and days offer something even more interesting to consider: why do we have calendars anyway?</p> <p>And what have they got to do with how we understand the wonder and strangeness of our existence in the universe? Because calendars tell a story, not just about time, but also about space.</p> <p>Our reckoning of time on Earth is through our spatial relationship to the Sun, Moon and stars. Time, and its place in our lives, sits somewhere between the scientific, the celestial and the spiritual.</p> <p>It is <a href="https://shop.whitechapelgallery.org/products/time">notoriously slippery, subjective and experiential</a>. It is also marked, tracked and determined in myriad ways across different cultures, from tropical to solar to <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/300062097/matariki-and-the-maramataka-the-mori-lunar-calendar">lunar</a> calendars.</p> <p>It is the Sun that measures a day and gives us our first reference point for understanding time. But it is the <a href="https://librarysearch.aut.ac.nz/vufind/Record/1145999?sid=25214690">Moon</a>, as a major celestial body, that extends our perception of time. By stretching a span of one day into something longer, it offers us a chance for philosophical reflection.</p> <p>The Sun (or its effect at least) is either present or not present. The Moon, however, goes through phases of transformation. It appears and disappears, changing shape and hinting that one night is not exactly like the one before or after.</p> <p>The Moon also has a distinct rhythm that can be tracked and understood as a pattern, giving us another sense of duration. Time is just that – overlapping durations: instants, seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, lifetimes, centuries, ages.</p> <h2>The elusive Moon</h2> <p>It is almost impossible to imagine how time might feel in the absence of all the tools and gadgets we use to track, control and corral it. But it’s also hard to know what we might do in the absence of time as a unit of productivity – a measurable, dispensable resource.</p> <p>The closest we might come is simply to imagine what life might feel like in the absence of the Moon. Each day would rise and fall, in a rhythm of its own, but without visible reference to anything else. Just endless shifts from light to dark.</p> <p>Nights would be almost completely dark without the light of the Moon. Only stars at a much further distance would puncture the inky sky. The world around us would change – trees would grow, mammals would age and die, land masses would shift and change – but all would happen in an endless cycle of sunrise to sunset.</p> <p>The light from the Sun takes <a href="https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/space-science/how-take-light-from-sun-reach-earth">eight minutes</a> to reach Earth, so the sunlight we see is always eight minutes in the past.</p> <p>I remember sitting outside when I first learned this, and wondering what the temporal delay might be between me and other objects: a plum tree, trees at the end of the street, hills in the distance, light on the horizon when looking out over the ocean, stars in the night sky.</p> <p>Moonlight, for reference, takes about <a href="https://www.pbs.org/seeinginthedark/astronomy-topics/light-as-a-cosmic-time-machine.html">1.3 seconds</a> to get to Earth. Light always travels at the same speed, it is entirely constant. The differing duration between how long it takes for sunlight or moonlight to reach the Earth is determined by the space in between.</p> <p>Time on the other hand, is anything but constant. There are countless ways we characterise it. The mere fact we have so many calendars and ways of describing perceptual time hints at our inability to pin it down.</p> <p>Calendars give us the impression we can, and have, made time predictable and understandable. Leap years, days and seconds serve as a periodic reminder that we haven’t.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/224503/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-ohara-874665"><em>Emily O'Hara</em></a><em>, Senior Lecturer, Spatial Design + Temporary Practices, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137">Auckland 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/leap-of-imagination-how-february-29-reminds-us-of-our-mysterious-relationship-with-time-and-space-224503">original article</a>.</em></p>

Technology

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Tourist fined after posting this one photo on social media

<p>A man has been fined after flouting the rules to get the perfect photo with a quokka at Rottnest Island. </p> <p>The tourist was visiting the popular nature reserve, off the coast of Western Australia, when he was tracked down by authorities after posting a photo of him holding the marsupial on Instagram, despite signs saying not to touch the vulnerable animals. </p> <p>"Feeding and touching quokkas is not permitted for the safety of visitors and the welfare of the animals," A Rottnest Island Authority spokesperson told <em>Perth Now</em>. </p> <p>The unnamed tourist copped a $200 fine and an infringement was issued over the weekend, but the spokesperson said he was not evicted from the island.</p> <p>The Rottnest Island website also clearly states the rules against touching the furry animals.</p> <p>"It’s important, for their safety and yours, that you don’t touch the quokkas," the website read. </p> <p>Tourists are also warned that touching the marsupials can make them sick, spread disease and cause mothers to abandon their young if they carry an unfamiliar scent. </p> <p>Samuel Cornell, a research fellow from UNSW, told <em>Yahoo News Australia </em>that these rules exist for a reason. </p> <p>"The rules are there usually to protect people's own safety, first and foremost. And then secondly, of course, we enact rules to protect the environment," Cornell said. </p> <p>"They are still wild animals, but because they're plastered all over social media and people are used to seeing pretty pictures with them, I think people then have this interpretation of them that they're just some fluffy, safe creature that you can just go up to and pick up."</p> <p>Cornell added that tourists flouting the rules is not just an issue in Rottnest Island, but "a problem across Australia," including popular tourists destinations like K'gari (formerly Fraser Island), Babinda boulders, and Wedding Cake Rock in Sydney. </p> <p>"Some people do just ignore rules or signs because they think they know better or they really want a photo in a certain place," he explained. </p> <p>"But there are a subset of people that will claim 'oh, I didn't actually see the sign or I wasn't really aware'".</p> <p><em>Images: PerthNow/ Getty</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Do you hear it?": Worldwide hum global mystery baffles scientists

<p>A perplexing phenomenon known as "The Worldwide Hum" has been capturing the attention of scientists and citizens alike, as an unusual low-frequency noise continues to puzzle experts.</p> <p>This mysterious hum, first recorded in 2012, has been reported by thousands of people worldwide, sparking investigations, online discussions and even <a href="https://www.thehum.info/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the creation of an interactive map</a> documenting instances of the enigmatic sound. As researchers strive to unravel the mystery, individuals share their experiences, raising questions about its origin and effects.</p> <p>Described as a low rumbling or droning sound, "the hum" is often likened to the idling of a car or truck engine. What makes this phenomenon particularly intriguing is that it is not universally heard, with reports of the hum being exclusive to certain individuals.</p> <p>Some claim it is more pronounced at night than during the day, and louder indoors than outdoors. One Reddit user even compared it to the low-frequency vibrations felt when a passenger jet flies overhead.</p> <p>Since its first documentation, more than 6,500 instances of the hum have been reported globally, with new cases continually emerging. The interactive user-generated World Hum Map and Database Project <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">captures the experiences of those who have encountered the sound, providing a comprehensive overview of its widespread occurrence. In some regions, authorities such as the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) have conducted investigations, as was the case in the NSW Waverley Council ten years ago. Despite these efforts, the source of the hum remains elusive.</span></p> <p>Individuals affected by the mysterious noise often find solace in online communities, where they share their experiences and discuss possible explanations. Some describe feeling as though they are "going insane", and say that the psychological impact of the persistent hum is actually very severe.</p> <p>Facebook support groups have become a platform for individuals to connect, share anecdotes and speculate about the origin of the sound. Theories range from the mundane – such as the use of headphones causing collective tinnitus – to more complex environmental factors.</p> <p>While tinnitus, a symptom of auditory system issues, has been proposed as a potential explanation, it does not account for the collective experience of the hum. Various theories, including industrial plants, ocean waves, lightning strikes and the proliferation of mobile phone towers, have been suggested over the years. However, none of these explanations have gained widespread acceptance or provided a conclusive answer.</p> <p>Dr Glen MacPherson, who initiated the World Hum Map and Database Project, experienced the hum firsthand on Canada's Sunshine Coast. Having debunked the idea of "hum hotspots", Dr MacPherson theorises that the hum may be a subjective phenomenon, akin to tinnitus, originating from within the individual rather than an external source. His 11 years of research highlight the complexity of the mystery, challenging initial assumptions and pointing towards the need for further investigation.</p> <p>As "The Worldwide Hum" continues to captivate the curiosity of scientists and citizens worldwide, the quest for understanding remains elusive. While theories abound, the true origin of the hum remains unknown, leaving both experts and individuals alike intrigued by a phenomenon that transcends geographic boundaries and defies conventional explanations.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Body

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Tragic update on man buried alive on Bribie Island

<p>Vibrant and energetic 25-year-old Josh Taylor, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/family-of-man-who-was-buried-alive-breaks-silence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who found himself buried</a> in the sandy depths of Bribie Island, Queensland, has succumbed to the severe injuries sustained during the tragic incident.</p> <p>After five days of battling for his life, Josh's family made the agonising decision to switch off his life support.</p> <p>Josh's untimely demise stemmed from a seemingly innocent gathering on Bribie Island, where he and his friends were digging a sand pit to cook a pig in the traditional Maori style of hangi.</p> <p>Witnesses recalled the horrifying moment when Josh, while standing on a chair, lost his footing, and the sand beneath him gave way. He stumbled backwards into the deep hole, disappearing from view. It took a team of 15 people to pull him out.</p> <p>An off-duty paramedic and loyal friends resorted to using ropes tied to Josh's feet, pulling him free from the suffocating grip of the sand, but despite their valiant efforts, Josh had already endured significant injuries during the ordeal.</p> <p>As they pulled him from the hole, the force of the rescue exacerbated his injuries, leaving him without a pulse for a gut-wrenching 45 minutes. The nightmare unfolded before the eyes of Josh's family, who were also on the scene.</p> <p>Josh's father, Peter, was among those frantically digging to free his son.</p> <p>In their grief, following the decision to switch off Josh's life support, the Taylor family expressed gratitude for the compassionate efforts of those who helped to pull him from the sand, attempted to revive him at the scene, and provided care at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. </p> <p>“Without these people, Josh would not have had the opportunity to recover or give our family and friends these last precious days with him to say goodbye,” the Taylor family said in a statement.</p> <p>“He fought as hard as he could and is the most courageous person we will ever know. </p> <p>"Unfortunately, the injuries he received were too severe for him to overcome. We will somehow find a way to move on from this terrible tragedy.</p> <p>“He was the best son, brother, boyfriend and mate we could all have wished for. We love you Josh and will miss you every minute of every day. Goodbye mate until we see each other again.”</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook / 7News</em></p>

Caring

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"She saw it and dodged it": Incredible scenes as tree plunges through seat in Schoolies crash

<p>In a harrowing incident on K'Gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, a group of teenage girls narrowly escaped a potentially tragic accident during their Schoolies celebration.</p> <p>The friends were exploring the picturesque island off the Queensland coast when a tree crashed through the windscreen of their car, plunging right through the headrest of the passenger seat.</p> <p>Miraculously, all occupants emerged unscathed from this near-miss, thanks to a combination of quick reflexes and the timely intervention of volunteers from the Fraser Coast Red Frogs.</p> <p>As the teens ventured through the island's terrain, their joyous celebration took a terrifying turn when a massive tree limb plummeted onto their vehicle. The impact shattered the glass directly in front of the passenger seat, creating a scene of devastation that could have resulted in serious injuries – or worse.</p> <p>Astonishingly, one of the girls was seated in the passenger seat at the time, and her quick thinking and agility allowed her to dodge the falling debris, narrowly avoiding a potentially life-threatening situation.</p> <p>Tim Winnington, the Fraser Coast Red Frogs coordinator, described the fortuitous nature of the escape, saying, "There was a girl actually sitting in the passenger seat. She saw it and dodged it. They were so lucky not to get injured."</p> <p>The Red Frogs, a charity organisation that provides support and education at events like Schoolies and music festivals, played a crucial role in the aftermath of the incident, with volunteers from the organisation waiting with the shaken teenagers until help arrived.</p> <p>Madhill Motor Group, the generous donor of the ute used by the Red Frogs team, highlighted the gravity of the situation with photos shared on Facebook to demonstrate just how close the call was. The teenagers, treated for shock by paramedics, were fortunate to walk away physically unharmed, a fact not lost on them or their friends.</p> <p>In the aftermath of the incident, a friend of the girls expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Red Frogs for their swift and effective response. “They were all so lucky to walk away with no one being injured, and very lucky the Red Frogs were on scene so quickly and helped them so much, getting them a room to stay, driving their car for them, cleaning up all the glass and calming them all down in this traumatic experience,” they wrote. “We are all extremely grateful that you were there.”</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Hunt for Cinderella! Mystery shoe left at Prince Christian's party sparks search

<p>A mystery shoe left at Prince Christian's <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/unseen-pics-of-prince-christian-mark-his-18th-birthday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">18th birthday party</a> inside Christianborg Palace has sparked a search for a real life Cinderella. </p> <p>In the hours after the ball, which saw royalty from around the world attend, the Danish royal household posted a photo of the gold stiletto that was left behind from one of the high profile party guests. </p> <p>The post read, "Is it Cinderella who forgot her shoe last night?"</p> <p>The caption continued, "When the guests at Her Majesty the Queen's gala dinner yesterday had gone home, this lonely stiletto shoe was left at Christiansborg Castle."</p> <p>"The owner is welcome to contact you to get it back."</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/p/CydeENrNum2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/p/CydeENrNum2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS 🇩🇰 (@detdanskekongehus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The ball was attended by Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik, along with Christian's younger siblings Princess Isabella, 16, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, both 12.</p> <p>His uncle Prince Joachim, who relocated to America in August, was also there with his wife Princess Marie and their three youngest children Count Felix, 21, Count Henrik, 14, and Countess Athena, 12.</p> <p>A number of future monarchs were also present including royals from Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Belgium.</p> <p>Thankfully, the owner of the shoe was found, with Anne-Sofie Tørnsø Olesen, from Denmark's Egedal region, coming forward to claim the golden stiletto. </p> <p>And it turns out, she left it at the palace on purpose after being inspired by the story of Cinderella who marries her prince after long search.</p> <p>"I thought it was a bit funny myself, and I talked to my family and friends about it before, and they agreed that I should do it," Tørnsø Olesen, 18, told local Danish publication Se &amp; Hør.</p> <p>"It's such a chance you won't get again."</p> <p>She said she was keen to get the shoe back because it was "a memory from a great evening".</p> <p>The lost shoe, by Danish brand Deichmann's Catwalk collection, sparked an immediate flurry of comments on the royal family's Instagram page.</p> <p>The shoe brand said, "If the princess comes from a long way, we will gladly give her a new pair".</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram </em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Bec Judd's son taken to hospital with mystery illness

<p>Bec Judd's seven-year-old son, Tom, has been hospitalised due to an undisclosed medical condition, as the concerned mother shared on her Instagram account.</p> <p>In the recent post, the 40-year-old WAG posted a heartwarming picture of Tom comfortably lying in a hospital bed. In the photo, Tom flashed a smile at the camera, clutching his teddy bear and savouring an ice cream treat. However, Bec did not reveal the specific reason for Tom's hospitalisation in her social media update.</p> <p>With a hopeful tone, Bec wrote, "Onwards and upwards, Tom," and expressed gratitude to Nurse Becky Bell for her care and support during this challenging time.</p> <p>Bec Judd, a mother of four, shares her children with her ex-AFL star husband, Chris Judd. Alongside her recent family concerns, Bec has also been actively involved in charitable endeavours. She disclosed her plans to contribute 25,000 meals to Food Bank Victoria, an organisation dedicated to addressing food insecurity. Bec's involvement extends beyond her vocal support, as she is using her design skills to create a unique spatula for fundraising purposes. The entirety of the proceeds from the spatula sales will be donated to Food Bank.</p> <p>In Bec's own words, each spatula sold translates into an impressive "25 meals on the table", with the ambitious goal of providing "250,000 extra meals by Christmas". She encouraged her substantial following to support the cause by considering the spatula as a unique Christmas gift option. Not only will buyers acquire an original Bec Judd creation, but they will also make a significant contribution to their community.</p> <p>This charitable campaign features other notable personalities, including New Zealand culinary expert Ben Shewry, radio and TV presenter Chrissie Swan, and Australian pastry chef Kirsten Tibballs.</p> <p>In addition to her philanthropic efforts, Bec Judd has been making appearances on the celebrity edition of <em>The Amazing Race</em>, where she teams up with her sister, Kate Twigley. During a recent interview on KIIS FM's Jase and Lauren show, Bec recounted some of the show's more challenging moments, including an encounter with elephant dung.</p> <p>"It was interesting; they really threw us into these challenges that were quite foul, like shovelling poo, and I was like, where are the gloves?" Bec shared. "You know, I worked at The Alfred Hospital; I have four kids, I've got a puppy. I'm used to vomit and poo and secretions, but we always had gloves and masks, so it was okay. But this is bare hands, and I was not happy about it."</p> <p>In a recent trailer for the Ten reality show, Bec also revealed her germophobic tendencies, adding a layer of intrigue to her adventures on <em>The Amazing Race.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Cancer is rising in under-50s – but the causes are a mystery

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ashleigh-hamilton-1468163">Ashleigh Hamilton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queens-university-belfast-687">Queen's University Belfast</a></em></p> <p>Cancer is often thought of as a disease that mostly affects older people. But worrying new research shows that cancer in younger adults is a growing problem. The study found there’s been a nearly 80% increase in the number of under-50s being <a href="https://bmjoncology.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000049">diagnosed with cancer</a> globally in the last three decades.</p> <p>Also of concern are the types of cancers being seen in younger adults – with this latest study and previous research showing that cancers thought of as typical of older age groups are now increasingly being diagnosed in younger people. These include <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31105047/">bowel cancer</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31331685/">stomach cancer</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32144720/">breast cancer</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30733056/">uterine cancer</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35053447/">pancreatic cancer</a>.</p> <p>This is worrying because some of these cancers – particularly <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/pancreatic-cancer/survival">pancreatic</a> and <a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/stomach-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/survival-rates.html">stomach</a> cancer – have low survival rates, due to the fact they’re often diagnosed at a late stage. Research has also shown that bowel cancer tends to be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29564176/">diagnosed at a more advanced stage</a> in young people compared with older adults.</p> <p>While it’s clear from this latest study that cancer is becoming more common in those under 50, experts still aren’t entirely sure what’s causing this rise.</p> <h2>Early-onset cancer</h2> <p>The study investigated cancer cases in people under the age of 50 (termed “early-onset cancer”) from 204 countries and regions. The data analysed was collected between 1990 and 2019. The researchers were interested in knowing not only the incidence of early-onset cancer, but what types of cancer had the highest burden in under-50s.</p> <p>They found that in 2019, there were 3.26 million cases of early-onset cancer diagnosed worldwide – a 79% increase since 1990. The authors also predicted that by 2030, the number of under-50s diagnosed with cancer would increase by a further 31%.</p> <p>Breast cancer was the most common early-onset cancer in 2019, but incidences of prostate and throat cancers increased at the fastest rate since 1990. Liver cancer decreased the fastest over the same time period.</p> <p>The number of deaths due to early-onset cancers also increased from 1990 to 2019 – although less quickly than the rate of diagnosis, with 1.06 million deaths worldwide in 2019, an increase of 28%. The cancers with the highest number of deaths in 2019 were breast, lung, bowel and stomach cancers. The age group at greatest risk of early-onset cancer were those in their 40s.</p> <p>In 2019, early-onset breast cancer had the highest burden for women, while early-onset lung cancer the highest burden for men. Women were disproportionately affected in terms of death and poor health from early-onset cancer in low- and middle-income countries.</p> <p>The study also shows that while the highest number of early-onset cancer cases were in developed countries such as western Europe, North America and Australasia, many cases were also seen in low- and middle-income countries. Death rates were also higher in low- and middle-income countries.</p> <p>The main limitation of this paper is the variability of the data collected by different countries, making it difficult to measure its completeness. Nonetheless, it is still useful in getting a picture of global health.</p> <h2>Unknown causes</h2> <p>There’s no single explanation for why cancers are rising in under-50s.</p> <p>Some cancers in younger people happen as a result of a genetic condition – but these only <a href="https://aacrjournals.org/cancerres/article/80/16_Supplement/1122/641186">account for a small number of cases</a> (around 20%).</p> <p>Lifestyle factors such as the foods we eat, whether we drink alcohol or smoke, and being overweight are all linked to an <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk">increased risk</a> of many types of cancer. Research indicates that these factors may be contributing to a rise in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33524598/">early-onset colorectal cancer</a>, for example. Whether this is true for other types of early-onset cancer remains unknown.</p> <p>Some people affected by early-onset cancers may live healthy lifestyles. This suggests there are probably other reasons for the increase that have not yet been discovered.</p> <p>It’s clear from this research that the landscape of cancer is changing. While the incidence of early-onset cancers is increasing, cancer in this age group is still much less common than for those over-50. Early-onset cancers account for only around a tenth of <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/incidence/age">new cases in the UK</a>. But though the numbers are still relatively low, this doesn’t mean the trend we’re seeing isn’t of concern.</p> <p>It will be crucial now to ensure there’s greater awareness of early-onset cancers. Most younger people, and even healthcare professionals, don’t necessarily put cancer at the top of the list when symptoms develop. It’s important for people to see their GP if they notice any new symptoms, as detecting cancer at an early stage leads to a better prognosis.</p> <p>Urgent research into early-onset cancer is also needed at a national and international level. The underlying causes are probably different depending on a person’s sex, ethnicity and where they live.</p> <p>On a personal level, there are many things you can do to reduce your risk of developing cancer. <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/can-cancer-be-prevented">Following a healthy lifestyle</a> remains important. This includes eating a healthy diet, stopping smoking, exercising regularly, reducing your alcohol intake, being safe in the sun and maintaining a healthy weight. If something doesn’t feel right with your body or you experience any new symptoms, it’s important to see a doctor as soon as you can.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/212834/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ashleigh-hamilton-1468163"><em>Ashleigh Hamilton</em></a><em>, Academic Clinical Lecturer, Centre for Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queens-university-belfast-687">Queen's University Belfast</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</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/cancer-is-rising-in-under-50s-but-the-causes-are-a-mystery-212834">original article</a>.</em></p>

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64-year-old man saved after crafting SOS symbol on remote island

<p>A sailor who found himself stranded on a remote island in the Bahamas due to his boat's mechanical issues has been successfully rescued after ingeniously attracting the attention of a passing plane.</p> <p>Recent aerial imagery provided by the US Coast Guard depicts the remarkable tale of a 64-year-old individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, crafting the letters "SOS" on the sandy expanse of the beach to signify his distress.</p> <p>The sailor's vessel had encountered mechanical failure during its voyage through the enchanting Bahamas archipelago, leaving him marooned for an arduous three-day stretch on Cay Sal Island.</p> <p>Prompted by the sighting of distress flares originating from a disabled sailboat, a vigilant coast guard aircraft sprang into action. Supplies including nourishment, water, and a radio for communication were air-dropped to establish a lifeline with the stranded sailor. Through this communication, he shared the details of his challenging ordeal.</p> <p>A coast guard ship was dispatched to retrieve the man, who remarkably remained in good health despite his trials.</p> <p>Cay Sal Island, an isolated landmass nestled within the Straits of Florida north of Cuba and west of the Bahamas, continues to stand as an uninhabited segment within the Bimini district of the Bahamas.</p> <p>Dev Craig, an officer within the coast guard, expressed a sense of pride in the team's accomplishment, stating, "We’re proud to have saved this man’s life. This case serves as a perfect example of why you must have the proper safety equipment on your vessel. Without seeing the flare, the case may not have had a successful outcome."</p> <p><em>Images: US Coast Guard</em></p>

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"We did it!" Mystery behind Fifi Box's wedding dress unveiled

<p dir="ltr">Fifi Box has been spotted in a wedding dress and veil while holding a bouquet in Las Vegas, leaving many to believe she has tied the knot. </p> <p dir="ltr">While on a work trip, the radio host and her co-host Brendan Fevola and Nick Cody went to see Adele perform at her resident show in Vegas. </p> <p dir="ltr">In order to get Adele’s attention, Fifi dressed in wedding attire and made a sign, despite having no intention of getting married. </p> <p dir="ltr">Explaining the stunt on their radio show on Monday morning, Fifi explained, “We went to Adele last night, Fev and I did have to try and get her attention. So that was the mission, can Adele speak to us.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“We know that halfway through the show she walks through the crowd and chats to people, and what we had noticed in a lot of news stories was that it’s people who had signs or had just gotten married.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Last week, the radio team had put a call out to their listeners to ask for suggestions on how they should get Adele’s attention at the show, with one person suggesting they dress up and act as newlyweds. </p> <p dir="ltr">“So I wore the wedding dress and the veil, I had a bouquet and we had a sign that said ‘I walked down the aisle to your song today’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Fifi then played a clip of the show in which you can hear Adele target the faux newlyweds and say “Congratulations!” while performing one of her hit songs. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We went to great lengths, but I'm going to point this out,” Fifi said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Our mission was to get Adele to speak to us, and she looked me in the eye and said ‘congratulations’. We did it! Pretty cool to get a call out from Adele.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

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Block stars' tease mystery new TV show

<p><em>The Block</em> stars Ryan and Rachel Carr have teased a new TV show with exclusive behind-the-scenes photos of their young family being filmed by a camera crew. </p> <p>The season 18 runners-up  took to Instagram on Wednesday to share the exciting news. </p> <p>"A busy little day in our house today," the caption read. </p> <p>The lovebirds, both aged 37, uploaded a gallery of images, including one where the couple were playing with their young children in their backyard as a camera crew filmed the happy family. </p> <p>In another photo, the couple teased fans as they were seemingly deep in conversation, while their two daughters played on the swing set, and their son was perched on Rachel's lap. </p> <p>"Lots of exciting things happening in our house," they captioned the photo with three star emojis. </p> <p>In a third pic, the couple posed by a stairwell with their three kids, as the film crew took a bunch of pictures, possibly for promoting the show. </p> <p>The photo was captioned: "It's always a fun time with this lot." </p> <p>The couple were dressed casually, with <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: graphik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.16px;">Ryan in a pair jeans which he matched with a blue pull over, and Rachel looking like a chic mum in a pair of dark slacks </span><span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: graphik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.16px;">and a brown top.</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: graphik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.16px;">Details of the project are currently unknown. </span></p> <p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, Rubik, 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;">The couple gained popularity after they came in second on <em style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;">The Block </em>last year.</p> <p> </p> <p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, Rubik, 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;">They managed to sell their five-bedroom, three-bathroom home in Gisbourne for $4,250,000, pocketing $169,000 of profit from the sale.</p> <p><em><span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: graphik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.16px;">Images: Instagram</span></em></p>

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