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Pickle, anyone? 3 possible reasons women get cravings during pregnancy

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-ball-14718">Lauren Ball</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katelyn-barnes-1238606">Katelyn Barnes</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> From pickles and french fries to oranges and ice cream, women and other people who are pregnant report craving a range of foods while they’re expecting. A <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00021/full">food craving</a> is a strong urge to eat a specific food. The intense desire to eat is not necessarily related to hunger and can be difficult to ignore or resist. Think: “I must have this now!”. Food cravings during pregnancy are common, with studies reporting anywhere between <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/">50% and 90%</a> of pregnant women experience a food craving at least once during their pregnancy. Most women who experience food cravings will do so in their second trimester (from week 13 to 27), and the cravings may also be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/">most intense</a> at this time. Let’s delve into the science of food cravings and what it means for the health of mum and bub. <h2>What are some typical cravings, and why do they happen?</h2> There’s an old wives’ tale which implies food cravings can predict the sex of the baby, with sweet foods being associated with a girl, and savoury foods indicating a boy. This isn’t backed by science. In reality, food cravings during pregnancy are highly individual, though they <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/">typically include</a> carbohydrate-dense and protein-dense foods. Commonly reported cravings include biscuits, bananas, nuts, pickles, ice cream and potatoes. We don’t know exactly why pregnant women experience food cravings, but there are a few possible reasons. 1. Changes in nutritional needs Growing a baby takes a lot of work, and unsurprisingly, increases womens’ requirements for energy and specific nutrients such as iron, folic acid, magnesium and calcium. In addition, a woman’s blood volume <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4928162/#:%7E:text=Maternal%20blood%20volume%20increases%20by,falls%20by%2010%20mosmol%2Fkg.">increases significantly during pregnancy</a>, meaning a greater demand for water and electrolytes (in particular sodium and potassium). Some studies suggest women experiencing nutrient deficiencies are <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0276079">more likely</a> to have food cravings. This might mean women crave foods high in energy and specific nutrients based on their needs. However, this link is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5054961/">not consistently seen</a>, and many women experience food cravings without being deficient in any nutrients. 2. Changes in hunger and taste Hormonal changes that occur throughout pregnancy may change how hungry women feel. A specific hormone called neuropeptide Y has been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1006/appe.1996.0060">shown</a> to increase during pregnancy and is associated with increased hunger. Also, many women report foods and drinks taste different during pregnancy. Most commonly, women <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/">report</a> an increased taste of bitter flavours such as those in vegetables or coffee, and a heightened sense of sweetness from fruits. Changes in how foods taste combined with increased feelings of hunger may create food cravings, particularly for sweet foods such as fruits. However, studies have not been able to consistently link hormone levels in blood with reported taste changes, suggesting hormones may not be solely responsible for food cravings. 3. Social and cultural influences Pregnant women in different parts of the world report different food cravings. For example, the most commonly reported food cravings among pregnant women in Nigeria is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/#B113">fruits and vegetables</a>. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/#B83">Rice</a> is the most common craving among all women in Japan, while in the United States, women seem to crave <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16831486/">chocolate</a> the most. These differences may be due to what foods are available, and what foods are familiar. Popular commentary around pregnancy food cravings, and even the notion of “eating for two”, imply a biological need for pregnant women to indulge their food cravings. These sentiments make eating different, strange, or large amounts of food more socially acceptable. Also, food cravings may normalise eating foods which may be less healthy, such as chocolates or cake. Normalising a food choice that may usually be considered a special treat can then <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/#B76">lead to increased urges</a> for and consumption of those foods during pregnancy. Some women can struggle with food cravings they know are not healthy, but cannot resist. This can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/">lead to</a> shame and negative relationships with food during pregnancy. <h2>Cravings aren’t a big cause for concern</h2> People may think food cravings lead to excess weight gain in pregnancy, which can be related to poor health outcomes for mothers. But studies to date have shown that while women who experience food cravings in pregnancy have a slightly higher energy intake than those who don’t, there’s <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/#B167">no consistent link</a> between food cravings and diet quality, changes in body weight or size, or development of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5054961/">pregnancy complications</a> such as gestational diabetes. Some people have also suspected food cravings in pregnancy might influence the baby while it’s growing. However, studies haven’t found <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1658361218301070">a link</a> between the mother’s food cravings during pregnancy, the size of baby at birth, the baby’s taste preferences, or behaviours of developing children. Overall, it seems food cravings have little to modest impact on the health of mothers or their babies. <h2>When to seek help</h2> While all women should feel comfortable to eat foods they desire, moderation is still key. Resolving sweet food cravings with nutritious options such as fruits, dairy and wholegrains may be beneficial, as well as limiting less healthy cravings such as chocolates, lollies and chips. Particular cravings, such soil or ice, can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4635104/">indicate</a> underlying health conditions that warrant treatment. If you or a loved one is concerned about food cravings or any aspect of food intake during pregnancy, make an appointment with an <a href="https://member.dietitiansaustralia.org.au/Portal/Portal/Search-Directories/Find-a-Dietitian.aspx">accredited dietitian</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/221755/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-ball-14718">Lauren Ball</a>, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katelyn-barnes-1238606">Katelyn Barnes</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/pickle-anyone-3-possible-reasons-women-get-cravings-during-pregnancy-221755">original article</a>.

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The move to a cashless society isn’t just a possibility, it’s well underway

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/angel-zhong-1204643">Angel Zhong</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> When was the last time you used cash? For many Australians using cash or even swiping a card has become a rare event. The move towards a cashless society started 50 years ago with the introduction of the Bankcard and was driven by technological advancements. But it really took off with the COVID pandemic when consumers and retailers were reluctant to handle potentially infected notes and coins. The federal government last week underscored its recognition of this trend by <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/media-releases/modernising-payments-regulation">unveiling reforms</a> to regulate digital payment providers. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said: "As payments increasingly become digital, our payments system needs to remain fit for purpose so that it delivers for consumers and small businesses. We want to make sure the shift to digital payments occurs in a way that promotes greater competition, innovation and productivity across our entire economy." From big cities to remote rural corners the shift towards digital payments is evident. This raises the question, is a cashless society inevitable? <h2>The phenomenal growth of the digital payments</h2> The convenience of digital transactions has become irresistible for consumers and businesses and has led to the sector eclipsing traditional payment methods. The relentless march of technology has produced myriad innovative platforms from mobile wallets to buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) schemes, each vying for a piece of this burgeoning market. A recent <a href="https://www.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Bank-On-It-%E2%80%93-Customer-Trends-2023-1.pdf">report</a> by the Australian Banking Association paints a vivid picture of the digital payment industry’s explosive expansion. The use of digital wallet payments on smartphones and watches has soared from $746 million in 2018 to over $93 billion in 2022. Cash only accounts for 13% of consumer payments in Australia as of the end of 2022, a stark contrast to 70% in 2007. Digital wallets are popular with most age groups. Young Australians aged between 18 and 29 are leading the pack, with two thirds <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2023/jun/consumer-payment-behaviour-in-australia.html">using digital wallets</a> to pay for goods and services. About <a href="https://www.ausbanking.org.au/almost-40-leave-wallets-at-home/">40% of Australians</a> are comfortable leaving home without their actual wallets or even credit or debit cards, as long as they have their mobile devices with digital wallets. The astonishing speed at which Australians have embraced digital payments places the country among the top users of cashless payments globally, surpassing the United States and European countries. Digital wallets are not the only players in this space. The use of BNPL products is also growing rapidly in Australia, which was where many of the large-scale products in this category started. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) reports the total value of all BNPL transactions increased by <a href="https://asic.gov.au/regulatory-resources/find-a-document/reports/rep-672-buy-now-pay-later-an-industry-update/">79% in the 2018–19 financial year</a>. This continues into 2022 with an annual growth beyond 30% according to the <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/annual-reports/psb/2022/the-evolving-retail-payments-landscape.html">Reserve Bank of Australia</a> (RBA). PayID and PayPal payments are also claiming their shares in this space. <h2>Are government regulations necessary?</h2> The government’s planned regulation of the system, contained in amendments to the Reforms to the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998, is a big step towards establishing a secure and trustworthy cashless society in Australia. It will subject BNPL and digital wallet service providers like Apple Pay and Google Pay to the same oversight by the RBA as traditional credit and debit cards. The regulations will require providers meet clear standards for security measures, data protection and dispute resolution to give Australians confidence their funds and personal information are safeguarded. With increasing concern over cyber attacks, the regulations will help reduce the risk of fraudulent activities and money laundering and help identify suspicious transactions, maintaining the integrity of the financial system. Also, regulation will promote fair competition and market stability by levelling the playing field and by preventing monopolies. While banks support the forthcoming regulation, new market players are less positive. For example, Apple Pay says it is merely <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/new-rba-powers-to-regulate-apple-google-payments-20231010-p5eb6d">providing technical architecture</a> rather than payment services. The current regulatory debate is not new. When credit cards made their debut in Australia in the early 1970s, there were hardly any safeguards for consumers. This led to card users being hit with high interest rates on money owed, sneaky fees and aggressive marketing tactics. Consequently, regulations were introduced to hold card providers to a standard of responsible behaviour. Today, they must openly disclose interest rates, fees and charges, and follow stringent guidelines in advertising their products and services. Regulating digital wallet providers strikes a crucial balance between innovation and accountability, ensuring life-changing technology continues to serve the public interest. The shift towards a cashless society in Australia isn’t just a possibility, it’s already well underway. The blend of technological advancements, changing consumer preferences and regulatory adaptations has set the stage for this transformation. The new regulations will help Australians navigate this transition more confidently.<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/215446/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/angel-zhong-1204643">Angel Zhong</a>, Associate Professor of Finance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/the-move-to-a-cashless-society-isnt-just-a-possibility-its-well-underway-215446">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Shop around, take lunch, catch the bus. It is possible to ease the squeeze on your budget

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-de-zwaan-180752">Laura de Zwaan</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> It’s no secret that the cost of living has increased substantially over the last year, with rises of between <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/employees-annual-living-costs-highest-record#:%7E:text=%E2%80%9CLiving%20costs%20for%20employee%20households,per%20cent%20was%20in%201986.">7.1 and 9.6 per cent</a> for all households. So what can households do to manage these increases? It might sound simple, but starting with a budget is the best approach. Even if you already have a budget, price increases mean it will need to be updated. For those new to budgeting, it is just a list of your income and expenses. Make sure you match the frequency of these so you are working out your budget over a week, or a fortnight, or a month. There are plenty of budgeting apps and websites that can help, such as the <a href="https://moneysmart.gov.au/budgeting/budget-planner">Moneysmart budget planner</a>. Once your budget is up to date, you can see your financial position. Do you have a surplus of cash – congratulations! You can save that money to help you in an emergency. But what about if you have less income than expenses? You need to work through a process of figuring out where you can cut back. Some expenses are easy to cut back on: <ul> <li> If you have multiple streaming services, drop back to one at a time. Check for any other subscriptions you might be paying for – if you are not using them frequently, now is the time to cancel. You can always resubscribe when money isn’t tight. </li> <li> If you are spending a lot of money on take out or paying for lunch, find cheaper alternatives such as eating at home and packing a lunch using cheaper ingredients. Switch to tap water for normal drinks, and take a travel cup of coffee with you. </li> <li> Check and see if public transport is cheaper for you. If you are using a lot of fuel and paying for parking, public transport could be a better option. </li> <li> Groceries can be a huge cost for families. It is always worth shopping around to not pay full price. Understand unit pricing and buy the products you use when they are on special. It might be necessary to switch to cheaper products. </li> <li> Check if you are paying too much for your utilities like internet, electricity and gas. There are comparison websites you can use, including the <a href="https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au/">Energy Made Easy</a> website. You can also make simple changes such as turning off lights and using a saucepan lid when boiling water that will reduce your usage. </li> <li> Check other products you might be paying for, such as car, home and health insurance to see if you can save money by switching. Be careful with any life or disability policies. It is best to speak to a financial adviser before changing those as there can be implications for cover. </li> </ul> Other expenses, like housing, can be a lot harder to manage. Rising interest rates have pushed up mortgage repayments for homeowners. Mortgage interest charges have <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-03/record-high-living-costs-businesses-contracting-interest-rates/102296992">risen by 78.9% over the year</a> to March 2023. For many homeowners, their repayments are unaffordable compared to when they first took out their mortgage. If you are struggling to afford your mortgage, the first step is to talk to your lender as soon as possible. Moneysmart has <a href="https://moneysmart.gov.au/home-loans/problems-paying-your-mortgage">useful information</a> on what to do when you can’t meet your mortgage payments. You may also be able to <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/super/withdrawing-and-using-your-super/early-access-to-super/access-on-compassionate-grounds/access-on-compassionate-grounds---what-you-need-to-know/">access some of your superannuation</a> so you don’t lose your home, however bear in mind that this is a temporary solution and uses your retirement savings. Increased demand for rentals has seen average rents across Australia increase by <a href="https://content.corelogic.com.au/l/994732/2023-07-05/z2tcd/994732/1688600749Ly8Iv9wt/202306_CoreLogic_RentalReview_July_2023_FINAL.pdf">27.4% since the COVID pandemic</a>. Supply of rental properties is low, which means many people may not be able to find a suitable alternative if their rent increases and becomes unaffordable. It might be necessary to take on a housemate, or move to a cheaper location (make sure to consider additional costs such as transport). If your circumstances have changed suddenly and you cannot pay your rent, contact your landlord or property manager. If you are paying a lot in credit card or other personal debt repayments such as numerous Afterpay-style accounts, it could be a good idea to speak to a bank about consolidating. This can help move some expensive debt, such as that from credit cards, into lower interest debt and simplify your budgeting as there is only one payment. If debt is making your budget unmanageable, then you can call the <a href="https://ndh.org.au/">National Debt Helpline</a> or for First Nations Australians there is <a href="https://financialrights.org.au/getting-help/mob-strong-debt-help/">Mob Strong Debt Help</a>. A final option could be to increase your income by taking on more work. This can be a good solution, but if you already work full time it might be unsustainable. Two common side hustles to boost income are gig work, such as Uber driving, and multi-level marketing, which is selling goods like Doterra and Herbalife to family and friends. However, both are <a href="https://www.twu.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/McKell_QLD_Gig-Economy_WEB_SINGLES.pdf">low</a> <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/216593/1/MLM_report_Print.pdf">paid</a> and in most cases you would be better off earning minimum wage as a casual employee.<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/210895/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-de-zwaan-180752">Laura de Zwaan</a>, Lecturer, Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/shop-around-take-lunch-catch-the-bus-it-is-possible-to-ease-the-squeeze-on-your-budget-210895">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

"Possibly carcinogenic to humans": WHO's dire warning over common ingredient

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for one of the world’s most popular artificial sweeteners to be declared a possible carcinogen. The push will be led by the WHO’s research team for the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), pitting it against the food industry and regulators. The sweetener, known as Aspartame, is used in products from Coca-Cola diet drinks, such as Diet Coke and Coke Zero, to Mars’ Extra chewing gum and some Snapple drinks. Later this month, the IARC will list Aspartame for the first time as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” The ruling from the IARC has assessed whether the sweetener is hazardous to humans or not, although it does not stipulate how much of the product a person can safely consume. This advice for individual consumers comes from a different organisation, known as JECFA (the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Expert Committee on Food Additives), who make consumption guidelines alongside national regulators. Despite the claims from the WHO, since as early as 1981 JECFA has said aspartame is safe to consume within accepted daily limits. An adult weighing 60kg would have to drink between 12 and 36 cans of diet soft drink, depending on the amount of aspartame in the beverage, every day to be at risk. Its view has been widely shared by national regulators, including in the United States and Europe. These conflicting reports have angered some regulators and consumers alike, with Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare official Nozomi Tomita writing to the WHO, “kindly asking both bodies to coordinate their efforts in reviewing aspartame to avoid any confusion or concerns among the public.” Image credits: Getty Images

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The public history, climate change present, and possible future of Australia’s botanic gardens

Can we justify maintaining water-hungry botanic gardens in an age of climate change and rising water prices? Perhaps such gardens are no longer suited to Australia’s changing climate – if they ever were. It is easy to argue Australian botanic gardens are imperial remnants full of European plants, an increasingly uncomfortable reminder of British colonisation. But gardens, and their gardeners, aren’t static. They are intrinsically changing entities. <h2>A brief history</h2> Most Australian botanic gardens were established in the 19th century, starting with the garden in the Sydney Domain around 1816. The earliest gardens served multiple functions. They were food gardens. They were test gardens used to establish the suitability of crops and vegetables introduced from Europe and other colonies. Nostalgia, European ideas of beauty and the desire to test introduced varieties meant botanic gardens were planted with trees familiar to British visitors. Oaks, elms and conifers were all planted, along with the kinds of flowers and shrubs naturalised in British private and public gardens. Introduced plants and trees were distributed to settlers as part of acclimatisation – the introduction of exotic plants intended to transform the Australian landscape to a more familiar one and make it “productive”. Botanic gardens also reversed this exchange by collecting, cultivating and internationally distributing Australian native plants deemed potentially useful or beautiful. Finally, and <a href="https://www.mup.com.au/books/reading-the-garden-paperback-softback">most controversially</a>, they were public spaces. Australian public gardens drew on <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1587004">then new ideas</a> from European social reformers and progressive politicians. These gardens were seen as providing healthy air for the citizens of increasingly crowded cities. They were also built on older ideas about commons and provision of shared public space for the recreation of the poorer classes. These different uses sometimes clashed. Ferdinand Mueller, director of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, was <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/INFORMIT.614393203501639">arguably displaced</a> from his role because his vision of the garden was as an instructional botanical nursery. Public demand had shifted to a desire for a more aesthetic and usable garden. <h2>Facing the climate emergency</h2> Water for trees and decorative plants drawn from very different climates were always an issue for these gardens. As early as 1885, Richard Schomburgk in his role of director of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/034558a0">told Nature</a> about the drought affecting that city and the drastic impact it was having “upon many of the trees and shrubs in the Botanic Garden, natives of cooler countries”. As the climate has shifted, droughts, changes in water table and climate change uncertainty have foregrounded the plight of these thirsty trees, and <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/from-small-acorns-botanic-gardens-looks-to-climate-proof-its-future-20220922-p5bk47.html">some have died</a>. The Geelong Botanic Gardens, established in 1851, <a href="https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/gbg/about/water/article/item/8cbf37aecae738a.aspx">provide an example</a> of water demand and the work done to retain historic trees, using wastewater to maintain these plantings. The garden also now has a “21st-Century Garden” focused on sustainability, containing hardy natives including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia">acacias</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eremophila_(plant)">eremophila</a>, saltbush and grasses. Today’s botanic gardens are still test gardens, and are now <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ppp3.10356">important sites</a> for global climate change research. They demonstrate what not to plant, but also that not all introduced plants are unsuited to Australian conditions. Adelaide Botanic Gardens offer a <a href="https://plantselector.botanicgardens.sa.gov.au/home.aspx">plant selection guide</a> where residents can check whether a plant is suited to their local conditions. The Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens have a <a href="https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/discover-melbourne-gardens/melbourne-gardens-living-collections/climate-ready-rose-collection/">“climate ready” rose display</a>, a reframing of the decimated species rose collection, which adjusts exotic planting to climate change, without throwing the baby out with the (diminishing) bath water. Some European, Mediterranean, North and South American plants are exactly suited to Australian climates, or are robust enough to adapt to changes which include increased drying and heat in many areas, but also the possibility of increased humidity in formerly arid zones. <h2>Colonial memorials</h2> There has been a <a href="https://australian.museum/learn/first-nations/statues/">recent trend</a> to erase reminders of our colonial past. Do the best lessons come from removing colonial memorials, or from rewriting their meaning? Pull out the giant trees and exotic gardens, or use them to demonstrate and examine the assumptions and mistakes of the past, as well as to design the future? Various garden exhibitions, such as the touring <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/digging-deep-into-the-politics-of-gardens-20210217-p573co.html">Garden Variety photography exhibition</a>, do the latter, foregrounding the problematic history as well as the future possibilities of the space. Many gardens also now include <a href="https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/learn/secondary-excursions/connecting-to-country/">Indigenous acknowledgement and content</a>: heritage walks, tours, and talks by Indigenous owners to demonstrate the long history, naming and uses of local plants which overturn their colonial positioning. <h2>Shifting landscapes</h2> Australia’s botanic gardens have changed a lot over the past 200 years. Botanic gardens <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468265917300288">are adapting</a> to climate change, replacing dying and stressed trees and outdated gardens with hardier varieties and new possibilities, conserving endangered species and acting as proving grounds for climate impacts. For decades, state and national gardens like the <a href="https://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park/area/wa-botanic-garden">Western Australian Botanic Garden</a> and regional gardens like Mildura’s <a href="https://aibgdotlive.wordpress.com/">Inland Botanic Gardens</a> have installed indigenous, native or climate-focused gardens, as well as or instead of the traditional heritage European style. Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand offers a landscape <a href="https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/initiatives/climate-change-alliance/landscape-succession-toolkit/">succession toolkit</a>: a guide for mapping out what is doomed, what most needs preserving and what adaptations are most pertinent for our botanic gardens of the future. Finally, we don’t need to rip out non-hardy introduced trees: climate change will progressively remove them for us. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-public-history-climate-change-present-and-possible-future-of-australias-botanic-gardens-198864" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Home & Garden

Is it possible to listen to too much music each day?

I love listening to music. I love music so much I decided to study it in college. I’m earning a <a href="https://www.songsmysisterlikes.com/">doctorate in music history</a>, for which I have researched everything from early 20th-century French music to 1960s funk. I make and perform music as well. I have played drums in rock and pop bands and composed original music for jazz ensembles. I always have my headphones on, too. I listen to music while taking a walk. <a href="https://www.okayplayer.com/music/j-dilla-lofi-hip-hop-influence.html">I listen to lo-fi hip-hop</a> while answering emails. I listen to Brazilian <a href="https://library.brown.edu/create/fivecenturiesofchange/chapters/chapter-6/bossa-nov/">bossa nova</a> music while I cook and clean. I listen to the jazz vocalist <a href="https://bostonreview.net/articles/the-sounds-of-struggle/">Abbey Lincoln</a> while driving around town or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/6TLQjuOF9aBRrEVLWBXhvW?si=068ea66c436f4fa3">upbeat electronic</a> music while taking long road trips. I miss out on a lot around me by constantly listening to music, however. I might not hear the sound of birds outside my window or my cat’s mewling when she wants to be fed or to play. I might not hear the rustling of the wind or the chatter of my family enjoying one another’s company right outside my closed door. Apart from causing you to miss out on all the sounds that surround you, generally speaking, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/addicted-to-music#is-it-possible">listening to music does not harm your body</a>. It does not damage your liver, poison your lungs or fry your brain. It is not possible to listen to too much music. <h2>Watch the volume</h2> There are, however, exceptions. For instance, you can damage your ears if you listen to music too loud for long periods. The World Health Organization estimates that around <a href="https://www.who.int/pbd/deafness/activities/MLS_Brochure_English_lowres_for_web.pdf">50% of teenagers and young adults</a> listen to music on personal audio devices at unsafe levels. Fortunately, some smartphones have built-in features that measure <a href="https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/check-your-headphone-levels-iph0596a9152/ios">how much sound is coming from your headphones</a>. Such features measure the output of sound in a unit of measurement called decibels. <a href="https://soundear.com/decibel-scale/">Silence will produce no decibels at all</a>. A jet plane engine produces 120. Everyday conversations are around 60 decibels, while a balloon popping can be as powerful as 150. The WHO has concluded that people can withstand <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/public_health_scientific_info.html">85 decibels consecutively for eight hours</a> without damaging their hearing. To give an example, I average about five hours of headphone listening a day at 70 decibels. <h2>Take precautions</h2> Anyone who plays music regularly or attends concerts and nightclubs needs to take extra caution as well. Several rock stars from the 1970s and 1980s have spoken out for years about their experience with hearing loss and <a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2018/musicians-hearing-loss.html">tinnitus, a condition that causes ringing in the ears</a>. Their condition resulted from rehearsing and performing for long periods of time at loud volumes. <a href="https://decibelpro.app/blog/how-loud-is-a-rock-concert/">The average concert often exceeds 100 decibels</a>, and the WHO notes that such sound can begin to damage one’s ears after only 15 minutes. Standing closer to the amplifiers and musicians will make the decibel level increase. Most musicians rehearse and perform for more than 15 minutes. And most concerts last at least an hour, if not much longer. The solution, then, is to take precautions. Just the way airport workers who signal to pilots <a href="https://pksafety.com/blog/airport-worker-safety-equipment">wear specialized earmuffs</a> while they are on the tarmac to protect their hearing from damage caused by noisy jet planes, musicians and concertgoers can wear earplugs. I carry mine – which can cut out up to 21 decibels of noise – everywhere, attached to my keychain. I put my earplugs in while rehearsing or attending shows, or whenever I need to relax in a noisy environment. Other people rarely notice. “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5363618/">Sound of Metal</a>,” a movie released in 2019, portrays a metal drummer’s experience with hearing loss. It is a sobering reminder of the importance of protecting your hearing. But that doesn’t mean experiencing a lot of live or recorded music is bad for you. It is hard to listen to too much music, provided the volumes are reasonable. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared in <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-possible-to-listen-to-too-much-music-each-day-173566" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

Major cringe: Bride discovers worst possible typo on invitations

A bride-to-be has shared over on social media quite the embarrassing mistake she sent out on wedding invitations to guests. The woman posted a TikTok video showing off the elegant invite, but failed to notice that instead of directing guests to her wedding website to RSVP, she sent them a link to a popular X-rated adult website. <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@squidward.tentacles/video/7131461119989894446" data-video-id="7131461119989894446"> <section><a title="@squidward.tentacles" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@squidward.tentacles?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@squidward.tentacles</a> Oops <a title="fyd" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyd?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#fyd</a> <a title="wedding" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/wedding?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#wedding</a> <a title="weddingtiktok" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/weddingtiktok?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#weddingtiktok</a> <a title="weddingtok" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/weddingtok?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#weddingtok</a> <a title="weddingmishaps" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/weddingmishaps?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#weddingmishaps</a> <a title="weddinginvitations" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/weddinginvitations?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#weddinginvitations</a> <a title="♬ original sound - Squid" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7131461115967556398?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound - Squid</a></section> </blockquote> "So I got my wedding invitations in the mail today. Super exciting," she said in her video. "Except I made a very large mistake that I'm going to share with you guys so other brides don't make this mistake because I'm sure it's super common." She then shows off her "really cute" RSVP card and admits she forgot she put the adult website in as a placeholder and failed to change it to her wedding website. Fellow TikTokers did however find the bride's mistake hilarious. "I think this is hilarious! I checked my invites 1000 times before I finalised because I did the same thing!" someone admitted. "I love this. I’m dying laughing," a third added. "I put the wrong venue address on mine. And didn’t notice until the week before wedding lol FUN!" another claimed. However, others were left confused as to how she allowed it to happen in the first place. Omg. Who spell-checked this? Anyone?" one commented. "Aren’t wedding invitations kinda expensive to not bother proofreading before ordering and mailing out?" another questioned. Some users also criticised the bride, saying the invitation was riddled with spelling mistakes. "Sis. That card needs to run through spell check," a TikToker wrote. "Do you actually think this is a super common mistake? Or are you being sarcastic...?" another questioned. "Please hire someone to do this for you," a third urged. Image: TikTok

Relationships

Witness accused of painting Chris Dawson in “most monstrous” way possible

A witness has claimed that Chris Dawson allegedly pushed his wife Lynette against a trampoline and screamed at her before she disappeared. Lynette Dawson disappeared from the family home in Bayview in Sydney’s northern beaches, leaving behind her two children in January 1982. The 33-year-old has not been heard from since then and her remains have not yet been found. Dawson, a former professional rugby league player and teacher is accused of killing his wife Lynette. He appeared in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday where he claimed he was in fact the victim of improper police investigations following the disappearance of his wife. In the judge-alone trial, witness and former neighbour Julie Andrew alleged that Dawson was “shaking” his wife moments leading up to her death. "He was screaming at her and she was crying. He was towering over her … he was roaring at her,” she said in court, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-16/witness-tells-court-she-saw-chris-dawson-screaming-at-lynette/101069734" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a> reported. A few hours after the alleged incident, Julie went to check in on Lynette who informed her that Dawson was going to make room for the babysitter to move in because he was infatuated with her. Julie told the court that she tried to explain to Lynette that it was her house and she should not allow that to happen. She also recalled the moment Lynette revealed that she came home from work one day to find Dawson and the babysitter in bed together. "She said, 'I'm sure she just wasn't feeling well and he was looking after her'," Julie said. She noted that that was the last time she saw Lynette and would try calling the home phone to which no one responded. Julie only spotted Dawson, the babysitter, and the two children in the house - claiming she was too scared to go to the house and check on the situation. Defence barrister Pauline David accused Julie of painting Dawson in the "most monstrous" way possible. Julie denied the accusation saying she was there to tell the truth and said she didn’t go to the house after noticing bruises on Lynette’s arm, ABC reported. Dawson continues to claim his innocence after being arrested for the murder of Lynette. The trial continues. Image: Nine News

Legal

More affordable housing with less homelessness is possible – if only Australia would learn from Nordic nations

Housing is expensive in Australia. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Higher quality, more affordable housing is a matter of policy choice. A key problem is Australia’s housing market is too skewed towards treating housing as a financial asset, rather than a basic human need. There is almost a universal consensus among economists, for example, that negative gearing <a href="https://theconversation.com/vital-signs-why-now-is-the-right-time-to-clamp-down-on-negative-gearing-107370">favours the interests of investors</a>to the detriment of others, but both major parties are scared to change the policy. One way to break the policy stalemate is to consider policies shown to have worked in other countries. To facilitate this, the Nordic Policy Centre – a collaboration between The Australia Institute and Deakin University – has <a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/report/homes-for-people/">published an overview</a> of housing and homelessness policies in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. Of particular note among the wide range of housing policies in these nations is the prominence of housing cooperatives, which assist both renters and those wanting to own a secure, high-quality home. <h2>Why Nordic countries?</h2> Why look at the Nordic countries? One reason is their relative success in tackling homelessness. Finland is the world leader in this. There, the number of people experiencing homelessness has fallen from more than 16,000 people in the late 1980s to about 4,500 people in 2020. This represents a homelessness rate of less than one per 1,000 (Finland’s population is about 5.5 million) compared with nearly five per 1,000 in Australia. Homelessness, granted, is more complicated than just the cost of housing. It involves family and relationship trauma, physical and mental health issues, and substance use. The Finns’ achievement is due to a range of policy responses including strong outreach services. But underpinnning these responses is the Finnish government’s “<a href="https://housingfirsteurope.eu/countries/finland/">Housing First</a>” principle, adopted in 2007, which says people have a right to decent housing and to useful social services. It’s a seemingly simple concept, but radically inclusive compared with how other countries deal with the homeless. <h2>Vibrant cooperative sectors</h2> In Australia, housing cooperatives might conjure up images of small hippie communes. This is an unfair characterisation, borne of the fact the sector is so tiny and unknown. All up, cooperative housing comprises less than 1% of the Australian housing sector, with about <a href="https://researchdirect.westernsydney.edu.au/islandora/object/uws:53637/">200 housing cooperatives</a>mostly focused on providing affordable rental housing. In Nordic countries, however, housing cooperatives are a mainstream option for both renters and owners. Sweden’s cooperative sector amounts to 22% of total housing stock. Norway’s represent 15% nationwide, and 40% in the capital, Oslo. In Denmark, more than 20% of the population lives in cooperative housing. <h2>How cooperative housing works</h2> Cooperatives take a variety of forms. But the key features are that they are democratically organised and exist to serve a real economic or social need of their members. Rental housing cooperatives exist to provide housing, not accrue wealth. They pool common resources to own and manage affordable rental accommodation. Tenants are generally required to become members and encouraged to be actively involved in decision-making, management and maintenance. Any revenue from rents is reinvested in new housing projects or upgrading older buildings. In Denmark, rental cooperative housing – known as Almenboliger– plays a critical role in providing affordable housing for a range of people, including the elderly and those with disabilities. Its non-profit orientation as well as supportive government policies – such as lower-interest loans – enable cooperatives to reduce construction costs and offer lower rents. In Norway, national law allows 10% of units in a housing cooperative complex to be bought or used by local government authorities to house people who can’t afford alternatives. Housing cooperatives in Oslo have been vital for securing decent housing for immigrants and for older people. <h2>A path to home ownership</h2> Just as important in terms of lessons for Australia is that Nordic housing cooperatives also play a big role in helping people buy a home. So-called “equity-based” housing cooperatives in Sweden, Norway and Denmark help reduce the cost of home ownership. This generally involves the cooperative building or buying an apartment or unit block, then allowing members to buy individual homes, while the cooperative retains ownership of common areas. Members own their individual dwellings and co-own and manage shared spaces with other co-op members. The structure is similar to strata title in Australia, with individual ownership of some parts of a property and shared ownership of others. The big difference is strata title is often “investor-owned”, while a housing cooperative is “user-owned”. The result is that members can buy a home for about 20% less than what it would cost them otherwise. <h2>More collaboration needed</h2> Not everything the Nordic countries do can be replicated in Australian conditions. But one thing we can certainly learn is the importance of collaboration between different tiers of government and civil society organisations. Australia’s superannuation funds, for example, have the means to invest in low-returning, but very safe, affordable housing assets. Government policies should support them doing this through cooperative structures that help to fill the gap between market and state. There’s no quick fix. Emulating any Nordic housing policy achievements will take decades. Finland’s <a href="https://ysaatio.fi/en/hom">critical organisation</a> for tackling homelessness, for example, was established in 1985. But better housing options are there in plain sight, waiting for policy makers and other stakeholders to take them. If they want to. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-affordable-housing-with-less-homelessness-is-possible-if-only-australia-would-learn-from-nordic-nations-182049" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Real Estate

Sustainable shopping: is it possible to fly sustainably?

Many Australians will have just jetted back from a well-deserved summer holiday over the Christmas and New Year period. Plenty of us tend to board a plane without thinking about what it’s doing to the environment, but perhaps we should. In global terms, Australians fly a lot. In the past year, the aviation industry transported <a href="https://bitre.gov.au/statistics/aviation/domestic.aspx">more than 59 million passengers</a> on domestic flights, and <a href="https://bitre.gov.au/statistics/aviation/international.aspx#summary">39 million</a> on international flights. Sydney to Melbourne is the world’s <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/worlds-busiest-airline-flight-routes-melbournesydney-now-worlds-second-busiest-h0e7ha">second-busiest air route</a>, with 54,519 flights a year. Our ability to fly cheaply and reliably connects our regional centres to our cities, our large cities to each other, and our cities to the world. Air travel is also important for regional and international development. Many parts of the world rely on air travel for income from <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-you-be-a-sustainable-tourist-without-giving-up-flying-33099">tourism</a> for economic development. <h2>The environmental impact of air travel</h2> Unfortunately, air travel is one of the more environmentally damaging activities we can undertake. Globally, the aviation industry is responsible for roughly <a href="http://www.atag.org/facts-figures.html">2%</a> of carbon dioxide emissions, but that is rising <a href="https://www.icao.int/environmental-protection/Documents/ICAO%20Environmental%20Report%202016.pdf">quickly</a> as more people fly more often. Using fossil fuels Aircraft burn finite fossil fuels, emit greenhouse gases and leave <a href="https://phys.org/news/2011-03-airplane-contrails-worse-co2-emissions.html">contrails</a> (water vapour) in the atmosphere at high altitude, making them particularly harmful to the climate. While the emissions per passenger per kilometre can be comparable to driving, we generally fly a lot further than we’re willing to drive – particularly with international flights. Air travel worldwide is <a href="http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2017-02-02-01.aspx">growing</a> at more than 6% a year, <a href="http://www.iata.org/about/Documents/iata-annual-review-2016.pdf">outpacing</a> the reduction in per-passenger carbon emissions gained from efficiency measures. Building airports and infrastructure Not all the environmental impact of air travel comes from the flying, as airports themselves have high carbon footprints. All the surrounding infrastructure – terminals, runways, ground transportation, maintenance facilities and shopping centres – uses significant amounts of land, water, energy and other resources. There are <a href="http://www.airportcarbonaccreditation.org/about/what-is-it.html">moves</a> towards making airports greener through an international carbon accreditation scheme, but resource use is still significant. Helsinki Airport <a href="https://www.finavia.fi/en/newsroom/2017/helsinki-airport-now-carbon-neutral">claims</a> to have gone carbon-neutral, something all airports should be aiming for. <h2>What can you do?</h2> While truly sustainable air travel isn’t currently possible, there are ways to fly that are less harmful than others. Here are some ideas to make your travel plans more sustainable. Choose airlines that pack their flights Many flights on commercial airlines are nowhere near full, and empty seats on a plane means wasted fuel and unnecessary carbon emissions. Some airlines are better than others at ensuring their planes carry the most people they can, so <a href="https://www.tourism-review.com/travel-tourism-magazine-top-10-greenest-airlines-in-the-world-article2659">choose</a> an airline that does its best to ensure capacity seating. Less legroom and no spare seats may mean less comfort in a squished flight, but this means that more people are benefiting from the fuel being used and there are less emissions per passenger. The question of offsets Carbon offsets – where we pay to have the carbon dioxide emissions from flying sequestered in another form, usually through tree planting – are one of the more controversial measures we can take to reduce the impact from flying. Some researchers <a href="https://www.nature.com/news/the-inconvenient-truth-of-carbon-offsets-1.10373">argue</a> that offsets can actually do more harm than good, by giving us the impression that the air travel industry can be environmentally justified in its current form. By all means buy offsets from a <a href="http://www.co2offsetresearch.org/consumer/Standards.html">certified organisation</a> that minimises our impact, but we should be under no illusion that carbon offsets make air travel sustainable. Flight levies to make air travel more equitable We can support campaigns and initiatives to make air travel more sustainable and equitable. In the UK, 93% of people fly less than once a year domestically, and 54% of people <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/457752/nts2014-01.pdf">took</a> no international flights. This means a relatively small part of the population is flying much more than the rest, and having a correspondingly larger environmental impact. The campaign <a href="http://afreeride.org/">A Free Ride</a> is proposing a flight levy that rises as a person takes more and more flights in a year. This will put pressure to fly less on people and organisations who fly frequently. Type of aircraft and alternative fuels Airlines offering flights on newer models of aircraft will generally be less harmful than those with older models. Search for flights on a <a href="https://matrix.itasoftware.com/">website</a> that allows you to check what type of aircraft you will be flying on, and that estimate CO2 emissions for the flight. <a href="https://theconversation.com/peak-oil-is-alive-and-well-and-costing-the-earth-17542">Peak oil</a> and fossil fuel depletion are another concern for the sustainability of air travel. While nearly all commercial planes still use kerosene-based fuels, some are <a href="https://aviationbenefits.org/newswire/2017/11/from-farm-to-flight-qantas-to-operate-worlds-first-us-australia-biofuel-flight/">experimenting</a> with biofuels. While we should applaud airlines that look for alternatives to fossil fuel, biofuels are also controversial. They tend to originate from sources that require industrial agriculture to produce, can compete with <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-biomass-iied/rising-biomass-demand-could-drive-land-grabs-report-idUSTRE77T3L220110830">food</a> crops, and cause deforestation. Virtual travel A more novel way to reduce air travel emissions is to skip the flight completely and travel to your destination in <a href="https://vr.google.com/earth/">virtual reality</a>. VR is increasingly becoming recognised for its potential to give users immersive experiences of <a href="http://realities.io/">real world locations</a>. This obviously won’t help if you plan to go hiking or visiting family and friends, but if you just want to see the sights of a particular place then VR is clearly a more sustainable option than flying. If you’re travelling to attend a conference or meeting, consider attending remotely by video conference or even via a <a href="https://worklifeecologies.org/adventures-in-telepresence-conferencing">telepresence robot</a>. In either case, you won’t have to battle jet lag. <h2>Keep your carbon budget under control</h2> We probably won’t stop travelling by air tomorrow or any time soon. But those of us in the developed world who fly a lot are using far more than our <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/aviation-consume-quarter-carbon-budget">carbon budget</a>allows. So think about how necessary your air travel is, whether there are more local alternatives to far-flung destinations, or whether you can use digital technologies instead of hopping on a plane. Image credits: Shutterstock This article first appeared on <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/sustainable-shopping-is-it-possible-to-fly-sustainably-88636" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Is it even possible to regulate Facebook effectively? Time and again, attempts have led to the same outcome

The Australian government’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/this-is-why-australia-may-be-powerless-to-force-tech-giants-to-regulate-harmful-content-169826">recent warning</a> to Facebook over misinformation is just the latest salvo in the seemingly constant battle to hold the social media giant to account for the content posted on its platform. It came in the same week as the US Senate heard <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58805965">whistleblowing testimony</a> in which former Facebook executive Frances Haugen alleged the company knew of harmful consequences for its users but chose not to act. Governments all over the world have been pushing for years to make social media giants more accountable, both in terms of the quality of information they host, and their use of users’ data as part of their business models. The Australian government’s <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_LEGislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6680">Online Safety Act</a> will <a href="https://perma.cc/95A5-T79H">come into effect in January 2022</a>, giving the eSafety Commissioner unprecedented powers to crack down on abusive or violent content, or sexual images posted without consent. But even if successful, this legislation will only deal with a small proportion of the issues that require regulation. On many such issues, social media platforms have attempted to regulate themselves rather than submit to legislation. But whether we are talking about legislation or self-regulation, past experiences do not engender much confidence that tech platforms can be successfully regulated and regulation put in action easily. Our <a href="https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2021_rip/35">research</a> has examined previous attempts to regulate tech giants in Australia. We analysed 269 media articles and 282 policy documents and industry reports published from 2015 to 2021. Let’s discuss a couple of relevant case studies. <h2>1. Ads and news</h2> In 2019, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/publications/digital-platforms-inquiry-final-report">inquiry into digital platforms</a> described Facebook’s algorithms, particularly those that determine the positioning of advertising on Facebook pages, as “opaque”. It concluded media companies needed more assurance about the use of their content. Facebook initially welcomed the inquiry, but then <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Facebook_0.pdf">publicly opposed it</a> when the government argued the problems related to Facebook’s substantial market power in display advertising, and Facebook and Google’s dominance of news content generated by media companies, were too important to be left to the companies themselves. Facebook argued there was <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Facebook.pdf">no evidence of an imbalance of bargaining power</a>between it and news media companies, adding it would have no choice but to withdraw news services in Australia if forced to pay publishers for hosting their content. The standoff resulted in Facebook’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/facebook-has-pulled-the-trigger-on-news-content-and-possibly-shot-itself-in-the-foot-155547">infamous week-long embargo on Australian news</a>. The revised and amended News Media Bargaining Code was <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Final%20legislation%20as%20passed%20by%20both%20houses.pdf">passed by the parliament in February</a>. Both the government and Facebook declared victory, the former having managed to pass its legislation, and the latter ending up striking its own bargains with news publishers without having to be held legally to the code. <h2>2. Hate speech and terrorism</h2> In 2015, to deal with violent extremism on social media the Australian government initially worked with the tech giant to develop joint AI solutions to improve the technical processes of content identification to deal with countering violent extremism. This voluntary solution worked brilliantly, until it did not. In March 2019, mass shootings at mosques in Christchurch were live-streamed on Facebook by an Australian-born white supremacist terrorist, and the recordings subsequently circulated on the internet. This brought to light <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-shooting/111473473/facebook-ai-failed-to-detect-christchurch-shooting-video">the inability Facebook’s artificial intelligence algorithms</a> to detect and remove the live footage of the shooting and how fast it was shared on the platform. The Australian government responded in 2019 by <a href="https://www.ag.gov.au/crime/abhorrent-violent-material">amending the Criminal Code</a>to require social media platforms to remove abhorrent or violent material “in reasonable time” and, where relevant, refer it to the Australian Federal Police. <h2>What have we learned?</h2> These two examples, while strikingly different, both unfolded in a similar way: an initial dialogue in which Facebook proposes an in-house solution involving its own algorithms, before a subsequent shift towards mandatory government regulation, which is met with resistance or bargaining (or both) from Facebook, and the final upshot which is piecemeal legislation that is either watered down or only covers a subset of specific types of harm. There are several obvious problems with this. The first is that only the tech giants themselves know how their algorithms work, so it is difficult for regulators to oversee them properly. Then there’s the fact that legislation typically applies at a national level, yet Facebook is a global company with billions of users across the world and a platform that is incorporated into our daily lives in all sorts of ways. How do we resolve the impasse? One option is for regulations to be drawn up by independent bodies appointed by governments and tech giants to drive the co-regulation agenda globally. But relying on regulation alone to guide tech giants’ behaviour against potential abuses might not be sufficient. There is also the need for self-discipline and appropriate corporate governance - potentially enforced by these independent bodies. Image credits: Shutterstock This article first appeared on <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-even-possible-to-regulate-facebook-effectively-time-and-again-attempts-have-led-to-the-same-outcome-169947" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Technology

Possible jail time for border jumpers who snuck into AFL Grand Final

Two Melbourne socialites have been arrested in Western Australia following a state-wide manhunt on Monday night, with the pair facing accusations of sneaking into Perth for the AFL Grand Final. The Melbourne Demons fans came from Victoria - which is currently battling through a wave of COVID infections - and have been charged with failure to comply with directions. Hayden Burbank and Mark Babbage were found near Margaret River on Tuesday and have been arrested over claims they’ve broken COVID-19 rules in three states. Burbank first came to the attention of police after being spotted in a photo of the grand final on AFL’s official Instagram account. <img style="width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844460/demons-afl.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7ace81cbd1d84aa7914feabe319a7ddc" /> Hayden Burbank (left) spotted celebrating with Demons players. Image: Channel 7 The men were seen laughing, shaking hands, and posing for photos with Demons players and the coach. One has returned a negative COVID-19 test result, while the second man’s result was inconclusive, prompting a second test on Tuesday night. Health protocols are being put in place in the areas where the pair were following their arrival in WA. Police allege the pair left Melbourne on September 14, stayed in Darwin, and then flew to Perth on September 22. The men allegedly falsified their application for G2G passes to enter WA, after providing Northern Territory driver’s licence papers and other supporting documentation. Since the Northern Territory is classified as a low-risk border, no exemption was needed. But, WA Police now allege the driver’s licence papers were false. Police received an anonymous tip-off on September 27 that the men were in Victoria 14 days before their arrival in WA. <img style="width: 500px; height: 312.3076923076923px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844461/demons-afl2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8d77551100864fc290195a68ce2aeac2" /> The two men were spotted celebrating at the AFL Grand Final. Image: 7NEWS The authorities also claim the pair didn’t complete a full 14-day quarantine after travelling from Melbourne. “To say this is a disappointment is an understatement,” WA vaccine commissioner Chris Dawson said. “How people can knowingly put people at risk in these times is selfish and contemptible.” Both men will appear in a Perth court on Wednesday, facing a maximum penalty of $50,000 or 12 months jail if found guilty of COVID breach charges. Northern Territory Police have said regional Victoria was not a hotspot at the time the men arrived in Darwin, but that they are investigating the information the two men provided when they entered the NT. Image: @afl / Instagram

Travel Trouble

The unlikely possible cure for epilepsy

A small but highly venomous caterpillar from south-east Queensland might be the source of a new treatment for nervous system disorders like epilepsy. Studies at the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience have pointed to a species of nettle caterpillar called Doratifera vulnerans as a potential candidate for treatments. Andrew Walker, who has been studying the caterpillar’s venom since he found the species four years ago during a field trip, said “it’s strange biology and pain-causing venom fascinated me”. Dr Walker discovered that the insects were common in Queensland’s south-east, and said its defence mechanism saw it release up to 100 venom-producing spines on its back. “Its binomial name means ‘bearer of gifts of wounds’,” he said. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQZk-pJlcT0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQZk-pJlcT0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by IMB (@imbatuq)</a> </div> </blockquote> “I have been stung quite a lot of times by these caterpillars. “So the way the spine releases their venom is that they have closed but very thin and sharp tips,” he explained. “If you just lightly brush them, or touch them, the tips break off and the venom gets injected.” Potential therapeutics The UQ’s team recently published a report in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that found the venom is a source of peptides - smaller versions of proteins - that could be used to treat disorders affecting the nervous system, such as epilepsy. “Previously researchers had no idea what was in the venom nor how they induced pain,” Dr Walker said. “We’re right at the very start of … finding out about [the] venom and the toxins it contains.” Dr Walker said these peptides could be developed into medicines to help control the nervous system. “And [they would] allow us to ameliorate the effects of things like epilepsy, when the nervous system is too active,” he said. “So you want to calm [the nervous system] down a bit or, in other situations, you may want to activate certain parts of it.” Dr Robinson, the scientist responsible for researching which molecules in the venom caused the pain, said toxins have been used to help understand the human cardiovascular and nervous systems for decades. “My research program, for example, is centered on using toxins as tools to understand our sensory system, that is the neurons responsible for detecting and sending pain signals,” he said. “There really is no better place to look for new knowledge than nature.” A new sheep-friendly pesticide Dr Walker said, in addition to its potential therapeutic applications, that the venom could be used in the development of bio-friendly, eco-friendly insecticides to kill parasites in sheep. “First we discovered the structures of the toxins and then that allows us to design ways in the lab to make them,” he said. “Then, if we can make them in the lab, that will allow us to try to characterise them and work out what they do.” Some of the peptides already made in the lab through Dr Walker’s research have shown high potency and a potential to kill nematode parasites that are harmful to livestock. Image: imbatuq / Instagram

Body

"This can't be happening": Groom drops wedding ring in worst possible place

Andrew and Marlene Kent’s nuptials did not go as planned after their wedding ring fumbled into Lake Tahoe, USA. What should have been a scenic ceremony turned into horror after the groom accidentally dropped his wife’s ring through a gap in the pier on Sugar Pine Beach. "Honestly, I thought, this can't be happening. Like that didn't just happen," Marlee said. Andrew added, "Like what are the chances?" <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840437/wedding.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d811ed3b77564828a75f02f5601881df" /> The couple in love were soon on their knees searching for their ring in the clear Tahoe water. "My first thought was like how deep is it, how cold is it?" Andrew said. The couple quickly turned to a Tahoe scuba diving Facebook group after a pastor convinced the pair not to jump for it. Outdoor adventurer Phill Abernathy answered the call, saying: "The water was 41 degrees [farenheit; roughly 5°C], dry suit was needed.” He went on to say: "We start to move some of the little rocks out of the way and obviously as we start to move them some silt starts to form.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840436/wedding-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3c1ca7da11bd43c7a5fe8cd7de42a665" /> Phill eventually found the ring tucked away in some rocks and revealed that he even had to fight off a crawdad to get it. "I'm so thankful to have my ring back but either way it's a great story to tell our kids one day," Marlee said. Image: Youtube

Relationships

Karl Stefanovic slams Israel Folau's possible return as "appalling"

The NRL has been urged to "take a stand" and ban Israel Folau for good, as rumours about his return continue to swirl. The Dragons are reportedly attempting to bring Folau back into the game on a two-year deal, with the club submitting an application to the NRL to allow the 31-year-old to play. Folau caused controversy in 2019 after voicing his discriminatory views on homosexuality, which saw him being stood down from the Wallabies. Karl Stefanovic said the return was "appalling" and urged the NRL to fight back. "I think it is an appalling decision by the NRL to allow him back into the code," Stefanovic said. "I think it's way out of line. Given what he said and the hurt he caused. To just somehow then say, 'you know what, it's OK because he doesn't have a platform for his beliefs'. "He has never apologised for his beliefs. He still believes in that. He still is a homophobe. "The NRL needs to take a stand on this stuff and they need to take it now... He is not changing his behaviour. He's not changing his views. "But let's let him play because he can't go on social media? That's an absolute cop out." If Folau returns, he may have some strict conditions, with the Dragons reportedly set to include social media clauses in his contract. Stefanovic's co-host Ally Langdon said this is not enough. "Just looking at his Instagram page this morning, that very offensive quote is still there," she said. "And perhaps he won't now post other offensive remarks such as this. But he still preaches at church...he still holds these beliefs. "It's been filmed and it's still being released. So by bringing him back into the league, I think you are still giving him a platform."

News

"How is this possible?": Woolworths delivery leaves family in shock

A family from NSW has taken to Facebook after they unpacked their Woolworths home delivery to find "dodgy" carrots, rotting onions and missing items. “These were part of our home delivery tonight. The bag of carrots is use by tomorrow - even if it wasn’t already dodgy, I couldn’t eat a bag of carrots in one night... Also a whole bag worth of frozen groceries missing,” the frustrated customer wrote on the store's Facebook page on Tuesday. The customer posted photos of a bag of carrots with some that appear to have turned into mush and two rotting red onions. The customers said the "dodgy" delivery wasn't a one-off incident that they received deliveries with missing items quite often. “I think this is about our fourth delivery in a row where items that were supposed to be delivered were not,” the man said. “We never get an apology, just a refund,” the woman replied. Facebook users were appalled at the state of the delivery and took to the comments to condemn the supermarket giant. “How is this even possible? WTF,” one person commented. A few people were concerned that those who relied on home deliveries for groceries were not receiving products of the highest quality. “I guess it’s their way of getting rid of produce they can't sell. Taking advantage of those who can't get to shops. Covid has certainly not helped,” one user insisted. “The other thing that breaks my heart is what about the poor elderly that rely on delivery services like these? They can't use a whole loaf of bread for example in a day... (that's even if it's in date),” another person replied. “Care factor for customer health? Zero. Care factor for profit margins? 100 per cent,” the original poster wrote. A spokesperson for Woolworths said the supermarket was aware of the customer's complaint and apologised "for missing the mark on this occasion". “We know it's frustrating when the quality of some products in our online orders aren’t up to our usual standard,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “We’re keen to follow up with our in-store team and are awaiting more information from the customer to do so. “If our customers have any concerns about the quality of the product they receive, we always encourage them to return the product back to their local store for a refund or replacement.”

Food & Wine

Here is how you can navigate public transport as safely as possible as coronavirus restrictions ease

As coronavirus restrictions continue to ease, one of the key challenges we face is how to deal with people moving around a lot more. In particular, as more of us start to head back to school and the office in the coming weeks and months, more of us will be getting on buses, trains and trams. So what is public transport going to look like as we relax restrictions, and how can we navigate this safely? Workplaces can help Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has emphasised <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/victoria-coronavirus-update-daniel-andrews-says-working-from-home-will-stay-c-1042934">working from home</a> will be one of the last measures the state will ease. But even when restrictions are relaxed, do we all need to go into the office as much as we used to? Working from home has become the “new normal” for many of us, and we’ve learnt a lot about how to do this successfully. Employers have adjusted too, with some indicating <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52765165">they will encourage</a> increased remote working moving forward. So one of the obvious things we can do to reduce the numbers of people using public transport is to continue to work from home where possible. Another option is for workplaces to implement flexible start times. If we can reduce the numbers of people using public transport during peak times, this will make a significant difference in reducing crowding. Public transport providers and governments State governments have introduced <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-public-transport-changes-marshals-security-to-enforce-coronavirus-social-distancing/4a6c3554-547d-4c76-b562-d071343eb06f">additional cleaning practices</a> on public transport networks. These will continue, and may even be increased, as more people return to public transport. Although increased cleaning is important, physical distancing remains the key to safely moving large numbers of people again. Governments will need to consider some changes to ensure people can keep a safe distance from others on their commute. As we’ve seen with the easing of restrictions, different states will take different approaches. For example, New South Wales has imposed limits on how many people can board a bus or train. A maximum of <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-nsw-public-transport-rules-how-many-people-can-go-on-bus-train/77bf87a6-288a-4015-86b5-87786fb6729c">32 people</a> are allowed in a train carriage (normally one carriage holds 123 passengers), while buses are limited to 12 passengers (capacity is normally 63). Further, markings on the seats and floors of buses and trains indicate where people can sit and stand. Marshals are also <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-public-transport-changes-marshals-security-to-enforce-coronavirus-social-distancing/4a6c3554-547d-4c76-b562-d071343eb06f">being stationed</a> around the public transport network to ensure commuters are following the rules. In a similar move, the South Australian government revealed they <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-29/coronavirus-plan-for-adelaide-trains-buses-and-trams/12301252">will remove seats</a> from Adelaide trains. In contrast, Queensland is not imposing any passenger limits, instead asking commuters to use their common sense. The government <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-22/coronavirus-queensland-commuters-distancing-public-transport/12263506">says</a> there is plenty of room on public transport in Queensland at present, and the risk of virus transmission is low given the small number of active cases. Similarly, Victoria has not imposed passenger limits. But the <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/shift-work-and-days-at-home-on-the-cards-to-avoid-public-transport-overcrowding-20200530-p54xz6.html">government has indicated</a> commuters will be able to access information about which public transport services are the least crowded to assist travel planning. Some states have flagged <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/shift-work-and-days-at-home-on-the-cards-to-avoid-public-transport-overcrowding-20200530-p54xz6.html">extra services</a> may be needed to avoid overcrowding, though the extent to which this will be possible is dependent on resources. In addition to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/extra-services-added-to-sydney-s-straining-transport-network-20200523-p54vrs.html">extra services</a>, NSW has <a href="https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/news-and-events/media-releases/physical-distancing-on-transport-key-to-a-safe-pathway-back-to-work">indicated</a> it will boost car parking and enhance access for cyclists and pedestrians. What can you do? The main responsibility around keeping virus transmission suppressed as we relax restrictions rests with us as individuals to behave sensibly and responsibly. The same principles apply when we use public transport as when we navigate all public spaces. Maintaining physical distance from others and washing our hands regularly are possibly even more important when we’re using public transport, given we potentially come into contact with a lot of people in an enclosed space. We know SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/coronavirus-risk-higher-tight-indoor-spaces-with-little-air-flow-2020-5?r=US&IR=T">more likely</a> to spread indoors than outdoors. We also know prolonged contact with someone infected with the virus increases the risk of transmission, as compared to a passing encounter. So public transport commutes have the potential to pose a significant risk of virus transmission, especially if you’re sitting next to an infected person on a long journey. Taking hand sanitiser when you use public transport is a good idea so you can clean your hands while travelling. You may be touching contaminated surfaces, for example the bars and handles for balance. In addition, washing your hands thoroughly with soap as soon as you arrive at your destination should become a part of your routine. Importantly, if you’re sick you should not be leaving the house, let alone taking public transport or going to work. What about masks? Wearing a mask on public transport is an issue of <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/chief-medical-officer-backs-voluntary-use-of-face-masks-on-public-transport-20200529-p54xrd.html">personal preference</a>. But if you choose to wear a mask, it’s important to understand a couple of things. First, masks need to be <a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks">put on and taken off correctly</a> so you don’t inadvertently infect yourself in the process. And while masks potentially offer <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449">some additional protection</a> to you and others, it’s still critical to follow physical distancing and other hygiene measures. Written by Hassan Vally. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-coronavirus-restrictions-ease-heres-how-you-can-navigate-public-transport-as-safely-as-possible-138845">The Conversation.</a>

Travel Tips

Head lice drug Ivermectin is being tested as a possible coronavirus treatment

Researchers testing the head lice drug Ivermectin as a possible treatment for COVID-19 have <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166354220302011">seen promising results</a> in lab studies. But the research is in its early stages and the drug is yet to be tested on people with COVID-19. There’s so much we don’t know, including the right dose and delivery method for people with coronavirus infection. So if you’re thinking of buying some just in case, think again. What is Ivermectin currently used for? Ivermectin is an antiparasitic agent that was isolated in the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3043740/">1970s</a> from the fermented broth of a species of bacteria called Streptomyces avermitilis. The drug has been used since the 1980s to treat and prevent diseases related to parasites in humans, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2198752">pets and livestock</a>, and works by <a href="http://www.antimicrobe.org/drugpopup/Ivermectin.htm">paralysing invertebrate parasites</a>. In Australia, Ivermectin is mainly used topically in creams and lotions for head lice. It’s also used in tablet form to treat <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/strongyloides/gen_info/faqs.html">roundworm infection</a> and as a <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/radar/articles/ivermectin-stromectol-for-typical-and-crusted-scabies">second-line treatment for scabies</a> and <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rosacea/symptoms-causes/syc-20353815">rosacea</a>, a skin condition that causes redness and visible blood vessels in your face. The pharmaceutical company that makes Ivermectin, MSD, has also been <a href="http://www.msd.com/about/featured-stories/mectizan.html">donating the drug to developing countries</a> to treat the parasitic diseases river blindness and elephantiasis for the past 30 years. What are the side effects and potential harms? When used at the recommended dose, Ivermectin is generally well tolerated. Some of the common <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/australian-prescriber/articles/ivermectin-1">side effects</a> include diarrhoea, nausea, dizziness and drowsiness. Less common is a lack of energy, abdominal pain, constipation, vomiting, tremors, rashes and itching. Ivermectin may also <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/medicine-finder/stromectol-blister-pack-tablets">interact with some medicines</a>, such as the blood-thinning drug warfarin, or <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/ivermectin-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20064397?p=1">worsen some conditions</a> such as asthma. Ingesting Ivermectin found in topical products for head lice is dangerous. If this occurs, contact the <a href="https://www.poisonsinfo.nsw.gov.au/">Poison Information Hotline</a>. How might Ivermectin treat COVID-19? <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104787">Recent laboratory data</a> from <a href="https://www.monash.edu/discovery-institute/news-and-events/news/2020-articles/Lab-experiments-show-anti-parasitic-drug,-Ivermectin,-eliminates-SARS-CoV-2-in-cells-in-48-hours">scientists at Monash University and the Doherty Institute</a> suggests Ivermectin is able to stop SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, from replicating. Ivermectin has also been shown to stop other viruses (such as HIV, dengue, influenza and Zika) replicating, at least in the laboratory. The researchers found Ivermectin had an effect on SARS-CoV-2 after one exposure to the drug. Viral replication was shut down within 24 to 48 hours. It’s still not clear <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104787">exactly how Ivermectin works</a>. But it appears to stop the processes that allow proteins to move within the virus. These proteins would normally dampen the body’s antiviral response, allowing the virus to replicate and enhance the infection. Where is the research on Ivermectin for coronavirus up to? This research on Ivermectin has been conducted in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104787">cell culture</a> (cells grown in a laboratory) and is very preliminary. It provides some promise, but not evidence of an effective treatment in people (yet). Rigorous clinical trials in people with or exposed to COVID-19 infection are needed to establish the drug works and is safe to use, and in what doses. The laboratory studies of Ivermectin suggest higher concentrations of the drug may be needed <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2751445/">beyond a standard dose</a> to have an <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jac/article/75/4/827/5710696">antiviral impact</a>. So safety monitoring will be important. If Ivermectin is found to work on people with COVID-19, it needs to be studied as a potential treatment. So researchers need to know: does it prevent COVID-19 infection, reduce the severity of the associated illness, or improve the time to recovery? These are important questions to be answered before it becomes a treatment for COVID-19. On a positive note, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ddr.21666">re-purposing drugs</a> such as Ivermectin as a potential treatment for COVID-19 is ideal because development can move quickly to clinical trial testing because we already know it’s safe to use in humans at currently recommended doses. Should I buy some just in case? No. It’s too soon to know if the promising laboratory test results will translate into a safe and effective drug for COVID-19 patients. The researchers were very clear <a href="https://www.monash.edu/discovery-institute/news-and-events/news/2020-articles/Lab-experiments-show-anti-parasitic-drug,-Ivermectin,-eliminates-SARS-CoV-2-in-cells-in-48-hours">Ivermectin should not be used to treat COVID-19</a> until further testing is complete. We certainly shouldn’t be stockpiling the drug to use later, especially since we don’t yet know the best way to take Ivermectin, including the right dose. And it could lead to unintended medicine shortages for people who need the drug to treat serious diseases caused by parasites. Written by Andrew McLachlan. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/head-lice-drug-ivermectin-is-being-tested-as-a-possible-coronavirus-treatment-but-thats-no-reason-to-buy-it-135683">The Conversation.</a>

Caring

The secret sauce in the government’s A$130 billion JobKeeper payment is that it will be retrospective, in the best possible way.

It’ll not only go to employers who have suffered losses and had employees on their books tonight, March 30, but to employers who have suffered losses and had workers on their books as far back as March 1. This means employers who have sacked (“let go of”) workers at any time in the past month can travel back in time, pay them as if they hadn’t been sacked, and nab the A$1,500 per employee per fortnight payment. As the official <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-03/Fact_sheet_supporting_businesses_1.pdf">fact sheet</a> puts it, “the JobKeeper Payment will support employers to maintain their connection to their employees”. This retrospective connection will add new meaning to the term “revision” when the March unemployment numbers are released. Not only will the March numbers be liable to being revised a month later as is normal in the light of extra information, but many Australians who were unemployed in March will retrospectively turn out not to have been unemployed. They will have been retrospectively in paid work. (And if they have applied for the Centrelink payment of Newstart plus <a href="https://theconversation.com/scalable-without-limit-how-the-government-plans-to-get-coronavirus-support-into-our-hands-quickly-134353">$550 per fortnight</a>, they’ll have to un-apply to avoid what the prime minister referred to as “double counting” rather than the more loaded “<a href="https://theconversation.com/hockey-under-the-pump-to-show-he-really-can-be-a-lifter-41584">double dipping</a>”.) It gets better. If you have been part-time, or for some other reason on <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-03/Fact_sheet_Info_for_Employees_0.pdf">less than</a> $1,500 per fortnight, “your employer must pay you, at a minimum, $1,500 per fortnight, before tax”. This means you’ll get a pay rise, for the six months the scheme lasts. Written by Peter Martin. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-key-to-the-success-of-the-130-billion-wage-subsidy-is-retrospective-paid-work-135042">The Conversation.</a>

Legal

The problem with virtual reality is endless possibilities

Just a few years ago, virtual reality (VR) was being showered with very real money. The industry raised an estimated US$900 million in venture capital in 2016, but by 2018 that figure had <a href="https://content.fortune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/vir_graphic_01.png">plummeted to US$280 million</a>. <a href="https://www.oculus.com/?locale=en_US">Oculus</a> - the Facebook-owned company behind one of the most popular VR headsets on the market - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/how-facebooks-oculus-go-santa-cruz-headsets-plan-to-make-vr-mainstream-2017-10">planned to deliver 1 billion headsets to consumers</a>, but as of last year had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-oculus-vr-bet-taking-longer-than-expected-2019-10?r=US&IR=T">sold barely 300,000</a>. Investments in VR entertainment venues all over the world, VR cinematic experiences, and specialised VR studios such as <a href="https://atap.google.com/spotlight-stories/">Google Spotlight</a> and <a href="https://www.ccpgames.com/">CCP Games</a> have either significantly downsized, closed down or morphed into new ventures. What is happening? Recent articles in <a href="https://fortune.com/longform/virtual-reality-struggle-hope-vr/">Fortune</a> and <a href="https://www.theverge.com/a/virtual-reality">The Verge</a> have voiced disdain with VR technology. Common complaints include expensive, clunky or uncomfortable hardware, and unimaginative or repetitive content. Sceptics have compared VR experiences to the 3D television fad of the early 2010s. As a VR researcher and developer, I understand the scepticism. Yet I believe in this technology, and I know there are “killer apps” and solutions waiting to be discovered. Last week, Western Sydney University hosted a <a href="https://vrst.acm.org/vrst2019/">global symposium on VR software and technology</a>, at which academics and industry partners from around the world discussed possible ways forward for VR and augmented reality. Among the speakers were Aleissia Laidacker, director of Developer Experience at <a href="https://www.magicleap.com/">Magic Leap</a>; University of South Australia computing professor <a href="https://people.unisa.edu.au/Mark.Billinghurst">Mark Billingurst</a>; and Tomasz Bednarz, director of UNSW’s <a href="https://artdesign.unsw.edu.au/research/epicentre-expanded-perception-interaction-centre">Expanded Perception and Interaction Centre</a>. Virtual reality, literal headache One problem discussed at the symposium is the fact that VR experiences often cause health-related issues including headaches, eye strain, dizziness, and nausea. Developers can partially deal with these issues at the hardware level by delivering balanced experiences with high refresh and frame rates. But many developers are ignoring usability guidelines in the pursuit of exciting content. Gaming industry guidelines used by <a href="https://docs.unrealengine.com/en-US/Platforms/VR/DevelopVR/ContentSetup/index.html">Epic</a>, <a href="https://developer.oculus.com/design/latest/concepts/book-bp/">Oculus</a>, <a href="https://blog.marvelapp.com/designing-vr-beginners-guide/">Marvel</a>, and <a href="https://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/guidelines-for-immersive-virtual-reality-experiences">Intel</a> recommend that games completely avoid any use of induced motion, acceleration or “fake motion”, which are often the main cause of discomfort and motion sickness. Yet the vast majority of available VR experiences feature some kind of induced motion, either in the form of animation or by basing the experience on user movement and exploration of the virtual environment. I have met many first-time VR users who generally enjoyed the experience, but also reported “feeling wrong” – similar to enjoying the clarity of sound in noise-cancelling headphones but also having a “strange sensation” in their ears. Killing creativity Queasiness is not the only turnoff. Another problem is that despite the near-limitless potential of VR, many current offerings are sorely lacking in imagination. The prevailing trend is to create VR versions of existing content such as games, videos or advertisements, in the hope of delivering extra impact. This does not work, in much the same way that radio play would make terrible television. A famous cautionary tale comes from <a href="https://secondlife.com/">Second Life</a>, the virtual world launched in 2003 which <a href="https://gigaom.com/2013/06/23/second-life-turns-10-what-it-did-wrong-and-why-it-will-have-its-own-second-life/">failed spectacularly to live up to its billing</a>. Real-world businesses such as Toyota and BMW opened branches in Second Life, allowing users to test-drive badly programmed versions of their virtual cars. They <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/technology/few-lives-left-for-second-life-20080821-gdsrna.html">lasted mere months</a>. Why would we prefer a humdrum virtual experience to a <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-virtual-reality-cannot-match-the-real-thing-92035">real one</a>? No one needs a virtual Toyota. We need to give users good reasons to leave their reality behind and immerse themselves in a new one. There have been some notable successes. <a href="https://beatsaber.com/">Beat Saber</a>, made by Czech indie developers, is the one of the few games that have explored the true potential of VR – and is the only VR game to have grossed more than US$20 million. The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CPVOt7QjcM">VR Vaccine Project</a> helps to take the sting out of childhood needles, by combining a real-world vaccination with a superhero story in the virtual world, in which the child is presented with a magical shield at the crucial moment. I really hope VR is on its way to becoming more mainstream, more exciting, and less underwhelming. But we scientists can only present new technological solutions, to help make VR a more comfortable and enjoyable experience. Ultimately it is down to VR developers to learn from existing success stories and start delivering those “killer apps”. The possibilities are limited only by imagination.<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/126761/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tomas-trescak-876634">Tomas Trescak</a>, Senior Lecturer in Intelligent Systems, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-main-problem-with-virtual-reality-its-almost-as-humdrum-as-real-life-126761">original article</a>.

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The problem with virtual reality is endless possibilities

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