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"Unimaginable curse": Karl Stefanovic pays tribute to fallen father

Karl Stefanovic has paid tribute to Lachlan Webb, a young Queensland dad who sadly passed away from a rare genetic brain disorder. Webb first started showing symptoms of Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI) early last year, a rare degenerative brain disorder where the inability to fall asleep is just one of the many symptoms of the condition which many describe to be a living nightmare. From there the symptoms progress to the inability to walk, loss of sight and speech and eventual total shutdown of the body's ability to keep itself alive among others. The Queensland father had already lost his grandmother, aunties, uncles and his mum Narelle to the disease, with his mum passing away just six months after she was diagnosed. The condition is so rare that only 50 families worldwide are known to carry the gene. Karl Stefanovic first met Webb and his sister Hayley back in 2016, after they both learned that they carried the fatal gene. Despite the diagnosis the siblings were determined to ensure the "curse" ended with them, travelling to the US to participate in a clinical study. The siblings also both underwent IVF with their respective partners to ensure that their children won't carry the gene. "Lachlan was a remarkable man battling an unimaginable curse," Karl said on the Today show. "Everyone at Today is thinking of the Webb family, Hayley, Lachlan's beautiful wife Claire and his little boy Morrison." "Hayley also has that gene, their bravery and resilience was incredible to witness firsthand and it's such an important message - everyday is a gift and our thoughts, our prayers and our love are with you all this morning." Images: Nine

Caring

"Heartbroken and blindsided": The Beast's ex-girlfriend opens up about split

The ex-girlfriend of The Chase star Mark Labbett, also known as The Beast, has opened up about her high-profile break-up with the TV star, slamming his behaviour in the last weeks of their relationship. Hayley Palmer, an entertainment news presenter, announced her <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/mark-the-beast-labbett-s-girlfriend-drops-major-relationship-bombshell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">split</a> from Labbett just days after their one year anniversary, sharing the news on Instagram in May. Now, in an interview with <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/28526452/mark-beast-labbett-hayley-palmer-split/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sun</a> newspaper, Palmer took aim at Labbett and his alleged handling of their split, saying she had been “blindsided” by their break-up, and shared how he had lived up to his name as The Beast. “It has come as a complete shock. I thought we were really happy,” she said. “I’m heartbroken and blindsided. His behaviour has been beastly.” Palmer went on to say that Labbett dumped her over a callous three-minute phone call, and said their breakup came because The Beast did not want to formally divorce his ex-wife Katie, who is also his second cousin. She went on to say that before their shock split, Mark — who has a seven-year-old son with his former wife — had even suggested they move in together. But in the days following, a phone call came from Labbett to end their relationship. Struggling to hold back tears, Hayley told the publication, “The call started off as a normal conversation. He was spending time with his son and we’d had a conversation about me joining them at a water park." “Then he said, ‘I don’t know how to tell you this, but you were right. I don’t want to divorce my ex-wife’. <div> <div id="articlempu"></div> </div> “The shock of the way he said it was so brutally cold and not the Mark I know. I thought he was a gentle giant, so this was the complete opposite. He was as cold as ice." “The phone went from my hands, I just hung up on him. I ended up walking around for three hours not knowing where I was going." “I’ll never get over the shock of that, I’m still in shock now. It’s such a hurtful way to do it. The fact that he didn’t have the respect for me, and for him to do it over the phone — it was a really low move." Image credits: Instagram

Relationships

Mark 'The Beast' Labbett's girlfriend drops major relationship bombshell

Just days after their one year anniversary, Mark 'The Beast' Labbett and his girlfriend Hayley Palmer have shared a major relationship update. Labbett, 58, and Palmer, 42, met at the UK National Television Awards in 2022, and later became a couple. But now, less than one week after celebrating their one year anniversary, the couple have announced their separation. Palmer, an entertainment news presenter, shared the news of their split on Instagram, shocking fans everywhere. “It is with regret I announce that myself and Mark have gone our separate ways," she began. "We had the best year together, and I truly wish him all the very best for the future. Off I go to listen to Taylor Swift.” Hayley also added the heartbreak emoji at the end of the message. The couple had been together for just over a year and posted Instagram photos to mark their anniversary after spending the day together at the beach where they spent their first date. However, just days later, the couple opened up about some issues they have been facing in their relationship. In an appearance on UK talk show Loose Women, Labbett, star of The Chase Australia, said, “The difficult thing is, we live quite a bit apart. Obviously I live up in Sheffield, Rotherham, she’s a Chelsea girl." “We tend to look at our diaries and when we can sync up together and so the good news is we see each other every few weeks but we make the most of it when we’re together so you get the best of both worlds.” Before his relationship with Palmer, Labbett was married to his second cousin, Katie, and the pair have a son, Lawrence. Image credits: Instagram

Relationships

“Our absolute worst nightmare”: Nine reporter reveals devastating family diagnosis

Channel Nine reporter Hayley Webb has shared how she and her brother Lachlan have been struck down with a terrifying terminal illness. The siblings have spent their entire lives living with Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI) lying dormant in their bodies. The devastating illness, which has already claimed the lives of three aunts and uncles as well as their mother, will eventually leave the siblings unable to ever fall asleep again. From there, symptoms progress to, but are not limited to, the inability to walk, loss of sight and speech and an eventual total shutdown of the body's ability to keep itself alive. Hayley and Lachie first discovered they had the gene in 2016, and decided to take part in a study of the disease in California to end the generational curse of the genetic disorder. But tragically, earlier this year, Lachlan began having symptoms at just 35 years old, and discovered his condition had rapidly worsened. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CycA3kxBDGi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CycA3kxBDGi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by thetodayshow (@thetodayshow)</a> </div> </blockquote> "The months leading up to it, I thought something was wrong - my memory was getting worse and I just knew something was different," Lachie told Karl Stefanovic on Today. "I put it off for a month or two just in case it was something else, but once I got tested I realised my fears were confirmed." Lachlan was diagnosed in April, just one day after his son's first birthday, which Hayley described as “just our absolute worst nightmare”. The diagnosis triggered the disease's rapid shutdown of the mind and body, now Lachie struggles to sleep, requires a wheelchair to get around and his speech is starting to go as well. "Lach and I have always been so close - best mates our whole life," Hayley said. "The thought of not having him around is just too much to bear." Sitting in front of the pair, Hayley's heartbreaking admission brought Karl to tears. "I don't think I've ever done a story like this, and certainly never met anybody like you two in my life," the Today host said. With Lachie being officially diagnosed with the disease so young, Hayley has started to wonder about her own mortality. The disease has an average duration of 18 months, ultimately leading to death, making the siblings worry about their families and their futures. “It's just, like, been such a stark reality check that it's not a guarantee that we're gonna get to 60, it's not a guarantee we'll make it to 50,” she said. “I've got a three-and-a-half year-old and a baby on the way who I desperately want to see grow up.” While no doctor or test can predict how long Lachie has - his wife Claire and Hayley, who is expecting, have done something extraordinary, taking their family's fate into their own hands. "We both underwent IVF and through that process we were able to conceive children who won't have the gene, so the family curse stops here," Hayley said. Image credits: Today

Caring

Damning first draft of Clare Nowland statement found

New documents have brought forth allegations that the NSW police force removed key elements in their initial statement regarding the death of 95-year-old Clare Nowland. <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/clare-nowland-dies-officer-charged">The mother-of-eight passed away</a> in Cooma Hospital on May 24, one week after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/furious-response-to-95-yr-old-woman-tasered-by-police">she was tasered by a police officer</a> at her Yallambee Lodge aged care facility. Nowland had reportedly been approaching law enforcement with her walking frame and a steak knife when she was tasered, before she fell backwards and fractured her skull. In the wake of the incident, Police Commissioner Karen Webb reportedly approved a 71-word press release - one that made no mention of the knife, the taser, or even Nowland’s movements. “A critical incident investigation has been launched after an elderly woman sustained injuries during an interaction with police at an aged care facility in the state’s south today,” it read. “The 95-year-old woman was taken to Cooma District Hospital, where her condition is being monitored. A critical incident team will now investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. That investigation will be subject to independent review. “No further details are available at this time.” However, ‘new’ documents - obtained by the Australian Associated Press under Freedom of Information laws - have revealed that there was another draft, 100 words longer than the released statement, that mentions those key aspects of the case. According to the Sydney Morning Herald - who obtained the internal emails regarding the statement - that draft had been sent to NSW Police Executive Director of Public Affairs Elizabeth Deegan for review, but had been cut by more than half mere hours later, leading the SMH to run with the headline "<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/top-nsw-cops-covered-up-tasering-of-clare-nowland-20230621-p5di67.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Top NSW cops covered up Tasering of Clare Nowland</a>". The original 171-word document made mention of the reports that a Yallambee Lodge resident had a knife, and noted that two officers had arrived to find a woman “still armed … in a small room”. “Police and paramedics attempted to speak to the woman; however, all instructions were ignored,” it continued. “When she stood up and moved towards officers, a taser was deployed by a constable.” It explained that the woman had received treatment from paramedics at the scene, leaving room for information on her condition. It even mentioned that the officer who had deployed the taser was under review. Commissioner Webb defended the decision to edit their original draft while speaking to 2GB’s Ben Fordham, denying that the police force had hidden anything when she told him that “early in the investigation it was necessary for us to make sure that the family were aware of what the circumstances were. “Mrs Nowland has a large family and we didn’t want that family to hear on the radio on TV what had happened to their mum, and so we had to be a bit sensitive to that, and when we were able to talk about it we did.” She added that it was “a very sensitive matter”, and that it was an “unusual” circumstance with everyone seeking answers, but that “it’s appropriate we think about and respect that family, and certainly they deserve that. “It was important that the family were informed of the situation in a factual manner before we went public on it - I think that’s very necessary and I’m sure that family appreciates that now.” Images: 9News / Nine

Legal

Set sail in style alongside these sporting legends

The time has come for sports fans with a passion for cruising to live their dreams, with <a href="https://www.cunard.com/en-au/cruise-types/event-cruises/sporting-greats">The Voyage of Sporting Greats</a> - the latest offering to the world of thrilling themed voyages from British luxury cruise line Cunard. The first-of-its-kind-trip will set sail in February 2024, headlined by none other than AFL legend Adam Goodes, cricket’s Brett Lee, and golfer Karrie Webb. Sunrise and Olympic presenter Mark Beretta will also be joining in on the fun, as well as Bruce McLaren’s daughter, Amanda McLaren. While onboard, guests will have the opportunity to attend live fireside chats with their sporting heroes, to enjoy sports-themed shore excursions with those very same stars, and to get to know them better - if you’ve ever wondered just how heavy some of those trophies can be, now’s your chance to ask. For example, the Queen Elizabeth - one of four ships setting sail as part of the 2024 fleet, alongside Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and the brand new Queen Anne - has a jam-packed star-studded program to offer guests, featuring everything from talks to sporting activities, and unique excursions to the shore in Sydney, Melbourne, and Hobart. Additionally, the Queen Elizabeth - the second largest ship in Cunard’s fleet with room for 2,000 guests and an additional 1,000 crew - boasts more than 10 different eating establishments, an entire Games Desk with the likes of paddle tennis, croquet, hitting bays, and bowls, as well as an impressive two-story library, a ballroom, and a Royal Court Theatre - the latter will even host performances by <a href="https://circa.org.au/">Circa</a>, an Australian contemporary circus company, in February 2024. As Katrina McAlpine, the commercial director of Cunard Australia and New Zealand, explained, “we are extremely excited to host some of the biggest local names in sport on Queen Elizabeth next February. “Brett Lee, Adam Goodes, Karrie Webb, Mark Beretta, and Amanda McLaren will captivate sport enthusiasts with stories of their career defining moments, their professional highs and lows, and give guests the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with them during priceless and bespoke activities onboard and ashore. “The Voyage of Sporting Greats offers sports fans a once in a lifetime chance to meet and engage with some of our country’s most famous sporting icons in one place.” 2014 Australian of the Year and AFL great Adam Goodes, for one, is eager to join in on the fun with his fellow sporting greats, noting that “this is a spectacular opportunity to join the other sporting icons and connect with guests aboard Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth. I am looking forward to sharing stories about my career, what drives and inspires me and what projects I am currently working on. “I am specifically keen to talk to fans onboard and create great memories of the sailing for them.” Celebrated Australian golfer Karrie Webb is similarly excited for Cunard guests to experience their athletic lineup. And golf fans in particular will benefit, with Karrie “very much looking forward to sharing with guests my favourite tips and golf stories, as well as having a swing with them onboard.” Amanda McLaren - daughter of the late Bruce McLaren - is honoured to be taking part, and “can’t wait to interact with guests and to share the McLaren racing story - and my father’s legacy that kick started in Australia.” And for cricket legend Brett Lee, the trip is set to become the highlight of his year, with the star most looking forward to catching up with guests on the “voyage for the ages”. The same could be said for and by renowned sports presenter Mark Beretta, who is thrilled to be facilitating the talent on deck as they share their stories. “Sharing stories of Australian sporting history and anecdotes from behind the scenes of the world of sports, plus talking to some of the biggest stars in Australian sport is going to be a treat for me and our guests,” he shared. “I’m also looking forward to getting on the road with guests to host a very special excursion!” The stars and their fellow cruisers will depart from Sydney on February 13 2024, heading to Tasmania and back over a span of 7 nights, with stops to stretch their legs and enjoy all that the shore has to offer in Hobart, Port Arthur, and Melbourne. To find our more about costs the voyage’s impressive guest list, and what’s on offer on this trip of a lifetime, potential passengers can learn all about it - and secure their spot - here: <a href="https://www.cunard.com/en-au/cruise-types/event-cruises/sporting-greats">https://www.cunard.com/en-au/cruise-types/event-cruises/sporting-greats</a> Images: Cunard [supplied]

Cruising

New NASA images capture birth of a star

The James Webb Space Telescope continues to stun with its images of the universe following the release of an image showing a “fiery hourglass” housing a newborn star. The image of the protostar (a young star that is still unstable and cocooned in a cloud of dust and gas) has offered scientists insight into what stars might look like “in their infancy”. With the star located in the dark cloud L1527 and only visible in infrared light, the image was captured using Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam). The protostar itself is hidden from view within the “neck” of the hourglass shape. "An edge-on proto-planetary disk is seen as a dark line across the middle of the neck," NASA said in <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-webb-catches-fiery-hourglass-as-new-star-forms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a release</a>. "Light from the protostar leaks above and below this disk, illuminating cavities within the surrounding gas and dust." <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/star-birth1.jpg" alt="" /> The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a photo of a young star using its infrared camera. Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI. Image processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI), Anton M. Koekemoer (STScI) Blue and orange clouds forming above, below and around the protostar that form the hourglass represent empty spaces created as material shoots away from the protostar and collides with surrounding matter, with the colours being caused by layers of dust between the camera and the clouds. The thicker the dust, the more orange the clouds appear, since blue light is unable to escape and be perceived by our eyes. While it may appear small, the disk in the middle of the hourglass is about the size of our solar system. According to NASA, the protostar is relatively young at about 100,000 years old and considered a class 0 protostar, “the earliest stage of star formation”. ‘Protostars like these, which are still cocooned in a dark cloud of dust and gas, have a long way to go before they become full-fledged stars,” NASA said. "L1527 doesn't generate its own energy through nuclear fusion of hydrogen yet, an essential characteristic of stars. "Its shape, while mostly spherical, is also unstable, taking the form of a small, hot and puffy clump of gas, somewhere between 20 and 40 percent the mass of our Sun." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Our universe is beautiful. <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAWebb</a> captured a stellar birth which is so poetically nestled in this hourglass shape. A truly stunning marker of time. <a href="https://t.co/8UflbFPdid">pic.twitter.com/8UflbFPdid</a> — Shannon Stirone 💀 (@shannonmstirone) <a href="https://twitter.com/shannonmstirone/status/1593026314310934528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2022</a></blockquote> The protostar will get closer to stable nuclear fusion (the requirement to be a star) as it gathers more mass and its core compresses. "The scene shown in this image reveals L1527 doing just that," NASA said. "The surrounding molecular cloud is made up of dense dust and gas being drawn to the centre, where the protostar resides. “As the material falls in, it spirals around the centre. "This creates a dense disk of material, known as an accretion disk, which feeds material to the protostar.” “Ultimately, this view of L1527 provides a window into what our Sun and solar system looked like in their infancy.” Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI. Image processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI), Anton M. Koekemoer (STScI)

Technology

Webb on Webb: How JWST peers back in time at the earliest stages of the Universe

What did the first galaxies and <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/physics/webb-spotted-first-oldest-stars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stars look like</a>? How have they evolved over time? Does life exist somewhere else out there in the great inky blackness of the universe? How can astronomers possibly hope to see through the vast amounts of gas and dust to uncover nascent stars nestled in their cloudy nurseries? In Cosmos Magazine #96, Swinburne University postdoctoral researcher, Sarah Webb, explains how astronomers are exploring these questions, uncovering the deepest mysteries of the universe and space and time. The appropriately named Webb, walks us through the most powerful time machine we’ve ever built, showing us how the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/james-webb-space-telescopes-golden-mirror/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">golden mirrors</a> of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) allow it to peer through the space dense with gas and dust and look at (but not touch!) the very early days of our universe. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p217307-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.62 resetting spai-bg-prepared" action="/science/webb-on-webb-back-time-early-universe/#wpcf7-f6-p217307-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="resetting"> <input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/" aria-invalid="false" /> </form> </div> </div> Be dazzled by beautiful, swirling galaxies and cliffs of dust hiding bright new-born stars as Webb explains the science behind her favourite JWST images, including the Southern Ring Nebula, spiral galaxy NGC 628 and the Cartwheel galaxy. Comparing the Hubble Deep Field with the JWST First Deep Field, we can see just how far technology, engineering and science have come, with JWST seeing further and more clearly than any instrument before it. Australia’s research contribution is highlighted, as Webb discusses some of the incredible science being done by astronomers right here in Australia – work which demonstrates JWST’s unbelievable potential to contribute to an enormous number of fields such as finding the most distant galaxy, early galaxy birth and evolution, dead stars, planets and asteroids, and of course looking for the most promising exoplanetary candidates for signs of life elsewhere in the Universe.  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=217307&title=Webb+on+Webb%3A+How+JWST+peers+back+in+time+at+the+earliest+stages+of+the+Universe" width="1" height="1" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/webb-on-webb-back-time-early-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/clare-kenyon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clare Kenyon</a>. Clare Kenyon is a science journalist for Cosmos. An ex-high school teacher, she is currently wrangling the death throes of her PhD in astrophysics, has a Masters in astronomy and another in education. Clare also has diplomas in music and criminology and a graduate certificate of leadership and learning. Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI </div>

Technology

The Webb telescope has released its very first exoplanet image – here’s what we can learn from it

Did you ever want to see an alien world? A planet orbiting a distant star, light years from the Sun? Well, the <a href="https://webb.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)</a> has just returned its first-ever picture of just that – a planet orbiting a distant star. The <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2022/09/01/nasas-webb-takes-its-first-ever-direct-image-of-distant-world/?utm_source=TWITTER&utm_medium=NASAWebb&utm_campaign=NASASocial&linkId=179637235" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new images</a> reveal JWST will be a fantastic tool for astronomers aiming to improve their knowledge of exoplanets (planets around other stars) – even better than we had hoped it would be! But for those who’ve grown up on a diet of Star Trek, Star Wars, and myriad other works of science fiction, the images may be underwhelming. No wonderful swirling clouds, in glorious or muted colours. Instead, we just see a blob – a single point of light. So why do these observations have astronomers buzzing with excitement? And what might we learn in the months and years to come? Observing hidden worlds Over the past three decades, we have lived through a great revolution – the dawn of the Exoplanet Era. Where we once knew of no planets orbiting distant stars, and wondered whether the Solar System was unique, we now know planets are everywhere. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yv4DbU1CWAY?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>The history of the first 5,000 alien worlds discovered – the dawn of the Exoplanet Era.</figcaption></figure> At the time of writing, the number of known exoplanets <a href="https://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stands at 5,084</a>, and the count grows larger with every week. But the overwhelming majority of those exoplanets are detected indirectly. They orbit so close to their host stars that, with current technology, we simply cannot see them directly. Instead, we observe their host stars doing something unexpected, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-how-to-find-an-exoplanet-part-1-56682" target="_blank" rel="noopener">infer from that the presence</a> of their unseen planetary companions. Of all those alien worlds, only a handful have been seen directly. The poster child for such systems is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HR_8799" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HR 8799</a>, whose four giant planets have been imaged so frequently that astronomers have produced a movie showing them moving in their orbits around their host star. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KVgKidAuf4o?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>The first video of exoplanets orbiting their star. HR 8799 host four super-Jupiters, and it took seven years of imaging data to produce this movie.</figcaption></figure> Enter HIP 65426b To gather JWST’s first direct images of an exoplanet, astronomers turned the telescope towards the star HIP 65426, whose massive planetary companion HIP 65426b was <a href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2017A%26A...605L...9C/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discovered using direct imaging back in 2017</a>. HIP 65426b is unusual in several ways – all of which act to make it a particularly “easy” target for direct imaging. First, it is a long way from its host star, orbiting roughly 92 times farther from HIP 65426 than the distance between Earth and the Sun. That puts it around 14 billion kilometres from its star. From our point of view, this makes for a “reasonable” distance from the star in the sky, making it easier to observe. Next, HIP 65426b is a behemoth of a world – thought to be several times the mass of the Solar System’s biggest planet, Jupiter. On top of that, it was also previously found to be remarkably hot, with temperature at its cloud tops measuring at least 1,200℃. This combination of the planet’s size and temperature means it is intrinsically bright (for a planet). <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/482618/original/file-20220904-39859-xghmli.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/482618/original/file-20220904-39859-xghmli.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/482618/original/file-20220904-39859-xghmli.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=444&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/482618/original/file-20220904-39859-xghmli.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=444&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/482618/original/file-20220904-39859-xghmli.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=444&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/482618/original/file-20220904-39859-xghmli.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=558&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/482618/original/file-20220904-39859-xghmli.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=558&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/482618/original/file-20220904-39859-xghmli.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=558&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Four images of HIP 65426b, at four different wavelengths of infrared light." /></a><figcaption>JWST’s first images of an alien world, HIP 65426b, are shown at the bottom of a wider image showing the planet’s host star. The images were taken at different wavelengths of infrared light. Image: NASA/ESA/CSA, A Carter (UCSC), the ERS 1386 team, and A. Pagan (STScI).</figcaption></figure> How were the images taken, and what do they show us? Under normal circumstances, the light from HIP 65426 would utterly overwhelm that from HIP 65426b, despite the distance between them. To get around this problem, JWST <a href="https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/1577/a-new-view-of-exoplanets-with-webb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">carries several “coronagraphs”</a>, instruments that let the telescope block the light from a bright star to look for fainter objects beside it. This is a bit like blocking the headlights of a car with your hand to see whether your friend has climbed out to say hello. Using these coronagraphs, JWST took a series of images of HIP 65426b, each taken at a different wavelength of infrared light. In each image, the planet can be clearly seen – a single bright pixel offset from the location of its obscured stellar host. The images are far from your standard science fiction fare. But they show that the planet was easily detected, standing out like a sore thumb against the dark background of space. The researchers who led the observations (<a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/2208.14990" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detailed on the preprint server arXiv</a>) found that JWST is performing around ten times better than expected – a result that has astronomers around the globe excited to see what comes next. Using their observations, they determined the mass of HIP 65426b (roughly seven times that of Jupiter). Beyond that, the data reveal the planet is hotter than previously thought (with cloud tops close to 1,400℃), and somewhat smaller than expected (with a diameter about 92% that of Jupiter). These images paint a picture of an utterly alien world, different to anything in the Solar System. A signpost to the future The observations of HIP 65426b are just the first sign of what JWST can do in imaging planets around other stars. The incredible precision of the imaging data suggests JWST will be able to obtain direct observations of planets smaller than previously expected. Rather than being limited to planets more massive than Jupiter, it should be able to see planets comparable to, or even smaller than, Saturn. This is a really exciting. You see, a basic rule of astronomy is that there are lots more small things than big things. The fact JWST should be able to see smaller and fainter planets than expected will greatly increase the number of possible targets available for astronomers to study. Beyond that, the precision with which JWST carried out these measurements suggests we will be able to learn far more about their atmospheres than expected. Repeated observations with the telescope could even reveal details of how those atmospheres vary with time. In the coming years, then, expect to see many more images of alien worlds, taken by JWST. While those pictures might not look like those in science fiction, they will still revolutionise our understanding of planets around other stars.<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/189876/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jonti-horner-3355" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonti Horner</a>, Professor (Astrophysics), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Southern Queensland</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-webb-telescope-has-released-its-very-first-exoplanet-image-heres-what-we-can-learn-from-it-189876" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: NASA/ESA/CSA, A Carter (UCSC), the ERS 1386 team, and A. Pagan (STScI)

Technology

James Webb Telescope captures oldest galaxy

After its <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/technology/nasa-releases-highest-resolution-images-of-infrared-universe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first images</a> spread like wildfire across the internet, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is believed to have broken the record for the oldest galaxy ever detected. Scientists from the Harvard and Smithsonian Center of Astrophysics have identified a 13.5-billion-year-old galaxy called GLASS-z13, which dates to 300 million years after the Big Bang. The previous record-holder was a galaxy known as GN-Z1, spotted by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2016, with its light taking 13.4 billion years to reach Hubble. The team of researchers, who shared their findings in a pair of preprints published on Wednesday, also identified another galaxy, GLASS-z11, which is roughly the same age as GLASS-z13. "We found two very compelling candidates for extremely distant galaxies," Rohan Naidu, one of the researchers who detected GLASS-z13 in Webb's data, told <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=35871X943606&isjs=1&jv=15.2.4-stackpath&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2Fwebb-space-telescope-found-oldest-and-most-distant-known-galaxy-2022-7&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newscientist.com%2Farticle%2F2329601-jwst-has-found-the-oldest-galaxy-we-have-ever-seen-in-the-universe%2F&xs=1&xtz=-600&xuuid=388e4cc6413616544971c2f592b98908&abp=1&xcust=xid%3Afr1658964936510ffc&xjsf=other_click__auxclick%20%5B2%5D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Scientist</a>. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/glass-z13-1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The red circle captured by the James Webb Space Telescope is believed to be the oldest galaxy ever observed. Image: Naidu et al, P. Oesch, T. Treu, GLASS-JWST, NASA/CSA/ESA/STScI "If these galaxies are at the distance we think they are, the universe is only a few hundred million years old at that point." Researchers told the publication that these two galaxies are relatively small compared to the Milky Way galaxy, which is 100,000 light-years wide. In comparison, GLASS-z13 is approximately 1600 light-years wide, while GLASS-z11 is 2,300 light-years in diameter. "With the advent of JWST, we now have an unprecedented view of the universe thanks to the extremely sensitive NIRCam instrument," researchers explained in the <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2207.09434" target="_blank" rel="noopener">preprint</a>. Though the JWST commenced science operations in mid-July, it is expected that it will help scientists uncover more about the universe’s age and evolution. <a href="https://webb.nasa.gov/content/science/firstLight.html#:~:text=Webb%20will%20be%20a%20powerful,darkness%20of%20the%20early%20universe." target="_blank" rel="noopener">NASA attributes this</a> to its ability to peer further back in time - as far as the first few hundred million years after the Big Bang - allowing for the discovery of previously unseen galaxies. Image: Naidu et al, P. Oesch, T. Treu, GLASS-JWST, NASA/CSA/ESA/STScI

Technology

“Vile”: Nickia blasts Farmer Will over pregnancy scandal

Farmer Wants A Wife drama is continuing to heat up, after contestant Nickia slammed reality star Will Dwyer for his insensitive statement surrounding pregnancy rumours. He has been embroiled in scandal for the last two weeks after another contestant, Hayley Love, revealed she and Dwyer had a short, tumultuous relationship after filming for the finale episode ended. The fling quickly came to an abrupt end after she told him she was pregnant. Dwyer had been at the receiving end of criticism, and his response to the allegations have left him in a less-than-favourable light with fans. Taking to Instagram to share a vintage photo of his own father, he wrote, “My family is my world, and my parents were the perfect role models. When the time comes, I will be the best Dad I can be. <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/CSEJwV-HB5M/?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/CSEJwV-HB5M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Will Dwyer (@farmerwillau)</a> </div> </blockquote> “If this is in fact my child, I’ll be there whenever the child needs me. Even if as parents we can’t be a couple, our family will be filled with love for our child. “But one thing I learnt from my Father is that discretion is the better part of valour. I’m sad that this has played out in public. I want only the best for Hayley. “I’ll say what needs to be said in private and let my deeds do the talking.” Nickia, who is close friends with Hayley, 25, and is also a contestant on Farmer Wants A Wife, has berated Dwyer for his “vile” statement. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842856/will-dwyer-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/550d2b54f8bc4fe1848df4e23aecea4f" /> Nickia was a contestant on Farmer Wants A Wife. Image: Instagram @nickiacerneka She said in an Instagram story that the 39-year-old should have stepped up when Hayley first revealed she was pregnant. Nickia also accused him of “vile” private conversations with the pregnant contestant. Referencing Dwyer’s choice of words, Nickia responded, “When the time comes? The time came six months ago buddy when Hayley fell pregnant.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842857/will-dwyer-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/52036c8802834ccaaa17d5875db3b27b" /> Image: Instagram @nickiacerneka. On the show, Nickia was matched with Farmer Sam Messina, but they failed to find love. She added, “Majority of what Will has said ‘in private’ has been vile. And I know because I’ve read it.” Hayley went public last week about her pregnancy, stating the rumours that had circulated for weeks, made her feel like an “absolute wreck”. “I am speaking my truth before it gets misconstrued by the public and tabloids who don’t know the full story,” Hayley, who had been paired with farmer Matt Trewin for the show, explained. “This is my story to tell.” She also revealed that she would gladly raise the baby by herself. “I’ve tried to keep things amicable with (Will), to be clear on what his involvement with our child will be,” she said. “At the end of the day I have decided to keep the baby because I have enough love for this child with or without a biological father. I will be enough for him or her.” The Farmer Wants A Wife reunion special is set to air next Wednesday August 11 on Seven. All eyes will be watching Will, who during the finale, was loved-up with his original “pick”, Jaimee.

Will Dwyer finally issues statement about pregnancy scandal

Farmer Wants A Wife heart throb Will Dwyer has issued a public statement after contestant Hayley Love announced she was pregnant with his baby. Dwyer has said he is “sad” the issue has played out in public, but didn’t fail to question whether the child “is in fact” his. Love went public last week about her scandalous pregnancy earlier this month. She had been paired with Farmer Matt Trewin for the show, however claims that she secretly started a relationship with Dwyer after filming wrapped up. She went on to say their short, fiery relationship came to a halt after she revealed she was pregnant. Dwyer, 39, took to Instagram to say he wants “what’s best for Hayley” but also values “discretion” about their situation. Sharing a vintage photo of his own father, he wrote: “My family are my world, and my parents were the perfect role models. When the time comes, I will be the best Dad I can be. If this is in fact my child, I’ll be there whenever the child needs me. Even if as parents we can’t be a couple, our family will be filled with love for our child. “But one thing I learnt from my Father is that discretion is the better part of valour. I’m sad that this has played out in public. I want only the best for Hayley. I’ll say what needs to be said in private and let my deeds do the talking.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSEJwV-HB5M/?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/CSEJwV-HB5M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Will Dwyer (@farmerwillau)</a> </div> </blockquote> In her original statement to news.com.au, Love, 25, admitted why she had decided to come forward with her story. “I am speaking my truth before it gets misconstrued by the public and tabloids who don’t know the full story,” she said. “This is my story to tell.” <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/CRIHon6iHJq/?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/CRIHon6iHJq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Farmer Wants A Wife (@farmeraustralia)</a> </div> </blockquote> She went on to reveal that she was prepared to raise the baby by herself: “I’ve tried to keep things amicable with (Will), to be clear on what his involvement with our child will be,” she said. “At the end of the day I have decided to keep the baby because I have enough love for this child with or without a biological father. I will be enough for him or her.” In another statement, Love revealed she had been “absolutely terrified” to come forward. “I was absolutely terrified to come out with a statement as I am struggling with my mental health,” she wrote. “While the rumours were spreading I became a complete wreck. I removed myself from social media to recover from all the awful comments I was reading about myself and even other girls/farmers.” The Farmer Wants a Wife reunion episode is set to air next Wednesday, August 11 on Seven.

Will Dwyer speaks out about Farmer Wants a Wife pregnancy

A farmer from the hit show Farmer Wants a Wife has responded to major claims from contestant Hayley Love who alleged he is the father of her unborn child. The harsh criticisms clearly don’t seem to phase Will Dwyer, who paired with Jaimee on the show, but struck up a secret relationship with Hayley after filming ended. Will declined to comment on her public announcements, but took to Instagram to post a graphic that read: “A WOLF DOES NOT CONCERN HIMSELF WITH THE OPINIONS OF SHEEP”. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842749/will-dwyer-hayley-love-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c9a65a4a09bf4dd6b8017897dd53efc4" /> Will chose Jaimee on Farmer Wants a Wife. Image: Supplied Hayley was originally paired with Farmer Matt Trewin on the show, and came forward to allege she and Will connected after the finale episode in December, and before the reunion episode that was taped in January. Hayley alleges they split in April after she told Will she was pregnant. In a statement, she revealed she had “decided to keep the baby, because I have enough love for this child with or without a biological father. I will be enough for him or her.” In a follow-up statement posted to social media, Hayley admitted she had been “absolutely terrified” to come forward and share her story. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842750/will-dwyer-hayley-love-4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ac984a25d9264646bbd3a3f8ca94489c" /> Hayley at her first ultrasound. Image: Instagram After weeks of blind items about a “Farmer Wants a Wife pregnancy scandal”, the story hit FWAW fans like a bomb yesterday. “I started my relationship with Farmer Will in December, before the reunion episode was filmed a few weeks later in January,” Hayley wrote in her statement on Thursday. “He told me he wasn’t with Jaimee, and Jaimee was in contact with me before the reunion,” she added. “We’d started chatting online. (Then) I visited him at his house in Longwood and when our sexual relationship started, he told me he had feelings for me and I had feelings for him. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842748/will-dwyer-hayley-love-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/61fbd80a1e084d3e9534683d7a6483a4" /> “From there, I saw him as often as I could, staying at his house for a few days at a time.” It is understood Farmer Will and Jaimee will still appear together in the reunion episode. The reunion will air on Seven on August 11.

Kate Ritchie shares special moment with young daughter

On Thursday, Kate Ritchie enjoyed special bonding time with her three-year-old daughter Mae at the beach. Despite <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/2017/12/kate-ritchie-breaks-her-silence-on-marriage-split-rumours/" target="_blank">recent split rumours</a> surrounding her marriage to former football player Stuart Webb, Kate looked as happy as ever. The 37-year-old uploaded a special picture of her embracing Mae with the caption, “So I found this little treasure in the sea today… #justcallmeapirate #bestdays.” <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: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 49.81481481481482% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BcrlnkMnI-l/" target="_blank">So I found this little treasure in the sea today.. #justcallmeapirate ☺️🧜🏻‍♀️⚓️🖤💙💛 #bestdays</a> <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 post shared by Kate Ritchie (@kateritchieofficial) on Dec 14, 2017 at 3:31am PST </div> </blockquote> Enjoying a day at the beach, Kate braved the fierce Australian heat with a wide-brimmed hat and tortoise-shell sunglasses. Mae wore a black and white striped rash shirt and an adorable bright pink hat. The adorable post with her daughter comes shortly after Kate addressed the persistent split rumours with her husband. In Stellar magazine Kate said, “It doesn't hurt my feelings, not anymore.” “I think in the old days it did. There's no point in getting bogged down about what other people think is happening in my life.” The radio personality also revealed that she and her former Home And Away co-star Bec Hewitt regularly joke about which one of them will make it into the gossip magazines next. “The only positive in having the magazines write about my love life is that I know the Hewitts are getting a week off.” Bec and Lleyton have also endured the speculation that their 12-year marriage is breaking apart. Kate and Stuart tied the knot in an intimate country-style wedding in 2010, following a one-year engagement. Mae was born in August 2014 which inspired Kate to write her first children’s book I Just Couldn’t Wait To Meet You. Rumours first started circulating about their marriage after the couple bought a new house in the Southern Highlands last August. The Daily Telegraph claimed the pair were living separately, with Stuart residing in the new home while Kate remained in their Sydney home with Mae. In June, Kate appeared to squash the rumours by revealing she wanted more kids in an interview on The Morning Show. Kate was asked by co-hosts Kylie Gillies and Larry Emdur what she would like to have achieved in a decade’s time. “I'd like to think in 10 years I'd had more children," she said. “And as much as I hate to say it, in 10 years I'll be frantically planning a 50th birthday party.”

Kate Ritchie breaks her silence on marriage split rumours

For months, former Home and Away star Kate Ritchie and her husband of seven years, ex-NRL player Stuart Webb, have been the subject of constant split rumours. Now, the 39-year-old has finally broken her silence. “It doesn’t hurt my feelings, not anymore,” she told Stellar magazine. “I think in the old days it did. There’s no point in getting bogged down about what other people think is happening in my life.” While the ACRA-winning radio host is understandably fed up with the constant scrutiny, she conceded it was still nowhere near as bad as what her friend and former Home and Away co-star Bec Hewitt cops from the glossy mags. “The only positive in having the magazines write about my love life is that I know the Hewitts are getting a week off,” she joked, adding that she often laughs about the rumours with Bec, who has been married to tennis champ Lleyton for 12 years. Ritchie, who is one-third of Nova’s drive time radio show Kate, Tim and Marty, welcomed her first child (a daughter named Mae) with Stuart in August 2014 and says she wouldn’t rule out adding to her brood. “Having children is a wonderful distraction from yourself, and also opens up a brand-new world that is far greater than anything,” she said. Image credit: Kate Ritchie/Instagram.

Relationships

90-year-old to graduate university with a PhD

Tasmanian teacher Joan Webb, is about to achieve an incredible feat, earning her PhD from the University of Tasmania at the age of 90. She already received her Masters degree three years ago, and is on track to go one step further when she graduates with a doctorate this weekend. Webb has spent decades teaching both in the UK and in Australia, before turning to aged care facilities to run classes with elderly and sick people wanting to keep their minds active. “I found it most demanding and fascinating and a wonderful experience,” she told the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-16/joan-webb-just-turned-90-about-to-graduate-with-phd/7748002" target="_blank">ABC</a> of the first time she visited the facilities. “There are people in high care who have lost a massive amount of their physical capacity, and still have the most amazing ideas and creativity within them.” She began teaching creative writing in 2013 in these aged care homes, before switching her focus to poetry, finding the residents more receptive to its shorter format. “It was the most exciting experience probably of my whole life,” she said. Webb’s doctoral thesis, titled “I only look forward to Mondays”, discusses the importance of empowering elderly people (particularly aged care patients) with creative and intellectual pursuits. “It's very easy to sit in an armchair, switch the tele on and throw your life away like that,” Webb says of her decision to go to university. “As you do it and as you have this control, you get fascinated by the subject, and in the end you can't put it down and you just want to go on and on.” Congratulations, Joan! Did you attend university later in life? Share your experiences with us in the comments below. Related links: <a href="/news/news/2016/08/74-year-old-coach-of-wayde-van-niekerk/">Meet the 74-year-old coach behind South Africa’s golden boy</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/08/great-grandma-rides-with-30-bikers-on-her-80th-birthday/">Great-grandma rides with 30 bikers on her 80th birthday</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/08/grandpa-declines-seat-on-rio-train/">Grandpa declines seat on Rio train in the most impressive way</a>

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