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Everything you need to know about the Stone of Destiny

An ancient and controversial block of stone has been sent over from Edinburgh Castle to London for the coronation of King Charles III. The stone arrived in London on April 29 and was carried from Scotland in a special carrier made from Scottish oak. Charles became King immediately following the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/queen-elizabeth-passed-away-peacefully-at-96" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death of Queen Elizabeth II</a> on September 8 and was officially proclaimed King by the Accession Council on September 10. However, the coronation on May 6 will see him officially crowned as King — with a stone held captive in England for almost 700 years lending a hand. The Stone of Destiny, or the Stone of Scone, is an oblong block of sandstone standing just 66 centimetres high. Its earliest origins are unknown, but it has a long history spanning at least 1,200 years. The stone was first used to crown a Scottish king in 840 AD when Kenneth McAlpin used it in his coronation in the village of Scone. Since then, around 60 kings and queens have sat upon it during their coronations. It is the world’s oldest artefact still used to make monarchs and represents the ancient roots of the kingdom of Scotland. For centuries, the stone was associated with the crowning of Scottish kings, including Macbeth. However, that changed in 1296, when Edward I, the “Hammer of the Scots”, seized it from the Scone Abbey amid a war north of the border and had it taken back to England. He had the stone built into a special chair which has since been marked the Coronation Chair. It was a blunt message to the Scottish, taking away the stone which had been used to crown generations of their monarchs. Since then, English kings and queens would sit upon the stone and claim the right to rule Scotland as well. The stone of Destiny is usually displayed in the Crown Room in Edinburgh Castle but has travelled far since it was first brought to Scone. Edward I had the stone installed in Westminster Abbey in London, where it remained for almost 700 years, until Christmas Day, 1950. That was when four Scottish students “liberated” the stone from the abbey - sneaking into the church at about 4am, according to BBC. The last of the former students involved in the heist, Ian Hamilton, died on October 3, 2022, aged 97. Mr Hamilton said a piece of the stone broke off as they began to drag it, and he picked it up and ran with it as if it was a rugby ball. The group of students temporarily buried the blocks before driving them to Scotland where they were given to the Scottish Covenant Association and put back together. A few months later, the association decided it should be returned to London. In 1996, the stone was officially returned to Scotland amid a ceremony at Edinburgh Castle. The Stone of Destiny is traditionally used in coronation ceremonies, and King Charles III’s will be no different. It was last used in 1953, after being brought back from Arbroath, for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In 2020, Scotland’s then-first minister Nicola Sturgeon revealed plans to relocate the stone permanently in Perth, central Scotland. The stone will only leave Scotland for a coronation in Westminster Abbey. King Charles III will sit upon the stone, within the Royal Throne, for his coronation on May 6. Image credit: Getty

International Travel

Sharon Stone struck by double family tragedy

Sharon Stone’s brother, Patrick Stone, suddenly passed away on Sunday in Pennsylvania, just 18 months after the family suffered the loss of his 11-month-old son, who died of organ failure in August 2021. The coroner’s office told <a href="http://www.apple.com/au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TMZ</a> that Patrick went into a sudden cardiac arrest caused by heart disease. His time of death is yet to be confirmed. A rep for Mr stone didn’t immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment. According to TMZ, Tasha Stone, Patrick’s widow, shared the news of his death with friends, writing, “My heart feels like it’s been ripped out of my chest. Patrick went to be with our sweet River … I don’t know what else to say, he was my world.” “I’m not sure what life is supposed to look like without my husband by my side and quite honestly I don’t want to, but I will of course,” Tasha wrote. “I just hope that you always stay by my side watching over Hunter, Kaylee and I.” “Until we meet again I will forever hold you and our wonderful (and some not so wonderful but just as important) memories close to my heart and will visit those memories always. I love you honey babe. My wish through all of this is that now at least River has his daddy with him and I hope the two of you are having the best time.” Sharon, 64, first shared the news about her nephew, River, about a week before he died, saying he had entered total organ failure. “My nephew and godson River Stone was found in his crib w total organ failure today,” The actress wrote alongside a photo of River lying in a hospital bed hooked up to a machine. No further details of Patrick Stone’s death have been revealed. Image credit: Instagram

News

"Stone the crows": Who made Ray "Alf" Meagher cry

Home and Away legend Ray Meagher has broken down on Channel Seven's This Is Your Life after a series of emotional tributes. The 78-year-old actor was discussing his life and career at Summer Bay when his past co-stars surprised him with endless praise for his role as Alf. The first tribute came from Chris Hemsworth, who thanked Ray in a pre-recorded message for his kindness and support during Chris's time on Home and Away. “Ray Meagher, godfather of Australian television, Australian icon, a flaming legend, my hero. Mate, what can I say?” he began. “I remember very vividly the first time I walked onto a Home and Away set, the first time I met you. I was teaming with excitement and nerves — mostly about meeting you, the man, the myth, the legend." “The moment arrived. I remember the doors busting open, and there you were down the end of the hallway, silhouetted by the sun, bathed in glorious light. “We locked eyes, we got closer. I took a big deep breath and I thought, ‘He’s probably not a hugger’. I lifted my hand…and dived off into the costume department because I had lost my nerve.” The audience chuckled at the Thor star’s hilarious recollection, but his next admission left Ray fighting back tears. “Sure enough, you came up to me and you said, ‘Chris, wonderful to meet you. You’re gonna do great here’. You were kind, genuine and supportive, and you’ve remained that through my entire career. Thank you so much buddy, I love you. You’re a dear friend.” Already overcome with emotion, Ray was presented with another surprise. Kate Ritchie, who played the role of Sally Fletcher on Home and Away for 20 years alongside Ray, walked onto the set and embraced her co-star. The pair watched a set of Home and Away scenes from 1990-2008, finishing with their on-screen goodbye at Palm Beach. “Ray is really so much of what I learned as a person, but also as a performer,” she began, before grabbing Ray’s hand. “And for both of us, we’ve played those characters for such a long time, that it is inevitable there is so much of us within them." “When I watch that footage…I actually see two friends. He’s watched me grow from a girl into a woman, and he’s really proud of me. So I’m glad I’ve made you proud, thank you." The Aussie icon told his former co-star that he’s still proud of her to this day, and his words "still stand". “You mean a lot to me Ray, you know that,” Kate added, causing Ray to wipe his tears away with a tissue. Ray has played Alf Stewart since 1988 and currently holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-serving actor in an Australian series. His appearance on This Is Your Life moved many Home and Away fans online, with floods of people sharing their gratitude for the veteran actor. "So emotional, tears are flowing. Congratulations Ray!! What a fantastic life!! You’re a wonderful man and a great actor,” one wrote on social media. “Crying happy tears. It was so lovely to see Ray (Alf) get recognised like this. ‘Stone the crow’ as he would say. I hope he keeps going on the show,” a second added. Image credits: Seven

Archaeologists demand the British Museum return Rosetta Stone to Egypt

More than 2,500 archaeologists have signed a petition for the British Museum to return the Rosetta Stone to Egypt. This effort, which was launched last month, has urged the Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly to officially request the object’s return, along with 16 other artefacts that were illegally and unethically removed from the country. Earlier this year, renowned Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass called for the return of the Rosetta Stone, and announced his plans to form the petition. “Previously it was the government alone asking for Egyptian artefacts,” Monica Hanna, an archaeologist who co-founded the current restitution campaign, told CBS News. “But today this is the people demanding their own culture back.” The Rosetta Stone, a 2,200-year-old granodiorite stele inscribed with hieroglyphs, Ancient Egyptian Demotic script, and Ancient Greek, was discovered in 1799 during a Napoleonic campaign in Egypt, in which Napoleon’s troops apparently stumbled upon the stone while building a fort near the town of Rashid, or Rosetta. It was then acquired by the British Museum in 1802 from France under a treaty signed during the Napoleonic Wars. “The confiscation of the Rosetta stone, among other artefacts, is an act of encroachment on Egyptian cultural property and identity, and is a direct result of cultural colonial violence against Egyptian cultural heritage,” states the petition. “The presence of these artefacts in the British Museum to this day supports past colonial endeavours of cultural violence.” “History cannot be changed,” the document continues, “but it can be corrected, and although the political, military, and governmental rule of the British Empire withdrew from Egypt years ago, cultural colonisation is not yet over.” The British Museum, however, maintains that there has never been a formal request by the Egyptian government for the stone’s return. Image credits: Getty Images

Art

Kylie Minogue and Sharon Stone stun at Cannes red carpet

The 75th annual Cannes Film Festival has seen stars embrace the most glamorous of looks that could rival those spotted at the 2022 Met Gala - and it’s safe to say that Kylie Minogue and Sharon Stone’s gowns were among the highlights. Appearing for the screening of Elvis on Wednesday, the Neighbours alum and Aussie icon styled a stunning Versace corset dress featuring sheer panelling and a side split, accessorised with a jade-embedded Bulgari necklace. Minogue took to Instagram with clips from the night and photos, including a close-up shot of her Bulgari jewellery. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/05/minogue-necklace.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Kylie Minogue shared a close-up shot of the luxe jewellery she donned for the film festival. Image: @kylieminogue (Instagram) “Thank you @Versace & @Bulgari for the GLAM this evening,” she captioned a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd_0OEQrXkD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> from the night, adding that she “LOVED” Elvis and that its director, Baz Luhrmann, was “THE BEST”. Meanwhile, Sharon Stone walked the red carpet in a tightly-fitted red gown with intricate beading across the neckline and along the straps, completing the look with a bedazzled red handbag and a pair of Elvis’ signature aviator sunglasses. <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/p/Cd4R38rugSs/?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/p/Cd4R38rugSs/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sharon Stone (@sharonstone)</a> </div> </blockquote> It wasn’t the only time Stone impressed the crowd with her look during the festival, having appeared in a heavily-embellished blue-and-white gown with a peplum skirt which her two accompanying male models removed to reveal a full-length body con dress at Sunday’s screening of Forever Young (Les Amandiers). The next day, the 64-year-old star was throwing up peace signs in another form-hugging gown - this time emerald green and bedazzled - ahead of the screening of Crimes of the Future, where she was photographed with her god-daughter Helena Gatsby. <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/p/Cd_aVnHsLrb/?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/p/Cd_aVnHsLrb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Helena Gatsby (@helenagatsby)</a> </div> </blockquote> The 20-year-old later took to Instagram with photos of the pair, describing Stone as her hero and role model. “My hero forever, so honoured to be next to my role model. I love you and cherish you,” she captioned the post. Both Minogue and Stone received floods of praise for their looks, with fans describing them as stunning and “elegance personified”. “Absolute perfection Kylie!!” Donatella Versace, the fashion designer and sister of Versace’s founder, said of Minogue’s outfit. “A real diva 💚💚💚 loving this 30s vibe,” Lucio Di Rosa, the head of worldwide celebrities relations at Dolce & Gabbana, commented on a photo of Stone’s green gown. “Good Lord. You must teach me your ways!” Will & Grace star Debra Messing commented on Stone’s blue-and-white look. Images: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

Exile on Main St turns 50: how The Rolling Stones’ critically divisive album became rock folklore

In May of 1972 the Rolling Stones released their 10th British studio album and first double LP, <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/exile-on-main-street-96177/">Exile on Main St.</a> Although initial critical response was lukewarm, it is now considered a contemporary music landmark, the best work from a band who rock critic Simon Frith once referred to as “the poets of lonely leisure.” Exile on Main St. was both the culmination of a five-year productive frenzy and bleary-eyed comedown from the darkest period in the Stones’ history. By 1969 the storm clouds of dread building around the group had become a full-blown typhoon. First, recently sacked member Brian Jones was found dead, drowned in his swimming pool. Then, as the decade ended in a rush of bleak portents, they played host to the chaos of the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-01/how-the-rolling-stones-killed-the-hippie-dream-at-altamont/11747188">Altamont Speedway Free Concert</a>, a poorly organised, massive free concert, which ended with four dead including a murder captured live on film. Yet amidst all this the Stones produced <a href="https://greilmarcus.net/2020/03/22/the-end-of-the-1960s-let-it-bleed-12-27-69/">Let It Bleed</a> (1969) and <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/album/sticky-fingers-mw0000195498">Sticky Fingers</a>(1971), two devastating albums that wrapped up the era like a parcel bomb addressed to the 1970s. Songs like Gimme Shelter, the harrowing Sister Morphine, and Sway, which broods on Nietzche’s notion of circular time, exuded the kind of weary grandeur that would define Exile. <h2>Rock folklore</h2> The story behind Exile on Main St. has become <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXcqcdYABFw">rock folklore</a>. Fleeing from England’s punitive tax laws, the Stones lobbed in a Côte d'Azur mansion that was a Gestapo HQ during World War II. Mick Jagger was largely sidelined, spending much of the time in Paris with pregnant wife Bianca. The musicians were jammed into an ad-hoc basement studio, a cross between steam-bath and opium den, powered by electricity hijacked from the French railway system. The house was beset by hangers-on, including the obligatory posse of drug-dealers. Yet with control ceded to the nonchalant, disaster-prone Keith Richards – the kind of person a crisis would want around in a crisis – they somehow harnessed the power of pandemonium. The result was a singular amalgam of barbed soul, mutant gospel, tombstone blues and shambolic country, as thrilling in its blend of familiar sources as works by contemporaries <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/sep/02/roxy-music-40-years">Roxy Music</a> and David Bowie were in the use of alien ones. Jagger shuffles his deck of personas from song to song like a demented croupier, the late, great drummer <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/24/arts/music/charlie-watts-dead.html">Charlie Watts</a> supplies his customary subtle adornments, and a cast of miscreants – most crucially, pianist Nicky Hopkins and producer Jimmy Miller – function as supplementary band members. All 18 tracks contribute to the ragged perfection of the document as a whole. Tumbling Dice and Happy are textbook rock propelled by a strange union of virtuosity and indolence. And there is an undeniable beauty to the likes of Torn and Frayed and Let it Loose, albeit a beauty that is tentative, hard-earned. The package is completed by its distinctive sleeve art, juxtaposing a collage of circus performers photographed by Robert Frank circa 1950 with grainy stills from a Super-8 film of the band and a mural dedicated to Joan Crawford. Exile confused audiences at first: Writer <a href="https://www.amazon.com/EXILE-MAIN-STREET-Rolling-Stones/dp/0028650638">John Perry</a> describes its 1972 reception as mixing “puzzlement with qualified praise”. The response of critic Lester Bangs was typical. After an initial negative review, Bangs came to regard it as the group’s strongest work. Critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/album/exile-on-main-st-mw0000191639">confirms</a> that the record over time has become a touchstone, calling it a masterful album that takes “the bleakness that underpinned Let It Bleed and Sticky Fingers to an extreme.” <h2>Inspiration</h2> The roll call of artists inspired by Exile is extensive, from Tom Waits and the White Stripes to Benicio del Toro and Martin Scorsese. But two album-length homages stand out. In 1986, underground punks Pussy Galore concocted a feral, abstract <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHAEkWcgBD8">facsimile</a> of the entire double-LP. In 1993, singer-songwriter Liz Phair used the original as a rough template for her acclaimed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW1nMJ4-2qM">Exile in Guyville</a>. Nonetheless, journalist Mark Masters notes that by the 1980s, the social and cultural circumstances that produced Exile were waning as acts such as Minutemen, Mekons, The Go-Go’s and Fela Kuti gave listeners access to fresh modes of rebellion. Circa 1972, the Rolling Stones deserved the title “greatest rock and roll band in the world.” That it is still claimed 50 years on shows how classic rock continues to overbear all that followed. <h2>The grandfathers of rock</h2> When in 2020 Rolling Stone <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/">magazine</a> made a half-hearted attempt to tweak the classic rock canon – elevating Marvin Gaye, Public Enemy and Lauryn Hill alongside or above Exile and the Beatles – the response was predictably unedifying. One reader complained that the magazine was catering to “young people with no musical history and older people who don’t know anything.” Others raged that rap is not music and the list was proof of rampant political correctness. Such archaic, ignorant language is typical of gatekeepers of the classic rock tradition. It is a language of exclusion, ensuring that exceptional new music by, say, <a href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/fiona-apple-fetch-the-bolt-cutters/">Fiona Apple</a> (which sounds something like rock) or <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/listening-booth/the-hypnotic-spell-of-groupers-shade">Liz Harris</a> (which sounds rather different) will always be rated below what came before. The Rolling Stones have an inevitable, if ambiguous, relationship to all of this. In terms of race, writer Jack Hamilton <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2016/10/race-rock-and-the-rolling-stones-how-the-rock-and-roll-became-white.html">argues</a> that they were always “fiercely committed to a future for rock and roll music in which black music and musicians continued to matter.” How they intersect with gender is perhaps more troubling, though also <a href="https://scholar.google.com.au/scholar_url?url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13619460801990104&hl=en&sa=X&ei=GvplYvGUEpyO6rQP_qe3mAs&scisig=AAGBfm2sqr4oKv5EoKYSmkitlR44etMXqA&oi=scholarr">conflicted</a>. While eminent female musicians such as Joan Jett, Carrie Brownstein and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRPpCqXYoos">Rennie Sparks</a> continue to champion the Stones, their role as leading purveyors of an inherently masculine, increasingly archaic musical form cannot be avoided. Exile on Main St. is a significant album made by a bunch of haggard rebels whose heyday (and rebellion) is past but whose art lives on in complex ways. Along with Sly and the Family Stone’s There’s a Riot Goin’ On and Neil Young’s Tonight’s the Night, it fits snugly into an aesthetic of washed out, narcotic-smeared masterpieces from the early seventies. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/exile-on-main-st-turns-50-how-the-rolling-stones-critically-divisive-album-became-rock-folklore-181704" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

6 warning signs of kidney stones – and what you can do to prevent them

Who develops kidney stones? Professor of urology, Dr Christopher Coogan, says about 10 to 15 per cent of the population will develop kidney stones in their lifetimes, small hard mineral deposits formed in the kidney that can be painful to pass, with white men ages 40 to 60 the most likely to have kidney stones. Those who already have had a kidney stone have a 50 per cent chance of developing another within 10 years. But how do you know if what you have is a kidney stone opposed to stomach or back pain? Sudden and severe pain Adults are often diagnosed with kidney stones after a trip to the emergency room or visit to their primary physician because of sudden severe abdominal and/or back pain they’ve been experiencing. This sudden and severe pain in the stomach and/or one side of the back is one of the classic symptoms of kidney stones. “Pain associated with kidney stones often comes on suddenly and is sometimes described as excruciating as the pain associated with labour,” says Dr Douglas Propp. Severe pain from which you can find no relief helps differentiate pain associated with kidney stones from a stomach ache or back strain. Pain associated with kidney stones can sometimes be confused with a backache because pain associated with kidney stones can start higher up in the back. As the stone moves closer to the bladder, the location of the pain can move lower. An important difference though: the back pain that accompanies kidney stones is unlike the pain of typical back strains because it is not associated with any movement. “One can usually figure out which side the kidney stone is on because the pain will typically, although not always, be on one side of the stomach versus the other,” says Dr Coogan. Kidney stones can range in size; Dr Coogan notes the average size of a kidney stone is 5 millimetres. However, the size of the stone doesn’t necessarily affect how much pain someone is in. Even a very tiny kidney stone can cause a “whole lot of hurt,” says Dr Coogan. Kidney stones can be so painful that they awaken people from sleep and prevent them from finding a standing, sitting, or lying down position that provides relief. “The pain can come on at any time and is severe, typically preventing the individual from finding a comfortable position, says Dr Propp. Blood in the urine Another possible warning sign of kidney stones is finding blood in one’s urine. Dr Coogan says this occurs in the majority of patients who have kidney stones. Blood in the urine is an abnormal condition and you should get evaluated if you notice this symptom. Other warning signs While sudden and severe stomach and/or back pain and blood in the urine can be key indicators of kidney stones, Dr Propp and Dr Coogan noted other warning signs that patients should look for: <ul> <li>Nausea</li> <li>Vomiting</li> <li>Perspiring</li> <li>Turning very pale because of the pain</li> <li>Certain types of kidney stones can also cause infections, which can lead to fevers.</li> </ul> “When the kidney gets obstructed, it can lead to fever because there can be back up of urine and that can lead to an infection,” says Dr Coogan. How kidney stones are diagnosed and treated Kidney stones can be diagnosed through X-ray, ultrasound, or CAT scan and are typically found after a person visits the emergency room or makes an appointment with their primary care physician because of the pain they’ve been experiencing. Dr Propp says most patients pass their kidney stones, leading to significant relief of their symptoms. But some kidney stones require surgery to remove them. Doctors sometimes prescribe medication to either manage the pain associated with kidney stones or to help the stone pass. “The smaller the stone is the more likely it is to pass on its own, not requiring surgery,” says Dr Coogan. How to prevent kidney stones Dr Coogan says one way people can prevent kidney stones from developing is to drink enough water, as dehydration is considered one of the main causes. Water helps to dilute the substances in urine that lead to kidney stones. You should also watch your sodium intake. A high-sodium diet can increase the amount of calcium in your urine. When calcium combines with oxalate or phosphorus, it creates kidney stones. Keep your sodium intake to no more than 2300 milligrams (mg) a day; if you’ve had kidney stones in the past, reduce that amount to 1500 mg. Limiting your animal protein can also help. Too much animal protein, such as red meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood, increases the amount of uric acid in your body. Uric acid is another kidney stone culprit. Written by Colette Harris. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/6-warning-signs-of-kidney-stones-and-what-you-can-do-to-prevent-them" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a>

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Renovating your kitchen? Help Australia’s tradies avoid silicosis by not choosing artificial stone

In 2012 my wife and I renovated our house — a two-storey extension with a brand new kitchen. Inspired by various renovation-themed TV shows and magazines, we chose a sleek stone island bench as the focal point for the kitchen. I knew the benchtop material was some form of stone. You could choose almost any colour and it cost a lot less than marble. But I didn’t know much else and I didn’t ask any questions. As a respiratory physician who has diagnosed numerous workers with silicosis over the past four years, I regret my ignorance. Like <a rel="noopener" href="https://s23.q4cdn.com/225400014/files/doc_presentations/Investor-presentation-Sept-2018-Final-Version.pdf" target="_blank">many Australians</a> who have renovated or built homes since the early 2000s, the material we chose was artificial stone (also known as engineered or reconstituted stone, or quartz). In 2015, after the first Australian stone benchtop industry worker was reported to have <a rel="noopener" href="https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA1144" target="_blank">severe silicosis</a>, I was astonished to discover artificial stone contains <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/engineered-stone-benchtops-are-killing-our-tradies-heres-why-a-bans-the-only-answer-126489" target="_blank">up to 95%</a> crystalline silica. Inhalation of crystalline silica dust is one of the best-known causes of lung disease, including silicosis and lung cancer. The adverse health effects of silica exposure <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-silicosis-and-why-is-this-old-lung-disease-making-a-comeback-80465" target="_blank">were established</a> while there was still debate about the harm of cigarettes and asbestos. But Australians’ affinity for artificial stone benchtops has seen silicosis make a major comeback in recent years. New research <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/silica-associated-lung-disease-health-screening-research-phase-one-final-report" target="_blank">in Victoria</a> shows the extent of silicosis among workers in the stone benchtop industry. What is silicosis? Silicosis is <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-silicosis-and-why-is-this-old-lung-disease-making-a-comeback-80465" target="_blank">a preventable disease</a> characterised by scarring on the lungs, called <a rel="noopener" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31989662/" target="_blank">pulmonary fibrosis</a>. Over time, inhalation of tiny silica dust particles triggers an inflammatory response that causes small growths called nodules to build up on the lungs. These nodules can grow and cluster together, causing the lungs to become stiffer and impeding the transfer of oxygen into the blood. In the early stages of the disease, a person may be well. Symptoms of silicosis can include a cough, breathlessness and tiredness. Generally, the more widespread the disease becomes in the lungs, the more trouble a person will have with breathing. There’s not currently a cure. In severe cases, a lung transplant may be the only option, and the disease <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-13/silicosis-victim-dies-from-disease/10895774" target="_blank">can be fatal</a>. Brisbane researchers, however, recently demonstrated <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-researchers-develop-world-first-treatment-for-deadly-lung-disease-silicosis-killing-tradies/2f5fc92f-d8a5-46f4-b6d3-2f0a6beb083a" target="_blank">early but promising results</a> from <a rel="noopener" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33626187/" target="_blank">a trial</a> in which they washed silica out of a small number of silicosis patients’ lungs. The road to reform Tradesmen in the stone benchtop industry cut slabs of stone to size and use hand-held power saws and grinders to form holes for sinks and stove tops. This generates crystalline silica dust from the stone which may be released into the air. Using water in this process can <a rel="noopener" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25326187/" target="_blank">suppress the generation of dust</a> significantly, but until recently dry processing of artificial stone has been ubiquitous in the industry. Almost <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/silica-associated-lung-disease-health-screening-research-phase-one-final-report" target="_blank">70% of workers</a> with silicosis in Victoria indicated they spent more than half their time at work in an environment where dry processing was occurring. Stone benchtop workers suffering silicosis <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/spike-in-silicosis-cases-from-dust-created-when/10361776" target="_blank">have called out</a> poor work conditions over recent years, including being made to perform dry cutting with inadequate protections such as effective ventilation and appropriate respirators. Queensland was the first state to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/news-and-events/alerts/workplace-health-and-safety-alerts/2018/prevent-exposure-to-silica-for-engineered-stone-benchtop-workers" target="_blank">ban dry cutting</a> in 2018. Victoria followed <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/news/2019-08/uncontrolled-dry-cutting-engineered-stone-banned" target="_blank">in 2019</a>, and <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/nsw-to-ban-dry-cutting-of-stone-products-to-combat-deadly-silicosis-20200220-p542qr.html" target="_blank">New South Wales</a> in 2020. It’s too early to assess whether these changes have affected the prevalence of silicosis, but hopefully they will make a difference. Our research Around the time the Victorian government introduced the ban, it launched <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/protecting-victorian-workers-deadly-silica-dust" target="_blank">an enforcement blitz</a> in high-risk workplaces, while WorkSafe Victoria implemented a free screening program for the estimated 1,400 workers in the stone benchtop industry across the state. The Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health recently released <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/silica-associated-lung-disease-health-screening-research-phase-one-final-report" target="_blank">a report</a> detailing the findings from the first year of the screening program. Some 18% of initial 324 workers who completed the assessments were diagnosed with silicosis. We’ve seen similar results <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/claims-and-insurance/work-related-injuries/types-of-injury-or-illness/work-related-respiratory-diseases/silicosis" target="_blank">in Queensland</a>, where as of February 2021 the government had screened 1,053 stonemasons exposed to crystalline silica dust from artificial stone. Some 223 (or 21%) were diagnosed with silicosis, including 32 with the most severe form, called progressive massive fibrosis. The Monash report indicates workers in Victoria are diagnosed with silicosis at an average age of just 41. The average time spent working in the stone benchtop industry when diagnosed was 14 years, and the shortest was just three years, reflecting an extremely high level of silica dust exposure. We published some earlier results of this research project in <a rel="noopener" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33115923/" target="_blank">Occupational and Environmental Medicine</a> late last year. But this latest data hasn’t yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, meaning it hasn’t been subject to the same level of scrutiny as other published research. A broader problem Failure to protect workers from silica exposure <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/silica-office-admin-worker-joanna-mcneill-contracts-silicosis/d64f8661-8bca-4b6f-b950-a1d64e13e421" target="_blank">goes well beyond</a> the stone benchtop industry. Around <a rel="noopener" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26888888/" target="_blank">3.7% of Australian workers</a> are estimated to be highly exposed to silica at work, and we see workers in other industries, such as quarry work, with silicosis too. Some <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.britannica.com/science/silica" target="_blank">59% of Earth’s crust</a> is silica, so in certain workplaces such as mines and quarries, eliminating silica is not feasible. In these circumstances, exposure must be identified and tightly controlled with measures to prevent dust generation, isolation of workers from the dust, and effective ventilation. If silica cannot be eliminated from a workplace, constant vigilance and evaluation of control strategies are essential. But when it comes to the choice of material for your kitchen benchtop, it’s hard to argue elimination of high-silica artificial stone isn’t feasible. There are many other materials suitable for benchtops that contain little or no silica, such as wood, laminate, steel or marble. Compared with other countries, Australian consumers have developed a particular fondness for artificial stone, which accounts for <a rel="noopener" href="https://s23.q4cdn.com/225400014/files/doc_presentations/Investor-presentation-Sept-2018-Final-Version.pdf" target="_blank">45% of the benchtop market here</a>, but just 14% in the United States. Workers’ lung health may seem like a strange thing to contemplate when designing a kitchen. But increased awareness of this issue is crucial to drive change.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/156208/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ryan-hoy-1211851" target="_blank">Ryan Hoy</a>, Respiratory Physician. Senior Research Fellow. Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065" target="_blank">Monash University</a> This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/renovating-your-kitchen-help-australias-tradies-avoid-silicosis-by-not-choosing-artificial-stone-156208" target="_blank">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

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Rolling Stone ranks Australia’s 200 Best Albums of All Time

If there's one thing music fans love to debate over, it's a "Greatest of All Time" list. The list causing the most recent debate comes from Rolling Stone, who have ranked the top 200 best albums to come from the Australian music scene. It came as no great shock that the list was conquered by Australian music greats AC/DC and their rock classic album Back in Black. First released in 1980, the record remains the second highest selling album in the world, with more than 50 million copies sold worldwide. Despite AC/DC taking out the top spot, the most impressive feat in the list comes from the two bands that managed to secure two spots each in the top 20 list. The first was Midnight Oil, for their 1982 album titled 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – which came in at number 19 on the list – and their 1987 classic Diesel and Dust, which took out the number five spot. Then, equally as impressive, were Powderfinger, who secured the 18th spot with their 1998 album Internationalist, as well as the 16th spot with Odyssey Number Five (2000). Despite the list featuring a host of up-and-coming Aussie artists and their latest releases, the majority of the top 20 was reserved for the classics. Coming in second to AC/DC on the list was the massive INXS record Kick, which was first released in 1987. Also featured in the top 20 were John Farnham's Whispering Jack (1986), Cold Chisel's East (1980) and Crowded House's self-titled album from 1986. Kylie Minogue's 2001 album Fever was the highest ranking for a female artist, and was joined in the list by fellow female hitmakers such as Sia, Kasey Chambers and Sarah Blasko. Despite the top 20 being largely dominated by 20th century records, some relative newcomers pushed their way to the top. 5 Seconds of Summer's 2014 self-titled album landing the number 17 spot, and Tame Impala's 2015 experimental record Currents came in at number 12. Although some newer artists were featured in the top spots on the list, the winners really go to show that there's nothing quite like some classic Aussie rock. Check out the TOP 20: 20. Dr. G Yunupingu - Gurrumul (2008) 19. Midnight Oil - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (1982) 18. Powderfinger - Internationalist (1998) 17. 5 Seconds of Summer - 5 Seconds of Summer (2014) 16. Powderfinger - Odyssey Number Five (2000) 15. The Go-Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane (1988) 14. Regurgitator - Unit (1997) 13. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads (1996) 12. Tame Impala - Currents (2015) 11. You Am I - Hourly, Daily (1996) 10. Kylie Minogue - Fever (2001) 9. Savage Garden - Savage Garden (1997) 8. The Avalanches - Since I Left You (2000) 7. Crowded House - Crowded House (1987) 6. Silverchair - Frogstomp (1995) 5. Midnight Oil - Diesel and Dust (1987) 4. Cold Chisel - East (1980) 3. John Farnham - Whispering Jack (1986) 2. INXS - Kick (1987) 1. AC/DC - Back In Black (1980) And you can peruse the full 200-strong list <a rel="noopener" href="https://au.rollingstone.com/rolling-stones-200-greatest-australian-albums-of-all-time/page/1/the-teskey-brothers-run-home-slow/" target="_blank">here</a>. Image credits: Getty Images

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Breathtaking wilderness in the heart of coal country: after a 90-year campaign, Gardens of Stone is finally protected

In the rocky upland wilderness of Wiradjuri Country two hours west of Sydney lies a new protected area with a <a href="https://www.nature.org.au/a_history_of_the_gardens_of_stone_campaign">nine-decade-long history</a> of dogged environmental activism: the Gardens of Stone. Last month, the New South Wales government <a href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/bill/files/3928/First%20Print.pdf">officially recognised</a> the Gardens of Stone as a State Conservation Area within the National Parks estate. <a href="https://www.nature.org.au/a_history_of_the_gardens_of_stone_campaign">First proposed in 1932</a> and with a small portion of the area designated as National Park in 1994, this decision will see more than 30,000 hectares finally protected. The government has also earmarked the region <a href="https://mattkean.com.au/news/media-release/gardens-stone-and-lost-city-adventures">for ecotourism</a>. With its epic gorges, the globally unique hanging swamps of Newnes Plateau, craggy cliff ravines and slot canyons, this 250-million-year-old geological landscape is a paradise for adventurers. But more than anything, the Gardens of Stone is, as stalwart campaigner Julie Favell puts it, a “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/13/storybook-of-nature-a-landmark-win-as-gardens-of-stone-in-nsws-blue-mountains-protected">storybook of nature</a>”. This is no simple story, but one of a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421518302489">generational mining community</a> on the brink of social change and an often thankless, hard-won battle for ecological recognition in the heart of coal country. <h2>Sandstone towers and rare wildlife</h2> Towering sandstone and iron-banded <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNcceomLvs0&ab_channel=IntotheWildFilms">pagoda formations</a> are what you’d most likely find on a Gardens of Stone postcard. These intricately weathered structures breach the eucalyptus canopy and cluster on a cliff, like a cross between the temples of Angkor Wat and a massive beehive complex. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MNcceomLvs0?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> The Lost City, Newnes Plateau, in Lithgow. For close and curious observers, there are also smaller, less dramatic icons. Rare wildflowers abound, including countless native orchids and the pagoda daisy, which grows only in rocky crags. In fact, the park is home to more than 40 threatened species, including the <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10841">regent honeyeater</a> and the <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10207">spotted-tail quoll</a>. A humble jewel of the Gardens of Stone is its endangered upland peat swamps. Resembling a meadow clearing, up close these swamps form watery spongescapes that function as both kitchen and nursery to hundreds of local species. Inhabitants include the endangered <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10322">Blue Mountains water-skink</a> and <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10600&linkId=99343958">giant dragonfly</a>. These upland swamps on sandstone are found nowhere else in the world, and they play a critical role in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09640568.2019.1679100">regional water and climate resilience</a>, as they store carbon and mediate flooding and drought. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434647/original/file-20211130-19-16t5mk1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434647/original/file-20211130-19-16t5mk1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Pagoda daisy, which grows nowhere else in Australia. Julie Favell, Author provided <h2>A rocky battle</h2> The environmental features of the Gardens of Stone are so intertwined with local, state and national conservation efforts that to tell the story of one is to tell the story of the other. Local environment groups have worked relentlessly to <a href="https://ro.uow.edu.au/scipapers/3063/">demonstrate the geological heritage</a> of the pagodas in the <a href="https://www.bluemountainsgazette.com.au/story/5067592/threat-to-gardens-of-stone-from-proposed-open-cut-mining/">face of open cut mining</a>. They have documented the impacts of mining on <a href="http://www.lithgowenvironment.org/pages/swamp%20watch.php">swamps and waterways</a>, tried to <a href="https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/5268473/springvale-fined-for-damage-to-vegetation-in-endangered-swampland/">hold companies accountable</a> for their destruction, and recorded the presence of <a href="http://www.lithgowenvironment.org/pages/flora%20and%20fauna%201.php">many hundreds</a> of previously undocumented plant and animal species in an effort to have the area’s value formally recognised. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434649/original/file-20211130-17-1wc5fr7.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434649/original/file-20211130-17-1wc5fr7.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Gooches Crater swamp, ringed by cliffs and pagodas. Julie Favell, Author provided This long campaign has also been the subject of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-02/springvale-mine-extension-blocked-in-court/8766742">legal battles</a> in the courts of NSW. The last two decades in particular have seen, for example, countless petitions, <a href="https://gggallery.com.au/anne-graham-2/">public events</a>, <a href="http://www.lithgowenvironment.org/pages/stream%20watch.php">environmental testing and monitoring projects</a>, and the task of sifting through technical mining documents with each new mining proposal. Two mines are currently in operation within the conservation area, with an extension to an <a href="https://www.centennialcoal.com.au/operations/angus-place/">existing site proposed</a>. The most significant impacts from mining in recent decades have been sandstone cracking, causing swamps to dry out and die, and disruptions to upland water flows and regional water quality. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434651/original/file-20211130-15-13m3pgj.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434651/original/file-20211130-15-13m3pgj.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Lithgow Environment Group’s Chris Jonkers in a swamp damaged from nearby mining. Julie Favell, Author provided Conserving the Gardens of Stone has been an uphill battle in overcoming indifference and opposition. At the local level, environmental impacts from mining were <a href="https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/2318819/mining-industry-again-a-target/">derided as inconsequential</a> in the face of mining employment, with campaigners bearing the brunt of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/13/storybook-of-nature-a-landmark-win-as-gardens-of-stone-in-nsws-blue-mountains-protected">distrust and hostility</a> from pro-coal locals towards their perceived interference. At the state level, hard-won environmental protections <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/10/nsw-to-weaken-water-quality-test-for-extensions-to-mines">were overthrown in favour of mining approvals</a>. In 2017, the NSW government weakened laws to allow mining extensions that impacted Sydney’s drinking water quality, with <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/threatened-species/nsw-threatened-species-scientific-committee/determinations/final-determinations/2004-2007/alteration-of-habitat-following-subsidence-due-to-longwall-mining-key-threatening-process-listing">likely damage</a> to legally protected swamps within the Gardens of Stone not addressed. Due to existing mining developments, the extended Gardens of Stone isn’t officially designated as a National Park, but is instead a “<a href="https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/conservation-and-heritage/state-conservation-areas">conservation area</a>”. This means any new developments, such as extensions to mines, must use processes <a href="https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/7368602/centennial-coal-propose-new-project-to-delight-of-environmentalists/">that support</a> conservation requirements. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434655/original/file-20211130-21-1e6u2x3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434655/original/file-20211130-21-1e6u2x3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Spotted-tail quolls are one of the rare species living in the Gardens of Stone. Shutterstock <h2>Transitioning away from coal</h2> Hopefully, encouraging responsible developments will avoid further <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-30/gardens-of-stone-conservation-proposal/100103246">ecological damage</a> and help enable a smoother economic transition away from coal in the coming decades. Despite Australia’s <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/11/11/coal-mining-australia-climate-cop26/">national climate strategy</a> remaining entrenched in coal, <a href="https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/7291551/angus-place-in-doubt-after-parent-company-pivots-to-clean-energy-future/">local coal</a> prospects are winding down. This seems heralded by <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-24/wallerawang-coal-demolition/100643694">last week’s demolition of Wallerawang Power Station</a> just outside the new conservation area. The new conservation area comes with a A$50 million investment, and will see hundreds of thousands of visitors flocking to explore a range of proposed new attractions. Chief among these will be the Lost City Adventure Experience, featuring Australia’s longest zipline and an elevated canyon walk, as well as a rock-climbing route and a six day wilderness track. These attractions are expected to create an extra 200 jobs. This new pivot towards ecotourism provides an example of a strategic and environmentally just transition pathway for the coal community in practice. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434653/original/file-20211130-23-12arbsv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434653/original/file-20211130-23-12arbsv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Pagodas at Newnes in the Gardens of Stone. Julie Favell, Author provided The Gardens of Stone victory may reflect a <a href="https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/5577143/mundey-cfmeu-conservationists-talk-39000-hectare-state-reserve/">new dawn of negotiation</a> that could mark an end to the often antagonistic view of conservation as a threat to local livelihoods in this area. This victory and vision belongs squarely with its environmental campaigners, some of whom have <a href="https://www.nature.org.au/a_history_of_the_gardens_of_stone_campaign">given over 30 years of sustained and dedicated effort</a> to make it a reality. As the world’s attention is increasingly turned towards climate action, the success of this campaign may provide the surge of momentum we need for a more sustainable future.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172503/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hannah-della-bosca-416132">Hannah Della Bosca</a>, PhD Candidate and Research Assistant at Sydney Environment Institute, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/breathtaking-wilderness-in-the-heart-of-coal-country-after-a-90-year-campaign-gardens-of-stone-is-finally-protected-172503">original article</a>.

Domestic Travel

Rolling Stones forced to retire classic song

British rock band The Rolling Stones have decided to retire one of their most popular songs due to its unsavoury lyrics. The 1971 hit Brown Sugar had been cut from their current tour’s setlist, which had previously been the second-most-performed song in their catalogue. After succumbing to social pressure, the track was pulled from their live shows, as the lyrics allude to the horrors of slavery in the US, which has caused a stir during the current climate of heightened cultural sensitivity. Keith Richards, 77, was quizzed by the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2021-10-07/rolling-stones-charlie-watts-no-filter-tour">LA Times</a> about the changes to the setlist, saying, “You picked up on that, huh?” He said, “I don’t know. I’m trying to figure out with the sisters quite where the beef is. Didn’t they understand this was a song about the horrors of slavery? But they’re trying to bury it.” The first verse of the hit song depicts slaves being sold and beaten in Louisiana, with references to a “slaver” who whips “women just around midnight.” The famous chorus describes a non-consensual sexual encounter between a young female slave and the violent master, while also alluding to the use of heroin. In the next verse, the song describes the abuse suffered by slaves on a plantation. Lead singer Mick Jagger ends the tune by singing, “How come you taste so good … just like a black girl should.” “We’ve played Brown Sugar every night since 1970,” Richards told the newspaper. “So sometimes you think, ‘We’ll take that one out for now and see how it goes.’ We might put it back in.” According to <a href="https://www.setlist.fm/">setlist.fm</a>, the controversial track has been played live 1136 times, second only to Jumpin’ Jack Flash. “At the moment I don’t want to get into conflicts with all of this s***,” Richards said of criticism of the song. “But I’m hoping that we’ll be able to resurrect the babe in her glory somewhere along the track.” Mick Jagger has also previously shared his own criticisms of the song, as critics have called it “gross, sexist, and stunningly offensive.” “I never would write that song now,” Jagger told <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/">Rolling Stone</a> in 1995. “I would probably censor myself. I’d think, ‘Oh God, I can’t. I’ve got to stop. I can’t just write raw like that.’” Image credit: Getty Images

Music

Paul McCartney takes a dig at the Rolling Stones in candid new interview

Legendary musician Sir Paul McCartney has reignited the rivalry between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones with a brutal burn in a recent interview. In an interview with The New Yorker this week, Sir McCartney said of the Stones, “I’m not sure I should say it, but they’re a blues cover band, that’s sort of what the Stones are.” Of his own band, he said, ”I think our net was cast a bit wider than theirs.” This isn’t the first time McCartney, 79, has described the Stones this way; in an interview with Howard Stern last year, he said that he thought the Beatles were the better band, adding that the Stones, “are rooted in the blues. When they are writing stuff, it has to do with the blues. ”We had a little more influences... There’s a lot of differences and I love the Stones, but I’m with you. The Beatles were better.” Responding to his comments, Stones frontman Mick Jagger, 78, said in an interview with Zane Lowe, that there was “obviously no competition” between the two groups, and called McCartney a “sweetheart”. Jagger went on to describe what he saw as the fundamental difference between the two bands, saying, “The big difference, though, is, and sort of slightly seriously, is that the Rolling Stones is a big concert band in other decades and other areas when the Beatles never even did an arena tour, or Madison Square Garden with a decent sound system. “They broke up before that business started, the touring business for real.” The Beatles performed together from 1960 to 1970, while The Rolling Stones have been together for almost six decades since forming in 1962. Both being iconic 1960s rock bands, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones have always been compared, despite having vastly different sounds and career trajectories. Writing for <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-artists-147446/" target="_blank">Rolling Stone</a>, musician, Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band guitarist and Sopranos actor Steve Van Zandt said of the two bands, “In '64, the Beatles were perfect: the hair, the harmonies, the suits. They bowed together. Their music was extraordinarily sophisticated. The whole thing was exciting and alien but very distant in its perfection. “The Stones were alien and exciting, too. But with the Stones, the message was, "Maybe you can do this." The hair was sloppier. The harmonies were a bit off. And I don't remember them smiling at all. They had the R&B traditionalist's attitude: "We are not in show business. We are not pop music." Fellow musician Elvis Costello described The Stones as “R&B evangelists”, and said that compared to them, The Beatles sounded like “nothing else”, and made writing your own material “expected, rather than exceptional”. Image: Mike Marsland/WireImage/Getty Images, Jeff Curry/Getty Images

Music

Revealed: the greatest songs of all time

An impressive list of the 500 greatest songs of all time has recently been released. The entertainment giants at <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-1224767/" target="_blank">Rolling Stone</a> have rebooted their original list of top 500 tracks that they released in 2004. But back then, we didn't have unlimited access to music on streaming services, the technology revolution had just begun and many international artists where still in their infancy. Now, 17 years later, the new version the top 500 list boasts more than 250 artists, musicians, and producers form every niche genre. Over 4,000 people voted for the new list, with over half of the songs featured not being present in the 2004 list. While many of the tracks are from newer artists that have made their mark on the industry, most of the top 25 are classic tunes from the 20th century. The top 25 tracks range from pop classics from The Beach Boys, to punk rock angst tracks from Nirvana, and folk rhythms from Fleetwood Mac. The most featured artist in the top 25 was The Beatles, who appeared three times (or four if you include John Lennon's solo hit). Topping the list was the 1967 classic Respect by Aretha Franklin, which has become known by music fans all over the world and become an anthem for women everywhere. Check out the top 25 list below. 25. Runaway - Kanye West ft. Pusha T (2010) 24. A Day in the Life - The Beatles (1967) 23. Heroes - David Bowie (1977) 22. Be My Baby - The Ronettes (1963) 21. Strange Fruit - Billie Holiday (1939) 20. Dancing on my Own - Robyn (2010) 19. Imagine - John Lennon (1971) 18. Purple Rain - Prince and the Revolution (1984) 17. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen (1975) 16. Crazy in Love - Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z (2003) 15. I Want to Hold Your Hand - The Beatles (1963) 14. Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks (1967) 13. Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones (1969) 12. Superstition - Stevie Wonder (1972) 11. God Only Knows - The Beach Boys (1966) 10. Hey Ya! - Outkast (2003) 9. Dreams - Fleetwood Mac (1977) 8. Get Ur Freak On - Missy Elliot (2001) 7. Strawberry Fields Forever - The Beatles (1967) 6. What's Going On - Marvin Gaye (1971) 5. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana (1991) 4. Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan (1965) 3. A Change is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke (1964) 2. Fight the Power - Public Enemy (1989) 1. Respect - Aretha Franklin (1967) Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Tragedy strikes Sharon Stone’s family

Sharon Stone has revealed her 11-month old nephew and godson, River, has died only days after he was found in his crib with 'total organ failure' that left him clinging to life in a coma. The Basic Instinct star, whose video tribute is set to Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven, revealed the tragic news on Monday via her Instagram account. Stone took to her Instagram account, asking fans to pray for River saying he would need a ‘miracle’ to survive. He was the youngest child of Stone's brother, Patrick, and his wife, Tasha, who live in Ohio with their three children. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTNcofsJlLC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTNcofsJlLC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Sharon Stone (@sharonstone)</a> </div> </blockquote> While sharing the news of his death, Stone posted a video of her nephew with the caption: 'River William Stone. Sept 8, 2020 - Aug 30, 2021' It is still unknown at this time exactly what happened to the child and Stone has not yet shared any other information about his passing. River’s mother posted a plea for prayers River's mother Tasha also wrote an impassioned plea for prayers on her Facebook page last week, revealing that her son had been airlifted to UPMC Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh on Thursday, where he was fighting for his life in a coma. Tasha wrote: 'This is the HARDEST thing I have ever had to post but I am BEGGING everyone and anyone who prays please pray HARD for River,' the devastated mother wrote. 'Every single second of this is literally killing me. I just want my sweet sweet boy back.' She didn't share the cause of her son's condition but she said doctors had told her River would “never be the same” if he ever woke up from his coma. 'The doctor said if he does pull through he will never be the same,' Tasha wrote on her Facebook post: 'Please I am begging for prayers that my baby can be healed and come back with his family who love him so very much. I am beyond heartbroken.' Neither Tasha or Patrick have commented as yet on their son's tragic passing, and no details about the causes of his illness have been shared. Stone was in Venice when she heard about River Stone was in Venice, Italy, when news of River's condition was revealed and she returned to the US over the weekend. There are a number of severe medical conditions which can lead to multiple organ failure in children but the leading cause is sepsis, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Sepsis - which can be sparked by another infection in the body - is particularly dangerous for children, because the symptoms are more easily missed than they are in adult patients. Birth defects and other undiagnosed illness can also lead to paediatric organ failure but it is not yet known whether any of these conditions caused River's severe illness. Image: Instagram

Caring

Celebrities mourn Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts

Charlie Watts, the legendary drummer for The Rolling Stones, has passed away at the age of 80. “It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts,” the band said in a statement on Wednesday. “He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://t.co/wi6333F6QF">pic.twitter.com/wi6333F6QF</a> — The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) <a href="https://twitter.com/RollingStones/status/1430209721567416323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2021</a></blockquote> Watt’s spokesperson added that the musician was “a cherished husband, father and grandfather” and “one of the greatest drummers of his generation”. Bandmate Mick Jagger shared a simple tribute on social media, sharing a photo of Watts laughing while sitting at a drum kit on stage. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://t.co/MrPpJI0Hxd">pic.twitter.com/MrPpJI0Hxd</a> — Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) <a href="https://twitter.com/MickJagger/status/1430294856774135817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2021</a></blockquote> Stones guitarist Keith Richards followed suit, sharing a single picture of a drum kit with a “CLOSED” sign draped over it. Watts played drums on all of the band’s 30 albums, was a jazz drummer in his earlier years, heading his own jazz band and getting involved in several side projects. Since the tragic news was announced, tributes to the drummer have poured in from music stars - including Sir Elton John, Slash, Lenny Kravitz, and fellow drumming legend Ringo Starr. “A very sad day. Charlie Watts was the ultimate drummer. The most stylish of men, and such brilliant company,” Elton John wrote, sharing a photo of the pair. “My deepest condolences to Shirley, Seraphina and Charlotte. And, of course, The Rolling Stones.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> A very sad day. Charlie Watts was the ultimate drummer. The most stylish of men, and such brilliant company. My deepest condolences to Shirley, Seraphina and Charlotte. And of course, The Rolling Stones. @therollingstones <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CharlieWatts?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CharlieWatts</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIP</a> <a href="https://t.co/9rjSSgioZL">pic.twitter.com/9rjSSgioZL</a> — Elton John (@eltonofficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/eltonofficial/status/1430213430095630343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2021</a></blockquote> Lenny Kravitz had no words, sharing a photo of the drummer with his sticks with the caption: “The beat of The Stones. There are no words, every groove has spoken for itself.” Ringo Starr also shared a picture, writing: “God bless Charlie Watts, we’re going to miss you man, peace and love to the family, Ringo.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CHARLIEWATTS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CHARLIEWATTS</a>. The beat of The Stones. There are no words, every groove has spoken for itself. 6/2/41 - 8/24/21 <a href="https://t.co/Lw2USKaxYH">pic.twitter.com/Lw2USKaxYH</a> — Lenny Kravitz (@LennyKravitz) <a href="https://twitter.com/LennyKravitz/status/1430221907899654156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/God?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#God</a> bless Charlie Watts we’re going to miss you man peace and love to the family Ringo 😎✌️🌟❤️🌈🎶☮️ <a href="https://t.co/3tSFg7EMQG">pic.twitter.com/3tSFg7EMQG</a> — #RingoStarr (@ringostarrmusic) <a href="https://twitter.com/ringostarrmusic/status/1430214308101705730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2021</a></blockquote> Fellow Beatle Paul McCartney said Watt’s death was a huge blow. “He was a lovely guy. Condolences to the Stones. A huge blow for them because Charlie was a rock,” McCartney said. “A fantastic drummer, steady as a rock. Love you, Charlie, will always love you. Beautiful man, and great condolences and sympathy to his family.” Beach Boy Brian Wilson also paid tribute to Watts, who he described as a “great drummer”. “I feel terrible for Charlie’s family. Charlie was a great drummer and I loved the Stones music, they made great records. Love & Mercy,” Wilson said. Celebrities outside the music world also shared their sympathies, with Monty Python star Eric Idle writing on Twitter: “Saddened by the loss of Charlie Watts. A kind and gentle man. He will be very missed.” Irvine Welsh, the author of Trainspotting, also penned a tribute to the drummer. “RIP Charlie Watts. Always steadfastly came over as a no-nonsense honest broker in a situation where acclaim, wealth, pomposity and egotism could corrupt the sweetest of souls,” he shared on Twitter. The news comes several weeks after the drummer pulled out of The Rolling Stones’ upcoming US tour to recover from an unspecified medical procedure. Image: Mick Jagger / Twitter

News

Stone tools reveal epic trek of nomadic Neanderthals

Neanderthal (Homo neanderthalensis) fossils were first discovered in western Europe in the mid nineteenth century. That was just the first in a long line of surprises thrown up by our closest evolutionary cousins. We reveal another in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/01/21/1918047117">our new study</a> of the Neanderthals who lived in Chagyrskaya Cave in southern Siberia around 54,000 years ago. Their distinctive stone tools are dead ringers for those found thousands of kilometres away in eastern and central Europe. The intercontinental journey made by these intrepid Neanderthals is equivalent to walking from Sydney to Perth, or from New York to Los Angeles, and is a rare example of long-distance migration by Palaeolithic people. Knuckleheads no more For a long time Neanderthals were seen as intellectual lightweights. However, <a href="https://theconversation.com/neanderthals-were-no-brutes-research-reveals-they-may-have-been-precision-workers-103858">several recent finds</a> have forced a rethink of their cognitive and creative abilities. Neanderthals are now believed to have created 176,000 year-old enigmatic structures made from broken stalactites in a <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/05/neanderthals-caves-rings-building-france-archaeology/">cave in France</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-we-discovered-that-neanderthals-could-make-art-92127">cave art in Spain</a>that dates back more than 65,000 years. They also used <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0045927">bird feathers</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aar5255">pierced shells</a> bearing traces of red and yellow ochre, possibly as personal ornaments. It seems likely Neanderthals had cognitive capabilities and symbolic behaviours similar to those of modern humans (Homo sapiens). Our knowledge of their geographical range and the nature of their encounters with other groups of humans has also expanded greatly in recent years. We now know that Neanderthals ventured beyond Europe and western Asia, reaching at least as far east as the Altai Mountains. Here, they interbred with another group of archaic humans dubbed the <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/scientists-recreate-face-denisovan-using-dna-180973177/">Denisovans</a>. Traces of Neanderthal interactions with our own ancestors also persist in the DNA of all living people of Eurasian descent. However, we can still only speculate why the Neanderthals vanished around 40,000 years ago. Banished to Siberia Other questions also remain unresolved. When did Neanderthals first arrive in the Altai? Were there later migration events? Where did these trailblazers begin their trek? And what routes did they take across Asia? <a href="https://www.antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/derevyanko345">Chagyrskaya Cave</a> is nestled in the foothills of the Altai Mountains. The cave deposits were first excavated in 2007 and have yielded almost 90,000 stone tools and numerous bone tools. The excavations have also found 74 Neanderthal fossils – the richest trove of any Altai site – and a range of animal and plant remains, including the abundant bones of bison hunted and butchered by the Neanderthals. We used <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/520438a">optical dating</a> to determine when the cave sediments, artefacts and fossils were deposited, and conducted a detailed study of more than 3,000 stone tools recovered from the deepest archaeological levels. Microscopy analysis revealed that these have remained intact and undisturbed since accumulating during a period of cold and dry climate about 54,000 years ago. Using a variety of statistical techniques, we show that these artefacts bear a striking similarity to so-called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micoquien">Micoquian</a> artefacts from central and eastern Europe. This type of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Paleolithic">Middle Palaeolithic</a> assemblage is readily identified by the distinctive appearance of the bifaces – tools made by removing flakes from both sides – which were used to cut meat. Micoquian-like tools have only been found at one other site in the Altai. All other archaeological assemblages in the Altai and central Asia lack these distinctive artefacts. Neanderthals carrying Micoquian tools may never have reached <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00353-0">Denisova Cave</a>, as there is no fossil or sedimentary DNA evidence of Neanderthals there after 100,000 years ago. Going the distance The presence of Micoquian artefacts at Chagyrskaya Cave suggests at least two separate dispersals of Neanderthals into southern Siberia. Sites such as Denisova Cave were occupied by Neanderthals who entered the region before 100,000 years ago, while the Chagyrskaya Neanderthals arrived later. The Chagyrskaya artefacts most closely resemble those found at sites located 3,000–4,000 km to the west, between the Crimea and northern Caucasus in eastern Europe. Comparison of genetic data supports these geographical links, with the <a href="https://www.eva.mpg.de/genetics/genome-projects/chagyrskaya-neandertal/home.html">Chagyrskaya Neanderthal</a> sharing closer affinities with several European Neanderthals than with a Neanderthal from Denisova Cave. When the Chagyrskaya toolmakers (or their ancestors) left their Neanderthal homeland in eastern Europe for central Asia around 60,000 years ago, they could have headed north and east around the land-locked <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Caspian-Sea">Caspian Sea</a>, which was much reduced in size under the prevailing cold and arid conditions. Their intercontinental odyssey over thousands of kilometres is a rarely observed case of long-distance dispersal in the Palaeolithic, and highlights the value of stone tools as culturally informative markers of ancient population movements. Environmental reconstructions from the animal and plant remains at Chagyrskaya Cave suggest that the Neanderthal inhabitants survived in the cold, dry and treeless environment by hunting bison and horses on the steppe or tundra-steppe landscape. Our discoveries reinforce the emerging view of Neanderthals as creative and intelligent people who were skilled survivors. If this was the case, it makes their extinction across Eurasia even more mysterious. Did modern humans deal the fatal blow? The enigma endures, for now. Written by Kseniya Kolobova, Maciej T. Krajcarz and Richard 'Bert' Roberts. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/stone-tools-reveal-epic-trek-of-nomadic-neanderthals-129886">The Conversation.</a>

Travel Tips

The touching story behind Duchess Meghan's new eternity ring

The Duchess of Sussex has often used jewellery to make a statement and often uses small designers and sustainable resources to produce her pieces. Now, her latest tribute to her husband Prince Harry and newborn baby son Archie is subtle but holds significant meaning. Her latest addition to her jewellery collection – her new eternity ring – first publicly seen at Trooping the Colour in June, is believed to have her birthstone along with her husband’s and newborn’s stone included as well. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.832298136646px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7828229/ring.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b5cf96597e2648c19ea7721bd1bbb9af" /> The gorgeous ring features a greet peridot for the Duchess, a blue sapphire for Prince Harry and a green emerald for baby Archie – a subtle and effective tribute of her little family. The jeweller believed to be behind the creation of the gorgeous piece is Lorraine Schwartz, a designer who has been a fixture on the red carpet for many celebrities including Angelina Jolie, Debra Messing, Beyoncé, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez and Sofia Vergara. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.6728167281673px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7828231/gettyimages-1158024004-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9071694a162e4635855d8240e127a6ab" /> According to reports by <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a28229172/meghan-markle-eternity-ring-lorraine-schwartz/" target="_blank">BAZAAR</a>, Prince Harry helped design the gorgeous diamond eternity ring and gave it as a gift to the Duchess to mark either the birth of their son or for their first wedding anniversary.

Beauty & Style

How to lay a stepping stone path

A practical and relatively inexpensive way of providing a walkway, individual stepping stones also have an enduring cottage charm. To lay the path you will need a solid rubber mallet, a spade, a trowel and some sand to stop the stones sinking. You may also need help to lift stones or pavers. Polish the look Fill in any gaps around the edges of the stones with a mixture of sand and soil, then pat down. Sow grass seed or plant runners in any bare areas in the lawn. Water with a fine rose until the new grass is established. How to lay stepping stones 1. Cut the turf Position the stones on the grass, carefully cutting around the edges of each one with a serrated knife. 2. Dig the hole Carefully lift the cut turf out of the hole and dig down three to five centimetres deeper than the thickness of the stones. 3. Secure the stone Spread a five to eight-centimetre layer of sand in each hole and then level it out. Replace each stone carefully in its hole and use a mallet to drive the stones into the sand, wedging them in so they are flush with the ground. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.handyman.net.au/lay-stepping-stone-path">Handyman Australia</a>.

Travel Tips

How to grow a date palm from date stones

Date palms have a long history of cultivation. They have been grown for their fruit since ancient times and are believed to have originated in the area that is now Iraq. The humble date has been grown and enjoyed by Pharaoh and peasant alike and there is no reason why we modern folk cannot get in on the action. You don't need to buy special seeds to grow a date palm, all you need are leftover date stones, potting mix and a polythene bag. Step 1: Soak the stones Soak the stones in water for 48 hours, then plant vertically in a pot filled with potting mix. Cover with a polythene bag, then leave the pot in a warm cupboard. Step 2: Uncover the pot Uncover the pot as soon as the seeds sprout. Position in a sunny spot and repot the shoots when 100mm tall in individual pots in a peat-based mix. Don’t overwater. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.handyman.net.au/how-grow-date-palm-date-stones">Handyman Australia</a>.

Home & Garden

Rolling Stones star Mick Jagger “on the mend” after surgery

Mick Jagger, frontman of the Rolling Stones, is reportedly “on the mend” after having heart surgery. This is the first time he’s spoken out about his surgery since the announcement of The Stones’ postponing their US and Canada tour. The postponement of the tour was to help Jagger recover. Fran Curtis issued a statement explaining that Jagger is doing “very well” after undergoing “treatment”. “Mick Jagger has successfully undergone treatment. He is doing very well and is expected to make a full recovery,” the statement read. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8505740/mick-jagger-undergoes-successful-heart-valve-procedure" target="_blank">Billboard</a> magazine has reported that the surgery involved the replacement of a heart valve. Despite citing unnamed sources, Billboard explained that doctors were able to access the valve through his femoral artery and were monitoring the star for signs of complications. The surgery that was done on Jagger is known as transcatheter aortic valve replacement or TAVR, which is an increasingly used alternative to surgical valve replacement that requires the chest to be opened. TAVR allows for shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times. Jagger appears to be on the mend, as he thanked the hospital staff for doing a “superb job” and admitted that he’s “feeling much better now”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Thank you everyone for all your messages of support, I’m feeling much better now and on the mend - and also a huge thank you to all the hospital staff for doing a superb job. — Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) <a href="https://twitter.com/MickJagger/status/1114217910237564928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2019</a></blockquote> The North American tour has been scheduled to run from April 20 until June 29. However, The Rolling Stones are yet to release any dates for an Australian tour.

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How to lay a stepping stone path

How to grow a date palm from date stones

Rolling Stones star Mick Jagger “on the mend” after surgery