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Is it really possible to have Alzheimer’s yet no symptoms?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-hornberger-1507154">Michael Hornberger</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-east-anglia-1268">University of East Anglia</a> Some people seem to be more <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11003087/#:%7E:text=Some%20individuals%20are%20able%20to,into%20a%20widely%20debated%20concept.">resilient</a> to developing Alzheimer’s diseases, despite having the biological hallmarks of the devastating disease. For obvious reasons, scientists are very interested in studying this special group of people. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, is thought to start because of a build-up of two proteins in the brain: amyloid and tau. Once these proteins accumulate, for yet-to-be-determined reasons, they become toxic to brain cells (neurons) and these cells start dying. As a result, people develop symptoms such as memory loss because the brain can’t function properly with all these dead neurons. This cascade of events has been known for many years and is how the disease progresses in most people with Alzheimer’s. Most people, except a special group who are more resilient. But why are they resilient? A recent study in the journal <a href="https://actaneurocomms.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40478-024-01760-9">Acta Neuropathologica Communications</a> investigated whether our genes might influence how resilient we are against Alzheimer’s disease symptoms when there are high levels of amyloid in our brain. The scientists conducted a study on the brains of three groups of people. The first group comprised people who had died with Alzheimer’s disease. The second were healthy people who died of natural causes. And the third comprised people who had high levels of Alzheimer’s proteins in the brain but never developed symptoms of the disease during their lifetime – or at least never had a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. The last group, they considered as being resilient to Alzheimer’s disease since they had the proteins in their brains but did not have the symptoms or a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease during their lifetime. The scientists found that genes related to the activity of the immune system seem to have been more active in the Alzheimer’s resilient group. This would make sense as it is well established that the immune system helps clear the excess proteins from the brain, so genes that help this process might make us more resilient to developing symptoms of the disease. <h2>How to become resilient – even if you don’t have the genes</h2> This is great if you have inherited these genes from your parents, but what does it mean for the rest of us who do not have those genes? Is there a way we can make ourselves more resilient to developing Alzheimer’s disease regardless of our genes? “Yes” is the short answer. There is now good scientific evidence that <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-alzheimers-really-be-reversed-as-a-new-documentary-claims-230705">lifestyle changes</a> and drugs allow us to reduce our risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in the future. In particular, physical activity has been shown to reduce our risk of developing Alzheimer’s, probably because it has a well-known beneficial effect on our immune system and hence helps clear those rogue proteins accumulating in our brains. This means that being more physically active might have the same effect on our Alzheimer’s resilience as those lucky people who have the “right” genes. Interestingly, we do not know how physically active the resilient people in the study were and how this might have influenced their resilience to Alzheimer’s disease. As so often in science, it is not clear whether nature (genes) or nurture (lifestyle) contributed to their resilience. The other interesting aspect is that the resilient people in the study died of another cause than Alzheimer’s disease, but they might have developed Alzheimer’s disease eventually if they had lived longer.<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/230334/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-hornberger-1507154">Michael Hornberger</a>, Professor of Applied Dementia Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-east-anglia-1268">University of East Anglia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-really-possible-to-have-alzheimers-yet-no-symptoms-230334">original article</a>.

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Pickle, anyone? 3 possible reasons women get cravings during pregnancy

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-ball-14718">Lauren Ball</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katelyn-barnes-1238606">Katelyn Barnes</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> From pickles and french fries to oranges and ice cream, women and other people who are pregnant report craving a range of foods while they’re expecting. A <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00021/full">food craving</a> is a strong urge to eat a specific food. The intense desire to eat is not necessarily related to hunger and can be difficult to ignore or resist. Think: “I must have this now!”. Food cravings during pregnancy are common, with studies reporting anywhere between <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/">50% and 90%</a> of pregnant women experience a food craving at least once during their pregnancy. Most women who experience food cravings will do so in their second trimester (from week 13 to 27), and the cravings may also be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/">most intense</a> at this time. Let’s delve into the science of food cravings and what it means for the health of mum and bub. <h2>What are some typical cravings, and why do they happen?</h2> There’s an old wives’ tale which implies food cravings can predict the sex of the baby, with sweet foods being associated with a girl, and savoury foods indicating a boy. This isn’t backed by science. In reality, food cravings during pregnancy are highly individual, though they <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/">typically include</a> carbohydrate-dense and protein-dense foods. Commonly reported cravings include biscuits, bananas, nuts, pickles, ice cream and potatoes. We don’t know exactly why pregnant women experience food cravings, but there are a few possible reasons. 1. Changes in nutritional needs Growing a baby takes a lot of work, and unsurprisingly, increases womens’ requirements for energy and specific nutrients such as iron, folic acid, magnesium and calcium. In addition, a woman’s blood volume <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4928162/#:%7E:text=Maternal%20blood%20volume%20increases%20by,falls%20by%2010%20mosmol%2Fkg.">increases significantly during pregnancy</a>, meaning a greater demand for water and electrolytes (in particular sodium and potassium). Some studies suggest women experiencing nutrient deficiencies are <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0276079">more likely</a> to have food cravings. This might mean women crave foods high in energy and specific nutrients based on their needs. However, this link is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5054961/">not consistently seen</a>, and many women experience food cravings without being deficient in any nutrients. 2. Changes in hunger and taste Hormonal changes that occur throughout pregnancy may change how hungry women feel. A specific hormone called neuropeptide Y has been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1006/appe.1996.0060">shown</a> to increase during pregnancy and is associated with increased hunger. Also, many women report foods and drinks taste different during pregnancy. Most commonly, women <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/">report</a> an increased taste of bitter flavours such as those in vegetables or coffee, and a heightened sense of sweetness from fruits. Changes in how foods taste combined with increased feelings of hunger may create food cravings, particularly for sweet foods such as fruits. However, studies have not been able to consistently link hormone levels in blood with reported taste changes, suggesting hormones may not be solely responsible for food cravings. 3. Social and cultural influences Pregnant women in different parts of the world report different food cravings. For example, the most commonly reported food cravings among pregnant women in Nigeria is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/#B113">fruits and vegetables</a>. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/#B83">Rice</a> is the most common craving among all women in Japan, while in the United States, women seem to crave <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16831486/">chocolate</a> the most. These differences may be due to what foods are available, and what foods are familiar. Popular commentary around pregnancy food cravings, and even the notion of “eating for two”, imply a biological need for pregnant women to indulge their food cravings. These sentiments make eating different, strange, or large amounts of food more socially acceptable. Also, food cravings may normalise eating foods which may be less healthy, such as chocolates or cake. Normalising a food choice that may usually be considered a special treat can then <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/#B76">lead to increased urges</a> for and consumption of those foods during pregnancy. Some women can struggle with food cravings they know are not healthy, but cannot resist. This can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/">lead to</a> shame and negative relationships with food during pregnancy. <h2>Cravings aren’t a big cause for concern</h2> People may think food cravings lead to excess weight gain in pregnancy, which can be related to poor health outcomes for mothers. But studies to date have shown that while women who experience food cravings in pregnancy have a slightly higher energy intake than those who don’t, there’s <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/#B167">no consistent link</a> between food cravings and diet quality, changes in body weight or size, or development of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5054961/">pregnancy complications</a> such as gestational diabetes. Some people have also suspected food cravings in pregnancy might influence the baby while it’s growing. However, studies haven’t found <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1658361218301070">a link</a> between the mother’s food cravings during pregnancy, the size of baby at birth, the baby’s taste preferences, or behaviours of developing children. Overall, it seems food cravings have little to modest impact on the health of mothers or their babies. <h2>When to seek help</h2> While all women should feel comfortable to eat foods they desire, moderation is still key. Resolving sweet food cravings with nutritious options such as fruits, dairy and wholegrains may be beneficial, as well as limiting less healthy cravings such as chocolates, lollies and chips. Particular cravings, such soil or ice, can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4635104/">indicate</a> underlying health conditions that warrant treatment. If you or a loved one is concerned about food cravings or any aspect of food intake during pregnancy, make an appointment with an <a href="https://member.dietitiansaustralia.org.au/Portal/Portal/Search-Directories/Find-a-Dietitian.aspx">accredited dietitian</a>.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/221755/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-ball-14718">Lauren Ball</a>, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katelyn-barnes-1238606">Katelyn Barnes</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</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/pickle-anyone-3-possible-reasons-women-get-cravings-during-pregnancy-221755">original article</a>.

Body

The move to a cashless society isn’t just a possibility, it’s well underway

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/angel-zhong-1204643">Angel Zhong</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> When was the last time you used cash? For many Australians using cash or even swiping a card has become a rare event. The move towards a cashless society started 50 years ago with the introduction of the Bankcard and was driven by technological advancements. But it really took off with the COVID pandemic when consumers and retailers were reluctant to handle potentially infected notes and coins. The federal government last week underscored its recognition of this trend by <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/media-releases/modernising-payments-regulation">unveiling reforms</a> to regulate digital payment providers. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said: "As payments increasingly become digital, our payments system needs to remain fit for purpose so that it delivers for consumers and small businesses. We want to make sure the shift to digital payments occurs in a way that promotes greater competition, innovation and productivity across our entire economy." From big cities to remote rural corners the shift towards digital payments is evident. This raises the question, is a cashless society inevitable? <h2>The phenomenal growth of the digital payments</h2> The convenience of digital transactions has become irresistible for consumers and businesses and has led to the sector eclipsing traditional payment methods. The relentless march of technology has produced myriad innovative platforms from mobile wallets to buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) schemes, each vying for a piece of this burgeoning market. A recent <a href="https://www.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Bank-On-It-%E2%80%93-Customer-Trends-2023-1.pdf">report</a> by the Australian Banking Association paints a vivid picture of the digital payment industry’s explosive expansion. The use of digital wallet payments on smartphones and watches has soared from $746 million in 2018 to over $93 billion in 2022. Cash only accounts for 13% of consumer payments in Australia as of the end of 2022, a stark contrast to 70% in 2007. Digital wallets are popular with most age groups. Young Australians aged between 18 and 29 are leading the pack, with two thirds <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2023/jun/consumer-payment-behaviour-in-australia.html">using digital wallets</a> to pay for goods and services. About <a href="https://www.ausbanking.org.au/almost-40-leave-wallets-at-home/">40% of Australians</a> are comfortable leaving home without their actual wallets or even credit or debit cards, as long as they have their mobile devices with digital wallets. The astonishing speed at which Australians have embraced digital payments places the country among the top users of cashless payments globally, surpassing the United States and European countries. Digital wallets are not the only players in this space. The use of BNPL products is also growing rapidly in Australia, which was where many of the large-scale products in this category started. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) reports the total value of all BNPL transactions increased by <a href="https://asic.gov.au/regulatory-resources/find-a-document/reports/rep-672-buy-now-pay-later-an-industry-update/">79% in the 2018–19 financial year</a>. This continues into 2022 with an annual growth beyond 30% according to the <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/annual-reports/psb/2022/the-evolving-retail-payments-landscape.html">Reserve Bank of Australia</a> (RBA). PayID and PayPal payments are also claiming their shares in this space. <h2>Are government regulations necessary?</h2> The government’s planned regulation of the system, contained in amendments to the Reforms to the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998, is a big step towards establishing a secure and trustworthy cashless society in Australia. It will subject BNPL and digital wallet service providers like Apple Pay and Google Pay to the same oversight by the RBA as traditional credit and debit cards. The regulations will require providers meet clear standards for security measures, data protection and dispute resolution to give Australians confidence their funds and personal information are safeguarded. With increasing concern over cyber attacks, the regulations will help reduce the risk of fraudulent activities and money laundering and help identify suspicious transactions, maintaining the integrity of the financial system. Also, regulation will promote fair competition and market stability by levelling the playing field and by preventing monopolies. While banks support the forthcoming regulation, new market players are less positive. For example, Apple Pay says it is merely <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/new-rba-powers-to-regulate-apple-google-payments-20231010-p5eb6d">providing technical architecture</a> rather than payment services. The current regulatory debate is not new. When credit cards made their debut in Australia in the early 1970s, there were hardly any safeguards for consumers. This led to card users being hit with high interest rates on money owed, sneaky fees and aggressive marketing tactics. Consequently, regulations were introduced to hold card providers to a standard of responsible behaviour. Today, they must openly disclose interest rates, fees and charges, and follow stringent guidelines in advertising their products and services. Regulating digital wallet providers strikes a crucial balance between innovation and accountability, ensuring life-changing technology continues to serve the public interest. The shift towards a cashless society in Australia isn’t just a possibility, it’s already well underway. The blend of technological advancements, changing consumer preferences and regulatory adaptations has set the stage for this transformation. The new regulations will help Australians navigate this transition more confidently.<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/215446/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/angel-zhong-1204643">Angel Zhong</a>, Associate Professor of Finance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</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-move-to-a-cashless-society-isnt-just-a-possibility-its-well-underway-215446">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Shop around, take lunch, catch the bus. It is possible to ease the squeeze on your budget

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-de-zwaan-180752">Laura de Zwaan</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> It’s no secret that the cost of living has increased substantially over the last year, with rises of between <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/employees-annual-living-costs-highest-record#:%7E:text=%E2%80%9CLiving%20costs%20for%20employee%20households,per%20cent%20was%20in%201986.">7.1 and 9.6 per cent</a> for all households. So what can households do to manage these increases? It might sound simple, but starting with a budget is the best approach. Even if you already have a budget, price increases mean it will need to be updated. For those new to budgeting, it is just a list of your income and expenses. Make sure you match the frequency of these so you are working out your budget over a week, or a fortnight, or a month. There are plenty of budgeting apps and websites that can help, such as the <a href="https://moneysmart.gov.au/budgeting/budget-planner">Moneysmart budget planner</a>. Once your budget is up to date, you can see your financial position. Do you have a surplus of cash – congratulations! You can save that money to help you in an emergency. But what about if you have less income than expenses? You need to work through a process of figuring out where you can cut back. Some expenses are easy to cut back on: <ul> <li> If you have multiple streaming services, drop back to one at a time. Check for any other subscriptions you might be paying for – if you are not using them frequently, now is the time to cancel. You can always resubscribe when money isn’t tight. </li> <li> If you are spending a lot of money on take out or paying for lunch, find cheaper alternatives such as eating at home and packing a lunch using cheaper ingredients. Switch to tap water for normal drinks, and take a travel cup of coffee with you. </li> <li> Check and see if public transport is cheaper for you. If you are using a lot of fuel and paying for parking, public transport could be a better option. </li> <li> Groceries can be a huge cost for families. It is always worth shopping around to not pay full price. Understand unit pricing and buy the products you use when they are on special. It might be necessary to switch to cheaper products. </li> <li> Check if you are paying too much for your utilities like internet, electricity and gas. There are comparison websites you can use, including the <a href="https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au/">Energy Made Easy</a> website. You can also make simple changes such as turning off lights and using a saucepan lid when boiling water that will reduce your usage. </li> <li> Check other products you might be paying for, such as car, home and health insurance to see if you can save money by switching. Be careful with any life or disability policies. It is best to speak to a financial adviser before changing those as there can be implications for cover. </li> </ul> Other expenses, like housing, can be a lot harder to manage. Rising interest rates have pushed up mortgage repayments for homeowners. Mortgage interest charges have <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-03/record-high-living-costs-businesses-contracting-interest-rates/102296992">risen by 78.9% over the year</a> to March 2023. For many homeowners, their repayments are unaffordable compared to when they first took out their mortgage. If you are struggling to afford your mortgage, the first step is to talk to your lender as soon as possible. Moneysmart has <a href="https://moneysmart.gov.au/home-loans/problems-paying-your-mortgage">useful information</a> on what to do when you can’t meet your mortgage payments. You may also be able to <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/super/withdrawing-and-using-your-super/early-access-to-super/access-on-compassionate-grounds/access-on-compassionate-grounds---what-you-need-to-know/">access some of your superannuation</a> so you don’t lose your home, however bear in mind that this is a temporary solution and uses your retirement savings. Increased demand for rentals has seen average rents across Australia increase by <a href="https://content.corelogic.com.au/l/994732/2023-07-05/z2tcd/994732/1688600749Ly8Iv9wt/202306_CoreLogic_RentalReview_July_2023_FINAL.pdf">27.4% since the COVID pandemic</a>. Supply of rental properties is low, which means many people may not be able to find a suitable alternative if their rent increases and becomes unaffordable. It might be necessary to take on a housemate, or move to a cheaper location (make sure to consider additional costs such as transport). If your circumstances have changed suddenly and you cannot pay your rent, contact your landlord or property manager. If you are paying a lot in credit card or other personal debt repayments such as numerous Afterpay-style accounts, it could be a good idea to speak to a bank about consolidating. This can help move some expensive debt, such as that from credit cards, into lower interest debt and simplify your budgeting as there is only one payment. If debt is making your budget unmanageable, then you can call the <a href="https://ndh.org.au/">National Debt Helpline</a> or for First Nations Australians there is <a href="https://financialrights.org.au/getting-help/mob-strong-debt-help/">Mob Strong Debt Help</a>. A final option could be to increase your income by taking on more work. This can be a good solution, but if you already work full time it might be unsustainable. Two common side hustles to boost income are gig work, such as Uber driving, and multi-level marketing, which is selling goods like Doterra and Herbalife to family and friends. However, both are <a href="https://www.twu.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/McKell_QLD_Gig-Economy_WEB_SINGLES.pdf">low</a> <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/216593/1/MLM_report_Print.pdf">paid</a> and in most cases you would be better off earning minimum wage as a casual employee.<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/210895/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-de-zwaan-180752">Laura de Zwaan</a>, Lecturer, Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</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/shop-around-take-lunch-catch-the-bus-it-is-possible-to-ease-the-squeeze-on-your-budget-210895">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

"Possibly carcinogenic to humans": WHO's dire warning over common ingredient

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for one of the world’s most popular artificial sweeteners to be declared a possible carcinogen. The push will be led by the WHO’s research team for the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), pitting it against the food industry and regulators. The sweetener, known as Aspartame, is used in products from Coca-Cola diet drinks, such as Diet Coke and Coke Zero, to Mars’ Extra chewing gum and some Snapple drinks. Later this month, the IARC will list Aspartame for the first time as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” The ruling from the IARC has assessed whether the sweetener is hazardous to humans or not, although it does not stipulate how much of the product a person can safely consume. This advice for individual consumers comes from a different organisation, known as JECFA (the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Expert Committee on Food Additives), who make consumption guidelines alongside national regulators. Despite the claims from the WHO, since as early as 1981 JECFA has said aspartame is safe to consume within accepted daily limits. An adult weighing 60kg would have to drink between 12 and 36 cans of diet soft drink, depending on the amount of aspartame in the beverage, every day to be at risk. Its view has been widely shared by national regulators, including in the United States and Europe. These conflicting reports have angered some regulators and consumers alike, with Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare official Nozomi Tomita writing to the WHO, “kindly asking both bodies to coordinate their efforts in reviewing aspartame to avoid any confusion or concerns among the public.” Image credits: Getty Images

Body

Is it possible to listen to too much music each day?

I love listening to music. I love music so much I decided to study it in college. I’m earning a <a href="https://www.songsmysisterlikes.com/">doctorate in music history</a>, for which I have researched everything from early 20th-century French music to 1960s funk. I make and perform music as well. I have played drums in rock and pop bands and composed original music for jazz ensembles. I always have my headphones on, too. I listen to music while taking a walk. <a href="https://www.okayplayer.com/music/j-dilla-lofi-hip-hop-influence.html">I listen to lo-fi hip-hop</a> while answering emails. I listen to Brazilian <a href="https://library.brown.edu/create/fivecenturiesofchange/chapters/chapter-6/bossa-nov/">bossa nova</a> music while I cook and clean. I listen to the jazz vocalist <a href="https://bostonreview.net/articles/the-sounds-of-struggle/">Abbey Lincoln</a> while driving around town or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/6TLQjuOF9aBRrEVLWBXhvW?si=068ea66c436f4fa3">upbeat electronic</a> music while taking long road trips. I miss out on a lot around me by constantly listening to music, however. I might not hear the sound of birds outside my window or my cat’s mewling when she wants to be fed or to play. I might not hear the rustling of the wind or the chatter of my family enjoying one another’s company right outside my closed door. Apart from causing you to miss out on all the sounds that surround you, generally speaking, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/addicted-to-music#is-it-possible">listening to music does not harm your body</a>. It does not damage your liver, poison your lungs or fry your brain. It is not possible to listen to too much music. <h2>Watch the volume</h2> There are, however, exceptions. For instance, you can damage your ears if you listen to music too loud for long periods. The World Health Organization estimates that around <a href="https://www.who.int/pbd/deafness/activities/MLS_Brochure_English_lowres_for_web.pdf">50% of teenagers and young adults</a> listen to music on personal audio devices at unsafe levels. Fortunately, some smartphones have built-in features that measure <a href="https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/check-your-headphone-levels-iph0596a9152/ios">how much sound is coming from your headphones</a>. Such features measure the output of sound in a unit of measurement called decibels. <a href="https://soundear.com/decibel-scale/">Silence will produce no decibels at all</a>. A jet plane engine produces 120. Everyday conversations are around 60 decibels, while a balloon popping can be as powerful as 150. The WHO has concluded that people can withstand <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/public_health_scientific_info.html">85 decibels consecutively for eight hours</a> without damaging their hearing. To give an example, I average about five hours of headphone listening a day at 70 decibels. <h2>Take precautions</h2> Anyone who plays music regularly or attends concerts and nightclubs needs to take extra caution as well. Several rock stars from the 1970s and 1980s have spoken out for years about their experience with hearing loss and <a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2018/musicians-hearing-loss.html">tinnitus, a condition that causes ringing in the ears</a>. Their condition resulted from rehearsing and performing for long periods of time at loud volumes. <a href="https://decibelpro.app/blog/how-loud-is-a-rock-concert/">The average concert often exceeds 100 decibels</a>, and the WHO notes that such sound can begin to damage one’s ears after only 15 minutes. Standing closer to the amplifiers and musicians will make the decibel level increase. Most musicians rehearse and perform for more than 15 minutes. And most concerts last at least an hour, if not much longer. The solution, then, is to take precautions. Just the way airport workers who signal to pilots <a href="https://pksafety.com/blog/airport-worker-safety-equipment">wear specialized earmuffs</a> while they are on the tarmac to protect their hearing from damage caused by noisy jet planes, musicians and concertgoers can wear earplugs. I carry mine – which can cut out up to 21 decibels of noise – everywhere, attached to my keychain. I put my earplugs in while rehearsing or attending shows, or whenever I need to relax in a noisy environment. Other people rarely notice. “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5363618/">Sound of Metal</a>,” a movie released in 2019, portrays a metal drummer’s experience with hearing loss. It is a sobering reminder of the importance of protecting your hearing. But that doesn’t mean experiencing a lot of live or recorded music is bad for you. It is hard to listen to too much music, provided the volumes are reasonable. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared in <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-possible-to-listen-to-too-much-music-each-day-173566" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

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

Witness accused of painting Chris Dawson in “most monstrous” way possible

A witness has claimed that Chris Dawson allegedly pushed his wife Lynette against a trampoline and screamed at her before she disappeared. Lynette Dawson disappeared from the family home in Bayview in Sydney’s northern beaches, leaving behind her two children in January 1982. The 33-year-old has not been heard from since then and her remains have not yet been found. Dawson, a former professional rugby league player and teacher is accused of killing his wife Lynette. He appeared in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday where he claimed he was in fact the victim of improper police investigations following the disappearance of his wife. In the judge-alone trial, witness and former neighbour Julie Andrew alleged that Dawson was “shaking” his wife moments leading up to her death. "He was screaming at her and she was crying. He was towering over her … he was roaring at her,” she said in court, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-16/witness-tells-court-she-saw-chris-dawson-screaming-at-lynette/101069734" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a> reported. A few hours after the alleged incident, Julie went to check in on Lynette who informed her that Dawson was going to make room for the babysitter to move in because he was infatuated with her. Julie told the court that she tried to explain to Lynette that it was her house and she should not allow that to happen. She also recalled the moment Lynette revealed that she came home from work one day to find Dawson and the babysitter in bed together. "She said, 'I'm sure she just wasn't feeling well and he was looking after her'," Julie said. She noted that that was the last time she saw Lynette and would try calling the home phone to which no one responded. Julie only spotted Dawson, the babysitter, and the two children in the house - claiming she was too scared to go to the house and check on the situation. Defence barrister Pauline David accused Julie of painting Dawson in the "most monstrous" way possible. Julie denied the accusation saying she was there to tell the truth and said she didn’t go to the house after noticing bruises on Lynette’s arm, ABC reported. Dawson continues to claim his innocence after being arrested for the murder of Lynette. The trial continues. Image: Nine News

Legal

Sustainable shopping: is it possible to fly sustainably?

Many Australians will have just jetted back from a well-deserved summer holiday over the Christmas and New Year period. Plenty of us tend to board a plane without thinking about what it’s doing to the environment, but perhaps we should. In global terms, Australians fly a lot. In the past year, the aviation industry transported <a href="https://bitre.gov.au/statistics/aviation/domestic.aspx">more than 59 million passengers</a> on domestic flights, and <a href="https://bitre.gov.au/statistics/aviation/international.aspx#summary">39 million</a> on international flights. Sydney to Melbourne is the world’s <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/worlds-busiest-airline-flight-routes-melbournesydney-now-worlds-second-busiest-h0e7ha">second-busiest air route</a>, with 54,519 flights a year. Our ability to fly cheaply and reliably connects our regional centres to our cities, our large cities to each other, and our cities to the world. Air travel is also important for regional and international development. Many parts of the world rely on air travel for income from <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-you-be-a-sustainable-tourist-without-giving-up-flying-33099">tourism</a> for economic development. <h2>The environmental impact of air travel</h2> Unfortunately, air travel is one of the more environmentally damaging activities we can undertake. Globally, the aviation industry is responsible for roughly <a href="http://www.atag.org/facts-figures.html">2%</a> of carbon dioxide emissions, but that is rising <a href="https://www.icao.int/environmental-protection/Documents/ICAO%20Environmental%20Report%202016.pdf">quickly</a> as more people fly more often. Using fossil fuels Aircraft burn finite fossil fuels, emit greenhouse gases and leave <a href="https://phys.org/news/2011-03-airplane-contrails-worse-co2-emissions.html">contrails</a> (water vapour) in the atmosphere at high altitude, making them particularly harmful to the climate. While the emissions per passenger per kilometre can be comparable to driving, we generally fly a lot further than we’re willing to drive – particularly with international flights. Air travel worldwide is <a href="http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2017-02-02-01.aspx">growing</a> at more than 6% a year, <a href="http://www.iata.org/about/Documents/iata-annual-review-2016.pdf">outpacing</a> the reduction in per-passenger carbon emissions gained from efficiency measures. Building airports and infrastructure Not all the environmental impact of air travel comes from the flying, as airports themselves have high carbon footprints. All the surrounding infrastructure – terminals, runways, ground transportation, maintenance facilities and shopping centres – uses significant amounts of land, water, energy and other resources. There are <a href="http://www.airportcarbonaccreditation.org/about/what-is-it.html">moves</a> towards making airports greener through an international carbon accreditation scheme, but resource use is still significant. Helsinki Airport <a href="https://www.finavia.fi/en/newsroom/2017/helsinki-airport-now-carbon-neutral">claims</a> to have gone carbon-neutral, something all airports should be aiming for. <h2>What can you do?</h2> While truly sustainable air travel isn’t currently possible, there are ways to fly that are less harmful than others. Here are some ideas to make your travel plans more sustainable. Choose airlines that pack their flights Many flights on commercial airlines are nowhere near full, and empty seats on a plane means wasted fuel and unnecessary carbon emissions. Some airlines are better than others at ensuring their planes carry the most people they can, so <a href="https://www.tourism-review.com/travel-tourism-magazine-top-10-greenest-airlines-in-the-world-article2659">choose</a> an airline that does its best to ensure capacity seating. Less legroom and no spare seats may mean less comfort in a squished flight, but this means that more people are benefiting from the fuel being used and there are less emissions per passenger. The question of offsets Carbon offsets – where we pay to have the carbon dioxide emissions from flying sequestered in another form, usually through tree planting – are one of the more controversial measures we can take to reduce the impact from flying. Some researchers <a href="https://www.nature.com/news/the-inconvenient-truth-of-carbon-offsets-1.10373">argue</a> that offsets can actually do more harm than good, by giving us the impression that the air travel industry can be environmentally justified in its current form. By all means buy offsets from a <a href="http://www.co2offsetresearch.org/consumer/Standards.html">certified organisation</a> that minimises our impact, but we should be under no illusion that carbon offsets make air travel sustainable. Flight levies to make air travel more equitable We can support campaigns and initiatives to make air travel more sustainable and equitable. In the UK, 93% of people fly less than once a year domestically, and 54% of people <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/457752/nts2014-01.pdf">took</a> no international flights. This means a relatively small part of the population is flying much more than the rest, and having a correspondingly larger environmental impact. The campaign <a href="http://afreeride.org/">A Free Ride</a> is proposing a flight levy that rises as a person takes more and more flights in a year. This will put pressure to fly less on people and organisations who fly frequently. Type of aircraft and alternative fuels Airlines offering flights on newer models of aircraft will generally be less harmful than those with older models. Search for flights on a <a href="https://matrix.itasoftware.com/">website</a> that allows you to check what type of aircraft you will be flying on, and that estimate CO2 emissions for the flight. <a href="https://theconversation.com/peak-oil-is-alive-and-well-and-costing-the-earth-17542">Peak oil</a> and fossil fuel depletion are another concern for the sustainability of air travel. While nearly all commercial planes still use kerosene-based fuels, some are <a href="https://aviationbenefits.org/newswire/2017/11/from-farm-to-flight-qantas-to-operate-worlds-first-us-australia-biofuel-flight/">experimenting</a> with biofuels. While we should applaud airlines that look for alternatives to fossil fuel, biofuels are also controversial. They tend to originate from sources that require industrial agriculture to produce, can compete with <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-biomass-iied/rising-biomass-demand-could-drive-land-grabs-report-idUSTRE77T3L220110830">food</a> crops, and cause deforestation. Virtual travel A more novel way to reduce air travel emissions is to skip the flight completely and travel to your destination in <a href="https://vr.google.com/earth/">virtual reality</a>. VR is increasingly becoming recognised for its potential to give users immersive experiences of <a href="http://realities.io/">real world locations</a>. This obviously won’t help if you plan to go hiking or visiting family and friends, but if you just want to see the sights of a particular place then VR is clearly a more sustainable option than flying. If you’re travelling to attend a conference or meeting, consider attending remotely by video conference or even via a <a href="https://worklifeecologies.org/adventures-in-telepresence-conferencing">telepresence robot</a>. In either case, you won’t have to battle jet lag. <h2>Keep your carbon budget under control</h2> We probably won’t stop travelling by air tomorrow or any time soon. But those of us in the developed world who fly a lot are using far more than our <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/aviation-consume-quarter-carbon-budget">carbon budget</a>allows. So think about how necessary your air travel is, whether there are more local alternatives to far-flung destinations, or whether you can use digital technologies instead of hopping on a plane. Image credits: Shutterstock This article first appeared on <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/sustainable-shopping-is-it-possible-to-fly-sustainably-88636" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Is it even possible to regulate Facebook effectively? Time and again, attempts have led to the same outcome

The Australian government’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/this-is-why-australia-may-be-powerless-to-force-tech-giants-to-regulate-harmful-content-169826">recent warning</a> to Facebook over misinformation is just the latest salvo in the seemingly constant battle to hold the social media giant to account for the content posted on its platform. It came in the same week as the US Senate heard <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58805965">whistleblowing testimony</a> in which former Facebook executive Frances Haugen alleged the company knew of harmful consequences for its users but chose not to act. Governments all over the world have been pushing for years to make social media giants more accountable, both in terms of the quality of information they host, and their use of users’ data as part of their business models. The Australian government’s <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_LEGislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6680">Online Safety Act</a> will <a href="https://perma.cc/95A5-T79H">come into effect in January 2022</a>, giving the eSafety Commissioner unprecedented powers to crack down on abusive or violent content, or sexual images posted without consent. But even if successful, this legislation will only deal with a small proportion of the issues that require regulation. On many such issues, social media platforms have attempted to regulate themselves rather than submit to legislation. But whether we are talking about legislation or self-regulation, past experiences do not engender much confidence that tech platforms can be successfully regulated and regulation put in action easily. Our <a href="https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2021_rip/35">research</a> has examined previous attempts to regulate tech giants in Australia. We analysed 269 media articles and 282 policy documents and industry reports published from 2015 to 2021. Let’s discuss a couple of relevant case studies. <h2>1. Ads and news</h2> In 2019, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/publications/digital-platforms-inquiry-final-report">inquiry into digital platforms</a> described Facebook’s algorithms, particularly those that determine the positioning of advertising on Facebook pages, as “opaque”. It concluded media companies needed more assurance about the use of their content. Facebook initially welcomed the inquiry, but then <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Facebook_0.pdf">publicly opposed it</a> when the government argued the problems related to Facebook’s substantial market power in display advertising, and Facebook and Google’s dominance of news content generated by media companies, were too important to be left to the companies themselves. Facebook argued there was <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Facebook.pdf">no evidence of an imbalance of bargaining power</a>between it and news media companies, adding it would have no choice but to withdraw news services in Australia if forced to pay publishers for hosting their content. The standoff resulted in Facebook’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/facebook-has-pulled-the-trigger-on-news-content-and-possibly-shot-itself-in-the-foot-155547">infamous week-long embargo on Australian news</a>. The revised and amended News Media Bargaining Code was <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Final%20legislation%20as%20passed%20by%20both%20houses.pdf">passed by the parliament in February</a>. Both the government and Facebook declared victory, the former having managed to pass its legislation, and the latter ending up striking its own bargains with news publishers without having to be held legally to the code. <h2>2. Hate speech and terrorism</h2> In 2015, to deal with violent extremism on social media the Australian government initially worked with the tech giant to develop joint AI solutions to improve the technical processes of content identification to deal with countering violent extremism. This voluntary solution worked brilliantly, until it did not. In March 2019, mass shootings at mosques in Christchurch were live-streamed on Facebook by an Australian-born white supremacist terrorist, and the recordings subsequently circulated on the internet. This brought to light <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-shooting/111473473/facebook-ai-failed-to-detect-christchurch-shooting-video">the inability Facebook’s artificial intelligence algorithms</a> to detect and remove the live footage of the shooting and how fast it was shared on the platform. The Australian government responded in 2019 by <a href="https://www.ag.gov.au/crime/abhorrent-violent-material">amending the Criminal Code</a>to require social media platforms to remove abhorrent or violent material “in reasonable time” and, where relevant, refer it to the Australian Federal Police. <h2>What have we learned?</h2> These two examples, while strikingly different, both unfolded in a similar way: an initial dialogue in which Facebook proposes an in-house solution involving its own algorithms, before a subsequent shift towards mandatory government regulation, which is met with resistance or bargaining (or both) from Facebook, and the final upshot which is piecemeal legislation that is either watered down or only covers a subset of specific types of harm. There are several obvious problems with this. The first is that only the tech giants themselves know how their algorithms work, so it is difficult for regulators to oversee them properly. Then there’s the fact that legislation typically applies at a national level, yet Facebook is a global company with billions of users across the world and a platform that is incorporated into our daily lives in all sorts of ways. How do we resolve the impasse? One option is for regulations to be drawn up by independent bodies appointed by governments and tech giants to drive the co-regulation agenda globally. But relying on regulation alone to guide tech giants’ behaviour against potential abuses might not be sufficient. There is also the need for self-discipline and appropriate corporate governance - potentially enforced by these independent bodies. Image credits: Shutterstock This article first appeared on <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-even-possible-to-regulate-facebook-effectively-time-and-again-attempts-have-led-to-the-same-outcome-169947" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Technology

The unlikely possible cure for epilepsy

A small but highly venomous caterpillar from south-east Queensland might be the source of a new treatment for nervous system disorders like epilepsy. Studies at the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience have pointed to a species of nettle caterpillar called Doratifera vulnerans as a potential candidate for treatments. Andrew Walker, who has been studying the caterpillar’s venom since he found the species four years ago during a field trip, said “it’s strange biology and pain-causing venom fascinated me”. Dr Walker discovered that the insects were common in Queensland’s south-east, and said its defence mechanism saw it release up to 100 venom-producing spines on its back. “Its binomial name means ‘bearer of gifts of wounds’,” he said. <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/CQZk-pJlcT0/?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/CQZk-pJlcT0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by IMB (@imbatuq)</a> </div> </blockquote> “I have been stung quite a lot of times by these caterpillars. “So the way the spine releases their venom is that they have closed but very thin and sharp tips,” he explained. “If you just lightly brush them, or touch them, the tips break off and the venom gets injected.” Potential therapeutics The UQ’s team recently published a report in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that found the venom is a source of peptides - smaller versions of proteins - that could be used to treat disorders affecting the nervous system, such as epilepsy. “Previously researchers had no idea what was in the venom nor how they induced pain,” Dr Walker said. “We’re right at the very start of … finding out about [the] venom and the toxins it contains.” Dr Walker said these peptides could be developed into medicines to help control the nervous system. “And [they would] allow us to ameliorate the effects of things like epilepsy, when the nervous system is too active,” he said. “So you want to calm [the nervous system] down a bit or, in other situations, you may want to activate certain parts of it.” Dr Robinson, the scientist responsible for researching which molecules in the venom caused the pain, said toxins have been used to help understand the human cardiovascular and nervous systems for decades. “My research program, for example, is centered on using toxins as tools to understand our sensory system, that is the neurons responsible for detecting and sending pain signals,” he said. “There really is no better place to look for new knowledge than nature.” A new sheep-friendly pesticide Dr Walker said, in addition to its potential therapeutic applications, that the venom could be used in the development of bio-friendly, eco-friendly insecticides to kill parasites in sheep. “First we discovered the structures of the toxins and then that allows us to design ways in the lab to make them,” he said. “Then, if we can make them in the lab, that will allow us to try to characterise them and work out what they do.” Some of the peptides already made in the lab through Dr Walker’s research have shown high potency and a potential to kill nematode parasites that are harmful to livestock. Image: imbatuq / Instagram

Body

"This can't be happening": Groom drops wedding ring in worst possible place

Andrew and Marlene Kent’s nuptials did not go as planned after their wedding ring fumbled into Lake Tahoe, USA. What should have been a scenic ceremony turned into horror after the groom accidentally dropped his wife’s ring through a gap in the pier on Sugar Pine Beach. "Honestly, I thought, this can't be happening. Like that didn't just happen," Marlee said. Andrew added, "Like what are the chances?" <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840437/wedding.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d811ed3b77564828a75f02f5601881df" /> The couple in love were soon on their knees searching for their ring in the clear Tahoe water. "My first thought was like how deep is it, how cold is it?" Andrew said. The couple quickly turned to a Tahoe scuba diving Facebook group after a pastor convinced the pair not to jump for it. Outdoor adventurer Phill Abernathy answered the call, saying: "The water was 41 degrees [farenheit; roughly 5°C], dry suit was needed.” He went on to say: "We start to move some of the little rocks out of the way and obviously as we start to move them some silt starts to form.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840436/wedding-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3c1ca7da11bd43c7a5fe8cd7de42a665" /> Phill eventually found the ring tucked away in some rocks and revealed that he even had to fight off a crawdad to get it. "I'm so thankful to have my ring back but either way it's a great story to tell our kids one day," Marlee said. Image: Youtube

Relationships

Head lice drug Ivermectin is being tested as a possible coronavirus treatment

Researchers testing the head lice drug Ivermectin as a possible treatment for COVID-19 have <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166354220302011">seen promising results</a> in lab studies. But the research is in its early stages and the drug is yet to be tested on people with COVID-19. There’s so much we don’t know, including the right dose and delivery method for people with coronavirus infection. So if you’re thinking of buying some just in case, think again. What is Ivermectin currently used for? Ivermectin is an antiparasitic agent that was isolated in the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3043740/">1970s</a> from the fermented broth of a species of bacteria called Streptomyces avermitilis. The drug has been used since the 1980s to treat and prevent diseases related to parasites in humans, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2198752">pets and livestock</a>, and works by <a href="http://www.antimicrobe.org/drugpopup/Ivermectin.htm">paralysing invertebrate parasites</a>. In Australia, Ivermectin is mainly used topically in creams and lotions for head lice. It’s also used in tablet form to treat <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/strongyloides/gen_info/faqs.html">roundworm infection</a> and as a <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/radar/articles/ivermectin-stromectol-for-typical-and-crusted-scabies">second-line treatment for scabies</a> and <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rosacea/symptoms-causes/syc-20353815">rosacea</a>, a skin condition that causes redness and visible blood vessels in your face. The pharmaceutical company that makes Ivermectin, MSD, has also been <a href="http://www.msd.com/about/featured-stories/mectizan.html">donating the drug to developing countries</a> to treat the parasitic diseases river blindness and elephantiasis for the past 30 years. What are the side effects and potential harms? When used at the recommended dose, Ivermectin is generally well tolerated. Some of the common <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/australian-prescriber/articles/ivermectin-1">side effects</a> include diarrhoea, nausea, dizziness and drowsiness. Less common is a lack of energy, abdominal pain, constipation, vomiting, tremors, rashes and itching. Ivermectin may also <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/medicine-finder/stromectol-blister-pack-tablets">interact with some medicines</a>, such as the blood-thinning drug warfarin, or <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/ivermectin-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20064397?p=1">worsen some conditions</a> such as asthma. Ingesting Ivermectin found in topical products for head lice is dangerous. If this occurs, contact the <a href="https://www.poisonsinfo.nsw.gov.au/">Poison Information Hotline</a>. How might Ivermectin treat COVID-19? <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104787">Recent laboratory data</a> from <a href="https://www.monash.edu/discovery-institute/news-and-events/news/2020-articles/Lab-experiments-show-anti-parasitic-drug,-Ivermectin,-eliminates-SARS-CoV-2-in-cells-in-48-hours">scientists at Monash University and the Doherty Institute</a> suggests Ivermectin is able to stop SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, from replicating. Ivermectin has also been shown to stop other viruses (such as HIV, dengue, influenza and Zika) replicating, at least in the laboratory. The researchers found Ivermectin had an effect on SARS-CoV-2 after one exposure to the drug. Viral replication was shut down within 24 to 48 hours. It’s still not clear <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104787">exactly how Ivermectin works</a>. But it appears to stop the processes that allow proteins to move within the virus. These proteins would normally dampen the body’s antiviral response, allowing the virus to replicate and enhance the infection. Where is the research on Ivermectin for coronavirus up to? This research on Ivermectin has been conducted in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104787">cell culture</a> (cells grown in a laboratory) and is very preliminary. It provides some promise, but not evidence of an effective treatment in people (yet). Rigorous clinical trials in people with or exposed to COVID-19 infection are needed to establish the drug works and is safe to use, and in what doses. The laboratory studies of Ivermectin suggest higher concentrations of the drug may be needed <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2751445/">beyond a standard dose</a> to have an <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jac/article/75/4/827/5710696">antiviral impact</a>. So safety monitoring will be important. If Ivermectin is found to work on people with COVID-19, it needs to be studied as a potential treatment. So researchers need to know: does it prevent COVID-19 infection, reduce the severity of the associated illness, or improve the time to recovery? These are important questions to be answered before it becomes a treatment for COVID-19. On a positive note, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ddr.21666">re-purposing drugs</a> such as Ivermectin as a potential treatment for COVID-19 is ideal because development can move quickly to clinical trial testing because we already know it’s safe to use in humans at currently recommended doses. Should I buy some just in case? No. It’s too soon to know if the promising laboratory test results will translate into a safe and effective drug for COVID-19 patients. The researchers were very clear <a href="https://www.monash.edu/discovery-institute/news-and-events/news/2020-articles/Lab-experiments-show-anti-parasitic-drug,-Ivermectin,-eliminates-SARS-CoV-2-in-cells-in-48-hours">Ivermectin should not be used to treat COVID-19</a> until further testing is complete. We certainly shouldn’t be stockpiling the drug to use later, especially since we don’t yet know the best way to take Ivermectin, including the right dose. And it could lead to unintended medicine shortages for people who need the drug to treat serious diseases caused by parasites. Written by Andrew McLachlan. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/head-lice-drug-ivermectin-is-being-tested-as-a-possible-coronavirus-treatment-but-thats-no-reason-to-buy-it-135683">The Conversation.</a>

Caring

The problem with virtual reality is endless possibilities

Just a few years ago, virtual reality (VR) was being showered with very real money. The industry raised an estimated US$900 million in venture capital in 2016, but by 2018 that figure had <a href="https://content.fortune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/vir_graphic_01.png">plummeted to US$280 million</a>. <a href="https://www.oculus.com/?locale=en_US">Oculus</a> - the Facebook-owned company behind one of the most popular VR headsets on the market - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/how-facebooks-oculus-go-santa-cruz-headsets-plan-to-make-vr-mainstream-2017-10">planned to deliver 1 billion headsets to consumers</a>, but as of last year had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-oculus-vr-bet-taking-longer-than-expected-2019-10?r=US&IR=T">sold barely 300,000</a>. Investments in VR entertainment venues all over the world, VR cinematic experiences, and specialised VR studios such as <a href="https://atap.google.com/spotlight-stories/">Google Spotlight</a> and <a href="https://www.ccpgames.com/">CCP Games</a> have either significantly downsized, closed down or morphed into new ventures. What is happening? Recent articles in <a href="https://fortune.com/longform/virtual-reality-struggle-hope-vr/">Fortune</a> and <a href="https://www.theverge.com/a/virtual-reality">The Verge</a> have voiced disdain with VR technology. Common complaints include expensive, clunky or uncomfortable hardware, and unimaginative or repetitive content. Sceptics have compared VR experiences to the 3D television fad of the early 2010s. As a VR researcher and developer, I understand the scepticism. Yet I believe in this technology, and I know there are “killer apps” and solutions waiting to be discovered. Last week, Western Sydney University hosted a <a href="https://vrst.acm.org/vrst2019/">global symposium on VR software and technology</a>, at which academics and industry partners from around the world discussed possible ways forward for VR and augmented reality. Among the speakers were Aleissia Laidacker, director of Developer Experience at <a href="https://www.magicleap.com/">Magic Leap</a>; University of South Australia computing professor <a href="https://people.unisa.edu.au/Mark.Billinghurst">Mark Billingurst</a>; and Tomasz Bednarz, director of UNSW’s <a href="https://artdesign.unsw.edu.au/research/epicentre-expanded-perception-interaction-centre">Expanded Perception and Interaction Centre</a>. Virtual reality, literal headache One problem discussed at the symposium is the fact that VR experiences often cause health-related issues including headaches, eye strain, dizziness, and nausea. Developers can partially deal with these issues at the hardware level by delivering balanced experiences with high refresh and frame rates. But many developers are ignoring usability guidelines in the pursuit of exciting content. Gaming industry guidelines used by <a href="https://docs.unrealengine.com/en-US/Platforms/VR/DevelopVR/ContentSetup/index.html">Epic</a>, <a href="https://developer.oculus.com/design/latest/concepts/book-bp/">Oculus</a>, <a href="https://blog.marvelapp.com/designing-vr-beginners-guide/">Marvel</a>, and <a href="https://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/guidelines-for-immersive-virtual-reality-experiences">Intel</a> recommend that games completely avoid any use of induced motion, acceleration or “fake motion”, which are often the main cause of discomfort and motion sickness. Yet the vast majority of available VR experiences feature some kind of induced motion, either in the form of animation or by basing the experience on user movement and exploration of the virtual environment. I have met many first-time VR users who generally enjoyed the experience, but also reported “feeling wrong” – similar to enjoying the clarity of sound in noise-cancelling headphones but also having a “strange sensation” in their ears. Killing creativity Queasiness is not the only turnoff. Another problem is that despite the near-limitless potential of VR, many current offerings are sorely lacking in imagination. The prevailing trend is to create VR versions of existing content such as games, videos or advertisements, in the hope of delivering extra impact. This does not work, in much the same way that radio play would make terrible television. A famous cautionary tale comes from <a href="https://secondlife.com/">Second Life</a>, the virtual world launched in 2003 which <a href="https://gigaom.com/2013/06/23/second-life-turns-10-what-it-did-wrong-and-why-it-will-have-its-own-second-life/">failed spectacularly to live up to its billing</a>. Real-world businesses such as Toyota and BMW opened branches in Second Life, allowing users to test-drive badly programmed versions of their virtual cars. They <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/technology/few-lives-left-for-second-life-20080821-gdsrna.html">lasted mere months</a>. Why would we prefer a humdrum virtual experience to a <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-virtual-reality-cannot-match-the-real-thing-92035">real one</a>? No one needs a virtual Toyota. We need to give users good reasons to leave their reality behind and immerse themselves in a new one. There have been some notable successes. <a href="https://beatsaber.com/">Beat Saber</a>, made by Czech indie developers, is the one of the few games that have explored the true potential of VR – and is the only VR game to have grossed more than US$20 million. The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CPVOt7QjcM">VR Vaccine Project</a> helps to take the sting out of childhood needles, by combining a real-world vaccination with a superhero story in the virtual world, in which the child is presented with a magical shield at the crucial moment. I really hope VR is on its way to becoming more mainstream, more exciting, and less underwhelming. But we scientists can only present new technological solutions, to help make VR a more comfortable and enjoyable experience. Ultimately it is down to VR developers to learn from existing success stories and start delivering those “killer apps”. The possibilities are limited only by imagination.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/126761/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tomas-trescak-876634">Tomas Trescak</a>, Senior Lecturer in Intelligent Systems, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-main-problem-with-virtual-reality-its-almost-as-humdrum-as-real-life-126761">original article</a>.

Technology

“How is it possible?” Intruder breaks into Buckingham Palace

An intruder has broken into Buckingham Palace on Wednesday morning. The Queen was just metres away from where the man broke into the massive palace in what has been labelled a “major security breach.” The 22-year-old man is assumed to have climbed over the front gates of the palace before banging down the front doors. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.express.co.uk/" target="_blank">Express</a> reported it took four minutes for police to apprehend the man and check if he was carrying weapons. It is widely believed the young man was attempting to replicate a similar situation done almost 37 years ago by Michael Fagan who broke into the Queen’s bedroom. Metropolitan Police have confirmed they arrested the 22-year-old on suspicion of trespassing. “Officers have arrested a man on suspicion of trespass, contrary to section 128 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005,” the statement read. “The 22-year-old man was arrested at approximately 02:00 hrs on Wednesday, 10 July by officers from the Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command after he climbed over the front gates at Buckingham Palace. The man was not found in possession of any offensive weapons and the incident is not being treated as terrorist related. “He remains in custody at a central London police station.” The Queen was in the Palace at about 2 am when the young man entered the premises however a spokesperson has declined to comment to say if she was told about the security breach. In 1982, Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace at 7:15 am on July 9 by claiming over the walls and entering the Queen’s bedroom. The 31-year-old schizophrenic told the Queen about his family problems and while Her Majesty called the panic button – there was no response. After being forced to call the palace switchboard, the operator believed it was a practical joke. During the ordeal Fagan smashed a glass ashtray and warned he would slash his own wrists. Thankfully the Queen was rescued after being spotted by butler Paul Whybrew as he was returning back to the Palace after walking her corgi dogs.

Legal

Is it really possible to find friends and love online?

Social interaction is a crucial component of our human psyche. We need other people to share experiences with, to discuss what is going on in our lives and in the world around us. Travel buddies, sports mates and close friends are a necessary part of our lives. Looking for new people and experiences to spice up your life? Don’t count the days. Make the days count. One of the best ways to meet like-minded people is to engage in social groups and activities. Join sports clubs, gaming groups, participate in a new class, or take up a hobby which will allow you to meet people with similar interests. Whether it is a language class, dancing lessons or a chess group, there is a never-ending array of opportunities for you to activate your brain and body, instil meaning into your daily life and meet people in your area with similar tastes and opinions. What’s not to love about that? Why? Online forums and websites allow you to sift through multitudes of people to fairy quickly find individuals that fit your specific criteria. Here are four of the latest and most popular online resources that might help you meet your next partner, travel companion or activity buddy. Let us know what happens! <a href="http://www.stitch.net/">Stitch</a> Aim: To help mature adults find companionship Use it if: You want to try a new and all-inclusive way of meeting like-minded people Cost: Free starter plan, range of costs depending on your level of interaction (up to $29 a month for gold membership). Stitch helps you to find a companion for every aspect of your life, whether you are looking for someone for travel, events and activities, love and romance or friendship. Australian entrepreneur, Andrew Dowling, created Stitch to help over 50s combat social isolation and find companions for friendship or love. “When you’re younger, you have opportunities (to meet people) like going to uni, having kids, then when you get to a certain age your friends start to move away, you retire, you get divorced,” says Dowling. After launching Stitch in San Francisco in 2015, it grew to more than 3000 members in the first six months. This rapid success, combined with constant interest from his home country, meant that he knew it was time to bring the site to Australia. The site has launched in Sydney and now people from all over Australia can sign up. Robin Miller from Sydney’s North Shore is a single mother who says she finds the prospect of meeting people ‘daunting’. She wants to connect with people who have similar hobbies and travel interests, yet she has found that dating sites want too much information. “One of the things about Stitch that I like is it’s aimed at older people,” she says. Then adds, the process is comfortable. “It’s not rushed, quite secure and I’m not competing with people half my age.” She says that Stitch’s group events take away the anxiety of one-on-ones and are based around an activity, so you already know you have a common interest. <a href="http://www.stitch.net/">Stitch</a> prides itself on its steadfast commitment to safety, guaranteeing users that no scammers or con-artists will be able to infiltrate the site. <a href="http://www.elitesingles.com.au/">Elite Singles</a> Aim: To help you find ‘the one', not just anyone Use it if: You are looking for a serious relationship Cost: Free and premium service (from $22.95 per month) Elite Singles caters to those who are serious about finding a someone special and genuine. They say they utilise a smart profiling system to assess members based on their personal characteristic and partner criteria to guarantee more compatible matches. Their aim is to match members with singles that suit each other’s values, interests and lifestyle, thus abiding by their mantra of 'quality over quantity'. The site caters to people from all walks of life, including options for professional dating, single-parent dating, over-50 dating, gay dating or Christian dating. Elite Single’s staff say they manually check every user to ensure that every account is legitimate and safe. However, still please be aware that you must always be careful when meeting new people regardless of the circumstances. The site gets 18,000 new members every week and has a presence all over Australia and the rest of the world, with a global reputation for pairing compatible 'elites'. <a href="http://www.seniorsholidaytravel.com.au/">Seniors Holiday Travel</a> Aim: To provide a free travel club with no minimum age requirement Use it if: You want to explore the world with like-minded travellers Cost: Free Often one of the greatest barriers to travel is finding a travel buddy to accompany you. Although solo travel is often a cathartic and enlightening experience, sometimes it is fun to experience the journey with a friend. Seniors Holiday Travel is a club for older travellers covering every aspect of trips. They provide travel agents with your specific needs in mind, a suite of deals, tips and promotions as well as a means for you to meet other like-minded travellers. The site has a 'solo traveller club' with a co-ordinator who organises regular meetings and outings that allow club members to meet other travellers and find a suitable companion. If you have a destination in mind and are looking for someone with whom you can share the experience, simply notify the co-ordinator of your intended destination and they can match you up with another - or a few other - solo travellers. <a href="http://www.companions.com.au/">Companions</a> Aim: Make friends, share interests, and meet new local people Use it if: You want to find a new friend Cost: Free Whether you are in search of a tennis opponent, a confidante for your morning coffees, a fellow movie buff to take to the cinema or a like-minded person to discuss news and politics with, Companions will help you find a suitable compadre. <a href="http://www.companions.com.au/">Companions</a> allows you to identify your interests, which can be as diverse as ‘Tarantino movies’, ‘intelligent conversation’, ‘ballroom dancing’ or anything in between. Joining is free and only takes a couple of minutes, plus members can search profiles, message, chat and discuss topics on forums at no extra cost. Meeting truly compatible people often takes a lot of chance and circumstance, even if you have similar interests and live in close proximity. So why not take a chance to be proactive and make new friends with similar interests today? What have your experiences been connecting with other people online? Let us know in the comments below. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/lifestyle/relationships/is-it-really-possible-to-find-friends-and-love-online.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a>

Caring

These two words make you rethink retirement

Nobby Kleinman is an award-winning ex financial planner who developed <a href="http://moneyrules.com.au/" target="_blank">Money Rules</a>, a personal money management program which anyone can use. This is a question many of us often ask ourselves. Although few believe we would drastically change much, it is the most telling when the day of retirement comes up and the ensuing years of time. The line is drawn in the sand. This is the time for most when the income stops. For those who have been saving their money, this is the day when the tide of income starts to flow the opposite way. Although not immediately evident, as one year passes into another, the drop in the account balances becomes ever more noticeable. Within a short matter of years, what seemed to be a secure and sufficient lump sum has become a much smaller pile and it is just dwindling and draining away. It won’t matter anymore what you do to try and stop it from eroding, you will be overcome by how quickly it will just slip through your fingers, never to be replenished. Just like a dam in a drought, you will be exposed, financially naked and emotionally stripped bare. Trying to stay afloat, you exhaust all your avenues of selling personal assets which were once prized possessions. You have cut back on all the expenses such as heating as you go to bed early in order to stay warm after having a meagre supper of soup and toast. It’s lucky that you kept that old tv because the internet is too expensive to use as your television. Your phone is the most basic you can get and your only means of connection to the outside world. Your clothes and a few pieces of furniture are what you live in now. It broke your heart when you had to sell the family home in the suburb where you had lived for so long with great neighbours, but it was such a valuable asset and you needed the money. Like many, you had become asset rich and cash poor. This was a better option than the reverse mortgage they tried to convince you to take, because you wanted to leave something for the kids rather than a debt. But there is only so much that you can reduce in your life before you find yourself living on the street. You had downsized to a much smaller place, but it is so far way that even the family only visit during holidays. Your major concern is wanting to be close to community facilities, especially hospital and medical assistance, because you are not as young as you used to be. This is where you are going to be spending the last days of your life. Although the sun rises every morning, it is just the beginning of another long day filled with despair about how you are going to fill in the time. Thank goodness the government helps out with the pension! Imagine if only… given your time over again You lived your life by the rules. But those rules were set by other people for their benefit, not for yours. If you knew then what you know now, what would you have done differently? The government set rules, the churches set rules, the courts set rules, the employers set rules, the schools set rules and even society set rules. But think back to those who were considered outlandish because they seemed to break the rules. Think about those who self-promoted themselves globally and lived by their own rules rather than those imposed by others. OK, so maybe your personality isn’t that of Richard Branson, or the Kardashians or Madonna or others who stand out in the world. But what if… What if you hadn’t listened to the rules or perhaps even just bent them somewhat to suit your own needs rather than those who imposed them. What if education only got you so far and inspiration and imagination had fired up your creative juices. Who could you have become? What would you have invented or what business would you have started? How could you have changed the world for humanity sharing your brilliance? How many people would have benefitted? There are so many people who are changing the world every day and yet they are human beings just like you. They get dressed in exactly the same manner and move forward just by putting one foot in front of the other. How would your life have been different if only… Right now you have experience that you can pass on to others. You can be a mentor to those who follow. As parents teach and train their children, so too can you guide and direct other people to be rich and successful in their lives to become potentially rich and famous. All because they listened to a new set of rules. The world changes every day. Taxis will be replaced by self-owned drivers in Uber. Hotels have competition in Airbnb. The horse and cart were replaced by the car and petrol engines will be replaced by electric vehicles. Even in the financial world, there are changes taking place. Consider the use of smart phones to pay for everything just like a credit card. Banks as they are today will become outdated. Yet with all these changes in technology and lifestyle, people will still remain handcuffed to rules. One of the most draining is money. It is simply a method of exchange, just a tool. But this very tool in any form controls the masses. When financial institutions lend money they tell also set the rules by which they want those funds repaid. Most people follow those rules and will pay dearly for the privilege of getting a loan. But given the opportunity of hindsight, how many would follow the same path knowing what they know once they are old enough to know better? The average of people in America, Canada and Australia is 47% who reach retirement with a mortgage debt. Once the income stops, and the lump sum is paid out, how long do you think the remainder is going to last? The first half of this story is not imagination other than what people should consider may happen to them. Debt is amongst the greatest problems of the western world and by the time anyone gets to realise it, the tide will have come in just like a tsunami washing over a generation of retired baby-boomers. It won’t stop there. The benefits which should have flowed through to the following generations will also have been washed away and the financial expectations of inheritances will be evaporated. Coping with debt during the working years is one thing, but without storing away enough for those years after work has stopped is the most dangerous time approaching the global economy. Governments have been aware of it for more than 50 years with economic modelling. They know the number of taxpayers is declining to support the older generations. Ultimately, the responsibility rests purely with each individual. If you know now what lies ahead, what will you change in your life? Don’t wait until you get to retirement only to find out you still have to pay out debts. You must start immediately. Financial planning is not just about insurance and investment. In fact, while insurance is important, until you have paid off all existing debt, your only investment should be in yourself. Look at your situation now and be honest with your future. How much have you saved? How long did that take? How long will that last? If you pay out your debts right now, and how much do you have left? There is a much faster way to pay off debt and create wealth, just on your current income. Learn how to that and teach it to your children and your grandchildren, because neither the banks nor the government are going to. When you get to retirement, what you have to live on is what you do for yourself. Share your thoughts in the comments. Learn how to master your money, create your wealth and retire early, just on your current income. Find out more in Nobby Kleinman’s latest book <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/mr-ebook-spend-and-grow-rich/SpendandGrow-Rich.pdf" target="_blank">Spend To Grow Rich</a>. Related links: <a href="/finance/retirement-income/2016/08/72-hour-money-saving-trick-that-will-change-your-life/">The secret, simple money saving trick to cut out splurging</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/retirement-income/2016/03/seniors-investment-income-suffering/">Seniors relying on investment income are suffering</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/retirement-income/2016/07/what-are-additional-sources-of-income-in-retirement/">What are additional sources of income in retirement?</a>

Retirement Income

Is it possible for your house to be too clean?

Our houses are cleaner than they ever have been before. Our soaps are antibacterial. Our cleaning products promise to kill 99.9 per cent of germs. Many of us keep hand sanitiser in our top drawers. The swarms of bacteria that lurk on your children’s hands and your dog’s tongue and paws don’t stand a chance against these antimicrobial safeguards. Because ever since we were kids, we’ve been taught that microbes are evil, plain and simple. But how clean is too clean? Could a sterile home actually be putting your family’s health at risk? That’s the theory behind the long perpetuated “Hygiene Hypothesis”. Developed by British epidemiologist David Strachan in 1989, it suggests that exposure to infections during childhood helps build defences in the future. According to the theory, the lack of exposure to microbes leads to a weak immune system, increasing chances of developing hay fever, asthma, eczema and allergies later on. Call it the downside of living in the developed world – where antibacterial chemicals are ubiquitous, our houses are artificially antiseptic, and fewer children in the average home mean less exposure to viruses – but Australians may be, from a health standpoint, too clean for their own good. Have we sanitised our children into itchy, allergy-ridden messes whenever they’re an inch away from pollen? An allergy is, in fact, our immune system going haywire by perceiving a harmless substance as something harmful. When not accustomed to certain microbes – even the “friendly” ones – our bodies may treat them as attackers and overreact because they don’t know how to live with them. That’s despite 99 per cent of microbes actually being good for us. Many contribute to our health, producing vitamins in our guts, coating our skin to protect us from more harmful microbes, and helping us digest food. And then there’s another thing to consider: Disinfectant sprays and wipes, despite what those fearmongering, animated TV commercials would have you believe, aren’t actually that effective in eliminating bacteria. There’s evidence to show that they are able to kill organisms when used on a surface area, but within seconds, new organisms settle down from the air and replace them. As such, wiping down the kitchen counter and bathroom sink every few minutes doesn’t actually do much to change the number of microbes dwelling there. So, how can we avoid disease from the bad bacteria, without eliminating the good bacteria? Is it possible to find a balance between being obsessively clean and cleverly cautious to protect those under your roof? At the end of the day, it’s not about excessive cleaning, but timely cleaning. As opposed to a weekly deep clean with bleach and pine-scented antiseptics, good hygiene should be a daily consideration, built into everyday habits. This includes washing contaminated chopping boards immediately after cutting raw meat or fish, closing the toilet lid before flushing, laundering towels and linen in 60-degree water and drying them properly, practising “blow and throw” with your tissues, washing tea towels after every use, pyjamas weekly, and not sharing facecloths and other personal care items with anyone else in the house. Our health has more to do with behaviours such as good hand hygiene than making sure we’re using industrial-strength chemicals. We carry resistant bacteria in the gut, so washing your hands thoroughly after going to the toilet and playing with pets, who have a habit of harbouring harmful organisms, is key in preventing infections. (And simply rinsing isn’t enough. To thoroughly rid your mitts of the nasties, lather up with soap and rub for at least 15 seconds, scrubbing both sides and up your arms – like you see doctors do before surgery – before drying thoroughly.) With cold and flu season just around the corner, consider this your #PSA for the day. Do you think people today are too concerned with cleanliness? Tell us your opinion in the comments below. Written by Kathleen Lee-Joe. First appeared on <a href="http://www.domain.com.au/" target="_blank">Domain.com.au.</a> Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/05/cleaning-tricks-you-should-never-try-at-home/">10 cleaning tricks you should never try at home</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/04/household-cleaners-hiding-in-your-pantry/">5 household cleaners hiding in your pantry</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/04/infographic-house-cleaning-schedule/">The ultimate house cleaning schedule</a>

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Is it possible for your house to be too clean?