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Why it’s still a scientific mystery how some can live past 100 – and how to crack it

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-faragher-224976">Richard Faragher</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-brighton-942">University of Brighton</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nir-barzilai-1293752">Nir Barzilai</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/albert-einstein-college-of-medicine-3638">Albert Einstein College of Medicine</a> A 35-year-old man <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18544745/">only has a 1.5% chance of dying in the next ten years</a>. But the same man at 75 has a 45% chance of dying before he reaches 85. Clearly, ageing is bad for our health. On the bright side, we have made unprecedented progress in understanding the fundamental mechanisms that control ageing and late-life disease. A few tightly linked biological processes, sometimes called the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23746838/">“hallmarks of ageing”</a>, including our supply of stem cells and communication between cells, act to keep us healthy in the early part of our lives – with <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-secret-to-staying-young-scientists-boost-lifespan-of-mice-by-deleting-defective-cells-54068">problems arising as these start to fail</a>. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34699859/">Clinical trials are ongoing</a> to see if targeting some of these hallmarks can improve <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31542391/">diabetic kidney disease</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29997249/">aspects of</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33977284/">immune function</a> and age-related <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30616998/">scarring of the lungs</a> among others. So far, so good. Unfortunately, big, unanswered questions remain in the biology of ageing. To evaluate what these are and how to address them, the <a href="https://www.afar.org/">American Federation For Aging Research</a>, a charity, recently convened a series of <a href="https://www.afar.org/imported/AFAR_GeroFuturesThinkTankReport_November2021.pdf">meetings for leading scientists and doctors</a>. The experts agreed that understanding what is special about the biology of humans who survive more than a century is now a key challenge. These centenarians <a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/18826/number-of-hundred-year-olds-centenarians-worldwide/">comprise less than 0.02% of the UK population</a> but have exceeded the life expectancy of their peers by almost 50 years (babies born in the 1920s typically had a life expectancy of less than 55). How are they doing it? We know that centenarians live so long because they are unusually healthy. They remain in good health for about 30 years longer than most normal people and when they finally fall ill, they are only sick for a very short time. This <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27377170/">“compression of morbidity”</a> is clearly good for them, but also benefits society as a whole. In the US, the medical care costs for a centenarian in their last two years of life <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_198.pdf">are about a third of those of someone who dies in their seventies</a> (a time when most centenarians don’t even need to see a doctor). The children of centenarians are also much healthier than average, indicating they are inheriting something beneficial from their parents. But is this genetic or environmental? <h2>Centenarians aren’t always health conscious</h2> Are centenarians the poster children for a healthy lifestyle? For the general population, watching your weight, not smoking, drinking moderately and eating at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27296932/">increase life expectancy by up to 14 years</a> compared with someone who does none of these things. This difference <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5801/ldselect/ldsctech/183/18305.htm#_idTextAnchor012">exceeds that seen</a> between the least and most deprived areas in the UK, so intuitively it would be expected to play a role in surviving for a century. But astonishingly, this needn’t be the case. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21812767/">One study</a> found that up to 60% of Ashkenazi Jewish centenarians have smoked heavily most of their lives, half have been obese for the same period of time, less than half do even moderate exercise and under 3% are vegetarians. The children of centenarians appear no more health conscious than the general population either. Compared to peers with the same food consumption, wealth and body weight, however, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29050682/">they have half the prevalence of cardiovascular disease</a>. There is something innately exceptional about these people. <h2>The big secret</h2> Could it be down to rare genetics? If so, then there are two ways in which this could work. Centenarians might carry unusual genetic variants that extend lifespan, or instead they might lack common ones that cause late-life disease and impairment. Several studies, including our own work, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32860726/">have shown</a> that centenarians have just as many bad genetic variants as the general population. Some even carry two copies of the largest known common risk gene for Alzheimer’s disease (APOE4), but still don’t get the illness. So a plausible working hypothesis is that centenarians carry rare, beneficial genetic variations rather than a lack of disadvantageous ones. And the best available data is consistent with this. Over 60% of centenarians have genetic changes that alter the genes which regulate growth in early life. This implies that these remarkable people are human examples of a type of lifespan extension observed in other species. Most people know that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28803893/">small dogs tend to live longer than big ones</a> but fewer are aware that this is a general phenomenon across the animal kingdom. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26857482/">Ponies can live longer than horses</a> and many strains of laboratory mice with dwarfing mutations <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29653683/">live longer than their full-sized counterparts</a>. One potential cause of this is reduced levels of a growth hormone called IGF-1 – although human centenarians <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28630896/">are not necessarily shorter than the rest of us</a>. Obviously, growth hormone is necessary early on in life, but there is increasing evidence that high levels of IGF-1 in mid to late life <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18316725/">are associated with increased late-life illness</a>. The detailed mechanisms underlying this remain an open question, but even among centenarians, women with the lowest levels of growth hormone <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24618355/">live longer than those with the highest</a>. They also have better cognitive and muscle function. That doesn’t solve the problem, though. Centenarians are also different from the rest of us in other ways. For example, they tend to have good cholesterol levels – hinting there may several reasons for their longevity. Ultimately, centenarians are “natural experiments” who show us that it is possible to live in excellent health even if you have been dealt a risky genetic hand and chose to pay no attention to health messages – but only if you carry rare, poorly understood mutations. Understanding exactly how these work should allow scientists to develop new drugs or other interventions that target biological processes in the right tissues at the right time. If these become a reality perhaps more of us than we think will see the next century in. But, until then, don’t take healthy lifestyle tips from centenarians.<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/172020/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-faragher-224976">Richard Faragher</a>, Professor of Biogerontology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-brighton-942">University of Brighton</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nir-barzilai-1293752">Nir Barzilai</a>, Professor of Medicine and Genetics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/albert-einstein-college-of-medicine-3638">Albert Einstein College of Medicine</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-its-still-a-scientific-mystery-how-some-can-live-past-100-and-how-to-crack-it-172020">original article</a>.

Retirement Life

Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/helena-blumen-1231899">Helena Blumen</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/albert-einstein-college-of-medicine-3638">Albert Einstein College of Medicine</a> <h2>The big idea</h2> Social ballroom dancing can improve cognitive functions and reduce brain atrophy in older adults who are at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. That’s the key finding of my team’s <a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2022-0176">recently published study</a> in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity. In our study, we enrolled 25 adults over 65 years of age in either six months of twice-weekly ballroom dancing classes or six months of twice-weekly treadmill walking classes. None of them were engaged in formal dancing or other exercise programs. The overall goal was to see how each experience affected cognitive function and brain health. While none of the study volunteers had a dementia diagnosis, all performed a bit lower than expected on at least one of our dementia screening tests. We found that older adults that completed six months of social dancing and those that completed six months of treadmill walking improved their executive functioning – an umbrella term for planning, reasoning and processing tasks that require attention. Dancing, however, generated significantly greater improvements than treadmill walking on one measure of executive function and on processing speed, which is the time it takes to respond to or process information. Compared with walking, dancing was also associated with reduced brain atrophy in the hippocampus – a brain region that is key to memory functioning and is particularly affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers also know that this part of our brain can undergo neurogenesis – or grow new neurons – <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0611721104">in response to aerobic exercise</a>. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/unmbhUvnGow?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Research shows those who regularly dance with a partner have a more positive outlook on life.</figcaption></figure> While several previous studies suggest that dancing has beneficial effects <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa270">on cognitive function in older adults</a>, only a few studies have compared it directly with traditional exercises. Our study is the first to observe both better cognitive function and improved brain health following dancing than walking in older adults at risk for dementia. We think that social dancing may be more beneficial than walking because it is physically, socially and cognitively demanding – and therefore strengthens a wide network of brain regions. While dancing, you’re not only using brain regions that are important for physical movement. You’re also relying on brain regions that are important for interacting and adapting to the movements of your dancing partner, as well as those necessary for learning new dance steps or remembering those you’ve learned already. <h2>Why it matters</h2> Nearly 6 million older adults in the U.S. and 55 million worldwide <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2019.01.010">have Alzheimer’s disease</a> or a <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia">related dementia</a>, yet there is no cure. Sadly, the efficacy and ethics surrounding recently developed drug treatments <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/21507740.2022.2129858">are still under debate</a>. The good news is that older adults can potentially <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30367-6">lower their risk for dementia</a> through lifestyle interventions, even later in life. These include reducing social isolation and physical inactivity. Social ballroom dancing targets both isolation and inactivity. In these later stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, a better understanding of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/23337214211005223">indirect effects of COVID-19</a> – particularly those that increase dementia risk, such as social isolation – is urgently needed. In my view, early intervention is critical to prevent dementia from becoming the next pandemic. Social dancing could be a particularly timely way to overcome the adverse cognitive and brain effects associated with isolation and fewer social interactions during the pandemic. <h2>What still isn’t known</h2> Traditional aerobic exercise interventions such as treadmill-walking or running have been shown to lead to modest but reliable improvements in cognition – <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691617707316">particularly in executive function</a>. My team’s study builds on that research and provides preliminary evidence that not all exercise is equal when it comes to brain health. Yet our sample size was quite small, and larger studies are needed to confirm these initial findings. Additional studies are also needed to determine the optimal length, frequency and intensity of dancing classes that may result in positive changes. Lifestyle interventions like social ballroom dancing are a promising, noninvasive and cost-effective path toward staving off dementia as we – eventually – leave the COVID-19 pandemic behind.<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/194969/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/helena-blumen-1231899">Helena Blumen</a>, Associate Professor of Medicine and Neurology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/albert-einstein-college-of-medicine-3638">Albert Einstein College of Medicine</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/kick-up-your-heels-ballroom-dancing-offers-benefits-to-the-aging-brain-and-could-help-stave-off-dementia-194969">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

The BMI isn’t all its cracked up to be

The obsession people have with weight is nothing new. But as the relationship between science and weight evolves, health professionals are increasingly advocating for a shift away from one of the most often used tools as an individual measure of health. <div class="copy"> The Body Mass Index – or BMI – has been used for the past half century as a standard measurement tool for weight and obesity. It’s calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres. This produces a figure which is indexed on a spectrum of weight ranges. A BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight, above 25 is overweight, and above 30 is obese. The latest episode of Debunks, a new podcast from Cosmos, investigates how useful the BMI actually is for assessing health. Health advocacy bodies, health insurers and government departments all make reference to the BMI as being a globally recognised standard for weight classification. Most – but not all – <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/bmi-overweight-obese-healthy-deaths/">acknowledge that the tool is imperfect</a>. Its <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/body-and-mind/body-mass-index-miscalculation/">simple arithmetic</a> is based on a system devised by 19th-century Belgian mathematician Adolphe Quetelet, who was an early pioneer of the social sciences and the use of data to understand human trends. The so-called ‘Quetelet Index’ was first described in 1832 as a means of trying to identify a calculation for the average man, first by conducting cross-sectional studies of infants and then adults. The need to consider weight as an indicator for health, mortality and morbidity, saw scientists trial several measurements before settling on Quetelet’s formula and rebranding it as the BMI in 1972. The problem? The BMI was largely based on studies of Anglo-Saxon populations. This is one of the biggest limitations often recognised by health groups. The Australian Department of Health, for instance, notes that a healthy BMI range is generally lower for people of Asian backgrounds, and higher for those of Polynesian backgrounds. But ethnicity isn’t the only limiting factor. Age and pregnancy status also play a part. Even athletes with more lean muscle (which weighs more than fat) might also find the standard BMI doesn’t capture their health status accurately. Diets and lifestyles have also shifted from the 19th century Belgian standard, and even from those of 50 years ago. Health professionals have long supported a shift away from the BMI being used as a rolled gold indicator of individual health, and medical professionals are beginning to take a wider view of patient health. “There has been a recent change in the position from the [US] National Academies of Nutrition and Dietetics surrounding BMI and there are shifts in the guidelines around BMI for medical diagnosis,” Dr Emma Beckett, a molecular nutritionist at the University of Newcastle, tells Debunks. The same goes for other measurements like waist-to-hip ratios and waist circumference. These metrics are often used by researchers conducting large population studies, but they don’t necessarily explain a person’s ‘health picture’. “Because we measure them in so many of our research studies, people mistakenly believe they are the most important markers of health and it’s just not true. Health is so much more complicated,” Beckett says. “The ‘normal’ [BMI] category is the one with the lowest health risks, but it doesn’t mean being in that category means you have no health risks and it doesn’t mean if you just get yourself into that category and change nothing else, there are no health risks.” On the latest series of Debunks, a podcast from Cosmos and 9Podcasts, find out how weight – and measurements like the BMI – are much more complicated than they might seem. <iframe title="Weight: Should you care about your BMI?" src="https://omny.fm/shows/debunks/weight-should-you-care-about-your-bmi/embed" width="100%" height="180" frameborder="0"></iframe> <div>Image credits: Shutterstock</div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; padding-top: 20px; padding-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/body-and-mind/the-bmi-isnt-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="null">Cosmos</a>. </div> </div>

Body

Is cracking your knuckles bad for you?

Snap. Crackle. Pop. No, it’s not the cereal, it’s tribonucleation, the technical term for cracking your knuckles. Whether done out of habit, stress or just because it feels good, you’ve likely been warned by someone who means well (or has just had enough of the sound) that it will give you arthritis. But their warning doesn’t have much merit, according to most medical professionals. One doctor was so eager to prove his nagging family wrong that he cracked the knuckles in his left hand at least 36,500 times (by his count) for over 50 years while leaving his right hand untouched. Dr Donald Unger, an allergist, did this in the name of science, though he seems to have been at least as motivated by an eventual “I told you so”. Publishing his findings in a letter to the scientific journal Arthritis & Rheumatology in 2004, he said that “There was no arthritis in either hand, and no apparent differences between the two hands.” His findings are, of course, anecdotal, although often cited by professionals in the field. But do they mean that there are no side effects to cracking your knuckles (or other parts of your body for that matter)? Is cracking your knuckles bad for you? “As best we understand, it seems to be neutral,” says Dr Erin Brown, a clinical professor at the University of British Columbia. “There’s not a lot of research about this,” he adds, but “other studies have not found that it’s associated with arthritis.” Despite this, the popping noise can be disconcerting/annoying for some. What is the sound we hear when someone cracks a knuckle or other joint? It has to do with gas bubbles that form in the synovial fluid, which lubricates your joints, when two solid surfaces (i.e. your bones) move apart temporarily, creating a sort of suction. There’s been some debate over the years over whether the sound happens when that gas bubble bursts or when it’s formed. Recent studies using MRIs show that these little gas bubbles persist even after the ‘pop’ has been heard, suggesting that it’s the creation of the bubbles that makes the noise. Listen up! And if you’re one of the people irritated by the sound, that could be because mathematicians have found that the sound produced by cracking your knuckles can reach up to 83 decibels, which is louder than the average radio and similar to city traffic from inside a car. Whether you love it or hate it, up to 45 percent of you do it, and many describe a feeling of relief from doing so. Some of that could be because after a joint is cracked, there’s a slightly increased range of motion, so you feel more flexible. Of course, there are some things to watch—er, listen—out for. Should I be worried about hearing other bones crack? “As you get older, a lot of us have knees or something else that creaks. You sit down and you get up and you can hear them snapping and cracking. That’s a different thing,” says Dr Brown. “That is the bones actually rubbing against each other, and that can be a sign of wear and tear.” He also mentions that while he’s never seen it, there have been odd cases where someone can dislocate a joint when it pops out of place. But when it comes to basic knuckle cracking, however, Dr Brown assures us that if it feels okay, we’re free to keep doing it. Still, if you’re cracking any part of your body, heed the doctor’s orders – if it “doesn’t feel right, then it’s probably worth having assessed because it could be something else.” Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/is-cracking-your-knuckles-bad-for-you" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Body

This common condition could be the cause of your heel pain

When it comes to our feet, heel pain is one of the most common complaints. According to a 2017 report by podiatry groups My Foot Dr and Balance Podiatry, almost half of people wake up with heel and foot pain at least once a week. If you’re one of them, you’re probably wondering why you’re in so much pain. You might think it’s bruising, but the most common cause of chronic heel pain is actually a condition known as plantar fasciitis. Characterised by a sharp pain that feels like a pencil poking your heels, plantar fasciitis occurs when the fibrous tissue of the foot has been over-stretched, causing inflammation and pain. “Too many cases of heel pain are passed off as bruising or wrongly attributed to heel spurs or Achilles tendonitis,” Sydney-based podiatrist Dr Brenden Brown, founder of A Step Ahead Foot + Ankle Care, explains. “Addressing heel pain really does start with getting the right diagnosis. “Many people suffering from heel pain ignore their condition – hoping rest and time will cure it. Every day I see patients who have put up with their heel pain for months, years even. Unfortunately the ‘zero action approach’ will just prolong the pain.” So, how is plantar fasciitis treated? Well, there’s a number of treatment methods. First, avoid the temptation to go barefoot. “Walking around without shoes puts additional strain on the plantar fascia (the fibrous ligament that runs along the bottom of the foot, from the heel bone to the toes) – particularly first thing in the morning, when the muscles and tissues are tight.” The same goes for thongs, fashionable footwear and other unsupportive shoes, which may only make the issue worse. Instead, Dr Brown recommends “a shoe with a firm shell and a small amount of structured cushioning”. Additionally, the shoe should never bend in the middle. Next, you need to focus on strengthening rather than stretching, which may worsen your pain. “There’s an increasing body of evidence to support strengthening exercises and isometric holds,” Dr Brown says. “These are relatively easy to perform; they don’t require fancy equipment but they help strengthen the plantar.” <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D8ApCyO9gGc" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Ultimately, if you’re experiencing any type of foot pain, it’s essential to seek help. “Choose a practitioner who understands heel pain and is open to new approaches,” Dr Brown recommends. “Ask the right questions to find out whether they’re experienced in dealing with this particular type of foot pain. You can ask: Is this something you treat often? How many patients do you see a day with heel pain? What’s your success rate?” Images: Getty

Body

US comedian cracks cruel ‘jokes’ about rollercoaster victim Shylah Rodden

A US comedian has cracked a series of distasteful jokes about Shylah Rodden, the Melbourne woman who was hit by a rollercoaster last month. The 26-year-old suffered severe facial and brain injuries after being struck by the 70 km/h Rebel Coaster Ride at the Royal Melbourne Show, and she remains in hospital in a serious condition. It is believed she had walked onto the tracks to retrieve her phone when she was hit. But, comedian Anthony Jeselnik seemed to find the situation quite funny while discussing the accident with NFL Network analyst Gregg Rosenthal on their podcast, The Jeselnik & Rosenthal Vanity Project. “This story is absolutely hilarious to me,” Jeselnik said during the episode, titled ‘Your Luck Is Like A Rollercoaster, Baby-Baby’. “I bet no one could believe it. I bet she feels dumb.” Rosenthal then explained how Ms Rodden had only just re-learned how to walk when she was struck, having been involved in a car crash in January 2021 that saw her car collide with a truck and flip over, with Jeselnik bursting into laughter. “Now you’re wondering why is this funny to us?” Jeselnik said. “Walking onto a rollercoaster track is a bad idea. If you drop your cell phone, ask someone who works there to get your phone for you. Do not jump onto the rollercoaster tracks. “She’d gotten hit by a car a few years ago, had to go through physical therapy to be able to walk again. To celebrate learning to walk again… she goes to an amusement park and immediately gets hit by a rollercoaster “Can you be forgiven because you haven’t been walking around that much that you don’t really know how to walk, and so you think walking onto rollercoaster tracks are fine? “It’s bad luck but rollercoasters only go in two directions. It’s hard to get hit by them. “A car, ok anything could have happened, maybe you’re in the street, maybe the car jumped the kerb. “A rollercoaster, that’s your fault every single time.” Jeselnik’s comments come amid a growing number taking to social media to criticise Ms Rodden’s actions in the lead-up to the accident, with some claiming that she isn’t a victim and deserves to be in intensive care. Meanwhile, a friend of Ms Rodden has appealed for prayers for the young woman, who he described as having a “heart of gold”. “Please pray for Shylah Rodden. Shylah Rodden is one of my best friends [and has a] heart of gold. Shyla has always been there for me and is always there for anyone, not just her friends,” Mr Nawar wrote on Facebook. “She has suffered a horrible accident at the Melbourne Show and was put in a induced coma. I don’t know her current status but please ask anyone who sees this to make a small prayer for her and her family, even if it’s [as] small as please God help them heal. “Shylah and her family lost their son/brother a few months ago and were all still grieving. I saw the pain this had on Shylah.” Images: YouTube / Facebook

News

Incredible teenage boy cracks coded coin in hours, but he isn’t the first

Within hours of its release to the general public, a 14-year-old boy had cracked the codes hidden on <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/coins-covered-in-coded-clues-will-test-your-spy-skills" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a coin released by an Australian intelligence agency</a> - but some had solved them days earlier, due to an unusual legal rule. A 50-cent coin celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) was released last Thursday containing four levels of codes with hidden messages. But, the puzzles were already being discussed online ten days earlier, with some codes already being solved by August 20. This was due to requirements on the Australian Government to include the characters featured on the coin in legislation, available online, before the coin was made available to purchase on September 1. As well as a celebration of the agency’s history, it’s hoped the coin will act as a kind of recruitment drive and attempt to raise the profile of the ASD among the general public, with the agency planning to recruit another 1,900 people over the next decade as part of a $9.9 billion expansion. Dr Richard Bean, a research fellow at the University of Queensland who solved the coin’s puzzles within two hours of getting his hands on it, said the move was about attracting those interested in a career with the ASD. "The kind of people who would sit down and solve this kind of code on the coin, they're the kind of people the ASD wants to attract — innovative thinkers to solve difficult problems in cryptography in both an offensive and defensive sense," Dr Bean said. "So solving other nation's codes and protecting Australian government communications security. "It's about attracting the right candidates and putting the ASD in their mind, instead of having to go out in traditional recruitment channels." But let’s go back to our teenage whiz kid. Though the Tasmanian boy’s identity hasn’t been revealed, it’s clear he has talent and instinct according to Distinguished Professor Willy Susilo, who also directs the Institute of Cybersecurity and Cryptology at the University of Wollongong. “[What] is very important is actually not about whether you can crack the code or not, [what] is important is the thinking behind it, how to solve this kind of puzzle,” he told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/how-to-solve-spy-australian-signals-directorate-50-cent-coin/101405266" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. “To me, I think to get a person who, especially in this case, is 14 years old, can crack the code within just one or two hours is actually incredible in my opinion. "That really is the kind of skill needed in the Australian Signals Directorate." Image: ASD

Money & Banking

Indian airline cracks the code to halving disembark times

A low-cost Indian airline has come up with a game-changing solution to get passengers off planes quicker during disembarking. A lot of planes rely on one door at the front of the plane to get travellers off the aircraft when they arrive at their destination. This often means passengers at the back of the plane have to let hundreds of others off the plane before they get the chance to disembark in an orderly fashion. To combat the wait, some airlines, including Virgin Australia and Qantas-owned Jetstar, regularly allow passengers to disembark from a set of stairs at the rear of the plane. But India’s largest carrier IndiGo has gone one step further and has introduced a third door for passengers to exit through. They have utilised the door in the middle of the plane, which is only ever used in an emergency, as another exit for passengers. The carrier reckons it could almost halve the time it takes to get passengers off the plane from up to 13 minutes to a mere seven minutes. “The new Three-Point Disembarkation process will be carried out from two forward and one rear exit ramp, making IndiGo the first airline to use this process,” an IndiGo spokesman told India’s <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indigo-introduces-process-for-faster-de-boarding-of-passengers-101659598634339.html">Hindustan Times</a>. A video uploaded by Indian business journalist Sumit Chaturvedi shows the new process with passengers leaving an IndiGo Airbus A320 aircraft via the various ramps. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Indian carrier Indigo today introduced a new Three Point Disembarkation which it claims will enable its customers to exit the aircraft faster than before. The new process will be carried out from two forward and one rear exit ramp. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiGo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ChhaviLeekha?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChhaviLeekha</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiGo6E?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiGo6E</a> <a href="https://t.co/n7Xajg8dk0">pic.twitter.com/n7Xajg8dk0</a> — Sumit Chaturvedi (@joinsumit) <a href="https://twitter.com/joinsumit/status/1555098794609455104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2022</a></blockquote> “An A320 aircraft usually takes around 13 minutes for its passengers to de-board the aircraft. However, the new process will make the drill faster and will reduce the disembarkation time from 13 minutes to seven minutes,” an IndiGo spokesman said. As well as being a major bonus for anxious passengers who are eager to make a swift exit from the plane, the changes could also greatly help the airline. The quicker passengers can leave the plane, the shorter the turnaround time to get it back in the air with more fare-paying passengers on board. Despite the revolutionary change exciting many, others are sceptical at the airline’s claims. Ben Schlappig of US aviation blog<a href="https://onemileatatime.com/news/indigo-deplaning-a320-three-doors/"> One Mile At A Time </a>questioned if all the claimed time savings would occur in real-life settings. “The process of actually getting out the door is one bottleneck, but I’d think that getting down the aisle is another thing that takes time, and that’s still an issue, even with a second door in the front.” Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Tips

This $2 fix will save your feet next time you wear heels

Heels might make us look great and feel confident, but they can come at a cost to our hardworking feet, namely aches, pains, and even blisters. Rachel Clinkard, who works at family-run shoe retailer Charles Clinkard, is all too familiar with this situation - and she’s got an easy fix she swears works wonders. She says that all you need is a $2 roll-on deodorant, as reported by <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/bargain-29p-hack-stop-your-27221303" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Mirror</a>. Clinkard claims that by applying some deodorant to the areas of your feet you think will rub while in heels, it will create a barrier between your skin and the shoe and help to prevent chafing. This hack can replace bandaids, plasters and other products like gel inserts. With deodorant going a long way, each application will be significantly cheaper than many of the alternatives too. Plus they smell great too! Image: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

Kate Middleton cracks a crossword on the spot

Kate Middleton has shown off her skill as a cruciverbalist - someone who enjoys and is skilled at crossword-solving - in a surprise encounter with a stumped student. The duchess was waved down during a royal visit to the University of Glasgow by 21-year-old Jack Baird, with a newspaper in hand and the hope that she could help him solve a tricky royal-related question, according to the <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/word-perfect-kate-cracks-the-times-crossword-jw3ffhzr3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Times</a>. The statistics undergraduate told the Times he was stuck on “seven down”, which asked for two words for the “sovereign's annual allowance”. “I couldn’t get the second word. I gave it to Kate and asked her as I’m sure she would have known,” Baird later told the newspaper. After he handed her the paper, which was May 8’s edition of the Times, Kate told him the answer: ‘Civil List’. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The Duchess of Cambridge completed a crossword puzzle at the University of Glasgow. Jack Baird was stuck on 7 down:’Forerunner of the Sovereign Grant,the funding provided to support the official duties of The Queen'.Kate knew:Civil List,of course! (tip of the 👑 <a href="https://twitter.com/MattSunRoyal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MattSunRoyal</a> ) <a href="https://t.co/GmwV2wKU20">pic.twitter.com/GmwV2wKU20</a> — Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) <a href="https://twitter.com/RE_DailyMail/status/1524415326536237056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2022</a></blockquote> “She was very excited,” Baird continued. “It didn’t look like she was going to get it for a moment.” “She looked thrilled. I think she thought, ‘I wouldn’t live this down if I get this wrong’.” The student said he was “so chuffed” and would frame the page containing the non-cryptic Jumbo Crossword. He explained that the interaction was totally spontaneous and that he didn’t even know the royal couple would be on campus. “I’d been studying in the library for exams and saw a group of people out here and wondered what was going on,” he said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> So lovely to see so many people at the University today - it was buzzing! <a href="https://t.co/z8bv40LbDN">pic.twitter.com/z8bv40LbDN</a> — The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1524448734951657472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2022</a></blockquote> The Duke and Duchess had come to the university to meet with students and professors to discuss mental health support, especially during COVID-19 and exam periods. In fact, they attracted such a large crowd of students that they later took to Twitter to apologise for not meeting them all. “So many students! Sorry if we missed you,” they wrote on their official Kensington Royal Twitter account, shared alongside a clip of them chatting with the crowd. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> So many students! Sorry if we missed you. <a href="https://t.co/dqoupFsWS4">pic.twitter.com/dqoupFsWS4</a> — The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1524418612420919298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2022</a></blockquote> In another post, the couple shared a series of photos of themselves sitting with students and faculty to discuss mental health. “Exam season can be a challenging time for students of all ages,” the <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1524448437240012800" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweet</a> read. “The support offered by universities, as well as the understanding and empathy of its students, has given us a real insight to the importance & value of talking about mental wellbeing #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek.” Image: Getty Images

Mind

"It would've cracked him in the head!" Ed Sheeran's near miss with Elton John

Ed Sheeran has revealed the near miss he had with his friend Elton John while they were shooting the music video for their joint song Merry Christmas. Appearing on Apple Music’s <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPbqSs6Bwt8" target="_blank">Zane Lowe Show</a>, Sheeran recalled how he “almost killed” John with a heavy bell while the pair were filming. “Oh, mate. I almost killed him with a bell on the video,” Sheeran <a rel="noopener" href="https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/ed-sheeran-almost-killed-elton-john-filming-christmas-music-video/fdebb07d-ae6e-4b98-8099-cef46d9fd017" target="_blank">said</a> during the interview. “I’m dressed up as sort of sexy Santa Claus and I kick a present, but the present had a big metal bell on top of it. “I showed him the footage of it today because we slowed it down and the bell flew past his head and would’ve cracked him in the head. “Oh my God, the horror that went through my body when it was flying through the air.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CXJlwiXDfYi/?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> <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/reel/CXJlwiXDfYi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)</a> </div> </blockquote> The I’m Still Standin’ singer also shared the clip on his social media account, with the caption, “Better luck next time, @teddysphotos 😂”. The festive video sees Sheen, 30, and John, 74, parody several famous Christmsa music videos, including Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You and Wham!’s Last Christmas. Since its release last week, Merry Christmas has topped the UK Big Top 40 list, marking John’s third Big Top 40 number one track this year. It is also the third holiday song Sheeran and John have written together. Image: @teddysphotos (Instagram)

Music

What’s happening when our joints crack?

<div> <div class="copy"> We’ve all had the experience of standing up and hearing a loud pop in our back or hip, or trying to tiptoe through the house only to have our foot make a cracking sound each time we take a step. So what’s happening in our joints when this happens, and is it a bad sign? What if we purposefully crack our knuckles? Will we get arthritis like our parents used to tell us? The noise we hear when our joints pop is likely to be due to movement of the tendon over bone. Tendons attach muscles to bones and are a bit like elastic bands that stretch over joints. It is thought tendons can make a popping noise when they move quickly across a joint. When a joint moves, the position of the tendon changes relative to the joint. Sometimes the tendon will shift its position slightly, causing it to make that popping sound as it snaps back to its normal place. This noise is quite normal whether it’s loud or soft, or happens frequently or not. The chronic degeneration of joint cartilage, known as osteoarthritis, leads to stiffness and reduced mobility of the joint. When this cartilage is damaged the surfaces of the bones rub against each other during movement, causing pain. Many factors contribute to arthritis, and people experience joint pain for many possible reasons, including genetics, age, weight and previous injury. Several causes of osteoarthritis have been identified and preventative strategies need to be developed. But, as far as the question of a causal link between joint cracking and osteoarthritis, there doesn’t appear to be any compelling evidence. If you’ve experienced any pain or swelling of the joint when it cracks, this should be assessed by a doctor as there may be abnormalities in the joint structures such as loose cartilage or an injury to ligaments. If the joint locks or gets stuck when it cracks this may also be an indication of an underlying problem and should also be assessed by a doctor. <h2>Is cracking my knuckles bad for me?</h2> Knuckle cracking is a habitual behaviour involving manipulation of the finger joints. For a long time, it has been suggested cracking your knuckles will increase the likelihood of developing arthritis later in life. Although this idea has persisted across generations, only in recent decades has any research looked scientifically at the question of the consequences of knuckle cracking. Synovial fluid is a substance found in the cavities of joints. It has a consistency similar to egg white and its purpose is to lubricate the joint to reduce friction during movement. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1129752/" target="_blank">Early research suggested</a> when the joint is extended the pressure within the joint is greatly reduced, causing gases dissolved in the synovial fluid to form microscopic bubbles or cavities. Eventually, joint fluid rushes into the areas of low pressure and the larger bubbles collapse, or pop, producing that familiar sound. In 2015, <a rel="noopener" href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0119470" target="_blank">a group of researchers from Canada</a> used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate the mechanisms of knuckle cracking. They concluded knuckle cracking occurs as a result of formation of space in the synovial fluid in the form of bubbles rather than the collapse of the bubbles due to synovial fluid rapidly filling the space, debunking the previously held notion. Donald L. Unger was a medical doctor who was curious about the long-term effects of knuckle cracking, so he cracked the knuckles of one hand only for 60 years. He found there was no difference in the amount of arthritis between his hands at the end of this time. There has been some formal research on the topic. An <a rel="noopener" href="http://ard.bmj.com/content/49/5/308" target="_blank">early paper from 1990</a> found cracking the knuckles over a long period was associated with swelling and reduced grip strength in some people. However, the authors found no difference in arthritis of the hands between people who habitually cracked their knuckles and those who didn’t. A <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21383216" target="_blank">2011 study</a> assessed radiographs of people, aged 50 to 89 years, according to the frequency of their knuckle-cracking behaviour. Again, the prevalence of osteoarthritis of the hands was similar between people who cracked their knuckles often and those who did so rarely. So knuckle cracking doesn’t cause any harm and equally has no apparent benefit. To quote a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1129752/" target="_blank">study</a> on habitual knuckle cracking: The chief morbid consequence of knuckle cracking would appear to be its annoying effect on the observer. <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-lavender-219133" target="_blank"></a>Image credit: Shutterstock </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/biology/whats-happening-when-our-joints-crack-and-is-it-bad/" target="_blank">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by The Conversation. </div> </div>

Body

Cracking the code of unbreakable phone screens

<div class="copy"> Unbreakable phone screens might seem too good to be true, but some chemical engineers reckon they’ve cracked the secret, developing a new material that combines glass with nanocrystals to make a resilient screen that would produce high-quality images in phones, LEDs and computers. The breakthrough substance could even be used to make phone screens that double as solar panels. The technology revolves around <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/overcoming-atomic-level-perovskite-defects/" target="_blank">perovskites</a>: nanometre-sized crystals that have a range of exciting electrical properties, making them prime candidates for better solar cells, LEDs and touchscreens. While perovskites have had a few early commercial successes, their physical properties have mostly stopped them from getting far out of the lab. “The stability of perovskites is the most difficult challenge which has hindered their commercialisation,” says Professor Lianzhou Wang, a materials scientist at the University of Queensland and co-author on a paper describing the research, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abf4460" target="_blank">published</a> in Science. Lead author Dr Jingwei Hou, also from UQ, says the material is “super sensitive to almost everything – oxygen, water, gas, temperature, and even sensitive to light. “I think it’s a fantastic material, but it doesn’t really make sense if we want to use it on a solar panel, or display, if it’s sensitive to light.” The researchers have overcome this sensitivity by figuring a way to encase lead-halide perovskites in glass. “We created a lot of very small, nano-sized pores within the glass,” explains Hou. “That offers a very nice host material environment for the perovskite. “If we just put those very small nanocrystals within the pores, they will be not only stabilised against all of the external environment…it also makes the perovskite somewhere between 100 to 1000 times more efficient.” At the level of nanometres, the material resembles a chocolate chip cookie. “The perovskite nanocrystals are the chocolate chips, and the glass surrounds them,” says Hou. The material is also much more durable than normal glass. “Conventional glass is so brittle [because] it’s really dense. If you zoom in and look at the molecular structure, it’s silicon, aluminium, oxygen – very densely packed atoms,” says Hou. “Once you apply any pressure or any mechanical force to it, there’s no way to get it relaxed, and that’s what leads to the breakage of chemical bonds.” The pores, on the other hand, allow the glass to absorb more stress. “This is really a kind of platform technology,” says Hou. “The pore size can be tuned, the chemistry can be tuned. So that means it can be used to host a different type of perovskite.” In the paper, the international team of researchers – who are based at the University of Leeds and the University of Cambridge in the UK, and Université Paris-Saclay in France – demonstrate several different types of “lead halide perovskite and metal-organic framework glasses”, all of which they’ve been able to create. As well as their potential applications in screens and LEDs, the glasses could be used to make higher-quality X-ray images and more efficient solar panels. “We’re looking at trying to combine a solar panel with a display,” says Hou. “Think about mobile phones, for example – when you use it, it will become a display. When you don’t use it, put it in the sunlight, it will charge the battery. So it’s one device for two functions.” Manufacture of the material is scalable, according to Hou, and the researchers are currently looking at building prototype devices with it. “We’re really confident that we’ll be able to generate devices in the next stage,” says Hou. “We are also looking for some industrial collaborators who are really interested in bringing this exciting material into the real world.” Image credits: Shutterstock  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=171112&title=Cracking+the+code+of+unbreakable+phone+screens" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/materials/unbreakable-phone-screens/" target="_blank">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Ellen Phiddian. </div>

Technology

Hidden Aussie beach cracks the top 10 in the world

A Sydney-based content creator has gone viral for his footage from beaches that are very definitely off-the-beaten track. Adam Rikys shares clips on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@adamrikys/video/6985683756568808706?lang=en&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1" target="_blank">Tiktok</a> where he drops a pin on a new location in Australia using Google maps, then zooms in with stunning images of the beach, proving we’re a country full of hidden beachy treasures. In one of his latest videos, the creator chooses Turquoise Bay in Western Australia. Found in Cape Range National Park near Exmouth, Turquoise Bay was ranked as the sixth best beach in the world in Trip Advisor’s 2021 Travellers’ Choice Awards earlier this year. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLqMB0vJg2E/?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/CLqMB0vJg2E/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Perth is OK! (@perthisok)</a> </div> </blockquote> With its crystal clear waters and white sand, it’s easy to see why it scored a top spot. However, the area is prone to strong currents, with inexperienced swimmers advised to take caution. Images: Venture Wanderer / Instagram, Hike Australia / Instagram

Domestic Travel

"Quite alarming!": Queen cracks joke about new statue

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> The Queen has made her audience laugh after cracking a joke about a new statue unveiled in her honour. Her Majesty spoke to South Australian Premier Steven Marshall, Governor Hieu Van Le and sculptor Robert Hannaford to view the statue that has been installed in the grounds of the government house in Adelaide. Video footage of the conversation released by Buckingham Palace shows that the sudden unveiling surprised the Queen, who made a quick joke. <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/CL46ghGH_tC/?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/CL46ghGH_tC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily)</a> </div> </blockquote> After seeing the statue so suddenly, she joked that “it must be quite alarming to suddenly see it out of the window - you’d think, gracious, has she arrived unexpectedly!” She was also presented with a scale model of the statue, which she thanked the sculptor for and said "I'm glad it's not quite as big as the original statue!". A palace statement said Her Majesty was also “briefed by the Governor and Premier on developments in the region, including the vaccination rollout to key workers, the response to Covid-19 and the lifting of restrictions in South Australia. “The Queen also heard from the Governor about the recovery from drought and bushfires in the area at the start of 2020, and from the Premier about how cooperation between health services, police, government - and the resilience of the Australian people - has been instrumental in their frontline response to the pandemic." </div> </div> </div>

International Travel

Experts claim passengers should not worry about cracks found in Boeing 737s

The <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-01/qantas-says-three-boeing-737-found-with-cracks/11661320">cracks found in three Qantas-owned Boeing 737s last week</a> led to calls that it should ground its 33 aircraft with a similar service record. Although the three planes have been grounded and will require complex repairs, the cracks – in a component called the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-31/pickle-fork-graphic/11660462">pickle fork</a>, which helps strengthen the join between the aircraft’s body and wing – do not threaten the plane’s airworthiness. This makes it more of a threat to consumers’ confidence in Boeing and the airlines that fly its planes, rather than a direct risk to passenger safety, especially after the tragedies over a <a href="https://theconversation.com/flights-suspended-and-vital-questions-remain-after-second-boeing-737-max-8-crash-within-five-months-113272">poorly thought out automatic control system</a> installed on the Boeing 737 MAX 8. More broadly, however, the pickle fork defects highlight a problem that aviation engineers have been contending with for decades: component fatigue. The world’s first commercial jet airliner, the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20170404-the-british-airliner-that-changed-the-world">de Havilland Comet</a>, launched in 1952 but suffered two near-identical crashes in 1953 in which the planes broke up shortly after takeoff, killing all on board. A <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140414-crashes-that-changed-plane-design">third fatal breakup in 1954</a> triggered an investigation and threatened to end the era of mass air travel almost as soon as it had begun. The crashes were all ultimately blamed on “fatigue failure”, caused by a concentration of stress in one of the passenger windows which resulted in a rapidly growing crack. Almost any metal structure can potentially suffer fatigue failure, but the problem is that it is very hard to predict before it happens. It begins at an “initiation area”, often at a random point in the component, from which a crack gradually grows each time the part is loaded. In the case of aircraft, the initiation area may be random, but from there the crack generally grows at a predictable rate each flight cycle. One solution instituted after the Comet investigation was to subject all aircraft to regular inspections that can detect cracks early, and monitor their growth. When the damage becomes critical – that is, if a component shows an increased risk of failure before the next inspection – that part is repaired or replaced. The current damage to the Qantas aircraft is a long way short of critical, as highlighted by the fact that Qantas has pointed out the next routine inspection was not due for <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/qantas-southwest-airlines-checking-boeing-737-planes-for-structural-cracks/news-story/565826954fd9151b51896ae905642421">at least seven months</a> – or about 1,000 flights. This is normal practice under the official <a href="https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/airworthiness_directives/search/?q=737">airworthiness directives</a> for Boeing 737s. Obviously, given the public relations considerations also involved, Qantas has nevertheless taken the three planes out of service immediately. Why aren’t the pickle forks a threat? It might sound strange to say the cracks in the pickle forks aren’t a threat to the aircraft’s safety. Does that mean aircraft can just fly around with cracks in them? Well, yes. Virtually all aircraft have cracks, and a monitored crack is much safer than a part that fails without warning. Bear in mind that all aircraft safety is reinforced by multiple layers of protection, and in the case of the pickle fork there are at least two such layers. First, the pickle fork is secured with multiple bolts, so if one bolt should fail as a result of cracking, depending on the location there will be another five or six bolts still holding it in place. Second, should the unthinkable occur and a pickle fork totally fail, there is still another “structural load path” that would maintain the strength of connection between the wing and body, so this would not affect the operation of the aircraft. On this basis, it seems strange that the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association has <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-31/cracks-discovered-on-second-qantas-boeing-737/11657146">called for the entire fleet to be grounded</a>, especially given that this union has no official role in the grounding of aircraft. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is the only agency in Australia with a legal obligation to make such a ruling, and has <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/31/business/qantas-australia-union-737-scli-intl/index.html">assured passengers it is unnecessary</a>. Aircraft maintenance procedures are drawn up by the manufacturer’s design engineering team. Before the aircraft obtains a permit to fly, the designer has to demonstrate to a regulator – in Boeing’s case, the <a href="https://www.faa.gov/">US Federal Aviation Administration</a> – that is has fully accounted for all airworthiness issues. This has to be proved by both engineering calculations and physical models. The result is an extensive maintenance manual for each aircraft model. Before each flight the aircraft must be demonstrated to conform to the maintenance manual, which is the role of the maintenance engineers who work directly for airlines. While the maintenance engineers’ union is right to bring any safety concerns or maintenance issues to the attention of the airline and possibly the regulator, only the regulator is in a position to rule on whether a fleet, or part of it, should be grounded. Boeing and Qantas, and the many other airlines that fly 737s, are right to be concerned by this latest development because of the potential for it to harm them commercially. But while the cracked pickle forks will be giving executives headaches, passengers should rest easy in their seats.<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/126268/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-page-378413">John Page</a>, Senior Lecturer with the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414">UNSW</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-you-worry-about-boeing-737s-only-if-you-run-an-airline-126268">original article</a>.

Technology

Netflix promises to crack down on users who share passwords

Netflix have promised to crack down on users that share their passwords with friends or family members. This means that if you borrow someone’s login, you might have to start paying for your own account in full. Netflix offers account-sharing features, but they’re designed to let people in a single-household use one login. The streaming giant is worried that users are sharing their logins among different households. Netflix product chief Greg Peters spoke at Netflix’s Q3 2019 earnings and said that the company wants to address the issue of password sharing without “alienating a certain portion of the user base”. “We continue to monitor it so we’re looking at the situation,” he said, according to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/home-entertainment/tv/netflix-vows-crackdown-on-users-who-share-logins-with-pals-or-family-and-could-make-you-pay-extra/news-story/09630a28861854c2aa32201a4dae3e25">news.com.au</a>. “We’ll see those consumer-friendly ways to push on the edges of that.” Experts have said that users are already seeing signs of a crackdown. “They are policing this (already) by blocking the third concurrent screen if two screens are in use at the same time,” said Michael Pachter, a top analyst at Wedbush Securities, speaking to <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/10180393/netflix-account-sharing-price-family-pay-extra/">The Sun</a>. “That doesn’t help if the users are in different time zones, as many households with kids in college are. “However, it definitely cracks down on widespread password sharing.” He added: “They also have a way to track device usage and can require two-factor authentication, although they’ve haven’t rolled that out yet.” The news follows an announcement by tech firm Synamedia about a new AI system that cracks down on account sharing by using machine learning technology to track shared passwords on streaming services. “Casual credentials sharing is becoming too expensive to ignore,” said product chief Jean Marc Racine, speaking at the CES event in Las Vegas this year. “Our new solution gives operators the ability to take action. “Many casual users will be happy to pay an additional fee for a premium, shared service. “It’s a great way to keep honest people honest while benefiting from an incremental revenue stream.” The technology, once it has located shared passwords across streaming services, could be used to force users to upgrade to a premium service or even shut down their account.

Technology

Cracks found on older Boeing 737 planes during inspections

Boeing is facing yet another safety issue after structural cracks were found in 38 of its 737 NG airplanes around the world. The inspections ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) discovered that out of the 810 jets that had been examined, 38 had cracks in a “pickle fork”, or the part that attaches the plane’s body to the wing structure. This amounted to about 5 per cent of the planes inspected. Boeing and airline officials said the planes will be grounded for repairs. So far, two airlines have disclosed that they have jets that need to be grounded. Southwest Airlines announced on Wednesday that it had grounded two of <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/10/business/boeing-737-ng-grounding/index.html">the 700-plus NG jets in its fleet</a> due to the cracking issue, while Brazilian carrier Gol Linhas Aereas confirmed it took 11 out of its 115 planes out of service. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-boeing-airplanes/boeing-says-cracks-found-on-38-of-810-737-ng-jets-inspected-globally-idUSKBN1WP2BD">Last week</a>, the FAA ordered airlines to inspect their 737 NG fleets after Boeing alerted the agency about structural cracks. Aircrafts that have made at least 30,000 flights must be inspected within seven days, while planes between 22,600 and 29,999 cycles are to be inspected after 1,000 flights. Today, about 6,800 of the 737 NG jets are in service around the world. The report came as Boeing continues its effort to seek approval for the 737 Max to fly again. All 737 Max jets have been grounded since March following fatal crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia, which killed 346 crew and passengers.

International Travel

Staying on your feet despite corns, calluses and cracked heels

Corns and calluses are skin that has toughened and thickened due to friction and pressure. While corns maybe inflamed and occur on or between the toes, calluses typically grow in a large area on the balls of the feet or heels and don’t usually hurt. Try these techniques to prevent common foot problems. <div id="page1" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> Wear supportive shoes Look for footwear that’s made of leather, is breathable and allows sweat to escape – the less you sweat, the less dried out your feet will become. Opt for shoes with ample width and toeroom. Practise good foot hygiene <div id="page2" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> This involves treating your feet to a bit of attention. Buff with a pumice stone and regularly moisturise. Over-the-counter remedies These are a good start in treating corns, cracked heels and calluses. Corns: Salicylic acid treatments are available as medicated patches or liquid drops and work by softening the thickened layer of skin. Follow instructions carefully. Cracked heel: As the skin on the soles of feet is about 2.5 times thicker than the skin on your face, use an intensive medicinal moisturiser that can penetrate the layers of tissue. Calluses: Shoe inserts and heel pads, available at your pharmacy, will help prevent calluses by providing additional cushioning and stability. When to see a doctor or podiatrist Make an appointment if you have a callus or corn that is painful or inflamed, or deep cracks that start to bleed – these are all signs of infection. This is vital if you have diabetes, poor circulation or impaired nerves in your feet. Written by Michelle Villett. This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/beauty/skin/staying-your-feet-despite-corns-calluses-and-cracked-heels" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRN93V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Beauty & Style

Why your grandkids should never sleep with the door "cracked open"

It’s an age-old trick parents and grandparents have been doing to get children to sleep at night, and that is to crack open the door slightly to let light in. But now, firefighters are advising against the seemingly innocent practice, saying it could be the difference between life and death during a fire. Taking to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/CSHFD/posts/2301360923254324?__tn__=H-R" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, Cold Spring Harbor Fire Department posted a safety warning. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FCSHFD%2Fposts%2F2301360923254324&width=500" width="500" height="783" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> Sharing a photo of two doors side-by-side, the firefighters wrote: "As a parent it’s hard to convince little kids to sleep with the door closed, they always want it open just a little. I do a lot of fire prevention at schools, so one thing I try and stress to the kids is, how important it is to sleep with the doors closed. "The photos below are a great example of the importance of keeping bedroom doors closed while sleeping. The door pictured in both photos is a hollow core door to a bedroom. While the front of the door is severely damaged, the closed door protected the bedroom and its contents. If this were an occupied bedroom the closed door could have saved a life.'' A number of parents were grateful for the advice, saying that from now on, they’ll be closing their child’s door fully during bedtime. Others were sceptical, saying that closing the door entirely is impractical. "Kids who can't sleep with the door shut are alarmed kids who need to reduce separation with their parents at night, the open door is the most they can do because they can at least hear their parents. Ooh yes, alarming them even more by the threat of a fire will surely get them to sleep better,'' said one user. "If I closed the door my kids would scream bloody murder,'' said another. Some were concerned about the likelihood of a fire starting in their child’s bedroom, saying that if the door was closed, they wouldn’t be able to hear the alarm on time. "See I always worry that the fire could start in their room and the smoke detector won't pick it up if the door is closed. Or that it may start outside of the rooms and that we won't hear the alarm in time if the doors are closed... Now I just don't know what to do....'' said a parent. The fire department issued a response which included fire safety tips for the entire family. "Smoke detectors should be placed in both common areas and bedrooms of the house!" the fire department commented. "Fire drills in the house are just as important as ones in school. That is also a big thing I speak about. It is always good to have a 'meeting place' outside. Maybe a mailbox or tree in the front yard!" What do you think? Do you agree with the firefighters, or do you think children should still crack the door open? Let us know in the comments below.

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Why your grandkids should never sleep with the door "cracked open"