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Finding joy at age 100: Talking to centenarians about living their best life at any age

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heather-joyce-nelson-1440914">Heather Joyce Nelson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-regina-3498">University of Regina</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/beverlee-ziefflie-1445320">Beverlee Ziefflie</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/saskatchewan-polytechnic-5681">Saskatchewan Polytechnic</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paula-mayer-1445321">Paula Mayer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/saskatchewan-polytechnic-5681">Saskatchewan Polytechnic</a> Aging is seen as a period of loss, and there are unhelpful <a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/10-myths-about-aging">myths about older adults</a>. Myths lead to treatable conditions being considered normal parts of aging, including cognitive decline, dementia, depression and loneliness. Some even consider exercise dangerous in older adults. At the same time, mainstream media promotes the message that <a href="https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2017.58015">being young is central to a person’s value</a>. These ideas lead to ageism and older adults being seen as lesser. After spending time with six female centenarians in assisted living facilities, our research team — which included four nursing researchers and a documentary filmmaker — learned there is plenty still worth living for. Centenarians are a small but growing segment of the population with <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/daily-quotidien/220928/dq220928c-eng.pdf?st=LrkfjZE_">13,844 centenarians in Canada</a>, and our findings debunk myths about the experience of aging. We asked the centenarians questions about what brings them joy and how they plan for the future because we wanted to learn how the very elderly plan for and find ways to live their best lives. The results of this study were <a href="https://vimeo.com/showcase/looking-forward-at-100">turned into a 32-minute documentary</a> that captures participants’ long and interesting lives and offers insight into continued meaning experienced by centenarians in their daily lives. Three of the centenarians died shortly after the interviews took place. <h2>Long and interesting lives</h2> The participants were born between the years 1919 and 1922. They were children during the Great Depression and young adults during the Second World War. One of the women helped build bullet casings and worked on the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/Lancaster-airplane">Lancaster bomber</a>. Another woman helped her husband protect the blueprints of the ill-fated <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/avro-arrow">Avro Arrow aircraft</a> when he brought them home from work. Two women lost their husbands when their children were small and had to go to work to support their families. They all experienced love and adventure. Our team was fascinated by their stories and wanted to further explore what their lives look like today. Betty, 101, saw happiness as a choice. “I don’t know what’s really to complain about. I went through life staying happy,” she said. <h2>Joy and challenges</h2> This study used a research method called <a href="https://www.scribd.com/doc/151684840/Braun-Clarke-2006-Using-Thematic-Analysis">thematic analysis</a> to find four themes: Finding Joy, Act your Age, Looking Forward and Putting Challenges into Perspective. The centenarians found joy each day and enjoyed the little things such as activities, visits and treats. Betty enjoyed cheating at solitaire and Jean, 100, played the piano. Clementina, 101, had fun gambling and Joyce, 100, continued to write stories and watch her grandchildren in music concerts. Family was central to their lives and they enjoyed spending time with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Two of the women stated that raising their children was the biggest accomplishment in their lives. The centenarians also found great joy in reminiscing about their interesting lives. However, one of the challenges was that there was no one left alive who had the same shared experiences. <h2>Limitations</h2> The centenarians were constrained by the limitations of society, their bodies and their self-perceptions. “You have to act your age,” said Clementina. She physically described this phenomenon by clasping her hands together in her lap and sitting still. Some participants found life to be boring at 100 compared to their lives as younger adults. They had limited opportunities to do what they would like. “We had homes,” said Joyce, 100, describing how they had known better lives, which made it hard to accept the constraints of their current existence. In spite of these feelings, many of the participants continued to be busy and live life fully despite limitations. Jean, despite needing a wheelchair for mobility, continues to do people’s taxes for a volunteer organization, plays piano for church services and leads choirs within her facility. “I am constantly rebelling against my situation physically,” she said. The other women in this study also continued to challenge norms of what their age and disabilities meant. Joyce writes and submits short stories for publication, and has a poem in the war archives in Ottawa. Assisted living facilities often prioritize resident safety, but this can come at a cost to personal freedom. Some residents only leave their facility accompanied by a facility employee or a family member. Clementina rebelled against this restriction and at the age of 97, snuck out of her assisted living facility in a cab to go to the casino, pretending that she was going to meet her son. All of the participants put their life challenges into perspective. They all had lost spouses, friends and some had lost their children. “I was broken,” Clementina said about losing her husband. Christine, 102, was asked how she managed after losing her husband when her children were still small. “I am still here,” she said. <h2>The future</h2> Most of the centenarians had few plans for themselves for the future and were more interested in leading their day-to-day lives. Betty jokingly described the inevitability of her death and that she was “looking for the bucket.” Most described being prepared to die except for Jean, who laughed and said she didn’t have time to die. “I have too many plans.” The centenarians looked to the future of their families and the larger community and entrusted the next generation to make good choices. Participants in this study had long and interesting lives and continued to find meaning each day. This study supports the idea that older adults continue to lead engaging lives and that we need to support older adults to live their best lives at any age. This article was also co-authored by journalist and filmmaker Kelly-Anne Riess and retired nursing instructor Susan Page.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206852/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heather-joyce-nelson-1440914">Heather Joyce Nelson</a>, Assistant Professor of Nursing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-regina-3498">University of Regina</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/beverlee-ziefflie-1445320">Beverlee Ziefflie</a>, Instructor, Nursing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/saskatchewan-polytechnic-5681">Saskatchewan Polytechnic</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paula-mayer-1445321">Paula Mayer</a>, Associate Research Scientist, Nursing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/saskatchewan-polytechnic-5681">Saskatchewan Polytechnic</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/finding-joy-at-age-100-talking-to-centenarians-about-living-their-best-life-at-any-age-206852">original article</a>.

Caring

Debate sparked over list of top 100 cities on the planet

The best 100 cities on the planet have been revealed, with one New Zealand city making the final list. The list was compiled by as part of an annual report by <a href="https://www.worldsbestcities.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Resonance Consultancy</a>, who rated major capital cities on three main factors: liveability, lovability and prosperity, with dozens of factors taken into account. These include educational attainment, GDP per capita, poverty rate, the number of quality restaurants, shops and nightclubs, walkability, the number of mapped bike routes, quality parks and museums, as well as ratings from TripAdvisor and Google. The top ten chart features four cities on the Asian continent, four in Europe and two in the U.S, while Auckland was also featured in the list, coming in at number 64. Taking out the number one spot this year is London, dubbed the "capital of capitals" that "reigns over all global cities" as the best metropolis in the world. The study proclaims it as the most liveable and the most lovable mecca, solidified by its winning culture and education attainment. The report concludes, "Despite crippling Covid lockdowns and economic devastation. Despite Brexit. Despite a war in Europe. The city is more indomitable and part of the global discourse than ever. From the Queen's death, to last autumn's chaotic drama at 10 Downing Street that finally calmed down with Rishi Sunak becoming prime minister, only to take heavy local election losses this spring, London is rarely quiet these days." Here's the full list of top 100 cities in the world. 1 - London, England 2 - Paris, France 3 - New York, USA 4 - Tokyo, Japan 5 - Singapore 6 - Dubai, United Arab Emirates 7 - San Francisco, USA 8 - Barcelona, Spain 9 - Amsterdam, Netherlands 10 - Seoul, South Korea 11 - Rome, Italy 12 - Prague, Czechia 13 - Madrid, Spain 14 - Berlin, Germany 15 - Los Angeles, USA 16 - Chicago, USA 17 - Washington, D.C., USA 18 - Beijing, China 19 - Istanbul, Turkey 20 - Dublin, Ireland 21 - Vienna, Austria 22 - Milan, Italy 23 - Toronto, Canada 24 - Boston, USA 25 - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 26 - Budapest, Hungary 27 - São Paulo, Brazil 28 - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 29 - Stockholm, Sweden 30 - Munich, Germany 31 - Melbourne, Australia 32 - Lisbon, Portugal 33 - Zürich, Switzerland 34 - Seattle, USA 35 - Sydney, Australia 36 - Doha, Qatar 37 - Brussels, Belgium 38 - San Jose, USA 39 - Bangkok, Thailand 40 - Warsaw, Poland 41 - Copenhagen, Denmark 42 - Taipei, Taiwan 43 - Austin, USA 44 - Oslo, Norway 45 - Osaka, Japan 46 - Hong Kong, China 47 - Tel Aviv, Israel 48 - Athens, Greece 49 - Frankfurt, Germany 50 - Vancouver, Canada 51 - San Diego, USA 52 - Orlando, USA 53 - Helsinki, Finland 54 - Miami, USA 55 - Buenos Aires, Argentina 56 - Hamburg, Germany 57 - Brisbane, Australia 58 - Kuwait, Kuwait 59 - Las Vegas, USA 60 - Montreal, Canada 61 - Glasgow, Scotland 62 - Shanghai, China 63 - Rio de Janeiro, USA 64 - Auckland, New Zealand 65 - Atlanta, USA 66 - Houston, USA 67 - Busan, South Korea 68 - Philadelphia, USA 69 - Naples, Italy 70 - Denver, USA 71 - Nashville, USA 72 - Manchester, England 73 - Dallas, USA 74 - Liverpool, England 75 - Minneapolis, USA 76 - Mexico City, Mexico 77 - Minsk, Belarus 78 - Lyon, France 79 - Portland, USA 80 - Rotterdam, Netherlands 81 - Bogotá, Colombia 82 - Kraków, Poland 83 - Valencia, Spain 84 - Santiago, Chile 85 - Birmingham, England 86 - New Orleans, USA 87 - Bucharest, Romania 88 - Leeds, England 89 - Muscat, Oman 90 - Ottawa, Canada 91 - Cologne, Germany 92 - Charlotte, USA 93 - Calgary, Canada 94 - Nagoya, Japan 95 - Düsseldorf, Germany 96 - Hanoi, Vietnam 97 - Gothenburg, Sweden 98 - Sapporo, Japan 99 - Bilbao, Spain 100 - Baltimore, USA Image credits: Getty Images

International Travel

Cruise ship forced to turn back after 100 passengers injured in storm

The Spirit of Discovery cruise ship was forced to turn back after around 100 passengers were injured during a massive storm. Cruise company Saga have said that most of the injuries were minor, but five people had to be taken to hospital when the ship returned to England on Tuesday local time. One passenger told BBC News that a few passengers "feared for their lives", when the storm hit the ship in the Bay of Biscay, off the French coast. "People were writing texts to their loved ones in case we capsized," they added. "The tone of voice in our captain... he was physically scared. We had crew crying. We had many passengers in awful states of fear." The passenger also claimed that that injuries included broken bones and cuts, with reports of furniture flying around and people being knocked off their feet, as the ship stopped moving and veered dramatically to one side as part of its safety manoeuvre. Another passenger, 75-year-old Jan Bendall, told the BBC that she and her husband were "holding on for dear life", and that it was overall a frightening experience. "It was quite frightening, I'm not somebody who frightens easily," Bendall said. "We were lucky - we're quite able-bodied, but I think some of the older people and people in their own cabins were quite worried," she added. The ship itself holds almost 1000 passengers and holds cruises for people over 50. Saga told the BBC that there had been "very limited" damage and the ship had "remained safe at all times." "While the weather is clearly beyond our control, we want to offer our sincere apologies to all those affected who are now safely on their way home in calmer seas," the spokesperson said. Images: Nine News/ Facebook

Travel Trouble

11 things people who live to 100 have in common

<h2>Centenarian similarities</h2> Living to be 100 requires a fair amount of luck, it’s true. But people who make it past the century mark also share some healthy habits that we could all benefit from. Here’s what we know centenarians have in common. <h2>They have good genes</h2> If you have at least one parent who lived to 95 or older, you have a better shot at a healthier (and presumably longer) life yourself, a 2017 study published in The American Journal of Cardiology found. Researchers reported that subjects with at least one parent living past age 95 had 29 per cent lower odds of having hypertension, 65 per cent lower odds of having a stroke, and 35 per cent lower odds of having cardiovascular disease than those whose parents died before age 95. That held true even when – and here’s the surprising thing – there were significant differences in social-economic status, physical activity, diet, and other lifestyle habits. “They were no more likely to eat low fat and only a small number were vegetarians,” says endocrinologist, Dr Sofiya Milman. While only about 25 per cent of longevity is related to genetics, that fraction seems to be the driving force behind how far those lifestyle habits (the remaining 75 per cent) can take you. <h2>But genes aren’t everything</h2> Longevity is complex. “Multiple genes are related to how long we live,” says professor of psychiatry, Dr Dilip Jeste. He’s also part of a team studying residents in Cilento, a region in Italy where the elderly live exceptionally long healthy lives. “In other words, if you have genes for certain types of fatal cancers, then the other genes that promote longevity may have less of an influence.” To hit the centenarian jackpot, an array of genes needs to be working together in your favour, but “there’s a lot more under our control than we think,” he adds. For example, take a set of twins with genes that predisposed them to lung cancer. If one smoked and one didn’t, the smoker would be 5.4 times more likely to develop lung cancer than the other, thus significantly hurting his chances at longevity. <h2>They ‘postpone’ chronic illnesses</h2> Chalk this up to those longevity genes. “Many centenarians get age-related diseases, such as cancer, at a much later age,” says Dr Milman. In a joint study between Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Boston University School of Public Health, she and a team of researchers found that the age at which their centenarian subjects experienced certain diseases were delayed between 18 and 24 years. So could escaping serious illnesses by the time you reach 100 be an indication that you’ve got some more good years ahead of you? Perhaps. In a 2008 issue of The Journals of Gerontology, researchers who examined supercentenarians (age 110 and older) found that most were independent in terms of daily life activities at the age of 100 and few were in nursing homes or other forms of assisted living before the age of 105. <h2>They stay physically active</h2> Physical activity throughout life, including your senior years, is associated not just with good health, but longevity as well. A National Institutes of Health study reports that just 2.5 hours of moderate activity a week could extend your life by 3.4 years. It turns out, some of the regions around the world with standout longevity are close-knit communities in rural areas. For these folks, work is often more physical than a desk job, and they’re probably not spending hours in a car every day. The Okinawa Centenarian Study, which followed residents of the Japanese village that boasts one of the world’s highest centenarian ratios, notes that regular physical activity throughout most of the centenarians’ lives (in conjunction with other healthy habits) allowed them to have “impressively young, clean arteries.” They didn’t lift weights or run 5Ks; they simply made fitness part of their lifestyle, whether it was taking strolls or tending to the garden. And in Villagrande, Sardinia, where men live about as long as the women (which is a rarity – typically, women outlive men), researchers attribute their day-to-day physical activity – most were shepherds in this mountainous region – to the men’s impressive longevity. <h2>They don’t overeat</h2> Places brimming with 100-year-olds have an unspoken custom: eat mindfully. “I’m stuffed” is just not something you’d hear at the table. They also tend not to eat alone and instead share their meals with family and friends, notes Dr Jeste. In Okinawa, for example, elders may even say, before a meal, “Hara hachi bu,” a Confucian concept that means “eat only until your stomach is 80 per cent full.” The upshot? The elderly Okinawans consumed about 7900 kilojoules a day throughout their lives. Australians consume an average of 8700 kilojoules. Why is that a problem? It seems that over-eating over-stresses our metabolic systems, while kilojoule restriction (as long as we get the necessary nutrients) is associated with lower levels of oxidative stress, inflammation, insulin sensitivity, and other conditions that speed up the ageing process. In fact, as authors of a joint Harvard-Salk Institute paper write, “At present, calorie restriction remains the most robust [i.e., evidence based] strategy for extending health and lifespan in most biological models tested.” <h2>They eat healthy foods</h2> The diets of these regions populated with healthy older people are different, but what they do have in common, says Dr Jeste, is what they don’t eat. “You don’t see a lot of high-fat or high-sugar foods.” For example, in Sardinia, the Mediterranean diet prevails; it’s rich in fish, fruits, vegetables, and healthy oils, all typically locally sourced. This is also true in Cilento, which boasts a diet especially rich in olives and rosemary. While Western foods have infiltrated Okinawa in recent years, its diet traditionally consists of only a little fish and pork, and plenty of vegetables, beans, tofu, seaweed, and complex carbohydrates, particularly purple and orange sweet potatoes. <h2>They feel connected</h2> In areas with higher-than-usual concentrations of centenarians, seniors are often an integrated part of their community. For some, church provides that connection. In Loma Linda, California, the only Blue Zone town (locations around the globe known for longevity and good health) in the United States, the seniors are Seventh-day Adventists; in Sardinia, they tend to be devout Roman Catholics. Religion encourages its believers to carve time during the week to go to church, which is not only a chance to strengthen their connection to God but to mingle with family and friends. As centenarian women interviewed in the Sardinia study repeatedly mentioned, it’s their ties to their family and God that’s kept them alive and kicking for so long. Maintaining quality social bonds, whether with fellow parishioners, family, or friends, have been linked to better health, while social isolation has been associated with an increased risk of inflammation in adolescents and worsened hypertension in old age. Studies published in the Journal of the American Heart Association and Cancer have also associated a strong social network (of the real, as opposed to virtual, kind) with better recovery from disease, including breast cancer and heart attack. <h2>They feel respected</h2> It’s probably not a coincidence that in areas with an unusually high number of centenarians, the culture is one that truly respects the elderly. In Sardinia, seniors are part of everyday society, not shuttled off into retirement and nursing homes. As a child of an elder interviewed in Cilento told researchers: “We always come to our father. He is still our point of reference and an example for us, for the way he takes things.” <h2>They enjoy the outdoors</h2> Part of the advantage of living in a rural, close-knit community is that you have open land, perfect for gardening or strolling. You can walk to a neighbour’s house (or even to work or run errands), and the air is fresh and clean. It’s pleasant. And while Loma Linda, California, is hardly a rural village, it’s populated by Seventh-day Adventists, who specifically promote getting outside in their official manual: “…we live intelligently in accordance with health principles of exercise, respiration, sunshine, pure air, use of water, sleep, and rest.” Why is being outside so helpful? “Multiple factors come into play,” says Dr Jeste. While some may partly credit vitamin D from sunshine for lengthening life, he believes that other factors may have more to do with it. “When you’re outdoors, you’re being active,” he says, whether you’re gardening or walking to or from somewhere. “You’re also looking at trees and nature. You’re more apt to interact with other people than feeling isolated. All this can promote happy feelings.” That, in turn, promotes a positive outlook on life. This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/11-things-people-who-live-to-100-have-in-common" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. Images: Getty

Retirement Life

Million dollar baby! Video of newborn covered in money sparks outrage

The bizarre moment a new father covered his newborn child in $100 bills has gone viral, sending social media into a frenzy over the strange act. The video shows a sleeping newborn in a crib in a hospital's nursery, while an adult covers the baby boy in $100 bills. Despite a blanket covering the baby's body, many were quick to point out just how many germs and bacteria live on cash notes, with many worried about the child picking up an infection from the dirty money. According to <a href="https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1914560_1914558_1914544,00.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">TIME</a>, paper money can reportedly carry more germs than a household toilet - and hundreds of species of microorganisms can live on the cash for days. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Man covers his new born baby with hundreds 😳 <a href="https://t.co/AFEYajIY6N">pic.twitter.com/AFEYajIY6N</a> — Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyLoud/status/1650660162930196485?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2023</a></blockquote> People took to Twitter to show their outrage at the germs, with one person saying, "Bro just created a bacteria blanket for a newborn." Another shared the same sentiment, writing, "Unless those are brand new bills straight from the bank, he just covered his baby in a blanket of germs." Another person said, "Very very unhygienic I hope baby doesn't get sick..." while a fourth added, "Money is full of pathogens, I wouldn't compromise the baby's health." Others cut the happy parent some slack, saying it was a strange decision to shower the baby with money, but said they could understand the person's excitement over the bundle of joy. One person said, "Probably a proud first-time father and isn't thinking about how ridiculous this is. Down the line he'll show his baby the picture and they'll have a good laugh out of it." Another wrote, "An unusual way to wish prosperity to the newborn but again different stroke for different folks!" Image credits: Twitter

Family & Pets

“100 is just a number”: Centenarian’s sweet solution for a long and happy life

When Shirley Goodman reached the milestone age of 100 years old, the last thing on her mind was slowing down. And the centenarian, who lives in Florida, has shared her advice for living a long and happy life - though what she had to say has taken many by surprise. Rather than stressing the importance of getting enough rest and following a strict diet, as we so often hear, Shirley believes her passion for having fun, doing what she enjoys, and eating her share of well-deserved treats to be the secret of her success. As Shirley told Today, “I feel great. 100 is just a number to me.” This is despite the two open-heart surgeries she has undergone - including a bypass, and the installation of a pacemaker and a stent. Shirley also experiences difficulties with her vision and her hearing, but nothing will keep her from embracing life and doing what she loves: dancing. “My legs are still working,” she said. “I’m an optimist. I try to do positive thinking all the time. That’s very important. I have a bracelet that says ‘Positivity’ on it. “I wear it every day and I try to stay positive.” She started dancing when she was just eight years old, even opening up her own dance school at 17. And while she did close down her business after marrying, she never gave it up, following her heart - and her dancing feet - in her free time instead. And in recent years, Shirley has taken that same passion to a whole new realm, establishing herself on the internet as ‘The Dancing Nana’. On Instagram, her family regularly share clips of Shirley dancing, and even participating in some viral internet trends, from doing ‘the floss dance’ to ‘the Tush Push’. It was the latter that propelled her to viral heights in 2019, when a clip surfaced of a then-96-year-old Shirley enjoying herself at her nephew’s wedding reception, outshining the younger guests on the dance floor with her spectacular footwork and twirls. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwLLINgB2uX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwLLINgB2uX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Dancing Nana (@the.dancing.nana)</a> </div> </blockquote> “I would advise people,” she told Today, “if they like music at all, to keep it in their lives and don’t just sit home in a rocking chair.” “I attribute [my long life] mostly to two things. One is my family,” she later added, “I have a wonderful, devoted family. “And the jazz, the music down here in Sarasota, and my tap dancing. That’s what keeps me going.” And while Shirley has dabbled in other pursuits, dancing still holds the key to her heart, as nothing else quite took with her, with the 100-year-old confessing that she “wasn’t crazy” about golf, and played tennis until she was 90. “I only walk as far as my mailbox,” she added, “which is about five minutes.” She does, however, enjoy her share of yoga. Every morning, she FaceTimes her daughter for a session, and the two spend some mindful time together from their respective homes in Florida and New York. Another thing Shirley very much enjoys is a sweet treat. And as some longevity experts admitted to Today, many who reach impressive ages like Shirley don’t often focus on their recommended share of vitamins and other ‘healthy’ snacks. “I don’t eat healthy food,” Shirley admitted. “My kids would holler at me … but when I hit 90, they stopped bothering me.” As Shirley’s 71-year-old daughter Joan added, they all just assumed Shirley was going to outlive them, but that “you would not want to write a cookbook based on her nutritional recommendations. I think the secret is to enjoy what you’re eating.” Top of Shirley’s most loved menu is “anything that’s cooked in batter”, or some chocolate and other sweets of the like. She enjoys a piece of chocolate after each of her meals, and views breakfast as the perfect opportunity for a chocolate chip cookie - however, you won’t catch her nibbling on any dark varieties, as milk chocolate with some nuts is what she prefers to reach for. And when it comes to home cooked meals with some vegetables, Shirley isn’t a fan. “I say ‘cook’ is a four letter word, so I don’t cook very much,” said. “I eat very small portions, but I eat everything and anything I like.” Images: Instagram

Caring

Are flu cases already 100 times higher than last year? Here’s what we really know about the 2023 flu season

Alarming <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/flu-cases-australia-update-warning-vulnerable-numbers-rise-100-fold-last-year/55ccbb1d-9613-4e45-85aa-43c905efc8e6">headlines</a> and media coverage <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/the-flu-nearly-disappeared-during-the-pandemic-now-cases-are-soaring-in-australia/a98cybrj8">have said</a> we’ve had 100 times as many influenza cases in the first two months of 2023 compared with the same time the previous year. The coverage suggested we’re in for a bumper flu season, starting early and your best protection was to get a flu vaccine, when available. But that scary sounding 100 figure is misleading. Here’s what’s behind the figures and what we can really expect from the 2023 flu season. <h2>Comparing apples with oranges</h2> In the first two months of 2023, there were 8,474 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza. In 2022, over the same period, there were 79 cases. So it might seem this year’s figures are indeed more than 100 times higher than last year’s. But we shouldn’t be alarmed. That’s because in early 2022, influenza cases were artificially low. Strict COVID measures <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/379/bmj.o2998">almost eliminated</a> influenza outbreaks in 2020 and 2021. Shutting international borders, quarantining, social distancing and mask-wearing stopped influenza coming into the country and spreading. Many COVID restrictions weren’t relaxed until late February/March 2022. So, in January and February of that year there were fewer opportunities for us to mingle and spread the influenza virus. It’s hardly surprising there were few cases then. In fact, the rate of flu in 2023 is actually very similar to pre-COVID years (that is before 2020). As always, the reported cases represent just a fraction of the actual influenza cases. That’s because many people do not seek medical care when infected with influenza or their GP doesn’t always test them for it. <h2>How about an earlier flu season?</h2> Every year, it seems, influenza throws a new curve ball making predictions tricky. Flu rates in the northern hemisphere <a href="https://www.cnet.com/health/medical/early-signs-point-to-this-years-flu-season-being-the-worst-one-in-years/">largely peaked</a> in December 2022, two months earlier than usual. But there has been some late-season influenza B activity in the northern hemisphere this year. This is one type of influenza that causes seasonal flu. So travellers arriving/returning from the northern hemisphere have been bringing influenza to Australia for several months. So we expect more cases of influenza. Australia may even have an autumn surge. This occurred <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/379/bmj.o2998">last year</a>, where influenza cases rose sharply in May, and peaked by June. That’s two months earlier than the five-year average pre-COVID. Before COVID, influenza cases usually began to rise in April/May. This progressed to a full epidemic from June to August, often extending into September, before waning in October. <h2>So what can we expect in 2023?</h2> The start, length and severity of influenza seasons vary and are often unpredictable. Community immunity will be less than in pre-COVID times. That’s because of fewer influenza infections during COVID restrictions plus <a href="https://ncirs.org.au/influenza-vaccination-coverage-data/national-influenza-vaccination-coverage-all-people">lower influenza vaccine uptake</a> in recent years. So the 2023 flu season may be at least moderately severe. This remains speculation. Flu routinely surprises us. The severity of the coming Australian influenza season will be influenced by the types of influenza that circulate, when the surge starts and when the season peaks. The effectiveness, uptake and timing of vaccinations and the degree of remaining herd immunity will all be important. <h2>Plan to get vaccinated</h2> Only about 40% of those eligible were vaccinated against influenza in 2022, according to the <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/australian-immunisation-register">Australian Immunisation Register</a> database. Rates <a href="https://ncirs.org.au/influenza-vaccination-coverage-data/national-influenza-vaccination-coverage-all-people">were highest</a> in people aged 65 or older. However, as we saw an early influenza season in 2022 (peaking in May/June) this meant many Australians were not vaccinated during the early stages of the epidemic. With this knowledge, it’s important to be vaccinated in April/May before influenza becomes common. Now is a good time to start preparing to get your flu vaccine. Ask your GP or pharmacist when you can book yourself in. Vaccination is our best defence against influenza and is recommended from the age of <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/news/2023-national-immunisation-program-influenza-vaccination-early-advice-for-vaccination-providers">6 months</a>. Younger infants <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/influenza-vaccination-in-pregnancy">receive protection</a> if their mum was vaccinated during pregnancy. The 2023 vaccine has been updated to protect against more recently circulating strains. There are also <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/atagi-advice-on-seasonal-influenza-vaccines-in-2023.pdf">different types</a> of influenza vaccine, some more effective in elderly people, some free under the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-immunisation-program-schedule?language=en">National Immunisation Program</a>, some not. Other vaccines are available for people with egg allergies and for small children. It’s best to discuss the vaccine options with your GP or pharmacist. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-flu-cases-already-100-times-higher-than-last-year-heres-what-we-really-know-about-the-2023-flu-season-201559" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>

Body

Dolly Parton receives $100 million from Jeff Bezos for philanthropic work

Dolly Parton has received a a $US100 million ($149 million AUD) prize awarded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for her philanthropic work. The country music start received the Bezos Courage & Civility Award, which recognises leaders who "pursue solutions with courage and civility". Bezos, along with his partner Lauren Sanchez, announced the award on Friday, with Sanchez saying in an instagram post that Dolly Parton is "a woman who gives with her heart and leads with love and compassion in every aspect of her work". "We can't wait to see all the good that you're going to do with this $100 million award," she said. Parton, in a video clip of the ceremony posted online, said, "Wow! Did you say $100 million?" "I think people who are in a position to help should put their money where their heart is. I will do my best to do good things with this money," she said. The 76-year-old musician has long been known for her decades-long work as a philanthropist, as she most notably donated $US1 million to Vanderbilt University's Medical Center to help develop a vaccine during the Covid-19 pandemic. Parton, who this month was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, also has founded a number charities including the Dollywood Foundation, which focuses on education as well as poverty relief. Image credits: Getty Images

Money & Banking

More than a story of treasures: revisiting Tutankhamun’s tomb 100 years after its discovery

On November 4 1922, a young Egyptian “water boy” on an archaeological dig is said to have accidentally stumbled on a stone that turned out to be the top of a flight of steps cut into the limestone bedrock. The stairs led to one of the most spectacular archaeological discoveries in history and the only almost intact funerary assemblage of a pharaoh – the Tutankhamun’s tomb. A century after this discovery, it’s worth revisiting the story of Tutankhamun’s tomb and how it eventually became a symbol for Egyptian nationalism. <h2>The ‘child king’</h2> <a href="https://egyptianmuseum.org/explore/new-kingdom-ruler-tutankhamun">Tutankhamun</a> is often referred to as a “child king” and the “most famous and least important” of the pharaohs; he was almost unknown to history before the tomb’s discovery. The son of one of the most controversial pharaohs in history – the champion of monotheism, <a href="https://www.arce.org/resource/akhenaten-mysteries-religious-revolution">Akhenaten</a> – Tutankhamun ascended the throne around age six or so. After a rather uneventful reign of restoring temples and bringing Egypt out from a period of political and religious turmoil, he died sometime between the age of 17 and 19. The discovery of his tomb full of magnificent and unique objects is more than a story of treasures. This is also a tale of the “roaring 20s” in the Middle Eastern version: a story of a quintessential embrace of class, privilege and colonialism juxtaposed against struggle for political freedom and building of new national identity. Archaeology 100 years ago was <a href="https://visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/event/tutankhamun-excavating-the-archive">very different</a>. None of the three male protagonists behind the discovery – Howard Carter (the lead British excavator), Lord Carnarvon (the man behind the money), and Ahmed Gerigar (the Egyptian foreman) – were formally trained as archaeologists. Despite this, Carter is now almost always referred to as an archaeologist, but Gerigar <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/remembering-unsung-egyptians-who-helped-find-king-tut-tomb-180980074/">almost never is</a> – further entrenching colonial narratives. But Carter’s three-decade-long excavation experience, draughtsman’s talent and his meticulousness, allied with the photographic aptitude of <a href="http://www.griffith.ox.ac.uk/discoveringtut/burton5/burtoncolour.html">Harry Burton of Metropolitan Museum</a> and the skills of the Egyptian excavators assured Tutenkhamun’s tomb – the only discovery of its type and arguably one of the most important archaeological finds ever – was recorded in a systematic and “modern” way. <h2>The painter who became an archaeologist</h2> Howard Carter was a young painter who fell in love with Egyptian antiquities while following his father, also a painter, into the houses of London’s elite to add drawings of pets to his father’s portraits. In 1891, age 17, Carter was recommended as an illustrator to archaeologist Percy Newberry, and joined him at a dig in Egypt at <a href="https://benihassan.com/">Beni Hassan tombs</a>. From this first trip to his death in 1939, Carter spent his life mostly in Egypt with short trips back to London to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/13/howard-carter-stole-tutankhamuns-treasure-new-evidence-suggests">deal in antiquities</a>, including those allegedly stolen from Tutankhamun’s tomb. After Beni Hassan, Carter became an illustrator for one of the fathers of Egyptology, William Flinders Petrie in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amarna">Tell el-Amarna</a>, the capital of Tut’s father Akhenaten. Carter then worked in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deir_el-Bahari">Deir el-Bahari</a>, the funerary temple of queen pharaoh Hatshepsut, located right on the other side of the limestone ravine known as the Valley of the Kings. It is here, on the western bank of the Nile I also trace some of my humble early experiences in Egyptology. Walking at dawn from our base at the Metropolitan Museum house in Deir, which Carter frequented, to the temple, I followed in his footsteps and mused on how lucky he was when the “water boy” stumbled upon a staircase to the tomb. That year, 1922, was supposed to be the last season after seven fruitless years of digging in the Valley in search of Tutankhamun’s elusive resting place. After clearing the staircase, Carter found the doorway sealed with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartouche">cartouches</a> – the hieroglyphs which enclose a royal name. He ordered the staircase to be refilled, and sent a telegram to Carnarvon, who arrived from England two-and-a-half weeks later. On November 26 Carter made a “tiny breach in the top left-hand corner” of the doorway. Carnarvon asked, “Can you see anything?” and Carter <a href="https://museum.wa.gov.au/whats-on/tutankhamun-wonderful-things/">replied</a> with his famous line: “Yes, wonderful things!” Across 3,000 years, about 300 pharaohs ruled ancient Egypt. All royal tombs had been broken into by thieves. The spectacular find of Tut’s tomb was also not a fully intact discovery. The tomb had been looted twice in antiquity, and Carter estimated that a considerable amount of jewellery was stolen. But it is the only surviving almost complete funerary assemblage. Consisting of over 5,000 objects, only <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/tutankhamun/id463700741?i=1000460805430">30%</a> have been studied so far. <h2>A story of its time</h2> Following <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unilateral_Declaration_of_Egyptian_Independence">Egyptian independence</a> on February 28 1922 and the establishment of an independent <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Egypt">Kingdom of Egypt</a>, the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb became an optimistic symbol for Egyptian nationalists. After the initial documentation, the official opening of the tomb in early 1924 coincided with the inauguration of Egypt’s first elected parliament. Despite the new independence, colonial attitudes continued. Lord Carnarvon sold the rights to the story of the discovery of Tut’s tomb to the London Times for a significant sum. Given the delay of a couple of weeks with sending photos on the ship from Cairo to London, Egyptian newspapers and readers were only able to follow the unfolding discovery from reading delayed British press. This caused a lot of resentment among the newly independent Egyptians, especially the middle classes. Nevertheless, the discovery was very significant for nation building and new national post-colonial identity. Taha Hussein, a notable Egyptian philosopher of the time, coined a notion of “<a href="https://raseef22.net/article/1074731-are-we-arabs-pharaohs-phoenicians-or-assssyrians-a-question-raised-since-1933-by">pharaonism</a>”. This unified national identity was supposed to transcend religious and ethnic differences between Arab, Muslim, Coptic and Jewish Egyptians. It remains a tool of propaganda to this day – notably with a parade of <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56508475">22 mummies moving to a new national museum</a> and a lavish re-opening of the <a href="https://grandegyptianmuseum.org/">Grand Egyptian Museum</a> soon, where much of the treasures from Tutankhamun’s tomb can be found today. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-a-story-of-treasures-revisiting-tutankhamuns-tomb-100-years-after-its-discovery-193293" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Art

WWI diary returns home after 100 years

A diary containing photos that are more than 100 years old gifted to nurse will be returning to its rightful owners. On Remembrance Day, Jon Ray will board a plane with the diary of a Belgian soldier who fought in WWI which chronicles life in the trenches from 1914 to 1917, helping it make the journey back to the soldier’s family. The diary came to be in Ray’s collection and in his family’s possession for the last 100 years after it was gifted to one of his ancestors. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/ww1-diary1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> "The diary basically was gifted to my grandmother Clara - Clara Carter - right towards the end of the First World War by a French-speaking Belgian soldier by the name of Jules Geldoff," he told 9News. While he doesn’t know how Geldoff met his grandmother, Ray’s best guess is that it was during her time as a nurse in northern England. "We're thinking probably late '17 is probably the time he might've been injured or something's happened to him and he's obviously given it to her," he said. At the end of the war, Geldoff and his diary would end up on opposite sides of the world. While Geldoff became an architect, Carter married an Australian soldier, bringing the diary with her to Broken Hill in New South Wales. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/ww1-diary2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Now, the diary will be heading back to its owner’s family with the help of a researcher and the Belgian embassy. "Through assistance from a researcher in Brussels, and the Belgian embassy in Canberra, we've managed to locate his closest living relatives in a place called Muskron in Belgium," Ray said. The diary contains priceless photographs depicting life during the war, including downtime, the war-torn towns Geldoff and his fellow soldiers encountered, and being on the front line. Images: 9News

Travel Trouble

It took scientists 100 years to track these eels to their breeding ground

The life of a European eel isn’t an easy one. They’re critically endangered, must travel up to 10,000 km to get to their spawning point and then when they get there they <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eel_life_history#European_eel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">probably die</a>. But they’re also incredibly difficult to keep track of. In the 1920s a Danish biologist named Johannes Schmidt, discovered the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sargasso_Sea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sargasso Sea</a> – due east of North America – had eel larvae. He spent the next 20 years trying to confirm his finding. But in the century since, researchers have been unable to sample either eggs or spawning adults. Now, a team from Europe has published a paper in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-19248-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scientific Reports</a> that shows the first direct evidence of adult European eels migrating to the Sargasso Sea to breed. This provides vitally needed information on the life cycle of these slippery suckers. “The European Eel is critically endangered, so it is important that we solve the mystery surrounding their complete life-cycle to support efforts to protect the spawning area of this important species,” <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ancient-mystery-of-european-eel-migration-unravelled-to-help-combat-decline-of-critically-endangered-species" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says project lead Ros Wright from the UK Environment Agency.</a> “This is the first time we’ve been able to track eels to the Sargasso Sea … Their journey will reveal information about eel migration that has never been known before.” The team attached satellite tags to 26 female eels that were in rivers in the Azores archipelago – an autonomous region of Portugal in the North Atlantic Ocean – and then waited. When tracking had been done before in areas within Europe, like the Baltic and North Sea, the migratory routes were tracked up to 5000 kilometres, but the tracking had not gone for long enough, and the eels were heading in the right direction, but never made it all the way to the Sargasso Sea. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p219813-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> “The data from the tags were used to identify migratory routes that extended up to 5000 km from release, and which suggested routes taken by eels migrating from different countries converge when passing the Azores,” <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-19248-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the team wrote in their paper.</a> “However, although eels were tracked for six months or more, their migration speed was insufficient to reach the Sargasso Sea for the first presumed spawning period after migration commenced, prompting the hypothesis that the spawning migration period of eels may extend to more than 18 months.” So, the team went directly to Azores to try and get the last leg of the journey, tracking 26 of the female eels with ‘X tags’. These collect data every two minutes and when the tag releases from the eel and bobs to the surface it then connects to the ARGOS satellite. Of course, not every single one worked. Only 23 tags communicated with the system; two became detached from the eels within a week. But the remainder provided a wealth of data to the team. Average migration speed was between 3 and 12 kilometres a day, and they were tracked from 40 days all the way to 366 days. Five of the eels ended up in within the Sargasso Sea boundaries while one eel made it all the way to the presumed breeding area Schmidt discovered those many years before. This isn’t the first time that eels have been tracked in this way. A study published last year, also in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-02325-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scientific Reports</a>, which Cosmos covered at the time, looked at the spawning migrations of the Australasian short-finned eel. They found that the eels travelled for five months, around 2,620 km from south-Eastern Australia, as far north as the Coral Sea in Northern Queensland. The researchers in the European eel case still have much to do. The eels didn’t move fast enough to be able to make it to the spawning period on time, which means we still don’t really understand the life cycle. “Rather than make a rapid migration to spawn at the earliest opportunity, European eels may instead make a long, slow spawning migration at depth that conserves their energy and reduces mortality risk,” the team wrote. There’s also questions of what mechanisms the eels use to be able to correctly navigate to the Sargasso Sea. As usual in science, one answer has led to plenty more questions. <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=219813&title=It+took+scientists+100+years+to+track+these+eels+to+their+breeding+ground" width="1" height="1" /> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/animals/european-eels-life-cycle-tracking-schmidt-sargasso-sea/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on Cosmos Magazine and was written by Jacinta Bowler. Image: Getty Images </div>

Family & Pets

Why this 100-year-old woman was arrested

A 100-year-old woman was arrested after local police officers found out that it was on her bucket list. Jean Bicketon was at Narracan Gardens Residential Aged Care in Victoria when three constables arrived in a police car with their lights flashing and siren blaring to arrest her. The former WWII nurse and her fellow aged care residents were spoken to, to assure them that no one was in fact in trouble. Ms Bicketon was then arrested and officers gently placed handcuffs on her, declaring her ‘officially’ under arrest. She did not resist. Victoria Police shared the incredible moment to Facebook, showing a happy Ms Bicketon as she was arrested. “Now these kinda arrests, we’re happy to make,” their post read. “For many, getting through life without being arrested is a pretty good run. An obvious one we would like to think. “But for ex-nurse Jean Bicketon - who recently celebrated her 100th birthday, a good run in and of itself - getting arrested was on her bucket list. “So, when we heard of Jean’s wishes, our team at Moe station were ready to step in and help check it off. “While celebrating her milestone at Narracan Gardens Residential Aged Care, three young constables whirled in, lights and sirens, to make sure Jean’s birthday wishes were met. “According to Jean it was one of the best celebrations, and we’re glad we could help grant the experience. Wishing Jean a wonderful 100th birthday! “Thanks to everyone that made this possible.” Ms Bicketon said it was an exciting experience and was happy that police accommodated her wish. “I've never been arrested in my life,” she told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11132855/Ex-army-nurse-arrested-celebrating-100th-birthday.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a>. “I said to them I've never been drunk and I've never been arrested, never lost my driving licence and never had an infringement.” Images: Facebook

Family & Pets

World’s hottest grandma shocks with Shane Warne claim

Gina Stewart, the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/world-s-hottest-grandma-reveals-paparazzi-hell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world’s hottest grandma</a> has claimed that she was “quietly” dating Shane Warne. The legendary cricketer, 52, died of natural causes on March 4 in a luxury villa on the Thailand holiday island of Koh Samui. Now six months later, the 52-year-old model has revealed that she and the late cricketer were chatting online for months in 2018 before eventually meeting up. “I have been devastated over the last few months,” she told The Daily Star. “The world lost a legend and I lost a friend and confidante. The unthinkable happened. “I was dating Shane but it wasn’t well-known. He wanted to keep it personal.” The pair met up after a game that Warne played and they “hit it off straight away and spent the whole night talking”. Stewart claims that they got “extremely close” and that she promised Warne to keep their relationship out of the public eye. She said they would have to wear hats and sunnies to avoid paparazzi who were stalking her house. Despite not speaking at the time of his death, Stewart felt it was right to open up about what a lovely person Warne was. “I couldn’t speak until now and I just want people to know he was a truly caring humanitarian.” Images: Instagram

Relationships

“World’s hottest grandma” reveals paparazzi hell

The world’s self-proclaimed hottest grandma has spoken about being forced to leave her home due to paparazzi stalking her. Gina Stewart moved from New Zealand to the Gold Coast and is being chased by paparazzi who have figured out where she lives. The 51-year-old said that despite her huge following online where she shares promiscuous images, she is actually “really shy”. "I have been chased all around the Gold Coast by paparazzi trying to catch me," she told The Daily Star. "I don't give out my address and I had to move from one address because paparazzi tried to catch me outside. "It got to a point where I wouldn't go out until I knew they had gone." The mother-of-four and grandmother-of-one certainly does not look her age and credits her looks to a hyper-cooling remedy. Stewart exposes herself to temperatures of -110C to help “rejuvenate” her body and helps with muscle fatigue, muscle repair, injury treatment plus general skin revival. "Cryotherapy is my number one go-to therapy. I firmly believe it is the reason why I feel and look refreshed. It's my fountain of youth," she previously said. "I have been doing cryotherapy for a while and will keep it up as long as possible." She explained that each session costs $55 and does it twice a week. Stewart has also been doing it for a year which is helping her burn 800 calories each session. The grandma also sticks to eating protein-rich foods and avoids alcohol. Images: Instagram

Beauty & Style

The Movie You Will Never See

A movie that was filmed in 2015 has been declared a movie almost no one alive today will see because of its release date. It won’t be released for a century. Titled 100 Years, with a tagline The Movie You Will Never See, will be released in a century on November 18, 2115. The reason behind this is because it looks at how life on Earth could be in the next century. Directed by Robert Rodriguez who gave us the popular Spy Kids and From Dusk Till Dawn, it will feature stars John Malkovich, Shuya Chang and Marko Zaror. Malkovich explained that the film looks at the world beyond technology and is considered science fiction, "An incredibly high tech, beyond the computerised version of the world, a post-Chernoybl, back to nature, semi-collapsed civilisation and then there was a retro-future which was how the future was imagined in science fiction of the 1940s or 50s," he told The Guardian Life. Three trailers were released back in 2015 but don’t give anything away about the actual film. It’s been said that the film has been locked away in a safe in Cognac, France, and won’t be opened until November 18, 2115. Image: YouTube

Movies

The best reactions to The Wiggles’ Hottest 100 win

Each year, national broadcaster Triple J counts down the Hottest 100 songs of the previous year, as voted by the Australian public. This year, an unlikely candidate was tipped to take out the top spot: The Wiggles. At the beginning of 2021, the children’s musical act covered a song by indie artist Tame Impala in Triple J’s Like A Version studio, which saw the original Wiggles unite with the newer group members. The cover of the song, titled Elephant, racked up millions of views on Youtube, delighting fans of all ages as they combined the song with their famous Fruit Salad hit. As the cover won the coveted number one spot, social media went into meltdown at the iconic win. While some music sceptics were annoyed at the win, most were thrilled with the recognition. Thousands flocked to Twitter to share their thoughts on the win, with many calling it a remarkable win for the Australian music scene: particularly for the generation who grew up with The Wiggles and turned into avid Triple J listeners. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The Wiggles winning the 2021 Hottest 100 is the kind of thing that you gets more remarkable as you look at it written down. — Rudi Edsall (@RudiEdsall) <a href="https://twitter.com/RudiEdsall/status/1484814710868361218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Never underestimate this country’s love for the Wiggles <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hottest100?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hottest100</a> — Jacqui Dodd (@doddsie161) <a href="https://twitter.com/doddsie161/status/1484814376943366151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> They tapped into that sweet venn diagram intersection of people who listened to fruit salad in 2000 as a toddler and tame impala last year as 20-year olds. Diabolically genius. — Ruby Redshoes (@Ruby__Redshoes) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ruby__Redshoes/status/1484818453035122692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I don’t want to call voter fraud on The Wiggles’ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hottest100?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hottest100</a> win, but when one of your band members can get you eight votes at once using each arm it seems dodgy. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wiggles?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Wiggles</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheWigglesForHottest100?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheWigglesForHottest100</a> — adam rozenbachs (@arozenbachs) <a href="https://twitter.com/arozenbachs/status/1484829361673216005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2022</a></blockquote> The Queensland Police Twitter account even got involved, with others pointing out how The Wiggles’ win is also a win for Australian band The Cockroaches, whose guitarist Murray Cook is also known as the Red Wiggle. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Investigations have commenced into how The Wiggles created such a banger. 🎵 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wiggles4Hottest100?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Wiggles4Hottest100</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hottest100?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hottest100</a> — Queensland Police (@QldPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/QldPolice/status/1484719126438629376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The Cockroaches were really playing the long game for a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hottest100?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hottest100</a> win. Change your name, target pre-schoolers and wait for them to grow — Imogen Hines (@Imi_cycles) <a href="https://twitter.com/Imi_cycles/status/1484817251971002369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Only in 2022 could The Wiggles top the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hottest100?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hottest100</a> and it not feel like a strange thing. — Sam Robinson (@samsquareeyes) <a href="https://twitter.com/samsquareeyes/status/1484815440023269379?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Can we all acknowledge that thousands of millennials just worked together to get the wiggles to win the hottest 100, beating some of the biggest Artists in the world. This is payback for the real ppl who raised us! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hottest100?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hottest100</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wiggles?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wiggles</a> — Patrickoliosis (@Patrick96380290) <a href="https://twitter.com/Patrick96380290/status/1484814925591871490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2022</a></blockquote> You can check out The Wiggles’ winning cover of Elephant below. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a13WnqsRc5g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Image credits: Instagram @thewiggles

Music

2021 was one of the hottest years on record – and it could also be the coldest we’ll ever see again

Well, it’s official: 2021 was one of the planet’s seven hottest years since records began, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) declared this week. The year was about 1.11℃ above pre-industrial levels – the seventh year in a row that the average global temperature rise edged over 1℃. The WMO report echoes <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/news/2021-was-worlds-6th-warmest-year-on-record">two separate</a> <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/2021-tied-for-6th-warmest-year-in-continued-trend-nasa-analysis-shows">official US analyses</a> released last week that found 2021 was the sixth hottest year on record, tied with 2018. For many of us in Australia and overseas, however, 2021 may have felt generally colder and rainier than usual. This is because of the effect of back-to-back La Niña events, a natural phenomenon that brings cooler, rainier weather in our region. The fact 2021 was among the world’s hottest years despite these cooling forces shows just how strong the long-term warming trend is. Indeed, 2021 may well be the coldest year we’ll ever experience again. Let’s reflect on the year that was, and what we can expect for this year and beyond. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PiR6TnAx36E?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> 2021 was one of the seven warmest years on record, WMO consolidated data shows. <h2>La Niña dampens the heat, but not enough</h2> 2021 started and ended with La Niña events. While it’s unusual for this climate phenomenon to occur two years in a row, <a href="https://theconversation.com/back-so-soon-la-nina-heres-why-were-copping-two-soggy-summers-in-a-row-173684">it’s not unheard of</a>. In La Niña years, we see the global average temperature decrease by about 0.1-0.2℃. So how does it work? During La Niña we see cool water from deep in the Pacific Ocean rise to the surface. This happens when wind strength increases at the equator, which pushes warmer water to the west and allows more cool water to rise off the coast of South America. Essentially, the net transfer of energy from the surface to the deeper ocean brings the average global surface temperature down. While La Niña is a natural phenomenon (it’s not the result of human activities), human-caused climate change remains a constant underlying influence that sets a long-term warming trend. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437382/original/file-20211213-25-9bnwpl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437382/original/file-20211213-25-9bnwpl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> A schematic showing interactions between the atmosphere and ocean during a La Niña. Bureau of Meteorology. The La Niña conditions of 2021 took the edge off the global average surface temperature. Parts of Australia, southern Africa and northwestern North America saw cooler temperatures during 2021 compared to recent years as the effects of La Niña kicked in. Unless we have another strong La Niña very soon, we’re going to keep seeing even hotter years than 2021 for the foreseeable future until net global greenhouse gas emissions cease. <h2>A year with massive, extreme events</h2> As the world warms we’re becoming more accustomed to extreme events, especially severe heatwaves. This was no different for 2021, which was characterised one incredibly extreme heat event in particular, which occurred in western North America. In late June and early July, heat built over northwest United States and southwest Canada. <a href="https://theconversation.com/extreme-heat-waves-in-a-warming-world-dont-just-break-records-they-shatter-them-164919">New temperature records were set across the region</a> – at some sites, by several degrees. A staggering 49.6℃ was recorded in Lytton, British Columbia, which is Canada’s highest temperature measurement. This heatwave was disastrous, including in Seattle and Portland where <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/08/11/climate/deaths-pacific-northwest-heat-wave.html">death rates spiked</a>. Soon after, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-02/lytton-fire-record-temperatures-heat-dome-canada-heatwave/100261768">wildfire destroyed</a> the town of Lytton. While many other parts of the world also saw heatwaves, including significant events in Europe and Asia, the western North American heatwave stands out. The scale of this event would have been <a href="https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/western-north-american-extreme-heat-virtually-impossible-without-human-caused-climate-change/">virtually impossible without human-caused climate change</a>. Severe floods were also a feature of 2021 in many places. Short bursts of extreme rainfall that bring flash flooding are becoming more frequent and intense due to the human influence on the climate. We saw especially devastating events in <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/europe-s-deadly-floods-leave-scientists-stunned">central Europe</a> and in <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-57861067">China</a> in July. <h2>Australia’s coolest year since 2012</h2> Australia not only experienced <a href="https://theconversation.com/back-so-soon-la-nina-heres-why-were-copping-two-soggy-summers-in-a-row-173684">back-to-back La Niña events</a>, but also the <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-wet-winter-a-soggy-spring-what-is-the-negative-indian-ocean-dipole-and-why-is-it-so-important-164957">negative Indian Ocean Dipole</a> – a bit like the Indian Ocean’s version of La Niña, bringing cool, rainier weather to Australia during winter and spring. Both left their mark, with Australia experiencing its <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/change/#tabs=Tracker&tracker=timeseries">coolest year since 2012</a> and its <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/change/#tabs=Tracker&tracker=timeseries&tQ=graph%3Drranom%26area%3Daus%26season%3D0112%26ave_yr%3D0">wettest year since 2016</a>. And still, 2021 was warmer than any year in the observational series prior to 1980. In fact, Australia is warming faster than the world as a whole, with <a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-change-has-already-hit-australia-unless-we-act-now-a-hotter-drier-and-more-dangerous-future-awaits-ipcc-warns-165396">Australian temperatures</a> already up <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/state-of-the-climate/australias-changing-climate.shtml">about 1.4℃ since 1910</a>. We also saw major floods in Australia that inundated <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-20/nsw-floods-break-120-year-old-rain-records/100079400">eastern New South Wales</a> in March, and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/dec/01/queensland-floods-950-evacuated-from-inglewood-as-rising-rivers-threaten-towns">Queensland</a> more recently. However, the influence of climate change on extreme rainfall in Australia is less clear than for other parts of the world because Australia has a high climate variability - swinging from drought to flooding rains and back again. Another reason is because our major floods are often caused by extreme rain that falls for several days, and the effect of climate change on this type of rain is difficult to unpick. <h2>What’s in store for 2022 and beyond</h2> We can’t forecast the weather beyond about ten days, but we can make a couple of forecasts for 2022 with confidence. First, while 2022 may experience a slight cooling influence from <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/outlook/">the ongoing La Niña</a>, it will still be among our warmest years. To have an individual year as cool as those we experienced as recently as the 1990s is exceptionally unlikely due to our high greenhouse gas emissions. Second, there will be more extreme heat events somewhere on Earth this year, because our influence on the climate has <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-hot-weather-records-continue-to-tumble-worldwide-86158">greatly increased the odds of record-breaking heatwaves occurring</a>. Even if we start acting on climate change with more urgency, we will experience more frequent and intense heatwaves in coming years. This means we need to <a href="https://theconversation.com/adapting-cities-to-a-hotter-world-3-essential-reads-120634">build greater resilience to these extremes</a> and adapt cities and towns to a hotter world. Beyond 2022, we know we will see continued global warming until we stop emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. And with global carbon dioxide emissions rebounding to <a href="https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/21/highlights.htm">near-record levels in 2021</a> after a brief drop in 2020 from the pandemic, we’re a long way off stopping global warming. Rapid decarbonisation is needed to reduce further warming of the planet. It’s not too late to <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-no-end-to-the-damage-humans-can-wreak-on-the-climate-this-is-how-bad-its-likely-to-get-166031">avoid the most dangerous climate change impacts</a>. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/175238/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-king-103126">Andrew King</a>, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/2021-was-one-of-the-hottest-years-on-record-and-it-could-also-be-the-coldest-well-ever-see-again-175238">original article</a>. Image: AP Photo/Michael Pappas

Travel Trouble

15 countries that existed 100 years ago but don’t anymore

Yugoslavia A hundred years ago, World War I wreaked all kinds of havoc on the borders of Europe. Yugoslavia, a southeastern European country created in 1918 as “the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes” and renamed Yugoslavia a decade later, united many culturally and ethnically diverse territories that were part of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. The new nation included the current states of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia. But Yugoslavia was headed for more strife in the 20th century: broken up and occupied during World War II, reunited under a communist leader post-war, followed later by fighting during the 1990s. Now that the country is officially no longer, much of the region is experiencing greater peace. Croatia’s coastal city of Dubrovnik doubles for the hit HBO series Game of Thrones’ King’s Landing, making it such a popular tourist destination that it had to limit the number of visitors. Tibet Although we associate Tibet with peaceful Buddhist monks and its spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, this region northwest of India has been fought over for centuries. Tibet was actually its own independent country only from 1912 to 1951, when it was made part of China. Efforts to ‘free Tibet’ are ongoing, and the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Dalai Lama, now retired, still resides in exile in India. The country is also a destination for adventure seekers and mountaineers because it contains the highest point on Earth, the nearly 8849 metre Mount Everest, which lies on the border of Nepal. Neutral Moresnet Never heard of Neutral Moresnet? You’re not the only one. This minuscule country of just over two-and-a-half square kilometres was carved out of an agreement between the Dutch and the Prussians (more on them later) in 1816, so both nations would have access to its zinc mine. Neutral Moresnet had its own flag and even made its own coins. Efforts were made to turn the tiny nation into a utopia with its own artificial ‘world language,’ Esperanto. But it fell victim to World War I, and then became part of Belgium. The present-day residents of the area, however, still celebrate the anniversary of Neutral Moresnet’s creation. Newfoundland You might think of the rugged island of Newfoundland as part of Canada, but that wasn’t always the case. The island off North America’s northeastern coast was also previously a British colony, but its isolation created a culture distinct from the surrounding region. Newfoundland became a self-governing independent nation, although still a British ‘dominion,’ from 1907 until 1934, when it voluntarily chose to go back to being a colony after the Great Depression hit hard. In 1949, Newfoundland became a Canadian province, now known as Newfoundland and Labrador (interestingly, both names of dog breeds as well!). Abyssinia This romantic-sounding name was actually the Arab and European moniker for Ethiopia a hundred years ago. In the ‘Scramble for Africa’ at the end of the 19th century, Italy had tried to snatch it up, but was unable to overthrow its monarchy. In fact, the country was never colonised and was one of the few independent states in Africa – until the Italians under Mussolini were able to briefly occupy it during the late 1930s. After World War II, Ethiopia became one of the founding countries of the United Nations. The country’s rich history also lays claim to the world’s oldest human fossil ever found, and allegedly the biblical Ark of the Covenant (you know, the one in Raiders of the Lost Ark). The surreal landscape of Ethiopia’s lava lake is one of the most remote places on earth. Czechoslovakia This eastern European country was another melding of different ethnic groups created in 1918 at the end of World War I. Part of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, Czechoslovakia was made up of the historical regions Moravia, Slovakia and Bohemia (yes, as in ‘bohemian’). The Nazi occupation of the area helped propel Europe into World War II; after being liberated by the Soviet Union it became an Eastern Bloc nation in the later half of the 20th century. Czechoslovakia eventually peacefully split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993. Ceylon You probably know of this large island south of India as Sri Lanka, but until 1972 it was called Ceylon. That’s the name the Europeans gave to it when the island was colonised centuries earlier. Under British control until 1948, it then became an independent nation and threw off its colonial moniker in 1972, when it became Sri Lanka. After some civil war in the early 21st century, the area is now stable. In 2011, the country decided to change the title of any state institutions still bearing the name Ceylon in an effort to remove any vestiges of colonialism. Basutoland Now called Lesotho since its independence from Britain in 1966, Basutoland was united as a nation in the 19th century under King Moshoeshoe I, who later applied to the British for help in warding off invaders. Only one of three countries in the world to be surrounded completely by another (along with the Vatican and San Marino, both enclaves within Italy), Basutoland was located inside what is today South Africa. Lesotho still has a royal family and is now a constitutional monarchy. Prince Harry, who’s very fond of the country, founded his charity for children in Africa, Sentebale, with Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso. Ottoman Empire Unlike the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, which still encompassed Turkey and some surrounding areas by 1920, survived World War I. But not for long – in 1923, after losing most of its other territories, it became the Turkish Republic. Prior to the Great War, though, the empire ruled for more than 600 years over lands that also included parts of eastern Europe, north Africa and the Middle East. Its influence is still seen today in the culture and architecture of Turkey. For an up-close look, visit Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, which has been wowing shoppers since 1455. Sikkim Have you heard of this tiny mountain region in the Himalayas? Sikkim was a sovereign monarchy from 1642 until it became an Indian protectorate in 1950, and then a state of India in 1975. Also bordering Bhutan, Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and Nepal today, Sikkim is dominated by snow-covered mountains, which the people revere as both a god itself and the home of gods. A footprint of the Yeti, aka the Abominable Snowman, was allegedly found in Sikkim in 1948. Persia The name of Persia conjures up an ancient Middle Eastern kingdom, one of the oldest civilisations in history. Since the height of its power in ancient times, the country was oft fought over but still retained its old moniker all the way until 1935, when it officially became Iran. Today, we mostly think of Persia when speaking of Persian rugs and Persian cats, but its culture is alive and well – unfortunately, continuing unstable international relations (not to mention a certain global pandemic) are keeping Westerners from visiting. Siam Anyone who’s seen the musical The King and I might wonder where on earth the king of Siam (the real-life King Mongkut, who ruled from 1851 to 1868) actually lived. The answer? Present-day Thailand, whose new name was adopted in 1939. Never colonised by Europeans, Siam was an absolute monarchy; after unrest in the 20th century, Thailand is now a constitutional monarchy. Thanks to its hundreds of islands, clear water and gorgeous coastlines, Thailand is a popular tourist destination today. Prussia You read right: not Russia, Prussia. This country, which encompassed land in central and eastern Europe including present-day Germany and Poland, existed in some form all the way until 1947. The kingdom of Prussia enjoyed much success in the 18th century but started to lose territory in the 19th, until the unification of the German empire placed the Prussian king at its head in 1871. Although it’s a little complicated where Prussia ends and Germany begins, the defeat of the empire and the abolishment of the Prussian monarchy after World War I extinguished its influence. But Prussia continued to exist as a German state until the land was divided up and the name formally dismissed after World War II, erasing it from the map forever. Interestingly, though, the descendants of the defunct monarchy continue to carry their titles – Prince Georg Friedrich Ferdinand of Prussia is the current head of the former ruling family. Zanzibar The islands of Zanzibar, an archipelago off Africa’s east coast, sound exotically alluring – the name probably makes you think of spices, explorers and adventure. And for good reason: the area was once an important trading locale, and was established as an independent sultanate in the 19th century. Although it became a British protectorate soon after, the sultan continued to rule until 1964. Having gained full independence the previous year, Zanzibar then merged with mainland Tanganyika to form present-day Tanzania. Today, see the highest point in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, before heading for the tropical paradise of the islands’ beaches. Sarawak Now a state in Malaysia on the island of Borneo, Sarawak is a land full of natural beauty. Created as a kingdom by the adventurer James Brooke in the 1840s, Sarawak was ruled by his descendants until World War II, when it was occupied by Japan and later ceded to Britain. In 1963, Sarawak became part of the new country of Malaysia. Interestingly, although Brooke was English, he resisted British imperialism and is largely regarded positively in the country. Rudyard Kipling’s The Man Who Would Be King was likely based on Brooke, and he’s also the inspiration for the planned upcoming film White Rajah. The Brooke family is still active in Sarawak through The Brooke Trust. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/15-countries-that-existed-100-years-ago-but-dont-anymore?pages=1" target="_blank">Reader's Digest</a>.

Travel Tips

Strictly Ballroom producer’s hottest property hits the market

Just two years after dropping a record-setting $10.25 million on a Rose Bay apartment, film producer Antoinette “Popsy” Albert has put her historic Bellevue Hill property up for sale in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs. The asking price is expected to be a high one, with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/film-producer-popsy-albert-lists-bellevue-hill-house-inhigh-20-million-range-1106705/" target="_blank">some sources</a> saying it could be within the “high $20 million range”. Designed by architect Espie Dods in the 1980s, the five-bedroom home features five bathrooms, several formal and informal living rooms, dining areas and a loggia (a covered seated area) that spills out into the garden. The home also boasts a custom theatre, next door to a wine cellar, and one of its bedrooms acts as a self-contained apartment. The 1400-square-metre property is nestled among some of Bellevue’s most famed homes, all found on Ginahgulla Road. The co-producer of Baz Luhrman’s Strictly Ballroom has <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.domain.com.au/10-ginahgulla-road-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023-2017435033" target="_blank">listed</a> the home with Christie’s realtor Ken Jacobs. Albert and her late husband, music producer Ted Albert, purchased the home in 1982 for $825,000 from the estate of late racehorse owner Allan Lewis. Images: Getty Images, Domain

Real Estate

Hero dog honoured for saving over 100 koalas

Image: Nine News A former rescue dog who saved over 100 koalas during the catastrophic Black Summer bushfires has been honoured for his work in the United Kingdom. Bear, a six-year-old Australian koolie, was honoured by the International Fund for Animal Welfare at the House of Lords earlier this week. He appeared via video link to accept the award. Bear’s handler Romane Cristescy, of the University of the Sunshine Coast, couldn’t be prouder of the former rescue dog. “We think Bear really deserved this award,” she said. “He’s been such a good boy in helping us find and rescue a lot of koalas, especially during the bushfires but he works throughout the year to help us in our job to make a better and safer place for koalas. “We’ll give bear extra pats and extra play for his award.” Bear was one of two dogs honoured during the ceremony. Jasper, a cockapoo, won “Animal of the Year” for his work in supporting frontline NHS staff through the pandemic. Bear’s boundless energy made him a perfect candidate for the Detection Dogs for Conversation program at the University of the Sunshine Coast. He was trained to recognise the scent of koalas’ fur. Over the 2019-2020 bushfire season Bear is credited with saving 100 marsupials after the habitats were scorched. Once he’d detect their smell, Bear would drop silently to the ground at the base of the tree, to ensure it is not disturbed. A total of 33 people lost their lives in the fires which burned across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Three billion animals are estimated to have died over, 24 million hectares of land was burnt, and 3000 homes were lost.

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