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Family and friends farewell Sam Landsberger

Sam Landsberger's family and friends have said their final goodbyes to the beloved sports journalist. The Herald Sun AFL and cricket reporter was talking on the phone with his mum while on the way to meet a friend when he was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/he-was-at-peace-sam-landsberger-s-parents-break-silence-after-sudden-death" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit by a truck</a> at the intersection of Bridge Rd and Church St in Richmond, Melbourne on August 20. The 35-year-old later died at The Alfred hospital from his injuries. Hundreds gathered to farewell him at a funeral service at the Temple Beth Israel synagogue in St Kilda. His parents, Jake and Anne, have remembered their youngest child and only son as a "caring and wonderful" person. “Approximately 22 years ago our family stood in this same spot in this wonderful big hall celebrating Sam’s bar mitzvah, now we find ourselves in this exact hall in utter and complete devastation,” Jake said. “I heard so many stories that parents should never ever have to bury their children, yet this is what we are doing. “He was a dedicated, hardworking journalist who loved his job. “He brought so much joy to our lives. He lit up every room he entered, yet he lit up our entire lives.” His father also said that Sam's second grade teacher called him a "diamond" and it was the perfect word to describe him. Jake also recalled his favourite story about his son when he was 10 years old. “Sam had vomited all over his front, his chest was bright yellow,” he said. “I picked him up over the fence and we walked into the rooms to check him over … (only to learn) the reason he was sick was he’d just consumed a jumbo box of Cheezels. “From that time on, every member of the club would call him Cheezels. “At this moment it’s indescribable devastation we feel but also underlining gratitude for what he gave, a beautiful, gorgeous, caring young man who will never be forgotten and always be in our hearts.” Sam’s mother, thanked Herald Sun cartoonist Mark Knight for the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-9BuSHTic-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"wonderful tribute"</a> that captured his spirit and likeness to his maternal grandfather. “I delivered Sam, I nurtured Sam and I am so grateful that I was with him at the end,” she said. “There will always be a massive hole in my heart. I love you and will forever. “Rest in peace my darling boy, I love you.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-9BuSHTic-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-9BuSHTic-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Mark Knight (@knightcartoons)</a> </div> </blockquote> His older sister also talked about their heartbreak at losing their little brother, with a message from his niece being read out. “Dear Sam, I’m really going to miss you. I loved how you would push me on the swings...Thank you for teaching me about the Bulldogs. I’m sad I won’t get to see you again. Love Zara.” Another friend, Will Kim, revealed Sam was due to be best man at his wedding later this year. “I thought he’d be the one making a speech and saying nice things about me, not the other way around,” he said. “How cruel and unpredictable life can be.” Since news broke of Sam's death the footy community have shared their fond memories of him. “The entire AFL footy community is shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death of Sam in a tragic road accident,” his online funeral notice stated. “His enthusiasm for the game and passion for his work was always evident and his positive approach and friendly nature will be fondly recalled by all who knew and worked with him. “Sincere sympathies to Jake, Anne, Jess, Sarah and all of his extended family, friends and colleagues.” The truck driver that struck Landsberger is due to appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court on September 19. While he underwent the standard roadside alcohol and drug tests, which were both negative, he was charged for refusing to provide a blood sample to police. He has also been given a notice banning him from driving until his first court appearance. Images: Herald Sun

Caring

Summer’s over, so how much sun can (and should) I get?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katie-lee-228942">Katie Lee</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachel-neale-891731">Rachel Neale</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/qimr-berghofer-medical-research-institute-1811">QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute</a> As we slide of out summer, you might be wondering how careful you need to be about sun exposure. Excessive exposure causes <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/about-us/policy-and-advocacy/prevention-policy/national-cancer-prevention-policy/skin-cancer-statistics-and-issues/uv-radiation">skin cancer</a>, but sun exposure also has <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9976694/">benefits</a>. How do you balance the two? A new <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023052949?via%3Dihub">position statement</a> from cancer, bone health and other experts <a href="https://www.assc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Sun-Exposure-Summit-PositionStatement_V1.9.pdf">aims to help</a> Australians balance the good and bad effects of sun exposure by taking into account their skin colour, risk of skin cancer, and where they live. <h2>What are the benefits of sunlight?</h2> Ultraviolet (UV) radiation (the wavelengths in sunlight that cause skin cancer) also leads to vitamin D production. <a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/vitamin-d">Vitamin D</a> is very important for maintaining strong bones, and is likely to have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9976694/">multiple other health benefits</a>. But vitamin D probably isn’t the whole story. Sunshine, including UV radiation, is thought to affect health in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9976694/">other ways</a> such as improving our mood and reducing the risk of autoimmune diseases and infections. So for many people, avoiding the sun and taking a vitamin D supplement may not be the best approach. <h2>How much time does it take to make vitamin D?</h2> It’s complicated, but for most people and most of the year across most of Australia, it’s a lot less than you think. The <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/php.13854">amount of time needed</a> depends on the amount of skin covered by clothing and the intensity of UV radiation (indicated by the UV index). More skin exposed and higher UV index equate to less time needed. Both the UV index and the amount of the year that UV radiation is high increase as you get closer to the equator. In summer, all of Australia is bathed in sunshine. But in winter, opposite ends of the country have <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/php.13854">very different exposures</a>. In summer, everybody except those with deeply pigmented skin can make enough vitamin D in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023052949?via%3Dihub">just five minutes</a> between 9am and 3pm, anywhere in Australia, provided they are wearing shorts and a T-shirt. In winter it’s a different story. In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023052949?via%3Dihub">Darwin and Brisbane</a>, 5–10 minutes between 10am and 3pm will do the trick, but in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023052949?via%3Dihub">Hobart</a>, factoring in winter clothing, it will take nearly an hour in the middle of the day. Hover your mouse over the lines below to see the length of exposure needed at specific times of day. <iframe id="X5szQ" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/X5szQ/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> Staying out for longer than needed doesn’t necessarily make more vitamin D, but it <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023052949?via%3Dihub#bib25">does cause skin damage</a>. <h2>Hang on, what about those with darker skin?</h2> People with deeply pigmented, brown to black skin accumulate both vitamin D and DNA damage at a much slower rate than people with lighter skin tones. When UV radiation hits a DNA strand, it causes the DNA to become distorted. If the distortion isn’t fixed, it will cause a mistake when the DNA is copied for a new cell, causing a permanent mutation that sometimes leads to cancer. Melanin, the brown pigment in the skin, absorbs UV photons before that can happen, and the high melanin content in the darkest skin tones provides <a href="https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1096/fj.201701472R">60 times</a> as much UV protection as the small amount in very fair skin. The flip side is the risk of vitamin D deficiency is much higher than the risk of skin cancer. The new statement accounts for this by putting people into <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023052949?via%3Dihub">three groups</a> based on their risk of skin cancer, with specialised advice for each group. <h2>Highest skin cancer risk</h2> This includes people with very pale skin that burns easily and tans minimally, but also people with darker white or olive skin who can tan easily but have extra skin cancer risk factors because they: <ul> <li>have had skin cancer before</li> <li>have a family history of melanomas</li> <li>have many moles</li> <li>are taking immunosuppressant medications.</li> </ul> For these people, the harms of sun exposure almost certainly <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023052949?via%3Dihub">outweigh the benefits</a>. These people should wear sunscreen every day the <a href="https://www.arpansa.gov.au/our-services/monitoring/ultraviolet-radiation-monitoring/ultraviolet-radiation-index">UV index</a> is forecast to get to <a href="https://www.assc.org.au/peak-health-bodies-recommend-new-approach-to-sunscreen-use/">three or more</a>, and use the <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/sun-safety/be-sunsmart">five sunsmart steps</a> whenever the UV index is above three: <ul> <li>slip on clothing covering as much of the body as possible</li> <li>slop on SPF30+ sunscreen on areas that can’t be covered up</li> <li>slap on a hat</li> <li>seek shade</li> <li>slide on sunglasses.</li> </ul> They shouldn’t spend time outdoors deliberately to make vitamin D, but should discuss vitamin D supplements with their doctor. <h2>Intermediate skin cancer risk</h2> This means people with dark white/olive skin that sometimes burns but tans easily, and who don’t have other skin cancer risk factors. These people should still apply sunscreen as part of their usual routine on all days when the UV index is forecast to get to <a href="https://www.assc.org.au/peak-health-bodies-recommend-new-approach-to-sunscreen-use/">three or more</a>, but they can spend enough time outdoors to get a “dose” of vitamin D on most days of the week. Once the time needed for their vitamin D dose is up, they should also use the <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/sun-safety/be-sunsmart">slip-slop-slap-seek-slide</a> steps to avoid accumulating DNA damage. If they’re unable to do this because of health or lifestyle factors, like being housebound, working night shifts, or always covering up with clothing, they should see their doctor about whether they need vitamin D supplements. <h2>Lowest skin cancer risk</h2> This covers people with deeply pigmented brown to black skin that rarely or never burns. These people can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023052949?via%3Dihub#bib14">safely spend enough time outdoors</a> to make vitamin D and get the other benefits of sunshine. But because more time is needed, it can be difficult, particularly when the weather is cold. Vitamin D supplements might be needed. They don’t need to routinely protect their skin, but might need to <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/sun-safety/be-sunsmart">slip-slop-slap-seek-slide</a> if they are outdoors for more than two hours. <h2>How do I get the feel-good effects of sunshine?</h2> Spending time outdoors in the early morning is the best way to get the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9976694/">feel-good effects</a> of sunshine. An early morning walk is a great idea for all of us, but it won’t make vitamin D.<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/224144/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katie-lee-228942">Katie Lee</a>, PhD Candidate, Dermatology Research Centre, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachel-neale-891731">Rachel Neale</a>, Principal research fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/qimr-berghofer-medical-research-institute-1811">QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute</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/summers-over-so-how-much-sun-can-and-should-i-get-224144">original article</a>.

Body

Zoo's upright bear accused of being just a guy in a suit

A Chinese zoo has had to be completely trans-bear-ant about its popular sun bear, following allegations that it was actually a human in disguise. The Hangzhou Zoo in China gained international recognition after video footage of their sun bear standing on its hind legs and waving at visitors caused many to paws and look twice. Many were bear-side themselves with excitement as theories that it was a human in disguise continued to spread. The local Hangzhou Daily first reported on the attention that the four-year-old sun bear named Angela was receiving. “Because of the way they stand, some people online question whether they are ‘humans in disguise’,” they wrote. As Angela gained popularity, experts were summoned and had to confirm that the bear was in fact fur-real. Ashleigh Marshall, an expert from Chester Zoo, told BBC News that the animal “is definitely a real bear,” and affirmed to doubtful visitors that sun bears do often “look a lot like people in costumes”. The animal expert also pointed out that the folds on the sun bear’s back weren’t because the costume was loose, but its actual function is to protect the bear from predators and allow them to “turn around” and fight back if attacked. Various representatives of the zoo have had to come out and release statements addressing the controversy. A spokesperson has reportedly said that the state-run facility would never intentionally deceive people, in an audio clip circulating on popular Chinese social media platform WeChat. “Some people think I stand like a person,” read another social media post, written from the point of view of the bear. “It seems you don't understand me very well.” Another spokesperson for the zoo has also denied the allegations and said that a human in a fur bear suit “would not last more than a few minutes before collapsing” in the 40°C summer temperatures. Images: Twitter / WeChat

International Travel

British lawmakers demand Jeremy Clarkson apologise to Meghan Markle

British lawmakers have come out swinging against Jeremy Clarkson following his “violent misogynist” opinion piece about Meghan Markle. The Top Gear host wrote a scathing piece in The Sun saying how much he "hates" the Duchess of Sussex, in the wake of the release of the Prince Harry and Meghan's Netflix documentary series. The piece, which received 17,500 complaints, was retracted with 65 British lawmakers from various political parties condemning the article and demanding an apology to Ms Markle. "We welcome The Sun's retraction of the article, we now demand action is taken against Mr Clarkson and an unreserved apology is issued to Ms Markle immediately," the letter read, which was led by Caroline Nokes, a Member of Parliament from the ruling Conservative party, and chair of Parliament's Women and Equalities Committee. "We further demand definitive action is taken to ensure no article like this is ever published again. "This sort of language has no place in our country, and it is unacceptable that it was allowed to be published in a mainstream newspaper. "Ms Markle has faced multiple credible threats to her life, requiring the intervention of the Metropolitan Police. “Hateful articles like the one written by Mr Clarkson do not exist in a vacuum and directly contribute to this unacceptable climate of hatred and violence." It follows 17,500 complaints sent to the UK's press regulator the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) for the article published in Rupert Murdoch’s rag. Clarkson was met with significant backlash and tweeted his “regret” over the column, which also saw his <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/jeremy-clarkson-s-daughter-takes-a-stand-against-her-famous-dad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">daughter Emily call him out</a>. "Oh dear. I've rather put my foot in it. In a column I wrote about Meghan, I made a clumsy reference to a scene in Game of Thrones and this has gone down badly with a great many people," he wrote. "I'm horrified to have caused so much hurt and I shall be more careful in future." The Sun also just mentioned they have removed the article but refused to make any further comment. "In light of Jeremy Clarkson's tweet he has asked us to take last week's column down,” their statement read. Images: Getty

Legal

Jonnie Irwin shares an emotional health update

Jonnie Irwin, star of ‘A place in the Sun’ has given fans an emotional update on his health via social media. In a statement released on Monday Irwin, 48, said he wanted to do “as much as we can as a family” before the time comes, with him revealing that doctors have only given him six months to live upon diagnosis with terminal cancer. Despite sharing the news for the first time on Monday 14 November, Irwin was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020 and learned that his cancer had spread to his brain. “I don’t know how long I have left,” he told Hello magazine. “I try to stay positive and my attitude is that I’m living with cancer, not dying from it.” Irwin developed a huge fanbase as the host of TV show A Place In The Sun, where he helped couples move from homes in Britain to somewhere close to “sun, sea and sand abroad”. He has received an outpouring of supportive messages since revealing his diagnosis prompted him to provide an update on Instagram, where he has an audience of over 78,000 followers. Jonnie and wife Jessica have three sons - three-year-old Rex and two-year-old twins Rada and Cormac. The beloved presenter has told Hello Magazine that he had shifted his mentality from assuming he would not be well enough for certain milestones to instead setting “little markers” of moments he wanted to be around for. Jonnie was in Italy filming A Place in the Sun when he experienced blurry vision while driving, he noticed something was off. “Within a week of flying back from filming, I was being given six months to live,” he said. Despite the initial prognosis, treatment including chemotherapy has helped prolong Irwin’s life. After two years of living with cancer, he said he wanted to share his story beyond the “very small group of friends and family” who knew. Image: Instagram

Caring

"Dear leg, I'll miss you so much": Boy's tragic farewell

A young boy has left a heartbreaking message on his leg after learning that it had to be amputated due to a rare cancer. Chandler Tran, 8, from Australia, and his family first discovered the illness when they found a “pea-sized” bump on his leg and noticed he was walking with a limp when he returned from holiday care around Easter time. Seeking an X-ray at the local hospital, he was then taken to a children’s hospital in Sydney and was given the devastating diagnosis of osteosarcoma, which is a rare bone cancer. The following months comprised of chemotherapy treatment. Doctors then wanted to amputate his leg to alleviate the pain, but the amputation will not cure him. Chandler’s dad Cong Tan, 42, recalled the moment. He said: “Can you take a photo of my leg on my tablet?” “He drew a little love heart over his leg and wrote a little message.” “He wrote: ‘Dear leg, I’ll miss you so much when you’re gone, love Chandler.’ “He was sad about the prospect of losing his leg, but he was like, ‘If that’s what I need to do to not have pain, then that’s okay.’ “For us seeing him coping so well, that really helped us.” Days after recovering from that operation, his family were told the tumours in Chandler’s lungs had grown and the doctors couldn’t do anything more to save his life. “They said any treatment would just be palliative, to try and slow the cancer down,” his mother Trang said. The family has set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/jwxjw-support-the-trans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page to help cover eventual funeral costs but also to fund any LEGO that Chandler wants. “The sickness is coming on and we are at the point where we can’t treat it and so it is about keeping him happy,” Mr Tran said. “We appreciate everyone who has donated and is helping us give Chandler whatever his heart desires to make the last bit as enjoyable as possible.” Image: GoFundMe

Body

Astronomers have detected another ‘planet killer’ asteroid. Could we miss one coming our way?

If you surfed the web this morning, you may have seen news of the latest existential threat to humanity: a “planet killer” asteroid named 2022 AP7. Luckily for us 2022 AP7 “has no chance to hit the Earth currently”, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/01/huge-planet-killer-asteroid-discovered-and-its-heading-our-way">according</a> to Scott Sheppard at the Carnegie Institution for Science. He and his international team of colleagues <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-3881/ac8cff/pdf">observed 2022 AP7</a> in a trio of “rather large” asteroids obscured by the Sun’s glare (the other two don’t pose a risk). 2022 AP7 orbits the Sun every five years, and currently crosses Earth’s orbit when Earth is on the other side of the Sun to it. Eventually its movement will sync with Earth’s and it will cross much closer by, but this will be centuries into the future. We simply don’t know enough about 2022 AP7 to precisely predict the danger it may pose centuries from now. At the same time, we suspect there could be other “planet killers” out there yet to be discovered. But how many? And what’s being done to find them? What makes a planet killer? Asteroid 2022 AP7 is the largest potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) found in eight years, with a diameter between 1.1km and 2.3km. For context, an asteroid with a diameter more than 1km is enough to trigger a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cretaceous%E2%80%93Paleogene_extinction_event">mass extinction event</a> on Earth. As well as having a diameter greater than 1km, an asteroid also needs to have an orbit that crosses Earth’s to be considered potentially dangerous. In the case of 2022 AP7, any threat is centuries down the track. The important point is it has been detected and can now be tracked. This is the best possible outcome. It is estimated we’ve already <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-a-world-first-nasas-dart-mission-is-about-to-smash-into-an-asteroid-what-will-we-learn-189391">discovered</a> about 95% of potentially hazardous asteroids, and that there are fewer than 1,000 of these. The work of Sheppard and colleagues highlights that hunting down the remaining 5% – some 50 asteroids – will be a massive effort. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/492923/original/file-20221102-25180-74aqvo.jpg?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/492923/original/file-20221102-25180-74aqvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492923/original/file-20221102-25180-74aqvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492923/original/file-20221102-25180-74aqvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492923/original/file-20221102-25180-74aqvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=382&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492923/original/file-20221102-25180-74aqvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=382&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492923/original/file-20221102-25180-74aqvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=382&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>Statistically, there’s less of a chance of a larger asteroid colliding with Earth compared to a smaller one. NASA</figcaption></figure> What constitutes a near miss? NASA <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroid-watch">closely tracks</a> all known objects in the Solar System. But every now and again an object will catch us off guard. In 2021, we had a close call with an asteroid called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_UA1">2021 UA1</a>. It came only a few thousand kilometres from Earth, over the Antarctic. In cosmic terms, this is uncomfortably close. However, 2021 UA1 was only two metres across, and therefore posed no substantial risk. There are likely hundreds of millions of objects of this size in our Solar System, and it’s not uncommon for them to impact Earth. In these cases, most of the object burns up in the atmosphere and creates a spectacular light show, with little risk to life. In 2019 another <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-asteroid-just-buzzed-past-earth-and-we-barely-noticed-in-time-120972">asteroid</a> with a 100m diameter passed Earth some 70,000km away. It was publicly announced mere hours before it flew past. While it wasn’t as close, it was of a much more concerning size. These near misses reiterate how important it is for us to speed up the search for near-Earth objects. Blind spots The reason we haven’t already found every object that could one day pass nearby Earth is largely because of observational blind spots, and the fact we can’t observe all parts of the sky all the time. To find 2022 AP7, Sheppard and colleagues used a telescope at twilight soon after the Sun had set. They had to do this because they were looking for asteroids in the vicinity of Venus and Earth. Venus is currently on the <a href="https://theskylive.com/where-is-venus">other side of the Sun</a> to Earth. Making observations close to the Sun is difficult. The Sun’s glare overwhelms the weak light reflected off small asteroids – presenting a blind spot. But just before and after sunset, there’s a small window in which the Sun’s glare no longer blocks the view. Right now there are only about 25 asteroids known to have well-determined orbits that lie entirely within Earth’s orbit. More are likely to be discovered, and these may contribute significantly to the missing 5% of potentially hazardous asteroids. The Near-Earth Object Surveyor A recent NASA mission spectacularly demonstrated that humans can purposefully change the trajectory of an asteroid. NASA’s DART (<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/planetarydefense/dart/dart-news">Double Asteroid Redirection Test</a>) mission collided a vending-machine-sized spacecraft into a 160m diameter minor-planet moon called Dimorphos. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/492925/original/file-20221102-28436-f16d5x.jpg?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/492925/original/file-20221102-28436-f16d5x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492925/original/file-20221102-28436-f16d5x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492925/original/file-20221102-28436-f16d5x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492925/original/file-20221102-28436-f16d5x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492925/original/file-20221102-28436-f16d5x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492925/original/file-20221102-28436-f16d5x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>The DART spacecraft successfully collided with Dimorphos, which itself was orbiting a larger asteroid named Didymos. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben</figcaption></figure> The collision altered Dimorphos’s 12-hour orbital period by more than 30 minutes, and was declared a resounding success. So it’s plausible for humans to redirect a hazardous asteroid if we find one. That said, we’d have to find it well in advance. Potentially hazardous asteroids are much larger than Dimorphos, so a bigger collision would be required with plenty of lead time. To do this, NASA has plans to survey for potentially hazardous objects using a telescope in space. Its <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/near-earth-object-surveyor">Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor</a>, scheduled to launch in 2026, will be able to survey the Solar System very efficiently – including within blind spots caused by the Sun. That’s because the glare we see while observing from Earth is caused by Earth’s atmosphere. But in space there’s no atmosphere to look through. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/492932/original/file-20221102-26-zoxo13.jpg?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/492932/original/file-20221102-26-zoxo13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=363&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492932/original/file-20221102-26-zoxo13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=363&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492932/original/file-20221102-26-zoxo13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=363&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492932/original/file-20221102-26-zoxo13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=457&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492932/original/file-20221102-26-zoxo13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=457&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492932/original/file-20221102-26-zoxo13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=457&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>The NEO Surveyor spacecraft won’t have the issue of observational blind spots when hunting for asteroids. NASA/JPL/University of Arizona</figcaption></figure> It’s very likely the Near-Earth Object Surveyor will reveal new objects, and help us characterise a large number of objects to greatly improve our understanding of threats. The key is to find as many objects as possible, categorise them, track the risks, and plan a redirection mission as much in advance as possible. The fact that all of these elements of planetary defence are now a reality is an amazing feat of science and engineering. It is the first time in human history we have these capabilities.<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/193709/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Writen by Steven Tingay. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/astronomers-have-detected-another-planet-killer-asteroid-could-we-miss-one-coming-our-way-193709" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: DOE/FNAL/DECam/CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. da Silva/Spaceengine

Technology

Karl Stefanovic called the “biggest wimp” by camel tour operator

Karl Stefanovic has been called a “wimp” on television during a live cross on Sunrise with weatherman Sam Mac. Sam was interviewing John, a Red Sun Camels tours operator in Broome, Western Australia for the company’s 22nd birthday. The weatherman then asked John to name the “biggest wimp” to ever ride one of the camels and he certainly did not hold back. “You’ve obviously had a lot of TV people, movie people; who’s been the biggest wimp on a camel in 22 years?” Sam asked. “Oh, you’re going to love this... Karl Stefanovic,” John responded. “We did the Today show many years ago. Lisa Wilkinson? Brave as all hell, could do anything. Karl? Nup, big girl with flowers.” “I swear I didn't set that up,”' Sam said. “That's not me trying to have some sort of petty rivalry. His words not mine. And the camels are a great judge of character, I heard. “Nah good on ya Karl.” Images: Sunrise/Today

Whoopi weighs in on Rebel Wilson furore

Whoopi Goldberg has come out swinging against the Sydney Morning Herald columnist who was accused of threatening to expose Rebel Wilson’s relationship. The Aussie actress revealed that she is in a relationship with fashion designer Ramona Agruma on Instagram by sharing a smiling selfie. However, behind those wide smiles was something more sinister - a deadline of exposing her relationship before she was even ready. Andrew Hornery, the journalist who penned the piece about Rebel’s relationship, was called out for his “threatening email” which gave the actress a deadline. This has not sat well with many, with the news reaching as far as the US and now renowned Hollywood actress Whoopi Goldberg, has weighed in. “There’s a lot of speculation that (Wilson came out) to get ahead of a tabloid story in the Sydney Morning Herald about her relationship. Now, the man who wrote it even apologised, saying it was ‘never his intention to “out” her’ … Well, you know that’s not true, because if it wasn’t your intention you wouldn’t have done it,” Whoopi said on The View alongside other panelists. “If you didn’t want to do it, you shouldn’t have done it – you knew exactly what you were doing. “It seems these are the only moves people have to get in front of a story before it’s all over social media or every other media … and there’s got to be a better way to do it." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> CELEBRITIES DISCLOSING NEWS ON THEIR TERMS? After Justin Bieber revealed a mystery illness paralyzing part of his face and Rebel Wilson shared her new romance when a newspaper gave her two days to comment on the relationship before they published it, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheView?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheView</a> co-hosts discuss. <a href="https://t.co/toyAVzCIFp">pic.twitter.com/toyAVzCIFp</a> — The View (@TheView) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheView/status/1536402606720950273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2022</a></blockquote> Co-host Sara Haines joined in the argument by saying that Andrew Hornery is also a gay man himself expecting to have some “empathy”. "It’s sad that (celebrities) are even in this situation, where they need to release stories they aren’t ready to talk about,” she said. “But I think that’s a better way to own the narrative, I wouldn't give a quote or talk to a place that’s forcing me to talk about something I’m not ready to talk about.” Whoopi said that what “people want to know” should be thrown away when it comes to people’s private relationships. “I don’t care what people ‘want to know’, frankly,” she continued. “I want to keep my privacy, and the fact that people constantly say, ‘oh well, if you don’t tell us, we’re going to tell it however we want to’ – I now say, ‘go ahead!’ “They’re not going to stop because you told them the truth, they don’t care. It’s insane.” Hornery came out and apologised for the article which has since been replaced with the apology. He explained how the situation unfolded and didn’t realise how bad it was after news broke about his deadline which was taken as a threat by many. “At 9.27am last Thursday I wrote: ‘Good morning. I am a journalist from The Sydney Morning Herald and I was hoping I could get a comment from Rebel regarding her new relationship,” Hornery said. “While I realise Rebel’s partner has not been mentioned as yet, I have several sources who have confirmed their status and I have enough detail to publish. “However, in the interests of transparency and fairness, before publishing I am reaching out to Rebel to see if she will engage in what I believe is a happy and unexpected news story for her, especially given the recent Pride celebrations. “My deadline is Friday, 1pm Sydney-time. Regards, Andrew Hornery.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CelyiLZLHa2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CelyiLZLHa2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Rebel Wilson (@rebelwilson)</a> </div> </blockquote> He said that he received no reply from Rebel which was “entirely her right” and reiterated that his email was not intended as a threat. “My email was never intended to be a threat but to make it clear I was sufficiently confident with my information and to open a conversation,” he continued. “It is not the Herald’s business to ‘out’ people and that is not what we set out to do. But I understand why my email has been seen as a threat. The framing of it was a mistake. “The Herald and I will approach things differently from now on to make sure we always take into consideration the extra layer of complexities people face when it comes to their sexuality.” Sydney Morning Herald editor Bevan Shields also came in defence of his employee by saying that the same process would have happened had Rebel been with a man. “Our weekly Private Sydney celebrity column last week asked Wilson if she wished to comment about her new partner. We would have asked the same questions had Wilson’s new partner been a man,” he wrote. “To say that the Herald ‘outed’ Wilson is wrong. “Like other mastheads do every day, we simply asked questions and as standard practice included a deadline for a response.” Shields’ response however was also slammed by fellow panelist Sunny Hostin who said that they “knew it was wrong” after pulling the story down. “When his editor came out and said, ‘no, no, we would have done this with anyone, we would have done this if she was dating a man, there’s nothing wrong with it’ … Then a day later, they pulled the column, so they knew it was wrong,” she said. “You have to understand, kids that come out to their families, there’s a lot of suicides that happen, they generally get a 50 per cent negative reaction when they come out. these are stats that you can easily look up. I’m just really surprised that a journalist would do this, it’s horrible.” Images: Instagram/Twitter

News

Model’s tiny mole turns out to be cancer

A model who completely disregarded what she thought was a mole on her ankle has been diagnosed with cancer. Oceana Strachan would regularly get her skin checked to ensure she was safe from melanoma and was constantly given the green light. But she knew something was wrong when the tiny mark on her ankle was itchy and had risen a bit - raising the alarm as to whether or not it was something else. Doctors dismissed it as a mole but Oceana pushed for a biopsy to be done and it was found to be stage two melanoma. “My melanoma spot looked like a regular mole but I noticed changes like itching that raised a red flag for me,” she told <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/aussie-model-shares-warning-signs-after-tiny-find-led-to-sinister-diagnosis-c-6840204" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>. “Going through melanoma, I didn’t know if I was going to survive. I didn’t know the outcome.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdnQNQ9JBWg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdnQNQ9JBWg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by OCEANA HEGYI 🤍 (@oceanastrachan)</a> </div> </blockquote> Oceana underwent surgery in May 2021 where the affected skin was removed and saw the then 25-year-old back on her feet not too long after. A year later, Oceana spoke out about how early detection saved her life and cringed at not being sun safe. “I was 25 with olive skin... unfortunately melanoma doesn’t care how old you are or what type of skin you have,” she said. “Obviously it sucks that I’ve had to go through this but I am just one out of too many.” Image: Instagram

Body

Why Norway should be No.1 on your cruising bucket list

The borders are open. The Fjords are calling. From stunning Northern Lights to breathtaking landscapes, here are our Fab Four must-do experiences in the land of the Midnight Sun... International cruising is now back on the agenda and it’s time once again to start ticking off all those incredible destinations you’ve always dreamed of seeing one day. We’ve got some good news for you, cruise fans: Norway, the home of spectacular cruising experiences, is now open, safe and ready to welcome you back to experience all of its delights, from the fjords to the stunningly breathtaking Northern Lights and the Midnight Sun in summer. To sweeten the deal, Norway has now completely removed its entry restrictions, so it’s the perfect time to experience all of the majestic landscapes and beautiful opportunities this country has on offer. Hurtigruten's Norwegian Coastal Express has been cruising the coast since 1893 and will give you access to small fishing villages, locally sourced cuisine and off-the-beaten-track excursions, allowing you to really explore the country like a local. So, what are you waiting for? Book before April 30 on selected departures in 2022 and you may receive <a href="https://www.hurtigruten.com.au/au/share-the-most-beautiful-voyage/?_ccid=20927&_ccst=1000&_hrgb=2utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=APAC_COA_Awareness_Brand_B2C_W01_YR_2022_NO_22-23&utm_content=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">up to 50% OFF</a> the second guest. Here we’ve outlined just a few of the things you can expect on one of these must-do cruises. 1. Explore the majestic fjords <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/FJORD_Geiranger-Norway-HGR-49268.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Yes, <a href="https://www.hurtigruten.com.au/inspiration/experiences/where-to-find-norways-best-fjords/?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=APAC_COA_Awareness_Brand_B2C_W01_YR_2022_NO_22-23&utm_content=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Fjords are calling</a> – and if you’re still unsure of what that is after reading this, then here's a little explainer. A fjord is a long, deep, narrow body of water that reaches far inland, and is made when a glacier retreats, resulting in an incredible U-shaped valley with soaring cliffs on either side. Cruising in Norway will take you to the heart of these jaw-dropping natural creations which you can finally tick off your bucket list. Some of the best and most unmissable fjords in Norway are the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Geirangerfjord with its spectacular waterfalls, the epic 180km long Hardangerfjord, the pretty Trondheimsfjorden that’s home to the gorgeous port city of Trondheim, and the unspoilt surrounds of tiny Trollfjord – which, while only 3km in length and just 100 metres wide at its mouth, contains enough jaw-dropping scenery to leave you in awe. 2. Gaze up at the Northern Lights <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/LIGHTS_Northern-lights-Norway-HGR-104675_1920-Photo_Photo_Competition.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Yes, you are actually guaranteed to experience the <a href="https://www.hurtigruten.com.au/inspiration/experiences/northern-lights/?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=APAC_COA_Awareness_Brand_B2C_W01_YR_2022_NO_22-23&utm_content" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Northern Lights</a> during their spectacular winter viewing season in either September or next year in March. If the lights don’t present on your cruise, you’ll be given a free 6 or 7 day voyage the following season with Hurtiguten's amazing ‘Northern Lights Guarantee’. Known as nature's own mesmerising light show, the Aurora Borealis lasts up to 15-30 minutes, and what we see from the ground is caused by electrically charged particles from space entering the Earth’s upper atmosphere at a very high speed. Interestingly, the famed Northern Lights also look substantially different to all who view them, with some people seeing different colours making their way across the sky, or rays of light going up into space. Another item to check off your bucket list? We think so! 3. Experience the land of the Midnight Sun <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/SUN_Passenger-on-deck-Norway-HGR-12274_1920.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> What do you think of when you read the words “Midnight Sun”? We are betting it is exactly what you think it is. If the words of <a href="https://www.hurtigruten.com.au/destinations/norway/the-original-norwegian-coastal-express/sailing-under-the-midnight-sun/?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=APAC_COA_Awareness_Brand_B2C_W01_YR_2022_NO_22-23&utm_content=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">past guest of Hurtigruten Bronwen Pyle</a> are anything to go by, experiencing this phenomenon from the deck of the Norwegian Coastal Express is something you will never forget. “The day kept on going and going, never getting dark, even all through the night. The non-stop day actually gave us even more time to admire the scenery on the route,” she says. Bronwen says that the crew and passengers were all lovely, saying it was definitely the almost never-ending sunlight that helped everyone’s mood. She suggests staying on the ship’s deck to secure a seat and enjoy the Midnight Sun as much as possible. A word of caution from Bronwen, though: Don’t get stuck behind the camera; enjoy what is actually there in front of you in the present moment, and create some memories that will last a lifetime. And one last tip: If you feel like you’re struggling to sleep because of the extra hours of sunlight, then the awesome onboard gym is the place for you before knocking off! 4. Dine on delicious locally sourced meals <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/FOOD_MS-Polarlys-King-Crab-HGR-116417_1920-Photo_Carsten_Pedersen.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Hopping on board the Norwegian Coastal Express will help you not only see the dramatic coast in all its splendour, but taste it too – thanks to the <a href="https://www.hurtigruten.com.au/norways-coastal-kitchen/?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=APAC_COA_Awareness_Brand_B2C_W01_YR_2022_NO_22-23&utm_content=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">delicious onboard meals</a>. All food is locally sourced, with its provenance resting in very ports that the ship pauses at along the way, making it an even more special experience to appreciate the freshness and flavours. Other than the food, you can choose to get involved in endless excursions (there are more than 70 on offer!), learn about regional specialities, discover how food is at the heart of local life, and listen to the life stories of brewers, chefs, farmers and more. So, are you ready for the cruising experience of a lifetime and to fall in love with the beauty and people of Norway? If you are, don’t forget to share the adventure with a friend and get up to <a href="https://www.hurtigruten.com.au/au/share-the-most-beautiful-voyage/?_ccid=20927&_ccst=1000&_hrgb=2utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=APAC_COA_Awareness_Brand_B2C_W01_YR_2022_NO_22-23&utm_content=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">50 per cent off</a> for a second guest on summer voyages if you book before the end of April. Check out the gallery below for more stunning images of what to expect on a Hurtigren Norwegian Coastal Express cruise. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://www.hurtigruten.com.au/destinations/norway/?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=APAC_COA_Awareness_Brand_B2C_W01_YR_2022_NO_22-23&utm_content=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hurtigruten</a>.

Cruising

Avril Lavigne shows off massive engagement ring in Paris

He was a sk8er boi she said YES Canadian rocker Avril Lavigne has shown off her huge and absolutely stunning engagement ring. After just one year of dating, Derek Ryan Smith who goes by the name Mod Sun, got down on one knee in Paris in front of the Eiffel Tower and proposed. “Oui! Je t’aime pour toujours. Dimanche. 27. Mars. 2022,” Avril wrote in a series of heartwarming photos of the proposal. A simple translation from French, Avril’s message reads “Yes! I love you forever” along with the date. Mod Sun went a step further and wrote a loving message to his now fiancée also sharing sweet snaps of the treasured moment. “The day we met I knew you were the one. Together forever til our days are done,” his message began. “I had a dream where I proposed in paris. I pulled out a ring + asked you to wear it. I was on one knee as I looked in your eyes. “You’re too beautiful for my words to describe. I grabbed your hand + took one last breath…I said “will you marry me?” + she said “yes”. “I love you Avril.” The endearing photos show the loved-up couple kissing, smiling at one another, as well as Avril showing off the heart-shaped engagement ring which glows on her left finger. Images: Instagram

Relationships

"Is there something we don't know?" SMH publishes Prince Philip obituary

The Sydney Morning Herald was quick, but not quick enough, to remove a pre-prepared obituary for Prince Philip that was seemingly published by accident on Monday afternoon. An article titled “Prince Philip Through the Years” showed up in the paper’s obituary section at around 5pm. It remains unclear whether it was a coincidental retrospective article that was simply put in the wrong section in the site, or was indeed a very grave mistake. The mistake was spotted by an eagle-eyed Twitter user on Monday, which was sold as “The life and times of Britain’s longest-serving royal consort Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in pictures”. The article has since been deleted and redirects to a 404 link. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Is there something we don’t know <a href="https://twitter.com/smh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@smh</a>? <a href="https://t.co/gNBbBPBdL8">pic.twitter.com/gNBbBPBdL8</a> — Mister B OAM (@MissBaileyWoof) <a href="https://twitter.com/MissBaileyWoof/status/1363793977518944265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2021</a></blockquote> Twitter user ‘Miss Bailey Woof’ shared a screenshot of the article with the caption: “Is there something we don’t know @smh?” “Someone accidentally pressed the publish button while revising the draft with latest info,” one person speculated in response to the tweet. “Oops,” added another. The 99-year-old royal was admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in London on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, after he reported he was feeling unwell at Windsor Castle. Buckingham Palace announced the Duke of Edinburgh was being treated for an infection. His son Prince Edward said his father was “a lot better”. “He is comfortable and responding to treatment but is not expected to leave hospital for several days,” said the short statement issued on Tuesday.

News

Why Victorian retirees are chasing the sun north to Queensland's Hervey Bay

With State borders once again open, there’s never been a better time for Victorians to enjoy a warmer climate and become part of a friendly community by moving north to Queensland’s stunning Hervey Bay. Why Hervey Bay? Located just a three-and-a-half hour drive or 40-minute flight from Brisbane, and with a population of around 50,000 people, Hervey Bay is renowned for its visiting humpback whales and pleasant climate. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839405/hervey-bay-is-known-as-a-whale-watching-mecca.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/1a61ad41a7f9404d926326585ac73922" /> <div style="text-align: center;">Hervey Bay is known as a whale watching mecca</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> Hervey Bay boasts average high temperatures of 23 degrees, which compares very favourably to average August high temperatures of a chilly 16°C in Melbourne. Hervey Bay’s relaxed appeal and pleasant climate makes it a perfect year-round destination for swimming, sailing, fishing, yachting, waterskiing, stand-up paddle boarding, snorkelling and more. The township’s golden beaches stretch for about 14 kilometres, with the gorgeous calm waters sheltered from winds and swells by Fraser Island. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839404/hervey-bay-has-14km-of-stunning-beaches-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/37cacecda4db4a419e2a6fe2cd688146" /> <div style="text-align: center;">Hervey Bay has 14km of stunning beaches</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> The cosmopolitan and alfresco cafes on the main Esplanade running alongside the bay also add a further seaside charm. About the Fraser Shores retirement villages in Hervey Bay Many of Hervey Bay’s incoming residents are finding their way to the two conveniently located <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.frasershores.com.au/" target="_blank">Fraser Shores retirement villages.</a> Operated by Blue Care (a service group of UnitingCare Queensland), these two villages are collectively home to some 441 single-storey homes. Importantly, these villages are providing the social benefits and community interaction that research shows many over 50s are craving in the post-COVID-19 environment. Residents at the Fraser Shores retirement villages came together to have fun and support each other during the worst of COVID-19. This same great sense of community means it is easy for incoming residents to meet new friends and be part of an active and supportive network. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839403/the-fraser-shores-villages-have-a-great-community-spirit-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4565e66373aa4b4d937344c679290fb8" /> <div style="text-align: center;">The Fraser Shores villages have a great community spirit</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> A well-organised residents’ committee arranges functions and social activities, including outdoor and indoor bowls, pool and billiards, movie nights, tai chi, line dancing, yoga, arts and crafts, exercise and computer classes. Residents at the Fraser Shores villages can also receive individually tailored support and care for peace of mind from a range of Blue Care community services, if and when they need it. In addition, the homes at Fraser Shores are surrounded by amazing resort style facilities, giving residents unlimited use of the full-sized bowling green, swimming pool, community centre, licensed bar, fitness centre, craft and computer room, outdoor barbeque areas, libraries and so much more. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839402/enjoy-the-full-sized-bowling-green-at-fraser-shores.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0cce54b726094314ab79aa779a2e7827" /> <div style="text-align: center;">Enjoy the full-sized bowling green at Fraser Shores</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> Room to move in the Fraser Shores homes COVID-19 has <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.downsizing.com.au/news/787/Downsizing-no-more-Australian-over-50s-want-more-living-space-and-independence-due-to-COVID-19" target="_blank">accelerated</a> many over 50s housing trends already underway, including the desire for independent living and more personal space in or around the home. More than half of respondents to a survey of over 50s Australians say two or more bedrooms are essential, up from 48 per cent in a survey undertaken before the pandemic. At Fraser Shores, incoming residents can choose from a wide selection of spacious brick-and-tile, two- and three-bedroom homes – including an executive model with three bedrooms, two en-suites and a hobby room. Home prices range from $250,000 to $505,000. All designs offer careful orientation and large doors and windows for maximum cross-ventilation. This helps village residents take advantage of coastal breezes. All homes are built at ground level for easy access and feature spacious modern kitchens, bedrooms and living areas. Finally, each home is equipped with an emergency call system, which is monitored on-site 24 hours a day by trained staff with first aid certification. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839401/enjoy-a-dip-at-the-fraser-shores-swimming-pool.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/024a264bcaf449f28148d7de045f3580" /> <div style="text-align: center;">Enjoy a dip at the Fraser Shores swimming pool</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> Your perfect grey nomad adventure starting point For the grey nomad brigade chasing fun, sun and adventure, the Fraser Shores villages represent the perfect home base. It’s an ideal starting point to explore the rest of Queensland’s coast and highly diverse inland environment. For instance, Bundaberg, home to the famous rum, sugar cane industry and the Mon Repos turtles, is little more than an hour's drive away. Maryborough, one of Queensland's most historic towns, is also a short trip, while further south, you can take in the natural beauty of the Great Sandy National Park with its massive dunes, wide ocean beaches and towering cliffs. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839400/the-great-sandy-national-park-is-a-fantastic-spot-for-grey-nomads-to-explore.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9fb6f28f80bd4debb7c14058e118cbeb" /> <div style="text-align: center;">The Great Sandy National Park is a fantastic spot for grey nomads to explore</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> Fraser Shores residents can utilise onsite recreational vehicle, caravan and boat storage, while also knowing their home will be in a safe and secure environment when they leave to go on their travel adventures. The villages are also close to a commercial and professional centre, housing medical specialists, a large general medical practice and a wide variety of shops and services. The new state-of-the-art St Stephen’s Hospital is also just down the road. Conclusion Given the above, it’s no surprise that so many over 50s are making the move north to Queensland. In fact, during 2018-19, Queensland’s over 50 population swelled by 6,970 - more than any other State - thanks to interstate migration. At the same time, Victoria’s over 50 population dropped by 650 due to interstate migration. Fraser Shores Retirement Villages embody quality, resort-style living among a friendly and like-minded community, in an attractive coastal environment which is the envy of the rest of Australia. To make an inquiry about Fraser Shores, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.frasershores.com.au/" target="_blank">click here</a>. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839399/the-mini-golf-course-and-full-sized-bowling-green-at-fraser-shores.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/770aad7d1a1746aeb75ec801257f0d66" /> <div style="text-align: center;">The mini-golf course and full-sized bowling green at Fraser Shores</div> <div style="text-align: left;">This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.frasershores.com.au/" target="_blank">Fraser Shores. </a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Downsizing

Sale into the sunset: Aussie cruises cancelled as Sun Princess and Sea Princess go under the hammer

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> Cruise fans are heartbroken after all sailings of the Princess Cruise ships Sun Princess and Sea Princess for this summer and next year have been cancelled. Carnival Corp, parent company of Princess Cruises, Costa and Carnival cruise lines announced that the ships are just two of 18 to be sold. The company did not disclose the buyer for the two ships, but 55 cruises from Australia are now cancelled along with 14 international sailings. Princess said that passengers booked on the ships would be notified and offered refunds or alternative cruises if they prefer. "Sun Princess and Sea Princess contributed to significant growth in Australian cruising," said Princess Cruises president Jan Swartz. "Both ships defined the premium cruise experience with Australians and New Zealanders spending close to 14 million nights aboard these ships. While it is never easy to say goodbye to any ship in our fleet, this will allow us to deploy newer ships, enhancing our offerings for Australia cruisers and focus on bringing into service exciting new builds like the upcoming delivery of Enchanted Princess." Sun Princess launched in 1995 and had the capacity for 2,000 passengers, making it the world's largest cruise ship at the time. Carnival Corp is the world's largest cruise company and makes up 45 per cent of the market worldwide. </div> </div> </div>

International Travel

Sun, sand and uncertainty: The promise and peril of a Pacific tourism bubble

Pacific nations have largely <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12328702">avoided</a> the worst health effects of COVID-19, but its economic impact has been devastating. With the tourism tap turned off, unemployment has soared while GDP has plummeted. In recent weeks, Fiji Airways laid off 775 employees and souvenir business Jack’s of Fiji laid off 500. In Vanuatu 70% of tourism workers have lost their jobs. Cook Islands is estimated to have experienced a <a href="https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/05/18/1177034/an-island-in-debt">60% drop in GDP</a> in the past three months. In response, many are calling for the Pacific to be included in the proposed <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/121727144/coronavirus-transtasman-travel-bubble-date-down-to-australians-winston-peters-says">trans-Tasman travel corridor</a>. Such calls have come from <a href="https://devpolicy.org/vanuatu-a-tourism-sector-perspective-on-potential-recovery-from-covid-19-and-tc-harold-20200506-1/">tourism operators</a>, <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/418156/pressure-mounts-on-nz-and-aust-to-include-pacific-in-bubble">politicians</a> and at least one <a href="https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ideasroom/2020/05/28/1205479/nz-pacific-islands-bubble-should-come-first">health expert</a>. Quarantine concerns aside, there is economic logic to this. Australians and New Zealanders make up <a href="http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2019/06/tourism-sector-achieves-3-16-million-visitor-arrivals-in-18/">more than 50%</a> of travellers to the region. Some countries are massively dependent: two-thirds of visitors to Fiji and three-quarters of visitors to Cook Islands are Aussies and Kiwis. Cook Islands has budgeted NZ$140 million for economic recovery, but this will increase the tiny nation’s debt. Prime Minister Henry Puna has <a href="https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2020/06/cook-islands-prime-minister-calls-for-pacific-bubble-as-soon-as-new-zealand-enters-covid-19-alert-level-1.html">argued for</a> a limited tourism bubble as soon as New Zealand relaxes its COVID-19 restrictions to alert level 1. Cook Islands News editor Jonathan Milne <a href="https://player.whooshkaa.com/coronavirus-nz?episode=665993">estimates</a> 75-80% of the population is “desperate to get the tourists back”. A Pacific bubble would undoubtedly help economic recovery. But this merely highlights how <a href="https://www.eco-business.com/opinion/impact-of-covid-19-on-tourism-in-small-island-developing-states/">vulnerable</a> these island economies have become. Tourism <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337854342_Development_and_change_Reflections_on_tourism_in_the_South_Pacific">accounts</a> for between 10% and 70% of GDP and up to one in four jobs across the South Pacific. The pressure to reopen borders is understandable. But we argue that a tourism bubble cannot be looked at in isolation. It should be part of a broader strategy to diversify economies and enhance linkages (e.g. between agriculture and tourism, to put more local food on restaurant menus), especially in those countries that are most perilously dependent on tourism. Over-dependence on tourism is a trap Pacific nations such as Vanuatu and Fiji have recovered quickly from past crises such as the GFC, cyclones and coups because of the continuity of tourism. COVID-19 has turned that upside down. People are coping in the short term by reviving subsistence farming, fishing and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/08/two-piglets-for-a-kayak-fiji-returns-to-barter-system-as-covid-19-hits-economy">bartering</a> for goods and services. Many are still suffering, however, due to limited state welfare systems. In Fiji’s case, the government has taken the drastic step of allowing laid-off or temporarily unemployed workers to withdraw from their superannuation savings in the National Provident Fund. Retirement funds have also been used to <a href="https://www.fijivillage.com/news/We-need-Fiji-Airways-to-come-back-strongly-for-the-future-of-the-country---Koroi-48r5xf/">lend FJ$53.6 million</a> to the struggling national carrier, Fiji Airways. Fiji has taken on more debt to cope. Its debt-to-GDP ratio, which ideally should sit below 40% for developing economies, has risen from 48.9% before the pandemic to 60.9%. It’s likely to <a href="http://www.economy.gov.fj/images/Budget/budgetdocuments/supplements/SUPPLEMENT-TO-THE-COVID-19-RESPONSE-BUDGET-ADDRESS.pdf">increase further</a>. High debt, lack of economic diversity and dependence on tourism put the Fijian economy in a very vulnerable position. Recovery will take a long time, probably requiring assistance from the country’s main trading partners. In the meantime, Fiji is pinning hopes on joining a New Zealand-Australia <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/416392/fiji-keen-to-join-nz-australia-travel-bubble">travel bubble</a>. Out of crisis comes opportunity Supporting Pacific states to recover is an opportunity for New Zealand and Australia to put their respective Pacific <a href="https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/mfat-annual-reports/mfat-annual-report-2018-19/case-study-the-pacific-reset-a-year-on/">Reset</a> and <a href="https://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/pacific/Pages/the-pacific">Step-Up</a> policies into practice. If building more reciprocal, equitable relationships with Pacific states is the goal, now is the time to ensure economic recovery also strengthens their socio-economic, environmental and political infrastructures. Economic well-being within the Pacific region is already closely linked to New Zealand and Australia through seasonal workers in horticulture and viticulture, remittance payments, trade and travel. But for many years there has been a major trade imbalance in favour of New Zealand and Australia. Shifting that balance beyond the recovery phase will involve facilitating long-term resilience and sustainable development in the region. A good place to start would be the recent United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific <a href="https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/Policy%20brief_MPFD_Combating%20COVID-19%20in%20Asia%20and%20the%20Pacific%20updated.pdf">report</a> on recovering from COVID-19. Its recommendations include such measures as implementing social protection programs, integrating climate action into plans to revive economies, and encouraging more socially and environmentally responsible businesses. This is about more than altruism – enlightened self-interest should also drive the New Zealand and Australian agenda. Any longer-term economic downturn in the South Pacific, due in part to over-reliance on tourism, could lead to instability in the region. There is a clear <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/11/the-next-economic-crisis-could-cause-a-global-conflict-heres-why">link</a> between serious economic crises and social unrest. At a broader level, the pandemic is already <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Coronavirus-gives-China-an-edge-as-it-expands-sway-in-the-Pacific">entrenching</a> Chinese regional influence: loans from China make up 62% of Tonga’s total foreign borrowing; for Vanuatu the figure is 43%; for Samoa 39%. China is taking the initiative through what some call “<a href="https://devpolicy.org/chinas-coronavirus-covid-19-diplomacy-in-the-pacific-20200527-1/">COVID-19 diplomacy</a>”. This involves funding pandemic stimulus packages and offering aid and investment throughout the Pacific, including drafting a <a href="https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/free-trade-agreement-talks-underway-between-fiji-and-china/">free trade agreement</a> with Fiji. That is not to say Chinese investment in Pacific economies won’t do good. Rather, it is an argument for thinking beyond the immediate benefits of a travel bubble. By realigning their development priorities, Australia and New Zealand can help the Pacific build a better, more sustainable future. Written by Regina Scheyvens and Apisalome Movono. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/sun-sand-and-uncertainty-the-promise-and-peril-of-a-pacific-tourism-bubble-139661">The Conversation.</a>

Cruising

Burnt is out, ‘skinscreen’ is in: How sunscreen got a beauty makeover

Under Australia’s harsh sun, we’ve long slapped on sunscreen to protect ourselves from skin damage and cancer. Now the product, once known for protecting skin against harmful UV rays, is becoming part of beauty routines. Sunscreen products are described as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8xsloAFPbi/">rich</a>, <a href="https://www.mecca.com.au/mecca-cosmetica/to-save-face-spf50-superscreen-75g/I-020875.html">luxe</a>or <a href="https://www.sephora.com.au/products/fresh-sugar-lip-treatment-sunscreen-spf-15/v/icon">nourishing</a>. When did the cultural perception of sunscreen as a health imperative shift towards a lifestyle “must have”? And will this new pitch work to keep us sun safe? Campaigns of old Sun safety promotions work to combat dangerous tanning behaviour. The iconic <a href="https://www.sunsmart.com.au/tools/videos/past-tv-campaigns/slip-slop-slap-original-sunsmart-campaign.html">Slip, Slop, Slap campaign</a> paved the way for how we see sun protection today. In the 1980s, it was instrumental in educating Australians about sun exposure and skin cancer. Sid the Seagull in full flight. The campaign’s mascot, Sid the Seagull, sang and danced on our screens, encouraging us to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat. The slogan was extended to <a href="https://www.sunsmart.com.au/tools/videos/current-tv-campaigns/slip-slop-slap-seek-slide-sid-seagull.html">Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide</a> in 2007, adding two more tips to preventing sun damage: seeking shade and sliding on sunglasses. These campaigns aimed to refocus Australians’ attitudes to sun protection as a necessity, despite our traditionally sun-drenched lifestyle. In the 1990s, advertisements shifted their tone from catchy jingles to sexual appeals. The <a href="https://www.sunsmart.com.au/tools/videos/past-tv-campaigns/leave-your-hat-on1.html">Leave Your Hat On</a> campaign took inspiration from a striptease scene in the film <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091635/">9/12 Weeks</a>, reversing it with a couple putting on sunscreen, clothes, hats and sunglasses. Take it all off – no wait, put it back on again! The campaign targeted young men, as they were most at risk of developing skin cancer. However, the messages of these advertisements did not stick in the minds of Australians. The <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310537900_Australian_young_adults'_tanning_behaviour_The_role_of_ideal_skin_tone_and_sociocultural_norms">cultural norm of tanning</a> remained steadfast. Education through fear When sex didn’t work to implement sun safety practices, campaigns used scare tactics instead. In the summer of 2003, skin cancer was branded as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrenZCKMgjc&feature=youtu.be">killer body art</a>and the effects of sunburn, even if only mild, were portrayed as creating a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=witly6zMCVw&feature=youtu.be">timebomb</a> under the skin. These “<a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-45596-9_17">slice of death narratives</a>” – where the advertisement’s focus is on the negative consequences of poor decisions – highlighted the potentially fatal results of sun exposure. In 2007, <a href="https://www.sunsmart.com.au/tools/videos/past-tv-campaigns/clare-oliver-no-tan-is-worth-dying-for.html">Clare Oliver</a>, battling end-stage melanoma, shared her story to highlight the dangers of solariums and the cultural ideal of tanning. The true story of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1P1po6bH3w&feature=youtu.be">Wes Bonny</a>, told by the relatives of a 26-year-old man who died from melanoma in 2010, spoke volumes about skin cancer affecting an everyday “Aussie guy”. In 2016, Melbourne mother <a href="https://www.sunsmart.com.au/about/media-campaigns/current-campaigns/belindas-story">Belinda</a> shared her story before her death from melanoma. Melbourne mother Belinda urged others to learn from her story. The campaigns were created to increase people’s vigilance with sun protection, and sunscreen became a product critical to protecting one’s health. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25794474">Evidently</a>, these messages were effective. Research showed <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4732951/">lower sunburn rates</a>across the population, and sun protective behaviours improved. Moreover, research into the investment into such campaigns <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0147665">found</a> every A$1 invested brought a return of A$3.85 by lowering treatment costs and increasing productivity. The campaigns reduced the rates of illness and death and the economic burden of skin cancer. A new beauty product? As consumer demand bloomed, the perception and branding of sun protection products changed. The Australian sunscreen market is expected to tip <a href="https://www.cosmeticsbusiness.com/news/article_page/Asia_Pacific_Australia_Sun_Care_Market_Report_2017/128516">A$159.3 million this year</a>. By marketing sunscreen as a key step in a daily skincare routine, brands are repositioning sunscreen as a beauty essential. The new buzzword “<a href="https://www.whyhellobeauty.com.au/2019/06/20/sunscreen-or-skinscreen/">skinscreen</a>” has been coined for products that combine skincare and sunscreen. To persuade women to add skinscreens in their beauty regimes, products are marketed with appealing fragrances and textures, and are encouraged to be worn under makeup. Beauty influencers on social media have jumped on-board the skinscreen craze. It is now marketed to highlight its anti-ageing <a href="https://annals.org/aim/article-abstract/1691733/sunscreen-prevention-skin-aging-randomized-trial">benefits</a>: preventing age spots, fine lines and wrinkles. There are pros and cons to luxe skinscreen messaging. It may encourage frequent sunscreen application, but it also suggests women’s beauty and youth are inextricably linked and women’s value lies chiefly in their appearance. Despite sunscreen’s new home in the beauty aisle, health messaging has not completely disappeared. The social media initiative <a href="https://www.calltimeonmelanoma.com.au/">Call Time on Melanoma</a> aims to spread awareness about skin cancers and protecting skin from harmful rays. With more than 21,000 Instagram followers, the account encourages people to wear sunscreen everyday, get regular skin checks and debunks myths about sunscreen. The initiative builds awareness by sharing the story of Natalie Fornasier, a woman who was diagnosed with stage III melanoma at age 20. Skincare brand La Roche-Posay was an <a href="https://www.laroche-posay.com.au/article/la-roche-posay-the-official-sunscreen-partner-of-australian-open-2019/a36405.aspx">official sunscreen partner</a> for the 2020 Australian Open. They offered a UV Experience to educate tennis fans about sunscreen protection and ran a campaign to raise awareness of the daily UV index. Although important questions should be asked about the re-branding of sunscreen creating additional appearance-based pressures and “beauty work” for women, sunscreen appears to be more popular than ever. Sunsmart campaigns may have laid the health messaging groundwork, but today’s skincare brands continue to build awareness. This is a welcome step towards keeping Australians sun safe. Written by Lauren Gurrieri. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/burnt-is-out-skinscreen-is-in-how-sunscreen-got-a-beauty-makeover-131292">The Conversation.</a>

Beauty & Style

Should we be worried that the chemicals from sunscreen can get into our blood?

A <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733085#graphical-abstract-tab">recent study</a> published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has attracted <a href="https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/health/study-finds-sunscreen-chemicals-leach-into-bloodstream-within-a-day-ng-b881191385z">widespread media attention</a> after it found chemicals contained in sunscreen could get into people’s bloodstreams: A <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/australian-prescriber/articles/sunscreens">variety of different chemicals</a> in sunscreen are used to absorb or scatter UV light – both long wavelength (UVA) and short wavelength (UVB) – to protect us from the harmful effects of the Sun. But while small amounts of these chemicals may enter the bloodsteam, there is no evidence they are harmful. Ultimately, using sunscreen <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21135266">reduces your risk of skin cancer</a>, and this study gives us no reason to stop using it. Why was the study done? The US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) recently updated its <a href="https://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/guidances/ucm473464.pdf">guidelines on sunscreen safety</a>. The guidelines indicate that if long-term users were likely to have a plasma concentration of greater than 0.5 nanograms per millilitre of blood, further safety studies would need to be undertaken. This level is just a trigger for investigation; it does not indicate whether the chemical has any actual toxic effect. The <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733085#graphical-abstract-tab">JAMA study</a> was done to determine whether commonly used sunscreen compounds exceeded these limits, which would indicate that further safety studies were required under the new guidelines. So what did the study do? The study looked at the absorption of some common organic sunscreen ingredients (<a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/51040">avobenzone</a>, <a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/4632">oxybenzone</a>, <a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/22571">octocrylene</a>, and <a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Ecamsule">ecamsule</a>), in 24 healthy participants after they applied four commercially available sunscreen formulations. Each formulation contained three of the four organic sunscreen ingredients listed above. The concentrations of each individual compound were typical of commercial sunscreens and well within the permitted levels. For example, they all contained 3% avobenzone, and the <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/book/9-permitted-ingredients">maximum permitted concentration</a> is 5%. The researchers split the participants into four groups: two groups used a spray, one used cream, and the other used a lotion. The participants applied their assigned product to 75% of their body four times a day, for four days. The researchers then examined the absorption of these compounds by measuring participants’ blood over seven days using highly sensitive tests. What did they find? In all subjects, the blood levels of the sunscreen chemicals rapidly rose above the FDA guidance levels regardless of the sunscreen formulation (spray, lotion or cream). The levels remained above the FDA guidance levels for at least two days. But the conditions of the test were extreme. Some 75% of body surface was covered, and the sunscreen was reapplied every two hours and under conditions where the compounds were unlikely to be broken down or removed (for example by swimming or sweating). This was deliberately a test of a worst-case scenario, as mandated by <a href="https://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/guidances/ucm473464.pdf">FDA guidelines</a> to determine whether safety testing was needed. Of course, going above the FDA guidance levels does not indicate there is a risk; only that evaluation is required. What about in Australia? Australia’s FDA-equivalent body uses the European Union’s “non-clinical” <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/ws-sg-index">guidelines</a> to evaluate sunscreens and ensure they are safe to use. The EU guidelines are based on <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/australian-prescriber/articles/sunscreens">several studies</a> which show the components of sunscreens are not poisonous or harmful to human health. Looking specifically at the chemical <a href="https://echa.europa.eu/registration-dossier/-/registered-dossier/14835/7/7/2">avobenzone</a>, the safety studies show no toxic effect or potential harm to human health, aside from a small risk of skin sensitivity. The level of avobenzone reported in the blood after regularly applying sunscreen, (around 4 nanograms per millilitre) is around 1,000 times lower than the threshold levels for <a href="https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/85861">harm to skin cells</a>. And the safety studies report no increased risk for cancer. European researchers have also investigated whether the chemicals in sunscreens can mimic the effects of the female sex hormone estrogen. They found the levels would have to be <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/opinions/sccnfp_opinions_97_04/sccp_out145_en.htm">100 times higher</a> than are absorbed during normal sunscreen use to have any effect. The bottom line This study found that under a worst case scenario, blood levels of organic sunscreen chemicals exceeded the FDA guidance threshold. Under more realistic use the levels will be even lower. But even under this worst case scenario, the levels are at least 100 times below the European Union’s safety threshold. Given the known safety margins and the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21135266">proven ability of sunscreen to prevent skin cancer</a>, there is no reason to avoid or reduce your sunscreen use. – Ian Musgrave Blind peer review The research check is a fair and reasonable summary and interpretation of the JAMA paper on the absorption of active sunscreen ingredients. It is worth noting that the reference to “extreme” conditions in which the research was conducted is correct, however, in terms of dose, it does align with the recommended level of use of sunscreen. That is, reapply every two hours and use 2mg per 1cm₂. A single “dose” is recommended at 5ml for each arm, leg, front torso, back and head and face, or 7 x 5 = 35ml. Four such doses suggest each subject would have applied 140ml of sunscreen each day; more than a full 110ml tube, which is a common package size for sunscreen in Australia. This is extremely unlikely to occur. Most people use half or less of the recommended dose per application, and few reapply. Even fewer do so four times in a day. Written by Terri Slevin. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/research-check-should-we-be-worried-that-the-chemicals-from-sunscreen-can-get-into-our-blood-116738">The Conversation.</a>

Travel Tips

4½ myths about sunscreen and why they’re wrong

Many Australians are <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/news/media-releases/almost-half-of-australians-confused-about-sunscreen.html">reluctant to use sunscreen</a>, even though it’s an important element in preventing the skin cancers that affect about <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00086.x">two in three of us</a> at some time in our lives. The Cancer Council <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/news/media-releases/almost-half-of-australians-confused-about-sunscreen.html">says</a> myths about sunscreens contribute to this reluctance. Here are 4½ sunscreen myths and what the evidence really says. Confused about the ½? Well, it’s a myth most of the time, but sometimes it’s true. Myth #1. It’s bad for my bones Many Australians are concerned using sunscreen might lead to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17641980">vitamin D deficiency</a>. The idea is that sunscreen would block the UV light the skin needs to make vitamin D, critical for bone health. However, you need <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190962205045962?via%3Dihub">far less UV than you think</a> to make the vitamin D you need: only one-third of the UV that causes a sunburn, and less than you need to tan. Tests on humans going about their daily business generally show <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30945275">no vitamin D differences</a> between people who use sunscreen and those who don’t. Myth #2. Its ingredients are toxic If you google “toxic sunscreen”, you get more than <a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=toxic+sunscreen">eight million results</a>. So people are clearly worried if it’s safe. However, there’s little evidence of harm compared to the large benefits of sunscreens, which are <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/sunscreens">highly regulated in Australia</a>. There <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15191542?dopt=Abstract">is evidence</a> large amounts of some sunscreen components can act as <a href="https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/index.cfm">hormone disruptors</a>. But the amounts needed far outstrip the amount sunscreen users are actually exposed to. Some people have also been alarmed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) <a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/spotlight-cder-science-new-fda-study-shines-light-sunscreen-absorption">announcing further testing</a> of the sunscreen ingredients avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene and ecamsule. This was after a <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733085">study</a> showed their concentrations could reach over 0.5 nanograms/mL in the blood. This experiment involved people thickly applying sunscreen to parts of the body not covered by a swimsuit, four times a day for four days in a row. In other words, this is the maximum amount you might apply on a beach holiday, and considerably more than you would wear on a day-to-day basis (unless you work in your budgie smugglers). However, there’s no evidence these concentrations are harmful and the further testing is just a precaution. The FDA recommends people <a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/spotlight-cder-science-new-fda-study-shines-light-sunscreen-absorption">continue using sunscreen</a>. If you still feel uneasy, you can stick to zinc oxide and titanium dioxide sunscreens, which the FDA says are “<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/02/26/2019-03019/sunscreen-drug-products-for-over-the-counter-human-use">generally recognised as safe and effective</a>”. How about nanoparticles? That leads us to another common concern: nano-sized zinc oxide or titanium dioxide in sunscreens. <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/community-qa/sunscreens-information-consumers">Nanoparticle forms</a> of these UV filters are designed to make them invisible on the skin while still keeping UV rays out. <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/literature-review-safety-titanium-dioxide-and-zinc-oxide-nanoparticles-sunscreens">Human studies</a> show they either do not penetrate or minimally penetrate the stratum corneum. This is the upper-most layer of the skin, where the cells are already dead and tightly packed together to protect the living cells below. This suggests absorption and movement through the body, hence toxicity, is highly unlikely. Myth #3. It’s pointless. I already have skin cancer in my family <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3835091/">Genetics and family history</a> do play a role in many melanomas in Australia. For instance, mutations in genes such as CDKN2A substantially increase a person’s <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6368081/">melanoma risk</a>. However, sun exposure increases melanoma risk on top of any existing genetic risk. So whatever your baseline risk, everyone can take steps to lower the additional risks that come with sun exposure. Myth #4. I’m already middle-aged. It’s too late It’s true that sunburns in childhood seem to have a disproportionate effect on the risk of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11227927">melanomas</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11684447">basal cell carcinomas</a>. But <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjd.15324">squamous cell carcinomas</a> are more affected by sun exposure over the years. Ongoing sunscreen use also reduces the number new actinic keratoses, a pre-cancerous skin lesion, and reduces the number of existing keratoses <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJM199310143291602?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3Dwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov">in Australians over 40 years old</a>. Regular sunscreen use also puts the brakes on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190962216308805?via%3Dihub">skin ageing</a>, helping to reduce skin thinness, easy bruising and poor healing that older skin can be prone to. And of course, getting burnt feels terrible at any age. Myth #4½. I’m allergic to sunscreen This one’s only half a myth. Many people <a href="https://journals.lww.com/dermatitis/fulltext/2010/07000/True_Photoallergy_to_Sunscreens_Is_Rare_Despite.1.aspx#R4-1">say they have</a> an allergic reaction to sunscreen but only about <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673698121682?via%3Dihub">3%</a> really do. Often, people are just sunburned. They <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hpja.301">thought they were well-protected</a> but simply stayed out in the sun too long, or didn’t reapply sunscreen often enough. Your sunscreen might also be <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/book/export/html/5307">out of date</a>. Sunscreen eventually breaks down and loses its effectiveness, faster if you store it somewhere very hot, like a car. Alternatively, you may have <a href="https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/polymorphic-light-eruption/">polymorphic light eruption</a>, a condition where UV light alters a skin compound, resulting in a rash. This can be itchy or burning, small pink or red bumps, flat, dry red patches, blisters, or even itchy patches with no visible signs. Fortunately, this condition often occurs only on the first exposure during spring or early summer. Keep out of the sun for a few days and the rash should settle by itself. If none of those causes fit the bill, you may indeed have <a href="https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/sunscreen-allergy/">an allergy</a> to some component of your sunscreen (<a href="https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/allergic-contact-dermatitis/">allergic contact dermatitis</a>), which a dermatologist can confirm. Written by Katie Lee and Monika Janda. Republished with permission of <a href="/Many%20Australians%20are%20reluctant%20to%20use%20sunscreen,%20even%20though%20it’s%20an%20important%20element%20in%20preventing%20the%20skin%20cancers%20that%20affect%20about%20two%20in%20three%20of%20us%20at%20some%20time%20in%20our%20lives.">The Conversation.</a>

Beauty & Style

The reason why fires are lighting up the east coast of Australia

Last week saw an unprecedented outbreak of large, intense fires stretching from the mid-north coast of New South Wales into central Queensland. The most tragic losses are concentrated in northern NSW, where 970,000 hectares have been burned, three people have died, and at least 150 homes have been destroyed. A <a href="https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fdr-and-tobans">catastrophic fire warning</a> for Tuesday has been issued for the Greater Sydney, Greater Hunter, Shoalhaven and Illawarra areas. It is the first time Sydney has received a catastrophic rating since the rating system was developed in 2009. No relief is in sight from this extremely hot, dry and windy weather, and the extraordinary magnitude of these fires is likely to increase in the coming week. Alarmingly, as Australians increasingly seek a sea-change or tree-change, more people are living in the path of these destructive fires. Unprecedented state of emergency Large fires have happened before in northern NSW and southern Queensland during spring and early summer (for example in 1994, 1997, 2000, 2002, and 2018 in northern NSW). But this latest extraordinary situation raises many questions. It is as if many of the major fires in the past are now being rerun concurrently. What is unprecedented is the size and number of fires rather than the seasonal timing. The potential for large, intense fires is determined by <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1466-8238.2009.00512.x">four fundamental ingredients</a>: a continuous expanse of fuel; extensive and continuous dryness of that fuel; weather conditions conducive to the rapid spread of fire; and ignitions, either human or lightning. These act as a set of switches, in series: all must be “on” for major fires to occur. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301032/original/file-20191111-194628-1xowzaz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301032/original/file-20191111-194628-1xowzaz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> L ive fuel moisture content in late October 2019. The ‘dry’ and ‘transitional’ moisture categories correspond to conditions associated with over 95% of historical area burned by bushfire. <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2016GL0686140" class="source">Estimated from MODIS satellite imagery for the Sydney basin Bioregion.</a> The NSW north coast and tablelands, along with much of the southern coastal regions of Queensland are famous for their diverse range of eucalypt forest, heathlands and rainforests, which flourish in the warm temperate to subtropical climate. These forests and shrublands can rapidly accumulate bushfire fuels such as leaf litter, twigs and grasses. The unprecedented drought across much of Australia has created exceptional dryness, including high-altitude areas and places like gullies, water courses, swamps and steep south-facing slopes that are normally too wet to burn. These typically wet parts of the landscape have literally evaporated, allowing fire to spread unimpeded. The drought has been particularly acute in northern NSW where record low rainfall has led to <a href="https://biocollect.ala.org.au/acsa/project/index/77285a13-e231-49e8-b212-660c66c74bac">widespread defoliation and tree death</a>. It is no coincidence current fires correspond directly with hotspots of <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/">record low rainfall and above-average temperatures</a>. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301040/original/file-20191111-194650-458t68.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301040/original/file-20191111-194650-458t68.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Annual trends in live fuel moisture. The horizontal line represents the threshold for the critical ‘dry’ fuel category, which corresponds to the historical occurrence of most major wildfires in the Bioregion. Estimated from MODIS imagery for the Sydney basin Bioregion Thus, the North Coast and northern ranges of NSW as well as much of southern and central Queensland have been primed for major fires. A continuous swathe of critically dry fuels across these diverse landscapes existed well before last week, as shown by damaging fires in September and October. High temperatures and wind speeds, low humidity, and a wave of new ignitions on top of pre-existing fires has created an unprecedented situation of multiple large, intense fires stretching from the coast to the tablelands and parts of the interior. More people in harm’s way Many parts of the NSW north coast, southern Queensland and adjacent hinterlands have seen population growth around major towns and cities, as people look for pleasant coastal and rural homes away from the capital cities. The extraordinary number and ferocity of these fires, plus the increased exposure of people and property, have contributed to the tragic results of the past few days. Communities flanked by forests along the coast and ranges are highly vulnerable because of the way fires spread under the influence of strong westerly winds. Coastal communities wedged between highly flammable forests and heathlands and the sea, are particularly at risk. As a full picture of the extent and location of losses and damage becomes available, we will see the extent to which planning, building regulations, and fire preparation has mitigated losses and damage. These unprecedented fires are an indication that a much-feared future under climate change may have arrived <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0222328">earlier than predicted</a>. The week ahead will present high-stakes new challenges. The most heavily populated region of the nation is now at critically dry levels of fuel moisture, below those at the time of the disastrous Christmas fires of 2001 and 2013. Climate change has been predicted to <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1071/WF08133">strongly increase</a> the chance of large fires across this region. The conditions for Tuesday are a real and more extreme manifestation of these longstanding predictions. Whatever the successes and failures in this crisis, it is likely that we will have to rethink the way we plan and prepare for wildfires in a hotter, drier and more flammable world.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/126750/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ross-bradstock-1495">Ross Bradstock</a>, Professor, Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachael-helene-nolan-179005">Rachael Helene Nolan</a>, Postdoctoral research fellow, <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/drought-and-climate-change-were-the-kindling-and-now-the-east-coast-is-ablaze-126750">original article</a>.

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