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“What is wrong with people?”: Baggage claims photo reignites age-old debate

A single photo of an airport’s baggage claim area has kicked off a heated debate about travel etiquette. A frustrated traveller snapped the image of a crowded luggage carousel at Melbourne Airport and posted it to Reddit, reigniting the age-old debate about one of people’s most annoying habits when going on holiday. "I returned to Melbourne last night on an international full flight, and the lack of self-awareness from some people was astounding," the post read, accompanied by the photo of a crowded baggage claim carousel. "Despite the clear signs instructing passengers to stay behind the yellow line at baggage collection, many ignored them, standing right in front of it," she continued. "As someone who is on the shorter side, I already struggle to see over a 6ft grown man. After taking this photo, two more people stood directly in front of me.” "At that point, I firmly said in a loud voice, 'Stand behind the yellow line; it's there for a reason'. Thankfully, they moved." "Seriously, what is wrong with people? There's plenty of space around – why stand right in front of me? Rude AF!" The post quickly received hundreds of comments, with plenty of people equally baffled by the act and wondering why the selfish act takes over so many people in airports. "Those two are probably the first to stand up and get their carry-on bags out of the overhead compartments as soon as the wheels touch down," one person commented. "You really triggered them with this one. Imagine asking people to be considerate," another said. But others didn't see an issue at all, with one person writing, "I just say 'excuse me' and reach between people to grab my bag. Most people get out of your way." Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Can you get sunburnt or UV skin damage through car or home windows?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> When you’re in a car, train or bus, do you choose a seat to avoid being in the sun or do you like the sunny side? You can definitely feel the sun’s heat through a window. But can you get sunburn or skin damage when in your car or inside with the windows closed? Let’s look at how much UV (ultraviolet) radiation passes through different types of glass, how tinting can help block UV, and whether we need sunscreen when driving or indoors. <h2>What’s the difference between UVA and UVB?</h2> Of the <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-ultraviolet-(uv)#:%7E:text=Most%20solar%20UVB%20is%20filtered,for%20the%20immediate%20tanning%20effect.">total UV</a> radiation that reaches Earth, about 95% is UVA and 5% is UVB. UVB only reaches the <a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-dont-burns-bleed-130792">upper layers</a> of our skin but <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-uv-index-an-expert-explains-what-it-means-and-how-its-calculated-173146">is the major cause</a> of sunburn, cataracts and skin cancer. UVA <a href="https://theconversation.com/sunscreen-why-wearing-it-even-in-winter-could-be-a-good-idea-219640">penetrates deeper</a> into our skin and causes cell damage that leads to skin cancer. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/646357/original/file-20250203-17-c897dp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/646357/original/file-20250203-17-c897dp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/646357/original/file-20250203-17-c897dp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/646357/original/file-20250203-17-c897dp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/646357/original/file-20250203-17-c897dp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/646357/original/file-20250203-17-c897dp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/646357/original/file-20250203-17-c897dp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Graphic showing UVA and UVB penetrating skin" /><figcaption>UVA penetrates deeper than UVB. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/difference-radiation-types-sunlight-which-harmful-669925423">Shutterstock/solar22</a></figcaption></figure> <h2>Glass blocks UVA and UVB radiation differently</h2> All <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/phpp.12022">glass</a> used in house, office and car windows completely blocks UVB from passing through. But only laminated glass can completely block UVA. UVA <a href="https://www.skincancer.org/blog/sneaky-ways-youre-being-exposed-to-the-suns-uv-rays/#:%7E:text=UVB%20rays%2C%20the%20primary%20sunburn,the%20rays%20will%20reach%20you">can pass through</a> other glass used in car, house and office windows and <a href="https://theconversation.com/sunscreen-why-wearing-it-even-in-winter-could-be-a-good-idea-219640">cause skin damage</a>, increasing the risk of cancer. <h2>Car windscreens block UVA, but the side and rear windows don’t</h2> A car’s front windscreen lets in lots of sunshine and light. Luckily it <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/phpp.12022">blocks 98% of UVA radiation</a> because it is made of two layers of laminated glass. But the side and rear car windows are made of tempered glass, which doesn’t completely block UVA. A <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/2522190">study of 29 cars</a> found a range from 4% to almost 56% of UVA passed through the side and rear windows. The UVA protection was not related to the car’s age or cost, but to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190962205046244?casa_token=qxVQnQ_mFjEAAAAA:5n6QVYBb22gfsWNLxfxbNtsibJ1JXl_C7RtRhsaQLFVkRocFgoWiI4BnNyMGO35EnyIsLNhFK90">the type</a> of glass, its colour and whether it has been tinted or coated in a protective film. Grey or bronze coloured glass, and window tinting, all increase UVA protection. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/tropej/article/59/6/496/1660803">Window tinting</a> blocks around 95% of UVA radiation. In a separate study from Saudi Arabia, researchers fitted drivers with a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9797294/">wearable radiation monitor</a>. They found drivers were exposed to UV index ratings up to 3.5. (In Australia, sun protection <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/sun-safety/about-sunscreen/spf50-sunscreen">is generally recommended</a> when the UV index is 3 or above – at this level it takes pale skin about 20 minutes to burn.) So if you have your windows tinted, you should not have to wear sunscreen in the car. But without tinted windows, you can accumulate skin damage. <h2>UV exposure while driving increases skin cancer risk</h2> Many people spend a lot of time in the car – for work, commuting, holiday travel and general transport. Repeated UVA radiation exposure through car side windows might go unnoticed, but it can affect our skin. Indeed, skin cancer is more common on the driver’s side of the body. A <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3117975/">study in the United States</a> (where drivers sit on the left side) found more skin cancers on the left than the right side for the face, scalp, arm and leg, including 20 times more for the arm. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20226568/">Another US study</a> found this effect was higher in men. For <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/melanoma/stages-types/melanoma-in-situ-stage-0#:%7E:text=What%20is%20melanoma%20in%20situ,grown%20deeper%20into%20the%20skin.">melanoma in situ</a>, an early form of melanoma, 74% of these cancers were on the on the left versus 26% on the right. Earlier Australian studies reported more <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1340770/">skin damage</a> and more <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/555250">skin cancer</a> on the right side. Cataracts and other eye damage are also <a href="https://www.aoa.org/news/clinical-eye-care/diseases-and-conditions/cataracts-and-uv-exposure-in-driver-side-windows?sso=y">more common on the driver’s side</a> of the body. <h2>What about UV exposure through home or office windows?</h2> We see UV damage from sunlight through our home windows in faded materials, furniture or plastics. Most glass used in residential windows lets a lot of UVA pass through, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0781.2009.00434.x">between 45 and 75%</a>. Single-pane glass lets through the most UVA, while thicker, tinted or coated glass blocks more UVA. The best options are laminated glass, or double-glazed, tinted windows that allow less than 1% of UVA through. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/phpp.12022">Skylights</a> are made from laminated glass, which completely stops UVA from passing through. Most office and commercial window glass has better UVA protection than residential windows, allowing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190962205046244?casa_token=qxVQnQ_mFjEAAAAA:5n6QVYBb22gfsWNLxfxbNtsibJ1JXl_C7RtRhsaQLFVkRocFgoWiI4BnNyMGO35EnyIsLNhFK90#bib17">less than 25% of UVA transmission</a>. These windows are usually double-glazed and tinted, with reflective properties or UV-absorbent chemicals. Some <a href="https://theconversation.com/smart-windows-could-be-the-next-big-thing-in-renewable-heating-245053">smart windows</a> that reduce heat using chemical treatments to darken the glass can also block UVA. <h2>So when should you wear sunscreen and sunglasses?</h2> The biggest risk with skin damage while driving is having the windows down or your arm out the window in direct sun. Even untinted windows will reduce UVA exposure to some extent, so it’s better to have the <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-cant-get-sunburnt-through-glass-shade-or-in-water-right-5-common-sunburn-myths-busted-150640">car window up</a>. For home windows, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/phpp.12022">window films or tint</a> can increase UVA protection of single pane glass. UVA blocking by glass is similar to protection by sunscreen. When you need to use sunscreen <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00267.x">depends on</a> your skin type, latitude and time of the year. In a car without tinted windows, you could burn after one hour in the middle of the day in summer, and two hours in the middle of a winter’s day. But in the middle of the day next to a home window that allows more UVA to pass through, it <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00267.x">could</a> take only 30 minutes to burn in summer and one hour in winter. When the UV index is above three, it is recommended you <a href="https://theconversation.com/sunglasses-dont-just-look-good-theyre-good-for-you-too-heres-how-to-choose-the-right-pair-245270">wear protective sunglasses</a> while driving or next to a sunny window to avoid eye damage. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, Associate Professor of Medical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-you-get-sunburnt-or-uv-skin-damage-through-car-or-home-windows-246599">original article</a>.

Body

Home ownership is slipping out of reach. It’s time to rethink our fear of ‘forever renting’

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dorina-pojani-413644">Dorina Pojani</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> A wide range of voices in the Australian media have been <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/05/share-with-parents-or-rent-forever-i-have-put-life-on-hold-while-trying-to-buy-a-house">sounding the alarm</a> about the phenomenon of “forever-renting”. This describes a situation in which individuals or families are <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-10/young-people-priced-out-of-home-ownership/104202602">unable to transition</a> from renting to home ownership, due to rising property values and wages that can’t keep up. Forever-renting is often framed as a terrible condition that should be avoided at all costs – that renting is only acceptable in the short term, as an individual or family saves for a down-payment. The underlying implication is that the ultimate goal in life for just about every Australian should be to own a house – or at least a condominium unit. This only serves to stigmatise renters, who currently make up <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/housing/housing-occupancy-and-costs/2019-20">nearly a third</a> of Australian households. Demographic research indicates <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/24639395">about 15% of Australia’s population</a> changes address every year. Many of these moves require rental accommodation. And, yes, millions of Australians will <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/analysis/news/rising-proportion-forever-renters-requires-tax-and-policy-re-think">rent for their whole life</a>. Clearly, we need to change our thinking around renting to bring it into step with reality. We must accept that the proportion of renters may never go down – or may even increase – and that that’s not necessarily a bad thing. <h2>Where did this attitude come from?</h2> The Australian tradition of home ownership was established in the early decades of European settlement. To make what we now call the “Australian dream” happen, the continent had to be treated as a tabula rasa, or blank slate. A mass of Indigenous people were <a href="https://theconversation.com/refugees-in-their-own-land-how-indigenous-people-are-still-homeless-in-modern-australia-55183">dispossessed</a>. Migration to Australia offered impoverished Britons an opportunity to own a house and plenty of land. In the old country, in contrast, real estate ownership had been a privilege of the gentry. Postwar waves of immigrants from southern Europe and East Asia were also intent on home ownership. In a low-density nation with smallish cities and cheap land, owning a home made sense. Now, urban land is no longer cheap and our <a href="https://www.apimagazine.com.au/news/article/scale-of-urban-sprawl-in-australia-hurting-more-than-just-the-environment">cities have sprawled</a> beyond what’s sustainable. <h2>Renting can have advantages</h2> The first step towards rethinking renting as a norm is acknowledging it can have some significant and often overlooked advantages. For some, renting is a <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09604521011027598/full/html">lifestyle preference</a>. Ownership comes with burdens such as house and garden maintenance. This makes renting much more convenient and carefree for some demographics, including young people and older adults. Another key advantage of renting is the <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Homeownership_and_the_Labour_Market_in_E/GwoUDAAAQBAJ">employment flexibility</a> it can provide. Renters can look for work outside their commute range and are less tied to particular employers. There’s some evidence that high levels of home ownership could even damage the overall labour market. Previous <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w19079">research</a> by the US National Bureau of Economic Research has shown that increasing home ownership leads to less labour mobility, longer commutes, and fewer new businesses because homeowners are less likely to move. <h2>Safe as houses?</h2> One common argument against renting is that investing in your own home is a “safe bet”. But we perhaps need to rethink this unquestioned reliance on housing as a store of wealth. Those who enter the housing market for investment purposes should be aware of several issues. Over the long term, housing prices have historically shown a <a href="https://www.dpn.com.au/articles/house-price-growth-australia-over-30-years">general upward trajectory</a>, driven by population growth and limited land supply in desirable areas. In the short term, however, housing prices can be <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/H/bo20832545.html">quite volatile</a>. They may move up, down, or stay the same. This depends on broader economic cycles, market conditions and interest rates. Think of the housing bubble in the United States, which led to a global recession in 2008, or the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-07/china-property-crash-a-warning-for-australian-housing-market/104788660">current downturn in China</a>. The cycles in property prices are often worsened by <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1914185">psychological biases</a> that can lead to overoptimism during booms or panic during busts. Investors may win or lose. <h2>Compounded by climate change</h2> In the contemporary era, we also need to factor in climate change. Areas that are currently desirable may become unappealing before too long – due to <a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/how-hot-will-your-neighbourhood-be-by-2050/">heatwaves</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/one-of-the-most-extreme-disasters-in-colonial-australian-history-climate-scientists-on-the-floods-and-our-future-risk-178153">floods</a> or <a href="https://theconversation.com/la-is-on-fire-how-will-australia-cope-when-bushfires-hit-sydney-melbourne-or-another-major-city-246967">fires</a>. Natural disasters, or even just growing disaster risks, can prompt large drops in property prices and massive population movements. To illustrate: during the pandemic, South East Queensland began to draw many domestic migrants as other states struggled to contain the virus. People from cooler southern states were also attracted by the region’s mild winter climate. In 2024, Brisbane became Australia’s <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/uneven-price-growth-reshuffles-rankings-of-australias-most-expensive-cities/">second-most expensive</a> city for property values. That might appear to bode well for property buyers who’ve invested millions of dollars. But one <a href="https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/joc.5998">2019 study</a> has predicted that temperature rises could make Brisbane “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-22/temperature-increases-from-climate-change-brisbane-unliveable/11227404">unbearably hot</a>” by 2050. In this context, renters may be more adaptable than owners. <h2>A more renter-friendly Australia</h2> None of this is to argue that everyone should be a renter, or that renters should be left to the whims of the market. In Australia, current rent increases are <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/consumer-price-index-australia/latest-release">outpacing</a> both wage growth and inflation (CPI). The rental affordability crisis has driven a <a href="https://homelessnessaustralia.org.au/rough-sleeping-surges-as-homelessness-crisis-worsens-new-report/">recent surge</a> in homelessness. There is a wide range of policy tools available to us, many of which have been shown to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-16/build-to-rent-fix-housing-crisis-australia-us-uk-hong-kong/104458458">work relatively well in other countries</a> and could be adopted here. These include: <ul> <li> <a href="https://thefifthestate.com.au/housing-2/the-case-for-rent-control-and-historical-norms-in-rent-increases/">rent caps</a>, which tie allowable rent increases to the CPI (Australia already <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-03/round5-5.pdf">regulates the price of utilities</a> in this way) </li> <li> nationwide no-ground eviction bans (already in place in <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/money/property/renting/articles/no-grounds-evictions-update">some states</a>) </li> <li> normalisation of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-28/how-to-find-a-long-term-rental-home/100217074">long-term leases</a> beyond 12 months and restrictions on <a href="https://cities-today.com/barcelona-set-to-ban-short-term-rentals/">short-term rentals such as Airbnb</a> </li> </ul> More vulnerable renters, including people with disabilities, single parents, victims of domestic abuse, those on low incomes, and older retirees, need extra protections. The supply of rental units should also be increased, through <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/analysis/brief/what-build-rent">build-to-rent</a> and <a href="https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/news-and-events/granny-flats-provide-housing-choice-in-tight-rental-market">granny flat</a> construction, for example. Landlords should not be vilified either. In an unregulated market, they are often cast as “<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/robber-barons-great-landlord-myth-exposed/">robber barons</a>” and “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/16/landlords-social-parasites-last-people-should-be-honouring-buy-to-let">social parasites</a>”. If tenants were protected from excessive rent increases and evictions, landlordism could also be recast as an essential service that yields reasonable profits to providers.<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/245848/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dorina-pojani-413644">Dorina Pojani</a>, Associate Professor in Urban Planning, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/home-ownership-is-slipping-out-of-reach-its-time-to-rethink-our-fear-of-forever-renting-245848">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

19-year-old dies after battle with rare genetic condition

TikTok star Beandri Booysen has died at the age of 19, her mother confirmed in a heartbreaking <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19b59a3bfL/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tribute</a>. Booysen died following a battle with Progeria – a rare genetic condition that causes children to age prematurely. According to the Mayo Clinic, children battling the condition typically have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years. In a tribute shared to Facebook, her mother said that Booysen was "one of South Africa's most beloved and inspiring young women" and said she "radiated hope and joy" despite her battle. "In Loving Memory of Beandri Booysen," the post began. "It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Beandri Booysen, one of South Africa's most beloved and inspiring young women." The 19-year-old had more than 278,000 followers on her original TikTok account, becoming a symbol of awareness for the rare genetic condition and inspiring people worldwide. "Beandri was not only known for her vibrant personality and infectious laugh but also as the last surviving individual in South Africa living with Progeria – a rare genetic condition that causes children to age prematurely. "Despite the challenges she faced, Beandri radiated hope and joy. She became a symbol of awareness for Progeria and other special needs, using her unique spirit to inspire thousands of people worldwide." "The Booysen family kindly requests privacy during this profoundly difficult time as they mourn the loss of their beloved Beandri. Further details regarding the memorial service will be shared in due course," she added. Followers were quick to share their condolences to her heartbroken family, with one writing: "So sad. What an inspiration she was. Fly high with the angels sweet girl." "Rest in peace and without pain Beandri," another added. Images: Facebook

Caring

Young influencer's "sick act" while 80-year-old boyfriend is hospitalised

Social media users have been left horrified by a young influencer's lack of sympathy after she shared a "disturbing" video of herself dancing next to her elderly boyfriend's hospital bed. Bronwin Aurora, 22, filmed herself doing a trending TikTok dance and boasting about being included in her 80-year-old boyfriend's will, dancing around the elderly man who was lying in his hospital bed surrounded by medical equipment. “Guys, I got on the will, should I pull the plug?” she captioned the clip. The video gained nearly half a million views, and while some thought it might be satirical, others expressed their concern and outrage. “Love your care for humanity," one commented sarcastically. “I’m going to cry. I hope he gives everything to his kids," another wrote. “A prelude to an episode of Law and Order,” commented a third. Some even suggested it was "elder abuse", while many called her out for the "sickening" and "outrageous" act calling it "a new low". The 22-year-old appears to have a "sugar daddy" arrangement with the man, who often buys her extravagant gifts, including a $20k Cartier bracelet, among other things. While the influencer did not disclose her boyfriend's medical condition, she has been documenting his health across multiple posts on social media, with the most recent one showing him in a wheelchair. In one video she even told fans that she "loves" him and doesn't shy away from sharing details of her relationship online. Images: TikTok

Relationships

102-year-old woman fulfils bucket list dream of visiting Australia

A 102-year-old woman has successfully fulfilled her bucket list dream of visiting all seven continents with the help of two Youtubers. Dorothy Smith, who lives in a retirement home in San Francisco, had travelled all over the world except Australia. When the guys behind the YouTube channel Yes Theory, Staffan Taylor and Ammar Kandil heard about this, they were determined to make her dream come true. The two men, who met her in the retirement village, asked her "‘is there anything on your bucket list you haven’t ticked off yet?’ and she said, ‘I’ve been to six continents but I’ve never been to Australia,’” Yes Theory filmmaker Staffan Taylor explained. The centenarian recalled how she received a note from them. “He gave me this little piece of paper that said something about ‘dreams come true’,” Dorothy told Sunrise on Tuesday. “I showed it to a friend, and they said, ‘look, there is no signature, there is no telephone number, there is no address — it’s fake’,” she added. But it wasn't a scam and with the help of Destination NSW and Qantas, the Youtubers made her dream come true, and shared a clip of her experience online. She chose Sydney as her Aussie destination because of the Opera House, which she is twice the age of. “This is like Disneyland for grown ups,” she joked while visiting the iconic landmark. She also visited visited Wild Life Sydney Zoo to see some koalas and kangaroos, the Botanic Gardens, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and went for a cruise on the harbour. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/38PwG3zGDDI?si=dqhuCIqOoKfokdCq" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> She described Aussies as “charming” and complimented the food, scenery and weather. “These two gentlemen have been delightful, and there is a whole crew, and each one is as nice as the other, and they have been around this town very well,” she told Sunrise. “It’s just beautiful — I’ve seen things like the zoo and the real animals. “It is much more metropolitan (than I would have thought), and the people are charming,” she added. The centenarian said it is "never too late" for a new adventure, saying: “You can either rust out or wear out and I’m trying to wear out rather than rust out." Yes Theory co-founder Ammar Kandil who went on the trip with Dorothy and her daughter, said he was in awe of the centenarian's curiosity during the trip and had been inspired by her. “One of the cornerstones of the experiences in our videos is actually whenever we go somewhere, we always try to ask the elders and get a lot of the wisdom out of them from their life experiences,” he said. “Staffan (and I) had the opportunity to double down and do a full episode on elders, only to meet the most epic one of all (Dorothy) — it doesn’t get better. “(As soon as we heard) we just went for it, and it was a no-brainer — as soon as she said she hadn’t been to Australia, we thought God bless her soul. “She is so powerful and still moves, and if anyone can go to Australia at 102 years old, it is Dorothy.” “Even at 102 years old she is still appreciating everything she is seeing,” he added. Images: Yes Theory/ Youtube

Retirement Life

Eight-year-old cancer survivor pushed down stairs at NFL game

Mia DeCamilla, an eight-year-old 49ers fan and cancer survivor was beyond excited to attend her first ever NFL game on Sunday. DeCamilla inherited her love for the team from her father, saying: “Me and my dad, [when I’m] in the hospital, we’ll watch football together, and then when I come home sometimes for breaks, I will sit down and just relax and watch football all day. That’s what I like and how I made my team.” The young girl - who battled and beat liver cancer twice - attended the event at the Highmark Stadium in New York Decked in 49ers red and a hand-drawn sign that read “I beat cancer! My first NFL game!” What should've been a night to remember turned into a nightmare situation when DeCamilla was shoved out of her seat and down the stairs by an allegedly drunk Bills fan, following the team's win. Her father, Mike DeCamilla told local news outlet WIVB that he saw the fan making his approach and heard him saying “‘I’m going to push through all these Niner fans'." “He actually bumped me and my son a little bit and then got past me and pushed her. [She] almost slid off the stairs… “He had to be six foot, and she is less than 100 pounds … I know that there’s competitiveness and whatnot, but there’s a point where it’s a family event.” While DeCamilla was not physically hurt, her family said they decided to leave the game after the incident. Her mother posted the incident on social media, and it has since gained traction, with many outraged over the adult fan's behaviour. “Mia DeCamilla beat cancer and wanted to go to her first football game and it ended poorly," one fan wrote. "Great game to go to, but what horrible fans.” “This cancer survivor got pushed down the stairs at a the bills game last night. I’m furious," another added. Buffalo fans have since rallied to show the family support, with many of them donating to a GoFundMe that was organised to ease the burden of DeCamilla's treatments, with the fund reaching over $20,000. Retired NFL cult hero Antonio Brown also commented on the situation, writing on X: “Is it true this little girl got thrown down the stairs at the Bills game? Someone get me in contact with Mia’s family please. I want to get her some gear.” The team’s official supporters group, Bills Mafia, also rallied behind the family, writing on X: “So sorry to hear about Mia’s experience at the game yesterday. “We all know one bad apple can ruin the bunch. Let’s show Mia that her experience yesterday is NOT what #BillsMafia is about.” Despite everything that happened, DeCamilla didn't let the incident ruin her night. “My favourite part was getting to see Brock Purdy,” the young 49ers fan told local radio station WHAM. “He’s my favourite player and I have his jersey, too.” Images: X/ Facebook

Caring

Many people don’t measure their blood pressure properly at home – here’s how to get accurate readings

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/niamh-chapman-2262829">Niamh Chapman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dean-picone-2264237">Dean Picone</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eleanor-clapham-2264235">Eleanor Clapham</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> Measuring your blood pressure at home means you can take readings over several days to get a better picture of your health, instead of one-off measurements at the doctor’s clinic. It’s important you follow specific steps to get an accurate reading. But <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.124.23678">our study</a> found most Australians do not measure their blood pressure correctly at home and very few were told the steps to follow. We have created <a href="https://bloodpressuretoolkit.com/">resources</a> to help people measure their blood pressure at home, understand their readings and take action with their health-care team. <h2>High blood pressure is a big issue</h2> High blood pressure is a major health problem in Australia and globally. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja2.51350">One in three Australian adults</a> have high blood pressure, also called hypertension. This is when your <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/your-heart/blood-pressure-and-your-heart">blood pressure</a> is <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.15026">at or above 140/90mmHg</a> (mmHg refers to millimetres of mercury, a standard measurement of blood pressure). High blood pressure is the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10881002/">leading contributor</a> to preventable health issues and early death among Australians because it is the main risk factor for heart disease, stroke, dementia and kidney disease. <h2>Why measuring blood pressure is important</h2> High blood pressure often has no symptoms. So the only way to know if you have it is to measure it. You may also need to check if your blood pressure has lowered after starting medication or if you’re making changes to your lifestyle, such as doing more exercise, giving up smoking or reducing salt intake. Low blood pressure (<a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/blood-pressure-low-hypotension">hypotension</a>) can also be an issue. But blood pressure changes based on how we are feeling, what we’ve eaten or the activities we have just been doing. These normal responses mean our blood pressure can change from minute to minute and hour to hour. This is why there are specific, recommended steps to follow to reliably measure your blood pressure and to be able to compare readings taken days, months and years apart. <hr /> <iframe id="lBVm6" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: 0px none currentcolor;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/lBVm6/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <hr /> <h2>Mistakes are common</h2> We surveyed and interviewed 350 people (who were all measuring their blood pressure at home) from around Australia to find out how Australians measure blood pressure at home and if they receive any education to help them know what to do. Our study found no one followed all of the specific, recommended steps to measure their blood pressure. Instead they said they measured their blood pressure at different times of the day after doing different things. We found most people measured their blood pressure while sitting down (90%) and with the cuff on their bare arm (77%), which is the right thing to do. While 58% of people took two blood pressure measures each time, which is correct, only 40% used the average of the two blood pressure readings. Very few (15%) measured their blood pressure over several days in both the morning and evening. Only half of the people in our study used a blood pressure device that had been <a href="https://bloodpressuretoolkit.com/what_device_should_i_use">clinically validated</a>. This means the device has been <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.117.10237">tested for accuracy</a> by the manufacturer according to <a href="https://www.iso.org/sectors/health">international standards</a>, not just safety. <h2>Consultation and communication</h2> Regardless of whether or not a doctor had recommended they measure their blood pressure at home, most people (78%) reported their blood pressure readings to their doctor. These findings tell us doctors often use home blood pressure readings to help diagnose and manage high blood pressure. This emphasises how important it is to ensure people measure blood pressure correctly. Many people were measuring their blood pressure a few times a week or month. But most <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4671913/">guidelines</a> recommend blood pressure only needs to be measured at home: every day over a week, every six months; and ideally before you see your doctor and after you start or change blood pressure medication. Measuring blood pressure at home can bring peace of mind, which many study participants described. But measuring your blood pressure too often may create unnecessary stress, potentially leading to higher blood pressure readings. Instead, it’s better to agree with your doctor how often you should measure your blood pressure and to follow the recommended steps each time to make sure your readings are as accurate and useful as possible. <h2>Support for blood pressure measurement</h2> We found few people had received any education or guidance from health-care professionals about how to measure their blood pressure at home. Instead, many study participants looked for information online to help them know what their blood pressure numbers meant and changes they could make to lower their blood pressure. They were less interested in learning how to measure accurately. So we have worked with people who measure and manage their blood pressure at home to create a <a href="https://bloodpressuretoolkit.com/">simple guide</a> to help you choose a blood pressure device, measure your blood pressure accurately, understand your blood pressure readings and take action to control your blood pressure. <hr /> For more information about managing your blood pressure at home, <a href="https://bloodpressuretoolkit.com/">see our resources</a>. You can also check if your blood pressure device has been <a href="https://bloodpressuretoolkit.com/what_device_should_i_use">tested for accuracy</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/244161/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/niamh-chapman-2262829">Niamh Chapman</a>, Senior Research Fellow, Hypertension and Patient Engagement, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dean-picone-2264237">Dean Picone</a>, Senior Research Fellow, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eleanor-clapham-2264235">Eleanor Clapham</a>, PhD candidate, School of Health and Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/many-people-dont-measure-their-blood-pressure-properly-at-home-heres-how-to-get-accurate-readings-244161">original article</a>.

Body

Italian village offers $1 homes to Americans upset by US election results

An Italian village in Sardinia, Italy is offering one-euro homes to Americans seeking a new start following the results of the 2024 U.S election that saw Donald Trump being re-elected as president. Ollolai has long been trying to persuade outsiders to move in to revive the community after decades of depopulation. Now, it's selling dilapidated houses for as little as one euro — just over a US dollar or $AU1.60 — to entice Americans to move abroad. Following the November 5 outcome, they have launched a website aimed at potential American expats, offering cheap homes in hopes that those disappointed by the result and seeking a fresh start will snap up one of their empty properties. "Are you worned (sic) out by global politics? Looking to embrace a more balanced lifestyle while securing new opportunities?" the website read. "It's time to start building your European escape in the stunning paradise of Sardinia." Mayor Francesco Columbu told CNN that the website was specifically created to attract American voters in the wake of the presidential elections. The mayor loves the United States and is convinced Americans would be the best people to revive the community. "We just really want, and will focus on, Americans above all," he said. "We can't of course ban people from other countries to apply, but Americans will have a fast-track procedure. We are betting on them to help us revive the village, they are our winning card." The village is offering three tiers of accommodation: Free temporary homes to certain digital nomads, ($1.6) homes in need of renovations, and ready-to-occupy houses for prices up to $160,000. The mayor also set up a special team to guide interested buyers through every step of the process including finding contractors, builders and navigating required paperwork. "Of course, we can't specifically mention the name of one US president who just got elected, but we all know that he's the one from whom many Americans want to get away from now and leave the country," Columbo added. "We have specifically created this website now to meet US post-elections relocation needs. The first edition of our digital nomad scheme which launched last year was already solely for Americans." Photos and plans of available empty properties will soon be uploaded to the website. The website has since received nearly 38,000 requests for information on houses, with most of them coming from the United States In the past century, Ollolai's population has shrunk from 2,250 to 1,300 with only a handful of babies born each year. Over the last few years, this has dropped 1,150 residents. Image: Shutterstock

International Travel

105-year-old shares the secret to longevity

A 105-year-old woman has celebrated her birthday by sharing her two secrets for a long, prosperous and stress-free life. Kathleen Hennings, who lives in a care home in Cheltenham, England, celebrated her 105th birthday with her family, friends and other residents, as she shared some valuable life advice. Kathleen was born in 1919 and had a successful career as an accountant, spending her free time watching operas and ballets at London’s Royal Opera House. Reflecting on her many happy years, Kathleen revealed the secret to living a long life as, “Drink Guinness and don’t marry!” The centenarian was first introduced to Guinness by her parents and her brother, and quickly fell in love with the dark Irish stout, drinking it religiously throughout her life. This is not the first time Kathleen has offered up this advice, and as a result, was treated to some gifts from Guinness as a birthday present. Kathleen was given a hamper by Guinness with pint glasses, a kitchen apron, slippers, chocolates, and, of course, plenty of the famous Irish drink. Commenting on her special birthday, Kathleen said: “It was so nice to see my lovely friends and neighbours. I’ve been spoiled. Thank you so much.” Image credits: Facebook

Retirement Life

What does a good death look like when you’re really old and ready to go?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/naomi-richards-182120">Naomi Richards</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-glasgow-1269">University of Glasgow</a> <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/hawaii-legalizes-assisted-suicide_us_5ac6c6f5e4b0337ad1e621fb">Hawaii</a> recently joined the growing number of states and countries where doctor-assisted dying is legal. In these jurisdictions, help to die is rarely extended to those who don’t have a terminal illness. Yet, increasingly, very old people, without a terminal illness, who feel that they have lived too long, are arguing that they also have a right to such assistance. Media coverage of <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2018/05/09/this-104-year-old-plans-to-die-tomorrow-and-hopes-to-change-views-on-assisted-suicide/?utm_term=.b00a9036f9bc">David Goodall</a>, the 104-year-old Australian scientist who travelled to Switzerland for assisted dying, demonstrates the level of public interest in ethical dilemmas at the <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k1891.full">extremities of life</a>. Goodall wanted to die because he no longer enjoyed life. Shortly before his death, he told reporters that he spends most of his day just sitting. “What’s the use of that?” he asked. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953615002889?via%3Dihub">Research</a> shows that life can be a constant struggle for the very old, with social connections hard to sustain and health increasingly fragile. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25982088">Studies</a> looking specifically at the motivation for assisted dying among the very old show that many feel a deep sense of loneliness, tiredness, an inability to express their individuality by taking part in activities that are important to them, and a hatred of dependency. Of the jurisdictions where assisted dying is legal, some make suffering the determinant (Canada, for example). Others require a prognosis of six months (California, for example). Mainly, though, the focus is on people who have a terminal illness because it is seen as less of an ethical problem to hasten the death of someone who is already dying than someone who is simply tired of life. <h2>Why give precedence to physical suffering?</h2> Assisted dying for people with psychological or existential reasons for wanting to end their life is unlikely to be supported by doctors because it is not objectively verifiable and also potentially remediable. In the Netherlands, despite the legal power to offer assistance where there is no life-limiting illness, doctors are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25693947">seldom convinced</a> of the unbearable nature of non-physical suffering, and so will rarely administer a lethal dose in such cases. Although doctors may look to a physical diagnosis to give them confidence in their decision to hasten a patient’s death, physical symptoms are often not mentioned by the people they are assisting. Instead, the most common reason given by those who have received help to die is <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMms1700606">loss of autonomy</a>. Other common reasons are to avoid burdening others and not being able to enjoy one’s life – the exact same reason given by Goodall. This suggests that requests from people with terminal illness, and from those who are just very old and ready to go, are not as different as both the law – and doctors’ interpretation of the law – claim them to be. <h2>Sympathetic coverage</h2> It seems that the general public does not draw a clear distinction either. Most of the media coverage of Goodall’s journey to Switzerland was sympathetic, to the dismay of <a href="http://www.carenotkilling.org.uk/press-releases/centenarians-assisted-suicide/">opponents</a> of assisted dying. Media reports about <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/sep/02/mary-berry-great-british-bake-off-centenarian-assisted-dying">ageing celebrities</a> endorsing assisted dying in cases of both terminal illness and very old age, blur the distinction still further. One of the reasons for this categorical confusion is that, at root, this debate is about what a good death looks like, and this doesn’t rely on prognosis; it relies on <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01459740.2016.1255610">personality</a>. And, it’s worth remembering, the personalities of the very old are as diverse as those of the very young. Discussion of assisted suicide often focuses on concerns that some older people may be exposed to coercion by carers or family members. But older people also play another role in this debate. They make up the rank and file <a href="http://www.ep.liu.se/ej/ijal/2012/v7/i1/a01/ijal12v7i1a01.pdf">activists</a> of the global right-to-die movement. In this conflict of rights, protectionist impulses conflict with these older activists’ demands to die on their own terms and at a time of their own choosing. In light of the <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/worlds-older-population-grows-dramatically">unprecedented ageing</a> of the world’s population and increasing longevity, it is important to think about what a good death looks like in deep old age. In an era when more jurisdictions are passing laws to permit doctor-assisted dying, the choreographed death of a 104-year-old, who died listening to Ode to Joy after enjoying a last fish supper, starts to look like a socially approved good death.<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/96589/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/naomi-richards-182120">Naomi Richards</a>, Lecturer in Social Science (End of Life Studies), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-glasgow-1269">University of Glasgow</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-does-a-good-death-look-like-when-youre-really-old-and-ready-to-go-96589">original article</a>.

Caring

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

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

Legal

Why Lisa Marie Presley kept son's body at home for two months after his death

Lisa Marie Presley was so heartbroken by the loss of her only son, Benjamin Keough, at just 27-years-old in 2020, that she kept his body in her home for two months after his death. The star revealed this in her memoir From Here to the Great Unknown, which was finished by her daughter Riley Keough after the 54-year-old’s death in January 2023, according to Page Six. In the book, Lisa Marie opened up about the extent of her grief, saying that she had to force herself to "fight" to stay alive for her remaining children, and one of the ways she coped was not saying goodbye to Benjamin right away. “My house has a separate casitas bedroom and I kept Ben Ben in there for two months. There is no law in the state of California that you have to bury someone immediately,” Lisa Marie wrote. “I found a very empathetic funeral homeowner. I told her that having my dad in the house after he died was incredibly helpful because I could go and spend time with him and talk to him. She said, ‘We’ll bring Ben Ben to you.’” The room was kept at around 12 degrees celsius to preserve his body, and the star continued saying that she felt “fortunate that there was a way that I could still parent him, delay it a bit longer so that I could become okay with laying him to rest.” Another reason why she decided to keep his body was because she wasn't sure whether to bury him in Hawaii or at Graceland, the Memphis estate where Elvis died and is buried. At one point, Riley and Lisa Marie decided to honour Benjamin by getting matching tattoos of his name, which was inscribed in the same place where Benjamin had his tattoos. Riley recalled the odd moment Lisa Marie brought in the tattoo artist into her home. “Lisa Marie Presley had just asked this poor man to look at the body of her dead son, which happened to be right next to us in the casitas. I’ve had an extremely absurd life, but this moment is in the top five," Riley wrote in the memoir. Lisa Marie acknowledged that it was odd, and soon after the tattoo day, they "got the vibe" that Benjamin wanted to be laid to rest. “Even my mum said that she could feel him talking to her, saying ‘This is insane, Mum, what are you doing? What the f**k!” The family held a funeral for Benjamin in Malibu, and he was buried at Graceland alongside Elvis, and now Lisa Marie as well. Image: Copetti/Photofab/ Shutterstock Editorial

Family & Pets

200-year-old message in a bottle unearthed

In a discovery that has the archaeology world buzzing (and possibly rolling its ancient eyes), a team of student volunteers in northern France has unearthed something rather unexpected during their dig at a Gaulish village. While they were hoping for the usual – ancient pottery shards, perhaps a coin or two – they instead stumbled upon what can only be described as the 19th-century equivalent of a DM in a bottle. The scene played out like a low-budget historical drama: volunteers painstakingly sifting through centuries-old dirt on the cliff-tops near Dieppe when, voilà! They found an earthenware pot containing a small glass vial, like something you might see in a vintage pharmacy, but with fewer essential oils and more existential surprises. Guillaume Blondel, the team leader and head of the archaeological service for the nearby town of Eu, was immediately intrigued. “It was the kind of vial that women used to wear around their necks containing smelling salts,” he explained, before casually dropping the bombshell: inside the vial was a note. Cue dramatic music. After what we can only assume was a long, suspenseful pause, Blondel and his team opened the note, which turned out to be written by none other than P.J. Féret, a 19th-century intellectual who clearly had a flair for both excavation and theatrics. The note, written with all the panache of a man who had just unearthed Caesar’s salad fork, read: "P.J. Féret, a native of Dieppe, member of various intellectual societies, carried out excavations here in January 1825. He continues his investigations in this vast area known as the Cité de Limes or Caesar’s Camp." Naturally, Blondel was floored. “It was an absolutely magic moment,” he said, no doubt imagining Féret winking at him from the beyond. “We knew there had been excavations here in the past, but to find this message from 200 years ago? It was a total surprise.” Local records confirm that P.J. Féret was indeed the real deal. He wasn’t just a dabbler in dirt – he was a notable dabbler in dirt who had conducted an earlier dig at the site in 1825. In a stroke of irony not lost on Blondel, he mused, “Most archaeologists prefer to think that there won’t be anyone coming after them because they’ve done all the work.” Féret, however, clearly believed in leaving a trail of breadcrumbs – or, in this case, a literal note in a bottle, just to remind future archaeologists that he got there first. Féret: 1, Modern Archaeology: 0. Of course, this whole affair raises some important questions: Did Féret expect someone to find this? Did he laugh to himself as he buried it, imagining Blondel’s reaction? Did Féret know how cliff erosion would eventually turn his humble Gaulish village into a treasure trove for future archaeologists? Or was he simply trolling them from the past? Whatever the case, Féret’s note may not have contained ancient secrets, but it certainly delivered some 19th-century sass. And if we’ve learned anything from this dig, it’s this: archaeology isn’t just about discovering the past – it’s also about being occasionally roasted by it. As Blondel and his team continue their emergency dig (which was ordered due to cliff erosion eating away at the site like a bad buffet), they’ve already uncovered a number of artefacts, mostly pottery, from around 2,000 years ago. But will any of them have the audacity to leave a note for the archaeologists of 2225? We’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, Féret is probably laughing somewhere in the afterlife, shaking his head and muttering, “Amateurs”. Images: Guillaume Blondel / Facebook

International Travel

Twelve-year-old boy falls to his death on cruise

A 12-year-old boy has fallen to his death onboard the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas, as guests watched on in horror. The cruise was nearing the end of its itinerary on Sunday and was heading back to Texas after its seven-day cruise around the Western Caribbean when the incident occurred. Witnesses recalled that the boy was playing with a group of friends he had made on the ship before he tumbled over a 13-storey balcony, falling into the internal Central Park area of the ship, a plaza filled with bars, pubs and restaurants. Royal Caribbean staff attempted to resuscitate the youngster, but he died before the ship docked in Texas. The cruise company shared a statement that a death had occurred onboard but refused to share any more information as investigations into the incident began. Witnesses took to a Facebook page for passengers to share their condolences to the boy's grieving family, and share their version of event. "My daughter was friends with him and said he was upset today," posted passenger Sara Tullas. "She is so upset. I wish I would have known he was struggling today." The boy had taken part in the cruise's teen-club, and many passengers said their children had got to know the boy before his death. "The conversations I have had to have with my son really tripped me up," wrote Shannon Elizabeth on the Facebook page. "My son and him actually got really close on the cruise, and he saw too much of what happened." "My family and I saw the incident unfold right before us as we were looking down into Central Park from the pool deck," wrote Christa Schoolfield. "We did not see whether he jumped or was playing around." Another passenger wrote, "I looked over the railing after the emergency alert and wish I didn’t." "All I ask is to please hug your children tight and tell your family members you love them. Life can change in an instant. Today I was hiding ducks in Central Park and one second later a child's life was gone in front of me." Friends said the boy was on board with his family, including two sisters, for a birthday celebration. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Six old-school strategies to cope with disruptive airport tech

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-schaberg-1451119">Christopher Schaberg</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/arts-and-sciences-at-washington-university-in-st-louis-5659">Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis</a> Ten years ago I wrote a book titled “<a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/end-of-airports-9781501305498/">The End of Airports</a>” about how digital technologies and commercial air travel were on a collision course. Earlier this summer, I was proved right. In July, <a href="https://theconversation.com/massive-it-outage-spotlights-major-vulnerabilities-in-the-global-information-ecosystem-235155">a cybersecurity software outage</a> snarled airports around the world. Airlines took weeks to get back to normal. Delta was particularly <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/07/business/delta-passengers-sue-crowdstrike-meltdown/index.html">hard hit</a>, with some <a href="https://apnews.com/article/crowdstrike-technology-outage-fallout-delta-c287aaded657a1092724b222435c3d16">7,000 flights canceled</a> and delays lasting well into August. As an expert on air travel who contemplates flight from <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/textual-life-of-airports-9781441189684/">a humanistic and cultural studies perspective</a>, I think the new technologies woven into air-travel management are a double-edged sword. While they enhance elements of safety and efficiency, they can also make the entire system <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/07/crowdstrike-failure-warning-solutions/679174/">more fragile and vulnerable</a>. <h2>The downsides of digital technology</h2> To be fair, aviation depends on technology. Humans would never have gotten off the ground without it. But new technology can create new problems even as it solves old ones. The latest digital tech offers necessarily imperfect ways to manage a vast, intricate network of places, machines and people. And as the computer systems get more fine-tuned and integrated, they also can result in catastrophic failures, precisely because of the connective nature of tech. And let’s not even talk about <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-hot-weather-and-climate-change-affect-airline-flights-80795">the weather</a>. The past summer’s <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/crowdstrike-outage-bug-bad-data-falcon-update-microsoft/">software glitch event</a> won’t be the last time some unforeseen variable brings air travel to a halt. Fortunately, travelers don’t have to depend solely on airport technology systems or our own smart devices for seamless travel. Here are six analog strategies that travelers can use to cope with air travel debacles: <h2>Old-school flying suggestions</h2> <ol> <li> Pack smart for potential delays. Make sure you have a carry-on that includes whatever you’d need for an unplanned overnight stay at a hotel – or worse, on an airport floor. Take <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/liquids-rule">Transportation Security Administration-approved toiletries</a> and enough clothes so you can deal with a layover somewhere you didn’t expect. And wear comfortable shoes. </li> <li> Be kind to airline employees and airport staff, who can’t control delays or cancellations. Remember that no one airline employee can automatically fix the problem when a software malfunction happens or a freak storm grounds planes. But if you are kind and patient, an airline employee may just comp you a hotel room or give you a more generous rebooking arrangement. Also: It’s just the humane thing to do. </li> <li> Purchase your tickets directly from airlines. It’s not worth saving $20 or $50 on a ticket deal from a third-party vendor. When delays and cancellations happen, if you have such a ticket, the airline will have less interest in aiding you. Buying tickets directly from the airline will help you get back in the air quicker. </li> <li> Have a plan B. In the event that your connecting flight is canceled mid-trip, have you contacted someone you know in that city? Or have you researched hotels easily accessible from the airport? What would it take to get a comfortable spot for a night? A little homework can go a long way if you end up stranded. </li> <li> Bring healthy snacks and other supplies. It’s smart to pack vitamins, zinc, hydration packets, a reusable water bottle, medications, hand sanitizer, or whatever helps bolster your health during a travel stint. If you get waylaid for a few hours or overnight, preplanning some self-care items can help you avoid contagious illnesses and general fatigue. </li> <li> Enjoy the airport. It’s a fascinating place where so many people converge. If you’re <a href="https://stuckattheairport.com">stuck at the airport</a> for several hours, use that time to find interesting things in the concourses. You might discover art shows, a great bookstore, a yoga room or a movie theater. It can be tempting to just stand around the gate area and seethe. But it’s more fun to move around the airport and explore what’s there.<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/237372/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> </li> </ol> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-schaberg-1451119">Christopher Schaberg</a>, Director of Public Scholarship, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/arts-and-sciences-at-washington-university-in-st-louis-5659">Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-new-technologies-snarl-your-airline-experience-here-are-old-school-strategies-to-cope-237372">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

Jessica Alba surprises dad by buying his childhood home

Jessica Alba has spent the past three years working towards buying her parents a house, but not just any house, she bought her father's childhood home. She took to Instagram to make the announcement, with a teaser video of her special home-renovation project. "Almost three years ago, I started the project of my dreams… I surprised my parents by buying them a house!!" she began. "Now, it wasn't just any house – it was extra sentimental as it was my grandparent's house that my father grew up in," she continued. "After my grandfather passed away, my parents were planning on selling the house in order to pay for my grandmother's medical bills. Well… I pretended like I was going to help them flip it before selling when in reality, I had planned to buy it for them all along." <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_TWEyhPyy_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_TWEyhPyy_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jessica Alba (@jessicaalba)</a> </div> </blockquote> She published the first part of her renovation series on YouTube and in it explained the sentimental value of the house and how it was a symbol for her father, who was an immigrant from Mexico, that "he had made it". Her family initially planned to sell it to ease some of their financial burden, as her grandmother required "24/7 care" but Alba wanted to keep the house in the family and so her plan began. "Instead of it giving to a stranger, I wanted to keep this home in our family," she said in the YouTube series. The moment Alba surprised her parents was also captured in the video, with her father brought to tears as he was overcome with emotion. "That's so sweet Jessica. That's a big surprise," he said while embracing his daughter. "I'm very proud of you." Images: Instagram

Money & Banking

Can a 10-year-old be responsible for a crime? Here’s what brain science tells us

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/susan-m-sawyer-109573">Susan M. Sawyer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nandi-vijayakumar-1644262">Nandi Vijayakumar</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> The age a child can be arrested, charged and jailed in Australia is back in the spotlight. Last year, the Northern Territory became the first jurisdiction to raise the age of criminal responsibility from ten to 12. Now its new, tough-on-crime government has pledged to <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/incoming-chief-minister-says-age-of-criminal-responsibility-to-be-lowered-to-10-years-old/a1xm9jy9c">return it to ten</a>. It comes after Victoria <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-13/victoria-youth-justice-reform-criminal-age/104217160">walked back</a> its earlier commitment to raise the age to 14, settling instead on 12. But the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child says 14 should be the absolute <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/general-comments-and-recommendations/general-comment-no-24-2019-childrens-rights-child">minimum</a>. It raised this age from its earlier recommendation (in 2007) of 12, citing a decade of new research into child and adolescent development. So what does the science say? What happens to the brain between ten and 14? And how much can those under 14 understand the consequences of their actions? <h2>Who is an adolescent?</h2> Our research shows adolescence is a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30169257/">critical period</a> for development. It’s the time children’s experiences and explorations shape how they develop cognitive skills (including critical thinking and decision making), as well as social and emotional skills (including moral reasoning). Adolescence also lasts longer than we tend to think. Important brain development begins during late childhood, around eight to nine years. Intense changes then follow during early adolescence (ages ten to 14). But these changes continue well into the twenties, and full cognitive and emotional maturity is not usually reached until around age 24. However, everyone’s brain matures at a different rate. That means there is no definitive age we can say humans reach “adult” levels of cognitive maturity. What we do know is the period of early adolescence is critical. <h2>What does puberty do to the brain?</h2> Puberty is a defining feature of early adolescence. Most of us are familiar with the changes that occur to the body and reproductive systems. But the increase in puberty hormones, such as testosterone and oestrogen, also trigger changes to the brain. These hormones <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453017313252?via%3Dihub">increase most sharply</a> between ten and 15 years of age, although gradual changes continue into the early twenties. Puberty hormones change the structures in the brain which process emotions, including the amygdala (which encodes fear and stress) and ventral striatum (involved in reward and motivation). This makes adolescents particularly reactive to emotional rewards and threats. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2019.04.024">Our research</a> has shown the brain’s sensitivity to emotions increases throughout early adolescence until around 14 or 15 years old. At the same time, changes in puberty have <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000172">been linked</a> to increased sensation seeking and impulsive behaviours during early adolescence. This context is crucial when we discuss the behaviour of children in the ten to 14 age range. The way their brains change during this period makes them more sensitive and responsive to emotions, and more likely to be seeking experiences that are new and intense. <h2>How do adolescents make decisions?</h2> The emotional context of puberty influences how younger adolescents make decisions and understand their consequences. Decision making relies on several basic cognitive functions, including the brain’s flexibility, memory and ability to control impulses. These cognitive abilities – which together help us consider the consequences of our actions – undergo some of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1741-13.2013">steepest development</a> between ages ten and 14. By age 15, the ability to make complex decisions has usually <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000315">reached adult maturity</a>. But adolescents at this age remain highly susceptible to emotions. So while their brain may be equipped to make a complex decision, their ability to think through the consequences, weighing up costs and benefits, can be clouded by emotional situations. For example, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12085">research has shown</a> 13-14 year-olds were more distracted from completing a task and less able to control their behaviour when they viewed images that made them feel negative emotions. The social world of teenagers also has a significant impact on how they make decisions – especially in early adolescence. One study found that while older adolescents (aged 15-18) are more influenced by what adults think when weighing up risk, adolescents aged 12-14 <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0956797615569578">look to other teenagers</a>. Experiments <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431616648453">have also shown</a> adolescents aged 12-15 make riskier decisions when they are with peers than by themselves. Their brain responses also suggest they experience a greater sense of reward in taking those risks <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsy071">with peers</a>. <h2>How do teens understand the consequences of their actions?</h2> The concept of <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp2122/Quick_Guides/MinimumAgeCriminalResponsibility">criminal responsibility</a> is based on whether a person is able to understand their action and know whether it is wrong. Moral reasoning – how people think about right and wrong – depends on the ability to understand another person’s mental state and adopt their perspective. These skills are in development <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.09.012">across adolescence</a>. Research suggests it may take more effort for adolescent brains to process <a href="https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn.2009.21121">“social” emotions</a> such as guilt and embarrassment, compared to adults. This is similar when they make <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2014.933714">moral judgements</a>. This evidence suggests teenage brains may have to work harder when considering other people’s intentions and desires. Young adolescents have the cognitive ability to appreciate they made a bad decision, but it is more mentally demanding. And social rewards, emotions and the chance to experience something new all have a strong bearing on their decisions and actions in the moment — possibly more than whether it is right or wrong. <h2>Early adolescence is critical for the brain</h2> There are also a number of reasons adolescent brains may develop differently. This includes various forms of neurodisability such as acquired brain injury, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and intellectual disability, as well as exposure to trauma. Teenagers with neurodevelopmental disorders will likely cope differently with decision making, social pressure, impulse control and risk assessment, and face <a href="https://www.mcri.edu.au/images/research/strategic-collaborations/Flagships/Neurodevelopment/Neurodevelopment_Flagship_Brochure.pdf">extra difficulties</a>. Across the world, they are <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(19)30217-8/fulltext">disproportionately incarcerated</a>. In Australia, Indigenous children and adolescents are incarcerated <a href="https://www.indigenoushpf.gov.au/measures/2-11-contact-with-the-criminal-justice-system#:%7E:text=On%20an%20average%20day%20in%202021%E2%80%9322%2C%20there%20were%3A,AIHW%202023d%3A%20Table%20S76a">in greater numbers</a> than their non-Indigenous peers. Each child matures differently, and some face extra challenges. But for every person, the period between ten and 14 is critical for developing the cognitive, social and emotional skills they’ll carry through the rest of their life.<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/237552/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/susan-m-sawyer-109573">Susan M. Sawyer</a>, Professor of Adolescent Health The University of Melbourne; Director, Royal Children's Hospital Centre for Adolescent Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nandi-vijayakumar-1644262">Nandi Vijayakumar</a>, Research Fellow, School of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-a-10-year-old-be-responsible-for-a-crime-heres-what-brain-science-tells-us-237552">original article</a>.

Mind

Popular names Generation Alpha believe are “for old people”

Today's youth have a very different idea of what constitutes an "old person" name, and one mum was left flabbergasted after a conversation she had with her six-year-old daughter about her classmates’ names. “You know what I find wild? I have an eight-year-old and a six-year-old, and the names of their friends, I can’t even pronounce some of them,” Australian entrepreneur and mum-of-two Steph Pase said in a now viral TikTok. “I asked her, so do you have anyone in your year called Sarah, Alex, Jack or Daniel? “She laughed and said ‘they’re old people names!’.” She then probed her daughter with a few other common names saying: “I asked, what about Steph … Michelle … she’s like no,” she laughed. “It just makes me realise, that we are that generation … our parents’ generation. Names like Helen, Karen or Joanna … now we’re that generation. “We have the old people names.” She captioned her video with the text "Millennial names are officially old" and many of her followers agreed with the upsetting revelation. “In my classes we have Vision, Stoney, Diesel, Hennesy, Blaze, Cruze, Kingdom, Ace, Boss, Oasis, Mercedes, Destiny,” one shared. “Luna, Harper & Arlo are the new Ashley, Jessica & Stephanie,” another said. “The names in my kids classes are Lamb, Honey, Hazard, Blu, Bambi,” another added. “My six year old has a girl in his class named ‘Summah’ and another called ‘Phox’ because Fox was too mainstream,” a fourth wrote. “My daughter has a Moses, Twayla, Lorde it’s wild …” a fifth commented. Baby name expert and CEO of Fifth Dimension Consulting Lyndall Spooner told news.com.au that there are a few reasons why there's been a shift in children's names over the years, including popularity, less pressure to follow traditional family names, and a trend towards more gender-neutral names. “Parents want their children to be unique and so they use nouns or verbs as names, or character names from books, TV shows, movies, shopping chains or cars," she said. And while the "millennial names" are not as common, "they are not extinct". “We will continue to see changes in baby names and the ‘recycling’ of older names that become popular again,” she told the publication. Images: TikTok

Family & Pets

Boy accidentally smashes 3500-year old artefact

A 3500-year old jar has been smashed to pieces after a four-year-old boy accidentally knocked it over during a trip to a museum in Israel. The Hecht Museum in Haifa told the BBC that the artefact dates back to the Bronze Age between 2200 and 1500BC - and was considered a rare find because it was so intact. It had been on display near the entrance of the museum without any protective glass around it, as the museum believes there is a “special charm” in showcasing archaeological finds “without obstructions”. The boy's father, Alex, told the publication that his son had only "pulled the jar slightly" because he was "curious about what was inside", causing it to fall. He also said that he was "in shock" to see his son next to the ruined artefact and initially thought "it wasn't my child that did it". After calming his child down, he spoke to a security guard who confirmed what happened. The museum stated they would not be charging the family and they've even invited the child back to the exhibition for an organised tour after the incident occurred a few days ago. “There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police,” Lihi Laszlo from The Hecht Museum told the BBC. “In this case, however, this was not the situation. The jar was accidentally damaged by a young child visiting the museum, and the response will be accordingly.” A conservation specialist has also been brought on board to restore the jar, which will be returned to the museum "in a short time". The boy's father said they will feel "relieved" to see the jar restored but added they are "sorry" because "it will no longer be the same item". “Despite the rare incident” the museum told the publication that they intend to continue displaying items without barriers or glass walls, where possible. The ancient jar was likely originally used to carry local supplies like wine and olive oil and predates the time of the Biblical King David and King Solomon and is distinctive of the Canaan region on the eastern Mediterranean coast. Images: Hecht Museum

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Popular names Generation Alpha believe are “for old people”

Boy accidentally smashes 3500-year old artefact