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"World's biggest" amber nugget worth over $1 million used as doorstop for decades

An elderly woman in Romania has unknowingly used one of the largest known amber nuggets in the world - worth over €1 million ($1.6 million) - as her doorstop for decades. The woman found the stone in the bed of a stream in Colti, a village in the southeast Romania, and used it as her doorstop for years without realising its value. Members of her family also reported that thieves had once broken into her home, but only stole a few pieces of gold jewelry, missing the seemingly insignificant rock. “In their frantic search for valuables, they overlooked the real treasure that was there before their eyes,” they said. It wasn't until after the woman died in 1991 that a relative who inherited her home suspected the doorstop might be more than meets the eye - and he was right. When he sold the amber to the Romanian state, experts at the Museum of History in Krakow, Poland appraised the rock and found that the amber is likely between around 38 and 70 million years old. “Its discovery represents a great significance both at a scientific level and at a museum level,” Daniel Costache, director of the Provincial Museum of Buzau, told local news outlet El Pais. The expert also claimed that the amber is one of the largest pieces in the world and the largest of its kind weighing a hefty 3.5-kilograms. It has now been classified as a national treasure of Romania, and can be found in the Provincial Museum of Buzau, where it has been since 2022. Romania is one of the countries with significant deposits of amber, with Buzau County being one of the areas where you can find these beautiful stones in abundance. The protected area also contains the old Stramba amber mine, which was very productive during the first half of the 21st century, before it was shut down by the communist regime as it was considered unprofitable. Image: Buzău County Museum

Home & Garden

Rare coin hidden for decades to fetch eye-watering sum

Three sisters from the US who inherited a dime coin kept it in a bank vault for more than 40 years, and while they know it had some value, they didn't know just how much until a few years ago. The rare coin, struck by the US Mint in San Francisco in 1975, could be worth more than $US500,000 ($748,000), according to Ian Russell, president of GreatCollections, the auction house selling the coin. What makes the coin depicting President Franklin D. Roosevelt so valuable is that it is just one of two coins missing the "S" mint mark for San Francisco. The other dime sold for $US682,000 (over $1 million) at a 2019 auction and then again months later to a private collector. While avid coin collectors have known about the existence of these two extraordinarily rare coins, their whereabouts had remained a mystery since the late 1970s. “They were hidden for decades,” Russell said. “Most major collectors and dealers have never seen one.” The three sisters from Ohio, who want to remain anonymous, inherited one of the two dimes after the recent death of their of their brother, Russell said. They told Russell that their brother and mother bought the first error coin discovered in 1978 for $27,225, which would amount to roughly $135,000 today. Their parents, who ran a dairy farm, saw the coin as a financial safety net, and it was only until last year that one of the sisters saw the coin first-hand. Russell also said that their brother had reached out to him about seven years ago and told him about the coin, but he too kept it a secret. When Russell told one of the sisters about the potential value of the coin, she told him: “is that really possible?”. The coin, known as the “1975 ‘no S’ proof dime,” will be displayed at a coin show beginning on Wednesday in Tampa, Florida, and before <a href="https://www.greatcollections.com/Coin/1655587" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the auction</a> closes late next month, Russell said. The current highest bidder has offered $US250,000 ($374,000). Images: Great Collections/ Professional Coin Grading Services

Money & Banking

Woman "trapped" on a boat for a decade details amazing "escape"

A woman has recalled her turbulent childhood spent "trapped" a boat with her parents, detailing how she made her "escape". Suzanne Heywood was just seven years old when her parents told her she, along with her younger brother Jonathan, would be pulled out of school to go on a three-year voyage around the world. The family of four from the UK set out on their quest to recreate Captain Cook’s infamous third and final voyage around the globe, which ended up taking a decade instead of the promised three years. While her parents thought it was the trip of a lifetime and often described the opportunity as a “privilege”, Suzanne has since compared it to being locked up in prison. Now 55 years old, Suzanne has shared her tale of survival on TikTok, and recalled her 10 years at sea in her tell-all memoir Wavewalker. “My father said we would be back in three years’ time, and that my dog would be waiting for me, and my friends and school and everything would go back to normal,” the author said in a now-viral video. “But in fact, it was almost 10 years before we came back, and I spent that time trapped on a boat, unable to go to school or have normal friendships.” Despite her father assuring her the “trip would be safe”, Suzanne claimed it was “incredibly dangerous”, sharing details of a perilous journey from South Africa to Australia where the boat hit an “enormous storm”. “The waves became bigger and bigger, and finally one crashed over the back of the boat, through the deck and out the side,” she recalled. “I was thrown, a little girl at 7, against the ceiling of the cabin and against the wall, fracturing my skull and breaking my nose. Three days later, we found a tiny little island in the middle of the Indian Ocean where I had multiple head operations without anaesthetic.” In order to get through her "very strange" childhood, Suzanne recalled how she was determined to get an education to live a normal life. “As it became clear my parents had no intentions of going back, I decided I had to educate myself as it was the only lifeline that I had,” she told the hosts of The Morning Show. “The only way to get off this boat was to get an education, it was my only hope to ensure I had a ‘normal life’ for myself one day.” While remote education wasn't an option in 1969, Suzanne enrolled in an Australian correspondence school when she was 13. she began studying in the small cabin of the boat, which she found challenging both practically, and academically as she “had missed a lot of education”. Then, when she was 16, and her brother 15, her parents enrolled the two teenagers into a school in New Zealand while they continued sailing. Despite the gaps in her education, Suzanne landed a spot at Oxford University, and after saving up money she’d earned working on a farm, Suzanne bought a one-way plane ticket back to the UK. Since going public with her story, which she was inspired to do after the death of her husband in 2018, Suzanne's book instantly became a bestseller, and she continues to work through the trauma caused by her "unstable" childhood. Suzanne's extraordinary tale has captured the hearts of millions, with thousands of online fans hailing her bravery. “Wavewalker is one of the best books I’ve read, I’m so sorry you went through all that,” one person replied, while another said, “Thank you for the this! Your story inspires me and I can change my life no matter when and how.” Image credits: Instagram / Suzanne Heywood

Travel Trouble

Julian Assange was isolated for more than a decade. Here’s what that does to the body and mind

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carol-maher-217811">Carol Maher</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/johanna-badcock-995697">Johanna Badcock</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> Anyone who lived through the COVID pandemic would likely understand that even a small period of isolation can cause <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35787541/">physical and mental stress</a>. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange – <a href="https://theconversation.com/julian-assange-will-be-freed-after-striking-plea-deal-with-us-authorities-233210">who will return to Australia</a> after reaching a plea deal with the US Department of Justice – is <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/his-health-is-very-risky-assange-s-brother-fears-for-his-life-20240327-p5ffjw">reported to have suffered</a> various mental and physical challenges during his almost 15 years in some form of isolation. Assange was first arrested in Britain in 2010 after Swedish authorities said they wanted to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/dec/17/julian-assange-sweden">question him over sex crime allegations</a>. After exhausting legal avenues to stop an extradition to Sweden, in June 2012 he entered <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/15/julian-assange-ecuador-london-embassy-how-he-became-unwelcome-guest">Ecuador’s embassy in London</a>, where he remained for seven years. In early 2019, he was <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1S73H5/">jailed for skipping bail</a> and held at London’s Belmarsh prison where he spent most of the following five years fighting extradition to the US. Now, he’s coming home. While we have no idea how Assange is coping from being cooped up inside for so long with few visitors, we do know that isolation can have <a href="https://theconversation.com/my-own-prison-ordeal-gave-me-a-taste-of-what-assange-may-be-feeling-hes-out-but-the-chilling-effect-on-press-freedom-remains-233215">a severe negative impact</a> on many people. <iframe id="qxq2l" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/qxq2l/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <h2>How physical inactivity impacts your body</h2> Physical activity is vital for <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/articlepdf/2712935/jama_piercy_2018_sc_180005.pdf">overall health</a>. It keeps your heart strong, helps manage weight, and builds muscle and bone strength. Regular exercise also lifts your mood, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and sharpens your mind. Plus, it boosts your <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7195025/">immune system</a>, making you more resistant to infections and diseases. When you don’t move enough, especially in isolation, your health can take a hit. Muscles weaken and joints stiffen, making you less strong and flexible. Your <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/01.CIR.102.9.975">heart health</a> suffers, too, raising the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes because your heart isn’t getting the workout it needs. Metabolic issues such as obesity and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6908414/">type 2 diabetes</a> become more common with inactivity, especially if you don’t have access to healthy food. Isolation often means less fresh air and sunlight, both crucial for good health. Poor ventilation can lead to <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/8/2927/pdf">respiratory problems</a>. Lack of sunlight can cause <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article-pdf/95/6/2630/9067013/jcem2630.pdf">vitamin D deficiency</a>, weakening bones and the immune system, and increasing the risk of fractures. These effects fit with the reports that Assange suffered a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/mar/23/today-i-will-marry-the-love-of-my-life-julian-assanges-fiancee">mini-stroke</a> in 2021 and a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/18/julian-assange-press-freedom-wikileaks-uk-high-court">broken rib</a> from persistent coughing fits while in isolation. <h2>What about mental health?</h2> Social disconnection comes in two main forms, both of which have serious consequences for our mental health. The first is social isolation. The reasons for being isolated are many and varied, including geographical distance, lack of access to transport, or incarceration. The end result is the same: you have few relationships, social roles or group memberships, and limited social interaction. The second form of social disconnection is more invisible but just as harmful. <a href="https://psychology.org.au/for-the-public/psychology-topics/loneliness">Loneliness</a> is that subjective, unpleasant feeling of wanting but lacking satisfying relationships with others. You can be isolated and not feel lonely, but the two are often unwelcome bedfellows. Social connection is not a luxury. It’s a fundamental need, as essential to our health as food and water. Just as hunger reminds us to eat, <a href="https://healthymale.org.au/health-article/what-is-loneliness-and-social-isolation">loneliness acts as a signal</a> alerting us that our social relationships are weak and need to be improved if we are to remain healthy. The science around the health impacts of social disconnection is clear, especially when it is prolonged. So much so, the World Health Organization recently launched a <a href="https://www.who.int/groups/commission-on-social-connection">Commission on Social Connection</a> to increase awareness of the impact of social isolation and loneliness on health and have it recognised as a global health priority. Substantial evidence shows social isolation and loneliness are linked to poorer cognitive functioning and an increased risk of dementia, though possibly in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9995915/">different ways</a>. Among adults aged 50 years and over, chronic (meaning persistent and severe) loneliness and social isolation may increase the risk of dementia by <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13651501.2021.1959616">around 50%</a>. A lack of cognitive stimulation that naturally occurs when interacting with others, whether it’s old friends or strangers, might explain <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9995915/">the link</a> between social isolation and cognitive difficulties (think “use it or lose it”). On the other hand, loneliness <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9995915/">may impact cognitive health</a> through its effects on emotional wellbeing. It’s <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-13049-9">a well-known risk factor</a> for developing depression, anxiety and suicidality. For instance, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35583561/">studies show</a> the chances of developing depression in adults is more than double in people who often feel lonely, compared with those who rarely or never feel lonely. Other research examining 500,000 middle-aged adults over nine years showed living alone doubled the risk of dying by suicide for men, while loneliness <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33096330">increased the risk of hospitalisation</a> for self-harm in both men and women. In a <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf">2023 report</a>, the US Surgeon General’s advisory concluded: <blockquote> Given the totality of the evidence, social connection may be one of the strongest protective factors against self-harm and suicide among people with and without serious underlying mental health challenges. </blockquote> <h2>What about after release?</h2> When a person leaves long-term isolation, they’ll face many challenges as they re-enter society. The world will have changed. There’s a lot to catch up on, from technological advancements to shifts in social norms. In addition to these broader changes, there’s a need to focus on rebuilding physical and mental health. Health issues that developed during isolation can <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30460-8/fulltext?cid=in%3Adisplay%3Alfhtn0&dclid=CNKCgb7nle0CFVUkjwodG0YCkg">persist or worsen</a>. A weakened immune system might struggle with new infections in a post-COVID world. To navigate this transition, it’s important to establish a routine that includes regular exercise, nutritious meals and comprehensive medical and psychological care. Gradually increasing social interactions can also help in rebuilding relationships and social connections. These steps are supportive in restoring overall health and wellbeing in a changed world.<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/233214/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carol-maher-217811">Carol Maher</a>, Professor, Medical Research Future Fund Emerging Leader, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/johanna-badcock-995697">Johanna Badcock</a>, Adjunct Professor, School of Psychological Science | Freelance Research Consultant, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> Image credits: Ray Tang/Shutterstock Editorial 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/julian-assange-was-isolated-for-more-than-a-decade-heres-what-that-does-to-the-body-and-mind-233214">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

Julian Assange has been in the headlines for almost two decades. Here’s why he’s such a significant public figure

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ricketson-3616">Matthew Ricketson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance” is a famous quotation usually attributed to Thomas Jefferson, a founder of US democracy. For Julian Assange, the price of freedom has been five years in jail while he fought extradition to the United States to face charges no democracy worthy of the name should ever have brought. It is profoundly heartening news to see Assange’s release from London’s Belmarsh prison and flight home to Australia via a US territory in the western pacific. He’ll face a hearing and sentencing <a href="https://theconversation.com/julian-assange-plea-deal-what-does-it-mean-for-the-wikileaks-founder-and-what-happens-now-233207">this morning</a> in Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, to formalise a plea deal with the US government. It is profoundly disheartening, though, to see the lengths to which a nation state has gone to punish a publisher who released documents and videos that revealed US troops allegedly committing war crimes in the Iraq war two decades ago. Assange has been a controversial international figure for so many years now it’s easy to lose sight of what he has done, why he attracted such fiercely polarised views, and what his incarceration means for journalism and democracy. <h2>What did he do?</h2> Assange, an Australian national, came to prominence in the 2000s for setting up <a href="https://wikileaks.org/">WikiLeaks</a>, a website that published leaked government, military and intelligence documents disclosing a range of <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47907890">scandals</a> in various countries. Most of the documents were released in full. For Assange, this fulfilled his aim of radical transparency. For critics, it led to the release of documents that could <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2011/9/3/wikileaks-criticised-over-uncensored-cables">endanger the lives</a> of intelligence sources. This remains a point of contention. Some have asserted Assange’s attitude toward those named in leaked documents was cavalier and that the publication of some documents was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/b70da83fd111496dbdf015acbb7987fb">simply unnecessary</a>. But critics, especially those in the US military, have been unable to point to <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-book-argues-julian-assange-is-being-tortured-will-our-new-pm-do-anything-about-it-183622">specific instances</a> in which the release of documents has led to a person’s death. In 2010, Joe Biden, the then vice-president, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna40702904">acknowledged</a> WikiLeaks’ publications had caused “no substantive damage”. Then US Defense Secretary Robert Gates <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/04/12/712659290/how-much-did-wikileaks-damage-u-s-national-security">said</a> at the time countries dealt with the US because it was in their best interests, “not because they believe we can keep secrets”. The key to WikiLeaks’ success was that Assange and his colleagues found a way to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-11026659">encrypt the documents</a> and make them untraceable, to protect whistleblower sources from official retribution. It was a strategy later <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jun/05/guardian-launches-securedrop-whistleblowers-documents">copied</a> by mainstream media organisations. WikiLeaks became famous around the globe in April 2010 when it released hundreds of thousands of <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47907890">documents</a> in tranches known as the Afghan war logs, the Iraq war logs and Cablegate. They revealed numerous alleged war crimes and provided the raw material for a shadow history of the disastrous wars waged by the Americans and their allies, including Australia, in Afghanistan and Iraq following the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks. Documents are one thing, video another. Assange released <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/61/CollateralMurder.ogv/CollateralMurder.ogv.360p.vp9.webm">a video</a> called “Collateral Murder”. It showed US soldiers in a helicopter shooting and killing Iraqi civilians and two Reuters journalists in 2007. Apart from how the soldiers in the video speak – “Hahaha, I hit them”, “Nice”, “Good shot” – it looks like most of the victims are civilians and the journalists’ cameras are mistaken for rifles. When one of the wounded men tries to crawl to safety, the helicopter crew, instead of allowing their US comrades on the ground to take him prisoner as required by <a href="https://www.icrc.org/en/rules-of-war">the rules of war</a>, seeks permission to shoot him again. <hr /> <iframe id="tc-infographic-1064" class="tc-infographic" style="border: none;" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/infographics/1064/0f0903c8d2249ac24316f2a86f5e0f231b6546e6/site/index.html" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> The soldiers’ request for authorisation to shoot is granted. The wounded man is carried to a nearby minibus, which is then shot to pieces with the helicopter’s gun. The driver and two other rescuers are killed instantly while the driver’s two young children inside are seriously wounded. US army command investigated the matter, <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-book-argues-julian-assange-is-being-tortured-will-our-new-pm-do-anything-about-it-183622">concluding</a> the soldiers acted in accordance with the rules of war. Despite this, US prosecutors <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jun/15/julian-assange-indictment-fails-to-mention-wikileaks-video-that-exposed-us-war-crimes-in-iraq">didn’t include</a> the video in its indictment against Assange, leading to accusations it didn’t want such material further exposed in public. Equally to the point, the public would never have known an alleged war crime had been committed without the release of the video. <h2>Going into exile</h2> Assange and WikiLeaks had no sooner become famous than it all began to come to a halt. He was alleged to have sexually assaulted <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50473792">two women</a>. He holed up the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/17/world/americas/ecuador-to-let-assange-stay-in-its-embassy.html">Ecuadoran embassy</a> in London for <a href="https://apnews.com/article/7276b35e8d5944e7b5ca280ab0390b26">seven years</a> to avoid being extradited to Sweden for questioning over the alleged assaults, from where he could then be extradited to the US. Then he was <a href="https://mondediplo.com/2024/02/11assange">imprisoned in England</a> for the past five years. It has been confusing to following the byzantine twists and turns of the Assange case. His character has been reviled by his opponents and revered by his supporters. Even journalists, who are supposed to be in the same business of speaking truth to power, have adopted contradictory stances towards Assange, oscillating between giving him awards (a <a href="https://www.walkleys.com/board-statement-4-16/">Walkley</a> for his outstanding contribution to journalism) and shunning him (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/opinion/julian-assange-wikileaks.html">The New York Times</a> has said he is a source rather than a journalist). <h2>Personal suffering</h2> After Sweden eventually <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50473792">dropped</a> the sexual assault charges, the US government swiftly ramped up its request to extradite Assange to face charges under the Espionage Act, which, if successful, could have led to a jail term of up to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/article/2024/jun/25/explainer-who-is-julian-assange-and-what-are-the-details-of-his-plea-deal#:%7E:text=After%20his%20departure%20from%20the,to%20175%20years%20in%20prison.">175 years</a>. Until this week, most of the recent headlines about Assange have been about this extradition attempt. Most recently, he was granted the <a href="https://theconversation.com/julian-assanges-appeal-to-avoid-extradition-will-go-ahead-it-could-be-legally-groundbreaking-227859">right to appeal</a> the UK Home Secretary’s order that he be extradited to the US. This brings us to now, where if all goes according to legal planning, Assange will <a href="https://theconversation.com/julian-assange-plea-deal-what-does-it-mean-for-the-wikileaks-founder-and-what-happens-now-233207">plead guilty</a> to one count under the US Espionage Act, then fly back to Australia. But the long, protracted and very public case, legal or otherwise, has raised questions yet to be fully reckoned with. Nils Melzer, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, thoroughly investigated the case against Assange and laid it out in forensic detail in a <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-book-argues-julian-assange-is-being-tortured-will-our-new-pm-do-anything-about-it-183622">2022 book</a>. In it, he wrote: <blockquote> The Assange case is the story of a man who is being persecuted and abused for exposing the dirty secrets of the powerful, including war crimes, torture and corruption. It is a story of deliberate judicial arbitrariness in Western democracies that are otherwise keen to present themselves as exemplary in the area of human rights. </blockquote> He’s also suffered significantly in legal and diplomatic processes in at least four countries. Since being imprisoned in 2019, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/article/2024/jun/25/julian-assange-plea-deal-with-us-free-to-return-australia#:%7E:text=WikiLeaks%20said%20on%20X%20that,isolated%2023%20hours%20a%20day%E2%80%9D">Assange’s team says</a> he’s spent much of that time in solitary confinement for up to 23 hours a day, has been denied all but the most limited access to his legal team, let alone family and friends, and was kept in a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54060427">glass box</a> during his seemingly interminable extradition hearing. His physical and mental health have suffered to the point where he has been put on <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wikileaks-julian-assange-at-very-high-risk-of-suicide-attempt-psychiatric-expert-tells-court/">suicide watch</a>. Again, that seems to be the point, as Melzer writes: <blockquote> The primary purpose of persecuting Assange is not – and never has been – to punish him personally, but to establish a generic precedent with a global deterrent effect on other journalist, publicists and activists. </blockquote> So while Assange himself is human and his suffering real, his lengthy time in the spotlight have turned him into more of a symbol. This is true whether you think of him as the hero exposing the dirty secrets of governments, or as something much more sinister. If his experience has taught us anything, it’s that speaking truth to power can come at an unfathomable personal cost.<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/233232/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ricketson-3616">Matthew Ricketson</a>, Professor of Communication, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credits: Vianney Le Caer/Shutterstock Editorial 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/julian-assange-has-been-in-the-headlines-for-almost-two-decades-heres-why-hes-such-a-significant-public-figure-233232">original article</a>. </div>

Legal

5 sneaky beauty tricks that take a decade off your look

What if we told you there were five super simple turn-back-the-clock tricks that could brighten the face, open up the eyes, improve plumpness and give you enviably shiny hair? Well, that’s exactly what we’re telling you. And these tips don’t require and expensive trip to a beauty salon and can be done in your very own bathroom. When it comes to your skin, just one super-charged anti-ager will instantly boost your beauty routine—and deliver the kind of results we’d all be happy to see in the mirror. Here are five tricks you should definitely try today. Try a Sleeping Beauty elixir They don’t call it beauty sleep for no good reason. While you’re head is on the pillow, it’s the perfect time to slather on an overnight face and neck cream that uses skin brightening ingredients such as vitamin C, algae extract and anti-oxidants. You will wake up more supple, radiant and bright – and in some cases, with firmer skin. Go for bold lip A bold yet fresh lip will instantly brighten and lift the face. The trick is to go one or two shades brighter than you usually do – without option for a blast of neon. Diffuse bright edges with a cotton bud to stop hard lines. Shake the magic wand Eyelashes have the ability to really open up your eyes and thus give you a more youthful look instantly. So everyone, get acquainted with the eyelash curler. A must for opening up tired, droopy eyelids before applying mascara – it works every time. Attempt a gravity-defying mini massage As massages stimulate circulation, cells and collagen, everyone should be giving themself a daily morning face massage using small circular motions. Focus on your forehead, cheeks, chin, and gently pat under eyes to help with firmness and reduce bloating. Let your hair shine on Shiny, healthy hair makes everyone look better – and it one of the easiest beauty tricks to master. Try mashed-up avocado mixed with olive oil as a hair mask – it’s cheap, natural and really effective. Image credits: Shutterstock

Beauty & Style

Loch Ness monster back in headlines after "most exciting" photo in decades

A recent potential Loch Ness monster sighting has generated immense excitement among monster enthusiasts, who claim these photographs are the most captivating seen in decades. The incident unfolded when Chie Kelly, 51, inadvertently captured images of an unidentified, sizeable creature gliding across the surface of Loch Ness five years ago in August. At the time, she hesitated to release the images, fearing public ridicule. However, her decision changed after the largest 'Nessie' search in over half a century took place last month – called The Quest Weekend. Kelly, accompanied by her family, was enjoying a meal at an inn nestled on the shores of the Scottish loch when she began snapping photos. According to the <a href="https://lochness.com/findings-revealed-from-the-quest-weekend/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lochness.com website</a>, Chie Kelly "had lunch in the Dores Inn and then started walking around. I was just taking pictures with my Canon camera of Scott and our daughter Alisa, who was then five, when about 200 metres from the shore, moving right to left at a steady speed was this creature. "It was spinning and rolling at times. We never saw a head or neck. After a couple of minutes, it just disappeared and we never saw it again. "At first I wondered if it was an otter or a pair of otters or a seal, but we never saw a head and it never came up again for air. "It was making this strange movement on the surface. We did not hear any sound. There were these strange shapes below the surface. I could not make out any colours – the water was dark. I could not accurately assess its length, but the two parts that were visible were less than two metres long together. "I don’t know what it was, but it was definitely a creature – an animal. At the time I did not want to face public ridicule by making the photographs public. But I met Steve Feltham at the weekend and showed him the images, and he said immediately that they were ‘very interesting’.” Feltham has dedicated more than 30 years to the search for Nessie since abandoning his job and selling his house in 1991. After looking at the images, he said, “These are the most exciting surface pictures I have seen. They are exactly the type of pictures I have been wanting to take for three decades. "It is rare to see something so clear on the surface. They are vindication for all the people who believe there is something unexplained in Loch Ness. They are remarkable. I have studied them and still do not know what it is. I persuaded them that these pictures were so important they should make them public. They warrant further investigation. It is not driftwood – it is a moving creature and totally unexplained.” <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/CrRewR8txip/?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/CrRewR8txip/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Chie Tchié Kelly-Kano (@kelly.chie)</a> </div> </blockquote> Reports of the Loch Ness monster have spanned ancient history, with stories dating back to an Irish missionary allegedly rescuing a swimmer from a creature in the loch during the 7th century. The completion of a road adjacent to the loch in 1933 led to a surge in monster sightings. Despite numerous searches over the years, a DNA survey conducted in 2018 failed to provide any evidence of a plesiosaur or other large animals residing in the lake. Images: Instagram / Chie Kelly

International Travel

"The '80s were the best!": Michael Bublé wins debate with adorable throwback pics

Michael Bublé has taken a stand on which decade is the best, sharing some adorable childhood photos to prove his point. The Canadian crooner declared that the "80's were the best!" while posting a series of sweet photos of himself as a kid. "The 80’s were the best! Change my mind," Bublé said in the caption of his post. The photos showed Bublé in front of a Christmas tree, on top of a playground, and two other pictures of him posing on an armchair in his family's lounge room. The post has racked up over 32,000 likes, with many of his fans agreeing that the 1980s was the best decade. One person shared their experience of the 80s, commenting, "We lived in the moment. Children knocked on doors when we wanted to play with our friends. Happy days, & rode our bikes until the street lights turned on. Drive in's, rollerblades, & mixed cassette tapes. It was simple. So easy. And so much fun. Absolutely the best!" Another fan said, "The 80s were great, but then you weren’t touring live in the 80s so weren’t the best, just good enough." Image credits: Instagram / Getty Images

Family & Pets

Catholic conflicts on marriage continue, even decades after Vatican II

The past 60 years have been a period of change and reflection for many in the Catholic Church, initiated by the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s and continued by the current synod on synodality. In the autumn of 2021, Pope Francis <a href="https://www.usccb.org/synod" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced a new synod</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-synod-of-bishops-a-catholic-priest-and-theologian-explains-168937" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an official meeting of Roman Catholic bishops</a> to determine future directions for the church globally. The <a href="https://www.synod.va/content/dam/synod/common/phases/continental-stage/dcs/Documento-Tappa-Continentale-EN.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first working document</a> issued by the synod was published on Oct. 27, 2022. This document was made public <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2022/documents/20221011-omelia-60concilio.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">soon after the 60th anniversary</a> of Pope John XXIII’s 1962 convocation of the Second Vatican Council. During the three years that followed, Catholic bishops from across the globe met in several sessions, assisted by expert theologians. Many guests were also <a href="https://vaticaniiat50.wordpress.com/2013/09/27/63-non-catholic-observers-attending-second-session/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited as observers</a>, which included prominent Catholic laity and representatives from other Christian churches. The council called for fresh ways to address 20th-century social and cultural issues and initiated official dialogue groups for Catholic theologians with others from different faith traditions. <div data-id="17"> </div> However, Catholics have become increasingly divided over this openness to contemporary cultural changes. As a <a href="https://www.holycross.edu/academics/programs/religious-studies/faculty/joanne-pierce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">specialist in Roman Catholic liturgy and worship</a>, I find that one important flashpoint where these deeper disagreements become more painfully visible is in Catholic worship, particularly in the celebration of its seven major rituals, called the sacraments. This is especially true in the celebration of matrimony. <h2>Vatican II</h2> In the mid-20th century, the church was still shaken by the repercussions of World War II and struggling to contribute to a world connected by the reality of global communication and the threat of nuclear war. Vatican II was called to “update” and “renew” the church – a process Pope John XXIII called “<a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2022-10/vatican-ii-council-60th-anniversary-video-history-background.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aggiornamento</a>.” One important theme connecting all of the council’s documents was <a href="http://individual.utoronto.ca/hayes/xty_canada/vatican_ii.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inculturation</a>, a more open dialogue with the variety of global human cultures. With the document <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sacrosanctum Concilium</a>, the bishops addressed the need to revisit the centuries-old worship traditions of Catholicism, reforming the structures of the various rituals and encouraging the use of vernacular languages during prayer, rather than exclusive use of the ancient Latin texts. In the intervening decades, however, sharp contradictions and disagreements have arisen, especially over clashes between flexible cultural adaptation and rigorous moral and doctrinal standards. These have become much more visible during the past two pontificates: the more conservative Pope Benedict XVI – pope from 2005 to 2013 – and the more progressive Pope Francis. <h2>The synod on synodality</h2> For the present synod, Pope Francis began with a process of consultation with <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-catholic-church-is-increasingly-diverse-and-so-are-its-controversies-189038" target="_blank" rel="noopener">local church communities all over the world</a>, stressing the inclusion of many different groups within the church, especially of <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2022-10/voices-of-excluded-in-synod-document-for-continental-phase.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">those who are often marginalized</a>, including the poor, migrants, LGBTQ people and women. However, there <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/is-the-synod-building-a-big-tent-or-a-house-on-sand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has also been criticism</a>. Some feel that the church should more swiftly adapt its teaching and practice to the needs of a variety of contemporary cultural shifts, while others insist it should hold on to its own traditions even more tightly. <h2>Gay marriage</h2> In North America and Europe, a major <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/11/02/how-catholics-around-the-world-see-same-sex-marriage-homosexuality/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cultural shift</a> has taken place over recent decades concerning gays and lesbians, from marginalized rejection to acceptance and support. Over the years Pope Francis has <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-endorse-same-sex-civil-unions-eb3509b30ebac35e91aa7cbda2013de2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">come under fire</a> for his comments about homosexuality. He has publicly stated that gay Catholics are not to be discriminated against, that they have a right to enter secular civil unions and that they are to be welcomed by the Catholic community. On the other hand, he has also <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/setback-gay-catholics-vatican-says-church-cannot-bless-same-sex-unions-2021-03-15/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">refused bishops permission</a> to offer gay couples a blessing. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/gay-blessings-germany-vatican/2021/05/10/e452cea2-af6a-11eb-82c1-896aca955bb9_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Progressive bishops in Germany</a> and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/flemish-catholic-bishops-defying-vatican-approve-blessing-same-sex-unions-2022-09-20/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Belgium</a>, who had been <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250313/synodal-way-meeting-ends-with-call-for-same-sex-blessings-change-to-catechism-on-homosexuality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proponents</a> of this practice, organized an open protest by setting aside a day just for the bestowal of these blessings. In contemporary Catholicism, discrimination or injustice against gay or lesbian individuals is <a href="https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/flipbooks/catechism/568/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">condemned</a>, because each human being is <a href="https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/life-and-dignity-of-the-human-person" target="_blank" rel="noopener">considered to be a child of God</a>. However, homosexual orientation is still considered “<a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P85.HTM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">intrinsically disordered</a>” and homosexual activity seriously sinful. The Vatican <a href="https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2021/03/15/210315b.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has warned</a> progressives of the danger that these blessings might be considered, in the eyes of the faithful, the equivalent of a <a href="https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20210222_articolo-responsum-dubium-unioni_en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sacramental marriage</a>. Some might assume that homosexual activity is no longer considered sinful, a fundamental change that conservative Catholics would find completely unacceptable. This doctrinal perspective has led to other liturgical restrictions. For example, the baptism of children adopted by gay parents is considered a “<a href="https://www.usccb.org/committees/doctrine/pastoral-care" target="_blank" rel="noopener">serious pastoral concern</a>.” In order for a child to receive the sacrament of Catholic baptism – the blessing with water that makes the child a Catholic Christian – there must be some hope that the <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib4-cann834-878_en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">child will be raised in the Catholic Church</a>, yet the church teaches that homosexual activity is objectively wrong. Despite the current openness <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-vatican-synod-gays/gays-and-their-children-should-not-suffer-church-bias-vatican-idUSKBN0F11HV20140626" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to gay Catholics</a>, this conflict could lead to the child’s being denied baptism. Following a <a href="https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_20051104_istruzione_en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">document issued in 2005</a> under Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis in 2018 stated that candidates for the sacrament of ordination – the ritual that makes a man a priest – <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-homosexuality/pope-tells-bishops-not-to-accept-gay-seminarians-report-idUSKCN1IP36J" target="_blank" rel="noopener">must be rejected</a> if they demonstrate “homosexual tendencies” or a serious interest in “gay culture.” He also advised gay men who are already ordained to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-homosexuals-book/be-celibate-or-leave-the-priesthood-pope-tells-gay-priests-idUSKBN1O10K7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">maintain strict celibacy or leave the priesthood</a>. <h2>Polygamy and colonialism</h2> This recent cultural shift in Western nations has raised difficult questions for Catholics, both clergy and laity. In some non-Western countries, however, it is <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-catholic-church-is-increasingly-diverse-and-so-are-its-controversies-189038" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an older custom</a> that has become an important issue. The culture of many African countries is supportive of polygamy – more specifically, the <a href="https://catholicherald.co.uk/many-african-catholics-have-more-than-one-wife-what-should-the-church-do/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">practice of allowing men to take more than one wife</a>. While the civil law in some countries might not allow for polygamy, the “<a href="http://www.scielo.org.za/pdf/she/v39n1/14.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">customary law</a>” rooted in traditional practice may still remain in force. In some countries, like Kenya in 2014, <a href="https://cruxnow.com/cns/2018/05/11/some-kenyan-christians-support-polygamy-but-catholic-church-says-no" target="_blank" rel="noopener">civil law has been changed</a> to include an <a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/01/07/pushed-politicians-polygamy-abounds-among-christians-kenya?destination=/faith/2019/01/07/pushed-politicians-polygamy-abounds-among-christians-kenya" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official recognition of polygamous marriage</a>. Some have argued that monogamy is not an organic cultural shift but a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8827617/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">colonial imposition</a> on African cultural traditions. In some areas, Catholic men continue the practice, even those who act on behalf of the church in teaching others about the faith – called catechists. At least one African bishop <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/17354/synod-for-africa-ponders-how-to-tackle-polygamy-meddling-by-foreign-interests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has made an interesting suggestion</a>. The openness to alternative cultural approaches has already resulted in one change. Divorced and remarried Catholics were once forbidden from taking Communion – the bread and wine consecrated at the celebration of the Catholic ritual of the Mass – because the church did not recognize secular divorce. Today, they may <a href="https://www.ncronline.org/vatican-cardinal-amoris-laetitia-allows-some-remarried-take-communion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">receive communion</a> under certain conditions. This flexibility might apply as well to Catholics in non-recognized polygamous unions, who are also <a href="https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/african-bishop-polygamy-homosexuality-divorce-oh-my" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not permitted to receive Communion</a> at present. As Pope Francis wrote in his 2016 document on marriage, <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amoris Laetitia</a>, some matters should be left to local churches to decide based on their own culture and traditions. However, despite the <a href="https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_cti_1988_fede-inculturazione_en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">need for increased awareness of and openness to diverse human cultures</a> stressed during Vatican II and the current synod, this traditional custom is still considered a violation of Catholic teaching. Based on the words of Jesus in the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2019%3A6&version=NRSVACE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gospel of Matthew</a>, Catholic teaching continues to emphasize that marriage can take place only between <a href="https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/catechism/index.cfm?recnum=6219" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one man and one woman as a lifelong commitment</a>. How the current synod on synodality, in its effort to extend the insights of the Second Vatican Council, will deal with questions like these is still unclear. It is now set to run for an additional year, concluding in 2024 instead of 2023. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/catholic-conflicts-on-marriage-continue-even-decades-after-vatican-ii-192808" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Relationships

Homemade snack eaten by the Queen every day for over nine decades

A former royal chef has revealed that Queen Elizabeth II has been eating one particular snack ever since she was first served it as a child in the royal nursery. Darren McGrady worked for the royal family for almost two decades according to The Sun, and has since revealed some of the Queen’s favourite dishes and frequent requests, including one known as Jam Pennies. McGrady described Jam Pennies as a simple sandwich of “bread and jam with a little butter - usually strawberry jam”, and said the Queen has been eating them every day for 91 years. “We’d make the jam at Balmoral Castle with the gorgeous Scottish strawberries from the gardens,” he said. Meanwhile, another former royal chef has said the Queen is partial to a tuna and mayonnaise sandwich, a popular combination among Brits, but with her own twist. Owen Hodgson told the Telegraph that the monarch prefers hers well-buttered with cucumbers and pepper. Aside from sandwiches, McGrady has shared more insights into Her Majesty’s dining habits, including her insistence on having afternoon tea no matter where in the world she happens to be. The chef recalled one particular instance when he flew to Australia and settled aboard a royal yacht at 5am local time, which was five in the afternoon for the Queen - meaning his first task was to make scones. “In terms of scones - one day plain and one day with raisins folded through,” he said of the Queen’s usual afternoon tea spread. “Also, tiny pastries like raspberry tartlets and a cut cake, honey and cream sponge, fruit cake, banana bread, or her favourite chocolate biscuit cake. “It would all be washed down with a delightful steaming hot cup of Earl Grey tea.” Image: Getty Images

Food & Wine

How do human eggs stay dormant and reproductively healthy for decades in the ovaries?

Human eggs form before birth and can remain reproductively viable for up to 50 years before they are fertilised. But how can they remain dormant and healthy in the ovaries for so long? According to a new study published in Nature, the answer lies in their altered metabolic activity – skipping the use of a key protein and enzyme complex (respiratory complex I). To generate energy in their dormant state and avoid creating harmful molecules that can damage DNA and cause cell death, human eggs instead use alternative metabolic pathways never before seen in other animal cell types. “Humans are born with all the supply of egg cells they have in life. As humans are also the longest-lived terrestrial mammal, egg cells have to maintain pristine conditions while avoiding decades of wear-and-tear,” explains lead author Aida Rodriguez-Nuevo, a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Spain. “We show this problem is solved by skipping a fundamental metabolic reaction that is also the main source of damage for the cell. As a long-term maintenance strategy, it’s like putting batteries on standby mode,” she adds. “This represents a brand new paradigm never before seen in animal cells.” <h2>Altered metabolism in oocytes</h2> Human eggs first form in the ovaries during foetal development. During the early stages of maturation, immature egg cells (known as oocytes) are put into cellular arrest and can remain dormant for decades. During this period, the oocyte’s mitochondria – kind of like the batteries of the cell – still generate just enough energy to fulfill the cell’s needs. To investigate how they do this, researchers used a combination of live imaging and proteomic (large-scale study of proteins) and biochemistry techniques to investigate this energy generation in human and Xenopus (aquatic frog) oocytes. Interestingly, they found that the oocytes do not use a fundamental protein, known as complex I, that initiates the reactions that generate energy in the mitochondria of most other cells. In fact, complex I is virtually absent in oocytes. This allows oocytes to avoid creating molecules known as reactive oxygen species (ROS) – molecules containing oxygen that readily react with other chemicals. ROS are normal by-products of cellular metabolism but are harmful when they accumulate, damaging the normal function of DNA, proteins, and other cellular components, and eventually causing cell death. They are also associated with lower rates of fertilisation and embryo survival. Live imaging showed that neither Xenopus nor human early oocytes showed any detectable ROS signal. <h2>Implications for preserving ovarian reserves</h2> According to the authors of the study, this finding explains why some individuals with mitochondrial conditions linked to complex I don’t experience reduced fertility, compared to those with conditions affecting other mitochondrial respiratory complexes. This finding could also lead to new strategies to help preserve the human egg cell reserves of patients undergoing cancer treatment. “Complex I inhibitors have previously been proposed as a cancer treatment. If these inhibitors show promise in future studies, they could potentially target cancerous cells while sparing oocytes,” explains senior author Dr Elvan Böke, group leader in the Cell & Developmental Biology program at the CRG. The team plan to continue this research to discover the exact energy source that human egg cells use instead of complex I. “One in four cases of female infertility are unexplained – pointing to a huge gap of knowledge in our understanding of female reproduction. Our ambition is to discover the strategies (such as the lack of complex I) oocytes employ to stay healthy for many years in order to find out why these strategies eventually fail with advanced age,” concludes Böke. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/human-eggs-oocytes-dormant-metabolism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Imma Perfetto. Image: Shutterstock

Body

Janet Jackson debunks decades-old rumour

Janet Jackson has debunked rumours that she had a secret child with James DeBarge in the 1980s in a preview clip for her upcoming documentary, Janet. The rumour that the 55-year-old singer, who has a 4-year-old son Eissa with ex-husband Wissam Al Amana, had a secret child in the 1980s has followed her for years, and the performer and member of the legendary Jackson family has finally put it to bed. Allegedly, Jackson had a child with then-husband James DeBarge, but gave it to her brother Jackie to raise. In addition, there were rumours that her nieces Brandy and Stevanna were actually her daughters because they look like her. In a clip from the documentary, Janet said, "Back in the day they were saying that I had a child and I kept it secret. I could never keep a child away from James. How could I keep a child from their father? I could never do that, that's not right." Jackson believes the rumours stemmed from her weight gain as a result of taking birth control pills while filming the TV show Fame, saying, "A lot of the kids thought I was pregnant, 'cause I had gained weight, and I had started taking birth control pills. And back then, you could pick up weight taking them, and that's what happened to me. So that rumour started going around." Jackson was just 18 when she married DeBarge in 1984, and though he was a “sweet guy”, she blamed his drug use for their marriage being annulled after just one year. SHe said of their wedding night, “When we got married and came back to the hotel he said, 'OK, I'll be right back. And I'm sitting in the hotel room in Grand Rapids, Michigan by myself, just 18, and for three hours, he never came back. “I don't know, maybe it's this person in me that wants to help people subconsciously. When it comes to relationships, somehow I'm attracted to people that use drugs." Jackson described spending many nights searching the streets for DeBarge and trying to help by flushing his pills, but ultimately, she couldn’t give him the help he needed. In the documentary, she opens up, saying, "We would be rolling on the floor fighting for them. And that's not a life for anyone. I sit and I say, 'Were you stupid, were you dumb?' But it wasn't that. I cared so much for him, and I saw the good in him as well and I just wanted that to take precedence as opposed to this ugliness. 'Cause I knew that he needed help. But I wasn't the help that he needed. "I was just incredibly innocent. That's the thing, is the innocence. And it's just hurtful for someone to see that and just try to take advantage of it ... It's still painful." Image: Gabriel Olsen/FilmMagic

Family & Pets

Delicious and easy decadent double chocolate mousse cake

Image: Instagram The delicious. team have released a new range of baking mixes including Double Choc Mousse Cake, Cookies & Cream Cake, Salted Choc-Chip Cookie Pie and Upside Down Golden Syrup Banana Cake. For all the information about the new range of delicious. cake mixes you can visit <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.delicious.com.au/bakingrange" target="_blank" class="css-1h8ruiq-StyledTextLink ezegcyi0" data-link-type="article-inline">delicious.com.au/bakingrange</a> DOUBLE CHOC MOUSSE CAKE WITH WHIPPED VANILLA MASCARPONE AND COFFEE SYRUP Serves: 12 INGREDIENTS DOUBLE CHOC MOUSSE CAKE BASE RECIPE 1 x packet delicious. double choc mousse baking mix 80g unsalted butter, melted 2 large eggs 2 1/3 cups (580ml) cold full cream milk 150ml cold thickened cream CHOCOLATE SHARDS 100g dark chocolate, chopped WHIPPED VANILLA MASCARPONE 1/2 cup (125g) mascarpone 1/2 cup (80g) pure icing sugar, sifted 2 tsp vanilla bean paste 1 1/2 cup (375ml) thickened cream COFFEE SYRUP 3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar 3/4 cup (180ml) strong coffee 1 tsp vanilla bean paste METHOD 1. Prepare the double choc mousse cake base recipe according to packet instructions. Set aside. 2. Place the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a small saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until melted, then remove from heat. Pour the chocolate over a large sheet of baking paper and, using a spatula, spread until very thin. Place another sheet of baking paper over the top and flatten. Starting at the short end of the paper, roll into a cylinder. Place in the fridge to set for 30 minutes or until cold and set. Unroll by pulling the two sheets of paper apart to create chocolate shards. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 3. Meanwhile, for the coffee syrup, place sugar, coffee and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 7-8 minutes until reduced and slightly syrupy. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. 4. For the vanilla mascarpone, place mascarpone, icing sugar, vanilla and cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk until firm peaks begin to form. 5. To serve, remove mousse cake from the pan and place on a serving plate. Top with the vanilla mascarpone and drizzle over the cooled coffee syrup. Top with chocolate shards and serve immediately.

Food & Wine

Apple’s iPod came out two decades ago and changed how we listen to music. Where are we headed now?

On October 23, 2001, Apple released the iPod — a portable media player that promised to overshadow the clunky design and low storage capacity of MP3 players introduced in the mid-1990s. The iPod boasted the ability to “hold 1,000 songs in your pocket”. Its personalised listening format revolutionised the way we consume music. And with more than 400 million units <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/rise-and-fall-apple-ipod-2020-1?r=US&IR=T">sold since its release</a>, there’s no doubt it was a success. Yet, two decades later, the digital music landscape continues to rapidly evolve. <h2>A market success</h2> The iPod expanded listening beyond the constraints of the home stereo system, allowing the user to plug into not only their headphones, but also their car radio, their computer at work, or their hi-fi system at home. It made it easier to entwine these disparate spaces into a single personalised soundtrack throughout the day. There were several preconditions that led to the iPod’s success. For one, it contributed to the end of an era in which people listened to relatively fixed music collections, such as mixtapes, or albums in their running order. The iPod (and MP3 players more generally) normalised having random collections of individual tracks. Then during the 1990s, an MP3 encoding algorithm <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=pGhIDQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA445&dq=mp3+fraunhofer&ots=AMSYOhB5UQ&sig=CrnewI4eSiOiWQgMiuiTO8NFRYs&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=mp3%20fraunhofer&f=false">developed</a> at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany allowed unprecedented audio data compression ratios. In simple terms, this made music files much smaller than before, hugely increasing the quantity of music that could be stored on a device. Then came peer-to-peer file-sharing services <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/may/31/napster-twenty-years-music-revolution">such as Napster</a>, Limewire and BitTorrent, released in 1999, 2000 and 2001, respectively. These furthered the democratisation of the internet for the end user (with Napster <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/may/31/napster-twenty-years-music-revolution">garnering 80 million users</a> in three years). The result was a fast-changing digital landscape where music piracy ran rife. The accessibility of music significantly changed the relationship between listener and musician. In 2003, Apple responded to the music piracy crisis by launching its iTunes store, creating an <a href="https://digitalguardian.com/blog/what-digital-rights-management">attractive model</a> for copyright-protected content. Meanwhile, the iPod continued to sell, year after year. It was designed to do one thing, and did it well. But this would change around 2007 with the release of the touchscreen <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2604020/the-evolution-of-apples-iphone.html">iPhone</a> and <a href="https://www.androidauthority.com/history-android-os-name-789433/">Android</a> smartphones. <h2>Computer in your pocket</h2> The rise of touchscreen smartphones ultimately led to the iPod’s downfall. Interestingly, the music app on the original iPhone was called “iPod”. The iPod’s functions were essentially reappropriated and absorbed into the iPhone. The iPhone was a flexible and multifunctional device: an iPod, a phone and an internet communicator all in one — a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jun/29/my-electronic-swiss-army-knife-readers-on-10-years-of-the-iphone">computer in your pocket</a>. And by making the development tools for their products freely available, Apple and Google allowed third-party developers to create apps for their new platforms in the thousands. It was a game-changer for the mobile industry. And the future line of tablets, such as Apple’s iPad released in 2010, continued this trend. In 2011, iPhone sales <a href="https://www.macstories.net/news/apple-q4-2011-results-28-27-billion-revenue-17-07-million-iphones-11-12-million-ipads-4-89-million-macs-sold/">overtook the iPod</a>, and in 2014 the iPod Classic was <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019-09-14-this-week-in-tech-history-apple-ipod-classic-discontinued.html">discontinued</a>. Unlike the Apple Watch, which serves as a companion to smartphones, single-purpose devices such as the iPod Classic are now seen as antiquated and obsolete. <h2>Music streaming and the role of the web</h2> As of this year, mobile devices are responsible for <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/277125/share-of-website-traffic-coming-from-mobile-devices/">54.8% of web traffic worldwide</a>. And while music piracy still exists, its influence has been significantly reduced by the arrival of streaming services such as Spotify and YouTube. These platforms have had a profound effect on how we engage with music as active and passive listeners. Spotify supports an online community-based approach to music sharing, with curated playlists. Based on our listening habits, it uses our activity data and a range of machine-learning <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/2959100.2959120">techniques</a> to generate automatic recommendations for us. Both Spotify and YouTube have also embraced <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/19/15833880/spotify-sponsored-songs-playlists-test">sponsored content</a>, which boosts the visibility of certain labels and artists. And while we may want to bypass popular music recommendations — especially to support new generations of musicians who lack visibility — the reality is we’re faced with a quantity of music we can’t possibly contend with. As of February this year, more than 60,000 tracks were <a href="https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/over-60000-tracks-are-now-uploaded-to-spotify-daily-thats-nearly-one-per-second/">being uploaded</a> to Spotify each day. <h2>What’s next?</h2> The experience of listening to music will become increasingly immersive with time, and we’ll only find more ways to seamlessly integrate it into our lives. Some signs of this include: <ul> <li> Gen Z’s growing obsession with platforms such as TikTok, which is a huge promotional tool for artists lucky enough to have their track attached to a viral trend </li> <li> new interactive tools for music exploration, such as <a href="http://radio.garden/visit/perth/cKenL5sw">Radio Garden</a> (which lets you tune into radio stations from across the globe), the <a href="https://eternalbox.dev/jukebox_index.html">Eternal Jukebox for Spotify</a> and <a href="https://github.com/ShunSawada/Music-information-processing/issues/28which">Instrudive</a> </li> <li> the use of wearables, such as <a href="https://www.bose.com.au/en_au/products/frames.html">Bose’s audio sunglasses</a> and bone-conduction headphones, which allow you to listen to music while interacting with the world rather than being closed off, and </li> <li> the surge in <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/legalentertainment/2021/02/09/the-future-of-live-events-ar-vr-and-advertising/?sh=412c20c42b65">virtual music performances</a> during the COVID pandemic, which suggests virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality will become increasingly accepted as spaces for experiencing music performances. </li> </ul> The industry is also increasingly adopting immersive audio. Apple has incorporated Dolby Atmos 3D spatial audio into both its Logic Pro music production software and music on the iTunes store. With spatial audio capabilities, the listener can experience surround sound with the convenience of portable headphones. As for algorithms, we can assume more sophisticated machine learning will emerge. In the future, it may recommend music based on our feelings. For example, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1071581918301654">MoodPlay</a> is a music recommendation system that lets users explore music through mood-based filtering. Some advanced listening devices even adapt to our physiology. The Australian-designed <a href="https://www.nuraphone.com/">Nura headphones</a> can pick up information about how a specific listener’s ears respond to different sound frequencies. They purport to automatically adjust the sound to perfectly suit that listener. Such technologies are taking “personalised listening” to a whole new level, and advances in this space are set to continue. If the digital music landscape has changed so rapidly within the past 20 years, we can only assume it will continue to change over the next two decades, too. Image credits: Shutterstock This article first appeared on <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/apples-ipod-came-out-two-decades-ago-and-changed-how-we-listen-to-music-where-are-we-headed-now-169272" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Music

Diana’s car up for sale after decades in hiding

The Princess of Wales’ old car, given as an engagement gift from Prince Charles, will soon be sold after being kept in hiding for 20 years. The anonymous owner says she bought the vehicle because she is a “big fan” of Diana, and kept the 1981 Ford Escort Ghia Saloon as a second car, only driving it around her local town for years. The woman also says she refused to tell locals and neighbours who the vehicle originally belonged to. A car given to Princess Diana as an engagement present from Prince Charles will soon be sold at auction after its origins were kept secret for 20 years. Prince Charles gifted the car to his future bride in May 1981, and Diana drove it around until August 1982. It is expected to fetch between $54,000 - $73,000 when it goes under the hammer at the Reeman Dansie's Royalty, Antiques and Fine Art Sale in Essex on June 29. The car still holds its original registration WEV 297W, 83,000 miles (133,575 kilometres) on the clock and has meticulously retained its original paintwork and upholstery. A silver frog mascot given as a gift to the Princess of Wales by her sister, Lady Sarah Spencer still sits on the hood of the car, but is sadly just a replica. It was reportedly meant to represent the fairy tale of the girl who kisses a frog that later turns into a prince. Diana chose to keep the original frog when she sold the car. The woman who currently owns the car bought it for $10,000 in 1995 by an antiques dealer as a birthday present for his daughter, before it was passed on to the Diana-crazed fan. "Of course I knew when I bought it that it once belonged to Princess Diana, that is why I wanted it," the woman said to The Sun. "I was a big fan of hers. "I have driven it around as a second car ever since. A lot of people ask me why I had it and I used to tell them that it was my first car I passed my test in and that I was attached to it. "I felt that its history and provenance were so unique and I didn't want many people knowing."

Money & Banking

The Ocean Decade: how the next ten years can chart a new course for the blue planet

When birdsong was filling the muted days of the first lockdown, marine scientists were noticing something similar in the world’s oceans. Container vessels, cruise ships and drilling platforms had fallen silent, and so the oceans grew quieter than at any other time in recent memory. Researchers are trying to understand how the lull affected ocean life, but there are already stories of whales seizing the chance to sing and dolphins venturing into coastal areas they’d avoided for decades. The year of the quiet ocean is over, and noise pollution is roaring back to pre-pandemic levels, drowning out the sounds that marine species depend on to communicate and make sense of their surroundings. Sadly, that’s just one problem among many. The UN has declared that the next ten years will be <a href="https://www.oceandecade.org/">the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development</a>, recognising the enormous challenges facing our blue planet. The Conversation has been keeping an eye on some of these as part of our <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/oceans-21-96784">Oceans 21 series</a>. Already, we’ve heard from experts about how chemical pollution in the ocean <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-ocean-pollution-is-a-clear-danger-to-human-health-152641">threatens human health</a>, how the ocean economy is dominated by <a href="https://theconversation.com/blue-economy-how-a-handful-of-companies-reap-most-of-the-benefits-in-multi-billion-ocean-industries-153165">a handful of mega-rich corporations</a> and why global warming is <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-ocean-is-becoming-more-stable-heres-why-that-might-not-be-a-good-thing-157911">making the ocean more stable</a> – with surprisingly worrying results. But we’ve also heard informed reasons for hope. From the geographer studying <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-hopeful-return-of-polar-whales-151487">the recovery of polar whale populations</a> and the team of physicists learning how to track the journey of <a href="https://theconversation.com/where-does-plastic-pollution-go-when-it-enters-the-ocean-155182">each plastic particle</a> when it reaches the shoreline, to the anthropologist documenting the role that <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-scottish-gaelic-is-helping-protect-scotlands-seas-155660">Scottish Gaelic plays in conservation</a> in Outer Hebridean fisheries.

Cruising

Lost Italian village emerges after decades under water

A "lost" village has emerged from an Italian lake after 71 years under water. Curon is a village in north Italy that was purposefully drowned in 1950 to become a reservoir for a hydro-electric plant. The reservoir is known as Lake Resia and usually the only sign of the 163 lost homes beneath it is a 14th-Century church tower that protrudes above the surface. Temporary draining at the lake has revealed the former alpine village, which was flooded despite protests from residents. It was flooded when a dam was built to merge two natural lakes and create the local hydro-electric plant. Lake Resia quickly became a tourist attraction due to the scary abandoned church tower sticking up in the middle. <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/CO9-7DYpRYx/?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/CO9-7DYpRYx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Luisa A. 🇮🇹 (@luisa2506)</a> </div> </blockquote> Around 1000 people were displaced when the village was purposefully flooded in 1950. Around 400 of those created a new village close by while the rest are said to have moved away. The past has been brought to life once again as repairs at the site have revealed quite eerie remains. Tourists and locals have been able to walk over the site and that’s resulted in some cool photography. Some great examples can be seen on Instagram account luisa2506 which shows some spooky buildings and rubble. The Instagram belongs to a local called Luisa Azzolini who has also been tweeting the amazing images.

International Travel

Princess Diana's wedding gown to be displayed for the first time in decades

Princess Diana fans will get the chance to see her iconic wedding dress in real life 40 years after she wore it down the aisle thanks to a new fashion exhibition opening at Kensington Palace this summer. Historic Royal Palaces curators made an announcement on Monday that Prince William and Prince Harry have given their permission to their late mother's gown included as the centrepiece of a new temporary exhibition called Royal Style in the Making opening on June 3 in the Orangery of Kensington Palace. This is the first time the gown will be on display since the Princess was in residence. The show will shed light on the relationship between designers and their royal clientele throughout the years. Other items included in the exhibition will be never-before-seen historical pieces such as a rare surviving toile for the 1937 coronation gown of the Queen Mother. “Our summer exhibition at Kensington Palace will shine a spotlight on some of the greatest talents of British design, whose work has been instrumental in shaping the visual identity of the royal family across the twentieth century,” Matthew Storey, the exhibition curator at Historic Royal Palaces, said in a statement. “We'll be exploring how the partnership between each designer and client worked, and revealing the process behind the creation of a number of the most important couture commissions in royal history. While one of the highlights will undoubtedly be Diana, Princess of Wales's show-stopping Emanuel designed wedding dress, which goes on show at the palace for the first time in 25 years – we've got some real surprises up our sleeve for fashion fans!” One of the designers behind Princess Diana's gown, Elizabeth Emanuel, told <a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/royals/princess-dianas-iconic-wedding-dress-to-be-displayed-at-kensington-palace-in-new-royal-style-exhibit/" target="_blank">People</a> that getting to visit her creation at the exhibition, “will be like seeing an old friend after all these years. I was looking at the images again today and I can't believe how many sequins we sewed onto the dress. This is going to be a wonderful exhibition.” The wedding dress came complete with the longest train in royal history measuring at 25 feet and covered in sequins. The exhibition will also kick off a number of commemorative events in honour of what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday.

Beauty & Style

He's back! Billion-dollar actor returns to the big screen after two decades

After a decades-long hiatus, Rick Moranis will be returning to acting for the live-action version of the Disney classic "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids". Moranis became one of the most in-demand comic actors of the 1980s and 1990s after blowing up on the Canadian sketch series SCTV. He went on to star in 1984’s “Ghostbusters” and its 1989 sequel, Mel Brooks’ 1987 “Star Wars” spoof “Spaceballs,” the 1978 cinematic version of the stage musical "Little Shop of Horrors", Ron Howard’s 1989 ensemble dramedy “Parenthood,” and the 1994 live-action “The Flintstones” remake. <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/B8fb5xdHrrJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/B8fb5xdHrrJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by E! News (@enews)</a> on Feb 12, 2020 at 7:00pm PST </div> </blockquote> Altogether, his films have earned an incredible $1 billion at the domestic box office, not adjusting for inflation. Since 1997, however, Moranis has worked sporadically, doing voice-over work (2003’s “Brother Bear,” a 2018 episode of “The Goldbergs”) as well as a couple comedy albums, after stepping away from acting to raise his children in the wake of his wife’s death from cancer. In this, his triumphant return, the sequel to the 1989 blockbuster "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" will see Moranis return to his role as Wayne Szalinski - the bizarre and quirky scientist who accidentally shrunk his children, along with his neighbour's kids, then went on to accidentally make his toddler enormous in 1992’s "Honey, I Blew Up the Kid". He eventually came back in 1997 for the sequel "Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves!" – one of Moranis’ last major works on camera. In the new movie, "Shrunk", Josh Gad will play Szalinski’s son, who will go on to unsurprisingly shrink his family. The original director, Joe Johnston, is returning to make the sequel, with Todd Rosenberg writing the script.

Movies

4 inventions that have changed the world in the last decade

When we think about major inventions, most of us jump right to things like the telephone or electricity. And sure, those completely changed the world, but new products and services are being launched every year that also have major impacts. The past decade has seen a significant-tech boom and an increase in products featuring smart technology. Here are some of the most important and influential inventions since 2010. 1. Apple iPad Given the ubiquity of Apple iPads – especially where kids in restaurants are concerned – it’s hard to believe that they’ve only been around since 2010. This tablet computer is a hybrid of a smartphone and laptop, providing a larger touchscreen interface that is used to control the device. “It’s a tech innovation that without a doubt changed our lives during this decade,” Mike Satter, interim president at OceanTech and president at WipeOS tells Reader’s Digest. “The iPad completely changed our lives with a cross between having a mobile device that could be used for personal downtime to a hard-working machine that essentially replaced the business workhorse laptop computer. If you look around today you will notice children, coworkers, friends, family and/or a stranger next to you on a plane that depends on their iPad to help them through the day.” 2. Air fryers Fried food is delicious, but unfortunately, it’s not very healthy. That’s what makes the invention of the air fryer such a food game-changer. The first air fryer as we know it hit the market in 2010 when Philips introduced what it coined “Rapid Air Technology.” The idea behind the device is to achieve the same crispiness as frying food in oil, but using extremely fast-moving air instead. The air fryer really started appearing on kitchen counters across the country when Oprah named it one of her “Favourite Things” in 2016. Though the food cooked in an air fryer doesn’t taste exactly like it would from a fast food shop, it is a decent option for those looking to eat healthier. 3. Squatty Potty Though we have become accustomed to sitting on a toilet when doing our business, many places around the world squat over a latrine on the ground. And when Bobby Edwards’ mother became chronically constipated, her doctor suggested that she try using a footstool to raise her knees while she sat on the toilet. She tried it and it worked wonders, and in 2011, the Squatty Potty was born. This seemingly simple plastic stool that is stored at the base of a toilet has made Edwards and her family multimillionaires. Though sales were initially slow – $17,000 in 2011 – they hit $19 million in 2016 and continued to rise from there. Not only has the Squatty Potty changed the way many people use the toilet, it has also helped spark a wider conversation about digestive health and bathroom habits. 4. Smart speakers Though different forms of voice recognition software and devices have been around since the 1970s, it wasn’t until the 2010s that the technology truly entered our homes. Well, first it came to our phones, when Apple introduced Siri, an electronic assistant, as a regular feature on iPhones in 2010. At that point, people got used to pressing a button on their phone and asking a faceless woman all sorts of questions. Though Siri felt (and was) futuristic, the trend really took off with the invention of smart speakers, which had the ability to answer the same kinds of questions as Siri but also control certain elements of your home, like lighting and heating. The most common smart speaker – Amazon’s Alexa – launched in 2014, and was soon followed by Google Assistant. Today, 66.4 million people — or 26.2 percent of the U.S. adult population—have a smart speaker in their home. Of course, with this technology came a new set of ethical issues regarding companies being able to listen in to your home and what happens to all the data this device collects. Source: <a href="https://www.rd.com/culture/inventions-that-changed-the-world-in-the-last-decade/">RD.com</a> Written by Elizabeth Yuko. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/18-inventions-that-have-changed-the-world-in-the-last-decade">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>

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