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“Absolutely livid”: Woman discovers she’s been fired via text on her wedding day

A woman has recalled the moment she discovered she had lost her job after her boss delivered the news via text on the woman’s wedding day. The bride shared that she got the message from her boss just 30 minutes after she walked down the aisle. The woman shared the story with Ben Askins, who regularly shares stories online of toxic employers, as she read out the messages she received on what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. “On my wedding day, half an hour after the ceremony, I got a text from my boss to let me know I had been fired,” she said. The message from her boss read, “Hey, I hope your wedding went well and that you had a nice time away. I just wanted to let you know that the decision has been made to unfortunately let you go.” “An email has been sent to your personal email address detailing this. I'm really sorry that it didn't work out and wish you all the best moving forward x.” As she was surrounded by loved ones, the bride struggled to contain her emotions as she quickly checked her emails. “I hope your wedding went well and you had a good time. This email is to inform you that your employment will be terminated effective the 20th of May,” the email read. “Your employment has been terminated as we unfortunately feel your performance doesn't meet the expectations that we require for the role.” The woman explained how she felt her manager's email was a “coward's way” of letting her go while she wasn't at work, and was unable to defend herself. “I wasn't going to let it go but what they did... I was really angry at them,” she said. “They had the opportunity to do it in person. Everyone was let go in person except for me.” Askins said the woman’s story was one of the “worst things” he's ever heard a boss do to an employee. “It's meant to be one of the best, most amazing days ever and they've done that to you,” he told the woman. “You have every right to be absolutely livid with them.” Askins' video of the woman’s story has been viewed more than 600,000 times, with many taking particular issue on the bride's boss for being “petty” and “inappropriate”. “This person could have waited a day. It's done on purpose to ruin your special day. Only narcissists would do that,” one said. Another added, “The fact that she texted her to let her know about the email is so petty. She wanted her to know on her wedding day.” Image credits: Shutterstock

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Discover the joys of hassle-free travel on a guided holiday

Planning a holiday can sometimes feel like a full-time job. Between researching destinations, booking hotels, figuring out transportation and planning activities, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But what if you could skip all that hassle and just focus on enjoying your trip? AAT Kings’ guided holidays are the perfect solution for those who want to explore and experience without the stress. And with more than 100 years of experience in the touring industry – plus incredible savings of up to 15%* on selected 2025 trips – here’s why choosing an AAT Kings guided holiday beats going it alone every time. <h2>Stay in style and comfort</h2> One of the biggest perks of traveling with AAT Kings is the carefully chosen quality hotels. Say goodbye to hours of research and the anxiety of booking a hotel in an unknown location. With AAT Kings, you’ll stay in centrally located accommodations, ensuring you’re never far from the action. Plus, porterage and hotel tips are included, meaning you don’t have to worry about handling your bags or fumbling for change. <h2>Sightseeing made easy</h2> <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-51336" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/08/1089674-134-Tourism-Australia_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Forget about the confusion of guidebooks and the frustration of not knowing what you’re looking at. With AAT Kings, you get knowledgeable and friendly Travel Directors who offer in-depth sightseeing with local guides to help you gain access to unique cultural experiences. Enjoy VIP entry into a host of attractions, bypassing those lengthy queues. You’ll gain a richer understanding of the sights you see, all while enjoying a seamless experience. <h2>Delicious meals, zero hassle</h2> Food is a huge part of any travel experience, and AAT Kings ensures you get the best of local cuisine without the guesswork. Enjoy breakfast daily and some lunches and dinners included in your tour. Authentic experiences, welcome receptions and farewell dinners are all part of the package. Quality local cuisine, tips included, and help with reservations and directions to where the locals eat – it’s all taken care of. No more worrying about navigating unfamiliar menus or the risk of poor quality. <h2>Travel in comfort and style</h2> <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-51335" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/08/AAT-Kings-Coach_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Transportation logistics can be a nightmare when travelling independently. With AAT Kings, you can sit back and relax as you’re chauffeured around in luxury coaches or small vehicles by professional drivers. Daily transportation is included, along with fuel, toll charges and parking. There’s no risk of getting lost or dealing with unfamiliar road rules – just relax and enjoy the ride. <h2>Exclusive experiences you won’t forget</h2> Perhaps the most exciting part of AAT Kings’ guided holidays are the exclusive experiences on offer. From “Be My Guest” dining events on select itineraries to hidden sightseeing gems and immersive cultural experiences, you’ll enjoy unique activities that aren’t easily accessible to independent travellers. With local guides and experts, you’ll gain insights and experiences that make your trip truly special. So, if you’re looking for breathtaking landscapes, adventure, relaxation and unique cultural experiences all expertly curated with every detail taken care of, AAT Kings has you covered. Especially when it comes to our Top Three Favourite Aussie Tours from their amazing 2025 line-up of guided holidays! <h2>Top Tour No1: Outback Adventure</h2> <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-51360" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/08/Field-of-Light-141512-56-Credit-Tourism-NT-Ray-Reyes_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> This 15-day journey through Australia’s iconic outback offers an immersive experience into the heart of Australia’s stunning natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. From the vibrant cityscapes of Adelaide and Alice Springs to the breathtaking landscapes of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon, each day promises unforgettable moments. Engage with Indigenous culture, marvel at ancient rock formations and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow travellers on this amazing tour that combines comfort with adventure, ensuring an enriching and exhilarating outback experience. Including a specialist team of an experienced Travel Director and Driver, both accredited with Uluru and Kakadu National Parks, you’ll enjoy stays in centrally located premium hotels and benefit from included National Park entrance fees, as well as arrival and departure transfers. Culinary delights include 14 full breakfasts, eight dinners with wine, a special “Be My Guest” dinner, as well as a farewell dinner! Additionally, the tour covers two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Kakadu National Parks. Travel Period: April 01, 2025 to March 31, 2026. More info: <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/tours/outback-adventure/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.aatkings.com/tours/outback-adventure/</a> <h2>Top Tour No2: Tasmanian Wonders</h2> <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-51337" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/08/cradle-mountain-129507-56-Credit-Pierre-Destribats_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> This 10-day adventure across the stunning island of Tasmania promises a blend of breathtaking landscapes, rich history and unique wildlife encounters. From the bustling streets of Hobart to the serene wilderness of Cradle Mountain and the pristine beaches of Freycinet National Park, every moment is designed to captivate and inspire. The Tasmanian Wonders Tour includes experienced guides for a seamless and informative journey; visits to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Tasmanian Wilderness and Port Arthur; centrally located premium hotels for comfort and convenience; plus nine full breakfasts, one lunch and six dinners with wine, allowing you to savour the wonderful local flavours and cuisine. Highlights of the tour include visits to iconic destinations such as Salamanca Place, Gordon River, Wineglass Bay and the charming towns of Launceston and Strahan. All National Park entrance fees as well as arrival and departure transfers are taken care of, leaving you to relax and concentrate on engaging with the rich cultural heritage, indulging in fresh local produce, and marvelling at the diverse wildlife – including the famous Tasmanian Devil! Travel Period: April 01, 2025 to March 31, 2026. More info: <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/tours/tasmanian-wonders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.aatkings.com/tours/tasmanian-wonders/</a> <h2>Top Tour No3: Wonders of the Kimberley</h2> <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-51338" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/08/Ord-River-125532-56-Credit-Tourism-Australia_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> This 11-day adventure through one of Australia’s most remote and captivating regions is a true feast for the senses, blending breathtaking natural landscapes with rich cultural heritage and unique wildlife encounters. Highlights include a visit to the historic pearling town of Broome with its stunning Cable Beach sunsets and vibrant multicultural atmosphere; Fitzroy Crossing and the geological wonders of Geikie Gorge and its ancient rock formations; the fascinating gold rush history of Halls Creek; Purnululu National Park and the striking beehive-shaped rocks of the Bungle Bungle Range; the tranquil beauty of Emma Gorge; the towering cliffs and crystal-clear pools of the El Questro Wilderness Park and so much more. Gain deep insights into Indigenous culture with a visit to the Mimbi Caves, guided by local Gooniyandi people. Experience the rich storytelling and traditional knowledge shared by Aboriginal guides, offering a profound connection to the land and its history. Cruise the stunning waterways of the Ord River and Lake Argyle, keeping an eye out for local wildlife. All this and more will be part of your Kimberley adventure, guided by a highly experienced Travel Director and Driver. Again, as is the AAT Kings way, you’ll stay in centrally located premium hotels and unique lodges while enjoying ten full breakfasts, two lunches and eight dinners with wine, including a special farewell dinner to celebrate your adventure. All National Park entrance fees, arrival and departure transfers, and unforgettable excursions are included. Travel Period: April 01, 2025 to March 31, 2026. More info: <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/tours/wonders-of-the-kimberley/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.aatkings.com/tours/wonders-of-the-kimberley/</a> So what are you waiting for? Choosing an AAT Kings guided holiday clearly means more than just convenience – it means enjoying a richer, more immersive travel experience. It means saying goodbye to the stress and uncertainty of independent travel and hello to the joy of exploring with expert guidance and premium amenities. Pack your bags, leave the planning to AAT Kings, and get ready for the holiday of a lifetime! For more information on how you can save up to $7,900* per couple on selected Australia and New Zealand tours when you book and pay before 30 Sept, 2024*, visit <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.aatkings.com/</a> *Terms & Conditions: Save up to 15% + 5% on selected AAT Kings tours <ul> <li>Destinations include: South Australia, Northern Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia.</li> <li>For travel: Selected dates 01Apr2025-31Mar2026</li> <li>On sale: Until 30Sep2024</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Terms and conditions: Maximum saving of $7,900 NZD is the total discounted amount, per couple, twin share on the Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour (now from $16,662 NZD per person, twin share) and Untamed Kimberley & West Coast tour (now from $16,662 NZD per person, twin share). Save up to 15% on selected tours, on land only AAT Kings operated Guided Holidays (First Choice and Best Buys tours). Discount applicable to tour portion only. Sale valid until Jan 15, 2025, on select travel departures from Apr 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2026. Combinable with NEWSAVE5 and Global Tour Rewards (excludes all other promotions). Blackout departure dates may apply. NEWSAVE5 - Save an additional 5% on all Guided AAT Kings tours and Inspiring Journeys itineraries when you book and pay by Sep 30, 2024. Offer valid for sale between Jul 12, 2024 – Sep 30, 2024, for select travel departures from Apr 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2026. Combinable with New Season Sale and Global Tour Rewards (excludes all other promotions). Please quote NEWSAVE5 at the time of booking. The above deals are for new bookings only. All discounts are subject to availability at the time of booking, with limited seats available. All offers may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Other standard booking conditions apply. For deposit information see booking <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/about-us/booking-conditions/">conditions here</a>. Contact your travel agent or speak to our experts for more details. Conditions are correct as of July 8, 2024.</li> <li>Highest dollar amount saving per state: TAS $4,140. WA $7,900. NT $4,480. SA $3,000.</li> </ul> All Images: AAT Kings. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with AAT Kings.

Travel Tips

New York City mocked for only just discovering wheelie bins

New York City has been trolled online after discovering wheelie bins for the first time. In order to tackle the "trash revolution", the mayor of NYC Eric Adams announced that wheelie bins will be introduced city wide, instead of the current system which is just leaving rubbish bags on the street. Despite the introduction of wheelie bins being a great solution for the city's trash and rodent problem, many were shocked to learn that the receptacles don't already exist there. Introducing the roll out, Mayor Adams began his press conference rolling in a bin and proudly demonstrating how to use it before celebrating with colleagues. He said “many people thought it was impossible” that these wheelie bins were going to be part of the city’s “trash revolution”. “We all have one unified dislike, and those are those pesky New York City rats,” Mr Adams said. “They’re getting more and more bold. They no longer run from you. They just hang out and just do what they want. We want to make sure we change that in a real way.” NYC department of sanitation commissioner Jessica Tisch described the official NYC bin as a “beautiful, rat-fighting piece of engineering” to conquer the estimated three million rats that dominate the streets. The wheelie bin announcement, which was intended to impress New Yorkers, has also gone global – with Europeans and Australians baffled by concept of wheelie bins being new. “Oh my word! Are they seriously showing their constituents how to use a trash can?” wrote one person. “Huh, they don’t have wheelie bins? What century do they live in?” said a second. “How the hell is this revolutionary??” agreed another. “So they finally figured out putting your trash in piles on the sidewalk is not a good idea,” mocked someone else. Image credits: X (Twitter)

Home & Garden

Best cities to discover on foot revealed

When it comes to travelling and exploring new places, there is no better way to experience everything a new city has to offer than just by walking around. By keeping on your feet rather than using public transport, you get the chance to explore more hidden corners of your destination and truly soak up the new culture, all while getting your steps in. That being said, there are definitely some cities that are easier to traverse on foot than others. But now, one company has put in the hard work to determine the 100 best cities around the world for travellers who want to walk their way to new experiences. <a href="https://www.guruwalk.com/">GuruWalk</a>, a company that offers free walking tours worldwide, has compiled the list based on booking and search data for 800 cities across 120 countries. In terms of countries as a whole, Spain topped the list with 28 cities appearing in the top 100, while Rome, Italy took out the top spot for most walkable city. Rome’s walkability is largely due to the location of the tourist hotspots, with the world-class attractions all located close to each other. GuruWalk comments, “The sheer number of monuments it hosts sometimes causes tourists to not even know where to start.” “So it’s not surprising that Rome hosts more guided tours than any other place.” Check out the entire top ten list below. 10. Porto, Portugal 9. London, England 8. Amsterdam, The Netherlands 7. Prague, Czech Republic 6. Lisbon, Portugal 5. Florence, Italy 4. Madrid, Spain 3. Barcelona, Spain 2. Budapest, Hungary 1. Rome, Italy Image credits: Getty Images

International Travel

The art of ‘getting lost’: how re-discovering your city can be an antidote to capitalism

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-dobson-1093706">Stephen Dobson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> Do you remember what it was like to discover the magic of a city for the first time? Do you remember the noises, smells, flashing lights and pulsating crowds? Or do you mostly remember cities through the screen of your phone? In 1967, French philosopher and filmmaker Guy Debord <a href="https://files.libcom.org/files/The%20Society%20of%20the%20Spectacle%20Annotated%20Edition.pdf">publicised the need</a> to move away from living our lives as bystanders continually tempted by the power of images. Today, we might see this in a young person flicking from one TikTok to the next – echoing the hold images have on us. But adults aren’t adverse to this window-shopping experience, either. Debord notes we have a tendency to observe rather than engage. And this is to our detriment. Continually topping-up our image consumption leaves no space for the unplanned – the reveries to break the pattern of an ordered life. Debord was a member of a group called the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Situationist-International">Situationist International</a>, dedicated to new ways we could reflect upon and experience our cities. Active for about 15 years, they believed we should experience our cities as an act of resistance, in direct opposition to the (profit-motivated) capitalistic structures that demand our attention and productivity every waking hour. More than 50 years since the group dissolved, the Situationists’ philosophy points us to a continued need to attune ourselves – through our thoughts and senses – to the world we live in. We might consider them as early eco-warriors. And through better understanding their philosophy, we can develop a new relationship with our cities today. <h2>Understanding the ‘situation’</h2> The Situationist International movement was <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt183p61x">formed</a> in 1957 in Cosio di Arroscia, Italy, and became active in several European countries. It brought together radical artists inspired by spontaneity, experimentalism, intellectualism, protest and hedonism. Central figures included Danish artist <a href="https://museumjorn.dk/en/">Asger Jorn</a>, French novelist <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/author/michele-bernstein-10219/">Michèle Bernstein</a> and Italian musician and composer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Olmo">Walter Olmo</a>. The Situationists were driven by a <a href="https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/34141">libertarian form of Marxism</a> that resisted mass consumerism. One of the group’s early terms was “unitary urbanism”, which sought to join avant-garde art with the critique of mass production and technology. They rejected “urbanism’s” conventional emphasis on function, and instead thought about art and the environment as inexorably interrelated. By rebelling against the invasiveness of consumption, the Situationists proposed a turn towards artistically-inspired individuality and creativity. <h2>Think on your own two feet</h2> According to the 1960 <a href="https://hts3.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/situationist-international-manifesto.pdf">Situationist Manifesto</a> we are all to be artists of our own “situations”, crafting independent identities as we stand on our own two feet. They believed this could be achieved, in part, through “<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/psychogeography#:%7E:text=Psychogeography%20describes%20the%20effect%20of,emotions%20and%20behaviour%20of%20individuals">psychogeography</a>”: the idea that geographical locations exert a unique psychological effect on us. For instance, when you walk down a street, the architecture around you may be deliberately designed to encourage a certain kind of experience. Crossing a vibrant city square on a sunny morning evokes joy and a feeling of connection with others. There’s also usually a public event taking place. The Situationists valued drift, or dérive in French. This alludes to unplanned movement through a landscape during journeys on foot. By drifting aimlessly, we unintentionally redefine the traditional rules imposed by private or public land owners and property developers. We make ourselves open to the new unexpected and, in doing so, are liberated from the shackles of everyday routine. In <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-10-8100-2">our research</a>, my colleagues and I consider cities as places in which “getting lost” means exposing yourself to discovering the new and taken-for-granted. <h2>Forge your own path</h2> By understanding the Situationists – by looking away from our phones and allowing ourselves to get lost – we can rediscover our cities. We can see them for what they are beneath the blankets of posters, billboards and advertisements. How might we take back the image and make it work for us? The practise of geo-tagging images on social media, and sharing our location with others, could be considered close to the spirit of the Situationists. Although it’s often met with claims of <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/when-why-not-to-use-geotagging-overtourism-security">over-fuelling tourism</a> (especially regarding idyllic or otherwise protected sites), geo-tagging could <a href="https://www.melaninbasecamp.com/trip-reports/2019/5/1/five-reasons-why-you-should-keep-geotagging">inspire us</a> to actively seek out new places through visiting the source of an image. This could lead to culturally respectful engagement, and new-found respect for the rights of traditional custodians as we experience their lands in real life, rather than just through images on our phones. Then there are uniquely personal and anarchistic forms of resistance, wherein we can learn about the world around us by interweaving ourselves with our histories. In doing so we offer a new meaning to a historical message, and a new purpose. The Situationists called this process <a href="https://www.theartstory.org/movement/situationist-international/">détournement</a>, or hijacking. For instance, from my grandfather I inherited a biscuit tin of black and white photographs I believe were taken in the 1960s. They showed images of parks and wildlife, perhaps even of the same park, and cityscapes of London with people, streets and buildings. I have spent many hours wandering the London streets tracking down the exact places these images were snapped. I was juxtaposing past with present, and experiencing both continuity and change in the dialogues I had with my grandfather. In this way, I used images to augment (rather than replace) my lived experience of the material world. Urban art installations can also be examples of detournment as they make us re-think everyday conceptions. <a href="https://www.cityartsydney.com.au/artwork/forgotten-songs/">Forgotten Songs</a> by Michael Hill is one such example. A canopy of empty birdcages commemorates the songs of 50 different birds once heard in central Sydney, but which are now lost due to habitat removal as a result of urban development. There are also a number of groups, often with a strong environmental or civic rights focus, that partake in detournment. <a href="https://popularresistance.org/dancing-revolution-how-90s-protests-used-rave-culture-to-reclaim-the-streets/">Reclaim the Streets</a> is a movement with a long history in Australia. The group advocates for communities having ownership of and agency within public spaces. They may, for instance, “invade” a highway to throw a “<a href="https://pasttenseblog.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/road-rave.pdf">road rave</a>” as an act of reclamation. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bUL0C_T-Sqk?wmode=transparent&start=999" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> As French avant-garde philosopher <a href="https://www.themarginalian.org/2014/07/24/the-poetics-of-reverie-gaston-bachelard/">Gaston Bachelard</a> might have put it, when we’re bombarded by images there is no space left to daydream. We lose the opportunity to explore and question the world capitalism serves us through images. Perhaps now is a good time to set down the phone and follow in the Situationists’ footsteps. <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/221606/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-dobson-1093706">Stephen Dobson</a>, Professor and Dean of Education and the Arts, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-art-of-getting-lost-how-re-discovering-your-city-can-be-an-antidote-to-capitalism-221606">original article</a>.

Travel Tips

Explore. Dream. Discover: An Over60 Reader's epic journey

Many people travel to all corners of the earth, seeking new and exciting experiences, especially when we retire and are able to do so. Sometimes we can be pushed beyond the boundaries of our comfort zone but usually the experience is positive and often transformational. One popular destination for travellers who enjoy adventure is Sedona in Arizona, a town that nestles in a desert on the edge of red rock canyons. Nearby is Hopiland, home to the Hopi Indians. One of my most treasured memories occurred in this part of the world in 1990, on top of a desert mountain known as a mesa. The mesa rose thousands of feet above ground level and I climbed up there with a group of friends from Australia. As we reached the top, we began to hear the sound of drums and chanting coming from an underground cave. Our travel guide informed us that inside the cave, Hopi women and children huddled together on the dirt floor to watch their menfolk perform legendary rituals honouring their ancient ancestors. Since the ceremony was forbidden to tourists, we were given an hour to explore the top of the mesa. Moving a short distance away from the rest of the group, I sat down on a rock to fully absorb the nearby pulse of drums and chanting. A few minutes later, three young Hopi boys appeared and attempted to converse with me. Initially, I found it difficult to understand what they were saying until I realised they were actually inviting me to accompany them underground to join their tribal family. Throwing caution to the wind, I followed them down a rickety wooden ladder poking out of a hole in the ground. The atmosphere inside the cave was thick with burning sage combined with swirling dust from the pounding feet of men dancing, their heads hidden inside huge masks. Barefooted women and children squatted on the dirt floor and I felt very much an intruder as I squeezed myself amongst them. But, reassured by friendly smiles and head-nodding, I began to relax, absorbing the magical rituals of times past. Eventually the ancient ceremony ended, and I climbed the ladder back into the twentieth century, overcome by a newfound sense of humility and realisation of just how unimportant the wealth and material greed of Western society is. One can often rely on the unexpected to occur when travelling. During a visit to Egypt one year, our group emerged from the Temple of Isis to settle down and meditate on the bank of a nearby river when a military policeman appeared out of the bushes, clutching a large submachine gun. His other hand appeared to conceal something behind his back and as he drew closer, we noticed he had a second gun tucked into his belt. Terrified, we leapt to our feet. Then, his face breaking into a smile, he held out the hand from behind his back. Lying in its brown sinewy palm were eleven pink oleander blossoms, one for each of us. A moment of sheer terror switched instantly to one of absolute delight. Another example of ‘the unexpected’ occurred a few days later for a member of our group who had just turned eighty. All her life she had suffered with claustrophobia and its related anxiety and panic attacks. Consequently, when we visited the Great Pyramid to ascend the steep tunnel inside which would take us up to the King’s Chamber, we arranged for her to remain outside with our tour guide. But at the last minute she changed her mind, not wanting to miss out on such a special experience. By slowly crawling through the tunnel all the way up inside the Great Pyramid, she managed to achieve something she had never in her life believed possible. We celebrated her victory that night with champagne, lots of laughs and some hilarious attempts at belly dancing. A travel memory that always makes my grandchildren laugh is when I was visiting my friend Palden Jenkins, an historian who lives in Glastonbury. One day we set off for Snowdonia, North Wales, for a holiday. As we pulled up outside the 500-year-old stone cottage a farmer approached, urging us to be sure to leave a pot of tea outside every night for the Booka, the name given to Welsh brownies or elves. If we did this, he said, we would be assured of a hassle-free holiday. The Booka would not trouble us if we kept the cottage clean, left out the tea and didn’t have long noses. Words cannot describe the fun we two ‘grown-ups’ had in brewing tea every evening over an open fire to cater to the whims of Snowdonia’s faerie folk. Travelling the world can create change in our lives that we will never regret, opening our hearts, broadening our minds, and sometimes transforming our lives forever. To quote Mark Twain, ‘Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than by the ones you did. So, sail away from the safe harbour. Explore. Dream. Discover.’ This wonderful story, including the images, was sent in by Over60 Reader Jo Buchanan. Thank you, Jo, for sharing your adventure with us! If you have a Reader Story you would like to contribute to Over60, please send it to the editor via <a href="mailto:greg@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">greg@oversixty.com.au</a>.

International Travel

“This is life-changing information”: Shopper discovers little-known Bunnings hack

A shopper has revealed the details of a little-known Bunnings store policy that will ensure a blooming garden. Georgia Magill, a young woman from Perth, was shopping for plants in the hardware store when she was urged by the cashier to keep her receipt. The uni student was shocked why she should hold on to the receipt for a small house plant, as the worker went on to explain why. “She was like, ‘Oh because they come with a 12 month warranty’,” Georgia explained in a now-viral TikTok video. “And then she goes: ‘It doesn’t really matter how they die we’ll just replace them for you within a 12 month period.’” The hardware store created the ‘Perfect Plant Promise’ in February 2020 which states all plants, except for seedlings, can be returned within 12 months of purchase if they die. Bunnings won’t just replace the plant, it also offers money back, if you’d prefer to give up on your gardening dreams. "This is life-changing information,” she concluded in the video. While the policy has been around for several years, many Aussies hadn’t heard of it either, commenting in shock on the TikTok video, which has been viewed almost 1.5 million times. “What? I have literally had Bunnings plants die within weeks,” one wrote, “I did know this… but I also refuse to let Bunnings know how many plants I’ve murdered,” another stated. Another person declared, “It’s such a good idea. I can’t believe I didn’t know it!!” Among the comments were more tips for former and current Bunnings workers, offering some extra tips on how to utilise the policy. “Ex Bunnings worker here, keep the original pot so we know what plant it is, not everyone in store is a plant expert,” one remarked. “(From a Bunnings worker) either take a photo of your receipt or ask for it to be sent via SMS as they fade! For any warranty item,” another suggested. However, one worker urged Aussies not to take advantage of the offer, saying, “We will return your plant with a receipt and ‘proof’ but please don’t abuse this system. Plants die.” Image credits: Getty Images / TikTok

Home & Garden

Pop star discovered tragically dead at 33 in the wake of scandal

South Korean pop star Choi Sung-bong, who was caught running a notorious cancer scam has passed away at age 33. The Korean Times reported that Choi was found by police at his Seoul home on the morning of June 20. He was pronounced dead soon after. Authorities have reportedly ruled the singer’s cause of death as a suicide. According to the Hollywood Reporter, after years of online fame stemming from a 2011 performance on Korea’s Got Talent, Choi confessed he had tricked his fans into donating money to him after claiming he needed funds for cancer treatment. Choi had claimed he had been battling multiple forms of cancer to obtain the donations, however, his claims were later exposed as a hoax. He also claimed he had returned all donated funds from a false fundraiser. Choi later issued a grovelling apology and vowed to return all of the donations sent by his fans. One day before his alleged suicide, Choi posted a note on his YouTube channel apologising for “foolish mistakes” in the past, according to The Mirror. The chilling letter said he needed to "repay for his sins with his life” and showed the address of where his body would be after taking his life. “My body can be found at [his home location]. I don’t know how to write a final message, so I will just write it in my own style. Even though my breath may have stopped now, I have no regrets about the brilliant journey of my life. I have lived my life to the fullest and made efforts to find happiness every day. Age thirty-four," (as per Korean age system), he said. Choi was best known for competing in Korea’s Got Talent in 2011, coming in at second place. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIy99OT2BAQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vIy99OT2BAQ"></iframe></a> A clip of him singing a cover of Nella Fantasia by Ennio Morricone quickly went viral online, thrusting him into the spotlight – with singing sensation Justin Bieber even acknowledging his talent. Image credit: YouTube

Caring

Daughter discovers life-changing hack inside deceased mum’s closet

Cynthia, from the US, was cleaning out her mum’s closet a year after she passed away and discovered the secret system that will make you go: hang on a minute, that’s pretty smart. If you’re tired of seeing piles of “technically clean” clothes lying around waiting to be washed, this system is perfect for you. All you need is a hanger, some clothes pegs, and a pen. “[My mum] numbered clothespins and would put them on the hanger of an item she wore. Once she wore it 3 times … in the wash it went. This kept her from piling up clothes in a chair,” she shared in a post to a Facebook group. Many were impressed with this simple tidiness trick and shared their own hacks. “What a great idea! I put the hanger backwards after the first wear and into the laundry after the second. Your mum's method may be even better,” wrote one person. “'I use different colour hangers. Whites are fresh, red has been worn once, and for a short period of time,” commented another. One woman shared that she uses dividers to separate parts of her closet for clothes she wears often, and clothes she doesn’t. “I use the 'left' system - I check the left side of my closet every six months because I hang everything I wash to the right of a separator. You can also use them for clothes that need to go in the laundry,” she wrote. Others have commented about their tried-and-true, which mostly include the sniff and stain test, with the general rule: “If it doesn't smell and has no stains, I guess I'm wearing it”. However, others were horrified that people don’t wash their clothes after every wear. “I personally can't wear anything (nightgown sometimes is an exception) without washing it. If I wore it for an hour, I have to wash it before wearing it again,” wrote one woman. “Don't you wash most clothes after every wear? Maybe it's because I live in a hot country, but I would never wear a shirt twice. Jeans maybe, everything else is in the wash after every wear,” commented another. Image: Kmart Hacks and Decor Facebook

Home & Garden

“Once-in-a-lifetime find”: Man discovers gold nugget worth six figures

A man from Victoria has struck gold armed with his budget metal detector. The man, who wishes to not be named, discovered a 4.6kg rock in Victoria’s “Golden Triangle” which stretches between Ballarat, Bendigo and up to St Arnaud. Unsure of whether it was worth anything, he brought the rock to Lucky Strike Gold in Geelong for evaluation where Gold trader Darren Kamp discovered it contained a staggering 2.6kg of gold worth $240k. “He said, ‘Oh, do you think there’s $10,000 worth in it?’, and as soon as it hit my hand I looked at him and said: ‘Try a $100,000’,” Kamp told 9News. "And he said, 'Oh wow, the wife's going to be happy with that," said Kamp. Funnily enough, the man had only brought in half of the rock and left the other half “at home”. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime find,” said Kamp. Small nuggets of gold are worth up to $1000, but the value of gold has soared due to inflation. “You’ll hear the term, ‘if it’s got your name on it, you’ll find it’,” Kamp said. “You just need some luck and persistence. It’s like a Tattslotto ticket, you’re never going to win it unless you’ve got a ticket,” he added. The gold nuggets from this region were famous for their quantity, size and purity, and were mostly found in streams or river beds. Image: Nine News

Money & Banking

Emotional moment father discovers his daughter's ultimate act of selflessness

A woman has shared the emotional moment her father discovered she was the one who anonymously donated her kidney to help him fight kidney disease. John Ivanowski, a 60-year-old man from Missouri in the US, was diagnosed with an immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency, which saw his immune system attack his kidneys, more than a year ago. John was placed on dialysis for his condition, and ended up on the transplant list to replace his kidney. When the Ivanowski family began discussing the transplant options, his 25-year-old daughter Delayne was determined to help give her father a better quality of life by donating her kidney. John had lost his son and Delayne's only sibling to cancer 16 years ago, and was resistant to his daughter becoming his kidney donor. "I thought, I lost my boy and if anything happened to Delayne, I don't know what I would do," he told <a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/wellness/story/daughter-surprises-dad-kidney-donor-97494470" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">ABC News</a>, adding, "It was a big concern." Despite her father's protests, Delayne, who works as a nurse, knew John would remain on the transplant list if she did not volunteer her kidney. Delayne said, "I don't think that's any way that anybody should have to live." She added, "I was like, 'I'm going to do it. I don't care how mad he is at me. I don't care if he kicks me out of the house or hates me or doesn't say a word to me for the rest of my life.'" "At least he'll be living a good life and not hooked up to a machine." Delayne then secretly went through the months-long approval process to become her dad's kidney donor, which meant getting endless medical tests, and fielding dozens of calls with social workers and medical staff, all while living under her parents' roof. John then underwent his surgery at Washington University And Barnes-Jewish Transplant Center in St Louis, with hospital staff working hard to keep Delayne's secret. Jason Wellen, who is the centre's kidney and pancreas transplant surgical director and John's doctor, said the staff had to do a lot of "behind-the-scenes" work to make sure the father and daughter were kept in separate pre-op areas, and had to ensure they didn't spot each other in post-op as well to maintain secrecy until Delayne was ready to break the news to John. And when she did, the emotional moment was captured on video. <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7203398361297440046&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40hoperisesnews%2Fvideo%2F7203398361297440046%3Fq%3Ddelayne%26t%3D1677630976317&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F63835bef2c2c4873aace09811331bf14%3Fx-expires%3D1677650400%26x-signature%3DNEPi6l8%252FIQn4tNRL%252FGqtrGDpkcw%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> Filming the emotional moment she walked into her dad's hospital room hooked up to an IV drip after the surgery, John immediately knew what had happened without Delayne saying a word. "Oh my God. Are you kidding me?" he says in the video, which was posted to TikTok and has been viewed more than four million times. An emotional John then tells his daughter, "I knew you were up to something," to which she cheekily responds, "I'm always up to something." Despite initially being "upset", John said he was grateful for his daughter's selfless act and it was a "big relief" not to be "hooked up to the machine anymore". "I can't stop crying," he added. Image credits: Facebook

Caring

Woman sues and divorces husband after discovering secret lottery win

A man who kept his multi-million dollar lottery winnings secret from his wife has been ordered by the courts to compensate her. The Chinese man, whose surname was given as Zhou, won a staggering 10 million yuan ($2.1 million AUD) in 2021 and concealed his hefty new fortune from his wife. His wife never knew about the cash pile, as Zhou never bought her any lavish gifts or did anything monumental to celebrate the win. Instead, Zhou transferred two million yuan to his sister, and a further 700,000 yuan to his ex-wife so that she could buy an apartment for herself. Zhou's wife, whose name is unknown, eventually found out about the winnings, and fied for divorce as soon as she discovered the secret fortune. She also decided to sue him, as she asked the court to grant her two-thirds of the money remaining after tax. The woman should have been entitled to half of the money on account of being married to Zhou, and asked the court for more due to him going to great lengths to conceal the jackpot from her. A court in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, agreed with her and told Zhou he had to reimburse his now ex-wife for 2.7 million yuan ($560,000 AUD). Unusually, this kind of secrecy with lottery winnings is not uncommon in China. In 2022, a man kept his eye watering 219 million yuan (AUD$47,068,869) <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/money-banking/man-hides-hefty-lottery-win-from-wife-and-child" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lottery win a secret</a> from his wife and child so they don’t become lazy. Known only as Mr Li to conceal his identity, the man dressed up in a yellow cartoon costume when he accepted the huge win at the lottery office in Nanning, in the southern region of Guangxi. “I did not tell my wife and child for fear that they would be too complacent and would not work or work hard in the future,” he told Nanning Evening News. Image credits: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Evidence that human evolution driven by major environmental pressures discovered

The genes of ancient humans might have changed substantially due to environmental pressures and change, say an international team of researchers. A widely held belief related to human evolution is that our ancient ancestors’ ability to fashion tools, shelter, and use advanced communication skills may have helped to shield them from large environmental impacts such as changing climate, disease and exposure to other events affecting mortality. But research led out of Australian Centre for Ancient DNA at the University of Adelaide suggests that beneficial genes may have played a more important role in preserving our ancestors. Until now, the sudden increase in frequency of these genes in human groups was masked by the exchange of DNA between people during reproduction. Now, analyses of more than one thousand ancient genomes dating as far back as 45,000 years ago have found historic signals showing genetic adaptation was more common than previously thought. The study of evolutionary events, says the study’s co-lead author Dr Yassine Souilmi, has increased substantially in recent years, as these are the points where human genetics take historic turns. “Evolutionary events [are] exactly what shape our genetic diversity today,” Souilmi tells Cosmos. “That’s what makes us vulnerable to certain diseases [and] resistant to others. “Having a good understanding of evolution, we can have a better understanding of who we are.” Previous research by the Centre has uncovered a range of evolutionary trends, from historic climate change causing the demise of ancestral lions and bears, to the first interactions between humans and coronaviruses 20,000 years ago. And the broader field of research into ancient DNA has shed light on important moments in human history. Only recently did analyses of ancient genes uncover locations on the human genome associated with surviving Yersinia pestis – the bacterium that causes the bubonic plague. <h2>Single events probably triggered selection</h2> This study, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, has similarly found environmental events might have been more influential on evolution among Eurasian groups. Such events might lead to a point of natural selection. Take, for instance, the emergence of a pathogen. If such a disease could kill people, those who managed to survive and continue reproducing would pass down favourable traits to subsequent generations. “Natural selection acts in two different mechanisms,” says Souilmi. “It only cares about whether you’re procreating successfully… when it acts, it’s either killing a lot of people, [preventing] some people from reproducing successfully, or some people are just not finding mates because they have some sort of ailment that’s not allowing them to mate successfully, or might make them undesirable. “What we’re finding is that the signal of natural selection we detected in this [research] was likely a single event, because the signal is clustered in time in a very early migration out of Africa. “Not all of the [events] we detected occurred at the same time, but the bulk of them did.” <h2>A mirror to the present</h2> This ‘agnostic’ study did not seek to identify the external pressures leading to the selection events indicated in these ancient genes, but future research by the team will seek to uncover that information. Studies like this, or those into specific pressures like the influence of the Black Death or coronaviruses on humans, show the impact of environmental change on our genetics. Souilmi says this is both insightful and cautionary, as environmental change in the present could be studied by humans in the future. He speculates that changes in the Earth’s climate, or the emergence of new pathogens, likely imposed selection pressures on ancient groups, whether through forcing shortages or changes to food supply or imposing physiological stressors. “Very likely, it’s the environment, the temperature, the weather patterns, that would have somewhat impacted the dietary regime of our ancestors out of Africa, and pathogens would have driven this [genetic] adaptation, which has shaped our genetic diversity now,” Souilmi says. “The direct lesson, socially, now, is that if we’re ever faced with events that are similar to that, we are not as immune to extreme episodes of adaptation where a lot of people might die, or be unable to reproduce. “Unless we do something to counteract the environmental changes, or viruses, bacterial or other pandemics, it could be a bad thing.” This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/human-evolution-driven-by-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Matthew Agius. Image: Shutterstock

Body

Seven times people discovered the Americas – and how they got there

When Columbus landed in 1492, the Americas had been settled for tens of thousands of years. He wasn’t the first person to discover the continent. Instead, his discovery was the last of many discoveries. In all, people found the Americas at least seven different times. For at least six of those, it wasn’t so new after all. The discoverers came by sea and by land, bringing new genes, new languages, new technologies. Some stayed, explored, and built empires. Others went home, and left few hints they’d ever been there. From last to first, here’s the story of how we discovered the Americas. 7. Christopher Columbus: AD 1492 In 1492, Europeans could reach Asia by the <a href="https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/silk-road">Silk Road</a>, or by sailing the Cape Route around the southern tip of Africa. Sailing west from Europe was thought to be impossible. The ancient Greeks had accurately calculated that the circumference of the Earth was <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/152473a0">40,000 km</a>, which put Asia far to the west. But Columbus botched his calculations. An error in unit conversion gave him a circumference of just 30,000 km. This mistake, with other assumptions born of wishful thinking, gave a distance of just <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0025570X.1992.11996024">4,500 km</a> from Europe to Japan. The actual distance is almost 20,000 kilometres. So Columbus’s ships set sail without enough supplies to reach Asia. Fortunately for him, he hit the Americas. Columbus, thinking he’d found the East Indies, called its people “Indios”, or Indians. He ultimately died without realising his mistake. It was the navigator Amerigo Vespucci who realised Columbus had <a href="https://www.livescience.com/42510-amerigo-vespucci.html">found an unknown land</a> and in 1507 the name America was applied in Vespucci’s honour. 6. Polynesians: AD 1,200 Around 2,500 BC, a seafaring people <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03902-8">sailed from Taiwan</a> to find new lands. They sailed south through the Philippines, east through Melanesia, then out into the vast South Pacific. These people, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Polynesia">Polynesians</a>, were master navigators, reading wind, waves and stars to cross thousands of kilometres of open ocean. Using huge double canoes, the Polynesians <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1586/polynesian-navigation--settlement-of-the-pacific/">settled</a> Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, and the Cook Islands. Some went <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1408491111">south to New Zealand</a>, becoming <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10963-017-9110-y">the Maori</a>. Others went east to Tahiti, Hawaii, Easter Island, and the Marquesas. From here, they at last hit South America. Then, having explored most of the Pacific, they gave up exploration and forgot South America entirely. But evidence of this remarkable voyage remained. The South Americans acquired <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.0703993104">chickens from Polynesians</a>, while the Polynesians may have picked up <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440307000805">South American sweet potatoes</a>. And they shared more than food. Eastern Polynesians have <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2487-2?from=article_link">Native American DNA</a>. Polynesians didn’t just meet Native Americans, they married them. 5. Norse: AD 1,021 According to Viking sagas, around AD 980, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Erik-the-Red">Eric the Red</a>, fierce Viking and cunning salesman, named a vast, icy wasteland “Greenland” to <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/iceland-greenland-name-swap">entice people to move there</a>. Then, in AD 986, a boat from Greenland <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/icelanders">spotted the coast of Canada</a>. Around <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03972-8">AD 1,021</a>, Erik’s son Leif established a settlement in Newfoundland. The Vikings struggled with the harsh climate, before war with Native Americans ultimately forced them back to Greenland. These stories were long dismissed as myths, until 1960, when archaeologists dug up the remains of <a href="https://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/top-destinations/lanse-aux-meadows">Viking settlements in Newfoundland</a>. 4. Inuit: AD 900 Just before the Vikings, the Inuit people travelled <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1251-y">from Siberia to Alaska</a> in skin boats. Hunting whales and seals, living in sod huts and igloos, they were well adapted to the cold Arctic Ocean, and skirted its shores all the way to Greenland. Curiously, their DNA is <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1251-y">closest to native Alaskans</a>, implying their ancestors colonised Asia from Alaska, then went back to discover the Americas again. 3. Eskimo-Aleut: 2,000-2,500 BC The Inuit descend from an earlier migration: that of speakers of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eskimo-Aleut-languages">Eskimo-Aleut languages</a>. These are distinct from other Native American languages, and might even be distantly related to Uralic languages such as <a href="https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/j.1749-818X.2010.00239.x">Finnish and Hungarian</a>. This, with DNA evidence, suggests the Eskimo-Aleut was a distinct migration. They came across the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Bering-Sea">Bering Sea</a> from present-day Russia to Alaska, perhaps <a href="https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1525/aa.1987.89.1.02a00020">4,000-4,500</a> years ago, partly displacing and mixing with earlier migrants: the Na-Dene people. 2. Na-Dene: 3,000-8,000 BC Another group, the Na-Dene, crossed the Bering Sea to Alaska around <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1251-y">5,000 years ago</a>, although other studies suggest they settled the Americas as long as <a href="https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1525/aa.1987.89.1.02a00020">10,000 years ago</a>. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1251-y">DNA from their bones</a> links them not to modern people in the Eskimo-Aleut group, but to Native Americans speaking the Na-Dene language family, such as the <a href="https://www.navajo-nsn.gov/">Navajo</a>, <a href="https://denenation.com/">Dene</a>, <a href="https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/northwest-coast/tlingit">Tlingit</a>, and Apache people. Na-Dene languages are closest to languages <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC25007/">spoken in Siberia</a>, suggesting again that they represent a distinct migration. 1. First Americans: 16,000-35,000 years ago Almost all Native American tribes – Sioux, Comanche, Iroquois, Cherokee, Aztec, Maya, Quechua, Yanomani, and dozens of others – speak <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/American-Indian-languages">similar languages</a>. That suggests their languages evolved from a common ancestor tongue, spoken by a single tribe entering the Americas long ago. Their descendants’ low genetic diversity suggests this founding tribe was small, maybe <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.0030193">less than 80 people</a>. How did they get there? Before the last ice age ended 11,700 years ago, so much water was <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3083538">locked up in glaciers</a> that sea levels fell. The bottom of the Bering Sea dried out, creating the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1705966114">Bering Land Bridge</a>. America’s first people just walked from Russia to Alaska. But the timing of their migration is controversial. Archaeologists once thought the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Clovis-complex">Clovis people</a>, living <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/epdf/10.1073/pnas.0704215104">13,000 years ago</a>, were the <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-clovis-point-and-the-discovery-of-americas-first-culture-3825828/">first settlers of America</a>. But evidence <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02137-3">now suggests</a> humans arrived in the Americas much earlier. Finds in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.1207663?casa_token=i79Z6iFCPuwAAAAA:onB6l4Ih9BSvJY9a6rTuKDjv9pD1_EEaPJlwmjsk1qVgjDcqotjX2jlmzXMg-Kh1fqxMMXLhUeMvIw">Washington</a>, <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aba6404">Oregon</a>, <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1201855">Texas</a>, the <a href="https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&context=sciaa_staffpub">east coast of the US</a>, and <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/sciadv.1600375">Florida</a> suggest people reached the Americas long before the Clovis people. <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abg7586">Footprints in New Mexico</a> date to 23,000 years ago. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2509-0">Stone tools</a> in a Mexican cave may date to 32,000 years ago. A <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.903795/full">butchered mammoth</a> from Colorado dates to 31,000-38,000 years ago. And traces of fire put <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379118307716">humans in Alaska</a> 32,000 years ago. Some of these dates could be incorrect, but with each new discovery it seems increasingly unlikely that they’re all wrong. An early migration would neatly solve a major mystery. 13,000 years ago, a vast glacier, the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1601077113">Laurentide Ice Sheet</a>, buried Canada in ice up to three kilometres thick. If people arrived in North America then, how did they cross the ice? Southeast Alaska’s rugged coast, full of glaciers and fjords, was likely impassible, and early Americans probably lacked boats. But 30,000 years ago, the ice sheet hadn’t fully formed. Before the ice spread, people could have hunted mammoths and horses east from Alaska into the Northwest Territories, then south through Alberta and Saskatchewan into Montana. Remarkably, humans may have settled the Americas <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-94408-w">before western Europe</a>. Yet that might make sense. Alaska’s Arctic is harsh, but Europe had <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2011.02536.x">potentially hostile Neanderthals</a>. <h2>The end of discovery</h2> 1492 was the last discovery of the Americas. Following the voyages of Columbus, Magellan, and Cook, the scattered descendants of humanity’s diaspora were finally reunited. Aside from a few <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140804-sad-truth-of-uncontacted-tribes">uncontacted tribes</a>, everywhere was known to everyone. Discovery was impossible. But the story of the Americas’ settlement is still being written, and our understanding is evolving. The Eskimo-Aleut may have been <a href="https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1525/aa.1987.89.1.02a00020">two different migrations</a>, not one. Genes <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature14895">hint at the possibility</a> of other, early founding populations. And given how little evidence the Polynesians and Norse left of their visits, it’s conceivable there were other migrations, ones of which we have little evidence. There’s so much we don’t know. No one can discover the Americas anymore, but there’s a lot left to discover about their discovery. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/seven-times-people-discovered-the-americas-and-how-they-got-there-188908" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Major cringe: Bride discovers worst possible typo on invitations

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

Relationships

Aussie miner discovers $102 million pink diamond

A rare pure pink diamond has been unearthed in Angola, at the Lulo mine, and according to the Aussie operator of the mining site it is believed to be the largest discovered in 300 years. Named "The Lulo Rose", The 170 carat pink diamond was discovered in the country's diamond-rich northeast. The sparkling whopper is among the largest pink diamonds ever found, the Lucapa Diamond Company said in a statement. The “historic” find of the Type IIa diamond is one of the rarest and purest forms of natural stones and was welcomed by the Angolan government, which is also a partner in the mine. “This record and spectacular pink diamond recovered from Lulo continues to showcase Angola as an important player on the world stage,” Angola’s Mineral Resources Minister Diamantino Azevedo said. The diamond will be sold at international tender, likely at a dazzling price. Although the precious jewel would have to be cut and polished to reveal its true value, the process could potentially see the stone lose 50% of its weight. Similar pink diamonds have sold for record-breaking prices. The 59.6 carat Pink Star was sold at a Hong Kong auction for US $71.2 million (AUD $102.5 million). It remains the most expensive diamond in the world. Image: Lucapa Diamond Company Limited

Money & Banking

Discover the wonder of classical music in Prague Castle

Uncovering a city’s most underrated experiences is one of life’s great pleasures when travelling through places you have never seen. These breathtaking moments are often found lurking in the most unlikely of places, but are ones you are likely to never forget. One of these stunning experiences not to be missed on your next travels is the wonder of a classical music performance in the extraordinary Prague Castle. Performed by members of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, a one hour performance is open to the public each and every day. Complete with a trio of a flute, viola and a piano, these talented musicians play a selection of the world’s most celebrated pieces of classical music from composers such as Vivaldi, Mozart and Beethoven. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZKmd7y2ol28" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> The intimate environment of the Lobkowicz Palace within the walls of Prague Castle boasts the ultimate conditions to enjoy the performance, as audience members can also enjoy the stunning art surrounding them. The Lobkowicz Collections comprise one of the oldest and largest private art collections in Central Europe, bringing an artistic experience for all the senses. While in the grounds of the castle, explore the castle complex that dates back to the 9th century and is rich with extraordinary history, breath-taking architecture and a stunning view point that gives amazing views of all of Prague. With <a href="https://www.prague-castle-concert.cz/en/">tickets</a> available for an extremely reasonable price, the midday classical concerts at Prague Castle are a must see for any music lover. Image credits: Supplied

Music

Two nearby, newly discovered exoplanets mirror Earth

Scientists have found two rocky exoplanets – not much larger than Earth – orbiting a star so close to us that they are practically in our solar system’s backyard. The star, HD 260655, is a low-mass M-class star, a type known as a red dwarf, about 33 light years away. The discovery was announced by Rafael Luque of the University of Chicago and the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia, Spain, at a recent meeting of the American Astronomical Society in the US. To put that distance into perspective, 33 light years is so close that if you constructed a scale model of the galaxy, in which the Sun was in Pasadena (site of the meeting) and HD 260655 was in neighbouring Hollywood (18km away), then the centre of our galaxy (the Milky Way) would be somewhere around Nepal. That’s important because it puts the two new planets close enough to us to make them prime targets for the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope. The planets were first observed in late 2021, when NASA’s planet-hunting space telescope <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/tess-transiting-exoplanet-survey-satellite" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite)</a> spotted them passing between us and their star, causing its light to dim as they eclipsed a portion of it. That was interesting enough, but when Luque’s team looked back at prior observations of the same star from telescopes on Earth, they found that its motion appeared to wobble as it was tugged alternately toward and away from us – exactly what would happen if it was being affected by the gravity of orbiting planets. That wobble hadn’t been strong enough to alert scientists to the presence of the planets at the time, but combined with the TESS observations, it was a smoking gun. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p195069-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> Better yet, Luque says, combining the TESS data (which gave the diameter of the two planets by the degree to which they blocked their sun’s light) with the wobble data (which revealed their masses), it was possible to calculate their density. “We found that these planets, despite being slightly larger than the Earth, have a density pretty similar to ours,” he says. This means they aren’t water worlds or gas-dominated worlds like those in our own outer solar system. “Both are consistent with having a composition consistent with rocks,” Luque says. Not that this means they are twins of Earth, let alone suggests that they can support life as we know it. The one nearest to its star might be nearly as hot as Venus, and the other might still have a surface temperature as high as 284°C. But even if they prove to be too hot for complex life, they are important targets for study because they might teach us more about a truly Earthlike world, once we find one at the right distance from its star. “Both are ranked among the ten best targets to look at,” Luque says. <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=195069&title=Two+nearby%2C+newly+discovered+exoplanets+mirror+Earth" width="1" height="1" /> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/space/astrophysics/two-nearby-newly-discovered-exoplanets-mirror-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/richard-a-lovett" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Richard A Lovett</a>. Richard A Lovett is a Portland, Oregon-based science writer and science fiction author. He is a frequent contributor to Cosmos. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech </div>

Technology

Bride's horror story after discovering bloodstains on her wedding dress

A young bride has relived the moment she discovered blood-sucking leeches underneath her wedding dress just moments after her first dance. Madalyn Wise, from Queensland, said she and her husband Jayden were whisked away to a “sludgy grass” area to take intimate wedding portraits after they tied the knot in the NSW Hinterlands early 2021. Three hours later, she was on the dancefloor with friends and family when her quick-thinking mother-in-law pulled her into the dressing room after spotting blood on her white dress. At first, Madalyn thought the stress she experienced in the lead up to her wedding day triggered an “early period”. However - upon a closer inspection, leeches were found including a “fat and thick” one behind her knee joint. “There were three leeches - one underneath my foot, one in the pit of my knee like the armpit of my knee and there was another one crawling up my leg,” Madalyn said on TikTok. “The fat one filled up with blood and dropped off my leg on the dancefloor, which is why so much blood started to come out on my dress. Madalyn said she suspected the leeches crawled up her legs while she was posing for pictures in a wet area. “In the lead up to our wedding, we had a lot of rain... So during the photo shoot, we did have to go into some really long, sludgy grass to get some nice photos,” she explained. <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@madalyn.wise/video/7101834441022000385" data-video-id="7101834441022000385"> <section><a title="@madalyn.wise" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@madalyn.wise" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@madalyn.wise</a> There’s always something that doesn’t go quite right at your wedding, right? 😂🤦🏻‍♀️ <a title="leech" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/leech" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#leech</a> <a title="weddingtiktok" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/weddingtiktok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#weddingtiktok</a> <a title="wedding" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/wedding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#wedding</a> <a title="weddingnightmare" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/weddingnightmare" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#weddingnightmare</a> <a title="foryoupage" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryoupage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#foryoupage</a> <a title="fyp" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#fyp</a> <a title="ohno" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/ohno" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#ohno</a> <a title="♬ Oh No - Kreepa" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Oh-No-6586947002464996102" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ Oh No - Kreepa</a></section> </blockquote> “Basically what I think had happened was we went and did this photo shoot in the afternoon, at some point during the shoot, the leeches made their way up my leg while we were going through the sludgy grass. “The leeches were there from the photo shoot until our first dance. So it was literally on me throughout my whole reception - throughout dinner, the speeches and our first dance.” Just minutes after dancing with her new husband in front of guests outside, everyone returned to the barn where they “danced the night away”. “I think I had been dancing with my friends for maybe one or two songs and all of a sudden, my mother-in-law grabs me and she’s like ‘Come with me’... then she starts lifting up my dress,” Madalyn recalls. Upon checking, they spotted two leeches on her - while the third was found on the dancefloor. Her wedding coordinator sponged all the blood out of her dress while her photographer bandaged her leg up. “We ended up finishing off the night just dancing, mingling with guests and I was showing everyone my bandaged leg. I ended up putting my dress back on because all the stains were out.” Madalyn said everything turned out “fine” after her wedding night - but she did experience itching around the affected areas on her leg. Images: TikTok

Caring

Woman discovers her home was listed on Airbnb by a stranger

A woman has shared her terrifying experience of when she discovered a stranger had listed her home for rent on Airbnb. American doctor Shireen Heidari tried desperately to contact Airbnb after realising her home had been listed without her knowledge or consent. Taking to Twitter to speak about the incident, Dr Heidari said when she initially contacted the person who posted the fraudulent listing, they offered her the option to book her own home. She said, "Someone has listed my home as their rental, and when I messaged them asking them to take it down, they offered option to book my own home." "We reported it, but the listing is still active. This is not ok." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Hi <a href="https://twitter.com/Airbnb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Airbnb</a> - I would really appreciate you contacting me. Someone has listed my home as their rental, and when I messaged them asking them to take it down, they offered option to book my own home. We reported it, but the listing is still active. This is not ok. — Shireen Heidari, MD (@ShireenNHeidari) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShireenNHeidari/status/1503606888725770243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2022</a></blockquote> After sharing the public message online, Shireen's tweet went viral with supportive people reaching out to Airbnb on her behalf to have the listing taken down. The company eventually responded and took her home off the site, after Shireen showed proof that the house was in fact hers. She updated her Twitter followers saying, “Update: the listing is down after being reported as fraudulent. We provided proof of ownership. Still not clear what next steps are.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Update: the listing is down after being reported as fraudulent. We provided proof of ownership. Still not clear what next steps are. There were many messages and calls throughout today. With gratitude to the customer service rep who stayed on line at 11pm to help sort it. <a href="https://t.co/tS5ewuOoOD">https://t.co/tS5ewuOoOD</a> — Shireen Heidari, MD (@ShireenNHeidari) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShireenNHeidari/status/1503626984441606144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2022</a></blockquote> She also went on to thank the Airbnb representative who stayed on the phone with her until 11pm to help her sort out getting the listing removed. In response to Shireen’s ordeal, many people chimed in to share similar experiences with Airbnb. "When we were selling our house, someone hijacked the pictures and were trying to rent it. Several people came over to tour it," one person said. "Be careful.” Image credits: Getty Images / Twitter<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">

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Major cringe: Bride discovers worst possible typo on invitations

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Discover the wonder of classical music in Prague Castle

Two nearby, newly discovered exoplanets mirror Earth

Bride's horror story after discovering bloodstains on her wedding dress

Woman discovers her home was listed on Airbnb by a stranger

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

“Absolutely livid”: Woman discovers she’s been fired via text on her wedding day

Discover the joys of hassle-free travel on a guided holiday

New York City mocked for only just discovering wheelie bins

Best cities to discover on foot revealed

The art of ‘getting lost’: how re-discovering your city can be an antidote to capitalism

Explore. Dream. Discover: An Over60 Reader's epic journey

“This is life-changing information”: Shopper discovers little-known Bunnings hack

Pop star discovered tragically dead at 33 in the wake of scandal

Daughter discovers life-changing hack inside deceased mum’s closet

“Once-in-a-lifetime find”: Man discovers gold nugget worth six figures

Emotional moment father discovers his daughter's ultimate act of selflessness

Woman sues and divorces husband after discovering secret lottery win

Evidence that human evolution driven by major environmental pressures discovered

Seven times people discovered the Americas – and how they got there

Major cringe: Bride discovers worst possible typo on invitations

Aussie miner discovers $102 million pink diamond

Discover the wonder of classical music in Prague Castle

Two nearby, newly discovered exoplanets mirror Earth

Bride's horror story after discovering bloodstains on her wedding dress﻿

Woman discovers her home was listed on Airbnb by a stranger

Bride's horror story after discovering bloodstains on her wedding dress