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Life-support of 16-year-old turned off after deadly snake bite

Beau Horan, 16, was in the backyard of his family home in Gladstone, Queensland on Monday afternoon when an eastern brown snake bit him on the leg. The teenager wasn't aware that he had been bitten, and it was only when he collapsed that his family knew something was seriously wrong. "By the time they found him collapsed, they called an ambulance and it was only then they realised he'd been bitten by a snake," family friend Shaun Connolly told Yahoo News. Beau was rushed to a nearby hospital before he was medically airlifted to Brisbane where he was put on a life-support machine. "I'm going off what his mum has told me... she's distraught as you can imagine," Connolly said. "We don't know too much what the circumstances were, but we think he wasn't aware he had been bitten," Shaun said. Brown snakes are extremely venomous and responsible 41 per cent of snake bites in the country. While fatalities remain relatively low, with two deaths reported on average each year, the potency of their venom is incredibly strong, containing severe neurotoxins that result in progressive paralysis and heart failure. The family has since had to make the heartbreaking decision of turning off Beau's life support machine, with his mum, Bek Eddy, and two sisters having to cover the unexpected medical and funeral costs. Connolly has set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-tradgic-loss-of-16-year-old-beau-horan?cdn-cache=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page to help alleviate some of the pressure for the family during these uncertain times. "It's just so sad," Shaun said. Beau's family have described him as a "vibrant, compassionate [and] a loving young man" who had a "bright future ahead of him", and they have been left with "indescribable emptiness" following his death. Image: GoFundMe

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Ant stings can be painful. Here’s how to avoid getting stung this summer (and what to do if you do)

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sam-robinson-2237268">Sam Robinson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> With the start of summer just days away, many of us will be looking forward to long sunny days spent at the beach, by the pool, out camping or picnicking in the park. Insects also love summer. This is when most of them <a href="https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-environment/2016/12/experts-predict-increased-insect-activity-this-summer/">breed and feed</a>. But this shared appreciation of the season can sometimes lead to conflict. Insects have long been prey to many species, including birds, mammals, amphibians and other insects. As such, they’ve evolved a diverse range of defences – perhaps none more familiar to humans than the sting. Many ants have a sting at their rear end which they use to deliver venom. It’s not the sting itself that causes pain, but rather <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-38839-1">the venom</a>. Ant venom contains a cocktail of different chemicals, some of which have evolved specifically to manipulate nerve endings in our skin to cause pain. Let’s look at some of the different ant stings you might experience this summer in Australia, and how to respond. <h2>Bull ants</h2> Bull ants (also known as bulldog ants, jumper ants, or jack jumpers) are large, for an ant. Some species can reach a length of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrmecia_(ant)#:%7E:text=Each%20of%20their%20eyes%20contains,mm%20(1.5%20in)%3B%20M.">4 centimetres</a>. They are easily recognisable with their large eyes, long mandibles (jaws) and aggressive nature. Their sting is immediate, hot, sharp, and unmistakable, not dissimilar to that of a honeybee. The intense pain will last only a few minutes, before it’s replaced by some redness and swelling around the sting site. <h2>Green-head ants</h2> Green-head ants are also called green ants (but not to be confused with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oecophylla_smaragdina">green tree ants</a> of northern Australia which do not sting). Green-head ants are common, and love our grass lawns. At around <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green-head_ant">6 millimetres long</a>, they are significantly smaller than bull ants. They can be recognised by their shiny green and purple exoskeleton. Green-head ants tend to be less aggressive than bull ants, but they can still deliver a meaningful sting. The pain of a green-head ant’s sting can build more gradually, and create an intense, sticky ache. <h2>Fire ants</h2> Fire ants (or red imported fire ants) are originally from South America. They were first detected <a href="https://www.fireants.org.au/stop/how-fire-ants-arrived-in-australia">in Brisbane in 2001</a>, thought to have hitched a ride in shipping containers, and have since spread across south-east Queensland. Fire ants are reddish-brown and black and range in size from <a href="https://www.fireants.org.au/look/appearance">2–6 millimetres long</a>. You’re most likely to encounter fire ants at their nests, which look like a pile of powdery soil. A fire ant nest doesn’t have an obvious entry, which is a good way to distinguish them from other similar ant nests. Disturbing a fire ant nest will awaken an angry mass of hundreds of ants and put you at risk of being stung. The initial pain from an individual sting is like an intense, hot itch, though manageable. But fire ant stings rarely occur in single digits. One ant can sting multiple times, and multiple ants can sting one person, which can lead to <a href="https://theconversation.com/fire-ants-are-on-the-march-heres-what-happens-when-they-sting-218908">hundreds of stings</a>. Fire ant stings can lead to pus-filled ulcers and scarring in the days afterwards. If you live in an area where there are fire ants, it’s worth taking a few minutes to educate yourself on how to <a href="https://www.fireants.org.au/look">recognise and report</a> them. <h2>Electric ants</h2> <a href="https://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Wasmannia_auropunctata">Electric ants</a> are another nasty accidental import, originally from Central and South America. Currently restricted to <a href="https://www.outbreak.gov.au/current-outbreaks/electric-ants">Cairns and surrounds</a>, these are tiny (1.5 millimetres long) yellow ants. Like fire ants, these ants will typically defend en masse, so many will sting at once. Their sting is more painful than you’d expect from such a tiny creature. I liken it to being showered in red hot sparks. If you think you see electric ants, you should report this to <a href="https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/biosecurity/animals/invasive/restricted/electric-ant">Biosecurity Queensland</a>. <h2>Aussie ants aren’t the worst</h2> You might be surprised to hear Australian ants don’t even make the podium for the most painful ant stings. Among the prize winners are <a href="https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/10878/sting-wild">harvester ants</a> (North and South America) which cause an extreme, sticky ache, likened to a drill slowly turning in your muscle – for as long as 12 hours. The gold medal goes to the sting of the bullet ant of South and Central America, which <a href="https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/10878/sting-wild">has been described</a> as: <blockquote> Pure, intense, brilliant pain. Like walking over flaming charcoal with a 3-inch nail embedded in your heel. </blockquote> <h2>How to avoid getting stung (and what to do if you do)</h2> Fortunately, the solution is usually very simple. Look before you sit on the ground or lay out your picnic blanket, avoiding areas where you see ant nests or lots of foraging ants. Choice of footwear can also be important. In my experience, perhaps unsurprisingly, most stings occur on thong-wearing feet. If you do get stung, in most cases it’s going to get better on its own. Pain will usually subside after a few minutes (sometimes a little longer for a green-head ant sting). The redness, swelling and itch that typically follow can last for a few days. In the meantime, if needed, <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/insect-bites-and-stings">an ice pack</a> will help with the pain. If it’s particularly bad, a local anaesthetic cream containing lidocaine may offer some temporary relief. You can get this over the counter at the pharmacy. A small proportion of people may have an allergic reaction to ant stings. In very severe cases this might involve <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/insect-bites-and-stings#anaphylaxis">trouble breathing</a> or swallowing. If you or someone you’re with experiences these symptoms after an ant sting, seek urgent medical attention.<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/241582/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sam-robinson-2237268">Sam Robinson</a>, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/ant-stings-can-be-painful-heres-how-to-avoid-getting-stung-this-summer-and-what-to-do-if-you-do-241582">original article</a>. </div>

Body

What causes the itch in mozzie bites? And why do some people get such a bad reaction?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cameron-webb-6736">Cameron Webb</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Are you one of these people who loathes spending time outdoors at dusk as the weather warms and mosquitoes start biting? Female mosquitoes <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-ento-120811-153618">need blood</a> to develop their eggs. Even though they take a tiny amount of our blood, they can leave us with itchy red lumps that can last days. And sometimes something worse. So why does our body react and itch after being bitten by a mosquito? And why are some people more affected than others? <h2>What happens when a mosquito bites?</h2> Mosquitoes are attracted to warm blooded animals, including us. They’re attracted to the <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bulletin-of-entomological-research/article/abs/role-of-carbon-dioxide-in-hostfinding-by-mosquitoes-diptera-culicidae-a-review/2506B86EF63852B2D02EC3FCEE1E3B8B">carbon dioxide</a> we exhale, our body temperatures and, most importantly, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-08/mosquitoes-climate-change-skin/104548122">the smell of our skin</a>. The <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/parasitology/abstract/S1471-4922(21)00237-3">chemical cocktail</a> of odours from bacteria and sweat on our skin <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(23)00532-8">sends out a signal</a> to hungry mosquitoes. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667114X21000522">Some people’s</a> skin smells more appealing to mosquitoes, and they’re more likely to be bitten than others. Once the mosquito has made its way to your skin, things get a little gross. The mosquito pierces your skin with their “proboscis”, their feeding mouth part. But the proboscis isn’t a single, straight, needle-like tube. There are multiple tubes, <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/06/07/480653821/watch-mosquitoes-use-6-needles-to-suck-your-blood">some designed</a> for sucking and some for spitting. Once their mouth parts have been inserted into your skin, the mosquito will inject some saliva. This contains a mix of chemicals that gets the blood flowing better. There has even been a suggestion that future medicines could be inspired by the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2018/03/29/mosquito-saliva-vital-to-the-discovery-of-future-drugs.html">anti-blood clotting properties</a> of mosquito saliva. It’s not the stabbing of our skin by the mosquito’s mouth parts that hurts, it’s the mozzie spit our bodies don’t like. <h2>Are some people allergic to mosquito spit?</h2> Once a mosquito has injected their saliva into our skin, a variety of reactions can follow. For the lucky few, nothing much happens at all. For most people, and irrespective of the type of mosquito biting, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.1024559/full">there is some kind of reaction</a>. Typically there is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0161589023002304?via%3Dihub">redness and swelling of the skin</a> that appears within a few hours, but often more quickly, after just a few minutes. Occasionally, the reaction can cause pain or discomfort. Then comes the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2023-01-20/mosquito-bites-itchy-calamine-heat-ice-antihistamine-toothpaste/101652608">itchiness</a>. Some people do suffer severe reactions to mosquito bites. It’s a condition often referred to as “<a href="https://www.webmd.com/allergies/what-is-skeeter-syndrome">skeeter syndrome</a>” and is an allergic reaction caused by the protein in the mosquito’s saliva. This can cause large areas of swelling, blistering and fever. The chemistry of mosquito spit hasn’t really been well studied. But it has been shown that, for those who do suffer allergic reactions to their bites, the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091674904022183">reactions may differ</a> depending on the type of mosquito biting. We all probably get more tolerant of mosquito bites as we get older. Young children are certainly more likely to suffer more following mosquito bites. But as we get older, the reactions are less severe and may pass quickly without too much notice. <h2>How best to treat the bites?</h2> Research into treating bites <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0161589023002304">has yet to provide</a> a single easy solution. There are many <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/outdoor-health/home-remedies-for-mosquito-bites">myths and home remedies</a> about what works. But there is little scientific evidence supporting their use. The best way to treat mosquito bites is by applying a cold pack to reduce swelling and to keep the skin clean to avoid any secondary infections. Antiseptic creams and lotions may also help. There is some evidence that <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10309056/">heat may alleviate</a> some of the discomfort. It’s particularly tough to keep young children from scratching at the bite and breaking the skin. This can form a nasty scab that may end up being worse than the bite itself. Applying an anti-itch cream may help. If the reactions are severe, <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/insect-bites-and-stings">antihistamine medications</a> may be required. <h2>To save the scratching, stop the bites</h2> Of course, it’s better not to be bitten by mosquitoes in the first place. Topical <a href="https://theconversation.com/insect-repellents-work-but-there-are-other-ways-to-beat-mosquitoes-without-getting-sticky-171805">insect repellents</a> are a safe, effective and affordable way to reduce mosquito bites. Covering up with loose fitted long sleeved shirts, long pants and covered shoes also provides a physical barrier. <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-mosquito-coils-good-or-bad-for-our-health-88548">Mosquito coils and other devices</a> can also assist, but should not be entirely relied on to stop bites. There’s another important reason to avoid mosquito bites: millions of people around the world suffer from mosquito-borne diseases. More than <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria">half a million people die</a> from malaria each year. In Australia, <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1005070">Ross River virus</a> infects more than 5,000 people every year. And in recent years, there have been cases of serious illnesses caused by <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/how-rains-pigs-and-waterbirds-fueled-shocking-disease-outbreak-australia">Japanese encephalitis</a> and <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1256149/full">Murray Valley encephalitis</a> viruses. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cameron-webb-6736">Cameron Webb</a>, Clinical Associate Professor and Principal Hospital Scientist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-causes-the-itch-in-mozzie-bites-and-why-do-some-people-get-such-a-bad-reaction-243044">original article</a>. </div>

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The Block winners revealed after nail-biting auction

The winners of the 2024 season of The Block have been crowned, after the nail-biting auction came to a dramatic end on Sunday night. In a break from tradition, it was the last house sold that made the most money, with sisters Maddy and Charlotte making a huge $1,550,00 profit from their house, as well as the $100,000 prize money. The sisters, aged just 25 and 22, were in disbelief at how quickly it was all over. <div id="paragraph-9"> <div> “It took us a second to be like, ‘No, no. Like, you just won The Block.’ And I think I was a bit of a stunned mullet,” Maddy said. </div> </div> <div id="paragraph-10"> <div> “I was expecting anticipation and to be, like, ‘Oh, what’s gonna happen next?’ It was like, ‘Well, you’ve won.’ It’s like … time to go. It was the quickest auction of the day; it was over so quickly.” </div> </div> Coming in second were Courtney and Grant with $1,300,050 profit, followed by Kristian and Mimi in third place with $1,030,000. Fourth were Haydn and Ricky who made $750,000 and coming in last, but still smiling, were Kylie and Brad who made $650,000. Kylie, who was embroiled in much on-screen drama this season, said all the hardships of the show were worth it, and they were happy with their result. "It was worth it," she said. "Unfortunately. Because I was a different person here. But… we made it. We're very grateful." Millionaire "Lambo guy" Adrian Portelli made a splash at what he said would be his final Block auction, as he ended up spending $15,030,000 in one day and breaking a Block record by purchasing every single house. Image credits: Nine

Snakes are waking up. What should you do if you’re bitten? And what if you’re a long way from help?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hamish-bradley-2217649">Hamish Bradley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alice-richardson-252002">Alice Richardson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/breeanna-spring-1545193">Breeanna Spring</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a> From the creeks that wind through inner city Melbourne to the far outback in Western Australia, snake season is beginning. Over the cooler months snakes have been in state of <a href="https://youtu.be/FjXOzNjZjoU?si=Mc0eeayVk4VU9906">brumation</a>. This is very similar to hibernation and characterised by sluggishness and inactivity. As warmer conditions return both snakes and humans become more active in the outdoors, leading to an increased likelihood of interaction. This may happen when people are hiking, dog-walking or gardening. The risk of being bitten by a snake is exceptionally small, but knowing basic first aid could potentially save your, or another person’s, life. <h2>When a snake bites</h2> Snake bite envenomation (when venom enters the blood stream) is a significant issue in Australia, with <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja17.00094">3,000 cases annually and an average of two deaths</a>. Snake bite should always be <a href="https://stjohnwa.com.au/online-resources/first-aid-information-and-resources/snake-bite">treated</a> as a life-threatening emergency, and if you are bitten in rural or remote Australia, you will often receive an air medical emergency pick up to a regional or metropolitan hospital for advanced care. The effects of snake bites vary, depending on the species of snake and first aid measures undertaken. Australian <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/snake-bites">standard first aid guidelines</a> include: <ul> <li>calling for help (dialing 000 or activating an emergency beacon)</li> <li>applying a pressure immobilisation bandage</li> <li>resting.</li> </ul> <h2>Why pressure is important</h2> Snake venom is carried within the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-lymph-nodes-and-can-a-massage-really-improve-lymphatic-drainage-209334">lymphatic system</a>. This is a collection of tiny tubes throughout the body that return fluid outside of blood vessels back to the blood stream. Muscles act as a “<a href="https://theconversation.com/pneumatic-compression-therapy-can-it-really-help-olympians-or-you-recover-after-exercise-236228">pump</a>” to help the fluid move through this system. That’s why being still, or immobilisation, is vital to slow the spread of venom. A firm pressure immobilisation bandage, applied as tight as you would for a sprained ankle, will compress these tubes and help limit the venom’s spread. Ideally bandage the entire limb on which the bite occurred and apply a splint to help further with immobilisation. It is very important that the blood supply to the limb is not limited by this bandage. Never attempt to capture or kill the snake for identification. This risks further bites and is not required for specialist care. The decision about when to give antivenom (if any) is based on the geographical location, symptoms, the results of blood tests and discussion with a toxicologist. <h2>The tyranny of distance</h2> People living in rural and remote locations may also have limited access to health care, including access to ambulance services, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10871209.2020.1769778">snake bite first aid</a> such as bandages and splints, and to antivenom. Availability and the prompt use of antivenom have been identified as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590171022000558">crucial factors in the effective treatment</a> of snake envenomation – but not studied in detail. Over one year (as a component of a larger three-year study) we collected information on the pre-hospital care and in-flight care with the Royal Flying Doctors Service Western Operations. During this time, 85 people from regional, rural, remote and very remote Western Australia were flown by Royal Flying Doctor Service to hospital for suspected or confirmed snake bites. Reassuringly, only five of these patients (6%) ultimately received a toxicologist’s diagnosis of envenomation. <h2>To move or not to move?</h2> Troublingly, 38 (45%) of the 85 snake bite victims continued to move around and be active following their suspected snake bite. This raises questions about whether people lack knowledge of first-aid guidelines, or whether this is a consequence of being isolated, with limited access to health care. Either way, our as-yet-unpublished research highlights the vulnerability of Australia’s rural and remote people. All patients eventually received a pressure immobilisation bandage, with an average time from bite to application of 38 minutes. Three quarters of the patients made their way to health-care site by foot, or private car, arriving on average 65 minutes after the bite. <h2>What needs to change?</h2> Our results indicate rural and remote Australians need innovative health-care solutions beyond the metropolitan guidelines, particularly when outside ambulance service areas. Basic snake bite first aid education needs to be not only reiterated but also a pragmatic approach is required in these geographically isolated locations. This would involve being vigilant, staying safe and, when isolated, always carrying emergency technology to call for help. <hr /> The authors wish to acknowledge the efforts required through this research project as it continues, including by Fergus Gardiner, Kieran Hennelly, Rochelle Menzies, James Anderson, Alex McMillan and John Fisher. Hamish Bradley is an Aeromedical Retrieval Specialist and Principal Investigator in this project.<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/234365/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hamish-bradley-2217649">Hamish Bradley</a>, Adjunct Lecturer, Anaesthetist and Aeromedical Retrieval Specialist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alice-richardson-252002">Alice Richardson</a>, Associate professor and lead of Statistical Support Network, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/breeanna-spring-1545193">Breeanna Spring</a>, PhD student, Molly Wardaguga Institute for First Nations Birth Rights, Faculty of Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/snakes-are-waking-up-what-should-you-do-if-youre-bitten-and-what-if-youre-a-long-way-from-help-234365">original article</a>. </div>

Body

New details on man killed by snake at childcare centre

A childcare centre in Queensland, where father-of-three suffered a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/dad-dies-after-being-bitten-by-deadly-snake-in-child-care-centre" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fatal snake bite</a>, is under investigation by workplace safety officials. Jerromy Brookes, 47, was bitten multiple times on his arm while attempting to remove a snake from the premises on Tuesday afternoon. He was not a qualified snake catcher, and tragically passed away in Townsville Hospital after going into cardiac arrest at his home in Deeragun. “Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) is investigating an incident that occurred at a business in Townsville,” a spokesperson told 7News. “As this is a current investigation, WHSQ is not able to provide further information at this time.” WHSQ has the power to prosecute allegations of workplace safety breaches. Brooke is survived by his wife and three children. His wife was the person who called emergency services and provided first aid when Brookes began showing symptoms at home. A family friend has paid tribute to the fallen father saying: “Jerromy was helping remove a snake from another childcare centre in Townsville when the incident occurred." “He was doing his very best to keep the children safe.” It was believed that Brookes was trying to remove an eastern brown snake, one of the deadliest in the world, however the species has not been officially confirmed. Police are reportedly not investigating the incident as a criminal matter, but are working to provide a report for the coroner. Images: Facebook

Caring

Dad dies after being bitten by deadly snake in child care centre

A beloved father has passed away after reportedly trying to remove an eastern brown snake from a child care centre in North Queensland. Jeremy Brookes attended the child care centre on Tuesday afternoon after one of his relatives reportedly called him over to remove the snake, according to The Courier Mail. Brookes was not a qualified snake handler and was bitten multiple times on his hand and arm. According to Queensland Ambulance Service acting district director Paula Marten, Brookes then managed to drive to his Deeragun home but he soon went into cardiac arrest. HIs wife performed CPR until paramedics arrived and he was rushed to hospital, but unfortunately could not be saved. “(He) was found to be in cardiac arrest by our crews,” Marten said. “The call was made by the patient’s wife, who then commenced CPR as the patient went into cardiac arrest. “The information provided to us was that the gentleman had been bitten in a different location and attended back to his residence, where his wife has immobilised his arm and wrapped it, when the onset of the symptoms occurred.” She added that snake bites were common in North Queensland and they were rarely fatal, but advised that if "you’re not aware of snakes, treat them as if they are venomous." “It’s really important that you stay calm and keep the person calm. “Apply basic first aid, which would be immobilisation and using compression bandages, and contact triple-0. “If you are unsure about what first aid measures to take, call triple-0, and they will walk you through what you need to do for the patient.” Eastern Brown Snakes are one of the most deadly snakes in the world, with the second most toxic venom. They can be found across the east of Australia including the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, NSW and the ACT. Brookes is believed to be the first person to have died from a snake bite in Australia this year. Last year, two people died from suspected eastern brown snake bites in Australia. Images: Facebook/ news.com.au

Caring

It’s warming up and mozzies are coming. Here’s how to mosquito-proof your backyard

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cameron-webb-6736">Cameron Webb</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> The weather is warming up and that means more time in the backyard. It also means more mosquitoes. Here are five ways you can mosquito-proof your backyard that <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-battle-against-bugs-its-time-to-end-chemical-warfare-111629">don’t rely on spraying insecticides</a>. <h2>1. Get rid of water</h2> Mosquitoes need water to complete their life cycles. They <a href="https://theconversation.com/feel-like-youre-a-mozzie-magnet-its-true-mosquitoes-prefer-to-bite-some-people-over-others-128788">need blood</a> – but water and warmth are just as important. Getting rid of water around your backyard will go a long way to keeping mosquitoes away. Water trapped in blocked roof gutters, drains and tarpaulin covering boats and trailers can be a great home for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can exploit the tiniest of water sources too. It may just be the upturned lid of a discarded plastic drink bottle. If it traps water, mosquitoes will find it and lay eggs in it. Flush out your bird bath once a week to disrupt the mosquito’s life cycle. If you have a pond, installing a fountain will discourage mosquitoes. If you can’t keep water clean and circulating, consider filling it with sand and gravel to create an interesting garden bed for succulents or other plants. Mosquitoes will avoid clean and chlorinated swimming pools but will quickly move into “green pools”. If you’re not using your pool, consider <a href="https://www.krg.nsw.gov.au/Environment/Your-local-environment/Wildlife/Living-with-wildlife/Pool-to-pond/How-to-convert-your-pool">converting it to a “pond”</a> so that fish can help keep mosquito numbers down. <h2>2. Screen up – windows, doors and rainwater tanks</h2> If you can’t get rid of permanent water, at least stop mosquitoes getting to it (or you). Ensure <a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/clean-and-green/natural-environment-and-water/water/water-smart-homes/rainwater-tanks/using-your-rainwater-tank">rainwater and septic tanks</a> have screens to stop mosquitoes entering. Screen windows and doors to stop mosquitoes entering the home. There are plenty of flexible screening options for windows, doors and balconies. If you live in a mosquito-prone area, creating a screened outdoor area (such as a pergola, courtyard, or balcony) will give you the opportunity to spend time outdoors without being hassled by mozzies. <h2>3. Choose your garden plants carefully</h2> Some plants <a href="https://bioone.org/journals/Journal-of-the-American-Mosquito-Control-Association/volume-25/issue-3/09-0016.1/Are-Commercially-Available-Essential-Oils-from-Australian-Native-Plants-Repellent/10.2987/09-0016.1.short">contain essential oils and other chemicals</a> that, when extracted and concentrated, provide protection against biting mosquitoes. But there isn’t a lot of evidence that the whole plant will keep mosquitoes away from your garden. Some types of plants are even marketed as “mozzie blockers” or “mosquito repelling”. But there isn’t <a href="https://www.veranda.com/outdoor-garden/a40592197/do-mosquito-repelling-plants-work/">any evidence of effectiveness</a>. In fact, some of these plants, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1440-6055.2009.00736.x">such as melaleucas</a>, also happen to be associated with <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jme/article/36/4/515/903838">hot spots of mosquito breeding</a> in coastal Australia. The plants to avoid around the home are those that help mosquitoes breed, such as <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1440-6055.2008.00641.x">bromeliads</a>, which trap water. <h2>4. Encourage the animals that eat mosquitoes</h2> Mosquitoes are food for a range of animals including birds, bats, fish, frogs, lizards, insects, spiders and <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1365-2656.13965">dragonflies</a>. But don’t expect them to eat enough to keep all mosquitoes away. Bats are often promoted as a good “biological control” options but studies have shown mosquitoes are <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0077183">more likely to be a snack food</a> for small bats, not an irresistible staple of their diet. For garden ponds, frogs will eat a few adult mosquitoes but tadpoles of Australian frogs generally <a href="https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-the-american-mosquito-control-association/volume-21/issue-4/8756-971X(2006)21%5b492%3aTOFCAF%5d2.0.CO%3b2/TADPOLES-OF-FOUR-COMMON-AUSTRALIAN-FROGS-ARE-NOT-EFFECTIVE-PREDATORS/10.2987/8756-971X(2006)21%5B492:TOFCAF%5D2.0.CO;2.short">don’t eat many mosquito “wrigglers”</a>. Australian native fish <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15532929/">will readily eat mosquitoes</a> and may be useful for backyard ponds. But not all fish are good. While “mosquitofish” (aka “plague minnow”) is distributed overseas to assist in mosquito control, <a href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/australian-zoologist/article/30/3/316/134508/Does-predation-by-the-fish-Gambusia-holbrooki">it’s a disaster for local wildlife</a> and, <a href="https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/aquatic-biosecurity/pests-diseases/freshwater-pests/finfish-species/gambusia">along with other exotic fish species</a>, should not be released into local waterways. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13157-019-01133-2">Healthier habitats promote fewer mosquitoes</a> so the best thing you can do is create habitats for the animals that eat mosquitoes. <h2>5. Avoid traps and other gadgets</h2> There are lots of devices purported to catch, kill, or repel mosquitoes from your garden. Some may catch a mosquito or two but they’re not very effective in knocking out big numbers. “Bug zappers” with bright lights will collect lots of flying insects. It’s just that mosquitoes make up a very small proportion of collections. Electrocuting devices, again, don’t seem to attract a lot of mosquitoes. Devices that <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-buzz-from-your-smartphone-wont-stop-mosquito-bites-92611">emit high frequency sounds</a> won’t help either. The best devices are typically those that are baited with carbon dioxide. These are a mainstay of state and territory <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/mosquito-borne/Pages/surveillance.aspx">mosquito and arbovirus surveillance programs</a>. For a mosquito, the C0₂ tricks them into thinking the trap is a warm-blooded animal. The only problem is these can be expensive to run and don’t seem quite as effective for mosquito control <a href="https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-the-american-mosquito-control-association/volume-22/issue-3/8756-971X(2006)22%5b490%3aTATTFA%5d2.0.CO%3b2/Traps-and-Trapping-Techniques-for-Adult-Mosquito-Control/10.2987/8756-971X(2006)22%5B490:TATTFA%5D2.0.CO;2.short">unless used in large numbers</a>. <h2>Yes, you’ll still need repellent</h2> Perhaps the best way to avoid mosquito bites is to pick an insect repellent <a href="https://www.phrp.com.au/issues/december-2016-volume-26-issue-5/a-review-of-recommendations-on-the-safe-and-effective-use-of-topical-mosquito-repellents/">recommended by health authorities</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/mozzies-biting-heres-how-to-choose-a-repellent-and-how-to-use-it-for-the-best-protection-150183">apply it</a> to ensure all exposed areas of skin are covered. These products and safe, affordable and effective.<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/212711/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cameron-webb-6736">Cameron Webb</a>, Clinical Associate Professor and Principal Hospital Scientist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</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/its-warming-up-and-mozzies-are-coming-heres-how-to-mosquito-proof-your-backyard-212711">original article</a>.

Home & Garden

The cost of living is biting. Here’s how to spend less on meat and dairy

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clare-collins-7316">Clare Collins</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> The cost of groceries has risen substantially <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/monthly-consumer-price-index-indicator/may-2023">over the last year</a>. Food and non-alcoholic drinks rose by 7.9% in the year to May, with biggest increases in dairy products (15.1%), breads and cereals (12.8%) and processed foods (11.5%). Meat costs rose by 3.8%, but the absolute increase was high, with a kilo of fillet steak costing up to A$60 for a kilogram. Australians spend around <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/6530.0Main+Features12009-10?OpenDocument">15% of their weekly food budget</a> on meat and half that (7.4%) on dairy products. About <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/cost-of-living-report">43% of householders</a> say grocery prices are a cause of financial stress, with half trying to reduce spending. So how can you save money on meat and dairy products without skimping on nutrients? <h2>Meat</h2> <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/lean-meat-and-poultry-fish-eggs-tofu-nuts-and-seeds-and">Meat</a> is a good source of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12. Recommendations are for a maximum of three serves of cooked lean red meat a week. This includes beef, lamb, veal, pork, or kangaroo, with a serve being 65g cooked, which equates to 90–100g raw. This means purchasing 270–300g per person per week. Check prices online and weekly specials. Less expensive cuts include oyster blade, chuck or rump steak ($22–$25 per kilogram). They can be tougher, making them better for casseroles or slow cook recipes, like this <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/clares-slow-cooked-beef-stroganoff">beef stroganoff</a>. One exception is mince because higher star, lower fat, more expensive products shrink less during cooking compared to regular mince, which shrinks by 25–30%. Extend casserole and mince dishes by adding vegetarian protein sources, such as dried or canned beans and legumes. A 400g can of red kidney beans costs about $1.50 and contains 240g of cooked beans, equivalent to 1.6 standard serves. Add a can of any type of legume (black, adzuki, cannelloni, butter, chickpeas, four-bean mix, brown lentils) or use dried versions that don’t need pre-soaking like dried red lentils at about $5 per kilogram. This <a href="https://www.glnc.org.au/resource/legumes-nutrition/">adds nutrients</a> including protein, B vitamins, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium and dietary fibre. <h2>Dairy</h2> Dairy products are important sources of protein, calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium and vitamins A, B2 and B12. <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/recommended-number-serves-adults">Australian recommendations</a> are for two to three serves a day for adults and four serves for women over 50. One serve is <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/serve-sizes">equivalent to</a> a cup of milk or 40g cheese. Fresh milk costs between $1.50 and $3.00 per litre depending on type and brand, while UHT milk is cheaper, about $1.60 per litre. It’s even cheaper to buy powdered milk ($10 per kilogram pack, which makes ten litres), equating to $1 per litre. Making yoghurt at home costs about $5–6 per kilogram using a powder mix and yoghurt maker ($25). Once set, divide into smaller tubs yourself. Use as a substitute for cream or sour cream. Fresh yoghurt varies from $11–$18 per kilogram, with individual serves and flavoured varieties more expensive (but not always). Compare per kilogram or per 100g prices and check for specials. Cheese prices vary a lot so compare prices per kilogram. As a guide, block cheese is cheaper than pre-sliced or grated cheese. Home brand products are cheaper than branded ones. Mature cheeses are more expensive and processed cheese least expensive. But, if you cut block cheese really thick you end up using more. Block cheese ranges from $15 to $30 a kilogram, while packets of pre-sliced cheese vary from $18 to over $30. Pre-grated cheeses range from $14 to $30 per kilo, with most around $20, and processed cheese varies from $10 to $15. Extend grated cheese by mixing with grated carrot (about $2 a kilogram) and use as a topper for tacos, wraps, pasta and pizza. Use processed cheese slices for toasted sandwiches. Most recipes work adding less cheese than specified. A high-calcium alternative to cheese in sandwiches is canned salmon, but at $15–$30 per kilogram ($6–$7 per 210g can) you add variety but may not save money. <h2>3 tips to save on your food bills</h2> 1. Have a household food budget Ensure everyone is on the same page about <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/how-to-save-money-at-the-supermarket">saving money on food and drinks</a>. <a href="https://www.suncorpgroup.com.au/news/features/food-for-thought-australians-spend-272-billion-on-food-annually">About 50% of household food dollars</a> are spent on takeaway, eating out, coffee, alcohol, food-delivery services and extras, so have a budget for <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/discretionary-food-and-drink-choices">discretionary</a> food items. This is where you can make big savings. Your household might need an incentive to stick to the budget, like voting on which “discretionary” items food dollars get spent on. 2. Have a rough weekly meal plan Use your meal plan to write a grocery list. Check <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/ingredient-swaps-to-limit-supermarket-trips-during-lockdown">what you already have</a> in the pantry, fridge and freezer. If you’re not sure where to start, look at ours at <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au">No Money No Time</a>, <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/take-our-nmnt-2-week-food-budget-challenge-and-eat-for-55-a-week">either for one person</a> or a <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/ebooks-meal-plans-more/feeding-a-growing-family-on-a-budget-meal-plan-1">family with young children</a>. 3. Avoid food waste Australians <a href="https://www.ozharvest.org/food-waste-facts/">waste 7.6 million tonnes of food</a> each year yet 70% is edible. Before heading to the shops, check your <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/creating-kitchen-space-for-christmas-and-preventing-food-waste-too">fridge</a>. Turn <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/managing-kitchen-stock-and-using-leftovers-to-minimise-food-waste">leftovers</a> into tomorrow’s lunch or dinner. When clearing the dinner table, pack leftovers straight into lunch containers so it’s grab and go in the morning (or freeze for days you’re too busy to cook). Use our resources at <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs?search=budget">No Money No Time</a> for ideas on how to help your food dollars go further. If you need food help right now, the <a href="https://askizzy.org.au/">Ask Izzy</a> website can locate services in your area.<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/206703/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clare-collins-7316">Clare Collins</a>, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-cost-of-living-is-biting-heres-how-to-spend-less-on-meat-and-dairy-206703">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

8 bite-sized renovations you can do on the weekend

We’re all time poor but that doesn’t mean you have to develop renovation inertia. By chunking down the big tasks you need to do around your home into bite-sized, weekend-worthy nibbles you can power through a number of renovation items piece by manageable piece. 1. Replace your handles Upgrading your old, tired <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/why-reddit-is-losing-it-over-doorknobs-20160323-gnpe5q/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">door handles</a> is as simple as measuring the distance between the holes and searching online or in store to find a straight replace. Unscrew the old ones, hanging onto the existing screws, as otherwise you may have to cut the ones supplied with the new handles to size, and screw the new ones in place. Simple. 2. Changing cupboard fronts A wonderful visual upgrade, you need to check that your kitchen has standard-sized cupboards for this to be an easy weekend upgrade. Standard cupboard and drawer sizes will have plenty of options in stores and online. You’ll need to check the location of hinges, the height and width of fronts and the condition of your carcasses but by unscrewing and replacing cupboards you can transform your kitchen or bathroom cabinets completely. You’ll find some <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/cabinet-fever-on-the-rise-20120706-21kkk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interesting colour, texture and pattern options</a> The only impediment is your creativity. 3. Paint your doors While painting your whole home might be a bit more than you can manage in one sitting, a nice bite-sized job is to apply a couple of coats of <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/for-the-love-of-the-coloured-front-door-20151127-gl5boi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coloured paint to your existing internal and external doors</a>. Sure, you might not get through them all in one weekend but you can chip away at this task after work or in the mornings and add amazing contrast and interest to your interior scheme. Remember to use an enamel paint for doors and timber work. 4. Replace your shower head and toilet seats One of the things I do routinely when moving into a new property is replace the shower head with a new one. Most replacement shower heads come with thread tape and you don’t need to be a plumber to do this straight replace as it doesn’t interrupt the fitting connection. If you can manage that the toilet seat replacement is a cinch. 5. Regrouting tiles Scrape out any old or worn grout and replace with a new colour or a replacement of the existing. A word to the wise – don’t grout floors in white as they will be mid grey in no time. 6. Replace bathroom accessories Another quick trip to the hardware store or bathroom supplier and you can <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/budget-bathroom-makeovers-can-make-big-difference-20150703-gi12es/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">give your bathroom a facelift</a> to complement that lovely new shower head. 7. Fill gaps and scrapes There are different fillers for different tasks. A quick-dry, all-purpose one like Selley’s Rapid Filler is great for scratches and scrapes on walls or filling in bumps in timber work before painting. Fill gaps between skirtings, cornices and walls with no more gaps. Use a two-part filler like builders bog for areas that need a more hard-wearing but still sandable solution. 8. Remove redundant “features” and install new ones Pulling out old, dated or worn shelving and storage cabinets can free up wall space and liberate your rooms from a tired look. Installing wall hung units or floating shelves can give you an opportunity to <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/advice/moving-house-how-to-let-it-go-declutter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clear your home of clutter</a> or create a place for you to best display your favourite items. Written by Darren Palmer. First appeared on <a href="http://www.domain.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Domain.com.au.</a> Images: Getty

Home Hints & Tips

Young woman loses all four limbs to mozzie bites

A woman has shared her story of waking up from a coma to discover all four of her limbs had been amputated. Tatiana Timon, 35, was on a dream trip to Angola, South Africa, as part of a dance group, but her health took a turn for the worse when she arrived back home in Camberwell, South London. The 35-year-old had spent 10 days in Angola before flying home and within days her health had declined, leaving her extremely weak. Tatiana was rushed to hospital where doctors confirmed she had contracted a deadly form of malaria. She had contracted the disease from a mosquito bite while overseas in May 2022. Her condition quickly worsened and she was put into an induced coma after developing sepsis. “All of my friends and family were worried because the doctor was telling them that I was going to die, like I was about to die three times", she told MyLondon. In order to stop blood poisoning from spreading to her vital organs, doctors were forced to amputate all four limbs. “When I woke up from the coma I knew, I saw that I was in hospital, and I knew something had happened to me", she said. “At that time I didn’t know how bad it was, like I just knew something had happened.” Tatiana says she strives to come independent and is fitted with prosthetic arms and legs. She shares frequent updates on her Instagram page and vows to stay positive during this hard time. "Now even without limbs I know that I will go back to the gym”, she wrote on one post. “I am determined to go back to being my healthy self, mentally and physically.” Tatiana is currently fundraising with hopes of buying new prosthetics which come with a hefty price tag, costing up to $294,100. “A negative thing I can turn into a positive thing to make my life easier because I don’t like to stress. “It happened, so I need to deal with it.” Image credit: Instagram/Facebook

Body

Another Project host bites the dust

First it was Carrie Bickmore, then Lisa Wilkinson and on Tuesday night’s episode another Project host announced their departure from the news program. Comedian and regular co-host on Channel 10’s news program Peter Helliar announced that he will be leaving the show after eight years. “These things come in threes and it’s time for me to say I will be leaving The Project soon,” he said. “It’s been something on my mind for a while. People will read into the situation however they want to read into it, but I feel like I need to create some space for some projects I want to work on. “I've been able to juggle over the years, you guys have seen me do How to Stay Married and stand-up and books over the years, but I feel like there are some new areas that I'm going into hopefully next year that I need to be present for.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> After nearly 8 years at the desk, Peter Helliar will be leaving The Project. Here is the moment he made the announcement. <a href="https://t.co/k1i19lWcM5">pic.twitter.com/k1i19lWcM5</a> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1594974702744707072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2022</a></blockquote> An emotional Helliar then quoted Carrie when she shared her news saying that he will also continue loving the show. “You said that you are glad you're leaving The Project while you still love it, and I still love this show. I really do,” he continued. “It means a lot to me. It's done amazing things for me. I interviewed Luke Skywalker once and that meant a lot, and I look forward to seeing what the show is like in the future. “I'm pretty sure there are no more announcements and I can't wait to see what you and Kyle and Jackie O do with the show next year,” he said to Waleed Aly. Helliar has another two more weeks on the show, while Carrie has four more days. She jokingly wished Waleed Aly good luck for remaining. But the real question now is, will Waleed Aly quit next? According to entertainment reporter Peter Ford, the program has received quite a bit of backlash in the past year that it would not be surprising if Aly quit next. “I can’t think of a TV show that has been as polarising and has divided opinion as much as The Project, but it’s not mandatory to watch,” he said. “It’s increasing and increasing, and partly it is because on Twitter, people love to be angry, they want to be outraged and they want to bring someone or something down, so you have to allow that haters are going to hate. “But The Project has become a brand name that seems to get people angry, and I don’t know why that is. It’s odd – nobody is being forced to watch it.” He did however say that Aly may get away with it because he doesn’t have social media and doesn’t acknowledge the bad press toward him. Image: The Project

News

Imminent arrival of huge "double-size" mosquitoes

Aussies can’t seem to catch a break this year; between inflation, record-breaking weather events and interest rate hikes we’ve had it rough. If you were planning on summer being a welcome relief, think again and start making preparations for the shocking mosquito season that lies ahead - which is believed to be the worst in 30 years. The insect population numbers have skyrocketed, thanks to extreme wet weather, so you might want to stock up on the likes of bug spray and Aerogard. These fat, hungry, “double-size” bloodsuckers are making their way into major cities after wreaking havoc in the NSW Central West. "We are told this is what is expected after all of this rain, is the floodwaters recede, we get ponds, these pools of water, the female mozzies go on a frenzy, lay their eggs," Today reporter Sarah Stewart said. Stewart said Sydneysiders can expect an influx of the hungry insects in coming weeks, as conditions ripen for even more of the pests. "We are hearing from farmers if you work outside, they get on your hair, up your nose, they bite them through their hats even," she said. "Unfortunately, we are told they are going to head to Sydney to the coast, over the coming weeks." Just weeks ago, Associate Professor Cameron Webb from NSW Health Pathology told 9news.com.au that numbers are expected to explode once the weather officially warms up. Image: Nine News

Body

How to make your own mosquito trap

Nothing ruins a good time like a swarm of hungry mosquitos. Keep the outdoor fun going longer with this easy DIY mosquito trap. You will need: <ul> <li>An empty 2 litre plastic bottle</li> <li>A marker</li> <li>A box cutter</li> <li>A tape measurer</li> <li>¼ cup of brown sugar</li> <li>1 cup of hot water</li> <li>1 gram of yeast</li> <li>Duct/electrical tape</li> </ul> How to: 1. About 10cm from the lid, make a mark around the bottle. 2. Using your box cutter, cut the bottle in half at your mark. 3. In a saucepan, boil your water until steaming. 4. In the lower half of the bottle, add brown sugar and boiling water. Let cool. 5. Once cooled, add yeast. Stirring isn’t necessary. 6. Take the top of the bottle, flipping it upside down, and fit it into the base of the bottle, leaving enough room above the mixture for mosquitos to enter. If there isn’t, pour out some mixture. 7. Use tape to secure the cut edges at the top. 8. Place wherever your mosquito problem resides. The mosquitos will be attracted to the sugar mixture and not be able to fly back out of the trap. Image: Getty Images

Domestic Travel

Why mozzies bite some more than others

While summer brings with it days on the beach and nights outside enjoying the balmy weather, another, more unpleasant summer fixture also comes out in droves: mosquitoes. Although some of us dread being covered in itchy bites, there are others who mosquitoes seem to ignore - and now scientists have part of the answer explaining why. Researchers from Rockefeller University have found that mosquitoes are attracted to people based on the smell of their skin, created through a blend of particular acids. Focusing on Aedes aegypti, the mosquito which carries viruses such as dengue, yellow fever and Zika virus, the team used samples of human forearm odour collected on nylon stockings from 64 people, performing more than 2300 tests over 174 days across a three-year study. They found that people who were highly attractive to the mosquitoes had significantly higher levels of carboxylic acids which contribute to their skin odour. These carboxylic acids are produced when bacteria on the skin breaks down steroids and cholesterol secreted by our sweat glands. "We tested mosquito attraction to human skin odour and identified people who are exceptionally attractive or unattractive to mosquitoes," they wrote. "Chemical analysis revealed that highly attractive people produce significantly more carboxylic acids in their skin [than others]." They also noted that there weren’t any chemicals found in higher levels on the skin of less attractive people and argued that this supports the idea that people’s skin lack attractive odours, rather than emitting an odour that repels mosquitoes. As for why some people have higher levels of these chemicals in their skin odour than others, the researchers suggested that genetics may play a role. "Understanding why some humans are more attractive than others provides insights into what skin odorants are most important to the mosquito and could inform the development of more effective ... repellents," they wrote. The study, published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.09.034" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cell</a>, isn’t the first time scientists have attempted to understand why some people are more attractive to mozzies than others - and there are plenty of reasons why. Mosquito researcher Dr Cameron Webb from the University of Sydney told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-19/nt-mosquitoes-study/101548550" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a> it could be to do with genetics, as well as your temperature, your diet, whether you’re sweaty or even whether you’re pregnant. Dr Gordana Rasic, a senior mosquito research officer at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Queensland, explained that the factors driving the behaviour of mozzies are “very complex”. "Mosquito brains are small but they still process signals from hundreds and hundreds of different receptors," she said. "Biting humans is specific to female mosquitoes — they need to bite humans and take blood in order to develop their egg and basically reproduce — so it's an absolutely essential instinct." While this study adds a new piece to the puzzle of mozzie behaviour, Dr Webb noted that this study focused on one mosquito species out of thousands of species around the world. "Even if you solve the problem for one mosquito, that doesn't mean the relationship and their willingness to bite people applies to all of the mozzies," he said. Image: Getty Images

Body

Tragedy as Aussie boy dies from mosquito bite

A nine-year-old boy from Western Australia has tragically died from dengue fever while on holiday with his family. Glenn Pulgadas had been on holiday with his parents, Glenn and Ryza, in the Philippines to see extended family when he was bitten by a mosquito. According to the <a title="www.abc.net.au" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-30/wa-boy-dies-dengue-fever-in-philippines-warning-travellers/101386032">ABC</a>, the boy began feeling unwell on August 12th and was admitted to hospital. He was described as being “weak in appearance” with headaches, fever, abdominal pain, vomiting and nose bleeds. Glenn then went into dengue shock syndrome which typically includes clamminess, a rapid weak pulse and narrowing of pulse pressure. These symptoms then led to organ failure, with Glenn tragically passing away on August 25th. The young boy is being remembered as "bright and bubbly" by all who knew him. “Glenn was a bright, bubbly, young boy who was so full of life and always had a smile on his face,” said family friend Danielle Zarzycki. Glenn's hometown community of Harvey has launched a <a title="www.gofundme.com" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/glenn-pulgadas-memorial">GoFundMe</a> page to raise money for funeral expenses which has so far reached more than $9000. One of the top donators, who gave $1,000 to Glenn's family, is local St Anne’s School, where Glenn was a year three student. Dengue fever is spread via the bite of some species of mosquito. Three out of four people who contract dengue won’t even get sick, and for those who do the symptoms can be mild and they often recover in a matter of days. About one in 20 people who become sick with dengue will be hit by a severe form and in the worst cases, the disease can lead to shock, internal bleeding and death. Image credits: Facebook

Caring

Where do all the mosquitoes go in the winter?

Summer evenings by the pool, lake or BBQ mean mosquitoes. But what about during winter when we’re mostly indoors? As the weather cools, these bloodsucking pests are rarely seen. But where do they go? Warm, wet conditions suit mosquitoes Mosquitoes have complex life cycles that rely on water brought to <a href="https://theconversation.com/hidden-housemates-the-mosquitoes-that-battle-for-our-backyards-59072" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wetlands, flood plains, and water-holding containers</a> by seasonal rainfall. Depending on whether we’re experiencing a summer under the influence of <a href="https://theconversation.com/will-the-arrival-of-el-nino-mean-fewer-mosquitoes-this-summer-102496" target="_blank" rel="noopener">El Niño</a> or <a href="https://theconversation.com/la-nina-will-give-us-a-wet-summer-thats-great-weather-for-mozzies-147180" target="_blank" rel="noopener">La Niña</a>, mosquito populations will change in different ways. During warmer months, their life cycle lasts about a month. Eggs laid around water hatch and the immature mosquitoes go through four developmental stages. Larvae then change to pupae, from which an adult mosquito emerges, sits briefly on the water surface, and then flies off to buzz and bite and continue the cycle. Water is crucial but temperature is really important too. Unlike warm-blooded animals, mosquitoes can’t control their own body temperatures. The warmer it is, the more active mosquitoes will be. There’s usually more of them about too. But once cold weather arrives, their activity slows. They fly less, they don’t bite as often, they reproduce less, and their life cycle takes longer to complete. Temperature also plays a role in determining the ability of mosquitoes to <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2020.584846/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spread viruses</a>. Cold weather isn’t great for mosquitoes but <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-ento-011613-162023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">millions of years of evolution</a> have given them a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-017-2235-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">few tricks to survive</a>. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468677/original/file-20220614-21-qmcj4w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C43%2C4883%2C3211&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/468677/original/file-20220614-21-qmcj4w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468677/original/file-20220614-21-qmcj4w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468677/original/file-20220614-21-qmcj4w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468677/original/file-20220614-21-qmcj4w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468677/original/file-20220614-21-qmcj4w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468677/original/file-20220614-21-qmcj4w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>Ponds and puddles may be frozen but that doesn’t mean all mosquitoes have disappeared. <a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/7UYnlgDyf0o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tom Keldenich/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CC BY</a></figcaption></figure> Mosquitoes don’t disappear completely On a sunny afternoon in winter, you may notice the occasional mosquito buzzing about in your backyard. Not as many as in summer but they’re still around. Some mosquitoes do disappear. For example, the activity of the pest mosquito Culex annulirostris, thought to play an important role in the <a href="https://theconversation.com/japanese-encephalitis-virus-has-been-detected-in-australian-pigs-can-mozzies-now-spread-it-to-humans-178017" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spread of Japanese encephalitis virus</a> in Australia, dramatically declines when temperatures start dropping <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1442-9993.1980.tb01260.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">below 17.5℃</a>. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/aen.12021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Studies in Sydney</a> have shown some mosquitoes, such as Culex annulirostris, disappear. Others, such as Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex molestus, remain active throughout the winter. You just may not notice them (unless they enter your home to buzz about your ears). <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469917/original/file-20220621-17-k6jyri.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/469917/original/file-20220621-17-k6jyri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469917/original/file-20220621-17-k6jyri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469917/original/file-20220621-17-k6jyri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469917/original/file-20220621-17-k6jyri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469917/original/file-20220621-17-k6jyri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469917/original/file-20220621-17-k6jyri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>Some mosquitoes, such as the common Aedes notoscriptus, may occasionally be seen buzzing about in winter. Cameron Webb/NSW Health Pathology</figcaption></figure> Mosquitoes can disappear into diapause We’re familiar with the idea of mammals hibernating through winter but mosquitoes, like many other insects, can enter a phase of inactivity called <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eea.12753" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diapause</a>. Once cold weather arrives, adult mosquitoes find hiding places such as tree hollows and animal burrows, within the cracks and crevices of bushland environments, or in garages, basements or other structures around our homes, suburbs and cities. These mosquitoes may only live a few weeks during summer but going into diapause allows them to survive many months through winter. Mosquitoes can also be found in frozen bodies of water, whether it is a bucket of water in your backyard or a near freezing wetland. For example, there is a group of mosquitoes that belong to the genus Coquillettidia whose <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jvec.12338" target="_blank" rel="noopener">larvae attach</a> to the submerged parts of aquatic plants and can survive the cold winter temperatures. Their development dramatically slows and they’ll stay in the water until spring arrives. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469888/original/file-20220621-11-eny4r6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469888/original/file-20220621-11-eny4r6.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/469888/original/file-20220621-11-eny4r6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469888/original/file-20220621-11-eny4r6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469888/original/file-20220621-11-eny4r6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469888/original/file-20220621-11-eny4r6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469888/original/file-20220621-11-eny4r6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469888/original/file-20220621-11-eny4r6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>By going into ‘diapause’ adults can survive in places like tree hollows for the cold months. <a class="source" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1625635756778-218152037ccc?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8&auto=format&fit=crop&w=1770&q=80" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unsplash/Pat Whelan</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CC BY</a></figcaption></figure> All their eggs in one winter basket Some mosquitoes make it through the winter thanks to their eggs. Mosquito eggs can be incredibly resilient. They survive being dried out in hot and salty coastal wetlands during summer but also frozen in snow-covered creeks in winter. In coastal regions of Australia, eggs of the saltmarsh mosquito (Aedes vigilax), sit perfectly safely on soil. Once the weather warms and tides bring in water to the wetlands, these eggs will be ready to hatch. There is also a special mosquito in Australia known as the “snow melt mosquito” (Aedes nivalis) whose <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1440-6055.1996.tb01371.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eggs survive under snow</a> and hatch once that snow melts and fills ponds, creeks and wetlands throughout alpine regions. Does it matter where mosquitoes go in the winter? It also isn’t just the mosquitoes that survive the cold months. Viruses, such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/japanese-encephalitis-virus-can-cause-deadly-brain-swelling-but-in-less-than-1-of-cases-178985" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Japanese encephalitis virus</a> or <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-ross-river-virus-24630" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ross River virus</a>, can survive from <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2631767/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">summer to summer</a> in mosquito eggs, immature stages, or diapausing adults. Knowing the seasonal spread of mosquitoes helps health authorities design surveillance and control programs. It may help understand how <a href="https://entomologytoday.org/2022/05/24/snow-covered-tires-help-invasive-mosquitoes-survive-cold-winters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invasive mosquitoes survive</a> conditions in Australia outside their native ranges by <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0211167" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hiding out from the cold</a>, such as in rainwater tanks. Even mosquitoes typically found in tropical locations can even <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2664.13480" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adapt to cooler climates</a>. This knowledge may even expose the chilly chink in mosquito’s armour that we can use to better control mosquito populations and reduce the risks of disease outbreaks.<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/185021/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cameron-webb-6736" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cameron Webb</a>, Clinical Associate Professor and Principal Hospital Scientist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Sydney</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/where-do-all-the-mosquitoes-go-in-the-winter-185021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Domestic Travel

Fresh warnings after spread of mosquito-born disease

Two NSW residents have fallen seriously ill and are currently being hospitalised with a mosquito-borne disease that can result in potentially severe neurological impacts, sparking warnings about avoiding bites. NSW Health on Monday evening said the patients were a man from Corowa and a child from Wentworth, both in the NSW-Victoria border region. The department said the man was in intensive care and the child had been discharged from the ICU but was staying in hospital because of the seriousness of their illness. Authorities are expecting more cases to be confirmed in the future and several people are undergoing further testing. Acting Chief Health Officer Marianne Gale urged NSW residents to take steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitos. "We are working closely with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and other states and territories to determine the extent to which the virus is circulating," Dr Gale said. "Unfortunately, our recent wet weather has led to very high mosquito numbers, so we need the community to be particularly vigilant and take steps to avoid mosquito bites. "We know mosquitoes are most active between dusk and dawn, and we need people planning activities near waterways or where mosquitoes are present to be especially cautious, particularly those in the vicinity of the Murray River and its branches." Australia's acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Sonya Bennett last week declared a national alert over the virus, which is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Fortunately, this disease cannot move directly from person to person. The virus is common in a wide swathe of Asia and the Western Pacific, including India, most of China, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Japan. Recent cases are the first time it's been identified in NSW in humans or animals, according to NSW Health. Most humans who contract the virus do not experience any symptoms or only experience mild symptoms like headaches or fever. But the worst affected may suffer inflammation of the brain, a sudden onset of vomiting, high fever and chills, severe headaches, sensitivity to light, neck stiffness and nausea. Image: Getty

Body

Shark bites are rare. Here are 8 things to avoid to make them even rarer

Shark bite incidents are <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/odds/how-where-when/">rare</a> but traumatic. They’re usually followed by calls for <a href="https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/sharks-a-history-of-fear-in-australia/">mitigation</a> <a href="https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v631/p165-179/">strategies</a>, some of which are dangerous or lethal to sharks – despite the fact most sharks are timid and actively <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266853603_Monitoring_the_effects_of_tourism_on_whale_shark_Rhincodon_typus_behaviour_in_Mozambique">avoid people</a>. The “<a href="https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/sharksmart">SharkSmart</a>” approach, adopted by the Queensland government, aims to educate and urge people to take responsibility for reducing the risk of shark bites by changing their own behaviour. But can humans change? To find out, we teamed up with three companies in the sailing charter industry in the Whitsundays area to better understand how people were using the environment, their knowledge of shark smart behaviours and to see if promoting SharkSmart behaviours led to change. We <a href="https://www.publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/queensland-shark-control-program/resource/27af7dc2-73c5-4752-81c0-d6c8374c92e1">found</a> people can and do change behaviour as a result of education – but for some, unfortunately, a “she’ll be right” attitude still prevails. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381253/original/file-20210129-17-1tc89vl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3159%2C2090&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381253/original/file-20210129-17-1tc89vl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3159%2C2090&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Sharks swim in clear waters." /></a> People must take responsibility for reducing the risk of shark bites by changing their own behaviour. Shutterstock <h2>Doing your part to be SharkSmart</h2> Previous surveys had shown many water-users were already aware of many ways to reduce shark risk but there was <a href="https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2018/10/experts-weigh-in-on-the-whitsundays-shark-encounters">room for improvement</a>. Many SharkSmart behaviours are well known, such as not swimming at dusk or dawn when sharks may be more prevalent. But we wanted to find out what else people were doing in the water and see if some key SharkSmart interventions made a difference. The interventions included: <ul> <li>showing people a short <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d17id9NOR6s&feature=youtu.be">video</a> before they went out on the water</li> <li>putting stickers on boats to remind people how to reduce shark risk</li> <li>making SharkSmart brochures available to guests on boats</li> <li>dedicated waste disposal bags were given to two of the charter boat operators, with the third acting as a control group.</li> </ul> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d17id9NOR6s?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> We did surveys before and after these SharkSmart tools were introduced to see what changed. We particularly wanted to know whether people were less likely to do eight things linked to higher shark risk in the Whitsundays area: 1. splashing in the water 2. swimming alone 3. swimming near fishers 4. swimming at spots where shark bites have occurred in the past (in this case, in <a href="https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/shark-control-program/whitsundays-plan">Cid Harbour</a>) 5. throwing fish scraps in the water 6. throwing burley (a type of bait, sometimes known as chum) in the water 7. fishing near swimmers 8. throwing food in the water. <a href="https://www.publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/queensland-shark-control-program/resource/27af7dc2-73c5-4752-81c0-d6c8374c92e1">Research</a> suggests that by not doing these eight things, we can make shark bites even rarer than they already are. As well as the before-and-after surveys, we captured a sample of rubbish coming back on shore. This was so we could get an idea of whether fish and meat were being stored or thrown overboard. We also wanted to see where and when risk might be higher. For example, snorkelling in a busy anchorage or where people are fishing may increase unnecessary dangers. The warmer months of September to December were mapped as potential higher risk for shark bites. <h2>Our findings</h2> We surveyed 228 tourists (92 pre- and 136 post-intervention) and found: <ul> <li>a 8.9% reduction in splashing or making noise when swimming or snorkelling</li> <li>a 4.1% reduction in throwing fish scraps overboard and</li> <li>a 3.8% reduction in people fishing near people swimming.</li> </ul> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381250/original/file-20210129-23-462790.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381250/original/file-20210129-23-462790.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="A poster shows SharkSmart behaviours." /></a> A poster shows SharkSmart behaviours. Queensland Government, Author provided We found most people were aware of these six behaviours: <ul> <li>following local signage</li> <li>having a buddy when swimming, diving or snorkelling</li> <li>avoiding swimming at dawn or dusk</li> <li>swimming in clear water</li> <li>keeping fish waste and food scraps out of the water where people swim</li> <li>avoiding swimming with schools of bait fish or diving birds.</li> </ul> The lowest awareness was for the last one, but after our intervention we saw a 4.7% increase in knowledge of this behaviour. Although 100% of people were aware of the need to keep fish waste and food scraps out of the water, our pre-surveys between August and October last year found about one-third of tourists still disposed of fish scraps into the water. After the intervention, the share of people doing this dropped to 4-8%. <h2>Shifting the ‘she’ll be right’ attitude</h2> The good news is there is very high awareness of SharkSmart behaviours and most times, people didn’t throw burley in the water, fish near swimmers or swim in Cid Harbour. Unfortunately, some people continued to splash, swim alone and throw fish waste and food scraps in the water. Changing these norms among swimmers and boaties will take time. An attitude of “she’ll be right” still exists among some water users and this group may be the toughest to influence; it’s hard to shift attitudes about dangers among people with such a relaxed attitude to risk. In the Whitsundays and wider Australia, we are lucky to have some of the most incredible beaches, islands and reefs in the world. Most of us are willing to take a small calculated risk to swim in the ocean. Shark bite incidents are <a href="https://taronga.org.au/conservation-and-science/australian-shark-attack-file">extremely rare in Australia</a> but by making small changes, we can drive down the danger even further. Katie Frisch and Gemma Molinaro from Reef Ecologic contributed to this article.<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/173746/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <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> 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/shark-bites-are-rare-here-are-8-things-to-avoid-to-make-them-even-rarer-173746">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Baldwin film hit by yet another tragedy

Another “devastating event” has occurred on the set of Rust, with a crew member facing the loss of their arm after a spider bite. Jason Miller, a lamp operator and pipe rigger working on the film, was bitten by a brown recluse spider while packing up the set in New Mexico. The brown recluse spider is one of three species in North America that have life-threatening venom. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/1ynDsUP_5p/?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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/1ynDsUP_5p/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Smithsonian's NMNH (@smithsoniannmnh)</a> </div> </blockquote> According to a Just Giving crowdfunding page, Mr Miller started experiencing severe symptoms, including necrosis of his arm and sepsis, shortly after the bite. “He has been hospitalised and endured multiple surgeries each day as doctors do their best to stop the infection and try to save his arm from amputation,” the page says, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://news.sky.com/story/alec-baldwin-film-shooting-rust-crew-member-in-hospital-for-multiple-surgeries-after-spider-bite-12462638" target="_blank">Sky News</a>. “It will be a very long road to recovery for Jason if the medical team is able to save his arm. “If under worse circumstances he loses the arm, this is a life changing and devastating event for Jason and his family.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845412/baldwin3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e5755507d3b94b36b588115f7fa243c9" /> The set of Rust in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Image: Getty Images A spokesperson for the film <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/rust-crew-member-may-lose-arm-after-deadly-spider-bite/news-story/519321d002a183f926355d7e5bbb18ef" target="_blank">said</a> they had no comment “on individual members of the cast and crew’s private matters”. The set has been shut down for the last two weeks after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/alec-baldwin-allegedly-shot-and-killed-cinematographer" target="_blank">was killed</a> with a gun accidentally fired by Alec Baldwin. The actor and producer said it’s unlikely that the film will ever be completed following the tragedy, which has sparked <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/movies/change-needs-to-happen-baldwin-tragedy-sparks-reform" target="_blank">growing calls</a> from the industry to ban real guns on sets. Image: news.com.au

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