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Air pollution could be making honey bees sick

Whether it’s exhaust fumes from cars or smoke from power plants, air pollution is an often invisible threat that is <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution#tab=tab_1">a leading cause</a> of death worldwide. Breathing air laced with heavy metals, nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter has been linked to a range of chronic health conditions, <a href="https://theconversation.com/understanding-the-pollution-thats-hurting-our-health-25242">including</a> lung problems, heart disease, stroke and cancer. If air pollution can harm human health in so many different ways, it makes sense that other animals suffer from it too. Airborne pollutants affect all kinds of life, <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.en.27.010182.002101">even insects</a>. In highly polluted areas of Serbia, for instance, <a href="https://peerj.com/articles/5197/">researchers found</a> pollutants lingering on the bodies of European honeybees. Car exhaust fumes are known to interrupt the scent cues that attract and guide bees towards flowers, while also <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-41876-w">interfering with</a> their ability to remember scents. Now, <a href="https://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2009074117">a new study from India</a> has revealed how air pollution may be depleting the health of honey bees in the wild. These effects may not kill bees outright. But like humans repeatedly going to work under heavy stress or while feeling unwell, the researchers found that air pollution made bees sluggish in their daily activities and could be shortening their lives. Unhealthy bees in Bangalore India is one of the world’s <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/264662/top-producers-of-fresh-vegetables-worldwide/">largest producers</a> of fruit and vegetables. Essential to that success are pollinator species like the giant Asian honey bee. Unlike the managed European honey bee, these bees are predominantly wild and regularly resist humans and other animals eager to harvest their honey. Colonies can migrate over hundreds of kilometres within a year, pollinating a vast range of wild plants and crops across India. Researchers studied how this species was faring in the southern Indian city of Bangalore, where air pollution records have been <a href="https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/cover-story/you-think-delhi-is-polluted-bengalurus-pollution-levels-will-leave-you-breathless/articleshow/69065577.cms">reported as</a> some of the highest in the country. The giant Asian honey bees were observed and collected across four sites in the city over three years. Each had different standards of air pollution. The number of bees visiting flowers was significantly lower in the most polluted sites, possibly reducing how much plants in these places were pollinated. Bees from these sites died faster after capture, and, like houses in a dirty city, were partly covered in traces of arsenic and lead. They had arrhythmic heartbeats, fewer immune cells, and were more likely to show signs of stress. There are some caveats to consider, though. For one thing, areas with high pollution might have had fewer flowering plants, meaning bees were less likely to seek them out. Also, the researchers looked at the health of honey bees in parts of the city purely based on different levels of measured pollution. They couldn’t isolate the effect of the pollution with absolute certainty – there may have been hidden factors behind the unhealthy bees they uncovered. But, crucially, it wasn’t just bees that showed this trend. In a follow-up experiment, the study’s authors placed cages of fruit flies at the same sites. Just like the bees, the flies became coated in pollutants, died quicker where there was more air pollution, and showed higher levels of stress. The threat posed by pesticides is well known. But if air pollution is also affecting the health of a range of pollinating insects, what does that mean for ecosystems and food production? Fewer cars, more flowers Our diets would be severely limited if insects like honey bees were impaired in their pollinating duties, but the threat to entire ecosystems of losing these species is even more grave. Crop plants account for less than 0.1% of all flowering species, yet 85% of flowering plants are <a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.464.6928&rep=rep1&type=pdf">pollinated by</a> bees and other species. Giant Asian honey bees like the ones in Bangalore form large, aggressive colonies that can move between urban, farmed and forest habitats. These journeys expose them to very different levels of pollution, but the colonies of most other types of wild bee species are stationary. They nest in soil, undergrowth or masonry, and individuals travel relatively short distances. The levels of pollution they’re regularly exposed to are unlikely to change very much from one day to the next, and it’s these species that are likely to suffer most if they live in towns or cities where local pollution is high. Thankfully, there are ways to fix this problem. Replacing cars with clean alternatives like electrified public transport would go a long way to reducing pollution. Creating more urban green spaces with lots of trees and other plants would help filter the air too, while providing new food sources and habitat for bees. In many parts of the UK, roadside verges have been <a href="https://theconversation.com/roadside-wildflower-meadows-are-springing-up-across-the-uk-and-theyre-helping-wildlife-in-a-big-way-120014">converted to wildflower meadows</a> in recent years. In doing so, are local authorities inadvertently attracting bees to areas we know may be harmful? We don’t know, but it’s worth pondering. From September 2020, Coventry University is launching a citizen science project with the nation’s beekeepers to map the presence of fine particulate matter in the air around colonies, to begin to unravel what’s happening to honey bees in the UK. Air pollution is likely to be one part of a complex problem. Bees are sensitive to lots of toxins, but how these interact in the wild is fiendishly difficult to disentangle. We know <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13592-014-0308-z">cocktails of pesticides</a> can cause real damage too. But what happens when bees are exposed to these at the same time as air pollution? We don’t yet know, but answers are urgently needed. Written by Barbara Smith and Mark Brown. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/air-pollution-could-be-making-honey-bees-sick-new-study-144155">The Conversation.</a>

Travel

Takeaway containers shape what (and how) we eat

Home cooks have been trying out their skills during isolation. But the way food tastes depends on more than your ability to follow a recipe. Our <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25713964/">surroundings</a>, <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/485781">the people</a> <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jpepsy/article/25/7/471/952605">we share food with</a> and the design of our tableware – our cups, bowls and plates, cutlery and containers – affect the way we experience food. For example, eating from a heavier bowl can make you feel food is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950329311000966?via%3Dihub">more filling and tastes better</a> than eating from a lighter one. Contrast this with fast food, which is most commonly served in lightweight disposable containers, which encourages <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666312001754">fast eating</a>, <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f2907">underestimating</a> how much food you’re eating, and has even been linked to becoming <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23773044/">impatient</a>. These are just some examples of the vital, but largely unconscious, relationship between the design of our tableware – including size, shape, weight and colour – and how we eat. In design, this relationship is referred to as an object’s “<a href="https://jnd.org/affordances_and_design/">affordances</a>”. Affordances guide interactions between objects and people. As Australian sociologist <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/how-artifacts-afford">Jenny Davis writes</a>, affordances: …push, pull, enable, and constrain. Affordances are how objects shape behaviour for socially situated subjects. Designed objects don’t make us do things. The colour of your crockery When you visit a restaurant, the chances are your dinner will be served on a plain white plate. But French chef Sebastien Lepinoy has staff <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=-5gCBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT118&lpg=PT118&dq=Sebastien+Lepinoy+paint+plates&source=bl&ots=8jc3yBavYd&sig=ACfU3U0jRwMOQtM_NmOspLXcyXp9SiVTuQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjqzNzj3MPpAhUOxjgGHQnvDlEQ6AEwCnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=Sebastien%20Lepinoy%20paint%20plates&f=false">paint the plates</a> to match the daily menu and “entice the appetite”. Research seems to back him up. Coloured plates can enhance flavours to actually change the dining experience. In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22128561">one study</a>, salted popcorn eaten from a coloured bowl tasted sweeter than popcorn eaten from a white bowl. In <a href="https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Does-the-colour-of-the-mug-influence-the-taste-of-Doorn-Wuillemin/476e322e1de2c705e8691e14c72c814fd79e5e09">another</a>, a café latte served in a coloured mug tasted sweeter than one in a white mug. This association between colour and taste seems to apply to people from Germany to China. A review of <a href="https://flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13411-015-0033-1">multiple studies</a> conducted in many countries over 30 years finds people consistently associated particular colours with specific tastes. Red, orange or pink is most often associated with sweetness, black with bitterness, yellow or green with sourness, and white and blue with saltiness. The size of your plate The influence of plate size on meal portions depends on the dining experience and whether you are <a href="https://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/897365/DUBELAAR-JACR-Plate-Size-Meta-Analysis-Paper-2016.pdf">serving yourself</a>. In a buffet, for example, people armed with a small plate may eat more because they can go back for multiple helpings. Nonetheless, average plate and portion sizes have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/25/problem-portions-eating-too-much-food-control-cutting-down">increased</a> over the years. Back in her day, grandma used to serve meals on plates 25cm in diameter. Now, the average dinner plate is 28cm, and many restaurant dinner plates have expanded to <a href="https://www.nisbets.com.au/size-of-plates">30cm</a>. Our waistlines have also expanded. Research confirms we tend to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666311006064">eat more calories</a> when our plates are larger, because a larger capacity plate affords a greater portion size. Plastic is too often ignored The pace of our busy lives has led many people to rely on those handy takeaways in disposable plastic food containers just ready to pop into the microwave. And it’s tempting to use plastic cutlery and cups at barbecues, picnics and kids’ birthday parties. In contrast to heavy, fragile ceramic tableware, plastic tableware is <a href="https://discardstudies.com/2019/05/21/disposability/">designed to be ignored</a>. It is so lightweight, ubiquitous and cheap we don’t notice it and pay little mind to its disposal. Plastics have also changed how we eat and drink. An aversion to the strong smell of plastic containers that once might have caused people to <a href="https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/0747936042312066?journalCode=desi">wrap their sandwiches before placing them in Tupperware</a> seems to have disappeared. We drink hot coffee though plastic lids. Australian economic sociologist Gay Hawkins and her colleagues argue lightweight, plastic water bottles have created entirely new habits, such as “<a href="https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/ics/news/news_archive/2015/history_of_bottled_water_focus_of_new_book">constant sipping</a>” on the go. New products are then designed to fit and reinforce this habit. Aesthetics matter Healthy eating is not only characterised by what we eat but how we eat. For instance, eating mindfully – more thoughtfully and slowly by focusing on the experience of eating – can help you feel <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-eating-slowly-may-help-you-feel-full-faster-20101019605">full faster</a> and make a <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/351A3D01E43F49CC9794756BC950EFFC/S0954422417000154a.pdf/structured_literature_review_on_the_role_of_mindfulness_mindful_eating_and_intuitive_eating_in_changing_eating_behaviours_effectiveness_and_associated_potential_mechanisms.pdf">difference</a> to how we eat. And the Japanese cuisine <a href="https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/dining-out/kaiseki-cheatsheet-sg">Kaiseki</a> values this mindful, slower approach to eating. It consists of small portions of beautifully arranged food presented in a grouping of small, attractive, individual plates and bowls. This encourages the diner to eat more slowly and mindfully while appreciating not only the food but the variety and setting of the tableware. Japanese people’s slower eating practices even apply to “fast food”. One <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00346651211277654/full/html">study</a> found Japanese people were more likely to eat in groups, to stay at fast food restaurants for longer and to share fast food, compared with their North American counterparts. Affordance theory is only now starting to account for <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0270467617714944">cultural diversity</a> in the ways in which designed objects shape practices and experiences. The studies we have reviewed show tableware influences how we eat. Size, shape, weight, colour and aesthetics all play a part in our experience of eating. This has wide implications for how we design for healthier eating – whether that’s to encourage eating well when we are out and about, or so we can better appreciate a tastier, healthier and more convivial meal at home. Written by Abby Mellick Lopes and Karen Weiss. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/plates-cups-and-takeaway-containers-shape-what-and-how-we-eat-137059">The Conversation</a>.

Travel

120 million years ago: Giant crocodiles walked on two legs

Fossilised footprints and tracks provide a direct record of how ancient animals moved. And some preserved behaviours leave us marvelling in disbelief. In research published today in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-66008-7">Scientific Reports</a>, my international team of colleagues and I detail our discovery of exquisitely preserved crocodile footprints, formed about 120 million years ago in what is now Sacheon, South Korea. These trace fossils reveal multiple crocodiles undertaking a very curious behaviour: bipedal walking, much like many dinosaurs. The ancient footprints uncovered resemble those made by humans, as they are long and slender, with a prominent heel impression. But they have additional features, including thick scaly imprints from the sole and toes that are comparatively long with broader impressions. The shape of these footprints compares very well with crocodile tracks known elsewhere, notably Batrachopus tracks from the Jurassic <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10420940490428832">found in the United States</a> – with “Batrachopus” being the name assigned to the tracks themselves. However, instead of being made by quadrupedal, cat-sized crocodiles, the Sacheon fossil tracks are large. With footprints that measure around 24 centimetres long, they come from animals with legs the same height as human legs and bodies more than three metres long. A distant ancestor Today, crocodiles walk on four legs in a wide, squat stance. The Sacheon crocodile trackways we discovered indicate a different pattern of movement. They do not have “handprints”, and the trackways are exceptionally narrow, as if the animals were making the footprints while balancing on a tightrope. This suggests these ancient crocodiles had their legs tucked beneath their body, much like a dinosaur, rather than assuming the typical sprawling posture seen in today’s crocodiles. The tracks could not have been made by dinosaurs. One clear difference between dinosaur and crocodile tracks is that crocodiles walk flat-footed, leaving a clear heel impression. Dinosaurs and their bird descendants walk high on their toes, with the heel off the ground. The devil is in the detail Fossil tracks can be found in many different states of preservation, ranging from excellent to comparatively indistinct. This can make it hard to accurately identify the animals that made them. Often, track sites are either not composed of sediments that help retain the finer features of tracks, or they erode after lengthy exposure to the elements. We know the Sacheon trackmakers were ancient crocodiles because the tracks have been preserved in extraordinary detail. This is due in part to fine, muddy sediment around an ancient lake that was able to hold the footprints while covered by sediment-laden water. Also, the site was freshly excavated for a new rural building development and hadn’t been exposed to erosion. A helpful reference point The perfectly preserved Sacheon tracks became our reference to reassess other unusual trackways that had been described in the area, but were more poorly preserved. Our attention focused on sites at Gain-ri and Adu Island just ten kilometres away from Sacheon, that had eroded trackways within the <a href="https://www.crd.bc.ca/education/our-environment/ecosystems/coastal-marine/intertidal-zone#:%7E:text=The%20intertidal%20zone%20is%20the,high%20and%20low%20tide%20lines.">intertidal zone</a>, between the low and high tide. These narrow trackways with long, slender footprints but no hand prints or tail drag marks echoed the Sacheon crocodile tracks. A <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10420940.2011.625779">decade earlier</a>, the footprints had been interpreted as made by another ancient animal known as a <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/11/pterosaurs-weirdest-wonders-on-wings/">pterosaur</a>. This ancient winged creature – related to dinosaurs but not officially classified as one – was famed for ruling the skies when dinosaurs ruled the land. Crocodiles and pterosaurs were quite distinct, being predominantly land and air dwellers, respectively. They had very differently shaped hands, but interestingly, the impressions they left with their feet can look very similar. When pterosaurs were on the ground, they typically walked on all fours, using their back feet and hands to support themselves as they moved, just like today’s crocodiles. However, as the “pterosaur” Gain-ri and Adu Island trackways lacked hand prints, they indicate bipedal walking. Thus, the tracks were wrongly ascribed to a pterosaur. When first discovered, pterosaur tracks were known to be very common in South Korea, while crocodile tracks were rare. In the absence of well-preserved footprints, the preferred interpretation was that these tracks were likely evidence of unusual behaviour of the pterosaur, a common trackmaker in the area. With the new evidence from the Sacheon site, it became possible to reevaluate the Gain-ri and Adu Island trackways too, which we now suspect were made by the same crocodile trackmakers strolling around Sacheon 120 million years ago. Written by Anthony Romilio. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/120-million-years-ago-giant-crocodiles-walked-on-two-legs-in-what-is-now-south-korea-140335">The Conversation.</a>

Travel

“Works awesome!”: New cleaning hack will get rid of tough shower stains

A new shower cleaning hack has gone viral, much to the delight of people who clean around the world. The new trick sees people using a magic sponge with a dishwasher tablet inside the sponge which helps remove tough stains. One mum shared her impressive results with the popular Facebook group Mums Who Clean. “My husband is a mechanic, so our shower cops a lot from all his hand washes to get the grease off,” Lauren said. “I tried the magic sponge and dishwasher tablet. Five minutes and not much effort!” She revealed her technique, explaining that she lets the magic sponge get very wet before removing part of the sponge and inserting the dishwasher tablet into the sponge. Lauren explained that she removed the “power ball” part of the dishwasher tablet. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836176/body-shower.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c465a27f9a174cbaa03c3359a3a28a69" /> Other group members excitedly revealed that they had tried the hack with exciting results. “I did the same thing tonight! Amazing results here too!” said one. Added another: “Works awesome! Did mine today with the same trick, it’s never been this clean before!” Wrote a third: “I gave it a go and worked a dream. Didn’t even have to scrub hard.” Said one more: “I used this as well on shower I had scrubbed with everything. Worked like a charm.” Photo credits: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/mumswhoclean/" target="_blank">Facebook / Mums Who Clean</a>

Property

How captive animals are coping with the sudden emptiness of the world’s zoos and aquariums

More than 700 million people visit zoos and aquariums each year <a href="https://www.waza.org/">worldwide</a>, so human visitors are usually a constant presence for the animals that live there. But the COVID-19 pandemic has forced these places to close to the public, plunging resident animals into an empty silence. Instead, zoos have been opening virtually during the lockdown, allowing people to see behind the closed doors from the comfort of their living rooms. Chester Zoo in the UK hosted an online tour so popular that it “<a href="https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/relive-chester-zoos-first-ever-18006186">broke the internet when it went viral</a>” according to one zookeeper, with hundreds of thousands of people worldwide flocking to the zoo’s Facebook page. Zoo workers have described how animals are greeting the isolation during COVID-19 closures. One zoo in India reported that animals were “<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/call-of-the-wild-quiet-brings-out-animal-instincts-at-zoo/articleshow/75665638.cms">loving the quiet spell</a>” – foxes were “frolicking around”, the hippopotamus was happily splashing in its pool and even the tigers were enjoying a dip. In other zoos, animals seem to be <a href="https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/animals-twycross-zoo-are-missing-4119435">missing people</a>. Twycross Zoo’s curator reported primates looking for zoo visitors, for instance. Some zoo animals are forgetting all about their previous lives, with garden eels at one Japanese aquarium hiding when staff members approached their enclosure. Workers have asked the public to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/01/japanese-aquarium-urges-public-to-video-chat-eels-who-are-forgetting-humans-exist">make video calls to their eels</a>, to try and prevent them from seeing visitors as a threat when the aquarium reopens. Meanwhile, some animals are enjoying the freedom of daily zoo walks, like the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVfTGFBJ8a8">penguins at the Shedd Aquarium</a> in Chicago, which were let out to wander the empty halls and look into the other enclosures. Is this reprieve from regular visitors healthy for zoo animals? And how will they respond to people suddenly flooding back once zoos reopen? Researchers and animal charities are worried that our pets will develop <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/dogs-trust-separation-anxiety-pets-coronavirus-lockdown-a9477541.html">separation anxiety once their owners return to work</a>. The opposite might happen among zoo animals. Will captive creatures be desperate for the public to return or have they adapted to a slower, quieter life? When zoos reopen As zoos that have closed for months <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/coronavirus-lockdown-europe-austria-pools-zoos-opened-a4426021.html">reopen their doors</a>, we have an opportunity to study how visitors influence the lives of zoo animals. While we can’t predict the future, previous research on how zoo animals have responded to changes in visitor schedules might give us some idea of what to expect. During the night, zoo animals are used to relative peace and quiet. For many, beyond the odd security warden, there are no visitors. But before COVID-19, some zoos did open their doors outside of normal opening hours, for <a href="https://www.colchester-zoo.com/event/starlight-safari-night-2/">late-night tours</a> and <a href="https://twycrosszoo.org/events/twycross-zoo-safari-sleepover-camping-experience/">overnight camps</a>. Typically, we study animal behaviours to understand how they may be feeling and try to make judgements about their experiences. From that, we can say that zoo animals have tended to show mixed responses to evening events. A <a href="http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/pdf_files/142/1422582743.pdf">study</a> at a zoo in Germany found that elephants sought comfort from others in their herd during an evening firework display, but they didn’t retreat into their indoor enclosures. <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/vmi/2017/6585380/">Researchers</a> at London Zoo noticed no changes in the behaviour of lions during sunset safaris, on evenings when the zoo was open for visitors until 10pm, compared to their behaviour during normal opening hours. Across the board, changes in the usual routines of zoo animals affect different species in different ways. The quiet caused by vanished visitors might mean more animals performing attention-seeking behaviours to try and interact with visitors more than normal, as keepers have reported chimpanzees doing <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/life-covid-19-animals-zookeepers-maryland-zoo/story?id=70422788">during lockdown</a>, as they reach out towards workers who would usually feed them by hand. It may also cause them to be overly skittish to human visitors when they return, like the garden eels in Japan. This is the longest time many zoo animals will have gone without the public, and zoo staff will have to help them transition back to normal life. Most zoos are planning <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-52493750">phased reopenings</a> of animal houses to prevent the sudden changes in noise disturbing the animals. Some animals, especially those born during the COVID-19 lockdown, will never have experienced life in the public eye. Many up-close animal encounters <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-zoos-must-change-to-keep-great-apes-safe-from-coronavirus-134692">will have to change</a>, particularly as <a href="https://theconversation.com/transmission-of-diseases-from-humans-to-apes-why-extra-vigilance-is-now-needed-134083">humans can transmit coronaviruses to great apes</a> in captivity. On your next visit, <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-behave-at-a-zoo-according-to-science-73873">be cool, calm and collected</a>. Keepers and other zoo staff will be on hand to guide you, helping enforce social distancing and supporting you on how best to behave around the animals. Your local zoo will need visitors more than ever when they reopen. But remember, zoo animals will be experiencing their own post lockdown fuzz, and, just like you, they may need time to adjust. Written by Ellen Williams and Jessica Rendle. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-captive-animals-are-coping-with-the-sudden-emptiness-of-the-worlds-zoos-and-aquariums-138668">The Conversation.</a>

Travel

6 countries with 6 curves: How nations that moved fast against COVID-19 avoided disaster

To understand the spread of COVID-19, the pandemic is more usefully viewed as a series of distinct local epidemics. The way the virus has spread in different countries, and even in particular states or regions within them, has been quite varied. A New Zealand <a href="https://www.tepunahamatatini.ac.nz/2020/04/22/effect-of-alert-level-4-measures-on-covid-19-transmission/">study</a> has mapped the coronavirus epidemic curve for 25 countries and modelled how the spread of the virus has changed in response to the various lockdown measures. The research, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, classifies each country’s public health response using New Zealand’s <a href="https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-system/covid-19-alert-system/">four-level alert system</a>. Levels 1 and 2 represent relatively relaxed controls, whereas levels 3 and 4 are stricter. By mapping the change in the effective reproduction number (Reff, an indicator of the actual spread of the virus in the community) against response measures, the research shows countries that implemented level 3 and 4 restrictions sooner had greater success in pushing Reff to below 1. An Reff of less than 1 means each infected person spreads the virus to less than one other person, on average. By keeping Reff below 1, the number of new infections will fall and the virus will ultimately disappear from the community. Italy Italy was relatively slow to respond to the epidemic, and experienced a high Reff for many weeks. This led to an explosion of cases which overwhelmed the health system, particularly in the country’s north. This was followed by some of the strictest public health control measures in Europe, which has finally seen the Reff fall to below 1. Unfortunately, the time lag has cost many lives. Italy’s death toll of over 27,000 serves as a warning of what can happen if the virus is allowed to spread unchecked, even if strict measures are brought in later. United Kingdom The UK’s initial response to COVID-19 was characterised by a series of missteps. The government prevaricated while it considered pursuing a controversial “herd immunity” strategy, before finally ordering an Italy-style lockdown to regain control over the virus’s transmission. As in Italy, the result was an initial surge in case numbers, a belatedly successful effort to bring Reff below 1, and a huge death toll of over 20,000 to date. New York, USA New York City, with its field hospital in Central Park resembling a scene from a disaster movie, is another testament to the power of uncontrolled virus spread to overwhelm the health system. Its Reff peaked at a staggeringly high value of 8, before the city slammed on the brakes and went into complete lockdown. It took a protracted battle to finally bring the Reff below 1. Perhaps more than any other city, New York will feel the economic shock of this epidemic for many years to come. Sweden Sweden has taken a markedly relaxed approach to its public health response. Barring a few minor restrictions, the country remains more or less open as usual, and the focus has been on individuals to take personal responsibility for controlling the virus through social distancing. This is understandably contentious, and the number of cases and deaths in Sweden are far higher than its neighbouring countries. But Reff indicates that the curve is flattening. Singapore Singapore is a lesson on why you can’t ever relax when it comes to coronavirus. It was hailed as an early success story in bringing the virus to heel, through extensive testing, effective contact tracing and strict quarantining, with no need for a full lockdown. But the virus has bounced back. Infection clusters originating among migrant workers has prompted tighter restrictions. The Reff currently sits at around 2, and Singapore still has a lot of work to do to bring it down. Individually, these graphs each tell their own story. Together, they have one clear message: places that moved quickly to implement strict interventions brought the coronavirus under control much more effectively, with less death and disease. And our final example, Singapore, adds an important coda: the situation can change rapidly, and there is no room for complacency. Written by Hassan Vally. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/6-countries-6-curves-how-nations-that-moved-fast-against-covid-19-avoided-disaster-137333">The Conversation.</a>

Travel

“I want to stare death in the eye”: why dying inspires so many writers and artists

It may seem paradoxical, but dying can be a deeply creative process. Public figures, authors, artists and journalists have long written about their experience of dying. But why do they do it and what do we gain? Many stories of dying are written to bring an issue or disease to public attention. For instance, English editor and journalist Ruth Picardie’s description of terminal breast cancer, so poignantly described in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/424646.Before_I_Say_Goodbye">Before I say Goodbye</a>, drew attention to the impact of medical negligence, and particularly misdiagnosis, on patients and their families. American tennis player and social activist Arthur Ashe wrote about his heart disease and subsequent diagnosis and death from AIDS in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/698054.Days_of_Grace">Days of Grace: A Memoir</a>. His autobiographical account brought public and political attention to the risks of blood transfusion (he acquired HIV from an infected blood transfusion following heart bypass surgery). Other accounts of terminal illness lay bare how people navigate uncertainty and healthcare systems, as surgeon Paul Kalanithi did so beautifully in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25899336-when-breath-becomes-air">When Breath Becomes Air</a>, his account of dying from lung cancer. But, perhaps most commonly, for artists, poets, writers, musicians and journalists, dying can provide <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25733900-the-violet-hour">one last opportunity for creativity</a>. American writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak drew people he loved as they were dying; founder of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud, while in great pain, refused pain medication so he could be lucid enough to think clearly about his dying; and author Christopher Hitchens <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Hitch_22.html?id=H6nbV6nLcWcC&redir_esc=y">wrote about</a> dying from <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/about-cancer/types-of-cancer/oesophageal-cancer.html">oesophageal cancer</a> despite increasing symptoms: I want to stare death in the eye. Faced with terminal cancer, renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks wrote, if possible, more prolifically than before. And Australian author Clive James found dying a mine of new material: Few people read Poetry any more but I still wish To write its seedlings down, if only for the lull Of gathering: no less a harvest season For being the last time. Research shows what dying artists have told us for centuries – creative self-expression is core to their sense of self. So, creativity has <a href="https://www.headspace.com/blog/2017/04/18/grief-creativity-together/">therapeutic and existential benefits</a> for the dying and their grieving families. Creativity <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jocb.171">provides</a> a buffer against anxiety and negative emotions about death. It may help us make sense of events and experiences, tragedy and misfortune, as a graphic novel did for cartoonist Miriam Engelberg in <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780060789732/cancer-made-me-a-shallower-person/">Cancer Made Me A Shallower Person</a>, and as <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=MkcGiLeATe8C&oi=fnd&pg=PP2&dq=%5BCarla+Sofka+and+Illene+Cupit+(eds)++Dying,+Death,+and+Grief+in+an+Online+Universe:+For+Counselors+and+Educators,+Springer+2012&ots=vdXYa_3cvU&sig=Od3eQ4A7_hadLwgIn4liIEoyo5c&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%5BCarla%20Sofka%20and%20Illene%20Cupit%20(eds)%20%20Dying%2C%20Death%2C%20and%20Grief%20in%20an%20Online%20Universe%3A%20For%20Counselors%20and%20Educators%2C%20Springer%202012&f=false">blogging and online writing</a>does for so many. Creativity may give voice to our experiences and provide some resilience as we face disintegration. It may also provide agency (an ability to act independently and make our own choices), and a sense of normality. French doctor Benoit Burucoa <a href="https://www.cairn.info/article.php?ID_ARTICLE=INKA_181_0005">wrote</a> art in palliative care allows people to feel physical and emotional relief from dying, and: […] to be looked at again and again like someone alive (without which one feels dead before having disappeared). A way of communicating to loved ones and the public When someone who is dying creates a work of art or writes a story, this can open up otherwise difficult conversations with people close to them. But where these works become public, this conversation is also with those they do not know, whose only contact is through that person’s writing, poetry or art. This public discourse is a means of living while dying, making connections with others, and ultimately, increasing the public’s “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29402101">death literacy</a>”. In this way, our <a href="https://www.thegroundswellproject.com/">conversations about death</a> become <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-end-9781742752051">more normal, more accessible</a> and much richer. There is no evidence reading literary works about death and dying fosters <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumination_(psychology)">rumination</a> (an unhelpful way of dwelling on distressing thoughts) or other forms of psychological harm. In fact, the evidence we have suggests the opposite is true. There is plenty of <a href="http://www.artshealthandwellbeing.org.uk/appg/arts-and-palliative-care-dying-and-bereavement">evidence</a> for the positive impacts of both making and consuming art (of all kinds) at the <a href="http://www.artshealthandwellbeing.org.uk/appg-inquiry/Briefings/WWCW.pdf">end of life</a>, and specifically <a href="https://spcare.bmj.com/content/7/3/A369.2">surrounding palliative care</a>. Why do we buy these books? Some people read narratives of dying to gain insight into this mysterious experience, and empathy for those amidst it. Some read it to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-neuroscience-of-your-brain-on-fiction.html">rehearse</a> their own journeys to come. But these purpose-oriented explanations miss what is perhaps the most important and unique feature of literature – its delicate, multifaceted capacity to help us become what philosopher <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/25/martha-nussbaums-moral-philosophies">Martha Nussbaum</a> <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/2026358.pdf?seq=1">described as</a>: […] finely aware and richly responsible. Literature can capture the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2003/apr/01/londonreviewofbooks">tragedy</a> in ordinary lives; its depictions of <a href="https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/2016/08/12/martha-nussbaum-on-emotions-ethics-and-literature/">grief, anger and fear</a> help us fine-tune what’s important to us; and it can show the <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Love_s_Knowledge.html?id=oq3POR8FhtgC">value of a unique person</a> across their whole life’s trajectory. Not everyone can be creative towards the end Not everyone, however, has the opportunity for creative self-expression at the end of life. In part, this is because increasingly we die in hospices, hospitals or nursing homes. These are often far removed from the resources, people and spaces that may inspire creative expression. And in part it is because many people cannot communicate after a stroke or dementia diagnosis, or are <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/01/how-do-people-communicate-before-death/580303/">delirious</a>, so are incapable of “<a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691628554/last-words">last words</a>” <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Final-Gifts-Understanding-Awareness-Communications/dp/1451667256">when they die</a>. Perhaps most obviously, it is also because most of us are not artists, musicians, writers, poets or philosophers. We will not come up with elegant prose in our final days and weeks, and lack the skill to paint inspiring or intensely beautiful pictures. But this does not mean we cannot tell a story, using whatever genre we wish, that captures or at least provides a glimpse of our experience of dying – our fears, goals, hopes and preferences. Clive James <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/sep/01/clive-james-poem-story-mind-heading-obivion">reminded us</a>: “There will still be epic poems, because every human life contains one. It comes out of nowhere and goes somewhere on its way to everywhere – which is nowhere all over again, but leaves a trail of memories. There won’t be many future poets who don’t dip their spoons into all that, even if nobody buys the book.” Written by Claire Hooker and Ian Kerridge. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-want-to-stare-death-in-the-eye-why-dying-inspires-so-many-writers-and-artists-128061">The Conversation.</a>

Entertainment

6 things you didn't know you could compost

As more people aim to lessen their carbon footprint, there’s been a quest to learn about all the things you can upcycle, recycle and compost. And you may be surprised to learn some of the things you can add to your compost bin. <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/10-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-compost">1. Natural-fibre clothes</div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/10-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-compost"> If you have natural-fibre clothing – pure wool, cotton, silk, or linen – that is too old or damaged to donate, then cut it up in chunks so it breaks down faster and add it to your compost pile! If you do compost clothes, be sure that there are no synthetic threads, plastic buttons, metal zippers, or stains from motor oil, paint, wood stain and other non-compostable substances. 2. Wine corks The next time you’re recycling your wine bottles, throw their corks into the compost pile. Corks are a natural product, and although some wineries are now using plastic corks that look a lot like the real thing, remember that you can compost the wine stoppers if they are made of natural cork. 3. Fur, hair and nail clippings If you have a pet pup or cat that sheds more than you like, hopefully you can find at least some solace in the fact that you can compost their fur! You can also clean out your and your family’s hair brushes and add all nail clippings to the compost heap. It may be a little gross but your compost will be happy about it. 4. Vacuum bag contents <div id="page9" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> Typically, the stuff your vacuum picks up is composed of compostable materials: dust, hair, dirt, etc. In some cases, even the vacuum bag itself can be composted if it’s made from natural products (be sure to check the bag to see what it’s made of). If you have a bagless vacuum, the contents of the dirt collection cup can be dumped directly into your compost pile. So, unless you’re vacuuming up after a glittery birthday party, your vacuum dirt should be okay to compost. <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/10-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-compost">5. Used loofahs and sponges</div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/10-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-compost"> If you’re using a natural loofah, then remember that you can tear that thing up and compost it the next time you’re ready to replace it. If you’re currently using synthetic sponges, consider making the switch to a natural one. Man-made sponges can carry germs and add a ton of waste to the environment if you’re going through them regularly. 6. Cotton swabs and balls <div id="page10" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> Consider adding a tiny compost rubbish bin to your bathroom so you can collect all the compostable bathroom garbage. As long as the cotton swabs you’re using are plastic-free, you can add those to the bin along with cotton balls and toilet paper rolls. Just be sure that the dental floss doesn’t get in there. <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/10-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-compost"> <div id="page11" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> Source: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.rd.com/home/cleaning-organizing/things-didnt-know-could-compost/" target="_blank">RD.com</a> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/10-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-compost"> Written by Hannah Louise. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/10-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-compost">Reader’s Digest</a>. </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Lifestyle

10½ commandments of writing

Every author is asked by new writers for advice. There is, however, no all-encompassing, single answer that also happens to be correct. Quite a lot of commonly offered suggestions (“write every day”) don’t work for everyone and must be approached with caution. A few years ago, I set out to create a list that will benefit all new writers. I put ten commandments through the wringer of my peers, who suggested modifications and noted that this list applies not just to new writers but to writers at every stage of their career. Indeed, I’ve needed reminding of more than one myself. Here, then, are the 10½ commandments of writing – with an extra one for free. 1. Read widely To succeed as a writer, you must occasionally read. Yet there are wannabe-novelists who haven’t picked up a book in years. There are also, more tragically, writers too busy to engage with the end-product of our craft. If the only thing you’re reading is yourself you are bound to miss out on valuable lessons. The same applies to reading only within a favourite genre. A varied diet will strengthen your literary muscles. 2. Write No need to thrash out 1,000 words a day or pen a perfect poem before breakfast, but you do have to write. The fundamental qualification for being a writer is putting words on the page. If you aren’t doing that now, it’s possible you never will. 3. Follow your heart When you really want to write literary fiction, but the market wants paranormal romance, write literary fiction. Chasing paranormal romance will be futile. Writing well is hard enough without cynicism getting in the way. Passion doesn’t always pay, but it increases the odds of your work finding a home. 4. Be strategic But the choice is never between just literary fiction and paranormal romance. You might have poetry and narrative non-fiction passion projects as well, and it’s possible narrative non-fiction will appeal to the widest audience. If a wider audience is what you want, narrative non-fiction is the one to choose. If, however, you don’t give two hoots about your audience, write what you like. There are lots of different kinds of writers and lots of different paths to becoming the writer you want to be. 5. Be brave Writing is hard, intellectually and physically. It also takes emotional work, dealing with exposure, rejection, fear and impostor syndrome. It’s better you know this upfront, in order to fortify yourself. These crises, however, are surmountable. We know this because there are writers out there, leading somewhat normal lives, even healthy and happy ones. You can too, if you don’t give up. The ones who persist are the ones who prevail. 6. Be visible Many writers would prefer they remain hidden in a dark cave for all eternity. But stories demand to be communicated, which means leaving that cave. Whether it’s you or your written word, or both, broaching the bubble of self-isolation is important. This doesn’t mean assaulting every social platform and attending every festival and convention. Find the kind of engagement that suits you and embrace it, and don’t overdo it. Remember: you still have to write. 7. Be professional Don’t lie. Don’t belittle your peers and don’t steal from them. Keep your promises. Communicate. Try to behave like someone people will want to work with – because we all have to do that, at some point. 8. Listen Heed what people you’re working with are saying, because you never know what gems of knowledge you might glean – about craft, about the market, about something you’re working on – among the knowledge you (think you) already possess. 9. Don’t settle Every story requires different skills. You’ll never, therefore, stop learning how to write. The day you think you’ve worked it out is the day the ground beneath you begins to erode, dropping you headlong into a metaphorical sinkhole – and nobody wants that. Least of all your readers. Readers can tell when you’re getting lazy, just like they can tell when you’re faking. You’re one of them. Deep down, you’ll be the first to know. 10. Work hard Put in the hours and you’re likely to get some return on your investment. How many hours, though? There’s a wonderful saying: “Even a thief takes ten years to learn her trade.” Writing is no different to any other career. Hope for overnight success; plan for being like everyone else. The bonus commandments When I put this list to my friends, several raised the importance of finding your people. Although I agree this is an important principle, I would argue it is implicit in commandments 6-8: these have no meaning without engaging. I decided to encapsulate this as 10.5. Embrace community After I’d been teaching and giving talks on this topic for several years, someone suggested another commandment that lies beneath the rest. It is so fundamental none will work unless you have this in spades. It is 0. Really want it, which sounds so obvious that it barely needs stating – except it does. One day, I may no longer want to write. If that happens, I will take every mention of writing from this list and substitute the name of a new vocation – because this list applies to everything. Written by Sean Williams. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/10-commandments-of-writing-129069">The Conversation.</a>

Lifestyle

11 of the longest bridges in the world - not including the Harbour Bridge

Human feats of wonder While most of the longest bridges in the world exist in Asia and the United States, engineering marvels that allow travellers to pass over large bodies of water and/or kilometres of tricky terrain, on a train or in a car, exist across the globe. The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0k3Ik2gU9k/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/B0k3Ik2gU9k/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by PlayDay Live! (@playdaylive)</a> on Jul 31, 2019 at 2:23am PDT </div> </blockquote> At 164.8km in length, China’s Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is the world’s longest bridge. Built at a cost of approximately $8.5 billion dollars, per Britannica, this link between Shanghai and Nanjing opened as a viaduct on the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway in June 2011. As of publication, this bridge remains in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest bridge in the world. Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzc35aXoB0u/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/Bzc35aXoB0u/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by MyExpatCommunity (@myexpatcommunity)</a> on Jul 3, 2019 at 3:24am PDT </div> </blockquote> Also in China is the longest bridge in the world made of glass where pedestrians pay high prices for what Business Insider calls a “colossal waste of time.” That’s thanks to a sea of people and their shoes which scuff the glass beneath feet, despite the fact that booties are mandatory to, in theory, protect the 99 panels of 60cm thick glass. Tourists flock to walk the 427m long glass bridge that sits 299m above China’s Grand Canyon. Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp2EgdvhGgd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/Bp2EgdvhGgd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by L U (@voyconlu)</a> on Nov 6, 2018 at 8:06am PST </div> </blockquote> =What does $20 billion get you in the 21st-century bridge market? A huge 54.7km bridge connecting Hong Kong and Zhuhai/Macau. Commuting between those cities would previously have required an hour-long ferry ride, according to CNN. The newest world’s largest sea-crossing bridge, with immigration offices and border control at either end (because Hong Kong and Macau are governed under different laws), took nine years to build and opened in the autumn of 2018. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BBD35ejPsLZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/BBD35ejPsLZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Fisk - Centro de Ensino (@fiskoficial)</a> on Jan 27, 2016 at 3:13pm PST </div> </blockquote> Per the Telegraph, “Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in southern Louisiana is an epic structure that crosses one of the most famous bodies of water in the United States; a lake that has inspired literature, music and film.” This nearly 39km-long bridge is the longest bridge in the world that’s not in Asia. It’ll cost you $5 to go southbound on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. The Vasco da Gama Bridge The longest bridge in Europe, found east of Lisbon, Portugal, took more than 3,000 workers 18 months to build. Heavy cloud cover on its inauguration day during the 1998 Lisbon World Exposition meant that travellers couldn’t see the other side. Spanning an impressive 17km over the Tagus River, “the Vasco da Game was named after the famous Portuguese explorer to commemorate the fifth centenary of his arrival from India in 1498. Gama was the first European to reach India by sea, from the Atlantic Ocean,” reports Civitatis’ Lisbon travel guide. Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge, Switzerland In Switzerland, you’ll find a 494m suspension bridge that is the longest bridge in the world exclusively for pedestrian use. According to the Telegraph, the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge crosses “a valley between Grächen and Zermatt, and offers scenic views of some of Switzerland’s highest peaks, including the famed Matterhorn.” Millau Viaduct, France At 2460m, the Millau Viaduct is not even close to being one of the longest bridges in the world. Instead, this engineering marvel often seen cutting through the clouds on the A75 highway between Paris and Barcelona is the tallest bridge and, remarkably, is even higher than the Eiffel Tower. Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Part bridge, part tunnel, this 28.3-mile marvel of engineering opened for automotive traffic way back in 1964. By the following year, it had been designated as “One of Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World,” according to Travel Trivia. The site goes on to explain that the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel “connects the Delmarva Peninsula with southeastern Virginia, spanning across open waters around the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.” Atchafalaya Basin Bridge The twin bridge that spans the largest river swamp in the country opened in 1973 and at the time “was the longest bridge in the United States,” reports the Advertiser. Drivers and passengers alike are afforded stellar views of Louisiana’s wetlands from Interstate 10 during the 30km stretch. Bang Na to Bangpakong Expressway Is a bridge still a bridge if it doesn’t cross over water? The six lanes of The Bang Na in Thailand span a whopping 53.9km, including a run through Bangkok, with only a relative drop of the Bang Pakong River flowing beneath. Structurally this bridge, which ranks as the longest road bridge in the world, was made with over a million cubic metres of concrete, according to Road Traffic Technology, and instead of a sea or lake, rises nearly 30.4 metres above another stretch of road, National Highway Route 34. Akashi Kaikyo Bridge Rising high above the Akashi Strait, and connecting the city of Kobe with Awaji Island in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, is the longest spanning suspension bridge in the world. At 3,911m in length, its length is only part of the story. According to PBS, the two towers of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, rising 283m, “are higher than any other bridge towers in the world.” Written by Jeff Bogle. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/destinations/11-of-the-longest-bridges-in-the-world?slide=all">Reader’s Digest.</a> For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> , <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRN93V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a>

Travel

What flight attendants aren’t allowed to do

The (job) rules of the sky There are always rules and regulations to follow at various companies, and flight attendants are no exception. However, since being a flight attendant is no ordinary job and they’ve seen some of the craziest things when flying, it makes sense that they have some more interesting rules they need to abide by. From keeping piercings and tattoos to a minimum and not raising their voice, read on to find out the unusual rules flight attendants need to follow on the job. They can’t sleep when working on a flight It’s tempting for passengers to get some sleep when on a flight, but flight attendants don’t always have that option. “Flight attendants cannot ever sleep while working a flight unless it is a flight of a certain time duration,” says Kiki Ward, an airline flight attendant and author of The Essential Guide to Becoming a Flight Attendant. However, there are some exceptions, like on international or long-haul flights where flight attendants can go to a designated area to take a rest break. They can’t have tongue piercings Many women get their ears pierced at a young age. However, piercings can’t extend to other parts of the body, especially the tongue. According to the British Airways, its uniform standards require a simple, elegant look. A single ear piercing is allowed and only one set of round-shaped earrings must be worn. No other visible body piercings including tongue, tongue retainer, and nose studs are allowed. They can’t have tattoos on most airlines Most airlines require that tattoos aren’t visible on a flight attendant’s face, neck, hands or arms, and if a tattoo can be seen under the uniform, an undergarment should be worn to cover it up. <a href="https://careers.airnewzealand.co.nz/belong-here/life-at-air-new-zealand/tattoo-policy">Air New Zealand’s tattoo policy</a> however allows employees to have <a href="https://media.newzealand.com/en/story-ideas/ta-moko-significance-of-maori-tattoos/">Tā Moko</a> (traditional Māori tattooing, often on the face) and non-offensive tattoos visible when wearing the uniform or normal business attire. They can’t talk loudly in the cabin In a confined space like a cabin, one conversation can be heard by people rows away. “There are personal behavioural guidelines that flight attendants are asked to follow,” says Ward, such as not talking to one another loudly in the cabin, the galleys or on jump seats about personal lives, work, etc because voices carry on aeroplanes. There isn’t a lot of privacy on an plane, so everyone should be courteous to those around them. Although if you’re bumped from your flight, you may feel less than courteous in your interactions with airline staff. Written by Madeline Wahl. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/flightstravel-hints-tips/10-things-flight-attendants-arent-allowed-to-do?slide=all">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a>

Travel

How to keep your grandkids learning while travelling

The school year is over and holidays are upon us. But that doesn’t mean your children’s learning experiences can’t continue. If you’re planning an overseas trip with your family, you’re in for many benefits. Research shows travel has a <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258161384_Health_and_Wellness_Benefits_of_Travel_Experiences_A_Literature_Review">positive impact</a> on mental and physical health, and family relationships. Travel is also an <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0047287513500588">educational opportunity</a>. It’s a rich experience seeing different parts of the world and understanding other cultures. And there are several things you can do to support your children’s learning. How travel educates The way children learn while travelling is in many respects comparable to what educational researchers call <a href="http://www.ascotkindergarten.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Play-based-learning.pdf">play-based learning</a>. Play-based learning and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00094056.2001.10521668">travel stimulate children’s minds</a> by boosting their creativity and imagination. Both can also help develop social and emotional skills and encourage language development. Travelling exposes children to new scenarios and problems to solve – such as following a certain route on a map. They explore new food, encounter people communicating in a different language, notice cars driving on the opposite side of the road and billboards showcasing products they have not seen before. All of their senses are challenged as they go through these new experiences. New experiences can provoke some anxiety, which is what sociologist and education professor Jack Mezirow refers to as <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-6300-797-9_7">disorientating dilemmas</a>. He argues such dilemmas are the first step to <a href="https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/53100/">transformative learning</a>, where the learner’s existing assumptions are challenged and beliefs transformed. Although Mezirow often associates transformation with elements of life crises, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1541344611421491">others</a> suggest transformative learning can happen in different contexts, most notably travel. But transformative learning usually comes at an emotional cost, such as a <a href="https://www.early-education.org.uk/sites/default/files/Helping%20children%20cope%20with%20change.pdf">change of routine</a> which can lead to mixed emotions, especially for children. This is why travelling as a family provides a buffer, as it often promotes a safe environment. What you can do Some of <a href="https://www.legofoundation.com/media/1063/learning-through-play_web.pdf">the richest learning</a>, for a child, can be disguised as exploration and adventure. Parents can maximise such learning during travel by subtly incorporating <a href="https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/p_10/qklg_pd_intentional_teaching_transcript.pdf">intentional teaching</a> to the experience, just as educators do in play-based learning scenarios. Here are some ways to do this. 1. Do some pre-reading about the destination This will help you identify where and how learning might occur. You might also engage your children in this. Say you’re going on a cruise to the South Pacific. Prior to departing you might look at a map of the Pacific with your children to identify the various islands located in this part of the world. You could also encourage your children to discover the special landmarks of different places using <a href="https://www.google.com/earth/">Google Earth</a>. Such activities will support the development of your children’s <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/tea.3660300605">prediction</a> skills. This helps children anticipate future experiences which increases their intellectual involvement with them. <a href="https://readingstrategiesmsu.weebly.com/predicting.html">Educational research</a> has shown the act of predicting strengthens connections between children’s new knowledge and their existing understanding of the world. 2. Learn some of the language together Learning even a little of the local <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-learning-a-new-language-improves-tolerance-68472">language</a> will open up aspects of the culture you may not have otherwise experienced. Together with your children, you can start learning the basics of the new language by downloading some <a href="https://elearningindustry.com/10-best-language-learning-apps-for-kids">interactive language apps</a>. Another fun way to expand your vocabulary and improve your pronunciation is by singing songs in the target language. Knowing a bit of the local language is a demonstration of respect which means people are more likely to open up to you, further supporting learning opportunities. 3. Model an inquiring mind By asking and responding to <a href="https://garyhall.org.uk/importance-of-questioning.html">questions</a> with your children, you’re encouraging new knowledge and helping them engage in critical and creative thinking. For example, when you are walking down the street of the city you are visiting, encourage your children to take notice of what is going on around them and engage in <a href="https://carrotsareorange.com/open-ended-questions/">open-ended questions</a> such as: <ul> <li>“How does this supermarket compare to the one we normally go to back home?”</li> <li>“Why do you think the houses are built that way?”</li> </ul> 4. Throw in a little reflection at the end of each day Travel will provide so many learning experiences, you will need to allow time for your child to pause and make sense of them. Any teacher will tell you <a href="http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/108008/chapters/Learning-Through-Reflection.aspx">reflecting</a> is often when the deep connections are made between new experiences and existing world views. Some children will reflect of their own accord, but establishing a routine of doing this together will make sure it happens. The traditional travel diary is still a great tool to engage in self-reflection. Others might enjoy looking at photos taken and reflect on the day through family conversations. Learning is a life-long journey that extends well beyond the walls of the traditional classroom. By planning for just a little intentional teaching, you can help your children learn to critically think about and appreciate the world around them. Written by Florence Monique Boulard. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-cultures-new-experiences-4-ways-to-keep-kids-learning-while-travelling-126202">The Conversation.</a>

Travel

6 things you never knew you could put in the washing machine

Bring it on. 1. Stuffed animals Place each stuffed animal in its own mesh laundry bag and set your machine to wash and rinse. Use cold water (warm or hot water could melt the toy’s glue) and half the regular amount of detergent. Run the animals through a second rinse cycle to remove all the soap, and allow them to air dry. Fluff fur as needed. 2. Sneakers Remove the laces from canvas or nylon sneakers and slip them into a cotton pillowcase where they won’t get tangled. Take out any inner soles or padding from the sneakers and toss the shoes and pillowcase into your washer (if you’re concerned about the shoes causing a racket, throw in a few towels as well). Add the regular amount of detergent, plus a dash of vinegar to deodorise. Set your machine on a cold-wash delicate cycle. Allow the shoes and shoelaces to air dry. 3. Pillows Wash pillows two at a time in a warm-water gentle cycle. To ensure you’re washing out all the soap, add an extra cold-water rinse and spin, advises Good Housekeeping. To fluff things up, dry the pillows on low heat, along with a few rubber dryer balls. 4. Backpacks and lunch boxes Open all of your backpack’s pockets and check for any items that might be hidden. If there are large pieces of crumbs or debris, use your vacuum cleaner’s crevice attachment to do a thorough pre-cleaning. Put your backpack into a laundry bag or pillowcase and wash it on a gentle cycle in cold water with a small amount of gentle detergent. Allow to air dry. 5. Bath mats and small rugs Take the mat outside and shake it to remove any loose dirt, and then load the rug into the washing machine with a few bath towels to balance the load. Set the machine on a cold-wash delicate cycle, and add half the regular amount of detergent. Allow the mat to air dry (never put a rubber-backed mat into the dryer). <div id="page12" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/16-things-you-never-knew-you-could-put-in-the-washing-machine">6. Pet beds</div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/16-things-you-never-knew-you-could-put-in-the-washing-machine"> Foam pet beds can be cleaned whenever you see fit. Remove the bed’s outside cover and place it in the washing machine with cold water and regular detergent. To clean the foam piece, fill your bathtub halfway with warm water. Add a scoop of laundry detergent and sink the bed into the soapy water. Empty the soap water from the tub and refill with clean water. Rinse the foam out and place it in the sun to air dry. Replace the foam cover and zip it up. <div id="page16" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> Source: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.rd.com/home/cleaning-organizing/washing-machine-suprising-items/" target="_blank">RD.com</a> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/16-things-you-never-knew-you-could-put-in-the-washing-machine">Written by Juliana LaBianca. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/16-things-you-never-knew-you-could-put-in-the-washing-machine">Reader’s Digest</a>. </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Lifestyle

Do this on an aeroplane to change how you fly

Before you book your next trip, learn these insider tricks that will make flying a whole lot easier and more pleasant. Travel like a local Andy Abramson, the CEO of Comunicano who was named Business Traveller of the Year by Business Traveller magazine in 2015, suggests always using local SIM cards in mobile phones to get better speeds, connectivity and quality. “Uploads of photos go faster; if you need to be on a conference call, the quality is always better, as you are connecting locally to the provider’s point of presence; and there’s no need to buy any add-on bundles from your local carrier,” he says. You can get a SIM card at most local and international airports. Sign up for free business programs If you have a business – even if it’s not incorporated or profitable – sign up for airline’s free business rewards programs, Suro advises. You’ll get points every time you or your employees fly, which are over and above your frequent-flyer miles. Suro says that you can redeem those points for free flights, lounge access, upgrades, elite status and other goodies. Access information without Wi-Fi Chloe Vallencia, a frequent flyer and the owner of Couple-Gift, realised that she often doesn’t have easy access to Wi-Fi when she’s travelling abroad. So she uses the app Maps.Me to search for itineraries, maps and locations. It’s easy to use and doesn’t require an internet connection. But getting Wi-Fi isn’t always as impossible as you might think, especially when you’re on the way to your destination: <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/say-goodbye-airport-boredom-these-global-wi-fi-passwords">Make sure to bookmark this map with airport Wi-Fi passwords all over the world.</a> Check on transferable flights Plans change, and sometimes, vacations are cancelled. To add to the disaster, many flights are non-refundable, and travellers end up losing everything they shelled out for their holidays. “A very costly mistake many still do is not checking whether their flight is transferable,” says Galena Stavreva, a London-based frequent flyer and travel expert. “If it is, the name of the passenger can be changed, the reservation can be sold to someone else, and the seller can recover at least some of the cost of the flights.” So before booking your flight, check ahead of time to see the restrictions—and consider not booking the flight (even if it seems like a good deal) if it’s not transferable. Written by Danielle Braff. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/flightstravel-hints-tips/13-aeroplane-hacks-that-will-change-the-way-you-fly">Reader’s Digest.</a> For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a>

Travel

5 things polite people never do on cruises

Cruises are a wonderful opportunity to sit back, relax, and enjoy the water and sun. Don’t let rude people ruin your cruise – better still, before booking a cruise, learn not to be one of those people who ruin someone else’s holiday. 1. Argue in the cabin Especially late at night, be courteous. “Cruise ship rooms tend to have thin walls; therefore you always want to be respectful when you’re walking through hallways so as not to disturb other guests,” says Bonnie Tsai, founder and director of Beyond Etiquette. “This also includes being as quiet as you can when you’re inside your cabin.” Cruisers who really want to avoid as much noise as possible shouldn’t book their room under the gym or pool deck, if possible. 2. Hog lounge chairs It’s impolite to save seats for your family and friends, whether it’s by the pool or in the theatre. Tsai says if you must save a seat, do so for only 30 minutes. Ships have a limited amount of seating, so be mindful. Another important tip to keep in mind is if your group wants to sit together, show up at the same time. “If it’s a situation where every lounger is sure to be occupied by 10 am, many cruises allow guests to place towels on loungers for a maximum of 30 minutes before they arrive,” Tsai says. “Gauge the situation and act with consideration for other guests.” Don’t fall for one of the most common cruise misconceptions, either. 3. Constantly complain There’s no reason to be rude if something doesn’t go your way during the cruise. Polite people never take issues out on crew members, according to Emilie Dulles, an event protocol and etiquette expert. “The crew is there to ensure that every traveller has the best experience onboard possible, yet they are also skilled human beings who should be treated with respect, grace, and kindness,” Dulles says. “Nothing is as tacky as yelling at a server, or complaining at the turn-down staff for forgetting an extra blanket, or hitting on a mixologist after one too many daiquiris.” Pay respect and attention to cruise workers. 4. Hoard food All-inclusive food is very alluring. It’s easy to take things to the extreme. And although the buffet is tempting, remember not to be wasteful. “When it comes to the all-inclusive aspect of cruise voyages, many travellers will see this as an opportunity of getting as much as possible out of their fare,” Dulles says. “By piling more food than they can consume on their buffet plate and ordering cocktail after cocktail just because they can, travellers can be very wasteful and inconsiderate towards the crew who spends a lot of time and energy putting together the meals and drinks available.” Instead, take enough food for one sitting. You can always choose to go back for seconds, but this is more elegant than throwing away platefuls of perfectly good food. 5. Pretend the cruise is a personal yacht The ship is your home away from home for a set amount of time. You should still keep in mind your behaviour and presentation, according to Tsai. “There’s no need to show off your immense collection of expensive jewellery or wear lingerie or PJs in the hallways,” she says. There are plenty of other guests sharing the same space, and they may not want to see your plaid PJs. Source: <a href="https://www.rd.com/advice/travel/things-polite-people-never-do-on-cruises/">RD.com</a> Written by Emily DiNuzzo. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/10-things-polite-people-never-do-on-cruises">Reader’s Digest</a>.

Travel

6 home improvement projects that practically pay for themselves

These smart upgrades pay off big in resale value and enjoyment of your home. 1. Give cabinets a new life “Replacing your cabinets is a huge cost that is not completely necessary if the cabinets are less than ten years old, functional, and made from a high-quality wood,” says John Milligan, Product Development Manager at N-Hance Wood Refinishing. Refinishing can cost around $3,000 to $8,000 and can potentially bump up the value of your home between 3 and 7 percent. 2. The biggest bang for your buck A fresh coat of paint instantly updates and transforms the entire interior of your home, and when you consider the relatively low cost of paint, it’s about the biggest bang for your buck you can get. “Greys are back in vogue, and create a neutral palette that lets your decor really pop,” says Steve Frellick, licensed contractor and founder/broker of Yonder Luxury Vacation Rentals. 3. Roll up the carpet If you’re lucky, your wall-to-wall carpet will last about ten years. Well-maintained hardwood floors, on the other hand, last for at least 25 years. “Hardwood floors have a massive appeal and add an extreme level of warmth and comfort in your home and a definite return on your investment,” says Frellick. In fact, a recent Remodeling Impact Report from the National Association of Realtors showed that a whopping 91 percent of the cost is recovered. 4. Exterior facelift New cladding is like a facelift for the house, resulting in enhanced curb appeal. But replacing worn out cladding isn’t just about looks: damaged cladding creates moisture and mould, and it leaves insulation exposed, causing your heating and cooling bills to skyrocket. 5. The grass is always greener in your yard Dragging out and moving sprinklers every week is not only time-consuming; it adds to your water bill. A better idea? Drip irrigation. “This puts water where plants need it – at the root zone – and it uses much less water over time, as the emitters are placed right near the plants and drip at a reduced rate,” says plant merchant Tyler Davis. It’s easy to install, and will pay for itself in a short time with water savings, he adds. A green and well-manicured lawn can add $2,000 to $7,000 to the resale value of your home. 6. Give yourself some space Creating more usable space is something you’ll never regret, whether you use it for storage or more living space. “Having a finished basement or attic can be as simple as putting up and painting gyprock and putting down flooring,” says Shayanfekr. The costs will vary greatly depending on the square metreage and materials used, but the Remodeling Impact Report from the National Association of Realtors shares that you’ll generally recoup over 50 percent of costs at sale time. Source: <a href="https://www.rd.com/home/improvement/home-projects-pay-for-themselves/">RD.com</a> Written by Lisa Marie Conklin. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/home-tips/12-home-improvement-projects-practically-pay-themselves">Reader’s Digest</a>.

Lifestyle

How to increase the curb appeal of your home in a weekend

Whether your goal is to add value to your home to sell, or you’re just looking to get your home entertainment-ready for summer, there are three DIY projects you can complete in a weekend that will greatly increase the curb appeal of your home. 1. Repaint concrete exteriors Painting an unsightly or worn concrete pathway, landing or wall is one of the most dramatic (and easy) home improvements you can make. With a little prep and some specialty concrete paint you can avoid the pricey task of having to replace the concrete and have it looking like new again. Remember <ul> <li>PREPARATION IS KEY. Remove any lose concrete with a scraper, wire brush or sandpaper then scrub the surface clean with a strong detergent and stiff bristle broom and hose off with clean water. This will stop your paint from lifting and ensure long lasting results. Don’t skip this step!  </li> <li>ROUGHT IT UP. In order for your surface to really grip the paint, you need to make sure the surface is rough (it should feel like 180 grit sandpaper). If the surface is smooth, prep with White Knight Ultra Pave Concrete Etcher. If your surface is already fairly rough you can skip this step.  </li> <li>TIME TO PAINT. Using a roller and tray, first start on the large areas. Using White Knight Ultra Pave Quick Dry, start by painting the far corner and then work backwards so you don’t paint yourself into a corner. If you didn’t use a concrete etcher, I recommend thinning the first coat of paint with 20% water to help with adhesion. Your concrete area will be touch-dry in 30 minutes and ready to be recoated in two hours.</li> </ul> 2. Paint the front door Painting your front door and even your shutters is another easy way to improve the exterior of your home and help to leave a lasting impression. Remember <ul> <li>KNOW YOUR ENVIRONMENT. Select a hardwearing concrete paint such as Ultra Pave which is designed to withstand Australia’s harsh climate.  </li> <li>DARE TO BE DIFFERENT. Remember, paint isn’t permanent so have fun with it. Try a strong contrast colour for maximum visual impact. Think red against a white frame and brick wall, bright yellow against navy, or deep blue on white.  </li> </ul> 3. Landscape Last but certainly not least, a little bit of landscaping can do wonders to improve the curb appeal of your home. Remember <ul> <li>ADD SOME COLOUR A vibrant flower bed can lift the feel of any home.</li> </ul> This is a guest post by Dale Vine, former Block contestant and <a href="http://www.whiteknightpaints.com.au/">White Knight </a>Ambassador. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.handyman.net.au/how-increase-curb-appeal-your-home-weekend">Handyman</a>.

Lifestyle

Prague and beyond: Travelling overseas

In a darkened cemetery beneath brooding skies, a crow picks at scraps beside a crooked tombstone. From outside, the chapel looks anything but remarkable; sandstone brick, arching stain glass windows, pointed spires stabbing skywards towards encroaching clouds. But once we step inside, it’s a whole other story. Stacks of human skulls and bones have been arranged into neat pyramids in every corner. An ornate chandelier fashioned entirely from human bones dangles from the ceiling like some macabre masterpiece from the chambers of Nosferatu. Evidence of death is all around and yet the scene has been arranged with such poise and delicacy, there’s a chilling beauty about it. My wife and I are at Sedlec Ossuary, a tiny Roman Catholic Chapel located in the picturesque town of Kutna Hora an hour east of Prague. Said to contain the skeletons of between 40,000 to 70,000 people who perished at war or at the hands of the plague, the modern incarnation was arranged by a woodcarver known as Frantisek Rint, in 1870. Surprisingly perhaps, the chapel now attracts some 200,000 visitors a year but it’s just one of many sights easily accessed from the Czech Republic’s celebrated capital, Prague. Heading back there by train, we enjoy exploring less ghoulish sights — Prague’s longstanding reputation as the jewel of Bohemia is not without good reason. Founded in the late 9th Century, the Czech capital is a sprawling city divided into ten districts, but its beautiful Old Town area is relatively compact and easily navigated by foot. It’s not hard to pass a couple of days simply roaming the Old Quarter with no set script, there’s so much to see. All that’s really required are a good pair of walking shoes and a keen eye for beauty. We begin at Old Town Square, a hub of historic churches, palaces and statues blending Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau architecture in impossibly beautiful picture-postcard fashion. Serving as Prague’s main market place for over 1000 years, the city’s nucleus is home to most of the major sights including the Gothic Tyn Church dating back to the 14th Century and the famous Astronomical Clock, the world’s oldest of its kind still in operation. Prague is not a city built in an orderly grid formation. In fact, much of its charm lies in the ramshackle nature of its layout. From the Old Town Square, a labyrinth of cobbled streets and side alleys snake off in all directions like tentacles from an octopus. Taking pot luck, we venture down many at random, only to be rewarded each time with a new discovery; a side alley beer hall with long wooden benches and tall glasses of Pilsner, a unique shop selling old photographic prints, even a slick restaurant in the underbelly of a church. It’s like a game of choose your own adventure. We continue exploring over several days, meandering the iconic Charles Bridge with its 30 statues exploring the vast courtyards of Prague Castle, even taking a historic cruise along the Vltava River for another perspective. Soon it’s time to head out of the city once more. Taking a train two and a half hours south, we arrive at the charming town of Cesky Krumlov at dusk. A dense Autumn fog shrouds the cobbled streets beside the rushing Vltava River, candles flicker outside the heavy oak doors of bars and restaurants, and it isn’t hard to imagine arriving here on horseback as a medieval knight. Built alongside the s-shaped contour of the Vltava River in the mid 12th Century, Cesky Krumlov has become one of Europe’s most celebrated small towns and in peak summer, the crowds certainly reflect its fame. Come in late Autumn or winter though and you’ll find the atmosphere infinitely more tranquil. In some ways, it’s as though someone pointed a miniaturising ray gun at Prague and zapped it into the town of Cesky Krumlov. The parallels are many; a perfectly preserved castle, an old town square, baroque and renaissance architecture and the Vltava River. Only here you can walk from one side of town to the other in about twenty minutes. Consequently, many travellers make the mistake of assuming this is a day trip from Prague. It isn’t. Stay at least a couple of nights. In spite of its compact size, there is so much to do here, though none of it requires copious amounts of planning, you can just make it up as you go along. The galleries are plentiful and you’ll want to linger longer in almost all of them. Without glancing at a guidebook, we watch live bears prowl the castle grounds, learn history at boutique museums, take a horseback ride through surrounding woodland, marvel at historic architecture, dine on hearty goulash dishes, and yes, drink more than our fair share of Pilsners. This is the beauty of travelling the Czech Republic – you don’t need an extensive checklist. Just turn up, do as the Czechs do, and the rest takes care of itself. Written by Guy Wilkinson. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/prague-and-beyond/">MyDiscoveries.</a>

Travel

How to take the best travel photos with your iPhone

Most people think you have to have a professional-grade camera or have a certain knack for photography to capture photos worth sharing. But, now-a-days, the camera on your iPhone is advanced enough to deliver high quality photos…as long as you remember these tips and tricks: In order to get the most out of your iPhone on your next adventure, make sure to clear-up some storage on your phone before you leave home. This can be done by connecting your iPhone to a computer and offloading photos and videos from your phone to your computer. This can also be done by deleting unnecessary applications from your iPhone or deleting accidental photos or irrelevant videos. First things first, ensure your phone has full (or close to full) charge on the battery. You will find that more so than simply making calls or checking texts, taking photographs and videos will use up battery life fast. If your iPhone is already quick to lose battery charge, consider investing in a small portable external battery. These are powerful batteries that you charge in addition to your iPhone at home base and bring with you during your outings. Next, take some time to get familiar with iPhone camera settings and options. 1. Traveling alone or don’t trust a partner/stranger to take a good photo? Switch the camera to selfie-mode simply by tapping the switch camera icon in the corner of your iPhone camera screen. 2. HDR: When the HDR is turned on, your iPhone will take 2 photos in rapid succession; one photo will be a low-light photo, and the other a high-light photo. The two photos are combined automatically and produce amazingly well-lit and vibrant photos. TIPS FOR TRYING: use the HDR setting when taking a photo where there is not much movement going on in the frame. Test HDR out during a sunrise or sunset where the light is especially amazing! 3. In iPhone settings, you can switch-on the photo grid. After you have switched it on, you will see a grid superimposed on the camera screen that will divide the photo into 9 small squares. The lines are there to help you to take photos that are beautifully composed (meaning objects are centered and horizons are flat). The grid doesn’t show-up in the final photograph, it is only a guide when taking photos. 4. Try taking a burst of photos. iPhone allows you to take photos in immediate succession simply by holding down the circular take photo button on the iPhone screen. The number of photos captured is a direct result of how long you hold-down the take photo button (a word to the wise: photos are taken at very high speed rates, so if you hold the button down for more than a few seconds, you might end up with 10-20+ photos!). When you take a burst of photos, not all of the photos show up in your camera roll; only what the iPhone determines is the best, least-blurry version, will be shown. However, the beauty of burst photos is that you can pick the best of many. In order to look through each of the many photos taken in that burst, open the photo iPhone displayed in your camera roll, and click ‘select’. Here you will be able to scroll through all of the photos in the burst and select the one or more photos you wish to keep. TIPS FOR TRYING: use the burst method when taking group photos– with so many pictures taken in a second, the is bound to be a photo where everyone’s eyes are open! Also, take a burst of photos when trying to capture something in action; this feature can be used instead of video. 5. On newer iPhones, you can use the self-timer setting. This will direct the camera to count down from 1s, 5s, or 10s before taking a photo. A helpful numeric countdown flashes on the screen to inform you how much time you have to get in position before the photo is taken. Also, the flash flashes every second during the countdown and then flashes rapidly right before it takes the photo– this is to let you know when the photo going to be taken if you can’t see the iPhone screen countdown. To make things even better, the camera not only takes one photo, but automatically takes a 10-photo burst when the countdown is up so that you can select the best one! 6. Last but not least, one of the best little known tricks for capturing photos on your iPhone is this: when the camera app is open on your screen, the increase-volume button on the side of your phone, when pushed, acts as secondary take photo button! Like with the circular take photo button on the screen, you can take a burst of photos by holding down the volume-up button! TIPS FOR TRYING: Sometimes, while in selfie-mode it is hard to hold the phone and take a good photo of yourself, that’s when you can use the increase-volume button on the side of your iPhone instead! Written by Luray Joy. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/how-to-take-enviable-travel-photos-with-your-iphone/">MyDiscoveries.</a>

Travel

Come and see the festivals and markets in Darwin Australia

Darwin has two major seasons, the dry (April-October) and the wet. Now, I must say life in Darwin is dramatically different between the two seasons due to substantial differences in the amount of rainfall, humidity, and community activities for visitors. The dry season, known affectionately as “The Dry,” is definitely the best time to visit Darwin. You’ll know it’s come as the beginning of the season is marked by the opening of the markets all around Darwin and surrounds. The Markets: The most famous of the lot are the Mindil Beach Sunset markets. As the name suggests, the evening-time markets are an incredible way to watch the sunset on Thursdays and Sundays. Stalls filled with clothes, gadgets, and more are lost amongst those offering yummy and quick eats. When it comes to food, the Mindil Beach markets offer the widest range of options from Indian, Malaysian, Japanese, and of course Australian. There’s something for everyone and plenty of room to sit either on the grassy areas or right on the beach to watch the sun go down. The Parap, Nightcliff, and Rapid Creek markets are slightly further out of Darwin city, but definitely still worth visiting. On Saturday mornings at Parap and Sunday mornings in Nightcliff, the traveling market sellers spend the day delighting market goers usually until around 2pm. Although smaller in scale than the Mindil Beach market, there is a range of oriental cuisine available and a good selection of clothing and small goods stalls. The markets run each week, but every so often Darwin gets to host larger events and festivals. Try to time your trip with one of the festivals! The Taste Festival The Taste Festival, which usually runs in April, is the the Top End’s way of pleasing the foodies. Restaurants all around Darwin are highlighted in the Territory Taste publication and are included in tasting packages and deals. Fringe Festival Darwin hosted the quirky Fringe Festival this year in early July which put on theater, art and comedy shows, pop-up galleries, live music, and more at venues around Darwin. While most are ticketed, some events are free for both Darwin residents and visitors to enjoy. Some of the local favourites include the many theatre shows and music events. The Darwin Festival This year, the Darwin Festival will be held on 10-27 August, good timing as the still-dry weather will be irresistible for visitors. This festival focuses on celebrating the traditional landowners and the multicultural identity of the Northern Territory. Over the 18-day festival Darwin hosts a multitude of free and ticketed events around the city. Whether you enjoy art or music or simply love to learn, listening to traditional stories and enjoying the cultural events are sure to please! The Darwin Cup Carnival Love the races? The Darwin Cup Carnival in July and August is a favourite piece of the fun of The Dry! Try to catch Ladies’ day or one of the many other special days at the Darwin Turf Club. As you can see, the dry season is an exciting time to visit Darwin. And, while the markets and festivals keep you busy in town, the water-holes and swimming areas in the nearby national parks are finally open for swimming when the dry season arrives. So, inside or outside the city, the dry season is surely the best time to plan a trip! Written by Luray Joy. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/festivals-markets-darwin/">MyDiscoveries.</a>

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6 home improvement projects that practically pay for themselves

How to increase the curb appeal of your home in a weekend

Prague and beyond: Travelling overseas

How to take the best travel photos with your iPhone

Come and see the festivals and markets in Darwin Australia

News

Property

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Information

Keep up to date

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Air pollution could be making honey bees sick

Takeaway containers shape what (and how) we eat

120 million years ago: Giant crocodiles walked on two legs

“Works awesome!”: New cleaning hack will get rid of tough shower stains

How captive animals are coping with the sudden emptiness of the world’s zoos and aquariums

6 countries with 6 curves: How nations that moved fast against COVID-19 avoided disaster

“I want to stare death in the eye”: why dying inspires so many writers and artists

6 things you didn't know you could compost

10½ commandments of writing

11 of the longest bridges in the world - not including the Harbour Bridge

What flight attendants aren’t allowed to do

How to keep your grandkids learning while travelling

6 things you never knew you could put in the washing machine

Do this on an aeroplane to change how you fly

5 things polite people never do on cruises

6 home improvement projects that practically pay for themselves

How to increase the curb appeal of your home in a weekend

Prague and beyond: Travelling overseas

How to take the best travel photos with your iPhone

Come and see the festivals and markets in Darwin Australia

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