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Scarlett Johansson slams tech giant's AI update

Scarlett Johansson has issued a furious public statement, claiming that tech giant OpenAI used a voice that is “eerily similar” to hers in the latest version of ChatGPT. In the statement published by NPR, the actress claimed that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had approached her last year asking if she would be interested in voicing their new AI voice assistant. After further consideration and "for personal reasons" she rejected the offer. She claimed that Altman then reached out to her agent again just days before the AI voice assistant was released, but before she had a chance to respond, the voice "Sky" was released. “When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference,” she said in the statement. She also said that the similarity seemed intentional, as Altman tweeted the word "her" upon Sky's release, which is the same name as a 2013 movie she was in where she voiced a chat system. “In a time when we are all grappling with deepfakes and the protection of our own likeness, our own work, our own identities, I believe these are questions that deserve absolute clarity,” the actress said in her statement. “I look forward to resolution in the form of transparency and the passage of appropriate legislation to help ensure that individual rights are protected.” OpenAI announced that it had paused the use of the “Sky” voice on Sunday, and insisted that it wasn't Johansson's voice, but another actress. “We believe that AI voices should not deliberately mimic a celebrity’s distinctive voice — Sky’s voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson but belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice,” the company wrote. Image: Alessandro Bremec/NurPhoto/ Shutterstock Editorial

Legal

"Big one for shenanigans": Aussie larrikin paddles a giant pumpkin down a river

In potentially the most Aussie story ever and a suspected world first, one bloke has pinched his mate's award-winning pumpkin to turn into a paddle boat and sail down the Tumut River. The enormous pumpkin was grown by farmer Mark Peacock, who grew the vegetable to a whopping 407kg and would regularly post updates on the gourd's growing progress on Facebook. The pumpkin even earned a fitting name, Tormund after a character in Game of Thrones, and was used to feed his livestock. After the pumpkin had served its purpose, Peacock's friend and local canoe club commodore Adam Farquharson saw a once in a lifetime opportunity. Sporting a sailor hat and pipe, he navigated the hollowed-out pumpkin, dubbed ‘Cinderella’, down the Tumut River in New South Wales’ Riverina region, much to the amusement of bystanders. “Barry Humphries said that he’s a big fan of the unnecessary, and I am too. I’m a big one for shenanigans,” he told <a title="www.abc.net.au" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-16/man-turns-mammoth-400kg-pumpkin-into-a-canoe/103708438">ABC Riverena</a><a title="www.abc.net.au" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-16/man-turns-mammoth-400kg-pumpkin-into-a-canoe/103708438">.</a> While initially surprised by Farquharson’s antics, Mr Peacock acknowledged that it was characteristic of his friend’s sense of humour to do something out of the ordinary to make people smile. “He’s really hilarious. But he’s random, occasionally,” he said. “I intentionally grew this as a family project and then started doing Facebook updates every week.” For Mr Farquharson, the voyage was simply about enjoying himself and giving locals an opportunity for a laugh. Farquharson joked about potential future exploits but remained grounded about his brief moment of fame as “Popeye the Pumpkin Man.” “I think the worldwide fame will wear off pretty soon. I won’t end up like Taylor Swift. I’ll just get back to life as normal,” he said. Reflecting on the unusual journey, Mr Farquharson humorously considered preserving the pumpkin as a national curiosity by placing it on a pedestal among Australian sporting royalty. “It was a sad moment. I did jokingly say to my wife that I should petition the prime minister to have it preserved and put next to Phar Lap’s heart at the National Museum,” he told the ABC. “She thought I was an idiot.” Image credits: Facebook

Domestic Travel

Meg Ryan is back after a "giant break"

Meg Ryan is back and she has spilled it all, ahead of her first rom-com release in nearly 15 years. In an interview with People Magazine, the When Harry Met Sally star revealed the reason why she took a step back from her career. "I took a giant break because I felt like there's just so many other parts of my experience as a human being I wanted to develop," she told the outlet. "It's nice to think of it as a job and not a lifestyle. And that is a great way of navigating it for me." The 61-year-old also shared the inspiration behind her first rom-com What Happens Later, which she directed, wrote and starred in. "It came to me during lockdown," she gushed. "The essence of it is these two people who are stuck together. I just love that idea that we're held in a space, even if it feels conflicted, maybe for reasons that heal them." This is the first rom-com that she has acted in for over a decade, with her last film in that genre being Serious Moonlight back in 2009. In another another conversation with Interview magazine's Carol Burnett, she opened up about the process of making her film. "Truly, the easiest part was acting in it," she told the publication. "I want to direct again just so I can sit in the chair, because I’m sure there’s a lot of things I missed." "I hadn’t done a role in a really long time, but it was fun with David," she added, referring to co-star David Duchovny, known for his role as Fox Mulder in The X Files. "A lot of it was done in two shots. I’m proud of that. I set up everything beforehand so that once we were there, it was just David and I trying to tell the truth." She revealed that the film was assembled together with a very "deliberate" process and a budget of only $3 million. "We had to do it really quickly. A lot of those extras weren’t even ours, they were real people," she said. "We went back in post and made everybody the same palette. There’s a lot of stuff you can do digitally now, thank god." The actress first shot to fame in 1980 for her girl-next-door image, after playing the love interest in iconic films like the original Top Gun and When Harry Met Sally. Images: Getty Images/ Edward Berthelot/WireImage

Movies

Online travel giant uses AI chatbot as travel adviser

Online travel giant Expedia has collaborated with the controversial artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT in place of a travel adviser. Those planning a trip will be able to chat to the bot through the Expedia app. Although it won’t book flights or accommodation like a person can, it can be helpful in answering various travel-related questions. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Travel planning just got easier in the <a href="https://twitter.com/Expedia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Expedia</a> app, thanks to the iOS beta launch of a new experience powered by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChatGPT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChatGPT</a>. See how Expedia members can start an open-ended conversation to get inspired for their next trip: <a href="https://t.co/qpMiaYxi9d">https://t.co/qpMiaYxi9d</a> <a href="https://t.co/ddDzUgCigc">pic.twitter.com/ddDzUgCigc</a> — Expedia Group (@ExpediaGroup) <a href="https://twitter.com/ExpediaGroup/status/1643240991342592000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2023</a></blockquote> These questions include information on things such as weather inquiries, public transport advice, the cheapest time to travel and what you should pack. It is advanced software and can provide detailed options and explanations for holidaymakers. To give an example, <a href="http://news.com.au/">news.com.au</a> asked “what to pack to visit Auckland, New Zealand” and the chatbot suggested eight things to pack and why, even advising comfortable shoes for exploring as “Auckland is a walkable city”. “Remember to pack light and only bring what you need to avoid excess baggage fees and make your trip more comfortable,” the bot said. When asked how to best see the Great Barrier Reef, ChatGPT provided four options to suit different preferences, for example, if you’re happy to get wet and what your budget might look like. “It’s important to choose a reputable tour operator that follows sustainable tourism practices to help protect the reef,” it continued. OpenAI launched ChatGPT in December 2022 and it has received a lot of praise as well as serious criticism. The criticisms are mainly concerns about safety and accuracy. Image credits: Getty/Twitter

International Travel

"Giant of the nation": Indigenous leader Yunupingu dies

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this article contains images of deceased persons. Indigenous leader Yunupingu has passed away at the age of 74. Yunupingu, a Yolngu man and the Gumatj clan leader, was known for his longtime advocacy work, campaigning for land rights for Indigenous Australians. The influential leader was one of the architects of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which called for Constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians, as well as the upcoming Voice to parliament vote. He was named Australian of the Year in 1978, made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1985, and was later made an honourary Doctor of Laws by Melbourne University in 2015. Yunupingu became the first chairman of the Northern Land Council in 1977, and was re-elected to the position in 1983, which he held until his retirement in 2004. Tributes have flown for the influential First Nations leader, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling him a "great Australian". <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Yunupingu walked in two worlds with authority, power and grace, and he worked to make them whole — together. He was a leader, a statesman, a great Yolngu man and a great Australian. He now walks in another place, but he has left such great footsteps for us to follow in this one. <a href="https://t.co/aOgZMU6UTJ">pic.twitter.com/aOgZMU6UTJ</a> — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1642660247516086273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2023</a></blockquote> Yunupingu's family broke the news of his passing as they issued an emotional statement, saying they mourned his death "with deep love and great sadness". "The loss to our family and community is profound. We are hurting, but we honour him and remember with love everything he has done for us," daughter Binmila Yunupingu said. "We remember him for his fierce leadership, and total strength for Yolngu and for Aboriginal people throughout Australia. He lived by our laws always. The family said Yunupingu would be returned to his land and will be honoured in ceremonies to be announced in due course. "There will never be another like him," Binmila said. Yunupingu's family have given permission for the use of his surname and image to be used in media articles. Image credits: Getty Images

News

Streaming service giant pays woman 5 figures to watch content

If you think you spend too much time on Amazon Prime, think again as one lucky lady has snatched up her “dream” job with the streaming service. The woman, Alex Bain, 36, has been dubbed Prime Video’s “Buff”, and her job entails reviewing content for Amazon Prime, which came after the platform searched nationwide to fill the role of watching new content. Here’s the real kicker, the 36-year-old will be paid $40,000 for three months of viewing new content and sharing her opinions. She is not new to the scene of content review as she frequently posts to her Instagram, TikTok and Youtube reviewing various TV shows and movies. Upon seeing the advertisement from Amazon Prime, one of Bain’s friends encouraged her to apply. “Everything on it, it was like seeing a list of what would be my ideal job,” Ms Bain told NCA NewsWire. “I’m 36, so I want to do something I’m passionate about, so I decided to just go for it. “I got a phone call from Amazon saying I’d been short-listed, and I was like, ‘Oh my God!’” She said the time between applying for the role and being told she was successful went “so quickly”. Not long after, she received the news she was the lucky one chosen to fill the role. Image credit: Instagram

Reward offered after "senseless vandalism" of giant statue

An act of vandalism that is being treated as suspicious by local police has seen a beloved art installation destroyed in Mandurah, south of Perth. Described as "thoughtless and selfish" by WA Premier Mark McGowan, the brazen act has caused a flood of disbelief and anger, with police offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction. The fire – which took place on Friday night – caused irreparable damage to Vivi Cirklestone, one of five wooden sculptures created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo and hidden throughout bushland in Mandurah, with a sixth installed in the Perth suburb of Subiaco. Mourners gathered to leave flowers on the charred wreck of the popular sculpture, which is one of a handful of “protectors of the environment” built in the region as part of a cultural tourism project. <iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FwaIncidentsalerts%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0j7E3Ssk4YC2sd7b6FhGyvRAWnhB4qKQs1EVZ2uYPbFkmn7Ratwee2bmEVAzzbPxVl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="792" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> “The circumstances surrounding the cause of the fire are being treated as suspicious,” WA Police said in a statement. Mandurah Detectives and the Arson Squad are now working to find what sparked the fire that razed the installation. Police also stated that an image doing the rounds on social media that showed the sculpture on fire had been accounted for and was not what it first appeared to many. “The photograph that’s been distributed on social media actually was taken by the person who reported the fire to DFES and the person in the footage is one of his mates,” acting inspector Tom Tristram said. The Giants of Mandurah took Danish artist Thomas Dambo hundreds of hours to complete and were launched in November as a free Australian-first exhibition. “Me and my crew are obviously super sad to hear this news,” Dambo said. “I feel it is probably done by a troubled person and is not the feeling of the general population”. Premier Mark McGowan also weighed in on the incident, saying that he “hopes whoever is behind this thoughtless and selfish behaviour at some point reflects on the sadness they have caused, especially so close to Christmas." “The sculptures aren’t just works of art, they are meant to be positive and fun attractions for families not just in Mandurah but across Perth and beyond. This is senseless vandalism. That’s all it is. And the victim isn’t just the artist but the community as well.“ Images: Facebook / Courtesy of Visit Mandurah

Legal

Meat Loaf – a complicated musical giant

Ridiculed by critics and custodians of cool, Meat Loaf’s bombastic performances were loved by millions, providing the soundtrack to the lives of various generations. The man born Marvin Lee Aday was something of an unreliable narrator. He offered contradictory accounts in interviews of such basic details as his date of birth, real name, or why and how he came to be known as Meat Loaf. According to <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/to-hell-and-back/david-dalton/meat-loaf/9780753504437">his autobiography</a>, an inheritance from his mother allowed him, as a disturbed and distressed teenager, to leave the house of a violent alcoholic father to live, first in Dallas, and subsequently California. He was cast in the original Los Angeles productions of both Hair and The Rocky Horror Show, also appearing in the 1975 film adaptation of the latter. On auditioning for budding playwright/songwriter <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/meat-loaf-remembers-jim-steinman-1160041/">Jim Steinman’s</a> More Than You Deserve musical – the title track of which would later pop up on the Dead Ringer album – Steinman identified his ideal leading man for the Bat out of Hell project. Record executives were less convinced. They thought that the pairing of a large sweaty singer with unorthodox musical arrangements, pitched somewhere between Phil Spector and Wagner, was a complete anomaly in the age of punk and disco. The odd pair were eventually signed by independent label Cleveland after getting Todd Rundgren onboard as a producer. The Texan-born singer and actor outlived his chief collaborator by less than a year. Their signing with Cleveland would be the start to a career full of hits and as many highs as there were lows. <h2>Difficult success</h2> Bat Out of Hell – one of the top five selling records of all-time – was released in 1977. Almost all the songs originated from a university project of Steinman’s based on Peter Pan. Unable to clear the rights with JM Barrie’s estate, Steinman recycled the material into Bat Out of Hell instead. Jukebox musicals typically rely on a pre-existing songbook but Bat out of Hell is best characterised as a cast album that had its first outing in the charts before the stage. Given that three of the album’s seven songs exceed eight minutes, remarkably not a moment is wasted. Epics such as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C11MzbEcHlw&ab_channel=MeatLoafVEVO">Paradise by the Dashboard Light</a> and Bat out of Hell (designed to top the 1960s hit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTjQgkHzbTk&ab_channel=John1948Ten">Tell Laura I Love Her</a> as the ultimate motorcycle crash song) are more than guilty pleasures. They encapsulate the sensations if not perhaps the realities of being a hormonal teenager in thrall to sex, death and rock‘n’roll. The album sold over 10 million copies in the US, and spent over ten years on the UK charts. Meat Loaf was not, however, mentally or physically prepared for the pressures of success or large-scale touring. After losing his voice on the Bat Out of Hell tour in 1978, he had multiple nervous breakdowns and attempted suicide. Steinman lost patience, and a planned sequel to Bat was put on the backburner. There were occasional hits in the 1980s without Steinman (for instance <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCHWD9HeRKY&ab_channel=PeterSchulz">Modern Girl</a> and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/5TvUFX8blX7LAw4nMtYji4?highlight=spotify:track:0UeoAe8yipWeSNr3zfCPfx">Midnight at the Lost and Found</a>) but Meat Loaf’s star was on the wane. Despite recording one of the most successful albums of rock’s golden age, by 1983 the singer was facing the prospect of bankruptcy. Yet by playing smaller venues and adopting more sophisticated vocal techniques, a constant touring schedule through the latter part of the 1980s transformed Meat Loaf into one of world’s most accomplished live performers. A nearly three-hour 1988 concert recording <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0gkNPhmn-0">from Edinburgh</a> shows why this period is considered his live peak by hardcore fans. It also ensured he was better prepared to reap the rewards when he and Steinman staged one of rock’s most unlikely comebacks with Bat out of Hell II in 1993, with lead-single I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t do That) topping the charts in 28 countries. The 1990s marked Meat Loaf’s imperial phase, selling out arenas and enjoying celebrity, appearing in films such as Fight Club (1997) and Spice World (1999). Yet unlike Peter Pan, Meat Loaf wasn’t forever young, often appearing lost in the new millennium. After collapsing on stage in Newcastle in 2007, he said he wouldn’t perform in concert again. In reality, he continued touring for another decade, the musical equivalent of a veteran boxer not knowing when to hang up the gloves. Steinman also launched a legal action when the singer sought to go it alone with <a href="https://ultimateclassicrock.com/meat-loaf-bat-out-of-hell-iii/">Bat Out of Hell III</a> (2006). An out of court settlement effectively gave the songwriter free rein to develop a stage version of Bat out of Hell. Despite their differences, Meat Loaf took on promotional duties as Steinman’s health prevented him from undertaking for the 2017 premiere of <a href="https://www.batoutofhellmusical.com/">Bat Out of Hell the Musical</a>. Now that so many of rock’s founding fathers have died, my current research into rock musicals such as this and David Bowie’s Lazarus sees them as repositioning one of the major forms of cultural expression from the second half of the last century. Blessed with one of rock’s most distinctive voices (admirers include Axl Rose and Kurt Cobain), quality control was never Meat’s forte. At his best, however, the Loaf was a heavyweight contender, able to hold his own alongside the world’s finest performers irrespective of genre. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/meat-loaf-a-complicated-musical-giant-175552" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

Prince Charles, Duran Duran and a giant bull: All the highlights of the Comm Games Opening Ceremony

The 2022 Commonwealth Games are officially underway, after the impressive opening ceremony kicked off on Thursday evening. The extravagant ceremony captivated the attention of local and international fans, with TV viewers around the word tuning in to the Birmingham event. Prince Charles arrived at the Alexander Stadium in style, driving the same Aston Martin the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge famously left Buckingham Palace in on their wedding day. The Prince of Wales drove his luxury, vintage car out onto the arena before a display where several motor vehicles combined to form a perfect Union Jack on the arena surface. The ceremony celebrated aspects of the rich history and culture of Birmingham, with a 10 metre tall mechanical "Raging Bull" being waltzed into the stadium. The Bull Ring is a major shopping district in the city, which also features a sculpture of a bull, while the mascot for these Commonwealth Games is Perry the Bull. Female chain makers dragged the bull into the stadium, representing the chains used during the slave trade. The bull then broke free of those chains — symbolising the abolition of the slave trade and the 1910 wage strike that paved the way for women to break free from poverty. Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai addressed the audience early in the ceremony, sharing a heartfelt message about how Birmingham became her home and welcomed her family. Musical act Duran Duran, who began their career in Birmingham, closed the ceremony as they belted out fan favourite tracks such as Save A Prayer, Planet Earth and Ordinary World. The Commonwealth Games will run until August 8th, with 72 countries competing in 19 sports over the 11-day event. Image credits: Getty Images

International Travel

Thousands of giant crabs amass off Australia’s coast

Every winter in shallow waters off Australia’s southern coast, armies of native spider crabs appear in their thousands. They form huge underwater piles, some as tall as a person. These fascinating crustaceans are on a risky mission – to get bigger. Crabs cannot simply grow like humans and other soft-bodied creatures. They must break free from their shells, expand their soft flesh and harden a new shell – all while dodging hungry predators on the hunt for a soft, easy meal. This moulting process leaves crabs clumsy and uncoordinated, making any escape tricky. That’s thought to be one reason they clump together in such big numbers – to keep each other safe. The spectacular gatherings attract tourists from interstate and overseas and have even been featured in a BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09gl670" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documentary</a>. But despite all this attention, scientists know very little about these quirky creatures. We need your help to investigate. <h2>Safety in numbers</h2> Southern Australia’s spider crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) are usually orange to red-brown. They can reach 16cm across their shell and 40cm across their legs, and are commonly known as great spider crabs. Spider crabs are believed to be widely dispersed in deeper waters. But they’re most visible to humans when they congregate <a href="https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/species/14370" target="_blank" rel="noopener">near shore in winter</a>, and occasionally at other times of year. Once together, spider crabs shed their old shells in a synchronised act thought to take about <a href="https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/species/14370" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an hour</a>. The crabs stay together until their new hard shells form, which probably takes a few days. The aggregation can last a few weeks. Soft crabs are thought to take refuge in the middle of the piles, protected by crabs yet to moult. Afterwards, spider crabs return to deeper waters and their solitary lives, leaving the seafloor littered with discarded shells. <h2>Plenty of mysteries to solve</h2> Spider crab aggregations have been officially reported along the Victorian and Tasmanian coasts. Historically, most winter sightings have been reported on the Mornington Peninsula – particularly near the Rye and Blairgowrie piers. Anecdotal evidence suggests the gatherings can also happen elsewhere. For instance, an aggregation was reported this year on the western side of Port Phillip Bay. But there’s still so much we don’t know about spider crabs, such as: <ul> <li>how many spider crabs are out there?</li> <li>how many gather en masse?</li> <li>how long do the crabs stay?</li> <li>what signals do crabs use to know it’s time to come together?</li> <li>why do the crabs aggregate at one location in several consecutive years then not return?</li> </ul> Most spider crab gatherings seem to occur in winter, but they’re known to come together at other times. For example, aggregations in late spring, midsummer and early autumn have been reported in parts of Port Phillip Bay and elsewhere Victoria and Tasmania. Those aggregations don’t seem related to moulting – in fact, we have no idea why they occur! <h2>We need your help</h2> To better understand spider crab aggregations, a citizen science project called <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/spider-crab-watch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spider Crab Watch</a> has been launched. We’re inviting everyone – including divers, fishermen, swimmers and boaters – to report where they see spider crabs, alone or in groups. We’d also love to hear from people who come across discarded spider crab shells on the beach, because that indicates an aggregation occurred nearby. The reports will help us determine the habitats and conditions suitable for spider crab aggregations. We welcome sightings from Port Phillip Bay and across the Great Southern Reef, where spider crabs live. The reef spans the southern part of Australia from New South Wales to Western Australia and Tasmania. Logging a sighting is a quick process. Just report the date, time and location of the spider crabs, and answer a few questions. Photos are not essential but always welcome. We’re also using traditional research to solve these mysteries. This includes underwater surveys, spider crab tagging and the use of timelapse cameras to capture images of spider crabs and their predators at sites where aggregations are expected. After the aggregations, the images captured will be uploaded to a web portal. Interested people from around the country (and the world) can then analyse the images to help us count spider crabs and identify their predators. If that interests you, <a href="https://redcap.link/ybjksj1z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sign up</a> for Spider Crab Watch updates. This program and the broader research is supported by funding from the Victorian government. <h2>Understanding our oceans</h2> The aims of this research go far beyond spider crabs. Scientists also want to know if spider crab gatherings help predators maintain healthy populations. Huge stingrays, seals, seabirds and some sharks are often spotted near aggregation sites. But we need more information to understand how crab aggregations affect animals at the top of the food chain. Spider crabs have captured the imagination of ocean lovers for decades – yet we know so little about their lives. This project will help us gather information on this amazing natural spectacle and the role it plays in the marine environment. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/thousands-of-giant-crabs-amass-off-australias-coast-scientists-need-your-help-to-understand-it-183342" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Museums Victoria

Travel Trouble

This giant kangaroo once roamed New Guinea – descended from an Australian ancestor that migrated millions of years ago

Long ago, almost up until the end of the last ice age, a peculiar giant kangaroo roamed the mountainous rainforests of New Guinea. Now, research to be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/03721426.2022.2086518" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> on Thursday by myself and colleagues suggests this kangaroo was not closely related to modern Australian kangaroos. Rather, it represents a previously unknown type of primitive kangaroo unique to New Guinea. The age of megafauna Australia used to be home to all manner of giant animals called megafauna, until most of them went extinct about 40,000 years ago. These megafauna lived alongside animals we now consider characteristic of the Australian bush – kangaroos, koalas, crocodiles and the like – but many were larger species of these. There were giant wombats called Phascolonus, 2.5-metre-tall short-faced kangaroos, and the 3-tonne Diprotodon optatum (the largest marsupial ever). In fact, some Australian megafaunal species, such as the red kangaroo, emu and cassowary, survive through to the modern day. The fossil megafauna of New Guinea are considerably less well-studied than those of Australia. But despite being shrouded in mystery, New Guinea’s fossil record has given us hints of fascinating and unusual animals whose evolutionary stories are entwined with Australia’s. Palaeontologists have done sporadic expeditions and fossil digs in New Guinea, including digs by American and Australian researchers in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. It was during an archaeological excavation in the early 1970s, led by Mary-Jane Mountain, that two jaws of an extinct giant kangaroo were unearthed. A young researcher (now professor) named Tim Flannery called the species Protemnodon nombe. The fossils Flannery described are about 20,000–50,000 years old. They come from the Nombe Rockshelter, an archaeological and palaeontological site in the mountains of central Papua New Guinea. This site also delivered fossils of another kangaroo and giant four-legged marsupials called diprotodontids. An unexpected discovery Flinders University Professor Gavin Prideaux and I recently re-examined the fossils of Protemnodon nombe and found something unexpected. This strange kangaroo was not a species of the genus Protemnodon, which used to live all over Australia, from the Kimberley to Tasmania. It was something a lot more primitive and unknown. In particular, its unusual molars with curved enamel crests set it apart from all other known kangaroos. We moved the species into a brand new genus unique to New Guinea and (very creatively) renamed it Nombe nombe. <figure><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/724328370" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>A 3D surface scan of a specimen of Nombe nombe, specifically a fossilised lower jaw from central Papua New Guinea. (Courtesy of Papua New Guinea Museum and Art Gallery, Port Moresby).</figcaption></figure> Our findings show Nombe may have evolved from an ancient form of kangaroo that migrated into New Guinea from Australia in the late Miocene epoch, some 5–8 million years ago. In those days, the islands of New Guinea and Australia were connected by a land bridge due to lower sea levels – whereas today they’re separated by the Torres Strait. This “bridge” allowed early Australian mammals, including megafauna, to migrate to New Guinea’s rainforests. When the Torres Strait flooded again, these animal populations became disconnected from their Australian relatives and evolved separately to suit their tropical and mountainous New Guinean home. We now consider Nombe to be the descendant of one of these ancient lineages of kangaroos. The squat, muscular animal lived in a diverse mountainous rainforest with thick undergrowth and a closed canopy. It evolved to eat tough leaves from trees and shrubs, which gave it a thick jawbone and strong chewing muscles. The species is currently only known from two fossil lower jaws. And much more remains to be discovered. Did Nombe hop like modern kangaroos? Why did it go extinct? As is typical of palaeontology, one discovery inspires an entire host of new questions. Strange but familiar animals Little of the endemic animal life of New Guinea is known outside of the island, even though it is very strange and very interesting. Very few Australians have much of an idea of what’s there, just over the strait. When I went to the Papua New Guinea Museum in Port Moresby early in my PhD, I was thrilled by the animals I encountered. There are several living species of large, long-nosed, worm-eating echidna – one of which weighs up to 15 kilograms. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471027/original/file-20220627-22-91nec3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471027/original/file-20220627-22-91nec3.jpeg?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/471027/original/file-20220627-22-91nec3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471027/original/file-20220627-22-91nec3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471027/original/file-20220627-22-91nec3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471027/original/file-20220627-22-91nec3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=567&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471027/original/file-20220627-22-91nec3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=567&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471027/original/file-20220627-22-91nec3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=567&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Author Isaac Kerr poses for a photo, holding an Australian giant kangaroo jaw in his left hand" /></a><figcaption>I’m excited to start digging in New Guinea’s rainforests! Author provided</figcaption></figure> There are also dwarf cassowaries and many different wallaby, tree kangaroo and possum species that don’t exist in Australia – plus many more in the fossil record. We tend to think of these animals as being uniquely Australian, but they have other intriguing forms in New Guinea. As an Australian biologist, it’s both odd and exhilarating to see these “Aussie” animals that have expanded into new and weird forms in another landscape. Excitingly for me and my colleagues, Nombe nombe may breathe some new life into palaeontology in New Guinea. We’re part of a small group of researchers that was recently awarded a grant to undertake three digs at two different sites in eastern and central Papua New Guinea over the next three years. Working with the curators of the Papua New Guinea Museum and other biologists, we hope to inspire young local biology students to study palaeontology and discover new fossil species. If we’re lucky, there may even be a complete skeleton of Nombe nombe waiting for us.<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/185778/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/isaac-alan-robert-kerr-1356949" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Isaac Alan Robert Kerr</a>, PhD Candidate for Palaeontology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Flinders University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/this-giant-kangaroo-once-roamed-new-guinea-descended-from-an-australian-ancestor-that-migrated-millions-of-years-ago-185778" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Supplied

Domestic Travel

Vodka cruiser reveals giant new bottle

There are plenty of Aussies who would have fond memories of dancing away with a Vodka Cruiser in hand. Fans will be excited to know that the popular ready-to-go drink has had a massive upgrade. In celebration of its 21st birthday and the reopening of dance floors across Australia, Vodka Cruiser will be giving 21 lucky Aussies a chance to get their hands on the impressive 3.1L Double Magnum bottles – available in fan-favourite flavours Wild Raspberry, Juicy Watermelon, and Lush Guava. The winners will be able to invite four friends each to the Magnum Cruiser experience. The humungous bottles, which replicate the classic Cruiser in a glamorous Champagne-esque design, can hold almost 11 standard Cruisers and require two bar staff to pop and pour. Speaking about the launch, Brand Manager of Vodka Cruiser, Michael O’Donoghue said: “It’s been a tough few years for bars and clubs across the country. “While we weren’t able to celebrate Vodka Cruiser’s 21st birthday last year with the ups and downs of the pandemic, we are beyond excited to really get the party started in 2022 by launching the Cruiser Magnums with our partner venues. The Magnum Cruiser experience will be available in Sydney at the Marlborough Hotel; in Melbourne at Billboard The Venue; in South Australia at The Highway and The Jetty Bar; and in Cairns at Gilligans. To enter, you can head over to Vodka Cruiser’s entry page on <a href="https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/c7CACvl1lzI7y7gqLfzkuUy?domain=facebook.com">Facebook</a> and share your favourite flavour of vodka. Images: Facebook.

Food & Wine

From Tarantino to Squid Game: why do so many people enjoy violence?

Last month, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/oct/13/squid-game-is-netflixs-biggest-debut-hit-reaching-111m-viewers-worldwide">more than 100 million people</a> watched the gory Netflix show, Squid Game. Whether or not screen violence is bad for us has been extensively studied. The <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2015-29260-002">consensus is</a> that it can have negative effects. But the question of why we are drawn to watch violence has received much less attention. Death, blood and violence have always pulled a crowd. Ancient Romans flocked to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1234-981X(199710)5:4%3C401::AID-EURO205%3E3.0.CO;2-C">carnage in the Colosseum</a>. In later centuries, <a href="https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199592692.001.0001/acprof-9780199592692">public executions were big box-office</a>. In the modern era, the film director Quentin Tarantino believes that: “<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2013/01/quentin-tarantino-violence-quotes/319586/">In movies, violence is cool. I like it</a>”. Many of us seem to agree with him. A study of high-grossing movies found <a href="https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/133/1/71">90% had a segment</a> where the main character was involved in violence. Similarly, most Americans <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-58515-001">enjoy horror films</a> and watch them several times a year. <h2>Who is watching this stuff?</h2> Some people are more likely to enjoy violent media than others. Being male, aggressive and having less empathy all <a href="https://doi.org/10.1207/S1532785XMEP0702_5">make you more likely</a> to enjoy watching screen violence. There are also certain personality traits associated liking violent media. Extroverted people, who seek excitement, and people who are more open to aesthetic experiences, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1207/S1532785XMEP0704_5">like watching violent movies more</a>. Conversely, people high in agreeableness - characterised by humility and sympathy for others - tend to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1207/S1532785XMEP0704_5">like violent media less</a>. <h2>…but why?</h2> One theory is that watching violence is cathartic, draining out our excess aggression. However, this idea is <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/3/4/491">not well supported by evidence</a>. When angry people watch violent content, they <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Media-Entertainment-The-Psychology-of-Its-Appeal/Zillmann-Vorderer/p/book/9780805833256">tend to get angrier</a>. More recent research, derived from studies of horror films, suggests there may be three categories of people who enjoy watching violence, each with their own reasons. One group has been dubbed “<a href="https://psyarxiv.com/sdxe6/">adrenaline junkies</a>”. These sensation seekers want new and intense experiences, and are more likely <a href="https://doi.org/10.1207/S1532785XMEP0702_5">to get a rush</a> from watching violence. Part of this group may be people who like seeing others suffer. Sadists feel other people’s pain <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-psychopaths-to-everyday-sadists-why-do-humans-harm-the-harmless-144017">more than normal</a>, and enjoy it. Another group enjoys watching violence because they feel they learn something from it. In horror studies, such people are called “<a href="https://psyarxiv.com/sdxe6/">white knucklers</a>”. Like adrenaline junkies, they feel intense emotions from watching horror. But they dislike these emotions. They tolerate it because they feel it helps them learn something about how to survive. This is a bit like <a href="https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/musichtc_facpub/26">benign masochism</a>, the enjoyment of aversive, painful experiences in a safe context. If we can tolerate some pains, we may gain something. Just as “painful” <a href="https://tidsskrift.dk/lev/article/view/104693">cringe comedies may teach us social skills</a>, watching violence may teach us survival skills. A final group seems to get both sets of benefits. They enjoy the sensations generated by watching violence and feel they learn something. In the horror genre, such people have been called “<a href="https://psyarxiv.com/sdxe6/">dark copers</a>”. The idea that people enjoy watching safe, on-screen violence because it can teach us something is called “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/ebs0000152">threat simulation theory</a>”. This fits with the observation that the people who seem most attracted to watching violence (aggressive young men) are also those most likely to be encountering or dishing out such violence. Watching violence from the safety of our sofa may be a way to prepare ourselves for a violent and dangerous world. Violence hence appeals for a good reason. Interestingly, a recent study found that horror fans and morbidly curious individuals were <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886920305882">more psychologically resilient</a> during the COVID-19 pandemic. <h2>Is it really the violence we like?</h2> There are reasons to reconsider how much we like watching violence per se. For example, in one study <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08934210500084198">researchers showed</a>two groups of people the 1993 movie, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106977/">The Fugitive</a>. One group were shown an unedited movie, while another saw a version with all violence edited out. Despite this, both groups liked the film equally. This finding has been supported by other studies which have also found that removing graphic violence from a film <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00224549909598417">does not make people like it less</a>. There is even evidence that people <a href="https://academic.oup.com/hcr/article-abstract/35/3/442/4107507">enjoy non-violent versions</a> of films more than violent versions. Many people may be enjoying something that coincides with violence, rather than violence itself. For example, violence creates <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jcom.12112">tension and suspense</a>, which may be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08838150701626446">what people find appealing</a>. Another possibility is that it is <a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.1087.404&rep=rep1&type=pdf">action, not violence</a>, which people enjoy. Watching violence also offers a great chance for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jcom.12112">making meaning</a> about finding meaning in life. Seeing violence allows us to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jcom.12112">reflect on the human condition</a>, an experience we value. Other theories are also out there. “<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781405186407.wbiece049">Excitation transfer theory</a>” suggests that watching violence makes us aroused, a feeling that persists until the end of the show, making the end feel more pleasing. The “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2011.570826">forbidden fruit hypothesis</a>” proposes that it is violence being deemed off-limits that makes it appealing. Consistent with this, warning labels <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1996-06304-002">increase people’s interest</a> in violent programmes. Finally, it may be that it is justified punishment, rather than violence, that we enjoy watching. Indeed, whenever people anticipate being able to punish wrongdoers, the <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.1100735">reward centres of their brain</a> light up like fairgrounds. That said, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/hcr/article-abstract/35/3/442/4107507">less than half the violence</a> on TV is inflicted on baddies by goodies. <h2>Political motives?</h2> All this suggests that media companies may be giving us violence that many of us <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2011.570826">don’t want or need</a>. We should hence consider what other corporate, political or ideological pressures may be encouraging onscreen violence globally. For example, the US government has a close interest in, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/washington-dcs-role-behind-the-scenes-in-hollywood-goes-deeper-than-you-think-80587">influence over Hollywood</a>. Portrayals of violence can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0896920517739093">manufacture our consent</a> with government policies, encourage us to endorse the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10509208.2015.1086614">legitimacy of state power and state violence</a>, and help <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/78912/manufacturing-consent-by-edward-s-herman-and-noam-chomsky/">determine who are “worthy victims”</a>. The messages onscreen violence send can, however, cause us to become disconnected with reality. <a href="https://stevenpinker.com/publications/better-angels-our-nature">When crime rates fall</a>, <a href="https://publisher.abc-clio.com/9780313015977/">onscreen violence</a> can make us think that crime is increasing. Movies also lie about the real <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071054/">impact of violence</a> on the human body – with almost 90% of violent actions showing no realistic physical consequences to the victim. Movies can also <a href="https://doi.org/10.18357/ijcyfs101201918809">disguise the reality of male violence</a> against women and children. The American political scientist <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/84573/the-clash-of-civilizations-and-the-remaking-of-world-order-by-samuel-p-huntington/">Samuel Huntington once wrote that</a>, “The west won the world not by the superiority of its ideas … but rather by its superiority in applying organised violence. Westerners often forget this fact; non-Westerners never do.” We should be constantly aware of how fake violence on our screens serves real violence in our world. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-tarantino-to-squid-game-why-do-so-many-people-enjoy-violence-170251" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Movies

North Korean man sentenced to death for distributing Squid Game

A man in North Korea has been handed the death penalty after smuggling in copies of the hit Netflix show Squid Game and illegally distributing them. Sources in the North Hamgyong province told Radio Free Asia that the man brought in the copies on USB drives from China and sold them to high school students. The operation was foiled when authorities caught seven students watching the hit South Korean drama. The perpetrator has been sentenced to death by firing squad, as North Korea tightens its laws on letting capitalist media into the country. One student that purchased the show has been sentenced to life in prison, while six others who watched Squid Game have been sentenced to five years hard labour. The students were punished under North Korea’s new Elimination of Reactionary Thought and Culture law, which keeps a firm grip on outside media. Penalties were extended to the school too, with reports teachers, the principal and other administrative staff were dismissed. The nine-part fictional Netflix drama sees 456 bankrupt contestants compete for a multi-million dollar cash prize. The contestants take part in a series of children's games to win the money, and those who lose the games end up paying with their lives. After being released in September, Squid Game has quickly become the most popular show in Netflix's history. Image credits: Netflix

Travel Trouble

Squid Game is influenced by the horror of survival comics and real-life debt

Note: The following article contains spoilers about “Squid Game.” Is the Netflix Korean sensation Squid Game <a href="https://www.nme.com/reviews/tv-reviews/squid-game-review-netflix-k-drama-3056718">an allegory for late capitalism</a>? The response to the show is similar to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/morality-play-dramatic-genre">medieval morality plays that attempted to hammer home the eternal damnability of the Seven Deadly Sins</a>. I’m a university literature professor who specializes in film and video media. This means that I’m usually on the hunt for “constitutive contradictions” — <a href="https://doi.org/10.7208/9780226670973-010">those hypocrisies that may defy the rule of law and common sense, but are required in allegedly just, democratic, ultra-advanced capitalist societies</a>. And so, I’m undecided between a red button and a green button of the types that figure in Squid Game Episode 2’s mockery of an election. If allegory is a story or performance conveying deeper or hidden meaning that its audience must work to interpret, the show would qualify based on audience reaction alone. But maybe it isn’t at all allegorical, in that Squid Game makes what little covert evil and hypocrisy may remain in our world so graphically, unmistakably overt. <h2>Alternatives to capitalism</h2> This series socks us with what cultural theorist Mark Fisher called “<a href="https://libcom.org/files/Capitalist%20Realism_%20Is%20There%20No%20Alternat%20-%20Mark%20Fisher.pdf">capitalist realism</a>” — the impossibility of imagining an outside to the political-economic system in which most of us live, let alone an alternative to it. But when asked if he deliberately set out to expose the dehumanizing and even lethal effects of late capitalism, Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk laughed off the suggestion that his blockbuster series delivers any “profound” point or message. “The show is motivated by a simple idea,” he told the Guardian. “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/oct/26/squid-games-creator-rich-netflix-bonus-hwang-dong-hyuk">We are fighting for our lives in very unequal circumstances</a>.” Hwang referred to his own experience of the <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/the-global-financial-crisis.html">2009 global economic downturn</a> as an inspiration for the series, which saw financing for his film projects dry up and compelled him, his mother and grandmother to take out loans. Drawn to the hardcore survivalist games depicted in Japanese and South Korean comic books, Hwang pondered just how bad things could get and how far he might go to keep himself and his family alive. He didn’t need to look far to find cautionary tales. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N0p1t-dC7Ko?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> ‘Squid Game’ creator Hwang Dong-hyuk named Japanese manga and cult movie ‘Battle Royale’ as one of his influences. <h2>Real-life events</h2> The back story of Squid Game‘s protagonist, Seong Gi-hun, is a fictionalized retelling of the violent 2009 <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/squid-game-review/">clash between car manufacturer Ssangyong and 1,000 of the over 2,600 employees</a> Ssangyong laid off. Striking workers stood down a brutal alliance of private security forces and Korean police for 77 days. Thirty strikers and a few of their spouses lost their lives — many to suicide — during the strike and its aftermath in the Korean courts. Continued under- and unemployment, loss of property and accumulated debt (<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2021-coronavirus-global-debt/">compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic</a>), has meant that in 2021, personal debt in South Korea climbed to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/08/squid-game-lays-bare-south-koreas-real-life-personal-debt-crisis">105 per cent of GDP</a>. Canada’s average household debt <a href="https://tradingeconomics.com/canada/households-debt-to-gdp">skyrocketed to 112 per cent of GDP in the first quarter of 2021, before dropping to 109 per cent in the second quarter</a>. “We are all living in a Squid Game world,” Hwang told the Guardian, without pretension or exaggeration. <h2>Financial demands</h2> Actor Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun is riveting as our everyman. Like millions of workers displaced and discarded worldwide, Squid Game’s protagonist Gi-hun tries to stay afloat in the service and gig economies, with a fried chicken restaurant that quickly fails, and then as a driver. He takes out loans from banks and loan sharks that tenuously prop up his gambling addiction. Gi-hun’s ex-wife has remarried, to a gainfully employed man, and is planning to move with him to the United States, along with Gi-hun’s daughter. The new husband can afford to celebrate his stepdaughter’s birthday with dinner at a steakhouse (uttered in English, so all know it’s a big deal), while Gi-hun can only pay for a hot dog and fish cake fast-food snack, and a tragicomic inappropriate gift clawed out from an arcade game. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t6YuqFh5htw?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Despite his financial situation, Gi-hun tries to redeem himself on his daughter’s birthday. An inveterate gamer and perennial optimist with an endearingly expressive face, Gi-hun lives on the cusp of the Big Payoff — whether off-track betting, withdrawing money from his mother’s bank account or accepting an invitation to play a <a href="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/squid-game-paper-flip-ddakji-how-to-play/">game of ddakji</a> in a Seoul subway station. But like all games of chance in the nine-episode series, it’s clear that this one — where players toss paper tokens in an attempt to flip over their opponent’s tokens — is rigged from before the start. It’s also clear that all 456 competitors (Gi-hun is No. 456) are in a <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/battle%20royal">battle royal</a> for their lives and a giant cash jackpot, which lends the show its highest-stakes, highest-concept brand of suspense. <h2>Contradictions</h2> What may be less clear — and potentially the stuff of constitutive contradictions and ironies galore — is why record numbers of viewers have flocked to Squid Game. The series is <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/squid-game-review/">the most watched Netflix series ever</a>, beating out previous ratings champion Bridgerton. Bloomberg News estimates Squid Game’s worth to Netflix to be <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/squid-game-is-worth-nearly-900-million-to-netflix-report-11634511855?mod=article_inline">close to US$900 million</a>. The whole series, however, only <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/squid-game-is-worth-nearly-900-million-to-netflix-report-11634511855">cost about $21 million to make</a>, while creator Hwang lost six teeth from all the stress and has received no performance-based bonuses. He also doesn’t want to be forever known as “the Squid Game guy.” <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429792/original/file-20211102-39236-6iqujn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429792/original/file-20211102-39236-6iqujn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="An aerial view of Seoul, showing highrises and shanty towns" /></a> Personal debt in South Korea climbed to 105 per cent of GDP in 2021. (Shutterstock) An unidentified Korean part-time food delivery driver told the Guardian: “You have to pay to watch [the show] and I don’t know anyone who will let me use their Netflix account.… In any case, why would I want to watch a bunch of people with huge debts? <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/08/squid-game-lays-bare-south-koreas-real-life-personal-debt-crisis">I can just look in the mirror</a>.” Why indeed would anyone in financial straits like any of the players in the series want to watch Squid Game? I’ve searched the internet, without success, for a ballpark number of the 142 million households that tuned in globally who may have signed up for a Netflix free-trial period to do so. Hwang is currently in discussions with his streaming empire paymasters <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/squid-game-creator-season-2-meaning-1235030617/">over potential additional seasons as well as his other film projects</a>. Considering <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2021/08/05/netflix-subscriber-growth-accelerate-through-2025/">industry growth predictions</a>, what will some viewers pay or sacrifice to keep watching Squid Game? More to the point, why would they? I think an answer to the late-capitalist allegory question hinges on what audiences see reflected back to themselves on screen. One viewer might recognize their own challenging situation in a character’s story, while another sees suffering of an unimaginable kind. These divergent vectors of identification may determine whether there is or isn’t any profound or hidden meaning to Squid Game. They may also influence new, gruesome games of chance, manipulation and life-or-death next season. We’ll have to stay tuned to find out.<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/170514/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elaine-chang-1283642">Elaine Chang</a>, Associate Professor, English and Theatre Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-guelph-1071">University of Guelph</a> 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/squid-game-is-influenced-by-the-horror-of-survival-comics-and-real-life-debt-170514">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Inside the eerie hotel that’s like being inside Squid Game

If you’re one of the 111 million people who have watched the popular Korean Netflix thriller Squid Game, you will probably have the brightly coloured set memorised. While many international fans of the show are finding their own ways to pay homage to the show, some are turning their attention to the architectural feats of the set. Eagle-eyed fans have discovered the likeness between key set pieces of the dystopian world to a very real hotel on the cliffs of Spain’s east coast. Designed by Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill, the La Muralla Roja hotel was built back in the 1960s to overlook the Mediterranean Sea. Located five hours east of Madrid, travellers can get their own taste for the Squid Game experience (without the possibility of death or winning millions of dollars) for as little as $395 a night. La Muralla Roja translates to “The Red Wall” in English, and it's easy to find the comparisons between the picturesque hotel and the haunting set of Squid Game. Both the hotel and the Netflix set feature mazes of colourful staircases that show a striking juxtaposition between the gentleness of the Spanish coast and the terrifying fate of those in Squid Game. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845098/squid-game-hotel-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fcbeb1824ed84e47b30c28b46f7f0616" /> A central staircase in La Muralla Roja. Image credit: Ricardo Bofill <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845099/squid-game-hotel-4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/89927ab4d69241b083ab29a9f056d85e" /> A key set from Squid Game. Image credit: Netflix La Muralla Roja appears like a fortress on the edge of the Spanish region of Calpe, with its bright coloured walls surrounding the peaceful courtyards. Architectural photographer Sebastian Weiss photographed the estate in 2019 on his travels to Spain. “I think the remarkable aspects are the enormous geometrical reduction, the radical simplicity and visual severity of the building, considering the growing mass tourism on the Spanish coast at that time – it was completed in 1973,” Mr Weiss said. “It kind of represents a fortress, which seals itself off from the public and in which the inner courtyards and lanes resemble the confusing layouts of the old souks of north Africa." At the time of his visit, Mr Weiss said the estate felt like moving through the “set of a movie production” and had the feel of a high-concept thriller, which is what Squid Game has come to represent. Image credits: Ricardo Bofill

Travel Tips

How the hyper-violent Squid Game has crept into digital content targeting young children

The dystopian South Korean horror series Squid Game has become <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/netflix-adds-more-users-than-it-predicted-boosted-by-squid-game-11634674211#:%7E:text=In%20its%20letter%20to%20investors,in%2094%20countries%2C%20it%20said.">Netflix’s most watched </a>TV series, but it <a href="https://www.gamesradar.com/au/squid-game-phone-number-edit-netflix/">is quickly becoming as controversial as it is popular</a>. The latest controversy to arise around Squid Game, which is rated MA15+ in Australia, relates to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/10/18/kids-playing-squid-game/">the interest it has sparked amongst young children</a>. This includes <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/children-as-young-as-six-mimicking-squid-game-in-playground-school-warns-20211014-p58zxx.html">warnings from an Australian school that children as young</a> as six are recreating games featured in the dark and gory hit show. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/oct/17/english-council-urges-parents-not-to-allow-children-to-watch-squid-game">A council in Southern England</a> recently sent an email to parents urging them to “be vigilant” after receiving reports “young people are copying games and violence” from the show. In Australia, similar warnings have been issued by educators in <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/sydney-primary-school-issues-warning-to-parents-over-netflixs-squid-game-series-c-4235374">Sydney</a> and <a href="https://thewest.com.au/stories/alarming-squid-game-warning-send-to-wa-schools/">Western Australia</a>. In Squid Game, characters compete for a cash prize by participating in challenges that augment classic Korean children’s games, with the “losers” being killed at the end of each round. Further emphasising the show’s twisted take on child’s play, these games are staged in highly stylised arenas, such as an adult scale children’s playground. After each challenge, these traditional children’s play spaces tend to be left soaked in blood and littered with piles of corpses. <h2>Squid Game on TikTok and YouTube</h2> While the recent warnings urge parents not to let their children watch Squid Game, young children’s awareness of the violent show more likely relates to its pervasive presence on social media, which has extended to viral content on TikTok and YouTube, popular with teenagers and children. The show is certainly a craze within children’s digital cultures. A number of successful channels on YouTube Kids (designed for viewers under 12) have capitalised on the Squid Game trend. This YouTube content includes “<a href="https://www.youtubekids.com/watch?v=sWi-EVi6H1U">How to Draw Squid Game</a>” character videos, and Squid Game themed <a href="https://www.youtubekids.com/watch?v=IRICggaHLT8">gameplay videos</a> from online videogame Roblox. This videogame, which is <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/21/21333431/roblox-over-half-of-us-kids-playing-virtual-parties-fortnite">popular with kids,</a> enables users to program games and share them with other users. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ltV_lT1SLdo?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Squid Game has become<a href="https://www.polygon.com/22700182/squid-game-roblox-netflix-show"> a very common theme </a>in these user programmed Roblox games. Many Squid Game Roblox videos <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltV_lT1SLdo">have hundreds of thousands</a> or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_9TsVKYPp8">even millions of views</a>. On both the kids’ and main version of YouTube, videos aimed at children feature people (often children) playing these Squid Game inspired games in Roblox, with the “Red Light, Green Light” challenge emerging <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNfHAn8PGPM">as a particularly popular trend</a>. This challenge is also a trend on TikTok, with people emulating the game in a vast variety of <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@theblondejon/video/7012080679378849029?is_from_webapp=v1&q=red%20light%20green%20light%20squid%20game&t=1634792841564">real life settings</a> and in videogames <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@oldtime101/video/7014485706940648710?is_from_webapp=v1&q=red%20light%20green%20light%20squid%20game&t=1634792841564">Roblox</a> and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisreksu/video/7016787344397257990?is_from_webapp=v1&q=red%20light%20green%20light%20squid%20game%20minecraft&t=1634793021421">Minecraft. </a> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KNfHAn8PGPM?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> The “Red Light, Green Light” scene has become one of Squid Game’s most widely shared moments: the giant animatronic doll that acts as a deadly motion sensor in this game has been heavily meme-ified. This doll often features in video thumbnails for Squid Game-related children’s YouTube content. Most of these kids’ YouTube videos are quite innocuous by themselves. However, they show how Squid Game has crept into digital content explicitly targeting young children. <h2>Murky boundaries</h2> Given Squid Game’s bright, childish aesthetics and focus on playground games, it is perhaps not surprising that viral online content about the show appeals to children. But the boundaries between adult and child-oriented content online have always been murky. YouTube has been at the centre of a number of controversies regarding <a href="https://medium.com/@jamesbridle/something-is-wrong-on-the-internet-c39c471271d2">inappropriate content aimed at children</a>. TikTok has faced similar controversies related to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56815480">children’s safety on the app </a>and problematic content being watched by children, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/oct/08/revealed-anti-vaccine-tiktok-videos-viewed-children-as-young-as-nine-covid">such as anti-vaccine videos.</a> Tik Tok allows full access to the app to children aged over 13 but reports show children much younger are using it: alongside YouTube, TikTok is currently facing <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/technology/577537-tiktok-youtube-snapchat-executives-to-testify-at-senate-hearing-on-kids">a US Senate hearing on kids’ safety</a>. After a historic fine of US$170 million (A$227 million) was imposed on YouTube by the US Federal Trade Commission in 2019, sweeping changes were introduced to make the distinction between adult and children’s content clearer on the platform. For instance, creators must now inform YouTube if their content is for children and machine-learning is used to identify videos that <a href="https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/an-update-on-kids/">clearly target young audiences.</a> Despite these changes, YouTube remains a very different beast to broadcast television, and content popular with children on both the main and children’s version of the platform often differs markedly from kids’ TV. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427666/original/file-20211021-14-1xrpoic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427666/original/file-20211021-14-1xrpoic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Still from Squid Game" /></a> Children’s YouTube content that riffs on Squid Game characters and scenes continues a longstanding trend of <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-an-age-of-elsa-spider-man-romantic-mash-ups-how-to-monitor-youtubes-childrens-content-123088">“mash-up” content for children on the platform</a>. Like Squid Game content, “mash-up” videos harness trending themes, search terms, and characters – often featuring popular characters in thumbnail imagery and video titles. Adult anxieties about Squid Game’s malign influence on children build on earlier concerns about this “mash-up” content, but also about children’s interaction with the web more generally. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427664/original/file-20211021-27-100x57m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427664/original/file-20211021-27-100x57m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> The rising global panic about children’s participation in Squid Game challenges echoes the “Momo” phenomenon of 2018 and 2019. In this case, a photo of a sinister figure that became associated with the moniker “Momo” went viral online (the photo was actually of a Japanese sculpture). <a href="https://theconversation.com/momo-challenge-shows-how-even-experts-are-falling-for-digital-hoaxes-112782">An international news cycle</a> emerged about “Momo”, claiming the creature was appearing in children’s content on YouTube and encouraging kids to participate in deadly games and challenges. As is now occurring in relation to Squid Game, in Australia and beyond <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-01/momo-challenge-sparks-warning-from-online-safety-watchdog/10861080">official warnings were issued to parents</a> about the “Momo Challenge”, advising them to be vigilant. It soon became clear the “Momo Challenge” was most likely <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47393510">a viral hoax</a>. Momo embodied parents’ worst fears about the dangers of children’s internet use. Concerns about Squid Game’s influence on children have a similar tenor: these fears may not be a response to actual dangers, but a manifestation of our discomfort with how easily adult-oriented media can seep into online content aimed at young children. The unruly tentacles of Squid Game’s inter-generational appeal show how streaming media challenges existing conceptions of “child-appropriate” content.<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/170209/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-balanzategui-814024">Jessica Balanzategui</a>, Senior Lecturer in Cinema and Screen Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> 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/how-the-hyper-violent-squid-game-has-crept-into-digital-content-targeting-young-children-170209">original article</a>. Image: Netflix

Snorkellers discover rare, giant 400-year-old coral – one of the oldest on the Great Barrier Reef

Snorkellers on the Great Barrier Reef have discovered a huge coral more than 400 years old which is thought to have survived 80 major cyclones, numerous coral bleaching events and centuries of exposure to other threats. We describe the discovery in <a href="http://nature.com/articles/s41598-021-94818-w">research</a> published today. Our team surveyed the hemispherical structure, which comprises small marine animals and calcium carbonate, and found it’s the Great Barrier Reef’s widest coral, and one of the oldest. It was discovered off the coast of Goolboodi (Orpheus Island), part of Queensland’s Palm Island Group. Traditional custodians of the region, the Manbarra people, have called the structure Muga dhambi, meaning “big coral”. For now, Muga dhambi is in relatively good health. But climate change, declining water quality and other threats are taking a toll on the Great Barrier Reef. Scientists, Traditional Owners and others must keep a close eye on this remarkable, resilient structure to ensure it is preserved for future generations. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/416672/original/file-20210818-19-anzpts.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="coral and snorkellers" /> <h2>Far older than European settlement</h2> Muga dhambi is located in a relatively remote, rarely visited and highly protected marine area. It was found during citizen science research in March this year, on a reef slope not far from shore. We conducted a literature review and consulted other scientists to compare the size, age and health of the structure with others in the Great Barrier Reef and internationally. We measured the structure at 5.3 metres tall and 10.4 metres wide. This makes it 2.4 metres wider than the widest Great Barrier Reef coral <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345677">previously</a> measured by scientists. Muga dhambi is of the coral genus Porites and is one of a large group of corals known as “massive Porites”. It’s brown to cream in colour and made of small, stony polyps. These polyps secrete layers of calcium carbonate beneath their bodies as they grow, forming the foundations upon which reefs are built. Muga dhambi’s height suggests it is aged between 421 and 438 years old – far pre-dating European exploration and settlement of Australia. We made this calculation based on rock coral growth rates and annual sea surface temperatures. The Australian Institute of Marine Science has investigated more than 328 colonies of massive Porites corals along the Great Barrier Reef and has aged the oldest at 436 years. The institute has not investigated the age of Muga dhambi, however the structure is probably one of the oldest on the Great Barrier Reef. Other comparatively large massive Porites have previously been found throughout the Pacific. One exceptionally large colony in American Samoa measured 17m × 12m. Large Porites have also been found near Taiwan and Japan. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/416650/original/file-20210818-23-wt3kj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Mountainous island and blue sea" /> <h2>Resilient, but under threat</h2> We reviewed environmental events over the past 450 years and found Muga dhambi is unusually resilient. It has survived up to 80 major cyclones, numerous coral bleaching events and centuries of exposure to invasive species, low tides and human activity. About 70% of Muga dhambi consisted of live coral, but the remaining 30% was dead. This section, at the top of the structure, was covered with green boring sponge, turf algae and green algae. Coral tissue can die from exposure to sun at low tides or warm water. Dead coral can be quickly colonised by opportunistic, fast growing organisms, as is the case with Muga dhambi. Green boring sponge invades and excavates corals. The sponge’s advances will likely continue to compromise the structure’s size and health. We found marine debris at the base of Muga dhambi, comprising rope and three concrete blocks. Such debris is a threat to the marine environment and species such as corals. We found no evidence of disease or coral bleaching. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/416678/original/file-20210818-21-13b0f9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="to come" /> <h2>‘Old man’ of the sea</h2> A Traditional Owner from outside the region took part in our citizen science training which included surveys of corals, invertebrates and fish. We also consulted the Manbarra Traditional Owners about and an appropriate cultural name for the structure. Before recommending Muga dhambi, the names the Traditional Owners considered included: <ul> <li>Muga (big)</li> <li>Wanga (home)</li> <li>Muugar (coral reef)</li> <li>Dhambi (coral)</li> <li>Anki/Gurgu (old)</li> <li>Gulula (old man)</li> <li>Gurgurbu (old person).</li> </ul> Indigenous languages are an integral part of Indigenous culture, spirituality, and connection to country. Traditional Owners suggested calling the structure Muga dhambi would communicate traditional knowledge, language and culture to other Indigenous people, tourists, scientists and students. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/416682/original/file-20210818-23-nmb1be.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="coral rock under water with sky" /> <h2>A wonder for all generations</h2> No database exists for significant corals in Australia or globally. Cataloguing the location of massive and long-lived corals can be benefits. For example from a scientific perspective, it can allow analyses which can help understand century-scale changes in ocean events and can be used to verify climate models. Social and economic benefits can include diving tourism and citizen science, as well as engaging with Indigenous culture and stewardship. However, cataloguing the location of massive corals could lead to them being damaged by anchoring, research and pollution from visiting boats. Looking to the future, there is real concern for all corals in the Great Barrier Reef due to threats such as climate change, declining water quality, overfishing and coastal development. We recommend monitoring of Muga dhambi in case restoration is needed in future. We hope our research will mean current and future generations care for this wonder of nature, and respect the connections of Manbarra Traditional Owners to their Sea Country. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-smith-515741">Adam Smith</a>, Adjunct Associate Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/james-cook-university-1167">James Cook University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-cook-1261134">Nathan Cook</a>, Marine Scientist , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/james-cook-university-1167">James Cook University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vicki-saylor-1261504">Vicki Saylor</a>, Manbarra Traditional Owner, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/indigenous-knowledge-4846">Indigenous Knowledge</a> 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/snorkellers-discover-rare-giant-400-year-old-coral-one-of-the-oldest-on-the-great-barrier-reef-166278">original article</a>. Image: Richard Woodgett/Shutterstock

Domestic Travel

Netflix forced to cut Squid Game scene for bizarre reason

The popularity of Netflix's new show Squid Game is breaking international records, and is on track to become the most popular show of all the on the streaming service. The show is a violent and dystopian Korean drama that sees 456 destitute 'players' enter a game arena to win a hefty sum of prize money upon the completion of six children's games. In the first episode of the show however, Netflix have made a grave mistake that has had very interesting consequences. When the 'players' were approached to take part in the game, they were given a business card and told to call the number. The number was in fact a real person's phone number, and the owner has been inundated with phone calls from strangers since the show's release on September 17th. The real-life owner of the phone number told the Korean publication <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mt.co.kr" target="_blank">Money Today</a> that she has been receiving "endless" calls and texts, as well as offers to buy the phone number. “It has come to the point where people are reaching out day and night due to their curiosity. It drains my phone’s battery and it turns off,” the woman, who is from the Gyeonggi province of South Korea, said. “At first, I didn’t know why, then my friend told me that my number came out [in the series].” The woman, who is a small business owner and is unrelated to Netflix or the Squid Game production, has been assured by Netflix that measures will be taken to protect the woman's identity. “Together with the production company, we are working to resolve this matter, including editing scenes with phone numbers where necessary,” Netflix told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/squid-games-netflix-phone-number-b1931823.html" target="_blank">The </a><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/squid-games-netflix-phone-number-b1931823.html" target="_blank">Independent</a>. Certain regions have had the scene altered to no longer feature the phone number. Netflix even offered to buy the woman's number for a measly $1,000AUD, which the woman rejected as the number has been tied up in her small business for almost twenty years. The production crew upped the compensation to almost $6,000AUD which was also rejected, before a new offer from an unlikely source was offered. Presidential candidate for South Korea Huh Kyung Young <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.koreaboo.com/news/squid-game-phone-number-controversy-presidential-candidate-buy-100-million/" target="_blank">offered the woman over $116,000</a> for the number, in a bid to win the position of high office. The issue the mystery phone number is not the first backlash Netflix's Squid Game has received. Due to its explosive popularity, a Korean internet service provider announced they were suing Netflix for clogging up the internet with traffic. Check out the trailer for Squid Game here. Viewer discretion is advised. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oqxAJKy0ii4" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Image credits: Netflix

Tobacco giant angers medical community

Philip Morris International has made a £1 billion bid to take over a company that makes inhalers used to treat lung disease, sparking outrage in the medical community. The tobacco company behind the Marlboro man has made an offer to buy Vectura, a UK company that develops inhaler technology for lung illnesses. Medical experts are concerned that the takeover could see Philip Morris profiting from the treatment of smoking-related lung diseases it has helped create. “If they buy Vectura, Philip Morris will then be making money not only from selling cigarettes that cause lung disease, but they’ll also be making money from the technologies that treat patients who have lung disease caused by smoking,” respiratory pathologist and chief executive of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand Graham Hall said. Changes to research and treatment As a result, many are concerned that research and the treatments doctors prescribe to patients with lung disease could change to avoid directing funds to the tobacco giant. For some of the 464,000 Australians with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) who use Vectura inhalers, this could result in the prescription of different medications by their doctors. <img style="width: 500px; height:414.0625px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844087/copd-diagram_160331_100539.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e0a76635bd59443fbe1c71d6f4dcc0f9" /> Image: healthflexhhs.com COPD describes a group of diseases that affect the lungs, including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and chronic asthma, which cause a progressive decline in lung health. Up to 50 percent of smokers develop COPD to some level. “How can we in good conscience give a treatment to a patient where the funding from that treatment will be going to the company that caused the disease to begin with?” asked Professor Hall. “No doctor is going to want to prescribe a treatment to a patient, that they know may be funding a tobacco company.” Research into these diseases could also be at risk, as many doctors, health bodies, and journals have policies banning professionals from dealing with tobacco companies. “Cutting-edge research would be able to be published in these journals if there was known links to Vectura if it’s acquired by Philip Morris,” Professor Hall said. ‘Indirectly’ funding tobacco companies Currently, Australians are prescribed any of 10 different dry powder inhalers that use technology made by Vectura. In 2020, 2 million scripts for different brands of these inhalers were dispensed and cost about $121 million to taxpayers, according to figures from the federal government’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Though most of the profits go directly to the pharmaceutical company, Vectura has licensing and royalty deals with companies that use its technology, meaning it gets some of the funds as well. “It could be the situation where the Australian government is paying taxpayers’ funding indirectly to a tobacco company to treat patients who have lung disease caused by tobacco,” Professor Hall said. But, the result could put Australia in a breach of a global treaty it signed and ratified on tobacco control. Since the inhalers are subsidised under the PBS, the government would indirectly funding Philip Morris, violating the treaty. “It’s a UN tobacco control treaty and it’s been signed and ratified by more than 180 countries, including the UK, including Australia,” Melbourne-based GP Dr Bronwyn King said. “One of the provisions of the treaty is that it explicitly prohibits engagement between governments and the tobacco industry.” A spokesperson for the federal Health Department said the government was closely monitoring tobacco activities, but the ABC reports they were unaware of the 10 products on the PBS which used Vectura technology. The takeover bid has already been approved by Vectura’s board, and will go before the company’s shareholders in London. Image: Getty Images

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