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Britney Spears’ memoir is a reminder of the stigma and potential damage of child stardom

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jane-oconnor-1483447">Jane O’Connor</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/birmingham-city-university-920">Birmingham City University</a> Britney Spears’ new memoir, The Woman in Me, illustrates once again the potential lifelong damage that can be caused by being a child star. Like many before her, including <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Judy-Garland">Judy Garland</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michael-Jackson">Michael Jackson</a>, Spears was ushered into the dangerous terrain of childhood fame by the adults who were supposed to be protecting her, and was utterly unprepared to deal with the fallout. Spears’ <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53494405">father’s conservatorship</a>, controlling every aspect of her personal and professional life, was finally rescinded in 2021. She is now able to share the details of her extraordinary years in the limelight and beyond. From a sociological perspective, childhood is considered socially constructed. This means that there are specific ways of raising children which are socially and culturally defined. We discard these conventions surrounding the early years of life at our peril. The boundaries and rules around what is and is not acceptable during childhood, and the normal activities and institutions that shape the experience of being a child have developed over the centuries for a reason – to try and keep children safe from the harsh realities of the adult world. Being sexualised and valued for your appearance, being paid to work, having to deal with criticism and unwanted attention from strangers – these are all difficult aspects of growing up. Children and teens need careful support and guidance if they are to navigate safely into their adult lives and identities. The experience of childhood fame throws aside this social safety net for children in every possible way, and the consequences can be disastrous. <h2>The price of child fame</h2> From the earliest child stars of Hollywood’s golden age, through the television sitcoms and shows of the mid-20th century, the rise of the pop and film industries in the following decades and the burst in popularity of reality TV and talent shows of the early 21st century, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17482798.2011.584378">children have always featured</a>. Many have paid a heavy price for their often short period of fame. Sad stories of <a href="https://www.or-nc.com/why-do-child-stars-become-addicted-to-drugs/">drug and alcohol addiction</a>, <a href="https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/11/02/uncle-fester-star-jackie-coogans-tragic-life-child-fortune-to-horror-crash">family disputes</a>, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/child-actors-who-became-criminals/nathan-gibso">criminal activity</a> and <a href="https://www.dailystar.co.uk/showbiz/us-showbiz/former-nickelodeon-star-drake-bells-29769568">toxic relationships</a> are frequently reported by the media. These reinforce the stereotypical “child star gone bad” and “too much too young” narratives that the wider public has come to expect. For example, stories abound of <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/11/macaulay-culkin-reveals-never-divorced-parents-emancipated-12222457/">Macaulay Culkin “divorcing” his controlling parents</a> and his difficulties transitioning into adult life, <a href="https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/why-it-was-not-a-wonderful-life-for-macaulay-culkin-after-he-found-fame-in-the-hit-christmas-film-home-alone/37620091.html">feeling trapped</a> in the image of boyhood innocence of his most famous character, Kevin in the Home Alone movies. <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kSJ8XjTw10kC&printsec=frontcover&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false">In her autobiography</a> actor Drew Barrymore has written about her casual acceptance at Hollywood parties and consumption of alcohol at a very young age, following her role in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083866/">E.T.</a> (1982) aged five. There is also the tragic life and death of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/may/29/gary-coleman-obituary">Gary Coleman</a>, cute kid star of the American sitcom <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077003/">Diff'rent Strokes</a> (1978-1986). Coleman, who died at 42 following a history of <a href="https://nypost.com/2010/05/29/troubled-80s-child-star-gary-colemans-life-is-cut-short-at-42/#:%7E:text=In%202005%2C%20Coleman%20moved%20to,and%20%22wanted%20to%20die.%22">substance abuse</a> and <a href="https://www.salon.com/2010/05/28/gary_coleman_dies/">depression</a>, reported being <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/may/29/gary-coleman-obituary">deeply humiliated</a> by people asking: “Didn’t you used to be …?” when he was working as a security guard at a supermarket as an adult. <h2>Other possibilities</h2> It’s important to note, however, that a difficult trajectory is not the experience of all child stars and former child stars. The actors from the Harry Potter films, for example, seem <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/oct/22/the-not-so-cursed-child-did-harry-potter-mark-the-end-of-troubled-young-actors">largely to have transitioned well</a> into adult lives and careers – some in the spotlight, others not. And the new generation of famous children and teens such as <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/stranger-things-millie-bobby-brown">Millie Bobby Brown</a>, star of the Netflix show <a href="https://theconversation.com/stranger-things-is-the-upside-down-to-disneys-cute-and-cuddly-universe-83417">Stranger Things</a> (2016-present), seem more prepared for fame than their predecessors, in control of their images and identities via their own social media platforms and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-44045291">potentially protected to some extent</a> from extreme sexualisation by the MeToo movement. Even so, Brown <a href="https://www.popbuzz.com/tv-film/news/millie-bobby-brown-birthday-instagram-post/">commented on her 16th birthday</a> that: “There are moments I get frustrated from the inaccuracy, inappropriate comments, sexualization, and unnecessary insults.” For Spears though, these were more than moments. She details in her memoir how the constant public scrutiny of her body and physical appearance, being valued for her sexuality and treated as a commodity have characterised her entire life. It is no wonder <a href="https://people.com/britney-spears-reveals-why-shaved-off-hair-in-2007-exclusive-8362494">she shaved her head</a> in 2007, a move interpreted by the media as her having “gone mad”, but in fact a powerful indication of her anger at being perceived as nothing more than a dancing sex-doll. As she writes in her memoir: "I knew a lot of guys thought long hair was hot. Shaving my head was a way of saying to the world: fuck you. You want me to be pretty for you? Fuck you. You want me to be good for you? Fuck you. You want me to be your dream girl? Fuck you." The sociologist Erving Goffman wrote about the stigma of having a “<a href="https://www.howcommunicationworks.com/blog/2020/12/16/what-is-stigma-explaining-goffmans-idea-of-spoiled-identity">spoiled identity</a>” whereby people carry with them the public shame of transgression or physical difference. Being a former child star can be stigmatising for many reasons, including being constantly compared to an ideal younger version of yourself and not having had a “normal” childhood or conventional family relationships. In this memoir, Britney attempts to face down that stigma and reclaim her identity and person-hood as an adult. In doing so, she demonstrates that it can be possible to leave the dangerous terrain of early fame behind – but the journey is a tough one. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jane-oconnor-1483447">Jane O’Connor</a>, Reader in Childhood Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/birmingham-city-university-920">Birmingham City University</a> Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram, 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/britney-spears-memoir-is-a-reminder-of-the-stigma-and-potential-damage-of-child-stardom-216545">original article</a>.

Music

Tourist accused of causing over $8,000 in damages to iconic Roman statue

A 22-year-old German tourist has been accused of causing around €5,000 (A$8,400) in damages to the 16th-century Fountain of Neptune in the Piazza della Signoria, Italy. Surveillance footage obtained by the police allegedly show the tourist - who has not been named - climbing over the protective barrier around the monument in the early hours of Monday morning as he posed for a photo on the statue. His two friends, who stood outside of the barrier, took the photos of him and they all fled the scene when the alarm went off, according to city authorities. "According to the investigators' reconstruction, after 1 o'clock this morning the tourist, in Piazza della Signoria with two other friends, climbed over the fence of the Neptune Fountain and climbed onto the edge of the pool," the statement read. "With a jump he then climbed onto the horse's leg, reaching the base of the carriage and, after having some photos taken by his friends, he climbed down," they added. "During the descent he placed his foot again on the hoof, damaging it. As soon as the alarm went off, however, the young man had already managed to escape with the two others." The tourist will be charged under the city penal code that prohibits the "destruction, dispersion, deterioration, disfigurement, soiling or illicit use of cultural or landscape assets." He has been detained in Florence and could be fined and banned from entering the city if convicted. Image: X (formerly Twitter)

Travel Trouble

5 surprising factors damaging your heart

It’s important to maintain heart health at all stages of life, but it becomes particularly crucial as we age – after all, the older you get, the older your heart becomes, too. And even though you might be taking all the right precautions (e.g. quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly), you could be tarnishing your ticker without even realising it. Here are five things you didn’t know could negatively affect your heart health. 1. Damaged hearing – if you’ve spent much of your life working or living in noisy areas or regularly attending loud events (i.e. those rock concerts you frequented back in the day!), beware. A 2015 study found that people with high-frequency hearing loss in both years (most often due to prolonged exposure to high-decibel noise) were twice as prone to heart disease than those with normal hearing. 2. Air pollution – Have you been considering a sea or tree change? Now might be the time to do it. Researchers in 2011 discovered that exposure to traffic and air pollution is responsible for between 5 and 7 per cent of heart attacks around the world. Experts believe this may be due to an increase in arterial plaque build-up experienced by city-dwellers. 3. Sleep deprivation – A chronic lack of sleep increases production of adrenaline and cortisol (the stress hormone), which in turn increases your heart rate and blood pressure. In fact, one study found those who regularly had less than five hours of sleep were three times more at risk of heart attack than those who got between six and eight hours. 4. Excessive exercise – Believe it or not, but exercise could be putting you at risk of a heart attack – that is, if you’re doing too much vigorous exercise too often. Anything that causes strain can lead to dangerously high blood pressure – this means weightlifting and endurance sports (e.g. marathons) could be off the table. Stick to low-impact workouts like brisk walking, light weights and yoga. 5. Too much sitting – We’ve heard it all before – that sitting is bad for you – but you might not have realised just how bad it can be. According to a 2015 report, the average adult spends more than half of their waking hours sitting down, making them more likely to suffer or die from heart disease –even those who exercised an hour a day couldn’t combat this higher risk. Images: Getty

Body

Arctic Ocean could be ice-free in summer by 2030s, say scientists – this would have global, damaging and dangerous consequences

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jonathan-bamber-102567">Jonathan Bamber</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-bristol-1211">University of Bristol</a> The Arctic Ocean could be ice-free in summer by the 2030s, even if we do a good job of reducing emissions between now and then. That’s the worrying conclusion of a new study in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-38511-8">Nature Communications</a>. Predictions of an ice-free Arctic Ocean have a long and complicated history, and the 2030s is sooner than most scientists had thought possible (though it is later than some had wrongly forecast). What we know for sure is the disappearance of sea ice at the top of the world would not only be an emblematic sign of climate breakdown, but it would have global, damaging and dangerous consequences. The Arctic has been experiencing climate heating <a href="https://theconversation.com/arctic-is-warming-nearly-four-times-faster-than-the-rest-of-the-world-new-research-188474">faster than any other part of the planet</a>. As it is at the frontline of climate change, the eyes of many scientists and local indigenous people have been on the sea ice that covers much of the Arctic Ocean in winter. This thin film of frozen seawater expands and contracts with the seasons, reaching a minimum area in September each year. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530136/original/file-20230605-19-mdh85y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530136/original/file-20230605-19-mdh85y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/530136/original/file-20230605-19-mdh85y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=184&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530136/original/file-20230605-19-mdh85y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=184&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530136/original/file-20230605-19-mdh85y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=184&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530136/original/file-20230605-19-mdh85y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=232&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530136/original/file-20230605-19-mdh85y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=232&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530136/original/file-20230605-19-mdh85y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=232&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Animation of Arctic sea ice from space" /></a><figcaption>Arctic sea ice grows until March and then shrinks until September. <a class="source" href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/esnt/2022/nasa-finds-2022-arctic-winter-sea-ice-10th-lowest-on-record">NASA</a></figcaption></figure> The ice which remains at the end of summer is called multiyear sea ice and is considerably thicker than its seasonal counterpart. It acts as barrier to the transfer of both moisture and heat between the ocean and atmosphere. Over the past 40 years this multiyear sea ice has shrunk from around <a href="http://polarportal.dk/en/sea-ice-and-icebergs/sea-ice-extent0/">7 million sq km to 4 million</a>. That is a loss equivalent to roughly the size of India or 12 UKs. In other words, it’s a big signal, one of the most stark and dramatic signs of fundamental change to the climate system anywhere in the world. As a consequence, there has been considerable effort invested in determining when the Arctic Ocean might first become ice-free in summer, sometimes called a “blue ocean event” and defined as when the sea ice area drops below 1 million sq kms. This threshold is used mainly because older, thicker ice along parts of Canada and northern Greenland is expected to remain long after the rest of the Arctic Ocean is ice-free. We can’t put an exact date on the last blue ocean event, but one in the near future would likely mean open water at the North Pole for the first time in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature10581">thousands of years</a>. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530138/original/file-20230605-29-9uuhxu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530138/original/file-20230605-29-9uuhxu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/530138/original/file-20230605-29-9uuhxu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=712&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530138/original/file-20230605-29-9uuhxu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=712&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530138/original/file-20230605-29-9uuhxu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=712&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530138/original/file-20230605-29-9uuhxu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=895&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530138/original/file-20230605-29-9uuhxu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=895&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530138/original/file-20230605-29-9uuhxu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=895&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Annotated map of Arctic" /></a><figcaption>The thickest ice (highlighted in pink) is likely to remain even if the North Pole is ice-free. <a class="source" href="https://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/2015/05/new-tools-for-sea-ice-thickness/">NERC Center for Polar Observation and Modelling</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></figcaption></figure> One problem with predicting when this might occur is that sea ice is notoriously difficult to model because it is influenced by both atmospheric and oceanic circulation as well as the flow of heat between these two parts of the climate system. That means that the climate models – powerful computer programs used to simulate the environment – need to get all of these components right to be able to accurately predict changes in sea ice extent. <h2>Melting faster than models predicted</h2> Back in the 2000s, an assessment of early generations of climate models found they generally <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2007GL029703">underpredicted the loss of sea ice</a> when compared to satellite data showing what actually happened. The models predicted a loss of about 2.5% per decade, while the observations were closer to 8%. The next generation of models did better but were <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2012GL052676">still not matching observations</a> which, at that time were suggesting a blue ocean event would happen by mid-century. Indeed, the latest <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-working-group-i/">IPCC climate science report</a>, published in 2021, reaches a similar conclusion about the timing of an ice-free Arctic Ocean. As a consequence of the problems with the climate models, some scientists have attempted to extrapolate the observational record resulting in the controversial and, ultimately, incorrect assertion that this would happen <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/21/arctic-will-be-ice-free-in-summer-next-year">during the mid 2010s</a>. This did not help the credibility of the scientific community and its ability to make reliable projections. <h2>Ice-free by 2030?</h2> The scientists behind the latest study have taken a different approach by, in effect, calibrating the models with the observations and then using this calibrated solution to project sea ice decline. This makes a lot of sense, because it reduces the effect of small biases in the climate models that can in turn bias the sea ice projections. They call these “observationally constrained” projections and find that the Arctic could become ice-free in summer as early as 2030, even if we do a good job of reducing emissions between now and then. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530365/original/file-20230606-21-usmovg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530365/original/file-20230606-21-usmovg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/530365/original/file-20230606-21-usmovg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530365/original/file-20230606-21-usmovg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530365/original/file-20230606-21-usmovg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530365/original/file-20230606-21-usmovg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530365/original/file-20230606-21-usmovg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530365/original/file-20230606-21-usmovg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Walruses on ice floe" /></a><figcaption>Walruses depend on sea ice. As it melts, they’re being forced onto land. outdoorsman / shutterstock</figcaption></figure> There is still plenty of uncertainty around the exact date – about <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2016GL070067">20 years or so</a> – because of natural chaotic fluctuations in the climate system. But compared to previous research, the new study still brings forward the most likely timing of a blue ocean event by about a decade. <h2>Why this matters</h2> You might be asking the question: so what? Other than some polar bears not being able to hunt in the same way, why does it matter? Perhaps there are even benefits as the previous US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/06/politics/pompeo-sea-ice-arctic-council/index.html">once declared</a> – it means ships from Asia can potentially save around 3,000 miles of journey to European ports in summer at least. But Arctic sea ice is an important component of the climate system. As it dramatically reduces the amount of sunlight absorbed by the ocean, removing this ice is predicted to further accelerate warming, through a process known as a positive feedback. This, in turn, will make the Greenland ice sheet <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2014GL059770">melt faster</a>, which is already a major contributor to <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2021RG000757">sea level rise</a>. The loss of sea ice in summer would also mean changes in <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/chapter/ccp6/">atmospheric circulation and storm tracks</a>, and fundamental shifts in ocean biological activity. These are just some of the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021RG000757">highly undesirable consequences</a> and it is fair to say that the disadvantages will far outweigh the slender benefits. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jonathan-bamber-102567">Jonathan Bamber</a>, Professor of Physical Geography, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-bristol-1211">University of Bristol</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/arctic-ocean-could-be-ice-free-in-summer-by-2030s-say-scientists-this-would-have-global-damaging-and-dangerous-consequences-206974">original article</a>. Images: Getty

Travel Trouble

AFL legend Gary Ablett Senior suing for brain damage

An AFL legend is taking legal action against two of his former clubs for injuries he sustained during his career. Gary Ablett Senior is suing both Hawthorn and Geelong football clubs for concussions he suffered that have left him with lasting brain damage, according to a brain scan he underwent last year. Ablett claims that the clubs breached their duty of care, as they "knew or ought to have known of the potential long-term consequences of concussion suffered by the plaintiff". His lawyer Michel Margalit said Ablett was dealing with significant health problems as a direct result of his on-field injuries. "He's not doing well. He's had significant illness over the previous years and he's finding that he's struggling more and more as time goes on," she told ABC News Breakfast. "He has really significant medical and care needs, and there are just no funds available through the AFL Players Association or any other hardship fund to assist him with those care needs." Ms Margalit would not say how much Ablett was seeking but said it was a significant claim. "It is a very substantial case and could be really at the upper range of the allowance permitted by the compensation schemes in Victoria," she said. "This could be multiple millions of dollars." Ablett played his first VFL season with the Hawks in 1982 and was with Geelong for the remaining 13 years of his career, kicking 1,031 goals in his 248 games before retiring in 1996. Image credits: Getty Images

Legal

More than 100,000 tourists will head to Antarctica this summer. Should we worry about damage to the ice and its ecosystems?

As the summer sun finally arrives for people in the Southern Hemisphere, more than 100,000 tourists will head for the ice. Travelling on one of more than 50 cruise ships, they will brave the two-day trip across the notoriously rough Drake Passage below Patagonia, destined for the polar continent of Antarctica. During the COVID summer of 2020-21, just 15 tourists on two yachts visited Antarctica. But now, tourism is back – and bigger than ever. This season’s <a href="https://iaato.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ATCM44-IAATO-Overview.pdf">visitor numbers</a> are up more than 40% over the largest <a href="https://iaato.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IAATO-on-Antarctic-visitor-figures-2019-20-FINAL.pdf">pre-pandemic year</a>. So are all those tourists going to damage what is often considered the last untouched wilderness on the planet? Yes and no. The industry is well run. Tourists often return with a new appreciation for wild places. They spend a surprisingly short amount of time actually on the continent or its islands. But as tourism grows, so will environmental impacts such as black carbon from cruise ship funnels. Tourists can carry in microbes, seed and other invasive species on their boots and clothes – a problem that will only worsen as ice melt creates new patches of bare earth. And cruise ships are hardly emissions misers. <h2>How did Antarctic tourism go mainstream?</h2> In the 1950s, the first tourists hitched rides on Chilean and Argentinian naval vessels heading south to resupply research bases on the South Shetland Islands. From the late 1960s, dedicated icebreaker expedition ships were venturing even further south. In the early 1990s, as ex-Soviet icebreakers became available, the industry began to expand – about a dozen companies offered trips at that time. By the turn of this century, the ice continent was receiving more than 10,000 annual visitors: Antarctic tourism had gone mainstream. What does it look like today? Most Antarctic tourists travel on small “expedition-style” vessels, usually heading for the relatively accessible Antarctic Peninsula. Once there, they can take a zodiac boat ride for a closer look at wildlife and icebergs or shore excursions to visit penguin or seal colonies. Visitors can kayak, paddle-board and take the polar plunge – a necessarily brief dip into subzero waters. For most tourists, accommodation, food and other services are provided aboard ship. Over a third of all visitors never stand on the continent. Those who do set foot on Antarctica normally make brief visits, rather than taking overnight stays. For more intrepid tourists, a few operators offer overland journeys into the continent’s interior, making use of temporary seasonal camp sites. There are no permanent hotels, and Antarctic Treaty nations recently <a href="https://documents.ats.aq/ATCM44/fr/ATCM44_fr001_e.pdf">adopted a resolution</a>against permanent tourist facilities. As tourists come in increasing numbers, some operators have moved to offer ever more adventurous options such as mountaineering, heli-skiing, underwater trips in submersibles and scuba diving. <h2>Is Antarctic tourism sustainable?</h2> As Antarctic tourism booms, some advocacy organisations have warned the impact may be unsustainable. For instance, the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition <a href="https://www.asoc.org/campaign/responsible-tourism-and-shipping/">argues</a> cruise tourism could put increased pressure on an environment already under significant strain from climate change. In areas visited most by tourists, the snow has a <a href="https://theconversation.com/each-antarctic-tourist-effectively-melts-83-tonnes-of-snow-new-research-177597">higher concentration</a> of black carbon from ship exhaust, which soaks up more heat and leads to snow melt. Ship traffic also risks carrying <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2110303118">hitchhiking invasive species</a> into the Southern Ocean’s vulnerable marine ecosystems. That’s to say nothing of greenhouse gas emissions. Because of the continent’s remoteness, tourists visiting Antarctica have a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09669581003653534">higher per capita carbon footprint</a>than other cruise-ship travellers. Of course, these impacts aren’t limited to tourism. Scientific expeditions come with similar environmental costs – and while there are far fewer of them, scientists and support personnel spend far more time on the continent. <h2>Antarctic tourism isn’t going away – so we have to plan for the future</h2> Are sustainable cruises an oxymoron? Many <a href="https://www.popsci.com/environment/why-cruise-ships-are-bad-for-the-environment/#:%7E:text=Studies%20have%20shown%20one%20cruise,in%20unhealthy%20levels%20of%20pollution.">believe so</a>. Through its sheer size, the cruise industry has created <a href="https://theconversation.com/time-to-rock-the-boat-cruise-ships-can-destroy-the-very-destinations-they-sell-to-us-55245">mass tourism</a> in new places and <a href="https://theconversation.com/overtourism-a-growing-global-problem-100029">overtourism</a> in others, generating unacceptable levels of crowding, disrupting the lives of residents, repurposing local cultures for “exotic” performances, damaging the environment and adding to emissions from fossil fuels. In Antarctica, crowding, environmental impact and emissions are the most pressing issues. While 100,000 tourists a year is tiny by global tourism standards – Paris had almost 20 million in 2019 – visits are concentrated in highly sensitive ecological areas for only a few months per year. There are no residents to disturb (other than local wildlife), but by the same token, there’s no host community to protest if visitor numbers get too high. Even so, strong protections are in place. In accordance with the Antarctic Treaty System – the set of international agreements signed by countries with an Antarctic presence or an interest – tourism operators based in those nations have to apply for permits and follow <a href="https://www.ats.aq/e/protocol.html">stringent environmental regulations</a>. To avoid introducing new species, tourists have to follow rules such as disinfecting their boots and vacuuming their pockets before setting foot on the ice, and keeping a set distance from wildlife. Almost all Antarctic cruise owners belong to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, the peak body that manages Antarctic tourism. For the first time this year, operators have to report their <a href="https://iaato.org/antarctic-tour-operators-fuel-consumption-to-be-analysed-as-they-embark-on-climate-strategy/">overall fuel consumption</a> as part of IAATO’s efforts to make the industry more climate-friendly. Some operators are now using hybrid vessels that can run partly on electric propulsion for short periods, reducing carbon dioxide emissions. <h2>Returning from the ice: the ambassador effect</h2> Famed travel writer Pico Iyer <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/17/t-magazine/travel-destinations-experiences.html?te=1&nl=from-the-times&emc=edit_ufn_20221127">recently wrote</a> of his experience in the deep south of the world. The visit, he said, “awakens you to the environmental concerns of the world … you go home with important questions for your conscience as well as radiant memories”. Iyer isn’t alone. This response is widespread, known in the industry as <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/polar-record/article/what-and-who-is-an-antarctic-ambassador/4943D999A9D58BC00D1705C110075163">Antarctic ambassadorship</a>. As you’d expect, this is <a href="https://iaato.org/antarctic-ambassadors/antarctic-ambassadors/">strongly promoted</a> by tourism operators as a positive. Is it real? That’s contentious. Studies on links between polar travel and pro-environmental behaviour have yielded <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0032247408007456">mixed results</a>. We are working with two operators to examine the Antarctic tourist experience and consider what factors might feed into a long-lasting ambassador effect. If you’re one of the tourists going to Antarctica this summer, enjoy the experience – but go with care. Be aware that no trip south comes without environmental cost and use this knowledge to make clear-eyed decisions about your activities both in Antarctica and once you’re safely back home. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-100-000-tourists-will-head-to-antarctica-this-summer-should-we-worry-about-damage-to-the-ice-and-its-ecosystems-192843" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

International Travel

“I live in a tent”: Horror renovations see woman living in home with no roof

A woman and her son have been left living in a “tent” home filled with mould, exposed wiring and holes after renovation plans went horribly wrong. In February 2020, Jill Harris hired Extension Factory to extend and add a second storey to her Melbourne home. Two years later, she says she has been left living in poor conditions after numerous problems plagued the construction work. With tarps replacing the roof overhead, Ms Harris said the home is flooded by “waterfalls that leak through the light fittings” when it rains and that the only thing her home was good for was Halloween. “I call this the tent. I live in the tent because there is no roof over my room or my son‘s room,” she told A Current Affair. “I have good days where I try to be positive and I have the lowest of lows.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/aca-house-damage.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Exposed wiring, holes, and a lack of a watertight roof have been just some of the issues Jill Harris has faced while living in her unfinished home. Images: A Current Affair Ms Harris said the builders first built the storey out of square, forcing them to knock it all down and start again. “(It) just went completely wrong from there. They built it 160mm out of square, which we didn't find out till 12 months later,” she said. Work was eventually stopped by surveyor Steve Maloney after the builders allegedly continued work without the permission of the inspector. Mr Maloney said work needed to stop because of the “owner(s) and their builders' compliances with the building legislation”. Since then, Ms Harris has turned her unfinished home into a warning against the company, adorning the front with signs reading that the company is “destroying our lives”, “doesn’t care” and that “a contract with them means nothing”. “I’ts (sic) cheaper for the “Extension Factory” to put this in the hands than it is to honour my contract with them and finish my home. Tens of thousands of dollars of mistakes, so they gave up and use lawyers to protect them!” another sign reads. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/extension-factory1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> After no resolution was reached to finish her home, Jill Harris let out her frustration against Extension Factory through signs displayed in front of her home. Image: A Current Affair Gerry Hoggard, the owner of Extension Factory, conceded that there had been issues with the property and said he could appreciate Ms Harris being upset. “It certainly was an error, it was built out of square, we accepted responsibility and took it down,” Mr Hoggard said. “I know what she’s living through. “I don’t like it (my name) being treated that way, but I can appreciate she‘s upset about what’s transpired.” Although he claimed that Ms Harris was advised to vacate the property at the start of the build, her brother Ashley, a former Extension Factory employee, said it wasn’t going to happen. “It’s not the sort of job that you would leave anyone occupying the premises,” Mr Hoggard said. However, Ms Harris said she wasn’t told that she would need to vacate her property. A Current Affair reported that it alerted the Victorian Building Authority to Ms Harris’ situation, prompting the organisation to release a statement. "The Victorian Building Authority takes complaints against building and plumbing practitioners extremely seriously,” it read, adding that the building authority carries out thousands of inspections to ensure work is compliant. "When it doesn't, we use the powers available to us to hold practitioners accountable." Image: A Current Affair

Real Estate

Is your dizziness caused by ear problems?

There are many causes to dizziness such as low blood pressure or dehydration, but did you know ear problems are also one of them? This occurs because the balance organ is actually located in part of the inner ear, although our sense of balance actually comes from the coordination of the balance organ, the visual system and the muscles in the body. If you’ve experienced a spinning sensation coupled with decreased hearing or ringing in the ears, your dizziness might be caused by an ear disorder. You should see your doctor for diagnosis and treatment. The most common ear-related causes of dizziness include: <ul> <li>Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo – This is a common inner-ear disorder among older people, where crystals normally located in the inner ear become dislodged. As your head moves, the crystals move causing dizziness.</li> <li>Labyrinthitis – An ear disorder that involves inflammation of the middle ear. It generally occurs after a viral infection.</li> <li>Meniere's disease – This is an inner ear disorder that causes severe hearing loss, tinnitus and dizziness.</li> <li>Acoustic neuroma – It is a non-cancerous tumour of the ear that causes ringing in the ears, hearing loss and balance problems.</li> </ul> Image: Getty

Caring

Alex Jones to pay eye-watering sum in damages

Alex Jones, the host of far-right radio show InfoWars, has been ordered to pay a total of $US 49.3 million ($AUD 70.51 million) in damages for falsely claiming the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax. A Texas jury ruled that Jones pay $45.2 million in punitive damages, after awarding $4.1 million in compensatory damages the previous day, per <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62444302" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC News</a>. Jones has repeatedly claimed that the shooting at Sandy Hook primary school, Connecticut, where 20 children and adults were killed was a “hoax” carried out by actors who opposed the Second Amendment right to bear firearms. Nail Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, the plaintiffs in the case and whose son died in the shooting, asked the court for $150 million, claiming they endured harassment and emotional distress as a result of his misinformation. Heslin told the court that Jones’ falsehoods had made his life “hell” and led to harassment and death threats from people who believed he had lied about his son’s death. The $4.1 million in compensatory damages were issued on Thursday to cover the actual costs incurred by the plaintiffs as a result of Jones’ defamation, including the private security they hired out of fear a Jones supporter may attack them during the trial. The following day’s $45.2 million are meant to deter Jones from repeating his offence. “We ask that you send a very, very simple message and that is: Stop Alex Jones,” a lawyer for the parents said in court on Friday. “Stop the monetisation of misinformation and lies. Please.” Lawyers representing Heslin and Lewis accused Jones of trying to hide evidence, arguing that he committed perjury by denying having sent any messages about the shooting - with one attorney revealing that Jones’ legal representative accidentally sent them two years of Jones’ text messages. “Did you know 12 days ago your attorneys messed up and sent me an entire digital copy of your entire cell phone with every text message you’ve sent for the past two years?” said attorney Mark Bankston, according to HuffPost. “And when informed did not take any steps to identify it as privilege?” "If I was mistaken, I was mistaken, you've got the text messages right there," Jones said. Despite his long-held position that the shooting was fake, Jones acknowledged that it was “100 percent real” in court. “I unintentionally took part in things that did hurt these people’s feelings, and I’m sorry for that,” Jones said. However, the radio host has continued to use his media platform to claim the case was rigged against him, with his InfoWars depicting a judge being consumed by flames. During his brief appearance in court, Jones was rebuked several times by the judge for lying under oath, including one moment where he was told: “This is not your show.” The trial is one of three brought against Jones by family members of the Sandy Hook victims, and comes after he has lost a series of defamation cases filed by parents by default after he failed to produce documents or testimony. But, this is the first trial where a jury agreed to award financial damages. Image: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Tourist cops earful from member of Queen’s Guard

A tourist has learned the hard way to not interfere with the Queen’s guards, after she copped an earful from a guard for grabbing his horse’s reins. During a recent trip to London, the woman went to pose for a photo next to the guard and his horse when her hand went to reach towards the animal, drawing the guard’s attention. When she then touched the reins, he reacted by yelling with authority from atop his horse. “Stand back from the Queen’s lifeguard, don’t touch the reins!” he yells. A clip of the incident was shared by the woman’s step-son Ethan on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@phigs_/video/7116598758816763141?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7112642336690570754" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a>, with the caption, “We will never return to London after this incident” and text across the footage reading, “Queens Guard Verbally Attacks My Step mum [sic]”. Though Ethan commented the guard as a “rather angry little man”, a large number of commenters sided with the guard, arguing that he has an important job to do and that working animals like his horse shouldn’t be touched while on duty. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/queen-guard-horse.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="360" /> Image: TikTok “It’s not Disney they are working horses and serving army,” one person said. “Serves her right, you aren’t allowed to touch the guard,” another wrote. “They have a job, just don’t go near them,” a third added. British followers were particularly quick to defend his actions and respond to their decision not to return to London. “The whole of London is so upset that you won’t be returning we’re all begging you to come back,” one person said. “Every British person I know knows you don’t touch them, or is she one of them ones that would put her hand in the blender,” another wrote. As some commenters pointed out, the horse’s reins are connected to the animal’s mouth - which is quite sensitive - and tugging on the reins could spook the animal, causing it to bite her or unseat the guard. Others compared interfering with or touching the guard and his horse to doing the same to a guide dog, while <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/queens-guard-member-yells-at-tourist-for-touching-horse-reins-tiktok/98f85c75-54a9-4b5e-a9a7-146c4a6699a8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey</a> royal reporter Natalie Oliveri explained that as a rule, you shouldn’t touch animals that are on-duty. "Also, as a general rule tourists should be respectful of any member of Her Majesty's guard while they are on duty – they are there for an important reason and no one should try to interfere with that,” Oliveri said. She explained that it’s also best not to speak to members of the Queen’s Guard while they’re on duty, and that you shouldn’t expect a response from them. "If you would like a photo, perhaps it's best to stand at a respectable distance and never interfere with their job,” she added. Images: TikTok

Travel Trouble

The real reason you want your ears to pop on a plane

An airline pilot has revealed one of the most common questions she gets asked and it has to do with ear popping. It is a commonly known fact that there is nothing more annoying than having to deal with painful ears on a flight. Blocked ears occur when the plane takes off or starts to descend as the air pressure changes rapidly. It may not be as bad for some but others will find their Eustachian tube – the narrow passage connected to the middle ear - often can’t react fast enough, which causes the symptoms of aeroplane ear. US-based Boeing 737 co-pilot Morgan, who is known for her flight-related content on TikTok, shared a clip explaining why you want your ears to pop on a plane. *embed tweet “Trust me when I say you want your ears to pop,” she began the clip. The aviation TikTok star who has over 12 million likes on her videos, said if the pressure is building up and you’re getting one big painful pop, there are a couple of things you can do to pop your ears a little bit sooner. <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@almostcaptainmorgan/video/7111430582608989482" data-video-id="7111430582608989482"> <section><a title="@almostcaptainmorgan" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@almostcaptainmorgan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@almostcaptainmorgan</a> Reply to @ladyhawkuk Tips and tricks from an airline pilot if your ears pop when you fly! <a title="airlinepilot" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/airlinepilot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#airlinepilot</a> <a title="traveltiktok" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/traveltiktok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#traveltiktok</a> <a title="flyingtips" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/flyingtips" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#flyingtips</a> <a title="traveltips" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/traveltips" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#traveltips</a> <a title="♬ original sound - Morgan" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7111430549822294830" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound - Morgan</a></section> </blockquote> “Yawning, talking, eating, chewing gum, swallowing, really anything that’s going to move your jaw is going to help activate your Eustachian tube and pop your ears,” she said. “If none of those work, you can do something called a Valsalva manoeuvre, which is where you pinch your nose and blow.” She said don’t blow harder if your ears don’t clear as “this can lead to bigger issues”. Morgan shares if you’re ever in a situation where the pressure is really building up and your ears just aren’t popping, “always travel with some Afrin nasal spray”. The alternative in Australia is Drixine, although she wants passengers to use it sparingly and only as a last resort. Images: TikTok

Travel Tips

Why the "just one drink a day" excuse no longer cuts it

According to a new study, those who have one standard drink a day are putting themselves at risk of permanent brain damage. The study of almost 21,000 people, published in the PLOS Medicine journal, found that consumption of seven or more units of alcohol per week is associated with higher iron levels in the brain. More iron in the brain is also linked to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease and is a potential mechanism for alcohol-related cognitive decline. The participants reported their own alcohol consumption, and their brains were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Of those participants, 7,000 of them also had MRIs on their livers imaged to see the levels of systemic iron. They were also required to complete a few tasks to assess their cognitive and motor function. The participants' average age was 55 years old and 48.6 per cent were female. Anya Topiwala of the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, and her colleagues found that alcohol consumption above seven units per week led to higher iron levels in basal ganglia - the part of the brain that helps with movement. “Markers of higher basal ganglia iron associated with slower executive function, lower fluid intelligence, and slower reaction times,” the study reported. “Iron accumulation in some brain regions was associated with worse cognitive function.” They concluded that moderate alcohol consumption is associated with higher iron levels in the brain. Image: Shutterstock

Caring

Marilyn Monroe dress allegedly damaged after Met Gala appearance

After sparking ire among fashion and history experts for <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/marilyn-monroe-dress-designer-weighs-in-on-kim-kardashian-s-met-gala-outfit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wearing Marilyn Monroe’s iconic Happy Birthday Mr President gown</a> at the Met Gala, images have emerged suggesting that Kim Kardashian may have damaged the 60-year-old garment. Its current owner, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, has said that the dress was returned undamaged after Kardashian wore it. Amanda Joiner, a vice president of licensing and publishing at Ripley’s, told the Daily Beast that “a lot of requirements” were put in place while it was handled. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> And this is why every historical garment archivist and textile expert about had a coronary seeing Kim Kardashian in Marilyn Monroe's dress. <a href="https://t.co/XIs9MOeEiK">https://t.co/XIs9MOeEiK</a> — Kathryn #GoBolts⛈️ Brightbill (@KEBrightbill) <a href="https://twitter.com/KEBrightbill/status/1536452582352224262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2022</a></blockquote> “The dress was never with Kim alone. It was always with a Ripley’s representative. We always ensured that at any time we felt that the dress was in danger of ripping or we felt uncomfortable about anything, we always had the ability to say we were not going to continue with this,” Joiner said. “We did two different fittings with her. The first one was in L.A. in April and then the second one later in April to see whether or not the dress would fit. The biggest challenge that we had is that we really wanted to make sure that we kept the integrity of the dress and the preservation, because it’s 60 years old, and we feel that it’s such an iconic piece of fashion, both from a historical perspective, but also from a pop culture perspective.” However, <a href="https://twitter.com/PopCrave/status/1536415873421914112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pop Culture</a> posted side-by-side photos of the gown allegedly from before and after Kardashian wore it, with the ‘after’ image showing signs of stretched fabric around one of the snaps and missing crystals around the back closure. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> the quotes are so damn ignorant, it's not about the actual dress. it's about the meaning. marilyn was used all her life, she hardly had anything that was truly her own. This dress, it was hers. it was designed specifically and ONLY for her. now it's ruined. <a href="https://t.co/4MO4jDHFcR">https://t.co/4MO4jDHFcR</a> — ✨ (@shipsandshows) <a href="https://twitter.com/shipsandshows/status/1536425419116883969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2022</a></blockquote> Fans were quick to weigh in with their thoughts, blaming Kardashian for the damage and pointing out the importance of conserving historical items. “Kim should’ve never worn that dress to begin with. I mean yes it’s nice to pay homage to Marilyn but she could’ve had a new dress made and replicated. This was a timeless and iconic artefact that’s been ruined,” one person commented. “Leave it to Kim to destroy a historical piece of art,” another said. “Congratulations to the Met Gala for showcasing a real-life example of why a conservation department like the Costume Institute is necessary for historically significant garments,” a third added. Collector Scott Fortner, who also shared images of the dress’ alleged damage online, told <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/lending-marilyn-monroe-dress-to-kim-kardashian-was-irresponsible-collector-says-12633589" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sky News</a> it was “irresponsible” for the museum to loan the gown to Kardashian. "I think the disappointment that I'm experiencing is Ripley has made multiple statements that they were doing everything that they could to protect and preserve the gown," he told the outlet. "I do feel that it (was) irresponsible, this is not just a dress. "This is a cultural icon. It's a political icon. It's a Hollywood icon. "It's part of American history from an event that happened 60 years ago and…it should have been archived and preserved and taken care of." The gown was made using 6,000 crystals and was hand-sewn by costumier Jean Lewis. Images: @lmorrisette (Twitter) / Getty Images

Beauty & Style

Toddler suffers brain damage after Easter egg hunt

A young boy who suffered brain damage after a fun weekend may lose his toes and fingers after contracting a life threatening disease. Teddie was “bouncing around” with his siblings during an exciting Easter egg hunt on Good Friday but it was two days later when he woke up with a temperature. Mother Zoe Stewart noticed a pink looking bruise on his forehead which had then spread all over his stomach. Teddie’s condition began to rapidly deteriorate and he was rushed to hospital where he was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and septicaemia. The doctors said it was too late to wait for the painkillers to kick in and they had to drill into Teddie’s shin bones. “He was starting to bleed from his mouth and his nose, it was just terrifying,” Zoe told The Mirror. “We were told what all parents never want to hear, that we needed to understand there was a chance Teddie may not make it as he has a life-threatening infection.” Teddie was transferred to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital where he spent two weeks in the ICU - all while his parents feared the worst. Eventually he was taken off life support and began breathing on his own, however, he has suffered some brain damage of which the long term effects are still unknown. A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-little-teddies-parents?qid=ac29c369ef749c5c5d13b40672d8bdf7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page has been created to help the family. Images: GoFundMe

Caring

Why you should never sleep on planes

It’s almost inevitable that we have all fallen asleep on planes no matter how long or short the trip is. But the thing is, it’s quite normal to do so even if it’s a mid-afternoon flight. However, British pharmacist Angela Chalmers has come forward to say that we should not be sleeping on flights due to the damage it could do to our ears from the altitude. "This leads to a vacuum in the Eustachian tubes which makes the ears feel blocked and sound dull," Angela said. If you must sleep though, Angela says to "try not to sleep during takeoff and descent as you will not be swallowing as frequently and this can lead to blocked ears." Angela explained that if the ears stay blocked for too long it could cause a series of health issues including dizziness, infections, eardrum damage, nosebleeds and hearing loss. It’s highly recommended to immediately unblock your ears by taking a deep breath and try to blow out of your nose gently while pinching your nostrils closed and keeping your mouth shut. Image: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Duchess of Cambridge wears $3.80 earrings for her first royal engagement of the year

Image: 9Honey Image: 9Honey The Duchess of Cambridge stepped out showcasing her signature mix of high and low end fashion in a chic return to work for the new year. Kate Middleton visited The Foundling Museum in London on Wednesday wearing a teal blue coat over the top of an all-navy ensemble. But her standout accessory was the royal's $3.80 gold earrings from UK store Accessorize. The mini hammered doorknocker hoop earrings from the high street chain (similar to Lovisa) were originally £7 ($13.20) but were in the recent sale, dropping in price to £2.10 ($3.80) — needless to say, they're now sold out. The only other jewels that Kate could be seen wearing was her heirloom sapphire and diamond engagement ring, which previously belonged to Princess Diana, and her wedding band. The Duchess, who celebrated her 40th birthday earlier this month, wasn't just cost-efficient in her jewellery department. Even the tailored blue coat has been seen before, with the Duchess last wearing it in January 2020, during a visit to LEYF Stockwell Gardens Nursery & Pre-School in London. The Duchess also sported a turtle neck knit and navy suede heels, both of which are understood to be items worn to previous engagements and events. Kate's return to work for the new year wouldn't be complete without her signature bouncy blowdry, which bobbed as the royal arrived at The Foundling Museum with husband Prince William.

Beauty & Style

Space travel may prompt cartilage damage

Space travel may be bad for your joints, research indicates. Mice that spent a month aboard a Russian spacecraft showed early signs of cartilage breakdown, suggesting that the reduced biomechanical forces in space impact on the musculoskeletal system. And while it’s too early to translate their finding to humans, researchers from the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, US, say the evidence was “clear-cut”. “We believe this degradation is due to joint unloading caused by the near lack of gravity in space,” says lead author Jamie Fitzgerald, the hospital’s head of musculoskeletal genetics. “If this were to happen to humans, given enough time, it would lead to major joint problems.” With funding from NASA, Fitzgerald and colleagues analysed molecular changes in the cartilage of mice that spent 30 days in animal research enclosures aboard an unmanned Russian Bion-M1 spacecraft in 2013. This included performing tissue stains and gene expression studies on the cartilage. The results were compared to mice observed on Earth during the same period. Video footage shows the mice floating around in their enclosure during the day, then at night struggling to climb over each other and hang onto the grate inside the enclosure. Fitzgerald says the resultant cartilage breakdown was consistent with changes associated with osteoarthritis. In comparison, the mice on Earth showed no discernible cartilage degradation. “When there’s no gravity pulling down on the cartilage, it’s not able to maintain its structure, its integrity,” he says. “On Earth, every time you take a step to walk, you’re loading that cartilage. In space, there’s very little of that.” With plans to send humans to Mars, NASA is obviously interested to know what precautions it may need to take to protect human knees. “You may have some payload specialists and experienced pilots who already have some degree of pre-symptomatic cartilage damage at the time of their flight,” Fitzgerald says. “Because cartilage in humans doesn’t readily repair, the return to Earth could potentially bring long-term health problems.” The <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41526-019-0063-6" target="_blank">study</a> is published in the journal npg Microgravity. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p25312-o1" class="wpcf7">  </div> </div>  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=25312&title=Space+travel+may+prompt+cartilage+damage" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <div id="contributors"> <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/space/space-travel-may-prompt-cartilage-damage-study-shows/" target="_blank">This article</a> was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/nick-carne" target="_blank">Nick Carne</a>. Nick Carne is the editor of Cosmos Online and editorial manager for The Royal Institution of Australia. Image: Getty Images </div>

Travel Trouble

How do pigeons find their way home? We looked in their ears with a diamond-based quantum microscope to find out

Homing pigeons are known for their uncanny ability to find their way home – navigating complex and changing landscapes. In fact, they do this so well they were used as a source of secure communication more than 2,000 years ago. Julius Caesar <a href="https://www.asor.org/anetoday/2017/11/not-just-birds">reportedly sent</a> news of his conquest of Gaul back to Rome via pigeons, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/255b75e0-c77d-11e2-be27-00144feab7de">as did Napoleon Bonaparte</a> following his defeat by England in the 1815 Battle of Waterloo. We know pigeons use visual cues and can navigate based on landmarks along known travel routes. We also know they have a magnetic sense called “magnetoreception” which lets them navigate using Earth’s magnetic field. But we don’t know exactly how they (and other species) do this. In <a href="https://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2112749118">research</a> published today in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, my colleagues and I tested a theory that attempts to link magnetoreception in homing pigeons with tiny lumps of iron-rich material found in their inner ears. By using a new kind of magnetic microscope, we confirmed this isn’t the case. But the technology has opened the door for us to investigate the phenomenon in several other species. <h2>The current hypotheses</h2> Scientists have spent decades exploring the possible mechanisms for magnetoreception. There are currently two mainstream theories. The first is a vision-based “free-radical pair” model. Homing pigeons and other migratory birds have proteins in the retina of their eyes called “cryptochromes”. These produce an electrical signal that <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03618-9">varies depending on the strength</a> of the local magnetic field. This could potentially allow the birds to “see” Earth’s magnetic field, although scientists have yet to confirm this theory. The second proposal for how homing pigeons navigate is based on lumps of magnetic material inside them, which may provide them with a magnetic particle-based directional compass. We know magnetic particles are found in nature, in a group of bacteria called <a href="https://theconversation.com/magnetic-bacteria-and-their-unique-superpower-attract-researchers-100720">magnetotactic bacteria</a>. These bacteria produce magnetic particles and orient themselves along the Earth’s magnetic field lines. Scientists are now looking for magnetic particles in a range of species. Potential candidates <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00114-007-0236-0">were found</a> in the upper beak of homing pigeons more than a decade ago, but <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature11046">subsequent work</a> indicated these particles were related to iron storage and not magnetic sensing. <h2>A peek inside a pigeon’s ear</h2> The new search is now underway in the inner ear of pigeons, where iron particles known as “cuticulosomes” <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982213004338">were first identified</a> in 2013. Single cuticulosomes have been located within distinct regions in the pigeon inner ear where other known sensory systems exist (such as for hearing and balancing during flight). In theory, if there were a magnetic sensing system in pigeons, it should be located close to other sensory systems. But to determine whether iron cuticulosomes can act as magnetoreceptors in pigeons, scientists need to determine their magnetic properties. This is no mean feat, since cuticulosomes are 1,000 times smaller than a grain of sand. What’s more is they are only found in 30% of the hair cells within the inner ear, making them difficult to identify and characterise. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431870/original/file-20211115-6434-uzv76r.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431870/original/file-20211115-6434-uzv76r.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Diagram showing a homing pigeon's inner ear, with labels for hair cells and magnetic particles." /></a> We conducted quantum magnetic imaging of iron-organelles in the pigeon inner ear. Robert W de Gille, Author provided To tackle this problem our group at the University of Melbourne, together with colleagues from Vienna’s Institute of Molecular Pathology and the Max Planck Society in Bonn, turned to a new imaging technology to explore the magnetic properties of iron cuticulosomes in the pigeon inner ear. We developed a magnetic microscope that uses diamond-based sensors to visualise delicate magnetic fields emanating from tiny magnetic particles. <h2>Disproving the theory</h2> We carefully studied thin sections of the pigeon inner ear placed directly onto the diamond sensors. By applying magnetic fields of varying strengths to the tissue, we were able to gauge the magnetic susceptibility of single cuticulosomes. Our results showed the magnetic properties of the cuticulosomes were not strong enough for them to act as a magnetic particle-based magnetoreceptor. In fact, the particles would need to be 100,000 times stronger to activate the sensory pathways required for magnetoreception in pigeons. However, despite the search for the elusive magnetoreceptor coming up short, we are extremely excited by the potential of this magnetic microscope technology. We hope to use it study a host of magnetic candidates across a variety of species including rodents, fish and turtles. And by doing so we can focus not only on cuticulosomes, but a range of other potentially magnetic particles.<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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171738/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-simpson-1289933">David Simpson</a>, School of Physics, Senior Lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</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/how-do-pigeons-find-their-way-home-we-looked-in-their-ears-with-a-diamond-based-quantum-microscope-to-find-out-171738">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Family & Pets

BREAKING: TWO earthquakes hit Victoria

A 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit the area around Mansfield, in north-east Victoria, at 9.15 am on Wednesday morning. The quake was reported by Geoscience Australia 10 kilometres beneath the earth’s surface. The tremor was reportedly felt across Melbourne, regional Victoria, Canberra, Adelaide, New South Wales, and Launceston. Geoscience Australia recorded a second magnitude-4.0, 12 kilometre-deep earthquake nearby about 15 minutes later, followed by a third at depth of 6km and magnitude of 3.1 20 minutes later. The agency added that there is no tsunami threat. Victoria’s SES has said the epicentre is near Mansfield, about 150 kilometres north-east of Melbourne. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Region: Mansfield, VIC Mag: 6.0 UTC: 2021-09-21 23:15:54 Lat: -37.42, Lon: 146.32 Dep: 10km For more info and updates, or if you felt this earthquake, go to <a href="https://t.co/XDfYnAnC4h">https://t.co/XDfYnAnC4h</a> — EarthquakesGA (@EarthquakesGA) <a href="https://twitter.com/EarthquakesGA/status/1440458060787433478?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2021</a></blockquote> Reports have emerged of significant damage in some parts of the state, with footage appearing on social media showing debris and damage outside the Betty’s Burger restaurant on Chapel Street in Melbourne. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844286/e_2jeyjuyaea-nd.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/cebc1bee8d044200b4bdfa876ca05e79" /> Image: paul_dowsley / Twitter Apartment buildings and offices are being evacuated in Melbourne, where footage is also being captured. Residents have also reported shaking walls, with many waking up to the tremors. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Melbourne in one video. People evacuated after the earthquake and mounted police heading into the city. <a href="https://t.co/dkunUfhooQ">pic.twitter.com/dkunUfhooQ</a> — Sharnelle Vella (@SharnelleVella) <a href="https://twitter.com/SharnelleVella/status/1440462987920175106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2021</a></blockquote> Footage of the earthquake was captured by ABC News Breakfast, with presenter Michael Rowland initially asking, “is it an earthquake or a structural thing?” “Let’s go,” he then said. “That was a big one.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> A magnitude six <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Earthquake?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Earthquake</a> has rattled Melbourne and regional Victoria. This is the moment when News Breakfast presenters <a href="https://twitter.com/mjrowland68?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mjrowland68</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Tonaaayy_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Tonaaayy_</a> were rocked by it. <a href="https://t.co/Z4gz0sWJve">pic.twitter.com/Z4gz0sWJve</a> — News Breakfast (@BreakfastNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BreakfastNews/status/1440461207572398091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2021</a></blockquote> Adam Pascale, head of the Seismology Research Centre, told the ABC that aftershocks were possible. “We are still reigning it but we think it’s a mag-5.8 potentially at this point in Gippsland,” he said. “It shook here in the northern suburbs of Melbourne for about 15-20 seconds so it’s quite a significant earthquake. “The aftershocks are likely already occurring. “You’d expect them to start straightaway. “I can already see at least two or three smaller events there. “In Licola and Woods Point they’re probably close enough to possibly have had some damage from this earthquake. “The main thing for people to remember is if they do start to feel some shaking. There’s usually a primary and a secondary wave. The primary wave will give you a few seconds to get under a table and hold on.” Image: henriettacook / Twitter

News

Mum's desperate plea after deodorant leaves daughter with brain damage

A Queensland mother has shared a desperate plea for parents to discuss the dangers of solvent abuse with their kids. The emotional appeal comes after Sarah Nevins found her 16-year-old daughter Chloe lying in bushland without a pulse. Chloe has been inhaling toxic fumes from a deodorant aerosol can with her boyfriend on June 1st when she went into cardiac arrest, cutting off the oxygen supply from her brain. The concerned mum told The Courier Mail that her daughter was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s hospital with a hypoxic brain injury, and remains confined to her hospital bed over a month later. Sarah said, “I had no idea she was chroming, I didn’t even know that people did that.” Chroming, more commonly known as solvent abuse, is when people try to get high by inhaling chemicals like paint, glue, petrol or other solvents. Sarah said that paramedics performed CPR on Chloe for almost 30 minutes before she was admitted to the Brisbane hospital. The mum posted a series of photos and videos of her unconscious child with a tracheostomy tube in her neck fighting for life. “It’s upsetting because you’re looking at a wasted life,” she told The Courier Mail. “Her quality of life is going to be severely impacted for the rest of her life.” Sarah is hoping the shocking images of her daughter will prompt parents to their children about the dangers of chroming. She is also campaigning for manufacturers to remove toxic ingredients from their aerosol products to prevent further issues of solvent abuse. Image credits: Facebook

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