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Why do I grieve my childhood home so much now we’ve sold it?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> Grief can hit us in powerful and unanticipated ways. You might expect to grieve a person, a pet or even a former version of yourself – but many people are surprised by the depth of sad yearning they can feel after selling the childhood home. In fact, it is <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10615-018-0682-5">normal to grieve a place</a>. And this grief can be especially profound if it coincides with a parent dying or moving into residential aged care, leading to the sale of their house. Grief is the response to the loss of anything to which we have an emotional connection. A <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10615-018-0682-5">growing body</a> of <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780203860731/counting-losses-darcy-harris">research</a> is looking at how grief can extend to “non-person” losses such as infertility, loss of religion and, yes, the loss of a former home. <h2>Why would someone grieve a house?</h2> The childhood home can be an important place for many of us. It literally housed our formative development, family bonds, and core memories. Hopefully, the childhood home is where we learned about safety, security and love. It was likely surrounded by our neighbourhood, and close to important places such as school, playgrounds and friends’ houses. It is no wonder we grieve it when it’s gone. It’s normal to <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315126197-20/grieving-lost-home-marc-fried">grieve things we can’t see and touch</a> but are real and valued. Just as a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.70031">serious diagnosis might trigger</a> grief for an imagined future for yourself, or an <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732314538550">identity</a> you once cherished, loss of a childhood home can hit us harder than we think. When you sell a once-beloved home, you don’t just lose the physical space. You also lose all of what that space might represent, such as birthday celebrations, Christmas lunches, sleepovers with friends or many happy hours playing in the garden. The childhood home often is a symbol of family connection and an anchor in the storm of life. Thinking of the home and all it represents can elicit nostalgia. In fact, the word “nostalgia” <a href="https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/nostalgia-cowbells-meaning-life">derives from the Greek</a> words nostos (return) and algos (pain). The word is rooted in the pain we often feel being away from home. And just as siblings are unique – each with different memories of and connections to their childhood home – their responses to its sale can differ markedly. It is normal if your sister or brother grieves the home in a different way to you – or maybe doesn’t even seem to grieve its loss at all. <h2>A complicated grief</h2> When a childhood home is sold because of the death of parents, the feelings of loss about the home are closely linked. The home being sold can be a type of secondary loss that sits in the periphery to the primary loss of parents. Grieving the deaths might, at first, take precedence over the loss of the home. It might only be later that the loss of the home and all it represents becomes apparent. Because the home provides a connection to the deceased person, the loss of the home might add another layer of grief about your parents. Perhaps you find that whenever you recall memories of mum or dad, they seem always to be at the house. It’s also normal if you feel immense <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10615-018-0682-5">guilt</a> about grieving the home. People might chastise themselves for worrying about “silly things” and not grieving “enough” about the person who died. <a href="https://www.agingcare.com/questions/how-do-i-deal-with-the-guilt-of-selling-moms-house-481550.htm">Guilt about selling the home</a> can also be common. Not everyone has positive memories of their childhood home. Difficult family dynamics, maltreatment and abuse can complicate the emotional connection to childhood spaces and the grief response to their loss. In such cases, the loss of the childhood home can elicit grief about the loss of the childhood that could have – and should have – been. The loss of a home that was the site of discord can be even more challenging than for people with more idyllic childhood experiences. <h2>How can I cope with this loss?</h2> Grief from the loss of a childhood home is <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10615-018-0682-5">real and valid</a>. We should recognise this and be kind to ourselves and others experiencing it. We shouldn’t minimise the loss or make fun of it. Usually, the loss is anticipated, and this allows you to take photos, furniture or mementos from the home or garden before you leave or sell. Grief researchers call these “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X20300031">transitional</a> <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13576270412331329812">objects</a>”. They may help you maintain a connection to what is lost, while still grieving the place. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10615-018-0682-5">Social support</a> while grieving is important. Some people share memories and photos of the home with their siblings, or derive comfort from driving by the home. Just be prepared for the possibility it will likely change as the new owners adapt it to their needs. You might feel affronted, but hopefully can eventually accept the property now belongs to someone else. Chat to your doctor if the loss is particularly difficult, and your grief doesn’t change and subside over time. They might be able to recommend a psychologist who specialises in grief. If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.<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/251058/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-breen-1142446">Lauren Breen</a>, Professor of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a> 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-do-i-grieve-my-childhood-home-so-much-now-weve-sold-it-and-what-can-i-do-about-it-251058">original article</a>. Image: RDNE Stock project/Pexels </div>

Home & Garden

Why older couples love short cruises for a quick romantic getaway

Long holidays are great, but they are not always practical, especially when you just want a quick break together. They can be expensive, require a lot of planning and sometimes feel more tiring than relaxing. A <a href="https://www.carnival.com.au/short-cruises" target="_blank" rel="noopener">smooth, short cruise</a> is the perfect balance for older couples. There’s just enough time to unwind, visit new places and enjoy amazing food and entertainment, all without the stress of organising every detail. With options from Carnival, Australia’s leading cruise line, a quick and relaxing romantic getaway is easier than ever. Everything is taken care of, so you can simply step on board and make the most of your time together. To show you what makes them special, here’s why short cruises have become a favourite getaway for couples looking to relax and reconnect. Skip the stress and start your holiday sooner Planning a holiday can sometimes feel like more trouble than it’s worth. Long flights, busy airports and endless logistics take time and effort, which can make a romantic getaway feel stressful before it even begins. But taking a break doesn’t have to be complicated. A Carnival <a href="https://www.carnival.com.au/short-cruises/sydney" target="_blank" rel="noopener">short cruise from Sydney</a> or Brisbane is an easy way to escape for a few days without the stress of flights or long drives. Enjoy slow mornings together on a peaceful deck, take in the ocean views or visit a beautiful destination like Tasmania or Moreton Island. Enjoy time together without going far You don’t need to travel far to enjoy a romantic break. A short cruise lets you escape for a few days, soak up the ocean views and spend uninterrupted time together. Set sail from Brisbane or Sydney and choose from a three-day cruise at sea, a four day cruise to Moreton Island or Airlie Beach, or a <a href="https://www.carnival.com.au/short-cruises/5-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five-day cruise</a> to Tasmania. Spend quality time with onboard activities <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2025/02/Carnivalimage-1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Finding time to unwind together isn’t always easy, but a Carnival short cruise makes it simple. With plenty of <a href="https://www.carnival.com.au/onboard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exciting onboard activities</a>, you can do as much or as little as you like. Lounge by the pool, enjoy some quiet time at <a href="https://www.carnival.com.au/onboard/serenity" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> an adults-only retreat</a> or watch a live music performance. You can even play video games or visit the fitness centre together. For total relaxation, book a couples’ treatment at Cloud 9 Spa* and let the stress melt away. In the evening, share new experiences together. Watch a Playlist Productions show, enjoy stand-up comedy at The Punchliner Comedy Club or settle in for a movie under the stars. If you prefer a quieter night, find a cosy spot to take in the ocean views or enjoy a drink with live acoustic music. Share great food at every meal <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2025/02/Carnivalimage-3.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Good food is even better when shared, and a Carnival short cruise gives couples plenty of <a href="https://www.carnival.com.au/dining" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dining </a>options to enjoy together. Start the day with a relaxed breakfast and freshly brewed coffee, or grab a quick bite from the main dining room. For a special night, Fahrenheit 555* or Luke’s Bar & Grill* serves perfectly cooked steaks and fresh seafood in a cosy setting. If you’re in the mood for something light, the pizzeria has fresh-made pizza, and Bonsai Sushi Express* offers quick, fresh sushi. For something classic, Guy’s Burger Joint serves juicy burgers. With so many choices, every meal is a chance to relax and spend time together. Plan your next romantic getaway A few days away is sometimes all you need to recharge and reconnect. On a short cruise, you can enjoy new experiences, soak up the ocean views and make the most of every moment together without worrying about travel logistics. All the details are sorted, so you can focus on choosing the perfect destination and how long you’d like to relax together. Visit the <a href="https://www.carnival.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carnival Cruise website</a> to find a short cruise that fits your schedule, and start planning your next romantic getaway today. Images: Supplied *Charges apply This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Carnival

Cruising

Yes, it’s a terrible idea to pick up or interfere with wild animals – especially baby wombats. Here’s why

<div class="theconversation-article-body">It was hard to watch. In a now-deleted Instagram reel, American influencer Sam Jones is filmed <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-12/us-influencer-removes-joey-wombat-from-mother/105041800">picking up</a> a young wombat, separating it from its mother, and running with it back to the car for a pose. In the background, the distressed mother tries to follow. At one point, Jones says: “Momma’s right there and she’s pissed. Let’s let him go.” We have spent our careers working with wildlife. Seeing a joey separated from her mother for social media content was unsettling. The encounter will have made stress levels soar for the baby and mother. Unfortunately, we are seeing a rise in people directly interacting with wildlife through <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/csp2.12958">feeding them</a> or <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13683500.2020.1828312">taking risks</a> to get close to them, often driven by the pursuit of social media attention. These interactions can hurt wildlife in <a href="https://theconversation.com/liked-to-death-the-social-media-race-for-nature-photos-can-trash-ecosystems-or-trigger-rapid-extinction-235951">many different ways</a>. While there’s a natural tendency to want to connect with wildlife, wild animals often see humans as a threat. When we get too close, we can trigger fear responses such as increased heart rates and heightened stress hormones. Indeed, the consequences of interfering with wildlife can be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175106">far-reaching</a>. Jones was lucky not to have been injured – wombats weigh up to 40 kilograms and have teeth and claws they can use for defence. She could still come down with scabies – wombats often have mange, caused by the parasitic mite which gives us scabies. Others have been less lucky. People feeding dingoes on K'Gari <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/02/more-and-more-tourists-are-being-attacked-by-dingoes-on-queenslands-kgari-can-it-be-stopped">has brought</a> these wild canines closer to people, leading to attacks. In response, authorities have occasionally opted to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/21/dingoes-pay-the-ultimate-price-on-kgari-but-some-believe-people-are-the-real-menace">kill</a> dingoes. Official approvals are required to capture and handle wildlife. Engaging in these activities without the necessary permits is typically illegal. These regulations are to safeguard wildlife from harm and protect humans as well. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3PhLPCXPseo?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Instagram clip shows US influencer Sam Jones picking up a baby wombat.</figcaption></figure> <h2>What was wrong with the influencer’s behaviour?</h2> What many people found difficult to see in the clip was the clear distress seen in both joey and mother. Wombat joeys are fully dependent on their mothers for between 18 months and two years – one of the longest periods for any marsupial. Interfering with this bond stresses both animals. The incident also took place on a road, increasing their risk of being hit by a vehicle – one of the biggest <a href="https://theconversation.com/2-biggest-threats-to-wombats-revealed-in-new-data-gathered-by-citizen-scientists-215713">threats to wombats</a>. Wildlife are exactly that – wild life. When we interact with wild creatures, we interrupt what they are doing. This can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175106">harm</a> the individual – and often, the group – by inducing physical or psychological stress, and changes in behaviour. <h2>We want to connect – but it’s bad for the animals</h2> Many of us draw a mental line between our pets and wild animals. Our cats and dogs jump up for a pat and seek our affection. Wouldn’t wild creatures enjoy the same thing? It took thousands of years to domesticate dogs, cats and other animals. Wild animals, on the other hand, perceive us very differently – often as a potential threat. When we feed wildlife food they are not used to, <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-you-can-help-not-harm-wild-animals-recovering-from-bushfires-131385#:%7E:text=In%20urgent%20cases%2C%20such%20as,wildlife%20veterinary%20hospitals%20for%20care.">it can make</a> them sick, or contribute to long term metabolic issues. Visitors often feed chips to quokkas on Rottnest Island, but these salty snacks can sicken the animals, which should be eating <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/wr/wr03051">grasses, stems and leaves</a>. Tourists flock to areas with wild kangaroos and often offer them food. But as they become used to our presence, they can still lash out. People <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/may/02/kangaroo-attacks-on-tourists-prompt-warnings-to-stop-feeding-them-junk-food">have been injured</a>, some badly. <figure class="align-center zoomable">Touching animals comes with risks, from being scratched by koalas to being bitten by snakes. When a US wildlife expert was filmed touching a huge great white shark off Hawaii, dozens of people tried to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-18/conservationist-slammed-for-touching-huge-shark-off-hawaii/10725478">follow suit</a> – despite the risks.</figure> Then there’s the disease risk. Wombats suffer from <a href="https://theconversation.com/2-biggest-threats-to-wombats-revealed-in-new-data-gathered-by-citizen-scientists-215713">sarcoptic mange</a>, while other marsupials may have <a href="https://theconversation.com/toxoplasma-the-parasite-that-takes-over-our-brains-197100">toxoplasmosis</a>, which can trigger miscarriages and neurological issues. Handling wild birds can give us the dangerous disease <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psittacosis">psittacosis</a>. If you don’t have a permit, you should stay at a safe distance and watch the animal. The goal is to avoid interfering, and respect the animal’s autonomy and what it’s trying to do, whether that’s finding food, finding a mate, sleeping, or just lounging about. <h2>Are more people trying to interact with animals?</h2> After the COVID pandemic, many of us have been seeking outdoor experiences. Camping is <a href="https://www.austrade.gov.au/en/news-and-analysis/news/the-rise-of-nature-based-tourism-in-australia">on the rise</a>, as is ecotourism. At the same time, some influencers are trying to interact with wildlife, perhaps mimicking famous figures such as the late Steve Irwin. Irwin’s father, Bob, recently <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/06/queensland-urged-to-prosecute-would-be-influencers-who-enter-crocodile-habitat">called for</a> harsher penalties for influencers entering crocodile territory after many close calls. Watching trained wildlife handlers can give us false confidence. We might think: if they do it, why can’t I? The problem is, wildlife handling is risky. Bites are common, even for trained experts. When we undertake wildlife research, we use gloves, cages, hoods and so on to reduce the risk to us and the stress to the animal. Wildlife carers who take on the role of rearing wombat joeys have to be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/AM24025">well trained</a> – and dedicated. Joeys need to be fed special milk <a href="https://theconversation.com/wallaby-joeys-and-platypus-puggles-are-tiny-and-undeveloped-when-born-but-their-mothers-milk-is-near-magical-207726">suited to marsupials</a> – cow’s milk is no good. They have to be fed round the clock in the early months. In many cases we are aware of, untrained individuals have attempted to rescue wombats or kangaroo joeys only to discover they can’t meet their specific care needs. Unfortunately, this often results in the joeys being abandoned or handed over to wildlife carers in poor condition. This doesn’t mean that interactions with animals are off-limits. Zoos and wildlife sanctuaries provide opportunities to handle captive animals under expert supervision. Volunteering with wildlife carers or training to become a carer are viable ways to engage with animals responsibly. Influencers don’t have to grab an animal from the wild to show how amazing it is. You can show natural behaviour by following an animal from a safe distance or use existing footage. If you can’t captivate an audience with the wonders of wildlife without harassing a wild animal, then perhaps it’s time to rethink and refine your social media strategy. When we are out in the bush, it’s natural to be fascinated by the presence of wild creatures. But we must find ways of building our connection with nature without harming what we see – and without risking harm to ourselves.<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/252164/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/julie-old-186935">Julie Old</a>, Associate Professor in Biology, Zoology and Animal Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dale-nimmo-15432">Dale Nimmo</a>, Professor in Ecology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-sturt-university-849">Charles Sturt University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hayley-stannard-560761">Hayley Stannard</a>, Senior Lecturer in Animal Anatomy and Physiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-sturt-university-849">Charles Sturt University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-davis-225195">Robert Davis</a>, Associate Professor in Wildlife Conservation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> 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/yes-its-a-terrible-idea-to-pick-up-or-interfere-with-wild-animals-especially-baby-wombats-heres-why-252164">original article</a>. Image: WikiCommons </div>

Family & Pets

A late start, then a big boom: why it took until 1975 for Australians to finally watch TV in colour

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> Some 50 years ago, on March 1 1975, Australian television stations officially moved to colour. Networks celebrated the day, known as “<a href="https://artsandculture.google.com/story/c-day-and-the-colour-monster-national-archives-of-australia/LAWRcgnnNY1cKA?hl=en">C-Day</a>”, with unique slogans such as “come to colour” (ABC TV), “Seven colours your world” (Seven Network), “living colour” (Nine Network) and “first in colour” (<a href="https://televisionau.com/feature-articles/network-ten">0-10 Network</a>, which later became Network Ten). The ABC, Seven and Nine networks also updated their logos to incorporate colour. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T7gZdYVZJNc?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> For most viewers, however, nothing looked much different. The majority owned a black and white TV, while a coloured broadcast required a colour TV set. Advertisers were initially reluctant to accept the change, which required them to re-shoot black and white commercials with colour stock at a significantly higher cost. Many reasoned viewers were still watching the ads in black and white. And initially this assumption was correct. But by nine months later, 17% of Australian homes <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110829595?searchTerm=colour%20television%20in%20australia%201975">had a colour receiver</a>. This rose to 31% by July 1976. By 1978, 64% of Melbourne and 70% of Sydney households owned colour TV sets, making Australia one of the world’s fastest adopters of colour TV. According to the Federation of Australian Commercial Television Stations (FACTS) annual report for 1975–76, colour TV increased overall viewership by 5%, with people watching for longer periods. The 1976 Montreal Olympics also led to an <a href="https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/asset/96836-olympic-games-coverage-colour">increase in TV sales</a>, with the colour broadcast shared between the ABC, Seven and Nine. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L-75iIoshak?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Highlights from the Montreal 1976 Olympic Games marathon event.</figcaption></figure> <h2>A late start</h2> With the United States introducing colour TV from 1954, it’s peculiar that Australia took so long to make the transition – especially since conversations about this had been underway since the 1960s. In 1965, a report outlining the process and economic considerations of transitioning to colour was tabled in parliament. Feedback from the US highlighted problems around broader acceptance in the marketplace. Colour TV sets were expensive and most programs were still being shot in black and white, despite the availability of colour. Networks were the most hesitant (even though they’d go on to become one of the most major benefactors). In 1969, it was <a href="https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/colour-tv-introduced/">estimated transitioning to colour</a> would cost the ABC A$46 million (the equivalent of $265,709,944 today) over six years. The federal government, led by then prime minister Robert Menzies, decided to take a cautious approach to the transition – allowing manufacturers, broadcasters and the public time to prepare. The first colour “test” broadcast took place on June 15 1967, with <a href="https://televisionau.com/2025/03/tv-50-years-in-colour.html">live coverage</a> of a Pakenham country horse racing event in Victoria (although few people would have had coloured TV sets at this point). Other TV shows also tested broadcasting in colour between 1972 and 1974, with limited colour telecasts aired from mid-1974. It wasn’t until March 1975 that colour TV was being transmitted permanently. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vIqqiK4ncfs?wmode=transparent&start=40" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>‘Aunty Jack Introduces Colour’ was a one-off television special of The Aunty Jack Show, broadcast on the ABC on February 28 1975.</figcaption></figure> <h2>The cinema industry panics</h2> <a href="https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/vietnam-war-1962-1975/events/withdrawal-from-1971">Australia’s involvement</a> in the Vietnam War created further urgency to televise in colour. With the war ending in April 1975, Australians watched the last moments in colour. Other significant events broadcast in colour that year included the December federal election, in which Malcolm Fraser defeated Gough Whitlam after the latter was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXq056TJhU4">dramatically dismissed</a> as prime minister on November 11. With the public’s growing interest in colour TV, local manufacturers began lobbying for higher tariffs on imports to encourage domestic colour TV production. In the mid 1970s, a new colour set in Australia cost between $1,000 and $1,300, while the average full-time annual income was <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/6302.0Main+Features1Sep%201975?OpenDocument=">around $8,000</a>. Still in the throes of a financial recession, customers began seeking out illegally-imported colour TV sets – which were appearing at car boot markets across the country. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wTKMqPg4hM8?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>British childrens show The Wombles came to Australian screens shortly after colour TV was introduced.</figcaption></figure> The government also created an advertising campaign warning the public of scammers who would offer to convert black-and-white TVs to colour. These door-to-door “salesmen” <a href="https://hoaxes.org/archive/permalink/instant_color_tv#google_vignette">claimed to have</a> a special screen which, when placed over a TV, would magically turn it colourful. By 1972, the estimated cost of upgrading broadcasting technology to colour <a href="https://www.nfsa.gov.au/latest/colour-tv-part-1">had reached $116 million</a>. The cinema industry, in a panic, even questioned whether colour TV could damage a viewer’s eyesight. The industry had previously suffered huge losses in cinema attendance with the introduction of black-and-white TV from 1956. Cinemas had a monopoly on colour and were petrified over what the introduction of colour to television could do to their attendances. Such fears were founded. In 1974 Australia had 68 million admissions to the cinema. By 1976, there were just 28.9 million admissions. Never again would yearly cinema admissions reach <a href="https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/fact-finders/cinema/industry-trends/historical-admissions">above 40 million</a>. But despite the complaints – from the cinema industry, advertisers, broadcasters and manufacturers – audiences were ready for colour. And any network that dared to program in black and white would subject itself to a barrage of annoyed viewers. Colour TV was here to stay.<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/251363/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-gaunson-265553">Stephen Gaunson</a>, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> 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/a-late-start-then-a-big-boom-why-it-took-until-1975-for-australians-to-finally-watch-tv-in-colour-251363">original article</a>. Image: Youtube/Austvarchive </div>

Why Alfred is such an "unusual" cyclone

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> Cyclone Alfred has now been delayed, as the slow-moving system <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/06/cyclone-alfred-news-update-landfall-when-will-it-hit-why-did-it-slow-down">stalls</a> in warm seas off southeast Queensland. Unfortunately, the expected slow pace of the cyclone will bring even more rain to affected communities. This is because it will linger for longer over the same location, dumping more rain before it moves on. Alfred’s slowing means the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-06/cyclone-alfred-stalling-at-sea-later-landfall/105016522">huge waves</a> triggered by the cyclone will last longer too, likely making coastal erosion and flooding worse. Cyclone Alfred is unusual – the first cyclone in half a century to come this far south and make expected landfall. When unusual disasters strike, people naturally want to know what role climate change played – a process known as “climate attribution”. Unfortunately, this process takes time if you want details on a specific event. We can’t yet say if Alfred’s unusual path and slow speed are linked to climate change. But climate change is driving very clear trends which can load the dice for more intense cyclones arriving in subtropical regions. These include the warm waters which fuel cyclones spreading further south, and cyclones dumping more rain than they used to. So, let’s unpick what’s driving Cyclone Alfred’s behaviour – including the potential role of climate change. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ADuTsiDlMh8?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>A Bureau of Meteorology update on Cyclone Alfred dated Thursday, March 6.</figcaption></figure> <h2>Not necessarily climate linked: Alfred’s southerly path</h2> Many cyclones make it as far south as Brisbane – but they’re nearly all far out at sea. Weather patterns mean most cyclones heading south are diverted to the east, where remnants can hit New Zealand as large extratropical storms. The fact that Alfred is set to make landfall is very unusual. But we can’t yet definitively say this is due to climate change. Cyclones are steered by winds and weather patterns, and the Coral Sea’s complex weather makes cyclone paths here very hard to predict. Alfred’s abrupt westward shift is due to a large region of high pressure to its south, which has pushed it directly towards heavily populated areas of southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales. These steering winds are not very strong, which is why Alfred is moving slowly. In 2014, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13278">researchers showed</a> cyclones are reaching their maximum intensity in areas further south in the southern hemisphere and north in the northern hemisphere than they used to. In 2021, researchers also found cyclones were reaching their <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abb9038">maximum intensity</a> closer to coasts, moving about 30 km closer per decade. <h2>Climate link: Warmer seas</h2> Cyclones typically need water temperatures of 26.5°C or more <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/news/All/Articles/2025/March/things-to-know-about-tropical-cyclones">to form</a>. More than 90% of all extra heat trapped by greenhouse gas emissions is stored <a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-ocean-heat-content">in the seas</a>. The oceans are the <a href="https://theconversation.com/2024s-extreme-ocean-heat-breaks-records-again-leaving-2-mysteries-to-solve-246843">hottest on record</a>, and records keep falling. But normal seasonal variability and shifting ocean currents are still at work too, and we can get unusually warm waters without climate change as a cause. What we do know is that ocean temperatures around much of Australia have been unusually warm. The northeastern Coral Sea, where Cyclone Alfred formed, <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/climate/change/timeseries.cgi?graph=sst&area=cor&season=01&ave_yr=0&ave_period=6190">experienced</a> the fourth-hottest temperatures on record for February and the hottest on record for January. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/653437/original/file-20250306-56-z5mg7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/653437/original/file-20250306-56-z5mg7o.png?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/653437/original/file-20250306-56-z5mg7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653437/original/file-20250306-56-z5mg7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653437/original/file-20250306-56-z5mg7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653437/original/file-20250306-56-z5mg7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653437/original/file-20250306-56-z5mg7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653437/original/file-20250306-56-z5mg7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="figure showing rising sea temperatures in february in coral sea." /></a><figcaption>In the Coral Sea, sea surface temperatures were the fourth highest on record in February 2025 and the highest on record in January 2025. This figure shows the trend over time for February. <a class="source" href="http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/climate/change/timeseries.cgi?graph=sst&area=cor&season=02&ave_yr=0&ave_period=6190">Bureau of Meteorology</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></figcaption></figure> We also know Australia’s southern waters are <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/climate/change/timeseries.cgi?graph=sst&area=sth&season=1202&ave_yr=0&ave_period=6190">warming up</a> too. The energy available to power tropical cyclones in subtropical regions has also increased in recent decades, due largely to rising ocean temperatures. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/653417/original/file-20250305-56-8v9737.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/653417/original/file-20250305-56-8v9737.png?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/653417/original/file-20250305-56-8v9737.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653417/original/file-20250305-56-8v9737.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653417/original/file-20250305-56-8v9737.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653417/original/file-20250305-56-8v9737.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=618&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653417/original/file-20250305-56-8v9737.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=618&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653417/original/file-20250305-56-8v9737.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=618&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="sea surface temperature map queensland" /></a><figcaption>Average sea surface temperatures in central and southern Queensland on Thursday March 6th. Point Danger is on the Gold Coast. <a class="source" href="http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/forecasts/idyoc300.shtml?region=SEQLD&forecast=SST">Bureau of Meteorology</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></figcaption></figure> <h2>Climate link: Fewer cyclones but more likely to be intense</h2> In the northern hemisphere, researchers have found a trend towards fewer cyclones over time. But of those which do form, a higher proportion are more intense. It’s not fully clear if the same trend exists in the southern hemisphere, though we are seeing fewer cyclones forming over time. This summer, eight tropical cyclones have formed in Australian waters. Six were classified as severe (category 3 and up). Historically, Australia has experienced a higher proportion of category 1 and 2 cyclones, which bring weaker wind speeds. On average, <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/news/All/Articles/2025/March/things-to-know-about-tropical-cyclones">we see</a> about 11 cyclones form and 4-5 make landfall. There has been a <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-hurricanes-like-milton-in-the-us-and-cyclones-in-australia-are-becoming-more-intense-and-harder-to-predict-241000">downward trend</a> in the number of cyclones forming in the Australian region in recent decades. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/653438/original/file-20250306-56-nk34gw.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/653438/original/file-20250306-56-nk34gw.png?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/653438/original/file-20250306-56-nk34gw.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653438/original/file-20250306-56-nk34gw.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653438/original/file-20250306-56-nk34gw.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653438/original/file-20250306-56-nk34gw.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653438/original/file-20250306-56-nk34gw.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/653438/original/file-20250306-56-nk34gw.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="figure showing falling number of tropical cyclones in Australia over time" /></a><figcaption>Fewer cyclones, but more likely to be intense: this figure shows the number of severe (Category 3 and up) and non-severe tropical cyclones (Category 1 and 2) since 1970/71. <a class="source" href="http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/tropical-cyclone-knowledge-centre/history/climatology/">Bureau of Meteorology</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></figcaption></figure> <h2>Climate link: Cyclones dumping more rain</h2> The intensity of a cyclone refers to the speed of the wind and size of the wind-affected area. But a cyclone’s rain field is also important. This refers to the area of heavy rain produced by storms when they’re at cyclone intensity and afterwards as they decay into tropical lows. The rate of rainfall brought by cyclones in Australia isn’t necessarily increasing, but more cyclones are <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0227-5">moving slowly</a>, such as Alfred. This means more rain per cyclone, on average. Rising ocean temperatures mean more water evaporates off the sea surface, meaning forming cyclones can absorb more moisture and dump more rain when it reaches land. Why are cyclones slowing down? This is likely because air current circulation in the tropics has weakened. This has a clear link to climate change. Wind speeds have fallen <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0227-5">5 to 15%</a> in the tropics, depending on where you are in the world. It’s hard to pinpoint the change clearly in our region, because the historic record of cyclone tracks isn’t very long. For every degree (°C) of warming, rainfall intensity increases 7%. This is <a href="https://wmo.int/topics/extreme-weather">well established</a>. But <a href="https://theconversation.com/supercharged-thunderstorms-have-we-underestimated-how-climate-change-drives-extreme-rain-and-floods-228896">newer research</a> is showing the rate may actually be <a href="https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/28/1251/2024/hess-28-1251-2024-assets.html">double this</a> or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EF004808">even higher</a>, as the process of condensation releases heat which can trigger more rain. <h2>Clear climate link: Bigger storm surges due to sea level rise</h2> Sea levels are on average about <a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-sea-level">20 centimetres higher</a> than they were before 1880. When a cyclone is about to make landfall, its intense winds push up a body of seawater ahead of it – the storm surge. In low lying areas, this can spill out and flood streets. Because climate change is causing baseline sea levels to rise, storm surges can reach further inland. Sea-level rise will also make coastal erosion more destructive. <h2>What should we take from this?</h2> We can’t say definitively that climate change is behind Cyclone Alfred’s unusual track. But factors such as rising sea levels, slower cyclones and warmer oceans are changing how cyclones behave and the damage they can do. Over time, we can expect to see cyclones arriving in regions not historically affected – and carrying more rain when they arrive.<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/251594/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/liz-ritchie-tyo-1509061">Liz Ritchie-Tyo</a>, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-dowdy-119002">Andrew Dowdy</a>, Principal Research Scientist in Extreme Weather, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hamish-ramsay-19549">Hamish Ramsay</a>, Principal Research Scientist, Environment, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/csiro-1035">CSIRO</a> 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/cyclone-alfred-is-slowing-and-that-could-make-it-more-destructive-heres-how-climate-change-might-have-influenced-it-251594">original article</a>. Image: Windy.com </div>

Travel Trouble

‘Don’t panic, do prepare’: why it’s not too late to plan for Cyclone Alfred

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yetta-gurtner-2337172">Yetta Gurtner</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/james-cook-university-1167">James Cook University</a> For millions of people in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales, Cyclone Alfred will be their first experience living through a cyclone. Alfred is forecast to make landfall about 2am on Friday morning. I am a disaster expert based in northern Queensland, which regularly experiences cyclones. In my other role as an acting SES public information officer, I’m heading south to the Gold Coast to help residents prepare and respond. Here’s what I want you to know. First, don’t panic. Second, do prepare. Preparation has several steps. It’s important to clearly assess your specific threat. If you live near the sea, storm surges – where the sea spills inland – could be a significant threat, while flooding might pose a large risk if you live near a river – especially in the few days after Alfred passes. The highest rainfall is likely on Alfred’s southern flank from the Gold Coast down to northern New South Wales. Having enough food, water and medication is vital. Be ready to evacuate too, in case authorities deem it necessary. Check your local council’s disaster website, disaster apps and stay tuned to the ABC, which will run disaster alerts. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EN_yKcjlF20?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest update on Cyclone Alfred’s path and likely impact, as of the morning of Wed 5th March.</figcaption></figure> <h2>What should I do right now?</h2> If you’re in the <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml">danger zone</a>, make preparations now, before the full intensity of the cyclone arrives. Tie down loose objects. Clean gutters to avoid overflow from torrential rain. And prepare your “go bag” – a bag of essentials you can throw in the car if authorities tell you to leave immediately. Don’t take too much – just the bare necessities. Buy an AM/FM radio and tune it to ABC National, as you cannot be sure mobile networks will function. Radio is a reliable way to get good information from the ABC, Australia’s designated <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/emergency">emergency channel</a>. Make sure the car is fuelled or charged. If you’ve got a generator, make sure you have fuel and the generator is positioned outside in a well-ventilated area. Water is often unreliable after disasters. Fill your bathtub or front-loader washing machine with water. Put containers of water in your freezer, to keep food cold if the power goes out and as another water source. Plan for days of power outages. Protect windows with plywood, heavy blankets or mattresses. Put a mattress between your car and garage roller door to stop it blowing in. Turn off gas, electricity and solar power. Authorities recommend using sandbags to reduce the chance of water getting in. You can get sacks from hardware stores or council-run emergency centres, if available, who also provide sand. You also need plastic sheeting. If there’s a shortage of sand, you can use garden soil or commercial bagged soil. If you can’t get sacks, large plastic shopping bags will do. Tape strong plastic sheeting around the door or low window where water might get in. This is the barrier that actually keeps water out – sandbags keep it in place. Fill sandbags and lay them <a href="https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/during-emergency/sandbags">like bricks</a>. Lay one row, and lay the next row offset for strength. Sandbags are good, but they have limits. There’s little point in piling sandbags higher than about 30 centimetres. If floodwaters edge higher, water will get through. Many people have had the unpleasant experience of having effluent come back up through toilets during cyclones and subsequent flooding. To stop this, cover your toilet with plastic sheeting (directly on the porcelain) and put a sandbag on top for weight. Do the same for any drains where water might flow back up. To reduce water damage, put valuable or important items up high, atop tables or bunk beds or upstairs if you have a second storey. <h2>What will it be like when Alfred hits?</h2> When the cyclone first hits, it can be overwhelming. The sound is like a roaring jet engine. If you haven’t been advised to evacuate by authorities, you will be sheltering in place. This means finding the safest room in the house, to avoid damage from flying objects. Choose the smallest room with the fewest windows – a bathroom or a room under the stairs. Basements are very safe, but will be the first affected by water. As the cyclone picks up intensity, set up inside this safe room with your pets and children. Do not leave this room until you have been told it’s safe by authorities. At the centre of strong cyclones is the eye of the storm, which we experience as a period of sudden calm. People often make the mistake of thinking it’s over. But in fact, it’s just a brief reprieve before the intense winds pick up again. Don’t make the mistake of leaving the house – check with authoritative sources. Cyclone Alfred is a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-05/cyclone-alfred-unusual-triplet-storm-climate-change-factors/105008704">slow-moving cyclone</a>, which means you might be stuck inside for a while. Be prepared to be inside your house for up to 24 hours, even after the worst has passed. This is because there may well be downed powerlines with live electricity, broken glass, falling trees and so on. For your children (and yourself), being in the cyclone is frightening. Young kids find the sound chilling. You can play music through headphones to help soothe them. Board games, books and puzzles can help pass the time. You will need distraction. Have a bucket in the corner for emergency toilet needs. Keep track of the storm and any emerging dangers through your radio and internet-enabled phone (if still functioning). <h2>What if I have to evacuate?</h2> Authorities are working to set up evacuation centres for people whose homes may not be safe. Authorities will go door-to-door to tell affected residents to leave, as well as broadcasting the information on radio and online. You’re more likely to have to evacuate if your house is on low-lying land near the sea, as a storm surge is likely. How much water is pushed ashore will depend on the tide, but it could be as high as 70cm above the high tide line if we’re unlucky. Evacuations can happen after the cyclone too. Alfred is packing a lot of rain – <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/tropical-cyclone-alfred-could-disrupt-afl-and-nrl-matches/1890420">up to a metre</a> in some areas. That’s very likely to cause flooding, both flash floods and rivers breaking their banks. If you are asked to evacuate, you can go to the house of a friend or family member if it’s on higher ground and outside the flood risk zones. Or you can go to a local evacuation centre – check your council website to see where your closest one is. Take as little as possible with you. Many people who choose not to evacuate do so because they’re worried about their pets. This is risky. Some evacuation centres do take pets, so check now. If they don’t, look for other options with friends and family. Staying put after an evacuation order is dangerous. <h2>What will happen after the cyclone?</h2> Cyclone Alfred brings three threats: intense winds, high seas and heavy rain. After the intense winds die down, the seas will be dangerous for days after Alfred. There are coastal hazard warnings for about 1,000km of coastline. Cyclones also often decay into tropical low weather systems, which dump heavy rain for days. This is likely. As you move into recovery phase, don’t relax your guard. In far north Queensland, 16 people have <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-04/melioidosis-death-toll-rises-in-queensland/105009772">now died</a> after being infected with melioidosis, a bacterium found in mud. The bug is <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-an-outbreak-of-melioidosis-in-north-queensland-heres-what-to-know-about-this-deadly-mud-bug-250392">more prevalent</a> after heavy rainfall. Wear protective gear such as gloves and face masks when dealing with water-damaged goods and mud, and pay close attention to the latest advice authorities are giving. But remember – don’t panic. We will get through this.<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/251463/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yetta-gurtner-2337172">Yetta Gurtner</a>, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Centre for Disaster Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/james-cook-university-1167">James Cook University</a> Image credits: LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial 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/dont-panic-do-prepare-why-its-not-too-late-to-plan-for-cyclone-alfred-251463">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

Why you should revisit the classics, even if you were turned off them at school

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/johanna-harris-305384">Johanna Harris</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-catholic-university-747">Australian Catholic University</a> Throughout my school years I had an exuberant, elderly piano teacher, Miss Hazel. She was one of five daughters (like me) and, like many young women of her generation, had never married her sweetheart because he did not return from the war. Her unabashed gusto for life and infectious, positive outlook left an indelible impression upon me. So too did the memorable fact that Miss Hazel read Jane Austen’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/84979.Pride_and_Prejudice">Pride and Prejudice</a> from beginning to end once every year. As a younger girl I wondered about the ways Pride and Prejudice could be so important to a woman in her eighties that she would want to read it annually. Was it to do with Austen’s depiction of a family with five daughters, or to relive an endearing love story? Since those years I have seen, more through lived experience than through academic study, just how deeply meaningful the reading of classic books, like Pride and Prejudice, can be. <figure class="align-left zoomable"></figure> I no longer simply read this book for Elizabeth Bennett’s love story, but for the finely crafted replication Austen gives us of human character, with all its flaws. Hers are imaginary yet imaginably real situations, all depicted with humour and a sensitively calibrated dose of sympathy for even the most unlikeable literary figures. The clergyman Mr Collins, Elizabeth’s distant cousin and her rejected suitor, was always repellent for his obsequiousness but I see more readily now his self-serving nature cloaked in altruism. The haughty snobbery of Darcy’s aristocratic aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, hints at a deeper layer of sadness and fragility only rereading can illuminate. <h2>Box-ticking and speed</h2> When we’re at school or university we may read for speed. I remember managing my reading of Ann Radcliffe’s 432-page gothic romance <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93135.The_Romance_of_the_Forest?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=oU6912stkW&rank=1">The Romance of the Forest</a> to work out how many pages per hour I would need to read across a weekend in order to finish the novel before my university tutorial. (It was an ungodly ratio and I don’t recall much of the novel.) <figure class="align-right zoomable"></figure> Or we may read for the tick-box exercise of writing for assessment requirements: accumulating knowledge of a novel’s original metaphors, descriptions that best capture a prescribed theme (“belonging” or “identity”), or of poetry by which we can demonstrate a grasp of innovative metre. But how and why do we reread classic books, when we are not constrained by class plans or prescribed exam themes. And why should we? <h2>‘Like a graft to a tree’</h2> Rebecca Mead’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20924311-the-road-to-middlemarch?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Cm2E7fwgeL&rank=1">The Road to Middlemarch</a> offers a compelling exploration of one writer’s five-yearly revisitation of George Eliot’s masterpiece, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19089.Middlemarch?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=CRcxE3ftkB&rank=1">Middlemarch</a>. Mead first read the novel at school, and Eliot’s subtitle to the novel, “A Study of Provincial Life”, captured precisely what Mead was trying to escape at that time: provinciality. Eliot’s central character, Dorothea Brooke, captivated Mead as an unconventional intellectual heroine yearning for a life of meaning and significance. Mead marked out important moments with a fluorescent pen, such as when the intellectual and spiritual inadequacies of Dorothea’s husband, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Edward-Casaubon">Casaubon</a>, dawn upon her. Mead writes, quoting Eliot: <blockquote> ‘Now when she looked steadily at her husband’s failure, still more at his possible consciousness of failure, she seemed to be looking along the one track where duty became tenderness […]’ These seemed like things worth holding on to. The book was reading me, as I was reading it. </blockquote> <figure class="align-left zoomable"></figure> This idea of books “reading us” can sound like an odd animism. But books can prompt us to reflect on our own lives, too. Eliot makes Middlemarch almost compulsory to reread later in life: the idealism of youth captures the young reader, while the novel’s humour becomes more sympathetic as we age. To reread a novel like Middlemarch is to trace the ways we too have experienced idealism turn to illusion, or have seen the restless pursuit of change turn to a retrospective gratitude and a recognition of grace. Our ability to acknowledge new depths of meaning in our own lives and to recognise within ourselves a subtler sympathy for the lives of others can be articulated almost as precisely as lived experience itself. As Mead says, “There are books that grow with the reader as the reader grows, like a graft to a tree.” <h2>Feeling for Lear</h2> The same can be said of Shakespeare. As young readers, we won’t necessarily capture the full vision <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12938.King_Lear?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=nowKY1f5aB&rank=1">King Lear</a> offers us of the tragicomic paradoxes sometimes presented by old age. The play depicts the loss of power and control over one’s life and decision-making, the tender fragility of family relationships when the care of aged parents is suddenly an urgent question and the madness that can prevail when an inheritance is at stake. <figure class="align-right zoomable"></figure> Some of these things might abstractly be understood when taught to us in the classroom, but they are far more powerfully seen when revisited after we have lived a little more of that imaginably real life ourselves. As students we might have squirmed with discomfort at the literal blinding of Lear’s loyal subject the Earl of Gloucester (the horror of witnessing a visceral, grotesque injury). But as we age it is the tragedy of moral blindness that lingers, making the final scene so extraordinarily moving: “Do you see this? Look on her. Look, her lips. Look there, look there,” Lear pleads, as if to say that Cordelia, lifeless in his arms, still breathes. Does he really see her lips quiver? Does he really believe she lives? Is this some consolation with which he dies or is it delusion? Lear’s heart is broken. So is mine. Each time I revisit this final scene, the grief of Lear as a father is profoundly felt, but my heart is broken even more so by his continuing blindness; his vision (what he thinks he sees) is desperate, untrue, and ultimately meaningless. <h2>Sites of discovery</h2> When we read we inhabit imaginary worlds and each time the reading can be different. Philip Davis, a professor of literature and psychology <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/reading-and-the-reader-9780199683185?cc=au&lang=en&">has written</a>, <blockquote> Rereading is important in checking and refreshing that sense of meaning, as the reader goes back and re-enters the precise language once again. </blockquote> Davis points to an idea advanced by the novelist and philosopher Iris Murdoch, of the reader’s collection of special, memorable fragments, which serve as metaphors for the reader’s self-utterances, developed over time. These are “nascent sites for thinking and re-centring”. This is a similar idea to the novelist and journalist Italo Calvino’s description in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9814.Why_Read_the_Classics_?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=RALd1Dx5a9&rank=1">Why Read the Classics?</a> of the way classic books “imprint themselves on our imagination as unforgettable” and “hide in the layers of memory disguised as the individual’s or the collective unconscious.” Works of imaginative literature are not manuals for life, though they might along the way gift us with some wisdom; they are sites of discovery and rediscovery. The classic works we are introduced to at school may establish such sites for thinking about ourselves and others, but it is in rereading them as we grow older that we can better see the ways we have grown as imaginative, moral beings.<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/246147/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/johanna-harris-305384">Johanna Harris</a>, Associate Professor, Literature, Western Civilisation Program, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-catholic-university-747">Australian Catholic University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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-you-should-revisit-the-classics-even-if-you-were-turned-off-them-at-school-246147">original article</a>. </div>

Books

From sunscreen to essential oils, why some personal care products could be harmful to your health

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/asit-kumar-mishra-1458839">Asit Kumar Mishra</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-college-cork-1321">University College Cork</a> Each time you apply sunscreen to your face, you may inhale somewhere between <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/11/5944">10 to 30 milligrams of ethanol</a>, the type of alcohol used in alcoholic drinks. While the ethanol in sunscreen may not give you a buzz, it could make you think about what other chemicals you might be exposed to from personal care products. Products that are applied to the face, like sunscreen, can increase the inhalation of some chemicals by ten times or more than you would inhale from your <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34816489/">home air in the entire day</a>. The levels of ethanol in cosmetics and skincare products may be reasonably safe – although it can still dry out the skin, causing pain, redness and swelling, and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ethanol-properties-uses-and-incident-management/ethanol-general-information">irritate the eyes</a>, causing tears, burning and stinging – but personal care products such as shampoos, skin creams, deodorants, cosmetics and perfumes contain fragrances and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can be inhaled, absorbed through skin or ingested and some are more toxic than others. Unfortunately, manufacturers of personal care products <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-015-0327-6">do not have to disclose</a> every fragrance compound used. This is concerning when you consider the potential effects of toxic compounds that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34816489/">have been detected</a> in the air from personal care products. For example, hair-smoothing products have released formaldehyde, a toxic chemical that can cause <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK597627/">a range of symptoms</a> from dermatitis to low sperm count. Some perfumes and deodorants have generated monoterpenes, chemicals which <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8912113/#sec1-molecules-27-01716">can prove toxic</a> for some users. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cfloNXKeyX8?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Some of the VOCs found in personal care products <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36976159/">may trigger</a> skin irritation, headaches – and difficulty breathing, which can develop into an asthma attack in some users. The highest or peak concentration of these VOCs are likely to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22406137/">occur within ten minutes</a> of application. But these concentrations may take up to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34816489/">two hours to decrease to background levels</a>, depending on your home’s ventilation. <h2>Natural doesn’t mean risk free</h2> But even if the levels of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20659630/">VOCs in personal care products</a> are kept <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22406137/">within safe limits</a>, they can still cause discomfort and a variety of health issues, including irritation of the eyes and airways, migraines and asthmatic reactions, in those who’re <a href="https://enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12302-020-00311-y">fragrance sensitive</a>. In the UK, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-018-00655-8">27% of the population</a> self reports as fragrance sensitive. It makes sense then that some people attempt to avoid potentially toxic synthetic chemicals in cosmetics by opting for “natural” or “clean” personal care products. But, <a href="https://enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12302-020-00311-y">natural does not mean safer</a>. For instance, essential oils are often used in “natural” personal care products as fragrance. Essential oils, though, are a source of terpenes, some of which can be <a href="https://www.lung.org/blog/essential-oils-harmful-or-helpful">toxic if absorbed, inhaled or swallowed</a>. Indoor concentration of terpenes are often at levels where you can smell them but not high enough to cause <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28126407/">eye or respiratory tract irritation</a>. However, the terpenes from essential oils can react with other chemicals, such as ozone from outdoor air, producing <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32162221/">byproducts like formaldehyde, a known carcinogen</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22250748/">allergens</a>. <h2>Beauty salon safety</h2> Beauty salons can be particularly risky environments for exposure to VOCs. <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/7/4176">Studies have found</a> contaminants such as formaldehyde, ammonia and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/toluene-properties-incident-management-and-toxicology/toluene-toxicological-overview">toluene</a>, a potentially harmful ingredient used in many personal care products, at high levels in salons, putting staff who work there at the highest risk. Formaldehyde levels in some salons have reached <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31321727/">above safety limits</a>. <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/npi/substances/fact-sheets/methyl-methacrylate#tabs-2">Methyl methacrylate</a>, which can cause skin irritation, allergic reactions and potential <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3072694/">respiratory issues</a> has been <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30276513/">detected in the air of nail salons</a>. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ydRklqO01fE?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> These contaminants are not necessarily limited to the places in a salon <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23765035/">where a certain product is being used</a>. Beauty salons with poor ventilation are likely to expose workers and customers to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29494285/">much higher levels of contaminants</a>. Some of the components of personal care products are known, harmful contaminants and carcinogens. Regulations specifically related to ventilation in environments where large volumes of these products are used do reduce exposures. For instance, studies show that after ventilation regulations came into effect in Boston, US in 2011, the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31622145/">air quality inside nail salons improved</a>. When visiting your nail salon or hair stylist, check with them about their ventilation system and other steps they are taking to reduce exposure to VOCs. To limit exposure to potential VOCs at home when using personal care products, try to open windows and use extractor fans in wet rooms. Be especially careful when applying products to the face or when using a high temperature application – <a href="https://occup-med.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12995-018-0213-x">high temperatures can increase emissions</a>.<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/248273/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/asit-kumar-mishra-1458839">Asit Kumar Mishra</a>, Research Fellow in School of Public of Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-college-cork-1321">University College Cork</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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-sunscreen-to-essential-oils-why-some-personal-care-products-could-be-harmful-to-your-health-248273">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Why physical affection can boost your health

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/viren-swami-241976">Viren Swami</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a> In the opening scene of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9Z3_ifFheQ">Love, Actually</a>, Hugh Grant’s character says how, whenever he gets gloomy with the state of the world, he thinks about the arrivals gate at Heathrow airport. The reason is on screen: we see couples kissing, old friends embracing, children smiling and laughing as they jump into the arms of their parents. Airports are great places to really understand the importance of physical affection – hugging, kissing, cuddling, holding hands, or even just touching. But physical affection is ubiquitous in everyday life, too – and with good reason. Science shows that non-sexual physical affection produces more than just moments of joy – it also <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03637751.2020.1805480?casa_token=DrsRLnkOANAAAAAA:u8gR6dQFL2Jp99tIr3m1Bcm14hc-EwVrbckdpuDX0HyWEBDrzoUcxNYpkCQzXP5oD_IhHqzYo7Fj">benefits</a> our mental and physical health. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PlyMXYys16U?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Physical affection is one of the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1475-6811.1998.tb00157.x?casa_token=Rq8rCHwvKboAAAAA%3AxmDZvSXM6wTZuZzCCotRMro4nC_xcSbnw6Em8Od29q__XfYEhuwW9Iigpr2c8WlZJ_aMY4ng5m-DM40">most direct</a> and important ways that people communicate intimacy in their romantic relationships. And it seems to occur in romantic relationships all over the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167220988373?casa_token=2rLs7-9M9bAAAAAA:UduYJMPaWQmLGFZXW0YcLvaBf-Lor1jITDDSIpqVTtTVuznW7YC89p-Jp0WUtebc2UTE8-ikrrxp&casa_token=2_f_mSXK3YYAAAAA:AkLcZq_uAkQ7HyQL9jCDdubu7zuseAslE864obd1OYUMR1JLq7JPDM3C7lLMJTzDHEnQwgs6kQRi">world</a>, despite cross-cultural differences in ideas of love and romance. People in romantic relationships report more <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10919-018-0281-8">intimate physical affection</a> than singletons. They’re also more comfortable allowing their partners to touch more of their bodies than strangers or friends. For example, most people are comfortable being touched on their <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.1519231112">thighs and abdomen</a> by their partner, but not by other people. Even how we touch our partners is different to how we touch other people. When participants in one study were asked to stroke their partner, a friend, a stranger, or an artificial arm, they did so more <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10919-020-00334-2">slowly</a> with their partner. Slower strokes may may be experienced as more pleasant and <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jsm/article/14/5/645/6973562">erotic</a> than quicker strokes. Even just <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0203039">thinking</a> about physical affection from a partner evokes pleasant and erotic sensations. There is now strong evidence showing that physical contact is associated with better physical and mental health. One <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-01841-8">review</a> of “touch interventions” – think massage – in 212 studies involving more than 13,000 participants found that physical touch benefited everything from sleep patterns to blood pressure to fatigue. Touch interventions were especially helpful in reducing pain, depression and anxiety. <h2>Couple’s therapy</h2> Before you rush off to book yourself a massage, you should know that much of the evidence suggests the strongest benefits come from physical affection with romantic partners. Several studies have found that, in couples, physical affection is associated with a range of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273229711000025?casa_token=ER4aGB-3vusAAAAA:IBMtXZdEpTywjizJ4kwcOPO2HykSwgaK3GS3qYWh5JTYvWJCLW-x1I3IYDYKbzLZ9aX8QIhOLlA">physiological</a> effects, including lower blood pressure and better immune responses. In couples, physical affection is also associated with better psychological <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167213497592?casa_token=_OtVkA13hgkAAAAA%3AU6eWWQLI4CXadtUanBR1PEGBA-Xh8en3plwOayvC4KNF_Ybi8zyzHjheM1m2XWLxjgczoQstUEEbDg&journalCode=pspc">wellbeing</a>. One study found that couples who <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42761-021-00093-3">sleep-touched</a> – cuddling shortly before or after sleep – felt happier and calmer in the morning, which meant they were more likely to enjoy the company of their partners. Physical affection – including <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-013-0190-1?correlationId=bbd6ba1a-a372-4cae-83b3-6d9ba5704f4e&error=cookies_not_supported&code=dc878548-1748-44ed-bf6b-36dd348ea060">kissing</a> and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-014-0305-3">affection after sex</a> – is also associated with greater relationship and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-016-0820-5">sexual satisfaction</a>, and better ratings of one’s relationship overall, which in turn contribute to better psychological wellbeing. And even when conflicts do occur, <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0203522">hugging</a> seems to reduce levels of negative mood in couples. Cuddle up, because there’s more. Receiving physical affection from a partner makes us feel psychologically stronger. One study found that women showed less activation in parts of the brain that respond to threat when <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01832.x">holding their husband’s hand</a>. Even just imagining touch from a partner can increase one’s willingness to take on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022103116302013?via%3Dihub">challenging tasks</a>. Another way to look at this is to examine what happens when we lose physical affection. Studies have shown that “<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ijop.12616">touch deprivation</a>” – the absence of touch – is associated with greater symptoms of depression and anxiety. Indeed, the loss of affection from others during the pandemic <a href="https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/2204">hit many people hard</a>. Among couples, a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10570314.2014.927071?casa_token=D34OY4K-RBIAAAAA:GY-MyGWWcZfOZgOYLmtjYbn3buO5fL1FUiD7whf1fs_aFQPGORTPwOS9Eh0ODdbeRmW32ehtrtntug">lack of physical affection</a> is associated with lower relationship satisfaction, stress, and feelings of loneliness. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ErWfdjdOah8?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> There are several ways in which physical affection provides these benefits. Affectionate touch is known to activate <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/hbm.23679">reward centres</a> of the brain, which boosts our mood and promotes feelings of wellbeing. Touch also stimulates the release of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0163638320301107?casa_token=I6GG0M3UAQEAAAAA:qSsExsEvHY9NHduwUF26okRMUm1Ls-gYHbrVNzaYgMkmS-Ohk2Y5ZvowbF2iWfpa6SO-mw6duuI">oxytocin</a>, which can strengthen social bonds and increase feelings of trust between individuals. It’s for these reasons that oxytocin is sometimes called the “cuddle chemical”. Physical affection also reduces levels of the stress hormone <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.03.011">cortisol</a> and reduces perceived pain, which suppress physiological stress systems. One study found that a ten-minute neck-and-shoulder <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453007000698?casa_token=2Bzr1YblT_wAAAAA:U9SNg8zkf30IXRI9MHpvdrJHJm6SWSbmnwpMu5pmMVElt5xifUTAkaM8Vp3vvOcas9JTUYHZlwQ">massage</a> from one’s partner helped lower cortisol responses, helping to regulate levels of stress. Psychologically, physical affection in romantic relationships is an important way <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167213497592?casa_token=_OtVkA13hgkAAAAA%3AU6eWWQLI4CXadtUanBR1PEGBA-Xh8en3plwOayvC4KNF_Ybi8zyzHjheM1m2XWLxjgczoQstUEEbDg&journalCode=pspc">to keep our emotions under control</a>. Touching one’s partner in a caring manner helps to improve their mood and makes them feel loved, secure, and safe. As feelings of <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-006-9071-1">connection</a>, trust, and belonging are strengthened through non-sexual physical signs of affection, negative effect is reduced and psychological well-being is improved. However, not everyone likes to be touched, even if it is by their romantic partners. Some people are “<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00990960">touch avoidant</a>” – and some people may actually be apprehensive about being touched. For instance, people with avoidant attachment styles – characterised by a discomfort with emotional closeness – often have very <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.05.035">negative views about cuddling</a> and are more <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167295213008">hesitant</a> to touch their partners. Conversely, people with anxious attachment styles – characterised by a fear of abandonment – may desire <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167295213008">more touch</a> than they receive. But when couples have similar touch preferences, it can lead to greater attraction, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0265407520910791?casa_token=Q1265G4ynqsAAAAA%3AWuu40ji4ca-_TKKA7P2CeSqeTTFfYH-Bfz1c0pBUCJ6fD0_twBugXqg3Geon-ncaS2VhjfUTdp9HiQ&journalCode=spra">closeness</a>, and commitment to one another. And if you’re looking for a fun way to incorporate non-sexual physical affection into your relationships, consider home massage. One study found that couples who <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/11/2/33">took turns massaging</a> each other at home felt a deeper connection with each other, and felt more relaxed and less stressed.<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/247858/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/viren-swami-241976">Viren Swami</a>, Professor of Social Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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-physical-affection-can-boost-your-health-247858">original article</a>. </div>

Body

"Why are you attacking my dad?": I'm A Celeb finalist reveals behind-the-scenes heartbreak

The emotional on-air reunion between I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here contestant Matty J and his wife, Laura Byrne, along with their two children, Marlie-Mae and Lola Ellis, was a heartwarming moment <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/abrupt-viewers-stunned-by-i-m-a-celeb-winner-s-reveal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">during Sunday’s finale</a>. However, behind the scenes, Byrne has opened up about the significant challenges she faced while participating in the momentous event. In the lead-up to the finale, Byrne undertook an exhausting journey from Sydney to South Africa with their two young daughters. Speaking on the Life Uncut podcast, she detailed the arduous travel experience, which involved “three separate flights” and 24 hours of transit. “That in itself was really hard," she said. "It was like 24 hours by the time we got door to door. Midnight transfer with two children who were absolutely f***ing ropable.” The long journey was only the beginning of the difficulties though. Upon arrival, Byrne and the children had to share a single room with inadequate sleeping arrangements, all while preparing for a demanding day on set. Byrne also revealed that the experience of managing two young children on a chaotic production set was overwhelming. “I felt like I was the emotional buffer between the children and production … I felt like I’d just been flogged for days. It was hard. It was really hard for me,” she said. During the finale, Matty J and his fellow top three contestants – Big Brother star Reggie Bird and retired NRL player Sam Thaiday – were reunited with their families before participating in the final challenge. While this was an exciting moment for viewers, it was an emotionally challenging experience for the family. Matty J recalled the moment he had to part ways with his children soon after reuniting. “When we had our reunion, it was maybe half an hour I think where we had time together and then they’ve got to pull us apart,” he said. “The kids don’t get it, the kids don’t understand. They’re like, ‘I’ve just met my dad, and then I’ve got to go.’ And then we did that trial where we had to have s**t poured on our heads, and Lola’s in tears being like, ‘Why are you attacking my dad?’” Byrne explained that their children were repeatedly reunited with their father, only to be separated again. This happened three times – during the initial reunion, the final trial and then the announcement of the winner. The constant cycle of emotional reunions and abrupt separations took a toll, particularly on their youngest daughter, Lola. After the winner was announced, Byrne and the children expected Matty J to return home with them, but he was kept on set for several more hours. “They kept Matt on set until 6 o’clock and we went home earlier. And it was so hard on Lola particularly,” Byrne revealed. “And then I had to deal with her big emotions around ‘Why is my daddy not coming home?’ And it felt like this unfair false start.” She admitted that the combination of exhaustion, sleep deprivation and trying to manage the emotional needs of their children made the experience incredibly difficult. Byrne also shared that she had been against Matty J’s participation in the reality show right from the outset. “I wasn’t a supporter of it in the first place,” she admitted, reinforcing that the experience had only confirmed her concerns. Even Matty J himself struggled with the demands of the show. He confessed that he broke down early in his time at camp, an emotional moment that wasn’t shown on TV. “I just burst out crying, and I was like, ‘I f**king cannot do this,’” he recalled, explaining that a moment of solitude while washing dishes left him questioning his decision. “What have I f**king done? This is a nightmare.” It appears that, for the Byrne-Johnson family, what seemed like a joyful televised reunion was, in reality, a deeply exhausting and emotional ordeal. Images: Network 10

Tourists explain why they love “overrated” capital cities

A group of travellers have explained why they love some capital cities that are often dubbed as “overrated”. On a dedicated travel thread on Reddit, one person asked the question, “Which capital city gets a lot of hate that you loved visiting?” which welcomed an influx of responses. A few capital cities were mentioned several times, one of which being the Greece capital of Athens. One Reddit user said they “avoided” Athens for a long time “because all I heard was negativity about it”. However, when they “finally went”, they say they “loved it” and “can't wait to go back”. Another person said they actually “loved” the city's “gritty feel” adding, “Incredible history at every turn, delicious affordable food, fun bars, cool music venues, neighbourhoods full of character and beautiful viewpoints.” Another capital that was mentioned was the Norwegian capital of Oslo, with one person saying the Scandinavian city was perfect for a short getaway. They wrote, “I’m not advising anyone to go for a long time but for a weekend trip, it’s lovely. The seaside is great with lots of beautiful modern architecture, the old town is picturesque, lots of trendy new places to eat and drink, some old castles to walk to and in general a really nice vibe and very walkable.” Washington D.C. was also mentioned with many people defending the city, with one person claiming “it’s generally other Americans who hate it.” One person wrote of the city, “We have great museums, food, way more nature than you’d expect for a city, and incredible music and dance scenes. It’s not just insufferable bureaucracy and politics.” The Belgian capital of Brussels was also mentioned, with the city often copping a lot of flack amongst travellers. However, many were quick to defend the city, as one person wrote,”I loved Brussels, it’s beautiful in places, has amazing museums, great beer, the EU Parliament is really interesting and the Atomium is awesome.” Image credits: Shutterstock

International Travel

‘A virtual seat at the family table’: why older people are among the biggest users of social media

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bernardo-figueiredo-336532">Bernardo Figueiredo</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/torgeir-aleti-92509">Torgeir Aleti</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> The Australian government’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-social-media-ban-for-kids-under-16-just-became-law-how-it-will-work-remains-a-mystery-244736">recent decision to ban under 16s</a> from social media has focused attention on the harms it can cause – especially for young people. But young people are just one segment of the population who use social media. According to the <a href="https://wearesocial.com/au/blog/2024/01/digital-2024/">Digital 2024 report</a>, 78.3% of Australians regularly use platforms such as Facebook and Instagram – mainly for keeping in touch with friends and family. Perhaps surprisingly, a large proportion of these users are older people. For example, the Digital 2024 report also shows that 21.3% of Meta’s ad audience in Australia (on Messenger, Facebook and Instagram) are 55 years or older. This makes it the second largest age group after 25–34 year olds (25.4%). So what does research say about how social media affects older people’s social lives and wellbeing? <h2>The growing presence of older adults on social media</h2> <a href="https://www.digitalinclusionindex.org.au/digital-inclusion-the-australian-context-in-2023/">The digital divide is shrinking</a> as older generations embrace social media. <a href="https://www.benetas.com.au/news/digial-habits-of-older-australians">According to data from earlier this year</a>, more than 70% of Australians aged 65 and older use social media to some degree. <a href="https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/research/surveys_statistics/technology/2023/2023-tech-trends.doi.10.26419-2Fres.00584.001.pdf">Facebook remains the most popular</a> among this demographic, serving as a gateway to reconnect with family and long-lost friends. Beyond reconnecting, <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/313717">our research indicates</a> older adults often use these platforms to share memories, participate in community groups and access news. This growing trend is driven by both internal and external factors. <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/oir-06-2021-0332/full/html">Research shows</a> many older users are motivated by the desire to stay connected with their families, particularly grandchildren, who often share their lives through social media. For others, the COVID pandemic <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-18/are-we-headed-to-a-cashless-economy-post-coronavirus/12244846">accelerated the adoption of digital tools</a>, making social media a lifeline during periods of isolation. <h2>Enhanced connection</h2> <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-02048-7">A recent study</a> found positive associations between internet use and mental health among older adults in 23 countries. Social media, in particular, works by: 1. Maintaining family ties. Social media provides older adults with a virtual seat at the family table. By viewing photos, videos and updates, <a href="https://theconversation.com/video-chats-can-ease-social-isolation-for-older-adults-during-coronavirus-pandemic-135890">they can remain engaged with their loved ones’ lives</a>, no matter the physical distance. Platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are particularly popular for private family group chats, enabling older adults to exchange messages and share moments in real time. 2. Rekindling old friendships. Platforms such as Facebook have proven effective in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10510974.2021.1975143?needAccess=true">reconnecting older adults with long-lost friends</a>. For many, revisiting old relationships provides a sense of nostalgia and belonging. Studies have shown such interactions can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32700541/">bolster feelings of inclusion</a> and reduce loneliness, a significant concern for ageing populations. 3. Building new communities. Social media groups dedicated to specific interests such as gardening, photography or travel offer older adults opportunities to form new connections. <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/jkm-02-2021-0087/full/html">These virtual communities</a> are inclusive spaces where members exchange advice, share experiences and foster friendships based on shared hobbies. <h2>Improved well-being</h2> Social media’s ability to foster connection among older adults <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8465959/#B7-healthcare-09-01143">directly impacts their wellbeing</a>. Regular online interactions can reduce feelings of loneliness and depression, providing a sense of purpose and belonging. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10410236.2020.1859722">Research shows</a> active participation, such as posting photos, is associated with a feeling of competence in older users, which is related to well-being. For some, becoming “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/80-years-old-with-11-million-followers-meet-tiktok-s-granfluencers-20230602-p5ddje.html">grandfluencers</a>” on platforms like Instagram or TikTok introduces an unexpected avenue for creative expression and social influence. Online forums are also gaining traction as a tool for health information and advocacy. <a href="https://www.jmir.org/2013/2/e35">Older adults participate in support groups</a> for chronic conditions, share wellness tips and even engage in civic discussions. This demonstrates social media platforms’ broader potential beyond social interaction. <h2>Online challenges</h2> Despite its benefits, social media is not without challenges for older adults. For some, navigating the complex interface of platforms can be intimidating. <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/9/496">Our research</a> shows half of older adults feel anxious about using communication technologies, with older women experiencing more anxiety than older men. Issues such as <a href="https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2021-08/apo-nid313717.pdf">privacy concerns, misinformation and online scams can also create barriers to engagement</a>. Additionally, while social media facilitates connection, it <a href="https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.18546">cannot replace the depth of face-to-face interactions</a>. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/14413582231187652">Our research</a> shows those with higher digital literacy are more likely to experience the positive effects of social media because of ongoing “self-socialisation” without having to interact with others, which might undermine learning and confidence. For others, initiatives aimed at <a href="https://www.dss.gov.au/improving-digital-skills-older-australians/resource/evaluation-be-connected">improving digital skills among older adults</a> – such as digital mentoring programs – can significantly enhance their confidence and ability to engage safely online. <h2>A bridge and a barrier</h2> Social media can keep older adults connected. But its impact <a href="https://karger.com/ger/article/59/4/378/149065/Social-Media-Use-of-Older-Adults-A-Mini-Review">depends on how it is used</a>. For many, it serves as a vital link to family, friends and new communities, enriching their social lives and reducing isolation. However, to unlock its full potential, addressing barriers such as digital literacy and online safety are crucial. As the world becomes increasingly digital, <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/jsm-12-2022-0393/full/html?skipTracking=true">empowering older adults</a> to engage meaningfully with social media will ensure they remain not only connected but also active participants in a rapidly evolving social landscape.<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/245156/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bernardo-figueiredo-336532">Bernardo Figueiredo</a>, Associate Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/torgeir-aleti-92509">Torgeir Aleti</a>, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/a-virtual-seat-at-the-family-table-why-older-people-are-among-the-biggest-users-of-social-media-245156">original article</a>. </div>

Technology

Why the WHO has recommended switching to a healthier salt alternative

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/xiaoyue-luna-xu-1388807">Xiaoyue (Luna) Xu</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bruce-neal-69">Bruce Neal</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/george-institute-for-global-health-874">George Institute for Global Health</a> This week the <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2025/01/27/default-calendar/launch-of-the-who-guideline-on-the-use-of-lower-sodium-salt-substitutes">World Health Organization</a> (WHO) released new guidelines recommending people switch the regular salt they use at home for substitutes containing less sodium. But what exactly are these salt alternatives? And why is the WHO recommending this? Let’s take a look. <h2>A new solution to an old problem</h2> Advice to eat less salt (sodium chloride) is not new. It has been part of international and Australian guidelines <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.123.21343?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org">for decades</a>. This is because evidence clearly shows the sodium in salt can <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/salt-reduction">harm our health</a> when we eat too much of it. Excess sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure, which affects millions of Australians (around <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/risk-factors/high-blood-pressure/contents/summary">one in three adults</a>). High blood pressure (<a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/high-blood-pressure-hypertension">hypertension</a>) in turn increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, among other conditions. The WHO estimates <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2025/01/27/default-calendar/launch-of-the-who-guideline-on-the-use-of-lower-sodium-salt-substitutes">1.9 million deaths</a> globally each year can be attributed to eating too much salt. The WHO recommends consuming no more than <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/salt-reduction">2g of sodium daily</a>. However people eat on average more than double this, around <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2025/01/27/default-calendar/launch-of-the-who-guideline-on-the-use-of-lower-sodium-salt-substitutes">4.3g a day</a>. In 2013, WHO member states <a href="https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/366393/9789240069985-eng.pdf?sequence=1">committed to reducing</a> population sodium intake <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/09-03-2023-massive-efforts-needed-to-reduce-salt-intake-and-protect-lives">by 30% by 2025</a>. But cutting salt intake has proved very hard. Most countries, including Australia, will not meet the WHO’s goal for reducing sodium intake <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831322004690?via%3Dihub_">by 2025</a>. The WHO has since <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2025/01/27/default-calendar/launch-of-the-who-guideline-on-the-use-of-lower-sodium-salt-substitutes">set the same target for 2030</a>. The difficulty is that eating less salt means accepting a less salty taste. It also requires changes to established ways of preparing food. This has proved too much to ask of people making food at home, and too much for the food industry. <h2>Enter potassium-enriched salt</h2> The main lower-sodium salt substitute is called potassium-enriched salt. This is salt where some of the sodium chloride has been replaced with potassium chloride. Potassium is an <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/potassium">essential mineral</a>, playing a key role in all the body’s functions. The high potassium content of fresh fruit and vegetables is one of the main reasons they’re so good for you. While people are eating more sodium than they should, many don’t get enough potassium. The WHO recommends a daily potassium intake of 3.5g, but on the whole, people in most countries consume significantly <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.123.21343?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org">less than this</a>. Potassium-enriched salt benefits our health by cutting the amount of sodium we consume, and increasing the amount of potassium in our diets. Both help to <a href="https://theconversation.com/this-salt-alternative-could-help-reduce-blood-pressure-so-why-are-so-few-people-using-it-221409">lower blood pressure</a>. Switching regular salt for potassium-enriched salt has been shown to <a href="https://heart.bmj.com/content/108/20/1608">reduce the risk</a> of heart disease, stroke and premature death in large trials around the world. Modelling studies have projected that population-wide switches to potassium-enriched salt use would prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from cardiovascular disease (such as heart attack and stroke) each year in <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m824.long">China</a> and <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.19072?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubme">India</a> alone. The key advantage of switching rather than cutting salt intake is that potassium-enriched salt can be used as a direct one-for-one swap for regular salt. It looks the same, works for seasoning and in recipes, and most people don’t notice any important <a href="https://theconversation.com/this-salt-alternative-could-help-reduce-blood-pressure-so-why-are-so-few-people-using-it-221409">difference in taste</a>. In the <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2105675">largest trial</a> of potassium-enriched salt to date, more than 90% of people were still using the product after five years. <h2>Making the switch: some challenges</h2> If fully implemented, this could be one of the most consequential pieces of advice the WHO has ever provided. Millions of strokes and heart attacks could be prevented worldwide each year with a simple switch to the way we prepare foods. But there are some obstacles to overcome before we get to this point. First, it will be important to balance the benefits and the risks. For example, people with <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.123.21343?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org">advanced kidney disease</a> don’t handle potassium well and so these products are not suitable for them. This is only <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8177747/">a small proportion</a> of the population, but we need to ensure potassium-enriched salt products are labelled with appropriate warnings. A key challenge will be making potassium-enriched salt more affordable and accessible. Potassium chloride is more expensive to produce than sodium chloride, and at present, potassium-enriched salt is mostly sold as a niche health product at a <a href="https://publichealth.jmir.org/2021/7/e27423">premium price</a>. If you’re looking for it, <a href="https://www.georgeinstitute.org/switchthesalt#card-with-text-2166">salt substitutes</a> may also be called low-sodium salt, potassium salt, heart salt, mineral salt, or sodium-reduced salt. A <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8319774/">review published in 2021</a> found low sodium salts were marketed in only 47 countries, mostly high-income ones. Prices ranged from the same as regular salt to almost 15 times higher. An expanded supply chain that produces much more food-grade potassium chloride will be needed to enable wider availability of the product. And we’ll need to see potassium-enriched salt on the shelves next to regular salt so it’s easy for people to find. In countries like Australia, about 80% of the salt we eat comes from <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/nutrition/sodium-salt/salthowmuch">processed foods</a>. The WHO guideline falls short by not explicitly prioritising a switch for the salt used in food manufacturing. Stakeholders working with government to encourage food industry uptake will be essential for maximising the health benefits.<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/248436/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/xiaoyue-luna-xu-1388807">Xiaoyue (Luna) Xu</a>, Scientia Lecturer, School of Population Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bruce-neal-69">Bruce Neal</a>, Executive Director, George Institute Australia, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/george-institute-for-global-health-874">George Institute for Global Health</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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-the-who-has-recommended-switching-to-a-healthier-salt-alternative-248436">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Want your loved ones to inherit your super? Here’s why you can’t afford to skip this one step

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tobias-barkley-1271340">Tobias Barkley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a> What happens to our super when we die? Most Australians have superannuation accounts but about <a href="https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/journals/SydLawRw/2024/10.html#Heading24">one in five</a> of us die before we can retire and actually enjoy that money. If we do die early our money is paid out as super “death benefits”. They can be substantial. Even people who die young can have $200,000–$300,000 of death benefits through <a href="https://moneysmart.gov.au/how-life-insurance-works/insurance-through-super">super life insurance</a>. Death benefits have recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Last week <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/media-releases/mandatory-service-standards-superannuation-industry">the Treasurer Jim Chalmers</a> expressed concern about delays paying out death benefits. <a href="https://lawcouncil.au/resources/submissions/proposed-reform-to-superannuation-death-benefits">The Law Council</a> is concerned people do not have enough control over how death benefits are distributed. <a href="https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/championing-for-molly-perth-mum-s-milestone-in-her-quest-for-justice-20241206-p5kwiu.html">Others are devastated</a> about death benefits being paid to alleged violent partners. <h2>How can you decide who gets your unspent super?</h2> Our first thought might be writing it in our will. However, super is not covered by our will as it does not become part of our <a href="https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/FCA/2001/1535.html">deceased estate</a>. Instead, death benefits are distributed by the trustee of your superannuation fund. Under the law, there are two main mechanisms controlling distribution: <a href="https://www.australiansuper.com/superannuation/access-your-super-early/nominate-a-beneficiary#:%7E:text=A%20binding%20nomination%20instructs%20AustralianSuper,the%20date%20we%20accept%20it.&text=Lapsing%20binding%20nomination%20%E2%80%93%20This%20nomination,date%20you%20sign%20the%20form.">binding nominations</a> and the trustee’s discretion. Every super member has the option to create a binding nomination. It’s like a will for your super that the super trustee is obliged to follow. It also needs two witnesses to execute it. However, there are actually more ways for a binding nomination to fail than for a will to fail. The law only allows you to nominate certain people: your “<a href="https://www.lawsociety.com.au/resources/resources/my-practice-area/elder-law/superannuation-FAQs#collapse_165">dependants</a>” or your estate. If you nominate anyone else your entire nomination stops being binding. Plus, unlike wills, there is no way to fix execution errors. Also, many binding nominations expire after three years. If you don’t have a binding nomination, then the trustee can choose who your death benefit goes to. There are two main mechanisms controlling how the trustee chooses who gets your death benefit. First, <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-03/c2019-t371937-discussion-paper.pdf">legislation</a> requires the trustee to give the death benefit to your dependants or deceased estate before anyone else. This means that your parents, for example, will only receive something if you have no children, partner or other dependants. Second, decisions made by trustees can be disputed by complaining to the <a href="https://www.afca.org.au/">Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA)</a>. The authority has a rigid approach to who should get death benefits and trustees usually follow this course of action. <a href="https://openjournals.library.sydney.edu.au/SLR/article/view/20199">Research I’ve done with Xia Li</a> of La Trobe University reveals what AFCA does in practice. Most crucially, people’s wishes expressed in non-binding nominations were essentially ignored. Our research found there was no statistically significant association between being nominated in a non-binding nomination and receiving any of the death benefit. This was true even for recent nominations. Other factors the complaints authority ignores are family violence and financial need. In one case, five daughters provided evidence, including a police report, that their deceased mother was a victim of violence perpetrated by her new partner. <a href="https://service02.afca.org.au/CaseFiles/FOSSIC/701195.pdf">In keeping with the Federal Court, AFCA gave the alleged perpetrator</a> everything because he alone would have benefited from the deceased’s finances if she had lived. In another case, <a href="https://service02.afca.org.au/CaseFiles/FOSSIC/874050.pdf">the deceased’s adult son received nothing</a> despite living with disability and “doing it tough”. He had refused financial help so was not financially dependent. AFCA gave everything to the partner. AFCA ignores these factors because of one key issue. It places “<a href="https://service02.afca.org.au/CaseFiles/FOSSIC/832049.pdf">great weight</a>” on whether beneficiaries are financially dependent on the deceased. This means when choosing between a financial dependent – such as a new partner who shares home expenses with the deceased, and non-financial dependants, such as most adult children – AFCA will almost always give everything to the spouse. Relying on financial dependence can be arbitrary. Unlike in family law, a de facto partner <a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/consol_act/sia1993473/s10.html#spouse">does not need to be living with you for two years</a> before becoming entitled. For example, <a href="https://service02.afca.org.au/CaseFiles/FOSSIC/753556.pdf">in one case AFCA gave a partner of possibly only seven months</a> (and 41 years younger than the deceased) everything and the deceased’s three children aged 27–33 nothing. Also, AFCA treats any regular payment that supports daily living as financial dependence. For example, <a href="https://service02.afca.org.au/CaseFiles/FOSSIC/714258.pdf">a son paying A$100 a week board to parents means both parents are financially dependent on the son</a>. In another case, payments from the deceased to his brother of $5,000, $7,000 and $5,000 made over a year <a href="https://service02.afca.org.au/CaseFiles/FOSSIC/842323.pdf">was not financial dependence because they were irregular</a>. The whole process is slow. The average time it takes to resolve a death benefit case that goes to AFCA is nearly <a href="https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/journals/SydLawRw/2024/10.html#Heading248">three years and the longest case I’ve seen took over six</a>. The only thing that you can do that will make a difference is execute a binding nomination; non-binding nominations are worthless. But take care to execute your binding nomination correctly (get legal advice) and leave reminders for yourself to review it every three years.<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/248019/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tobias-barkley-1271340">Tobias Barkley</a>, Lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/want-your-loved-ones-to-inherit-your-super-heres-why-you-cant-afford-to-skip-this-one-step-248019">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Why we get less narcissistic with age

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ava-green-1396648">Ava Green</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/city-st-georges-university-of-london-1047">City St George's, University of London</a> There’s a perception that today’s youth are extremely narcissistic – fame-obsessed, selfish and vain. In fact, studies show this is <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/2167696814522620?journalCode=eaxa">a common view</a> of young people, regardless of the times we live in. But are young people really more narcissistic? New research reveals that, as people age, <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2025-00409-001.html">they do tend to become less narcissistic</a>. Narcissism is a complex, <a href="https://theconversation.com/narcissism-why-its-less-obvious-in-women-than-in-men-but-can-be-just-as-dangerous-231392">multi-dimensional personality trait</a>, which captures features beyond vanity and self-absorption. Emerging <a href="https://doi.org/10%20.1177/09637214211044109">research</a> suggests there are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12464">three different features</a> (called “dimensions”) of narcissism: agentic, antagonistic and neurotic. Agentic narcissism involves the need for admiration and feelings of superiority. Antagonistic narcissism is characterised by the exploitation of, and a lack of empathy towards, other people. Finally, neurotic narcissism refers to being sensitive and having difficulties regulating one’s emotions. In order to fully understand how narcissism develops, the new study looked at all the three features. They analysed data from 51 longitudinal studies (meaning studies which follow participants over time), all of which measured how participants’ levels of narcissism changed. The researchers coded whether each study measured one or more of three different dimensions of narcissism. To select the studies, the team used the American Psychiatric Association (APA) PsychInfo database of papers, searching for terms including “narcissism” and “narcissistic”. Each article was reviewed by two coders who were not part of the research team. The coders independently selected the studies based on details including sample size, gender ratio, measurement used, and the country in which the sample was collected. This robust procedure generated a large dataset which comprised of 37,247 participants (52% female) ranging from ages eight to 77 years. The majority of the participants were from western Europe, the US and Canada. Overall, the researchers found that all three dimensions of narcissism declined across the life span. There was a small decline for agentic narcissism and a moderate reduction for antagonistic and neurotic narcissism. The rate of change did not differ based on gender, age or birth cohort. Interestingly, the researchers also found that people’s narcissism relative to that of their peers remained consistent over the life span. In other words, people who were more narcissistic than average as children remained more narcissistic than average as adults. <h2>Changing roles</h2> What, then, are the mechanisms involved in people becoming less narcissistic as they go through life? One possible factor is to do with changing social roles across our lifespan. It is important to remember that narcissism exists along a spectrum, with the lower end being helpful (a healthy balance of self-esteem and confidence) and the higher end being unhelpful and malignant (fluctuating self-esteem, aggression and lack of empathy). It is possible that our <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2008-11667-014">personalities adapt</a> when we make the transition into adulthood – which involves important individual and social responsibilities such as commitment to a relationship, leadership roles, or becoming a parent. After all, it is hard to successfully look after children or managing other people if you are too focused on yourself. Even in old age, narcissism continues to decline. That may be because people tend to follow paths which encourages altruistic values as opposed to egoistic values, such as commitment to their family and grandchildren. By this age, most people have probably also learned the hard way the punishing consequences of being hostile to others. This view is supported by <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2008.00543.x">other research</a> suggesting that people develop more mature personality features in general over time, including becoming more emotionally stable, conscientious (hardworking and dutiful) and agreeable (kind and altruistic). As narcissism is considered to be the opposite of maturity, we expect, in theory, that features of narcissism (particularly the antagonistic and neurotic dimensions) to decrease across the life span. However, narcissism can increase over time in some people. Research shows that some aspects of narcissism, such as exploitation of others and lack of empathy, can increase when people assume positions of power. This is <a href="https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2006.00226.x">particularly relevant</a> at work and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886920304360">in relationships</a>. And let’s not forget that some people are simply just more narcissistic than others. Just because you’re 70 doesn’t mean you can’t be self-centered, it just means you might be less narcissistic than you once were. This may be partly down to genetics, but it may also be the case that certain environments exacerbate existing features of narcissism. For instance, certain parenting styles – including being neglectful, overprotective, and/or providing excessive praise by putting the child on a pedestal – have <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886920304359">all been linked</a> to children developing narcissism in adulthood, suggesting a good balance is key. It is important to understand more fully how narcissism changes across life. That is not least because we know that it can have a detrimental effects on the individual and the people around them.<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/234437/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ava-green-1396648">Ava Green</a>, Lecturer in Forensic Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/city-st-georges-university-of-london-1047">City St George's, University of London</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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-we-get-less-narcissistic-with-age-234437">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

From the Big Bogan to Larry the Lobster, why do towns build Big Things?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-clarke-248726">Amy Clarke</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-sunshine-coast-1068">University of the Sunshine Coast</a> Big Things first appeared in Australia in the 1960s, beginning with the <a href="https://sahistoryhub.history.sa.gov.au/things/big-scotsman/">Big Scotsman</a> (1962) in Medindie, South Australia, the <a href="https://bigbanana.com">Big Banana</a> (1964) in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, and the <a href="https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/country-nsw/the-murray/tocumwal/attractions/big-murray-cod">Big Murray Cod</a> (1968) in Tocumwal, NSW. These structures were inspired by earlier North American examples, such as <a href="https://lucytheelephant.org">Lucy the Elephant</a> (1882) in New Jersey, and several <a href="https://www.laconservancy.org/learn/historic-places/randys-donuts/">big doughnuts in California</a>. While they differed in subject matter, all aimed to attract the attention of passing motorists: in the 1950s–1960s, private car ownership had soared and highway construction spread. Towns and regions across Australia, <a href="https://ourwayoflife.co.nz/11-iconic-big-thing-statues-around-new-zealand/">New Zealand</a> and North America used oversized landmarks to get travellers to stop, take a photo and hopefully spend money at local businesses. As awareness of these giant landmarks grew, so did the desire of other communities to have their own. Within a few decades, Australia’s Big Things had become a beloved fixture of road trips and summer holidays. <h2>A big cultural impact</h2> <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14443058.2022.2144928">My research</a> shows the number of Big Things being constructed in Australia hit an initial peak in the 1980s before experiencing a temporary decline. By the 2000s, however, towns as far afield as Tully in Queensland (<a href="https://www.australiantraveller.com/qld/big-gumboot/">Big Golden Gumboot</a>), Cressy in Tasmania (<a href="https://www.aussietowns.com.au/town/cressy-tas">Big Trout</a>), and Exmouth in Western Australia (<a href="https://www.exmouth.wa.gov.au/news/exmouths-iconic-and-much-loved-crustacean-is-back/358">Big Prawn</a>) were reviving the tradition. Soon, Big Things became firmly entrenched in Australian popular culture: featuring on limited edition <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/sunshine-coast/redheads-pay-homage-to-icons/news-story/219026f222830073f4db107759e1145c">Redheads matchboxes</a> (2010), and on sets of <a href="https://australiapostcollectables.com.au/stamp-issues/aussie-big-things">Australia Post stamps </a>(2007 and 2023). But some of the older structures experienced declining popularity: the Big Wool Bales in Hamilton, Victoria (closed 2020), Victoria’s Giant Gippsland Earth Worm in Bass (closed 2020) and the Big Cask Wine in Mourquong, NSW (closed 2012), survive only in holiday photos and people’s memories. Icons like Larry the Lobster (Kingston, SA), the Big Prawn (Ballina, NSW), and the Big Pineapple (Nambour, Queensland) have battled <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/30/world/australia/larry-lobster-big-things-sale.html">changes in ownership</a>, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-09-24/council-votes-to-sink-big-prawn/1441452">threat of demolition</a>, and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/aug/24/big-pineapple-reopen-queensland-woombye-history">closure</a>. Despite these challenges, and debates over heritage conservation, construction of these giant landmarks has not slowed. <a href="https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/outback-nsw/cobar-area/nyngan/attractions/big-bogan">The Big Bogan</a> was erected in 2015 in Nyngan, NSW, by community members who were eager to encourage visitors to the area. A local progress association in the small town of Thallon in Queensland unveiled William the <a href="https://www.stgeorgeregion.com.au/listing/william-the-wombat/">Big Wombat</a> in 2018, also with the aim to bring attention to the area. Similar hopes were held for the <a href="https://www.queensland.com/au/en/things-to-do/attractions/p-5f72991d4390bc7c02ab8547-the-big-melon">Big Watermelon</a> erected in 2018 (Chinchilla, Queensland), and the Big Tractor (Carnamah, WA) <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-05/midwest-wa-town-carnamah-unveils-worlds-biggest-tractor/104388496">which opened this year</a>. Through my research, I spoke with many people involved with projects such as these, and they said they’d selected objects that were iconic to their area. This could be a product they specialise in, a local native animal, or, in the case of the Big Bogan, a joke based on the name of nearby Bogan River. Most builders openly acknowledge their primary motivation is to promote the region, attract tourist dollars and investment, and revive towns that have seen better days. But do Big Things actually achieve these goals? Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. <h2>An economic return?</h2> Local economies are complex, as are the reasons people choose to visit. Many Big Things are constructed on the sides of highways that connect Australia’s numerous regional towns. People who stop for photos may not set out with the goal of visiting that Big Thing – it may simply be convenient to take a break there while on the way somewhere else. And if people do stop, it doesn’t guarantee they will spend more than the cost of filling up their car with petrol, if that. Over the years, tourism researchers have developed <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1447677021000322">several different models </a>for calculating the impact of rural and regional tourism on local economies. However, none of these approaches has proven to be universally effective. Most scholars agree tourists aren’t likely to travel long distances <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21568316.2019.1673811">for any one reason</a>. They will consider a range of factors including food and accommodation, and the closeness of numerous attractions. In other words: building a Big Thing won’t guarantee a sustained increase in tourism to the area on its own. Communities should factor this in when considering erection of a Big Thing, especially given the cost of construction. The Big Mango in Bowen <a href="http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-big-mango">reportedly cost $A90,000</a> when it was built in 2002, while the organisers of the Big Tractor in Carnamah <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-05/midwest-wa-town-carnamah-unveils-worlds-biggest-tractor/104388496">raised more than $600,000</a> to cover its price tag. The spread of social media and easy access to media outlets via the internet offers communities another reason to build Big Things, however. Australians are not the only ones fascinated by Big Things, and when a new one is unveiled — or an existing one goes “missing”, as <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-26324023">the Big Mango did in 2014</a> — it is often covered by the press and then shared online. These giant landmarks are also highly “Instagrammable”: <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3039474/The-20-hottest-Australian-attractions-Instagram-revealed-spectacular-Sydney-Opera-House-Twelve-Apostles-don-t-forget-Big-Banana.html">a 2015 survey</a> revealed that six of Australia’s 20 most Instagrammed tourist attractions were Big Things. This sort of coverage doesn’t necessarily guarantee the long-term revival of a town’s economy. But it can help to remind people of the town’s existence, and it gives locals a memorable image on which to build.<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/241129/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-clarke-248726">Amy Clarke</a>, Senior Lecturer in History, specialising in built heritage and material culture, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-sunshine-coast-1068">University of the Sunshine Coast</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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-the-big-bogan-to-larry-the-lobster-why-do-towns-build-big-things-241129">original article</a>. </div>

Domestic Travel

How we diagnose and define obesity is set to change – here’s why, and what it means for treatment

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-baur-5284">Louise Baur</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-b-dixon-11630">John B. Dixon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/priya-sumithran-1529047">Priya Sumithran</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wendy-a-brown-1665">Wendy A. Brown</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> Obesity is <a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/adult-overweight-obesity/health-risks#:%7E:text=Having%20overweight%20or%20obesity%20increases,the%20cells%20in%20your%20body">linked to</a> many common diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease and knee osteoarthritis. Obesity is currently defined using a person’s body mass index, or BMI. This is <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight">calculated</a> as weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of height (in metres). In people of European descent, the BMI for obesity is 30 kg/m² and over. But the risk to health and wellbeing is not determined by weight – and therefore BMI – alone. We’ve been part of a global collaboration that has spent the past two years discussing how this should change. Today we publish how we think obesity should be defined and why. As we outline in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/clinical-obesity">The Lancet</a>, having a larger body shouldn’t mean you’re diagnosed with “clinical obesity”. Such a diagnosis should depend on the level and location of body fat – and whether there are associated health problems. <h2>What’s wrong with BMI?</h2> The risk of ill health depends on the relative percentage of fat, bone and muscle making up a person’s body weight, as well as where the fat is distributed. Athletes with a relatively high muscle mass, for example, may have a higher BMI. Even when that athlete has a BMI over 30 kg/m², their higher weight is due to excess muscle rather than excess fatty tissue. People who carry their excess fatty tissue <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2017-09-06/waist-size-why-it-matters-and-when-its-a-risk/8839708">around their waist</a> are at greatest risk of the health problems associated with obesity. Fat stored deep in the abdomen and around the internal organs can release damaging molecules into the blood. These can then <a href="https://theconversation.com/body-fat-deep-below-the-surface-is-a-toxic-risk-especially-for-your-heart-146307">cause problems</a> in other parts of the body. But BMI alone does not tell us whether a person has health problems related to excess body fat. People with excess body fat don’t always have a BMI over 30, meaning they are not investigated for health problems associated with excess body fat. This might occur in a very tall person or in someone who tends to store body fat in the abdomen but who is of a “healthy” weight. On the other hand, others who aren’t athletes but have excess fat may have a high BMI but no associated health problems. BMI is therefore an imperfect tool to help us diagnose obesity. <h2>What is the new definition?</h2> The goal of the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36878238">Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Commission on the Definition and Diagnosis of Clinical Obesity </a> was to develop an approach to this definition and diagnosis. The commission, established in 2022 and led from King’s College London, has brought together 56 experts on aspects of obesity, including people with lived experience. The commission’s <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/clinical-obesity">definition and new diagnostic criteria</a> shifts the focus from BMI alone. It incorporates other measurements, such as waist circumference, to confirm an excess or unhealthy distribution of body fat. We define two categories of obesity based on objective signs and symptoms of poor health due to excess body fat. 1. Clinical obesity A person with clinical obesity has signs and symptoms of ongoing organ dysfunction and/or difficulty with day-to-day activities of daily living (such as bathing, going to the toilet or dressing). There are 18 diagnostic criteria for clinical obesity in adults and 13 in children and adolescents. These include: <ul> <li> breathlessness caused by the effect of obesity on the lungs </li> <li> obesity-induced heart failure </li> <li> raised blood pressure </li> <li> fatty liver disease </li> <li> abnormalities in bones and joints that limit movement in children. </li> </ul> 2. Pre-clinical obesity A person with pre-clinical obesity has high levels of body fat that are not causing any illness. People with pre-clinical obesity do not have any evidence of reduced tissue or organ function due to obesity and can complete day-to-day activities unhindered. However, people with pre-clinical obesity are generally at higher risk of developing diseases such as heart disease, some cancers and type 2 diabetes. <h2>What does this mean for obesity treatment?</h2> Clinical obesity is a disease requiring access to effective health care. For those with clinical obesity, the focus of health care should be on improving the health problems caused by obesity. People should be offered evidence-based treatment options after discussion with their health-care practitioner. <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01210-8/abstract">Treatment</a> will <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(22)00047-X/fulltext">include</a> management of obesity-associated complications and may include specific obesity treatment aiming at decreasing fat mass, such as: <ul> <li> support for <a href="https://www.obesityevidencehub.org.au/collections/treatment/behavioural-interventions-for-the-management-of-overweight-and-obesity-in-adults">behaviour change</a> <a href="https://www.obesityevidencehub.org.au/collections/treatment/managing-overweight-and-obesity-in-children-and-adolescents">around</a> diet, physical activity, sleep and screen use </li> <li> obesity-management medications to reduce appetite, lower weight and <a href="https://www.obesityevidencehub.org.au/collections/treatment/medication-and-surgery-for-the-treatment-of-overweight-and-obesity-in-adults">improve health</a> outcomes such as blood glucose (sugar) and blood pressure </li> <li> metabolic <a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-about-bariatric-surgery-for-weight-loss-heres-what-to-consider-184153">bariatric surgery</a> to treat obesity or reduce weight-related health complications. </li> </ul> <h2>Should pre-clinical obesity be treated?</h2> For those with pre-clinical obesity, health care should be about risk-reduction and prevention of health problems related to obesity. This may require health counselling, including support for health behaviour change, and monitoring over time. Depending on the person’s individual risk – such as a family history of disease, level of body fat and changes over time – they may opt for one of the obesity treatments above. Distinguishing people who don’t have illness from those who already have ongoing illness will enable personalised approaches to obesity prevention, management and treatment with more appropriate and cost-effective allocation of resources. <h2>What happens next?</h2> These new criteria for the diagnosis of clinical obesity will need to be adopted into national and international clinical practice guidelines and a range of obesity strategies. Once adopted, training health professionals and health service managers, and educating the general public, will be vital. Reframing the narrative of obesity may help eradicate misconceptions that contribute to stigma, including making false assumptions about the health status of people in larger bodies. A better understanding of the biology and health effects of obesity should also mean people in larger bodies are not blamed for their condition. People with obesity or who have larger bodies should expect personalised, evidence-based assessments and advice, free of stigma and blame.<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/245164/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-baur-5284">Louise Baur</a>, Professor, Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-b-dixon-11630">John B. Dixon</a>, Adjunct Professor, Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/priya-sumithran-1529047">Priya Sumithran</a>, Head of the Obesity and Metabolic Medicine Group in the Department of Surgery, School of Translational Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wendy-a-brown-1665">Wendy A. Brown</a>, Professor and Chair, Monash University Department of Surgery, School of Translational Medicine, Alfred Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/how-we-diagnose-and-define-obesity-is-set-to-change-heres-why-and-what-it-means-for-treatment-245164">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Why do some people’s hair and nails grow quicker than mine?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-moscova-310728">Michelle Moscova</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> Throughout recorded history, our hair and nails played an important role in signifying who <a href="https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/gender-culture-and-social-constructs-in-body-focused-repetitive-behaviors">we are and our social status</a>. You could say, they separate the caveman from businessman. It was no surprise then that many of us found a new level of appreciation for our hairdressers and nail artists during the COVID lockdowns. Even Taylor Swift reported <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/taylor-swift-reveals-shes-cutting-hair-covid-19/story?id=74757540&t">she cut her own hair during lockdown</a>. So, what would happen if all this hair and nail grooming got too much for us and we decided to give it all up. Would our hair and nails just keep on growing? The answer is yes. The hair on our head grows, on average, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9917549/">1 centimeter per month</a>, while our fingernails grow an average of just <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11436330/">over 3 millimetres</a>. When left unchecked, our hair and nails can grow to impressive lengths. Aliia Nasyrova, known as the Ukrainian Rapunzel, holds the world record for the longest locks on a living woman, which measure an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TdlEIQdVwo&t=81s">impressive 257.33 cm</a>. When it comes to record-breaking fingernails, Diana Armstrong from the United States holds that record <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwql937j-7Q">at 1,306.58 cm</a>. Most of us, however, get regular haircuts and trim our nails – some with greater frequency than others. So why do some people’s hair and nails grow more quickly? <h2>Remind me, what are they made out of?</h2> Hair and nails are made mostly from keratin. Both grow from matrix cells below the skin and grow through different patterns of cell division. Nails grow steadily from the matrix cells, which sit under the skin at the base of the nail. These cells divide, pushing the older cells forward. As they grow, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5383514/">the new cells slide</a> along the nail bed – the flat area under the fingernail which looks pink because of its rich blood supply. A hair also starts growing from the matrix cells, eventually forming the visible part of the hair – the shaft. The hair shaft grows from a root that sits under the skin and is wrapped in a sac known as the hair follicle. This sac has a nerve supply (which is why it hurts to pull out a hair), oil-producing glands that lubricate the hair and a tiny muscle that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546248/">makes your hair stand up</a> when it’s cold. At the follicle’s base is the hair bulb, which contains the all-important hair papilla that supplies blood to the follicle. Matrix cells near the papilla divide to produce new hair cells, which then harden and form the hair shaft. As the new hair cells are made, the hair is pushed up above the skin <a href="https://www.jidonline.org/article/S0022-202X(15)41553-2/fulltext">and the hair grows</a>. But the papilla also plays an integral part in regulating hair growth cycles, as it sends signals to the stem cells to move to the base of the follicle and form a hair matrix. Matrix cells then get signals to divide and start a new growth phase. <h2>Unlike nails, our hair grows in cycles</h2> Scientists have identified <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9917549/">four phases of hair growth</a>, the: <ol> <li> anagen or growth phase, which lasts between two and eight years </li> <li> catagen or transition phase, when growth slows down, lasting around two weeks </li> <li> telogen or resting phase, when there is no growth at all. This usually lasts two to three months </li> <li> exogen or shedding phase, when the hair falls out and is replaced by the new hair growing from the same follicle. This starts the process all over again. </li> </ol> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/637402/original/file-20241210-15-gtv259.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/637402/original/file-20241210-15-gtv259.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=308&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/637402/original/file-20241210-15-gtv259.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=308&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/637402/original/file-20241210-15-gtv259.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=308&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/637402/original/file-20241210-15-gtv259.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=387&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/637402/original/file-20241210-15-gtv259.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=387&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/637402/original/file-20241210-15-gtv259.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=387&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Stages of hair growth graphic" /><figcaption>Hair follicles enter these phases at different times so we’re not left bald. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/stages-hair-growth-cycle-vector-isolated-2433656865">Mosterpiece/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> Each follicle goes through this cycle <a href="https://www.longdom.org/open-access/a-note-on-the-human-hair-follicle-from-the-origin-to-the-death-93871.html?t">10–30 times in its lifespan</a>. If all of our hair follicles grew at the same rate and entered the same phases simultaneously, there would be times when we would all be bald. That doesn’t usually happen: at any given time, only one in ten hairs is in the resting phase. While we lose about <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9917549/">100–150 hairs daily</a>, the average person has <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9917549/">100,000 hairs</a> on their head, so we barely notice this natural shedding. <h2>So what affects the speed of growth?</h2> Genetics is the most significant factor. While hair growth rates vary between individuals, they tend to be <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4201279/">consistent among family members</a>. Nails are also influenced by genetics, as siblings, especially identical twins, tend to have <a href="https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-26594-0_121-1">similar nail growth rates</a>. But there are also other influences. <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9917549/">Age makes a difference</a> to hair and <a href="https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-26594-0_121-1">nail</a> growth, even in healthy people. Younger people generally have faster growth rates because of the slowing metabolism and cell division that comes with ageing. <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7432488/">Hormonal changes</a> can have an impact. Pregnancy often <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7432488/">accelerates</a> hair and nail growth rates, while menopause and high levels of the stress hormone cortisol can <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7432488/">slow growth rates</a>. Nutrition also changes <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6380979/">hair</a> and <a href="https://ijdvl.com/nails-in-nutritional-deficiencies/?t">nail</a> strength and growth rate. While hair and nails are made mostly of keratin, they also contain water, fats and various minerals. As hair and nails keep growing, these minerals need to be replaced. That’s why a balanced diet that includes sufficient nutrients to support your hair and nails is essential for maintaining their health. Nutrient deficiencies may contribute to hair loss and nail breakage by disrupting their growth cycle or weakening their structure. Iron and zinc deficiencies, for example, have both been linked to <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6380979/">hair loss</a> and <a href="https://ijdvl.com/nails-in-nutritional-deficiencies/?t">brittle nails</a>. This may explain why thick hair and strong, well-groomed nails have long been associated with perception of good health and high status. However, not all perceptions are true. <h2>No, hair and nails don’t grow after death</h2> A persistent myth that may relate to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/vampire">the legends of vampires</a> is that hair and nails continue to grow after we die. In reality, they only appear to do so. As the body dehydrates after death, the skin shrinks, making hair and nails <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2151163/">seem longer</a>. Morticians are well aware of this phenomenon and some <a href="https://www.adomonline.com/mortuary-man-reveals-how-he-handles-nails-of-the-dead/?t">inject tissue filler</a> into the deceased’s fingertips to minimise this effect. So, it seems that living or dead, there is no escape from the never-ending task of caring for our hair and nails.<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/241556/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-moscova-310728">Michelle Moscova</a>, Adjunct Associate Professor, Anatomy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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-do-some-peoples-hair-and-nails-grow-quicker-than-mine-241556">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Why the royal family is set to receive an eye-watering pay increase

The members of the British royal family are set to receive a record-breaking pay increase, funded by British taxpayers. From April 2025, the amount the royals will receive from the Sovereign Grant - funded by the UK’s public purse – will jump by a whopping £45 million (A$88 million), to £132 million ($260 million). Not everyone is happy about this enormous pay increase, as CEO of Republic Graham Smith said that while the UK remains in the clutches of the cost of living crisis, it is not the time for such a hefty increase to one of the richest families in the world. “This is public money, all of this money comes from the government, at a time when the government is not able to properly fund schools, hospitals police … It is scandalous,” Smith told <a href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a63330811/british-royal-family-money-finances-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Town & Country</a>. “Not only should it not be going up at all, it should be going down.” The increase was first announced last year, with Buckingham Palace officials saying at the time that a huge chunk of that extra cash will be put towards the £369 million ($728 million) bill for long-planned, necessary Palace renovations. The exact amount that is being allocated from this year’s Grant for the work has not been made public. The Grant was established in 2012 in order to help the royal family pay for expenses related to their official duties, with the vast majority usually spent on property maintenance and staffing. When the Grant first came into effect, there were many more working royals which required a larger pool of funding. Now that the royal roster has been stripped back, royal author Richard Palmer believes the public is now “getting less for their money”. He told Town & Country, “I do think that the monarchy in general does a good job for the country and is part of the glue that binds us all together but that doesn’t mean that as an institution, as individuals, they should be able to avoid criticism. They are not above scrutiny.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Why one pizza shop is charging almost $200 for a divisive topping

A trendy pizzeria is charging customers almost $200 AUD for one divisive pizza topping as they reignite the debate of putting pineapple on pizza. Lupa Pizza in Norwich in the UK have reluctantly added Hawaiian pizza to their menu, but the ham and pineapple combo comes with a catch. Diners will be charged £100 ($198 AUD) for it, with the restaurant taking to social media to share the news of the hefty price. "🍍🍕 Pineapple on pizza — love it or hate it?" they wrote. "We're not so keen, but if you are, it's now on our Deliveroo menu for £100 ($198). 🤷‍♂️” "Order the champagne too! Go on, you monster!" they added. The restaurant's owner and chef have defended the cost for a simple reason: their shared dislike of pineapple on pizza. "I absolutely loathe pineapple on a pizza," Francis Woolf, the co-owner of Lupa Pizza, told the Norwich Evening News. Head chef Quin Jianoran agreed, adding, "I love a piña colada, but pineapple on pizza? Never. I'd rather put a bloody strawberry on one than that tropical menace.” Their views, however, are not shared with the majority of the British public. In the most recent YouGov survey on the subject, 53 percent of Britons admitted they enjoyed the taste of pineapple on pizza, while 41 percent of people do not. Lupa agreed to feature the Hawaiian special on its main menu if the people of Norwich voted in favour of the combination in an online poll, which closes on January 24th. “If pineapple wins the vote, I’ll make it,” said Mr Jianoran. “But I won’t be happy about it. And I might charge £200 next time.” Image credits: Instagram

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Why do some people’s hair and nails grow quicker than mine?

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Why one pizza shop is charging almost $200 for a divisive topping

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