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The unique travel hack that is guaranteed to help beat jet lag

<p dir="ltr">Experts have revealed how to beat jet lag on your next overseas holiday, and it all comes down to your modes of transport. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sleep researchers said it's good news for cruise lovers, as exposure to sea air and bright natural light improves sleep to cure the annoying condition quickly.</p> <p dir="ltr">Some experts say to avoid travelling by plane all together, and always opt for cruising holidays instead. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, if you have to travel to your cruise by plane, being on board is a great way to tackle the dreadful feeling, compared with holidaying on land, Panache Cruises said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Lindsay Browning, expert at Trouble Sleeping said exposing yourself to bright lights at the right time after a long-haul flight is one of the most powerful things we can do to boost and help shift circadian rhythm, and being on a ship is the perfect place for that.</p> <p dir="ltr">"As a general rule, you want to get lots of bright light exposure during the daytime and avoid light at night," Browning said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"When travelling on a cruise ship, you will naturally get a lot of bright light exposure during the day, helping your circadian rhythm.”</p> <p dir="ltr">"Further, when travelling by ship you will have a cabin with a proper bed and curtain, enabling you to sleep at night when you want to."</p> <p dir="ltr">The company claimed research showed how prolonged exposure to sea air can improve blood oxygen levels, boost vitamin D, and improve breathing leading to higher-quality sleep, helping to rid travellers of pesky jet lag so they can enjoy their holidays. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Tips

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Experience a unique glimpse into the private life of Princess Diana

<p>When you think of the royal family, most people picture their most high profile moments and the same anecdotes that have been recycled for years. </p> <p dir="ltr">But there is much more to them as a family, and as an institution, than meets the eye. </p> <p dir="ltr">For many royal fans, they have their favourite members of the family who they share an unspoken affinity with, and are often yearning to find out more about the princes and princesses. </p> <p dir="ltr">Around the world, there are few members of the royal family who are as fiercely loved as Princess Diana. </p> <p dir="ltr">Now, for the first time in Sydney, royal fanatics can take a never-before-seen look at the emotional private journey of the People’s Princess through the lens of one of her most trusted confidants: official royal photographer Anwar Hussein. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em><a href="https://princessdianaexperience.com/sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Princess Diana: Accredited Access Exhibition</a></em>, launching in Sydney on Wednesday April 10th, reveals the inside look at royal life from Diana’s perspective, while exploring the deep personal relationships between a princess and her photographer. </p> <p dir="ltr">Royal fans will learn about all sides of the late Princess of Wales, from how she portrayed herself in the public eye, to how she interacted with her inner circle behind closed doors. </p> <p dir="ltr">While the one of a kind exhibition covers all things Princess Diana, royal fans will also see the parallels of Anwar’s relationship with Diana, compared to Anwar’s sons, who went on to photograph Diana’s sons Prince William and Prince Harry, and their lasting relationships with the royal family at large. </p> <p dir="ltr">Throughout the exhibit, Anwar Hussein and his sons Samir and Zak, share their first-hand accounts of the stories behind the world-famous moments of Princess Diana and her family, recounting experiences they shared with the royals over their collective four decades working side-by-side with the royal family.</p> <p dir="ltr">Named one of the "Top 12 Immersive Experiences Around the World You Need to Visit” by CNN, the<em> Princess Diana: Accredited Access Exhibition</em> has sold out in Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and Puerto Rico, and recently wowed audiences in Melbourne. </p> <p dir="ltr">Guests of the <em>Princess Diana: Accredited Access Exhibition</em> will embark on a captivating exploration through various themed sections covering all aspects of royal life, and will be guided by an easy to use audio guide. </p> <p dir="ltr">When arriving at the exhibit (which is housed in an accessible building for those with mobility issues), guests will be instructed to download an audio guide on their smartphone, letting guests move through the exhibition at their own pace. </p> <p dir="ltr">After being provided headphones, guests control the easy to use audio guide at their own speed, with each photograph corresponding to a number on the guide where the audience can learn the inside story behind each captured moment. </p> <p dir="ltr">If guests are hard of hearing, fear not. Each part of the audio guide also features the written script of the Hussein’s commentary, making sure visitors don’t miss any vital information.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/04/Diana-instructions.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr">Working your way through the exhibit can take anywhere up to one hour, with royal fans bound to leave with a new sense of connection and understanding to princess Diana’s private life, and the royal family at large. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Princess Diana: Accredited Access Exhibition</em>, presented by leading entertainment discovery platform<a href="http://feverup.com/sydney" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Fever</a>, in partnership with global entertainment agency, SBX Group is a family-friendly experience that will leave visitors with a new perspective on royal life. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sessions run from 9am to 3pm on Wednesday to Friday, and 9am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday, with the exhibition running until the end of May 2024. </p> <p dir="ltr">This is not a story you have heard before. Whether you are a hard-core fan or new to her legacy, you will be blown away by the fascinating depth and detail shared by the Hussein family.</p> <p dir="ltr">To purchase tickets, head to<a href="http://princessdianaexperience.com/sydney" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> princessdianaexperience.com/sydney</a>, to not miss out on this incredibly unique insight into the behind the scenes world of the royal family. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Supplied</em></p>

Art

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Unique way couple raised $11K for their wedding

<p>When Andie Lickiss proposed to Pagan on New Years Eve in 2021, he had no idea that the pair would spend the next year collecting trash from their neighbours. </p> <p>With the cost-of-living on the rise, the couple were doing everything they could to save up for their dream wedding on September 2023. </p> <p>“We were both working two jobs, trying to save for a house, and everything is just so expensive,” Pagan told <em>7Life</em>. </p> <p>“We didn’t want the wedding to put us in debt.”</p> <p>While thinking of ways to cut corners and save more money, Pagan - who was a keen recycler and had been using a state government-run recycling initiative, Return and Earn, since 2018 - felt inspired to take her recycling to the next level after spotting a wheelie bin in her backyard. </p> <p>Pagan then took to her local community Facebook page to ask her neighbours for their unwanted bottles and cans to help with the cost of their wedding, with the initiative offering 10 cents per aluminium can, plastic or glass bottle deposited.</p> <p>“I had about 50 messages from people ... saying they will just stack them outside their house and we can come and collect,” she said. </p> <p>She then started mapping out the perfect route to pick up the recycling ,and not long after, the couple began their trash-collecting journey almost every day after work in their ute and trailer. </p> <p>“People might laugh because it is only 10 cents (per container),” she said. </p> <p>“But every little bit counts.”</p> <p>Over 19 months the couple recycled more than 100,000 containers, and made memories along the way, as they got closer to their neighbours who would donate cardboard boxes and wheelie bins full of empty cans and bottles. </p> <p>They also volunteered at local sporting events and spent weekends cleaning up fields and stadiums. </p> <p>Each dollar went towards their goal of $4,500 to pay for their dream photographer, with the couple sometimes pocketing more than $400 at a time when they cashed in each load. </p> <p>Within six months the couple had reached their goal, but they didn't stop there. </p> <p>“I couldn’t believe it,” Pagan said. </p> <p>“We just decided to keep going. The cost of living wasn’t getting cheaper.”</p> <p>Andie and Pagan cashed in cans and bottles right up until the week before their wedding. </p> <p>“We never told anyone how much we made,” Pagan said. </p> <p>“Our celebrant announced it at the wedding (and) the looks on everyone’s faces! They were so shocked, and our photographers caught it.”</p> <p>The couple collected a grand total of $11,127.50 with the help of their local community, and now Pagan encourages others to reach out and ask for help. </p> <p>“I hope that people who are doing it tough are not afraid to reach out and ask for help.”</p> <p><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Relationships

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Your unique smell can provide clues about how healthy you are

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/aoife-morrin-1478132">Aoife Morrin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/dublin-city-university-1528">Dublin City University</a></em></p> <p>Hundreds of chemicals stream from our bodies into the air every second. These chemicals release into the air easily as they have high vapour pressures, meaning they boil and turn into gases at room temperature. They give clues about who we are, and how healthy we are.</p> <p>Since ancient Greek times, we’ve known that we smell differently when we are unwell. While we rely on blood analysis today, ancient Greek physicians used smell to diagnose maladies. If they took a whiff of your breath and described it as <em>fetor hepaticus</em> (meaning bad liver), it meant you could be headed for liver failure.</p> <p>If a person’s whiff was sweet or fruity, physicians thought this meant that sugars in the digestive system were not being broken down, and that person had probably diabetes. Science has since shown the ancient Greeks were right – liver failure and <a href="https://tisserandinstitute.org/human-volatilome/">diabetes</a> and many <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00216-023-04986-z">other diseases</a> including infectious diseases give your breath a distinctive smell.</p> <p>In 1971, <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1962/pauling/facts/">Nobel Laureate chemist Linus Pauling</a> <a href="https://edu.rsc.org/feature/breath-analysis/2020106.article#:%7E:text=The%20'modern%20era'%20of%20breath,in%20an%20average%20breath%20sample.">counted 250 different</a> gaseous chemicals in breath. These gaseous chemicals are called volatile organic compounds or VOCs.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RzozmYPfCmM?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Since Pauling’s discovery, other scientists have <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40291-023-00640-7">discovered hundreds more VOCs</a> in our breath. We have learned that many of these VOCs have distinctive odours, but some have no odour that our noses can perceive.</p> <p>Scientists believe that whether a VOC <a href="https://tisserandinstitute.org/human-volatilome/">has an odour</a> that our noses can detect or not, they can reveal information about how healthy someone is.</p> <p>A Scottish man’s Parkinson’s disease onset was <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-47627179">identified by his wife</a>, retired nurse Joy Milner, after she was convinced the way he smelled had changed, years before he was diagnosed in 2005. This discovery has <a href="https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/smell-of-skin-could-lead-to-early-diagnosis-for-parkinsons/">led to research programmes</a> involving Joy Milner to identify <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-supersmeller-can-detect-the-scent-of-parkinsons-leading-to-an-experimental-test-for-the-illness/">the precise smell</a> of this disease.</p> <p>Dogs can <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01629-8">sniff out more diseases</a> than humans because of their more <a href="https://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/the-science-of-sniffs-disease-smelling-dogs%20-%20I%20think%20the%20previous%20nature%20link%20has%20more%20credibility%20for%20here%20also">sophisticated olfactory talents</a>. But technological techniques, like <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/mass-spectrometry">analytical tool mass spectrometry</a>, picks up even more subtle changes in VOC profiles that are being linked to <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/ebiom/article/PIIS2352-3964(20)30100-6/fulltext">gut</a>, <a href="https://www-sciencedirect-com.dcu.idm.oclc.org/science/article/pii/S0165993618305168">skin</a> and <a href="https://err.ersjournals.com/content/28/152/190011">respiratory</a> diseases as well as neurological diseases like Parkinson’s. Researchers believe that one day some diseases will be diagnosed simply by breathing into a device.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xjo2M-XMYfs?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>Where do VOCs come from?</h2> <p>Breath is not the only source of VOCs in the body. They are also emitted from skin, urine and faeces.</p> <p>VOCs from skin are the result of millions of skin glands removing metabolic waste from the body, as well as waste generated by bacteria and other microbes that live on our skin. Sweating produces extra nutrients for these bacteria to metabolise which can result in particularly odorous VOCs. Odour from sweat only makes up a fraction of the scents from VOCs though.</p> <p><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nrmicro.2017.157">Our skin</a> and also our gut microbiomes are made up from a delicate balance of these microbes. Scientists think <a href="https://journals.lww.com/co-gastroenterology/abstract/2015/01000/the_gut_microbiome_in_health_and_in_disease.12.aspx">they influence our health</a>, but we don’t yet understand a lot about how this relationship works.</p> <p>Unlike the gut, the skin is relatively easy to study – you can collect skin samples from living humans without having to go deep into the body. <a href="https://www-sciencedirect-com.dcu.idm.oclc.org/science/article/pii/S1471492221002087">Scientists think</a> skin VOCs can offer insights into how the microbiome’s bacteria and the human body work together to maintain our health and protect us from disease.</p> <p>In my team’s laboratory, <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1752-7163/abf20a">we are investigating</a> whether the skin VOC signature can reveal different attributes of the person it belongs to. These signals in skin VOC signatures are probably how dogs distinguish between people by smell.</p> <p>We are at a relatively early stage in this research area but we have shown that you can tell males from females based on how acidic the VOCs from skin are. We use mass spectrometry to see this as the average human nose is not sophisticated enough to detect these VOCs.</p> <p>We can also predict a person’s age with reasonable accuracy to within a few years from their skin VOC profile. This is not surprising considering that oxidative stress in our bodies increases as we age.</p> <p><a href="https://www.metabolismjournal.com/article/S0026-0495(00)80077-3/pdf">Oxidative stress</a> happens when your antioxidant levels are low and causes irreversible damage to our cells and organs. <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jasms.3c00315">Our recent research</a> found by-products of this oxidative damage in skin VOC profiles.</p> <p>Not only are these VOCs responsible for personal scent – they are used by plants, insects and animals as a communication channel. Plants are in a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-10975-x">constant VOC dialogue</a> with other organisms including pollinators, herbivores, other plants and their natural enemies such as harmful bacteria and insects. VOCs used for this back and forth dialogue are known as pheromones.</p> <h2>What has science shown about love pheromones?</h2> <p>In the animal kingdom, there is good evidence VOCs can act as aphrodisiacs. Mice for example have microbes which contribute to a particularly <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982212012687">smelly compound called trimethylamine</a>, which allows mice to verify the species of a potential mate. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0093691X21003083">Pigs</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/4381097a">elephants</a> have sex pheromones too.</p> <p>It is possible that humans also produce VOCs for attracting the perfect mate. Scientists have yet to fully decode skin – or other VOCs that are released from our bodies. But evidence for human love pheromones so far is <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/do-human-pheromones-actually-exist">controversial at best</a>. <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3835-colour-vision-ended-human-pheromone-use/">One theory suggests</a> that they were lost about 23 million years ago when primates developed full colour vision and started relying on their enhanced vision to choose a mate.</p> <p>However, we believe that whether human pheromones exist or not, skin VOCs can reveal who and how we are, in terms of things like ageing, nutrition and fitness, fertility and even stress levels. This signature probably contains markers we can use to monitor our health and diagnose disease.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/215311/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/aoife-morrin-1478132"><em>Aoife Morrin</em></a><em>, Associate Professor of Analytical Chemistry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/dublin-city-university-1528">Dublin City University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: </em><em>Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>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/your-unique-smell-can-provide-clues-about-how-healthy-you-are-215311">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

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"Uniquely, magically, indescribably us": Read the emotional love letter from Suzanne Somers' husband

<p>Just one day before her death, Suzanne Somers' husband gave her a handwritten love letter as part of an early birthday present. </p> <p>Somers' husband, Alan Hamel, gave the letter to his wife of 45 years just 24 hours before she passed away at the age of 76. </p> <p>According to Somers' publicist, R. Couri Hay, Hamel “gave it to her a day early and she read the poem and went to bed and later died peacefully in her sleep.”</p> <p>The emotional poem was an expression of love from Somers' husband, as he struggled to define their intense relationships. </p> <p>“Love I use it every day, sometimes several times a day. I use it at the end of emails to my loving family. I even use it in emails to close friends. I use it when I’m leaving the house,” the note began, via <em><a href="https://people.com/read-love-letter-suzanne-somers-husband-alan-hamel-wrote-to-her-day-before-her-death-8358234">People</a></em>. </p> <p>“There’s love, then love you and I love you!! Therein lies some of the different ways we use love. Sometimes I feel obliged to use love, responding to someone who signed love in their email, when I’m uncomfortable using love but I use it anyway.</p> <p>“I also use love to describe a great meal. I use it to express how I feel about a show on Netflix. I often use love referring to my home, my cat Gloria, to things Gloria does, to the taste of a cantaloupe I grew in my garden.”</p> <p>“I love the taste of a freshly harvested organic royal jumbo medjool date. I love biting a fig off the tree. I love watching two giant blackbirds who live nearby swooping by my window in a power dive. My daily life encompasses things and people I love and things and people I am indifferent to,” he continued.</p> <p>“I could go on ad infinitum, but you get it. What brand of love do I feel for my wife Suzanne? Can I find it in any of the above? A resounding no!!!! There is no version of the word that is applicable to Suzanne and I even use the word applicable advisedly.”</p> <p>“The closest version in words isn’t even close. It’s not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction. Unconditional love does not do it. I’ll take a bullet for you doesn’t do it. I weep when I think about my feelings for you. Feelings… That’s getting close, but not all the way.”</p> <p>“55 years together, 46 married and not even one hour apart for 42 of those years. Even that doesn’t do it,” he added. “Even going to bed at 6 o’clock and holding hands while we sleep doesn’t do it. Staring at your beautiful face while you sleep doesn’t do it.”</p> <p>“I’m back to feelings. There are no words,” he concluded. “There are no actions. No promises. No declarations. Even the green shaded scholars of the Oxford University Press have spent 150 years and still have failed to come up with that one word. So I will call it, ‘Us,’ uniquely, magically, indescribably wonderful ‘Us.’”</p> <p>Somers and Hamel tied the knot in 1977, giving them 45 years together as husband and wife. </p> <p>Somers died on Sunday morning after “an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” her publicist said in a statement.</p> <p>Suzanne was best known for playing Chrissy Snow on the 1970s sitcom <em>Three’s Company</em> and Carol Foster Lambert on the ’90s family comedy <em>Step by Step</em>.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Caring

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Embracing unapologetic authenticity: Empowering women in midlife and beyond to be their true selves

<p>In recent nationally representative research conducted by <a href="https://www.connectedwomen.net/">Connected Women</a>, a concerning trend emerged among women over the age of 50, with the majority of respondents revealing that a lack of confidence was holding them back from forming new friendships (58%). Even more salient, was that nearly a third (32%) expressed a desire for more meaningful connections. </p> <p>Findings like this underscore the need for a new way of thinking amongst this group, and the urgent need for women to unapologetically embrace authenticity, be themselves, and put themselves, their passions, and their desires, first. The lack of confidence to step out into the world is not only hindering their ability to form connections, but to accept who they are as individuals. </p> <p>So, ladies, picture this: You've finally reached midlife, and while the years have brought wisdom and experience, you also find yourself grappling with self-doubt and societal expectations. It's time to shed the cloak of self-consciousness and embrace what makes you unique.</p> <p><strong>A new way of thinking</strong></p> <p>Embracing unapologetic authenticity means learning to appreciate yourself for who you are - a multifaceted individual shaped by your own experiences, with your own interests and your own opinions. It's about freeing yourself from the constraints of societal norms and comparisons and recognising that you deserve to take up space and shine as your true self.</p> <p>In my work as the founder of Connected Women, I am fortunate to have encountered thousands of women, and what I consistently observe is that the happiest and most fulfilled are the ones who boldly embrace their authentic selves and put themselves out there to try new things and connect with new people. They truly radiate a captivating energy that lights up any room, and people naturally gravitate towards them. I, too, find myself drawn to their presence.</p> <p>But how do you become unapologetically authentic when for so many years, you’ve likely put others needs first or shied away from pursuing things that you love? </p> <p><strong>Show yourself some love</strong></p> <p>Absolutely, the first step to embracing your most authentic self is to show yourself some love – as hard as that may be!</p> <p>Midlife presents an ideal opportunity to prioritise self-care and rekindle passions you may have lost while juggling careers, marriages, children, and aging parents. Pursuing personal growth and fulfilment becomes a transformative journey as you rediscover the flames that once ignited your soul.</p> <p>This could be something as simple as a weekly art class, joining the local choir, or opting for a tennis club. It’s about finding or reconnecting with the things that bring you joy, showing up and being truly present with the experience. </p> <p>The newfound confidence and authenticity you will find from participating in these joyous experiences will undoubtedly radiate, attracting like-minded souls through these shared experiences who appreciate you for who you are. Through these genuine connections, a supportive environment is fostered, allowing everyone to flourish.</p> <p><strong>Surround yourself with positivity</strong></p> <p>The journey to authenticity will be an easier ‘ride’ if you are surrounded by like-minded people. Should you find yourself wanting more from your friendships, I’d encourage you to seek out groups like Connected Women, where you have the space and opportunity to truly find people who share your world views and encourage you to be true to yourself and shine bright! </p> <p><strong>Break free!</strong></p> <p>The journey to unapologetic authenticity is absolutely one of empowerment and self-discovery. As women in midlife, we must challenge limiting beliefs that we are undeserving of happiness and instead remember our right to take up space and shine! Together, lets create a space where every woman feels empowered to embrace her true self, regardless of age or expectations. It's absolutely time to step into the spotlight, be unapologetically authentic, and let your radiance light up the world. You deserve it! </p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/08/Phoebe-headshot-EDITED.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><strong><em>Phoebe Adams is the founder of Connected Women, an organisation providing a community for women over 50 to connect with each other and build meaningful friendships. With a rapidly growing community in Perth, Sydney, Wollongong, and Melbourne, Connected Women provides a safe and welcoming space for women to come together and share experiences. To learn more about the organisation and how you can get involved, visit <a href="https://www.connectedwomen.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">connectedwomen.net</a>.</em></strong></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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The Australian remake of The Office has the potential to be great - if the writers remember how unique our humour is

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/philippa-burne-158735">Philippa Burne</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>Twenty-two years after the original UK television series <em>The Office</em> was released, and 18 years after the highly successful US remake (2005-2013), Australia is getting its own version of <em>The Office</em>. This will be the 14th remake of the concept by Ricky Gervais, which has included adaptations in Chile, France, Finland, India, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Germany and other countries.</p> <p>It’s an interesting move by Prime Video when there are already two highly rewatched English language versions available – highlighting the ongoing relevance of the workplace comedy.</p> <p>It also speaks to the relative safety of remaking a known series concept rather than an original, in a time of expensive television production. Starting from an idea that has already proven hugely popular with audiences worldwide can seem to minimise the financial risk of making a new TV show – if it’s done right.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532534/original/file-20230619-24-2hzcfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532534/original/file-20230619-24-2hzcfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532534/original/file-20230619-24-2hzcfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532534/original/file-20230619-24-2hzcfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532534/original/file-20230619-24-2hzcfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532534/original/file-20230619-24-2hzcfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532534/original/file-20230619-24-2hzcfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532534/original/file-20230619-24-2hzcfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Comedian and actor Felicity Ward will star in The Office Australia, which will start on Amazon Prime in 2024.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Prime</span></span></figcaption></figure> <h2>A history of remakes</h2> <p>There has been a long history of remakes on television. <em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805669/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_q_Ugly%2520Betty">Ugly Betty</a></em> (as it is known in the US version) is one of the most recognised. Originally a Colombian telenovela,<em> <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0233127/">Yo Soy Betty, la Fea</a></em> (1999-2001), the concept has been remade in other languages around 20 times to date. Other versions include <em>Na Daj Se</em>, <em>Nina</em> (Croatia, 2007-2008) and <em>Lotte</em> (The Netherlands, 2006-2007), both of which I worked on adapting from the Colombian original.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1zP7Uiiiqhc?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Australian television concepts from the 1970s and 1980s travelled remarkably well. <em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081935/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Sons and Daughters</a></em> has versions in Germany (Verboten Liebe, 1995-2015) and Croatia, (Zabranjena Ljubav, 2004-2008). The Australian classic <em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077064/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_8_nm_0_q_Prisoner">Prisoner</a></em> became the highly popular <em>Hinter Gittern</em> (1997-2007) in Germany. And long-running soap opera <em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088580/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_q_neighbours">Neighbours</a></em> has been the basis of shows in Poland, Sweden and Slovakia.</p> <p>A common factor in all of these is the internationally successful Grundy Television and creator Reg Watson.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-IGHPsaYDMw?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>What <em>Grundy Television</em> realised and honed was that to give an international remake the best chance of success, writers and producers need to be willing to pull a series back to its foundational concept – such as twins separated at birth meet and fall in love, a women’s prison, neighbours becoming good friends – and then to build culturally informed stories and characters from that.</p> <p>Localising is not just changing a few small details, it requires driving characters and stories from <a href="https://theconversation.com/bluey-was-edited-for-american-viewers-but-global-audiences-deserve-to-see-all-of-us-188982">deep within a local culture</a> and storytelling tradition. It requires a deep commitment to developing a show as if it was a new idea, even if it is based on an existing series. Audiences are savvy and want nuance, history, politics, issues.</p> <p>Recently, many international dramas have formed the basis for successful US shows, such as Israel’s <em>Prisoners of War</em> (2010-2012) becoming <em>Homeland</em> (Showtime, 2011-2020), and the Danish/Swedish Noir series <em>The Bridge</em> (2011-2018) spawning <em>The Bridge</em> (US/Mexico), as well as <em>The Tunnel</em> (UK/France), <em>The Bridge</em> (Russia/Estonia), <em>The Bridge</em> (Malaysia/Singapore), <em>Der Pass</em> (Germany/Austria) and <em>Gefyra</em> (Greece/Turkey).</p> <p>These shows incorporated a deep socio-political angle within the familiar thriller or crime genre, giving audiences a new depth and breadth to the stories.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y9Nln23PaOc?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>Mistakes and flops</h2> <p>Less successful have been US attempts to remake Australian comedies such as <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/noice-different-unusual-watching-kath-and-kim-as-a-locked-down-historian-166261">Kath &amp; Kim</a></em> (2008-2009) and dramas such as <em>The Slap</em> (2015). Perhaps their Australian contexts, social mores and comedy did not translate – or were not translated well.</p> <p>Reviewers said of the American Kath and Kim that the humour was unfunny, the characters unlikeable and unrelatable. Variety’s Brian Lowry said, “If this was a major hit in Australia,” he said, “then <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/us-take-on-kath-and-kim-fails-to-amuse-tv-critics-20080928-ge7exo.html">something has been seriously lost in translation</a>.”</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DE-FepzzYQA?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Ironically, one of the greatest mistakes screenwriters make is sticking too closely to the original. No matter how popular it was, how good the writing is, how funny the jokes are, translating scripts very rarely works due to cultural differences in humour, socio-economic circumstances and workplace politics.</p> <p>The Dutch version of the <em>Yo Soy Betty, la Fea</em> began shooting Dutch translations of Colombian scripts: the production shut down one week in as it became clear that none of the circumstances, relationships, tone, rhythm or humour made sense in a Dutch context.</p> <p>That’s when I was brought in to work with the Dutch writers to completely redevelop the show for the local context. (I brought television storytelling experience and relied on the Dutch writers for character specifics, local stories, cultural specificities, etc.)</p> <h2>An Office in Australia?</h2> <p><em>The Office Australia</em> might seem a simple prospect, given there have been two preceding series in English. Plus, culturally, Australia has been well-informed of and by the UK and US. What could possibly go wrong?</p> <p>Humour and social mores will have changed: the world is a very different place in 2023 compared to 2001. Many of David Brent’s 2001 exploits and jokes would see him quickly fired by any 2023 risk-averse company no matter how apathetic and downtrodden his staff might be.</p> <p>Also when <em>The Office</em> came out, mockumentary felt fresh to television, now we’ve had <em>Parks and Recreation</em>, <em>Modern Family</em>, and our own <em>The Games</em> and <em>Utopia</em>. Plus, of course, we’ve had reality TV shows where things quickly spiral beyond any inappropriate awkwardness <em>The Office</em> ever came up with – think about <em>Vanderpump Rules</em> or <em>Selling Sunset</em>.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KbA_5cATgAU?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Australia is different to the UK and the US, in the way we live, work, joke, date and play. Australian comedy has a different rhythm, pace and flavour to that of anywhere else.</p> <p>One of the most important things a good adaptation understands is that specificity is key. For instance, the character Gareth/Dwight is less likely to be territorial army or army reserve and more Steve Irwin; an office party probably involves backyard cricket not bowling alleys. This provides a great opportunity to add a fresh edge to familiar characters, plus a cultural specificity intriguing to international audiences.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8GxqvnQyaxs?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>For example, the US adaptation <em>Ugly Betty</em> brought in the story of Betty’s family’s immigration issues, highlighting a relatable problem for many immigrant Americans and deepening the difference in class, power and privilege between Betty and the other characters in her workplace.</p> <p><em>The Office Australia</em> is making one major change from the UK and US versions: the office boss is a woman, Hannah Howard (played by Felicity Ward). This is a potentially brilliant, timely change, which will differentiate it as a series. But beware the scriptwriter who thinks you can simply swap a gender and keep all the traits, insecurities, worries, jokes and dynamics the same.</p> <p>There’s the potential for wonderfully rich, new comedy material – if the writers and producers are willing to pull <em>The Office</em> apart, go back to its key concept, characters, themes and its story engine – and then rebuild it, for a new time, place and gender.</p> <p><em>The Office Australia</em> launches in 2024 into 240 countries and territories. It will be interesting to see if they understand us. And whether we understand ourselves well enough to make a compelling new version of this popular show.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/207614/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/philippa-burne-158735">Philippa Burne</a>, Lecturer, BFA Screenwriting, Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Netflix</em></p> <p><em>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-australian-remake-of-the-office-has-the-potential-to-be-great-if-the-writers-remember-how-unique-our-humour-is-207614">original article</a>.</em></p>

TV

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7 strange and unique airports

<p>Making a connection at one of these airports would be quite an experience, and we’ve taken a look at seven strange and unique airports from all around the world.</p> <p><strong>US Federal Transfer Centre, Oklahoma City, USA</strong></p> <p>If you find yourself at the US Federal Transfer Centre, needless to say things have taken an interesting turn in your life. Located next to Will Rogers World Airport, this facility is used for holding inmates and transferring them between federal prisons.</p> <p><strong>Black Rock City Municipal Airport, USA</strong></p> <p>This airport is unique in the sense that it only operates for a week every year. Black Rock City Municipal Airport opens briefly every year for the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert, playing host to around about 150 aeroplanes during the week.</p> <p><strong>Kansai International Airport, Japan</strong></p> <p>Entirely offshore, Kansai International Airport services a region that has no space to run a 24 hour airport in the city where no land can be expropriated. Over 21 million square metres of landfill was excavated from nearby mountains to put it together.</p> <p><strong>Kai Tai Airport, Hong Kong</strong></p> <p>While it’s no longer operational, Kai Tai Airport was once instrumental with linking Hong Kong with the outside world. From 1925 to 1998 landing on this little chunk of reclaimed land with high-rises on both sides was a harrowing experience in larger aircraft.</p> <p><strong>Sea Ice Runway, McMurdo Station, Antarctica</strong></p> <p>During the summer Antarctic field season the Sea Ice Runway acts as the principle runway for the US Antarctic Program. A proper runway for wheeled aircraft is constructed at the start of each season and used up until early December, until the ice breaks up.</p> <p><strong>Paro Airport, Bhutan</strong></p> <p>Flying into the only international airport in Bhutan is no easy task, with pilots having to navigate through two treacherously narrow valleys and performing a turn in its approach to the strip. Paro Airport is serviced by Bhutan’s National Airline Druk Air.</p> <p><strong>Barra Airport, Scotland</strong></p> <p>What makes this short-runway airport located at the north tip of the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides is the fact that it’s the one airport in the world where scheduled flights use the beach as a runway (provided of course that the tide is out).</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

International Travel

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Olympic icon shares pics of new baby with unusual name

<p> Australian Olympic champion Torah Bright has welcomed her second child into the world, a new son with husband Angus Thomson. </p> <p>The 36-year-old snowboarder took to social media to share their happy news, and while congratulations came in thick and fast over the sweet snap of mother and baby, some were left scratching their heads over one particular detail: the newborn’s unique name. </p> <p>“Blissed out with our baby boy in our arms,” Torah captioned her family photo series. “Meet ‘Halo Sundancer Bright Thomson’.”</p> <p>She went on to share that Flow - their eldest son - loved to give his new little brother kisses, while “Dad is glowing and proved to be the best team mate”. </p> <p>Her heart, she said, was “exploding with joy” as their family adjusted to their latest chapter. </p> <p>It had been a home birth for the champion athlete, her second one, and she reported that the experience had been “so different but just as magical. </p> <p>“Being helped to bed and the whole family tucked in… my favourite part … Thank you beautiful midwives for doing what you do”. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CsWxWkVvKFW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CsWxWkVvKFW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Torah Bright (@torahbright)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Familiar faces flocked to the post to comment, with presenter Lisa Wilkinson among them, writing that it was “just beautiful news Torah. Much love to you and your beautiful growing tribe.” </p> <p>“Beautiful fam,” champion surfer Stefanie Gilmore declared. </p> <p>“I can’t wait to meet him! Sending so much love to you and the boys,” fellow Olympian Maggie Voisin said. “So happy and excited for your amazing family!”</p> <p>And Torah’s fellow Australian snowboarder, Tess Coady, may have only had one word to offer, but her enthusiasm more than made up for it when she said “CONGRATS”. </p> <p>“Congratulations to you all!!!” said one follower, before asking “you didn’t go with Flow’s name suggestion?”</p> <p>Most were happy to embrace the name the proud parents had chosen, gushing in their replies, with one stating that it was a “gorgeous name for a gorgeous baby boy”. </p> <p>From there, the excited messages continued, as well as a sea of red heart emojis for the family. And the response was similar over on Angus’ account too, when he shared his own announcement with supporters. </p> <p>One, however, couldn’t miss the opportunity to have a little fun, noting “I liked Graham better, but Halo is pretty cool I guess.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Couple with the same name share the story of their unique path to love

<p>Married couple Nunzia and Nunzio Varricchio took sharing to the extreme on the day of their births. </p> <p>With matching Christian names, the pair were born with mere hours between them in the same Italian village, with the same midwife overseeing both occasions. </p> <p>As their daughter, Vicki Brunello, explained to<em> 7 News</em>, “[the midwife] happened to be Dad’s grandmother. She delivered my dad, hopped on her bike, and a few hours later she delivered my mum.”</p> <p>Apparently, that same grandmother had joked that she’d found her grandson a girlfriend. And although she hadn’t been (entirely) serious at the time, it turns out she’d been right on the money. </p> <p>Cut to 15 years later, when Nunzio decided that he’d ask his partner-in-name to be his girlfriend - just as his grandmother had predicted. </p> <p>Nunzio believed that it had been “love at first sight”, although it seems that Nunzia didn’t quite share his opinion. Although she did eventually fall for him, it took “a little bit of time” to get to the same point. </p> <p>As she put it, “I didn’t say yes straight away.” </p> <p>Nor did the couple make it official immediately. Nunzio and his family actually moved to Australia in the 1960s, far from the village where the two had grown up. </p> <p>He made the decision to farewell Nunzia before he joined his family overseas, and while he might have been hoping for a sweet moment for the subject of his affections, Nunzia - once again - had other ideas. </p> <p>He had hoped to give her a kiss, even going so far as to tell her as much, but as Nunzia explained, “I said ‘forget about it’.” </p> <p>And as she added, she’d even threatened to throw a bucket on his head, far from the heartfelt goodbye he’d envisioned. </p> <p>Nunzia was determined not to be forgotten, and Nunzio was in no position to do so. Writing to her regularly, he told her all about his new life in Australia, and although she took “a little longer” to respond to him, she still did, with the two remaining in constant - if not a little irregular - contact. </p> <p>But even Nunzia couldn’t play hard to get forever, and at just 21 years old, she packed her bags and moved to join Nunzio in Australia, with the couple marrying soon after. </p> <p>However, their shared history decided the time had come to cause a little chaos, with Australian authorities assuming they’d made a mistake on their paperwork while registering their marriage. </p> <p>The issue? The similarities in their applications - their matching names, birthdays, and places of births. It was one they unfortunately encountered again when trying to organise passports. </p> <p>As for problems with their life, neither had anything to report - nor did their three children and six grandchildren, who claimed they’d never so much as seen the 80-year-old Nunzio and Nunzia argue. </p> <p>Nunzio put their success in marriage down to their amicable conflict resolution strategy, and explained that after their wedding, his wife had informed him to “keep quiet” if she started arguing while upset. </p> <p>From there, he said, they simply “cool down and we don’t argue.” </p> <p>“Dad’s a big softie,” daughter Vicki added, “you know, and there’s a lot of love.” </p> <p>“We’re very happy,” Nunzia agreed. </p> <p><em>Images: 7 News</em></p>

Relationships

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“Rarest species of feline on Earth”: Unique cat mystifies the internet

<p dir="ltr">A photo of the “rarest species of feline on Earth”, a cat with black and neon yellow stripes, has mystified the internet.</p> <p dir="ltr">The incredible photo of the “Amazon snake cat” is truly unbelievable.</p> <p dir="ltr">The image of the so-called “Serpens Cattus”, a feline with black and neon-yellow stripes resembling a snake, made waves online, with social media posts claiming it was the “rarest species of feline on Earth”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Serpens Cattus is the rarest species of feline on Earth. These Animals live in hard-to-reach regions of the Amazon rainforest, and therefore they are relatively poorly studied,” a Twitter user claimed. “The first images capturing the snake cat appeared only in 2020. Weighs up to 4 stone (25kgs).”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://t.co/rpeMQKCF4I">pic.twitter.com/rpeMQKCF4I</a></p> <p>— Jeff_kamara2 (@Kamara2R) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kamara2R/status/1635669633553367040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">A now-deleted Reddit post of the “Serpens Cattus” attracted several comments who flagged the feline as not being real. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Obvious fake. No known gene can produce natural hair or fur of those (navy and bright yellow) colours,” one commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Really rough attempt at a fake Latin name,” a second person chimed in. “One google about species naming would have made this a lot less obvious.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The post caught the eye of zoology experts to verify the authenticity of the photo.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, the colours and patterns on the female bare a strong resemblance to the reptilian boiga dendrophila, which is commonly referred to as the “gold-ringed cat snake”.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo &amp; Conservation Biology Institute, the snake is found in the same countries where the “Amazon snake cat” was rumoured to be found. </p> <p dir="ltr">The serpent-like feline slid over to TikTok, where one user claimed that the species lived in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He’s in the next fantastic beasts,” laughed one user referencing the Harry Potter spin-off franchise.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Use this s**t for good not to misinform,” another user wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Stop sharing bulls**t,” a third commented. </p> <p dir="ltr">It's clear to see the mysterious feline has certainly left some in hiss-belief.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-919797d4-7fff-89ab-2d2e-e88b391d041a"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Twitter</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Unique transportable home to be sold at low-cost

<p>A tiny foldable house is set to sell for less than a quarter of the average Queensland home loan deposit, already attracting 48 bids in an ongoing auction.</p> <p>The 35sqm portable house, popularly known as a donga, was listed for auction “brand new” by a company in Toowoomba.</p> <p>The 19ft by 20ft modified transportable house has seen 48 bids cast, lifting the price to $13,000, with bids rising in $250 increments. Market prices for fully fitted out dongas generally sell for around $20,000, depending on the quality of the fittings required.</p> <p>The owner of the literal ‘pick-up-and-go’ home has no reserve price set for the little container, meaning whenever the highest bid is made, the auction will close. </p> <p>The unique foldable home has an ensuite with a basic shower, toilet, sink and mirror. It also has eight lockable windows, one door and is decked out with timber flooring.</p> <p>There are hot and cold water inlets, two waste outlets, lighting, an exhaust fan vent, gas struts and winches for easy assembly. The container home has an efficiency star rating of 4, with water consumption at 4.5l full flush and 3.1l half flush.</p> <p>“Units are plumbed for the shower but showerhead/mixer needs to be supplied and installed by buyer.”</p> <p>The only issue with this unique little unit is it does not come wired, so the buyer has to arrange for an electrician to supply and install the wiring.</p> <p>The home also has “adjustable feet for easy levelling” and can be folded up and ready to transport.</p> <p><em>Image credit: realestate.com.au</em></p>

Real Estate

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Unique ‘Butterfly House’ built for heartwarming reason

<p dir="ltr">If you’re sick and tired of the modern penchant for monotone homes, this unique property, dubbed “The Butterfly House”, could be the remedy you need.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home, adorned in vibrant colours and plenty of butterflies both inside and outside, started out as a standard, if somewhat run-down, house in Pacific Grove, California, that was transformed for a heartwarming reason.</p> <p dir="ltr">Its original owners, J and Sonja Jackson, purchased the house in 1977 for just $US 37,500, equivalent to about $191,000 ($AU 280,700) in today’s money, per the <em><a href="https://nypost.com/2022/11/18/inside-californias-butterfly-house-listed-for-998k/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Given its state, with the floor one day collapsing under J’s feet while he was washing dishes, the retired school counsellor rebuilt the home from the studs up, but began to decorate it in the 1990s, when his wife began suffering from a degenerative eye disease.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sonja, the secretary of the Blind &amp; Visually Impaired Center of Monterey County, was losing her eyesight but still able to see bright colours, so J took it upon himself to make it as bright as he could.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for the butterflies, J chose them as a tribute to the unofficial mascot for Pacific Grove: the Monarch butterfly.</p> <p dir="ltr">J made many of the butterflies by hand, spending an average of six hours a day creating them.</p> <p dir="ltr">What’s more, the property is just a kilometre away from the county’s Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, a small wooded area that has been preserved as a habitat for the butterflies.</p> <p dir="ltr">Now, the two-bedroom, two-bathroom home is up for sale, with a listing price of $US 998,000 ($AU 1.47 million).</p> <p dir="ltr">Sotheby’s International Realty agent Arleen Hardenstein, who is managing the sale, told <em>The Post</em> that Sonja is selling the home because of her changing needs, with J passing away several years ago.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I love the eclectic artwork,” she said</p> <p dir="ltr">“One whimsical section flows to another — it’s very sparkly, fun and pretty.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Given its celebrity status in the local area, Ms Hardenstein said the new owners would have to both love the home and “be willing to live in a bit of a fishbowl”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The P.G. Butterfly House is well known in the community and attracts a fairly constant stream of visitors who are curious to see it,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">So far, Ms Hardenstein has received “an enormous amount of interest” from prospective buyers, with many loving the home, its story, or both.</p> <p dir="ltr">As of publication, the home is contingent, less than a month after being listed for sale.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0e8519af-7fff-d6a5-29eb-92e313204233"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Sotheby’s International Realty</em></p>

Real Estate

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The world’s coolest swimming pool could be yours

<p dir="ltr">A unique home in the “opal capital of the world” has hit the market, but its location isn’t the coolest thing about it.</p> <p dir="ltr">The three-bedroom, one-bathroom home in Coober Pedy, South Australia, is both completely underground and boasts its very own indoor swimming pool, located in the main entertaining room.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dubbed “Faye’s Underground Home”, the property is lived-in - a rarity for the area - and open to tourists, who can pay a small fee to go on a guided tour.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home’s six main rooms include the three bedrooms and entertaining room, as well as a kitchen, lounge and dining room with a built-in bar, and a wine cellar.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/25-old-water-tank-road-coober-pedy-sa-5723-2013265706?utm_source=nine.com.au&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=editorial-content" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the listing</a>, the home features jade walls, timber details, and bursts of retro colour.</p> <p dir="ltr">It was originally a one-bedroom dug-out that the local mail truck driver called home, before being converted into the residence it is today.</p> <p dir="ltr">While a price guide hasn’t been set for the home, <em><a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/coober-pedys-underground-home-with-indoor-pool-is-a-rare-gem-1186477/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Domain</a></em> has reported that the median house price for Coober Pedy sits at around $74,500, having increased by 12.9 percent since last year.</p> <p dir="ltr">Located 846 kilometres north of Adelaide, Coober Pedy has a population of 1769 people mostly over the age of 60.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-863ca419-7fff-f232-8e03-dc3bdef9f201"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Lin Andrews Real Estate</em></p>

Real Estate

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Australia’s ‘most isolated’ property could be yours

<p dir="ltr">A parcel of land in Tasmania is up for grabs, but unlike other vacant lots on the market right now, this one offers seclusion and undisturbed ocean views.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 100-acre lot is located on the western side of King Island, Bungaree, overlooking the Southern Ocean.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/253-buttons-road-bungaree-tas-7256-2017573996?gclid=Cj0KCQiAg_KbBhDLARIsANx7wAw9ka8CM9bZOC-j1ZlJxaoSebxdZwvNNYs1NYPIUosFh-7dIBZZF5waAr97EALw_wcB?utm_source=nine.com.au&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=editorial-content" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the listing</a>, made through Circa Heritage and Lifestyle Property Specialists, the block serves as the perfect opportunity “to create an oasis” fit for nature lovers, environmentalists or “anyone in search of seclusion and privacy”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Along with its proximity to the ocean, the property includes a heart-shaped dam and creek that runs into the ocean.</p> <p dir="ltr">There are no other properties in sight either, so if its new owner builds their dream home they will just have the birds, fish, and kangaroos to keep them company.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is said there is 'something special' about the water quality on this acreage with it's heart shaped dam and permanent creek running to the ocean where thousands of crayfish were released by the Tasmanian Government and where the locals say the crayfish from these waters gown three years faster than anywhere else in the Southern Hemisphere!” the listing says.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Add to this abalone fishing at your fingertips, an enormous array of fish and bird species passing through throughout the year from the Northern Hemisphere, a private sandy swimming and surfing beach, a well-protected bay for launching your own boat safely and easily and even a cray fishing licence available and you have what can only be described as a nature lover's paradise.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The property has potential for cattle, sheep and goats, while abalone and cray fishing are on its doorstep.</p> <p dir="ltr">While it is isolated and private, the property’s future owner can still socialise, with the island offering golf courses, cafes and restaurants at its heart and Melbourne at just a 45-minute flight away.</p> <p dir="ltr">“'253 Buttons Road' offers the opportunity to create a stunning and secluded family home, holiday retreat, boutique tourism venture or off-grid, eco-friendly haven in a pristine and unspoiled location,” the listing reads.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-44452fc6-7fff-76eb-236a-da39fb763056"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Circa Heritage and Lifestyle Property Specialists</em></p>

Real Estate

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"Truly unique" piece of Australian history acquired by National Museum

<p>Intricate carvings depicting Australia’s early history including colonial bush life, the gold rush and representations of conflict occurring between settlers and First Nations peoples, feature on a unique ‘Australian Colonial Billiard Table’, have been acquired by the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.</p> <p>The table substantially adds to the Museum’s National Historical Collection and supports its mission to tell remarkable stories from Australian history.</p> <p>It was acquired by the National Museum of Australia for $1.1 million, with the support of the Australian Government through the National Cultural Heritage Account, which contributed $550,000.</p> <p>The National Cultural Heritage Account is a grant program that assists Australian cultural organisations to acquire significant cultural heritage objects.</p> <p>The acquisition was also supported by the Pratt Foundation and donors to the National Museum’s 2022 Annual Appeal.</p> <p>The ‘Australian Colonial Billiard Table’ and matching scoreboard is an unrivalled piece of craftsmanship that through the depictions of colonial life and native flora and fauna contributes to an understanding of our national identity and design history.</p> <p>It was built in 1885 by Sydney-based billiard table manufacturer Ben Hulbert and features ornate carvings by skilled cabinet maker George Billyeald.</p> <p dir="ltr">The table has a rich history and was displayed at the 1886 Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London, at Adelaide’s Jubilee Exhibition in 1887 and at Melbourne’s Centennial Exhibition in 1888.</p> <p>It was also reportedly displayed at Buckingham Palace, where it is suggested that it was admired by Queen Victoria and played upon by billiards enthusiast Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, who was later crowned King Edward VII.</p> <p>National Museum director Dr Mathew Trinca thanked the Australian Government for its financial assistance with the purchase of the billiard table, which he said is a one-of-a-kind example of Australian colonial furniture-making.</p> <p>“The craftmanship and design of this piece is extraordinary. This truly unique acquisition, carefully carved from Tasmanian blackwood, perfectly showcases our colonial history, and we are delighted to be able to share it with the nation,” said Dr Trinca.</p> <p>Museum Curator Dr Ian Coates, who coordinated the acquisition said the decorative panels show how European settlers understood their world, and the vision of Australia they wanted to promote internationally.</p> <p>“Perhaps most significant are the scenes of conflict between First Nations peoples and colonists included as part of life on the frontier. Such representations of conflict are rare. They are an important part of our national history – subject matter that was ignored for much of the twentieth century, and which now forms part of the truth-telling about what happened in the history of our nation.”</p> <p>“The table and scoreboard are magnificent examples of nineteenth century decorative arts. They are also highly significant for the prominent role they played in the global dissemination of Australian iconography and themes during the late-nineteenth century,” said Dr Coates.</p> <p>It will be on display at the National Museum of Australia from 17 November.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Supplied by National Museum of Australia</em></p>

Art

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You could become King of this medieval castle

<p dir="ltr">You could become a lord or lady of your very own medieval castle, after the sprawling home in Rochester, Minnesota hit the market for just $2.5 million ($AUD 2.5 million).</p> <p dir="ltr">The sprawling property, complete with 26 rooms, a wine cellar, hot tub, and its very own pub, was built in the 1990s and has been <a href="http://www.signaturesir.com/property/detail.php?market=MI_REALCOMP&amp;mlsn=20221030870" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listed</a> on Zillow and Signature Sotheby’s International Realty.</p> <p dir="ltr">Enclosed by a wrought-iron fence, the 567-square-metre home also boasts two gated towers, a drawbridge, arched windows and soaring ceilings.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other highlights include timbered and mirrored walls, ceilings covered in artwork, chandeliers, and a red-carpeted grand staircase in the foyer, as well as a portcullis, five fireplaces and an elevator.</p> <p dir="ltr">Each of the seven bathrooms - which outnumber the five bedrooms - is decorated with statues, marble details, and gold railings.</p> <p dir="ltr">The listing describes the home as “the perfect private palace”, which took over a team of international artisans over six years to construct.</p> <p dir="ltr">The castle is 18 metres tall - rising above a standard four-storey building - and comes with a few surprises, including secret rooms and passageways, as well as a hidden staircase.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-72b1bd5d-7fff-c7e1-b784-7270e9687ea7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Signature Sotheby’s International Realty</em></p>

Real Estate

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Historic first as unique WWII sea fort bunker goes on sale

<p>A decommissioned World War II fort in the middle of the ocean is being auctioned off for the first time in an historic sale. </p> <p>Starting at £50,000 (A$87k), the abandoned concrete vessel was initially built between 1915 and 1919 for naval defence during World War I, but was not operational until WWII.</p> <p>The property, which is located in the Humber Estuary of Northern England, is defined by the United Kingdom as a “grade II” building or structure that is “of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve it”, making it a historic listing.</p> <p>The unique marine dwelling under the hammer on July 19th through <a href="https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/124641977?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-zillowgonewild&amp;utm_content=later-28287929&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=linkin.bio#/?channel=RES_BUY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Savills National Auctions</a>.</p> <p>The ship once featured 30cm of armour on one side and an arsenal of weapons on the other, which was enough to support a garrison of up to 200 soldiers, according to the listing.</p> <p>The armour and weaponry were stripped from the site back in 1956.</p> <p>The sea fort is made up of three floors with a basement and a chamber below sea level, and also features a central two-storey observation tower.</p> <p>“In need of refurbishment throughout with potential for development /alternative uses, subject to consent.” the listing explains.</p> <p>The sea fort itself can only be accessed ‘by private boat’ from a port just south of Hull, located approximately five hours from London.</p> <p><em>Image credits: rightmove.co.uk</em></p>

Real Estate

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Holy renovation: unique church conversion wows viewers

<p>A true one-of-a-kind church conversion is now for sale in the bright inner-Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy. The asking price sits between $5.7 million to $6.2 million.</p> <p>Situated in the heart of the cosmopolitan locale, just minutes away from some of Melbourne's most desirable bars, restaurants and cafes, this property is a unique offering.</p> <p>Part of a boutique living complex that utilises the structure and the grounds of a gorgeous bluestone church, the residence spans multiple levels.</p> <p>Boasting three bedrooms, three bathrooms, one off-street parking space on title and a total footprint of 443-square-metres, space, this property is a once in a life time find.</p> <p>Occupying the entire top floor of the church and benefitting from stunning beamed, vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows, the living, dining and kitchen area is minimalistic, tasteful and bright.</p> <p>However, best of all is that one entire side of the church's tiled roof has been replaced with large glass panels, creating a mesmerising window feature that soaks up and bathes the space in natural light.</p> <p>Walking through an aperture in the creative window display leads occupants to an expansive outdoor timber deck that provides sweeping views across rooftops toward Melbourne's CBD.</p> <p>While the architecturally designed space is unquestionably the abode's crowning glory, it doesn’t stop there with the rest of the stylish pad ensconced in solid wood panelling throughout.</p> <p>Other benefits include a generous master suite that occupies the entire first floor, an elevated loft and plenty of storage space.</p> <p><em>Images: Domain</em></p>

Real Estate

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Sir David Attenborough receives unique honour

<p dir="ltr">Sir David Attenborough now has not one, but two knighthoods, after receiving the honour in recognition of his conservation and television broadcasting work. </p> <p dir="ltr">The iconic naturalist was awarded the prestigious Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George - an honour usually reserved for diplomats -  by the Prince of Wales, a fellow passionate campaigner for environmental issues.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sir David was first knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1985, and collected his newest medal at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, June 8.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 96-year-old is also the first recipient of the award without a diplomatic background.</p> <p dir="ltr">"At Windsor Castle, Sir David Attenborough is invested by the Prince of Wales as a Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George," the royal family's official Twitter account read.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-10b3145b-7fff-7984-3276-8df103779362"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">"Congratulations Sir David!"</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">🌍 Well done to Sir David Attenborough, who was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George, for his lifetime of work in broadcasting and promoting the importance of the natural world and its conservation. <a href="https://t.co/tRLEIreV3R">pic.twitter.com/tRLEIreV3R</a></p> <p>— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClarenceHouse/status/1534582171440230404?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Clarence House, the social media account for Prince Charles and Camilla, also shared the news, along with one photo from the investiture and another of Sir David with a young Prince Charles and Princess Anne meeting a cockatoo.</p> <p dir="ltr">The nature presenter has had a close relationship with the royals for a number of years, particularly with the Queen, her late husband Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Prince William.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2019, he established the Earthshot Prize with Prince William to inspire innovative solutions to current global environmental challenges.</p> <p dir="ltr">As part of the recent Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Sir David delivered a message about climate change and the planet that was projected onto the front of Buckingham Palace.</p> <p dir="ltr">His speech was followed by one from Prince William, who praised Sir David and the Queen for their commitment to the environment</p> <p dir="ltr">"Today, in 2022, as the Queen celebrates her Platinum Jubilee, the pressing need to protect and restore our planet has never been more urgent," Prince William told the audience.</p> <p dir="ltr">"But like her, I am an optimist.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's my firm hope that my grandmother's words are as true in 70 years time as they are tonight. That as nations we come together in common cause because then there is always room for hope."</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-1f622e1b-7fff-98b2-db7a-febad49762cf"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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